Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Hello, internet friends!  Just a quick update.

Lately I've been:
  • Cooking more often! 
  • Celebrating the holidays.  We co-threw a party, made stuff*, gifted & was gifted to, etc.
  • Using pinterest...on which I have a board dedicated to Gluten-free Food & Drink
  • Adding reviews to Yelp

*The bMoreGlutenFree team made homemade holiday gifts for our friends this year: Peppermint Bark in cute packages.  They were easy to make and a big hit!  The rough recipe is:
  1. melt white chocolate chips in a make-shift double-boiler (large bowl on top of pot)
  2. add in crushed candy canes
  3. pour and spread onto trays
  4. refrigerate

Phew, so glad I've caught you up!  However, we had a family emergency before the holidays that has taken me away from Baltimore for an indefinite period of time.  I'm not sure how much attention I'll be able to put to this blog and its auxillary sites as we deal with these difficulties.  But I did not want to leave ya'll hanging, and I will certainly be back!

Have a Safe, Happy, & Healthy New Year!

'Til next time . . .

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

December Guest Blogger recipe: Tortilla Española

Claire S., a recent graduate of Johns Hopkins University, brings us this month's guest recipe!  Claire spent a semester in Madrid, where [I like to believe] she perfected the art of Spanish tapas.  Her version of the popular 'Spanish Omelet' certainly brings me back to my own days abroad, when I first tried the dish.  Yummy yum yum.  (As usual, if you have questions for our guest blogger, please leave them in the comments section.)  ¡Buen provecho!


Tortilla Española

My undying love of the Spanish tortilla came about while studying abroad in Madrid.  It was my staple food there--not only because it’s delicious, but also because it’s affordable and you can purchase it pretty much anywhere in Spain. Very attractive for someone on a student’s budget!  The scrumptious tortilla is also incredibly versatile: it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and is super portable for those on-the-go.  A naturally gluten-free dish, there are only five simple ingredients: potatoes, eggs, onion, olive oil, and salt.  Once you have mastered it, this dish will become your go-to meal!


Prep Time: 20 minutes 
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
  • approx. 7 medium potatoes -- peeled, quartered, & thinly sliced
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 medium onion -- minced
  • Extra virgin olive oil 
  • Cutlery: 10" non-stick pan; mixing bowl; strainer; 12-inch [or larger] plate

Directions:
  1. Fill a 10” non-stick frying pan with a half-inch of olive oil and place over medium-high heat. 
  2. Once the oil is hot, add potatoes + onion.  Allow to cook until potatoes are golden brown and soft (≈20 minutes).   
  3. While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate bowl beat eggs + salt, until fluffy.   
  4. Using a strainer, remove the potatoes from the frying pan, allowing the olive oil to drain into a bowl.   
  5. Add the potatoes to the egg mixture and stir until combined.   
  6. Drizzle some of the excess oil back into the frying pan and place over medium heat. 
  7. When the pan is hot, add the potato and egg mixture.   Cook for about 5 minutes, constantly making sure that the sides of the tortilla are not sticking to the pan.   
  8. Take a plate that is larger than the pan and place it upside down over the pan.  
  9. Flip the tortilla onto the plate (commitment is key, don’t hesitate!).  
  10. Add more olive oil to the pan and slide the tortilla back into the pan. The uncooked side should be faced down.  
  11. Cook for about 5 more minutes, then slide from pan onto a serving plate.  Enjoy!