Split Pea soup-- Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving here and gone-- we had a blast with family, friends, and the occasional near-disaster--like my setting a pie on fire in the broiler-- but at least it was hot! Or the fact that my oven konked out: BUT the turkey and ham were cooked.
 And, speaking of ham....
Yesterday I got a bag of split peas-- I use GOYA brand. 
I chopped up a small onion, three small carrots and threw these into a 6-8 oz pot with the ham bone. 
I let this sizzle on high heat for about 10-15 minutes, turning it a lot,  so nothing burned.  The fat from the ham will help the vegetables soften.
  Then when the smell is very delicious and the ham looks browned-- pour in 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. 
Add an entire 16 oz bag of split peas, bring to boil again, then turn down to a simmer.
Let simmer for  30 minutes, then pepper to taste, and add a bay leaf should you wish; sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.
 Stir frequently, and cook for another  30 minutes -- or until the peas are soft and soup starts to become thick.
  Ham --whatever little was left on the shank--should be falling off bone.
Again, add pepper to taste.

And there you go--
It's free of all major allergens-- but I know some folks can't eat legumes.
And, we sometimes have it with cornbread [made without milk or eggs]--but then, it's not wheat free.

However-- this soup is hearty, great for cold weather and delicious all on its own.
enjoy!

FARE TEEN SUMMIT and FARECon coming up!

As always, I am looking forward to seeing my 'people" at the Teen Summit! I hear it's 500 strong for the kids this year-- which is tenfold from when it started over 10 years ago! which is great!
There's so many great symposia from:
Innovation Tank-- where teens share their very creative ideas for products to help themselves and others in this food allergy world-- to industry experts trying to answer our questions about cross contamination on food lines and why ingredients change year to year.

But, as always, the greatest part is the community.  The give and take and TALK among the parents about how DO you send food to Camp.  Or make a gluten free eggless birthday cake that travels well. or how to ask relatives to NOT make anything unsafe-- or simply laughing at your worst flops-- like that cake I made that literally was liquid inside... ewww.

 And the sounds of happy kids finding friends for the weekend or BFFs who share not only food allergies-- but interests in music and clothes and dating and video games and sports and rebellion and school and reading and --well, you get the point! Food Allergies are there-- but they ain't the only thing in the room!
We always say:
We're All In This TOGETHER!
Hope to see you in DC!


And--Happy Halloween-- stockpile those Smarties and Twizzler packets and lots of stickers to hand out! Or get ready with change to "ransom" your kid's milk, nut and other unsafe booty! Have a safe and fun time--

More for Thanksgiving and a FARECon sum-up, next time!

Sporting Events--REDUX!

I misspoke.
When I was noting that there was only one option at the USOpen Tennis in New York, I had not researched fully.
Actually-- At this year's USOpen there are two fabulous salads from ANGRY TACO [ no clue about that name] which were delicious, fresh and loaded with interesting vegetables. 
Crunchy asparagus tips, wax beans, green beans, toasted pumpkin seeds, baby spinach, radishes and either chicken strips with a light chipolte rub or beef strips with lots of salt. 
These were available at all locations-- and were made carefully with no cross-contamination!
  So, actually there was selection --and wonderful, if hot, tennis to watch.

I'm looking for the correct Open food service team/ department to contact to offer my appreciation and comments.
Glad I could update. 

Sporting Events-- again!

US OPEN Tennis

This event-- which I love-- comes to my town and takes over--it seems every third person is carrying a racket and wearing tennis whites.  My son and I love to go and wander all the courts for these sweltering last days of August into early September.  Such amazing athletes to watch and such a lovely atmosphere to enjoy... but really really hard to find some safe options to eat!

Yesterday, there was exactly one option-- a lovely salad with veggies and grilled chicken [Farm to Fork].  But one item, from a regular menu, that was safe. 
AND-- let me say that I am GRATEFUL for that one safe option! ***
Sigh... at least there are always safe fries!


I just want to get it out there that sporting events can be tough. Again, it takes planning, and supervision, and that willingness to ask, observe, and WAIT. 

That's how it often goes-- at the burger concession, you can ask that they give you the burger only--no bread, no condiments, and you can wait for that-- but I mean WAIT. It's just that anything different for a food court operation is difficult and needs to be addressed individually-- and there are  literally hundreds of people waiting.
  Of course, in past, I have waited for that burger, and I am grateful for that one option, for that server who takes the time to give me a plain burger.

 But of course, I'm human, and after 25 years, I want my kid to have options, to have a selection, to be able to feel safe easily, without picking through the salad to make sure there's no cheese.

But push through we must, and try to prioritize the good things, the happiness at being together at a great arena or event.  Knowing that  your kid's "I got this" attitude is going to buoy them for their whole lives, not just through food allergies at the US Open.



 ***And, possibly a brisket sandwich, from Hill Country BBQ.  

Food Allergy Conference and Teen Summit

https://www.foodallergy.org/education-awareness/farecon

let's remember the Teen Summit-- which has community plus lots of good stuff to learn and share.

see you there!

https://www.amazon.com/College-Cooking-Allergy-Free-Jody-Falco/dp/0990948609

it has been a while...

It has been a while; I've been distracted, though not with food allergies issues which can arise all the time!
Big news for our "mothership" organization is the new CEO Lisa Gable.  Can't wait to meet her at the Teen Summit which is incorporated into FARECon
 I'll be there!

Summertime is finally here and I've been experimenting in the kitchen with some easy ways to make summery foods like pasta salads and the like.
 For my last pasta salad-- I use Luigi Vitelli farfalle-- I roasted thinly sliced red and yellow peppers, zucchini [green and yellow] and onions, and halved cherry tomatoes,  on a cookie sheet with olive oil and salt and pepper.  High heat-- about 450-- for approximately 30 minutes.

Boil the pasta-- I like it a little "al dente" which is not crunchy but not mushy, and mince some garlic and toss it into the bowl when the pasta is done.

Add in the veggies and toss gently-- season with some fresh basil if you'd like or nothing at all-- viola!
  This dish is delicious warm or at room temperature-- so a good picnic or outdoor meal food.

More to come, as my coast finally acts like it's summer [today is the first day of that season].

New Recipe: Lamb Meatballs, Spicy and Allergy-Free

HI folks--
Just a recipe this time--one I adapted from the New York Times at that. My family enjoyed these as a Sunday afternoon snack-- without a cooling cucumber salad (recipe below)which might be good if these are served for lunch or dinner. The browning process helps keep the meatball from becoming too greasy when they've cooled down.  So, snacking or putting out for a picnic is possible.

SPICY LAMB MEATBALLS
1 pound ground lamb
1/3 cup Gluten Free breadcrumbs-- or PANKO if gluten is allowed
1-2 Tbsp of olive oil
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
4 Tbsp golden raisens

1 tsp cumin seeds-- grind if you'd like-- I don't
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup[ chopped parsely
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves

Put all in mixing bowl and mix by hand
Form small -- little smaller than a ping pong ball-- meatballs

Brown well-- giving room around them-- in a frying pan on medium high
Turn so all sides get browned.
When browned on all sides, turn heat to medium, and put a cover on the pan-- but TILTED-- not fit on tightly, so that steam escapes.

Cook for about 6-8 minutes.

Cucumber Salad-- a refreshing side for these meatballs

2 European cucumber washed and sliced thinly
If using regular cucumbers, use 3, and peel skin in stripes for color, 
Slice thinly.

Dress these cucumbers with:
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
Blend together, until sugar and salt melted,
pour over cucumbers and let it steep for an hour or so-- stirring gently a few times.

ENJOY!

Homemade EASY candy

So!
I have found a way to cheat on making homemade candy for my food allergic folks.
It's easy -=- but it helps to have the right "equipment"-- which in this case is:

•  WILTON's ceramic candy melting cups-- available at Michael's crafts stores/ Joann's for under $12.00.  
• Vermont Nut Free semisweet chocolate chips [in baking products section]
• Vermont Nut Free dark chocolate candies [coins are what I use]
• mini cupcake liner cups -- I like the foil ones
• mini cupcake baking pan-- OPTIONAL 

So, I set up the little gold foil cup liners in my mini-cupcake pan. Then I melted the two kinds of chocolate together, exactly as the directions on the Melting Cups said.
While the chocolates were melting, I put a mini marshmallow or two in each foil cup-- it actually cuts the sweetness.  When the chocolate was pourable, I poured enough to half-way full for each foil cup-- and put it all in the fridge.
About an hour later... handmade, homemade candy-- which everyone loved.  and the gold foil cupcake holders (minis) made the treat a little more fun.

Happy Easter!

Birthday party experiments

So-- my young man is about to turn 25 and we are hosting a party for him,
Obviously, he is old enough now-- unlike in grade school-- to have a say in every part of the planning. [Except the secret silly things I am doing, like making buttons with his picture on them!]

So, we have discussed that many of the party platters are not for him--pates  Cheeses. However, I did make special beef tenderloin skewers with garlic and mustard and chicken skewers in lemon and capers. Those too will be surprise, I hope.

But he knows there will be Italian prosciuttos and cotto ham, sopressata and salame that he can have as well as lots of crudite-- for which I plan a special black bean and salsa dip, instead of ranch or sour cream and dill.  He wanted 'elegant' appetizers and not chips et al  that usually accompany the words 'Millennial' and "party."

So-- the birthday cake-- should there be a cake for an open house type party? Hmmm-- his cakes have always been delicious but definitely homemade looking.  Not only am I a pretty useless baker, but there can be no dairy, no eggs, no wheat, no nuts --which comes together into a charming but very low cake.  I won't say flat... but low. 
  So, I've been experimenting. 
    First, mini-cupcakes: well the lemon ones came out OK.. but not great, At least they rose over the top of the paper holders.  Unlike the chocolate ones which basically refused to rise, then sunk into themselves as they cooled.
Stuck all of that  in the freezer for a rainy day snack.
  Then I had the brilliant idea of brownie bites!  So I made the delicious Glutino double fudge brownie mix, gently spooned it into mini-cupcake pans and baked....
Wellllll, not exactly a slam dunk. 
  The brownies looked good-- just like little bites of chocolately goodness.  Brownies don't have to rise and have a little peak that you can frost at the top-- so that was great.  But-- and this is a big 'but'-- these brownies wouldn't pop out of the paper cupcake cups.  They just stuck in there. I froze them, hoping it would help... it didn't. In fact, made it worse-- couldn't even dig it out with a spoon.
Those went into the garbage-- after I struggled and  consoled myself with a few.
    Third, I tried chocolate chip cookie mix.  I use, and always have, CherryBrook Farms Gluten Free mix.  It's easy and delicious and requires only vanilla and margarine and some water.  So totally safe,
This time: A winner!  The batter rose over the mini cups and held their shape after they cooled. They looked adorable-- and tasted delicious.  Yay; They froze well [don't want to be cooking

day of the party] and came out of the paper wrappers with ease! Double Yay!

So,along with the Italian antipasto, and the Prosecco and Champagne, there will be chocolate chip minis to enjoy-- And lots of friends to raise a glass and celebrate!