Has your copy of Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef- A Love Story with 100 Tempting Recipes Cookbook arrived? If you pre-ordered it you should have it by now but if not, what on earth are you waiting for? OK, have you at least visited their blog, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef? Shauna and Danny will be expecting you. Tell them I said hello.
As soon as mine arrived last week I sat down and started reading the stories and listing which recipes I would make for this review. When I looked at my list of 30 recipes I knew I was in trouble. I could not possibly make all of those and share them in the week to come. So for now I skipped the Bacon Wrapped Pork Belly (doesn’t that just scream my name), Prosciutto Wrapped Salmon and Crusty Bread (they cooked it for me themselves), Cassoulet, Tenderloin Pan-Seared with Port Sauce and Balsamic Onions, and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Brownies. I will be working on those soon enough.
As I mentioned Shauna and Danny cooked for us while we were at the IFBC (International Food Blogging Conference). The meal was wonderful. The Prosciutto Wrapped Salmon with a wonderful Pasta, their Arugula and Fig Salad with Blue Cheese and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette and that amazing Crusty Bread. To top it off they also made their Peach-Blackberry Crumble. I licked my plates clean.
Reading through this book and cooking these recipes has been such a joy. Every story that is tied to a recipe makes me want to make it right then. I finally narrowed it down the list of dishes I would make based on my crazy week. I had to do most of my cooking on Sunday for the week. So I settled on Danny’s Meatloaf, Potato Puree and Veal Paprika. I hope by the end of the week to make one of the seafood dishes as I had mentioned on Menu Plan Monday.
The first two dishes I made was Danny’s Meatloaf and the Potato Puree. The meatloaf was to be made in a 9×11 loaf pan. When I went to look for mine and couldn’t find it I realized I probably gave it to my son in college. Either way, I need a new one. So I grabbed my large round crock from Longaberger and used that. I’m so glad I did and didn’t use the 4 smaller loaf pans instead. It worked great all in one container. I was happy to see that the Potato Puree was very similar to the way I usually make mashed potatoes so I had all of the right equipment and was used to the method. I would serve these together.
For some unknown reason to me my family decided they were not going to eat dinner that night but I was not going to be deterred. I followed the directions on the meatloaf, made the glaze and applied with my pastry brush. I’ve made lots of meatloafs so how could this one be very different. I finished the potatoes and I sat down to dinner.
My husband sat down with me at the table as I began to eat Danny’s meatloaf. Well have you ever seen the movie When Harry Met Sally? I was Sally, at the table eating this meatloaf. Of course my husband had to have some too. I would have married anyone who made me that meatloaf on the spot! It is by far our favorite from the cookbook and it will become a regular at our dinner table. I will warn you however, it is really difficult to stop eating it. The mouth feel and the taste are well, Sally-esk.
Tonight I finished making the Veal Paprika. The recipe said you could make it to a certain point and then finish it the next day and the flavors only got better with a little time. Well one day turned into three. Did I mention this was a crazy week. The flavors were so wonderful. The veal was extremely tender and the taste filled your mouth. The only change I made to the recipe was using a dairy free sour cream. I served my husband’s with a little rice like pictured in the cookbook and I had another side of those potatoes.
This cookbook is wonderful. It is so much more than a book of recipes. There are gorgeous photographs, guidance on cooking techniques, 100 chef-tested recipes and it is all interwoven with this amazing love story from their first date to married life together. I have to say reading it makes me think I should get my husband in the kitchen and teach him to cook.
Oh, did I mention all of the recipes are gluten free.
All I have to say is brilliant. I love it and I can’t wait to make more of these recipes. Thank you Shauna and Danny.
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