Sim·plic·i·ty (sĭm-plĭs'ĭ-tē)
n., pl. -ties.
- The property, condition, or quality of being simple or uncombined.
- Absence of luxury or showiness; plainness.
I love the word simplicity. I don’t necessarily agree with all the definitions of this word as given by ask.com. Simple can be extremely luxuriant, and it certainly doesn’t always foretell a lack of good sense.
Mark Bittman would call this minimalist cooking… but I like the word simplicity better. It is calming, homey, usually easy, and much enjoyed. This will be a week of cooking simplicity. Delicious. Unpretentious. Plain good cooking.
I have to admit, with a food blog, I am especially tempted to try new foods every night of the week. But Michael is a man of habit. He misses simple foods. While some days this makes me giggle, other days I feel sorry for him. I wish I knew how to cook the deep southern foods he grew up eating…and while I do cook some of those wonderful old foods... for the most part, we head over to the in-laws for that kind of cooking. If it’s old Southern fare, you won’t find a better cook than Michael’s mom.
I will be cooking foods that are usually on a rotation at our house, nothing fancy, but everything good! Honestly, sometimes it is wonderful to know its okay to have a simple week like this. A week that doesn’t require over-exertion in the kitchen, and recipes that you know by heart. Simplicity can be completely comforting. Check Ms. GF's blog for other gluten-free menus this week!
This Weeks Menu:
Monday:
Broccoli
Tuesday:
*Spinach Feta Quiche with a Brown Rice Crust
Green Leaf Salad with
Cucumber Dill Dressing
Wednesday:
Bakes Potatoes with Chili and Cheddar
Sauteed Green Beans and Carrots
Thursday:
Homemade Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Julienned Celery and Carrots with dip
Friday:
Karen’s Homemade Pizza
Green Leaf Salad
Baked Goodies, Breakfasts, and Extras!
Sara’s Baked Oatmeal
5 Flour Yeast Bread
Cranberry Apple Muffins
*Cranberry Swirl Cake
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As promised: Ginger, here is the wonderfully gluten-free ShooFly Pie you were asking about! I am in heaven. This pie is delightful and actually reminds me a lot of my favorite cake on the planet… Gingerbread.
Shoofly Pie is sort of a molasses brownie pie. It’s simple to make (especially because you only have to use ONE kind gf flour… what a miracle!), and it’s a great Sunday afternoon dessert. I was going to wait until after dinner to have a piece… but I just couldn’t help myself.
Shoofly Pie doesn’t even need a pie shell, if you’re counting carbs, or just don’t want to go to the trouble of making a gluten-free crust: just pour the pie filling into a 8x8 glass baking dish, or pie tin and bake as directed.
Get better soon Ginger! I hope you'll make and enjoy this pie! I wish I could share a piece with you in my kitchen!
Amish Shoofly Pie
- 1 ¼ cup rice flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. shortening
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 prepared gluten-free pie shell (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour and sugar. Cut in shortening to make crumbs. Save ½ cup of crumbs for top of pie. In large metal bowl, mix together molasses, baking soda, and boiling water. (This will foam and bubble, it’s fun to watch!) Let molasses mixture cool. Add flour mixture to the molasses mixture and whisk until combined. Add beaten egg. Pour into prepared pie shell or 8x8 glass baking dish and sprinkle reserved crumbs on top. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Serve and smile!
Most of the crumb topping will mix into the pie filling when it's evenly sprinkled. )
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At the suggestion of my sweet friend Abby, I’ll also be participating in two blogging events this week:
1) Vanielje Kitchen is sponsoring a blogging event called Apples and Thyme , which is about honoring those who have influenced you in the kitchen. Did you make a cookies with your mom? Or make meatloaf with your dad? I'll be posting one of my grandmother's dinner recipes.
2) Paulchen’s FoodBlog is sponsoring an event called the Garden–Cook-Event, which focuses on one primary food ingredient. This month it is the mighty cranberry!! I'll be making cranberry apple muffins and a cranberry swirl cake.