Easy Easter Lunch

I hosted my first ever holiday this past Easter with my mom and her boyfriend joining me for a culinary feast...and a chance to show off my plates and serving pieces my mom bought me as my Christmas present one year.  Since I was attending Mass a few hours before lunch, I had to be a good chef and have my mise en place in place so I could start the oven within minutes of returning home.  Everything below is very easy to make and I did not create too many dishes.  (The dishwasher did have to run twice that day.)  After lunch, the three of us headed off for a light four mile stroll along Lake Michigan to Montrose Harbor, enjoying the beach, protected bird area (never knew we had that in Chicago), and city skyline.  Then we headed back home for some gluten free angel food cake topped with pineapple and chocolate ice cream.

It was great fun hostessing the holiday as well as enjoying quintessential spring foods.

Here is what I made for our Easter lunch:
Scalloped potatoes: http://southern.food.com/recipe/scalloped-potatoes-85629
   Substitutions: coconut milk, vegan butter, cheddar cheese (I'm only doing small amounts of dairy at a time) with Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour
Ham with Peach and Apricot Glaze: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/classic-glazed-ham-recipe/index.html and http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pineapple-apricot-glaze-recipe/index.html
   Substitutions: used crushed pineapple and its juice
Roasted Asparagus: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-asparagus-recipe/index.html
   Substitutions: added a side of bacon.  Just kidding.  I ate all the leftover bacon so had none to spare.
Spring Penne with Bacon: finally, an original recipe!  This is my new favorite and I was thrilled to have lots of leftovers for lunches.  I am also addicted to the Eating Right Gluten Free Penne pasta from Dominick's (Safeway).  It is the best corn based pasta I have had!  And it goes on sale frequently!!

Spring Penne with Bacon

12 oz gluten free penne
2 T olive oil
1/2 lb frozen peas
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 lb cooked bacon cut into small pieces
1 t red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Cook the noodles according to the package's directions.
Cook the frozen peas in the microwave for one or two minutes less than recommended.
Add oil to a pan and saute the shallots until tender.  Add the peas, shallots, bacon, and red pepper flakes and cook for another two or three minutes.  Drain the pasta and toss with this mixture.

Happy spring from Windy City Cooking!  Enjoy the glorious spring days ahead!

Freezing Summer Corn

I recently traveled to my uncle's farm in Wisconsin.  After I helped pick dozens of ears of corn, he gave me a TON of his food.  I literally spent the entire next day cooking and freezing everything, so I'm behind on blogging.  Can I just say that it is so cool to see where your food comes from?  Three years ago on his farm, I learned how bell peppers grew.  To be honest, I never really thought of it.  Blame the city girl in me.  Each year, my uncle's backyard farm gets bigger and bigger and despite the record hot temperatures, his farm is producing a lot of great tasting food without any pesticides.  (I wish I could say the same for my table-sized porch garden that withered in Chicago's heat.)




After I left, I had 17 ears of corn.  My cousin came and took a few, but I still had too much to eat.  I ended up freezing a lot of it.  Now's the time to freeze corn, all you farmer's market lovers!  It is very easy.  Here are simple directions on freezing corn.



Shuck the corn.  Remove as much of the silk as you can.

Fill your biggest pot with water and a tablespoon of sugar (optional) and bring to boil.  Fill your clean sink with ice and cold water.

Blanche the corn by cooking in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and immediately transferring to the sink.

Once the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cob.

Place in freezer bags.  Enjoy year round.

And don't forget to share corn with your feathered friends!  Malika (Mom's African Grey) loves corn cooked without sugar in the water - and she makes a huge mess when she eats it!