Category Archives: McKenzie Makes

I’ve got a picnic in the park tomorrow with friends and wanted to bring something other than a salad, hummus or cheese plate. Berries are starting to spring up in the markets and my mint is growing out of control so I figured why not mix the two and make into popsicles to bring to the party? I’ve transported popsicles to a party once before (where they were a big hit) so I know what I need to bring to make them hold up for longer than the bike ride to get to the park…i.e. lots of ice and a cooler.

Last time around I made them in plastic cups but this time I was gonna make them right and so bought something I know I will use often….star-shaped popsicle molds!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 TBL lemon juice
• 2 TBL fresh mint, minced

To Make: 

• Combine Berries in a bowl with the lemon juice and mint
• Mash the mixture with a large wooden spoon for 30 seconds then let sit for half an hour to macerate
• Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and simmer until sugar is dissolved, let cool for 5 minutes and then combine with the macerated berry mixture
• In blender, place berry mixture in and pulse twice to break up, then return to bowl
• Carefully pour into plastic cups or popsicle molds and freeze for six hours
• If popsicles are not unmolding easily, just run some hot water over them for a few seconds
• Enjoy!

Like everyone else, I am bombarded with daily emails from news, shopping, and food list serves and while I delete most of them (shouldn’t I just unsubscribe?), I look forward to the weekly emails from Faith of The Kitchn the most.

A few times a week they send me recipes and this past week’s featured a heavenly rhubarb crumble that made me immediately say….I have to cook that asap. So last night as the beautiful weather bid adieu (it’s supposed to rain for the next 7 days???) I holed up in my kitchen and made their rhubarb crumble but put a little spin on it.

Instead of making one big “pie” I made them in individual ramekins so that I could share easily. My boyfriend doesn’t like sweets nearly as much as I do and I can’t eat this entire thing on my own so my doormen, friends, and co-workers get homemade treats every so often

I also made it gluten-free as my kitchen is a dedicated celiac friendly zone and put in a few generous squeezes from my freshly zested lemons. The result? Seasonally sensational! Go wild with rhubarb in this dessert. Thanks Faith!

Ingredients:

• 1 Gluten-Free pre-made pie crust (get it at Whole Foods in the freezer aisle)
• 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup almond meal/flour
• 1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 TBL chilled unsalted butter (cut into small cubes)
• 1 3/4 pounds (6 cups) fresh rhubarb, ends trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 TBL lemon zest
• 2 TBL cornstarch

To Make:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
• Thaw frozen pie crust and in line bottom of individual foil ramekins with thick layer of pie crust
• In a small mixing bowl whisk flour, almond flour, brown sugar and 1/4 tsp salt and work the butter into the mixture with your hands until large clumps form and place in refrigerator
• In a large mixing bowl combine rhubarb, white sugar, cornstarch and 1/4 tsp salt and toss well
• With a slotted spoon, fill ramekins with rhubarb mixture to the top
• Remove flour mixture and cover top of rhubarb with the “crumble”
• Bake for one hour or until topping is bubbling and crust is browned
• Remove and cool completely before serving
• Serve by itself or with whipped cream
• Enjoy!

The past weekend was filled with engagement parties, birthday parties, and goodbye parties and this body has simply had enough. Two nights ago I found myself with absolutely no appetite at all and figured it’s probably because I’ve eaten/dranken my body weight since Friday and this girl just couldn’t take it anymore.

So it was time to kick the butter and sweets to the curb and make something healthy for myself this week. On Monday, The Today Show featured salmon skewers with artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes that looked good and easy to make plus I haven’t made fish for a while. But instead of making skewers (I had a deboned and deskinned filet in the fridge) I made a bowl full of gluten-free penne pasta, cut the salmon into chunks, sautéed the artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes and then added them all together to make a nice little meal for the boyfriend and I. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag gluten-free penne pasta
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
• 1 8 oz filet of salmon, cut into 1 inch wide chunks
• 1 TBL garlic, minced
• 1 TBL red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper

To Make:

• Over medium heat, saute salmon in 1 TBL olive oil and cook 1/2 way through, remove and place on plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil
• Make pasta according to directions, drain and set aside
• Heat 1 TBL olive oil over medium heat and add garlic
• add artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes
• add pasta and stir for one minute
• season with salt/pepper and add red pepper flakes
• add salmon and cook for 1 minute
• plate and enjoy!

For the past few years my grandmother has hoarded recipes she thinks I would enjoy or wants me to learn how to make and sends them in bulk every few months. Cute right? Well this recipe  came awhile ago but with artichokes showing up in the produce aisle it was a no brainer for this weeks post.

The recipe called for everything but the crab and it was my grandmother who had the genius idea of adding it to the mix. You can make it a little easier if you want and just substitute pre-seasoned breadcrumbs and forgo the garlic parsley and cheese but fresh ingredients are much much better

Ingredients:

• 4 artichokes
• 2 cups breadcrumbs (I used Glutino gluten-free breadcrumbs)
• 1 cup fresh crabmeat
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup olive oil

To Make: 

• Prepare the artichokes by trimming leaves down to where the inner leaves start to turn tender flat across the top with kitchen shears 
• remove the stem, inner choke and dry outer leaves
• boil lightly in salted water for 10 minutes, drain and cool
• in a mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, crab, garlic, cheese, water parsley and olive oil
• pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• part artichoke petals and fill with the crab/breadcrumb mixture
• place in a deep baking dish and add 1 cup water to the pan (enough to fill about 1/8 the height of dish)
• drizzle more olive oil on the artichokes, cover with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes
• remove from oven and serve immediately
• enjoy!

This past weekend I celebrated my new home with a housewarming party with my nearest and dearest. But this was no ordinary housewarming as I hosted a build-your-own bloody mary, mimosa and brunch party!

I made a whole gluten-free feast for my guests to nosh on like toasted english muffins with clotted cream and jam, spicy deviled eggs with chive and dill, white chocolate and pistachio cookies, tomato/basil and spinach mini frittatas, cherry macaroons, a cheese plate, fruit platter and these honey-whipped ricotta toasts!

They were by far the easiest thing I made and ridiculously delicious. I was surprised to see these were gone just one hour into the party and the double chocolate fudge brownies still there (those were gone shortly thereafter). You can modify this recipe and use any type of bread or cracker as the base layer and use a variety of different fruits on top (strawberries would work very well on this)!

Ingredients:

• 12 Crispbread/Crackers (I use Shar gluten-free brand)
• 15 oz Ricotta
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 TBL ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 Bosc Pear, 1 Bartlett Pear, 1 Comice Pear, thinly sliced

To Make:

• In a large bowl whip ricotta with a whisk for two minutes
• Add honey and whisk together for one minute then add cinnamon and whisk for another minute
• Spread ricotta mixture onto crispbread then place one slice of each pear and sprinkle with cinnamon
• Enjoy!

I’ve been having a secret (ok not so secret anymore) love affair with pistachios and it’s made me want to integrate them into everything I eat! From ice cream and salads to encrusted proteins and puddings….I simply cannot get enough.

So when making dinner the other night I forgoed the pre-packaged pesto at Whole Foods and grabbed a bag of shelled pistachios, some flat-leaf parsley and used pantry items I always have on hand to make a different kind of pesto. Folded into a fresh bowl of gluten-free pasta and sautéed garlicky shrimp…. this nutty and spicy dish was gone in minutes at our table! This can also be good when served with chicken, fish or on its own with toasted bread!

*Makes 1.5  cups

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice

To Make:

• Place all ingredients in a food processor, puree till smooth
• Remove and either place in sealed container (lasts for 3 days) or use immediately
• Enjoy!