Rainy Day Comfort Food

March comes in like a lion, and out like a lamb. In Georgia, March comes in like a lover's cold shoulder and goes out after good make up sex, repeatedly. Two days ago I was enjoying my day off in the 75 degree sunshine, and today I pulled on the "sheep fleece" to keep warm on the way to a Fernbank IMAX film.

On the way home from Fernbank, Nick and I decided we were hungry. A light bulb appeared above my head: burgers and fresh cut french fries warm up any cold day.



FRESH CUT FRENCH FRIES
* 1 medium-sized white potato per person (1 1/2 potatoes if starvation has been reached)
* Canola or peanut oil (filling a medium saucepan 1/2 way, enough to cover potato strips)
* Sea salt

1. Wash your hands.
2. Before you start anything, warm the oil over medium-high heat.
3. Cut the fries into desired strips (about 3" in length)
4. Test the oil in the pan by dunking (or dropping) a small piece of potato in the oil. If the oil bubbles and hisses around the potato, you are ready for frying. Carefully slide the potatoes in the pan- dropping them may send hot oil flying. You will most likely be doing these in a few loads.
5. The fries are done when they have reached a lovely golden brown. Remove to a plate, and season with sea salt to taste. Snack on the first load while you cook the rest of the meal.



GREAT INDOORS HAMBURGERS
(feeds 3 hungry people)
* 1 lbs ground sirloin
* 2 cloves garlic
* salt and pepper to taste
* lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado for toppings
* desired condiments- ketchup, canola oil mayo, etc.

1. Wash your hands.
2. Warm skillet or flat pan to medium heat.
3. Combine sirloin, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
4. Form hamburger meat into first-sized balls. Flatten the meat into thin patties (*think* Steak n' Shake thin) and grill to taste.
5. Top with desired garnish and condiments, and enjoy!



*NOTE: I didn't get the chance to take a nice-looking picture of the plated food before it was eaten!

A Gluten-Free Purpose

My gluten-free (G-F) kitchen is a lab and a sanctuary. Of course, this wasn't always the case.

I was diagnosed 4 years ago, just a few weeks before Thanksgiving. I was shocked. I felt horrible all the time, had no energy, was embarrassed about the rash on my hands, was just starting nursing school. AND I had to re-learn how to eat? After emptying my cabinets and taking a painstaking 3 hour long trip to the supermarket (of course, learning that EVERYTHING had gluten in it), I realized I had to learn to cook.

I come from a long line of good cooks. My maternal grandmother cooked meals and tidbits for the hundreds of doctors at my grandfather's parties. She hired a maid to buss behind her so she could focus on the perfect flavor and presentation. She cooked with Julia Child. This woman was serious about food. My paternal grandfather was the daughter of a German immigrant family in Chicago who married down, into a Czeck family. Everything was made from scratch, and even the simplest dishes and war-time rations were turned into delicious wholesome food. My sister dabbled in chef school, before settling into computer science (a less stressful way to pay the bills and still want to do what you love, she described the compromise). Everyone else around me- my parents, my Dominican relatives- were so focused on concocting masterpieces in the kitchen, that I was shooed out once the simple things were sliced and diced.

For months, I paced around my kitchen trying to: a) figure out what to eat and b) since there was nothing gluten-free and pre-prepared in my life, how to make something > plain chicken and rice, but < a two hour slave effort.

With a lot of encouragement, I am now a well-adjusted, gluten-free cooking woman. My doctor and nutritionist work in the same office, hand in hand, and helped me to keep my head on straight and updated on new research. I mentor newly diagnosed Celiacs while I try not to get frustrated when I explain to people for the 100th time that I can't eat that bagel and no I'm not on a diet.

After my cousin Ryan sent me the link for a recipe on shortbread waffles (not ingeniously G-F) from Orangette's blog, and some encouragement from my supportive boyfriend, I was inspired to try my hand at food blogging. My purpose here is to post recipes I've made successfully, recipes I've adapted, recipes I'm working on perfecting, and documenting my journey surrounding food. The gluten-free community is not as small and obscure as it used to be; however, it is still segmented, unregulated, and disjointed. I hope to make connections between Celiacs, helping people live delicious gluten-free lives, without feeling isolated.