Roasted Grapes, Prosciutto, Pine Nut & Cabot Cheddar Crepes {& a Giveaway!}

i love cheese. though i've mentioned several times that many dairy products and i are not friends, cheese seems to have not made that list.... hallelujah! so when given the opportunity to work on a recipe for cabot creamery cooperative, i couldn't say no. 

first of all i love their company. cabot is a farm-family-owned dairy cooperative with 1200+ farm owners throughout new england and upstate new york. they've been making cheese since 1919. i love the idea that they aren't a big company out to make money, but a co-op that supports the farmers who produce the milk. 

i also love their cheese. i've tasted several varieties of their aged and reduced-fat cheddars, as well as their flavored cheddars, like tomato-basil, chipotle and habanero (that last one is not for the weak-tongued). it's no wonder their cheeses win awards all the time, especially their reduced-fat cheeses. i am typically no fan of low-fat cheese. but as a snacking cheese, i think their 50% reduced-fat cheese may just be my favorite. and it melts just as if it's full-fat. delicious and beautiful.

so, the recipe we've been challenged to make is one including not only cabot cheddar, but also a fruit, vegetable or grain that is new to us. i would never claim to have exhausted the list of foods that fit those categories, but i decided to use a very common fruit in a new way.

 if you've never roasted grapes, you have been missing out. once their tender skins barely burst in the heat, the juices inside sweeten and multiply. combined them with salty prosciutto, rustic pine nuts, sweet pears and a generous serving of melt-y cheddar, and you've got a meal to remember.

today i'm also offering a big first for this blog... a giveaway! one lucky kumquat reader will win a small assortment of cabot branded items (cheese knife, cutting board and travel mugs) and 2 coupons for free blocks of reduced-fat cheddar. 

in order to enter the giveaway, leave me a comment about your favorite way to use cheddar.

for extra entries you can: (and be sure to leave a separate comment for each)

1. tweet: "#win @CabotCoop cheddar and goodies from @kumquatblog http://bit.ly/Hn7uSt"

2. "like" kumquat on facebook

3. subscribe to this blog using the "subscribe by email" box on the right side of the page

this means you can have up to four entries! a couple of rules, though... you must be 18 and in the US. the giveaway will end on april 6, 2012 at 5:00 pm EST and a winner will be chosen using random.org. please leave a link to your blog, a twitter name or some other way to contact you in case you win!

UPDATE: the giveaway is now closed. 

i'm pleased to announce greta from wisconsin has won!
thank you to all who participated...

Roasted Grapes, Prosciutto, Pine Nut & Cabot Cheddar Crepes

2       cups red grapes

2       tablespoons olive oil

1       ounce coarsely chopped prosciutto

1 1/2 cups baby spinach

1/2    cup julienned (matchstick-cut) pears

1/3    cup toasted pine nuts

1/3    cup halved, roasted garlic cloves

1/4    teaspoon salt

1/8    teaspoon pepper

3/4    cup shredded 50% reduced-fat Cabot cheddar

4       prepared large crepes (thawed frozen crepes or home-made crepes, gluten-free if necessary)

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine red grapes and olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 13 minutes or until grapes begin to burst.

Meanwhile, cook prosciutto in a large skillet until just barely crisp. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir in spinach, pears, pine nuts, and garlic. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Stir in grapes and any pan drippings.

Sprinkle half of a crepe with with 3 tablespoons cheddar. Top cheese with about 3/4 cup roasted grape mixture. Fold crepe into quarters. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Yield: 4 servings.

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i received free samples from Cabot Creamery of the cheese and giveaway items mentioned in this post. by posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Cabot Creamery Cooperative and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. i was not compensated for my time.

Compost Cookies

i have been intrigued by these cookies since i first heard of them. 

the brilliant minds at momofuku milk bar have come up with some fantastic ideas... cereal milk shakes, crack pie, and compost cookies. i have never eaten any of their originals, and never will due to gluten and dairy, but that doesn't mean i'll turn down the challenge of making them for myself!

if you're persnickety about your food, then before you read the ingredient list of these cookies and turn up your noses just listen for a minute. in my opinion, some of the very best flavor combinations are salty and sweet ones... popcorn and m&ms. peanut butter and chocolate. candy corn and peanuts. (have you tried that one? thanks to my mom's dear cousin elsie for that discovery... tastes like a payday candy bar...) 

these cookies are serious yum. the potato chips turn into a delightful chewy bite and the pretzels add an occasional salty crunch. the rest is a heavenly, chewy chocolate/butterscotch mouthful. they are so worth it...

Compost Cookies

2         teaspoons golden flaxmeal

4         teaspoons very hot water

1/2      cup butter, softened

1/2      cup shortening

3/4      cup sugar

3/4      cup dark brown sugar

1         tablespoon corn syrup (high fructose free)

1         large egg

1         large egg yolk

1 1/2   teaspoons vanilla extract

245     grams (about 1 3/4 cups) kumquat's all-purpose flour

1         teaspoon baking powder

1/2      teaspoon baking soda

1/2      teaspoon salt

1/2      cup chocolate chips

1/2      cup butterscotch chips (gluten-free!)

1/3      cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats

2         teaspoons coffee grounds

1         cup potato chips (i used kettle chips)

1         cup gluten-free pretzels (i used glutino)

Combine flaxmeal and hot water in a small bowl; stir until thick and viscous.

Combine butter and shortening in a stand mixer; beat until light and fluffy. Add sugar, brown sugar, and corn syrup; beat until creamy. Mix in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until well-combined. Stir in chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, oats, and coffee grounds. Add potato chips and pretzels; stir quickly and gently, being careful not to break them into small pieces.

Chill dough for 1 hour. Scoop dough in 1/3-cup measures onto parchment-lined baking sheets, and press to flatten to about 1/2-inch thickness. Preheat oven to 375°. Chill pans for 15 minutes. Bake pans, one at a time, at 375° for 13 minutes. Cookies will be golden brown on the edges and soft in the center. Cool sheet on wire rack; remove cookies to rack to cool completely. Continue with additional baking sheets.

Yield: about 19 cookies.

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Blueberry Coconut Pecan Breakfast Cookies

lately i feel i have been in a breakfast slump.

although i love me a fried egg and cheese open-faced sandwich, i don't always have the time in the morning. instead i'm rushing out to preschool drop-off, running out to run errands, being commanded to play swords, or just plain to lazy to heat up the pans (not to mention wash them). i do however like to have a good high fiber, healthy fat something in the morning to start off the day. and honestly, i like a little sweet in the morning (no shocker, if you follow this blog, i'm sure).

so when i stumbled upon this recipe, i was sold. everything i'd love to throw into a bowl of oatmeal, without extra sugar or the necessity of morning cooking. a great way to use really ripe bananas (although this one's a pretty good option too). plus, let's just call them a cookie and then we can all smile as we start the day.

i've recently been intrigued by dried blueberries. they're little and chewy, but really flavorful. i've been wanting to throw them into a shortbread cookie, but figured this was probably better for my waistline these days. so here it is... breakfast for the next several days. and snacks... and dessert...

Blueberry Coconut Pecan Breakfast Cookies

1 1/2       cups gluten-free rolled oats

1             cup unsweetened coconut flakes 

1             tablespoon golden flaxmeal

1/2          teaspoon salt

3/4          cups coarsely chopped pecans

1/2          cup dried blueberries

3             very ripe bananas, mashed

1/4          cup coconut oil, warm enough to be liquid

1             tablespoon agave nectar

1             teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine oats, coconut, flaxmeal, salt, pecans, and blueberries. Stir in bananas, oil, agave nectar and vanilla until well combined.

Press 2 tablespoons of mixture into a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Continue with remaining mixture.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until fragrant and golden. Cool on pan.

Yield: about 15 cookies.

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{One Year Celebration} Chocolate Cake with Kumquat Marmalade Frosting

it's hard to believe that a year ago today i posted the first recipe on this blog.

when i hesitantly started this site, i only hoped to document some delicious recipes, to learn a little more about food photography, and to allow my creative energy in both of those areas to find a place to land. i really wasn't terribly familiar with food blogging and hadn't consistently read many of them. i honestly assumed maybe only my mother and a few close friends would follow the site. little did i know of all of the ways this little blog would enrich my life.

i am so grateful to have become friends with so many fellow food bloggers, gluten-free and not, most of whom i haven't yet met face to face, but feel as though we have. what a fabulous community of kind, talented, like-minded people who love to share their delicious and creative ideas.

as a food lover, i have so enjoyed challenging myself and giving myself the creative license to tackle all sorts of recipes. i still have a long list of things i plan to make. so many things i'm excited about. and all of them gluten-free! as a dietitian, i desire to give hope to those who also must avoid gluten, that they can still take comfort in some of their favorites. (i confess many of the recipes on my site are sweet-driven, but those seem to be the ones many people feel they'll never again eat when they give up gluten. i will, however, try to be a little more diligent in the savory department.)

most unexpectedly, a tremendous benefit of starting this blog was becoming a cookbook author. i am so pleased to announce that this fall my first book, Fast & Simple Gluten-Free: 30 Minutes or Less to Fresh and Classic Favorites, will be published. it is currently in design and i hope to see some of the pages this week. such an amazing opportunity and an exciting project.

it is surprising how quickly a year can pass. i truly look forward to all of the events, relationships, and recipes that this next year will bring... should be an interesting one!

happy birthday, kumquat!

Chocolate Cake with Kumquat Marmalade Frosting

Cake:

365   grams (about 1 3/4 cups) kumquat's all-purpose flour
1/2    cup unsweetened dark cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1       teaspoon salt
6       large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1       cup milk
1       cup plus 2 tablespoon butter
2       teaspoons vanilla

Frosting:
1       cup butter
1/2    cup kumquat marmalade or other prepared citrus marmalade
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2       teaspoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350°. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat eggs and sugar in a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture. Bring milk and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Quickly, but carefully, add milk mixture to flour mixture and beat until smooth; stir in vanilla. Divide mixture evenly among prepared cake pans. Bake 30 minutes, or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks.

For Frosting, combine butter, marmalade, powdered sugar, and cream in a medium bowl. Beat until well combined. Frost top of one layer of cake, stack another layer and frost top. Frost top and sides of cake with a thin layer of frosting. Chill cake and frosting for 4 hours or overnight. Give remaining frosting a good stir, and use all to frost cake.
Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake

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Gluten-Free Ratio Rally: Nutella Crepe Cake

 this month the gluten-free ratio rally crew has decided to take on crepes.

 one of my fondest food memories of the years we lived in heidelberg, germany, are of the nutella crepes we would buy while walking around the festive christmas markets. gooey hazelnut-chocolate melted in a warm, fresh crepe folded in quarters and wrapped in a piece of parchment... that's the perfect snack for a cold day of walking around admiring all of the hand-painted ornaments, puppets and specialty booths that filled the cobblestone-lined squares. 

so when crepes came up this month, as hard as i tried, i couldn't deny the obvious pair of crepes and nutella. i have, though, always been a little intrigued by crepe cakes and have never before made one. i love all those pretty, fussy layers piled into a lovely tower... so i did. 

i have to admit... i have nicknamed this dessert, "the delicious mess". because the nutella jar warns to not refrigerate as crepe cakes typically require, i decided to build and shoot this sucker without chilling for fear the nutella would harden into a scary, chalky mortar between the crepe layers. though it was delicious, it was a bit of a mess. i did, however, chill the cake after taking photos and i'm happy to report the nutella remained just as it should be, smooth and creamy. the whole cake was just a little more set and less messy. so if you have the luxury of time and self-control, chill for a bit prior to serving. if not, then go ahead and dig in. just have some napkins nearby.

ruhlman's ratio for crepes is 1 part liquid : 1 part egg : 1/2 part flour.

my ratio looks more like 1.3 parts liquid : 1 part egg : 1 part flour.

Nutella Crepe Cake

280        grams (about 2 cups) kumquat's all-purpose flour

70          grams (about 1/2 cup) hazelnut flour*

2            tablespoons sugar

6            large eggs

2            cups milk

6            tablespoons canola oil

1            teaspoon vanilla

1/4         teaspoon salt

Extra oil for brushing skillet

Nutella
Chopped hazelnuts to garnish

Combine flours, sugar, eggs, milk, 6 tablespoons canola oil, vanilla, and salt in a large measuring cup or bowl. Stir well with a wire whisk until smooth. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Brush with a generous bit of oil. Pour scant 1/4 cup batter into skillet and tilt pan quickly to coat bottom. Cook crepe until golden on bottom, about 30 seconds. Carefully flip crepe with a spatula and cook other side for an additional 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate, stacking crepes between wax paper, so they don’t stick together. Continue with remaining batter, brushing skillet with oil between crepes.

Spread a thin layer of nutella on one crepe. Place on serving plate. Spread a thin layer of nutella on another crepe; place on top of crepe on serving plate. Continue to spread nutella and stack remaining crepes. Spread a bit of nutella on top crepe. Top with chopped hazelnuts, if desired.

Chill and serve.
Yield: 1 crepe cake

*to make hazelnut flour, pulse hazelnuts in a small food processor until finely ground. be sure to stop processing before creating hazelnut butter.

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check out the rest of these delicious gluten-free crepes... both savory and sweet...

adina of gluten free travelette made breakfast crepes three ways

angela of angela's kitchen made buckwheat crepes with sweet potato, mushroom and kale filling

caitlin of {gluten-free} nom nom nom made buckwheat crepes

caleigh of gluten free[k] made banana cinnamon crepes

caneel of mama me gluten free made sweet crepes with caramelized bananas & nutella sauce

charissa of zest bakery made black pepper crepes with chicken tikka masala
claire of my gluten free home made victory crepe cake

erin of the sensitive epicure made socca with za'atar & sumac

ginger of fresh ginger made sweet 'n savory

heather of discovering the extraordinary made "southwestern" crepes

jenn of jenn cuisine made braised duck, fennel and chestnut crêpes

karen of cooking gluten-free! made crepes savory or sweet

mary fran of frannycakes made peanut butter crepe cake & vanilla bean crêpes sucrées

monika of chew on this! made dessert crepes with caramelized plantains, toasted coconut and chocolate sauce

morri of meals with morri made russian blini for two

pete and kelli of no gluten, no problem made key lime crepes

shauna of gluten-free girl made buckwheat crepes

t.r. of no one likes crumbley cookies made brownie crepes with strawberry wine sauce & basil tomato and feta crepes & fresh fruit crepe

tara of a baking life made breakfast crepes with eggs and kale

jonathan of the canary files made vegan crepes for filipino spring rolls

rachel of the crispy cook made raspberries and cream crepes

mrs. r of honey from flinty rocks made crepes - spinach & dessert