After a long absence: gluten-free banana-peanut butter cheesecake (with candied pecans)!

I have been so remiss at updating for quite some time.  I apologize for that.  We lost the USB connector for phone-to-computer transferring, so I've been without pictures.  Now that I have a nice iPhone 4S, I can easily email myself any pictures I need to.

This recipe is somewhat more complicated than my other recipes, though I've condensed the list of ingredients to make it easier to assemble--though assembly is a three-part process!  This is gluten-free, but not low-carb.

This Nom Needs:
For the crust:
1 cup crushed pecans (you can buy them this way or use a food processor)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup or imitation maple syrup

For the filling:
8 oz. whipped cream cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 packet banana pudding mix

For the topping:
18 whole pecans
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

However long the ingredient list, the process is not very complicated (hence the lack of pictures):

For the crust:
Combine pecans and butter.  Press into a greased nine-inch cake pan.  Drizzle maple syrup on top.  Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until top and edges start to brown.  Remove and let cool.

For the filling:
Combine all ingredients and beat until completely mixed.  Pour cheesecake mixture into crust and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until top starts to bubble and brown.  The top should "inflate" a little bit like a balloon--this is nothing to worry about, it's the effect of the banana pudding and causes the pie to have a texture more similar to thick pecan pie than a smooth cheesecake.

For the topping:
Roast pecans in the oven at 350 for about 5 minutes.  Heat butter in saucepan on stovetop at medium heat.  Add syrup and 1 tablespoon brown sugar and whisk until combined.  Let the mixture come to a boil and then immediately remove from heat.  Roll pecans in the mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.  Press into still-warm pie.  Sprinkle peanut butter chips around the pecans.

Servings: About 12

(This entry is a work-in-progress; I'm having issues with my home network and can't upload what pictures I do have at this time.  Please be patient; there will be pictures eventually!)

Updates again starting Monday.

Sorry, everyone, I've been a bachelorette for about a week while my boyfriend was in Miami on business.  I really didn't do a lot of cooking beyond making a pretty simple cucumber raita.

However, last night I made a gluten-free banana-peanut butter-praline cheesecake, and Monday I'll have the recipe and photos for you!  Tonight, it gets eaten a party I'm hosting.

I'll be back to regular updates this coming week.  Coming up (besides the cheesecake) definitely is chicken paprikash, gluten-free "faked" garlic toast, rutabaga fries, and then...who knows what else this week will hold.

A plug for a friend.

A friend of mine from college, Ms. Suzanah M., is an amazing artist-musician-lawyer person. She's really fantastic.

In addition to her other talents, she is also a phenomenal baker/cook.  I'm putting a link up to her blog.  Her pictures are absolutely gorgeous, and she's highly creative.

Her recipes to date generally aren't gluten-free or low-carb but they are amazing, and as I said before, the pictures are stunning.  Go check her out!

http://osuzanah.blogspot.com/

Chinese-style salt-roasted chicken!

Chicken, though prosaic, is one of my absolute favorite meats. (Sorry, vegetarians.) It's easy to find in the grocery, it's full of protein while being overall less fatty than its red-meat counterparts, and it easily adapts to most types of cuisine.

I've never cooked a lot of Chinese food in my life, but I'm making an effort to make more ethnic food, particularly ethnic food as it is eaten in its place of origin. Don't get me wrong, I love sweet-and-sour chicken as much as the next person, but I don't make the mistake of thinking it's a regular dish all over mainland China.

 There's a particular Chinese cookbook I use, courtesy of my boyfriend; it's The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, by Grace Young. I do modify the recipes for gluten/sodium/sugar intake where I can, and I also modify based on what's available locally (while we do have a really good Asian grocery here, I can't get everything). This is particularly good served with some steamed bok choy and rice.

This Nom Needs:
1 4-pound fryer chicken, or 4 leg quarters (approximately 4 pounds total)
2 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons vodka (don't waste your nice vodka on this)
1/4 cup shallots, minced finely
2 tablespoons minced ginger or 1 tablespoon powdered
1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce (such as Tamari)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Rub the chicken all over with 2 teaspoons of salt.


Rinse the chicken gently under cold water and pat dry. (If you're using a whole chicken, make sure to dry inside the cavity as well.) Allow the chicken to rest one hour in a cool, breezy room -- you can place it on the stovetop under the vent fan to create your own breeze! When the chicken has dried out from the salt, rub the skin of the chicken with the vodka and allow to sit for 15 more minutes. If you're really fancy, you can put the chicken on a rack while it's drying, but I put mine on a plate.

Preheat the oven to 425. In a bowl, combine shallots, ginger, 1 tablespoon salt, tamari, honey, and sesame oil. Stir until well combined.

Smear onto the chicken (put about a tablespoon into the cavity if using a whole chicken). Place chicken on a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil (and filled with just enough water to put a thin layer on the bottom of the lined pan).

Roast 30 minutes on one side, turn the chicken, and roast 20 minutes on the other side. Turn chicken back over and roast another 5-10 minutes until the skin is golden-brown and/or a meat thermometer inserted at the thickest point reaches 170 degrees.
Serve with pan juices and whatever sides you would like.
Servings: 4
Calories per serving: About 400 per leg quarter (and only about 10 carbs a serving)
What Else You're Getting: A good source of protein, and a tiny amount of vitamins from the shallots. One caveat: those who are watching their sodium intake should read all labels. You may want to rinse the chicken of salt entirely and use a salt substitute for the sauce.