Paleo Coconut Chocolate Truffles

I was invited to a cookie party in the neighborhood and was asked to bake some cookies. I am a horrible baker and I did not have many options for baking without using gluten free mixes. Since I try to regulate my carbs, I decided to make a 100% paleo desert. I ended up making a quick and easy chocolate truffle. They were super rich and perfect for the chocolate purist. Here is what I did. Remember that the whole process including cooling and rolling will take up to 4 hours, but a lot of this time is hands-off. (This makes about 18-20 truffles)

Feel free to do whatever you want. This recipe is versatile. You will need one big pot for the water, a glass bowl for the chocolate and a small saucepan for the milk/butter. I melted a bag of good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips over a double broiler. This is simply melting the chocolate in a glass bowl that you place over a pot of (gently) simmering water. The steam melts it gently.

1) Place several inches of water in a pot.
2) As your pot of water comes to a simmer. Place 8 ounces of heavy cream and two TBL of butter in a small saucepan.
3) Pour your chocolate chips into a glass bowl and place over simmering pot.
4) Slowly begin to melt the chocolate.
5) Heat cream and butter in a small saucepan. Remove when you see bubbles on the side.
6) Once the chocolate is shiny and smooth, slowly add the cream mixture to the melting chocolate.
7) After the chocolate is melted and the butter/cream is added, add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts and 1 TBL of Orange Liquor (Kahlua would be delish). Espresso would also be amazing.
8) Mix this together in the big glass bowl.
9) I placed the bowl of chocolate mixture on my back porch because it is cold in Chicago. You will need the chocolate to cool for 2 hours.
10) Half way through the cooling process, go check on your chocolate and mix it around. It should begin to be firm.
11) Once the mixture is firm (really thick), you will want to roll the truffles.
12) Using a spoon, I scooped a spoonful of chocolate mixture into my hands and rolled it into a ball. You will be covered with chocolate, but just wash your hands when you need to. Do this step quickly, as the chocolate will begin to melt.
13) I covered a plate with coconut and rolled the chocolate around in the coconut. Cocoa powder or powdered sugar would be pretty too.
14) Once the balls are rolled, place them back outside or in the fridge for one more hour.

Now you have rich chocolaty goodness. I have to confess that they were too rich for me. I prefer cheese and salami to chocolate, but for those of you who love chocolate, you will love these.

Orange Glazed Turkey Legs

Here is a picture of the turkey leg recipe I posted yesterday. Enjoy!

Bone Broth

Bone Broth

Here is a simple method for making bone broth. I wrapped beef bones in a cheese cloth and tied it with butcher string. Simmer it for up to an hour. Discard cheesecloth in the trash. I keep lots of bones in the freezer. I have also used this method for making a quick chicken broth. In fact, the other night, I made risotto and did not have enough stock, so I took some bones out of the freezer and simmered them to make a quick broth to use in the risotto. Bone broth is loaded with minerals and is really good for the gut. It also nourishes all of our body associated with collagen, including our bones, ligaments, and joints. It can be eaten on its own or used as stock in soups and stews. This bone broth is made from beef bones that I kept in the freezer from ribeyes. The finished product is a really lush and fatty broth. Drink it in between meals or when you have a cold. Give it a try, I promise it is not as weird as it sounds.

Orange Glazed Turkey Legs

Try this method with any sort of poultry, like chicken or Cornish hens. I use marmalade and preserves a lot when marinating or glazing meats. It has a lot of sugar, so don't add the glaze early. Add in last 15 minutes of cooking. Apricot is a wonderful addition to barbeque sauce.

Orange Turkey Legs

1 turkey leg per person
1 tbl of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of orange marmalade
1 dash soy sauce
1 splash water or stock
EVOO
Salt and pepper


Salt and pepper the turkey legs. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast in 400 degree oven. As the legs cook, mix the marmalade, mustard, soy, and water. Mix in 1 T of olive oil. Stir the glaze. During last 15 minutes of cooking, glaze the legs with the marmalade mixture. The legs should take about one hour to roast. Check the temp. Pull them when they are 165. Let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve with rice and roasted veggies. Enjoy!

The Most Perfect Roasted Chicken

Roasted Chicken with Grilled Asparagus

Here is a recipe for the most delicious roasted chicken. I butterflied it and that made the cooking time much easier. It also made a super crispy skin on the outside. Feel free to use any rub you want. Just make sure that you leave it on all day or over night. I recommend blackening seasoning, adobo seasoning, or italian seasoning. If rubs are not your thing, chop up garlic, thyme, rosemary and place it under the skin. Delicious.

Butterflied Chicken (serves 4)

1 free range chicken
3 TBLS of any rub you choose
Salt/Pepper
Bacon Drippings/butter (optional, but awesome!)
Olive Oil

To butterfly your chicken, get out your chicken shears. Place the chicken on a cutting board. With the scissors, cut on either side of the back bone. Cut the sides one at a time, staying close to the bone itself. Once removed, keep the bone in the freezer for stock. Turn your chicken over and press down on the bird. Use a little force here. You want to hear some bones crack. Press down on the bird until it is laying flat on the cutting board. Cover both sides of the bird with rub, salt/pepper and some olive oil. Put on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit all day or over night.

Before cooking, I rubbed some bacon fat under the skin. Simply lift up the skin and rub the fat underneath it. Use butter if you want. I always have bacon fat on hand. It really made it tasty.

Preheat your oven to 475. Cook the bird on foiled line cookie sheet for 30 minutes on 475. Make sure you have a window open or fan on. Then turn the temp down to 350 and cook until the juices run clear. Use your meat thermometer. Take the bird out at 150. It will continue to cook. Serve with whatever side you desire.

To serve, simply pull the legs and wings off. If you like white meat, cut the meat from the breast. This chicken was delicious. I mean, really delish!

Easy Sauce for Lamb

Yogurt and Dill sauce

This is an easy sauce for lamb. My sister and I made this to go with lamb burgers. It is greek and yummy. Use full fat dairy because it is better for you than low fat and is obviously tastier.

6 ounces greek yogurt, like Fage
2 TBLS of fresh dill chopped
Salt/Pepper
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
EVOO for finishing

Chop your ingredients and fold them into the yogurt. Add salt and pepper and taste. Zest your lemon and stir. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into the yogurt. Stir. Add EVOO for taste. Done. It is fantastic on sausages too. It makes a lovely veggie dip. Serve with pitas if you eat gluten.

Crockpot Short Ribs

Short Ribs in the Crockpot

This is a method for cooking lots of pieces of meat. Pork shoulder, beef short ribs, lamb shanks, and pot roasts. This is incredibly versatile and is easy because it is in the crock pot.

Always remember to salt and pepper the meat first. Let it come to room temp before searing. Always sear on all sides for extra flavor. Remember to use all kinds of vegetables and some sort of liquid for the meat. Crockpots don't need much liquid. *It is important to mention that short ribs take two days. Cook them on Sunday and cool them in the crockpot and then remove them and eat them on monday. They have a ton of fat that needs to be taken off the top.

In this recipe, I used coffee and red wine. Coffee is a great thing for meat. Don't be scared. Here is what I did. Remember you can this method for all slow cooking meats.

Short Ribs in the Crockpot

Bone-in Short ribs (buy enough for dinner and leftovers)
Salt/pepper
Olive Oil
1 onion
2 carrots
2 ribs of celery
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 sprigs of thyme or rosemary chopped
1/2 cup of wine or coffee for deglazing
1/2 cup of stock

Chop up vegetables like carrots, onions, mushrooms, celery, garlic and herbs etc. Place them in the bottom of the crock pot. Salt/pepper the short ribs. Sear in olive oil on all sides. Really make sure they brown. Remove the short ribs and place on top of the vegetables. In the pan you seared the meat in, pour 1/2 cup of liquid in the pan. Scrape up browned bits. Pour 1/2 more of liquid in the pan. Stir around. Pour the liquid into the crock pot. Put foil on top of crockpot and cover. There is more than enough liquid and steam in the crock pot. Cook for 4 hours on high or low for 7 hours. Take bowl out of crockpot and refrigerate over night. The next day, remove the meat from the congealed fat and set aside. There will be a large layer of fat. Using a spoon, remove it. The sauce underneath will be delicious. Remove the sauce using a spatula from the crockpot and place in a pot. Simmer the meat and the sauce in a covered pot on low. Don't rush this process. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and a roasted vegetable.

You can do this method with the meats listed above. The two day process is only necessary with the short ribs because of the amount of fat they contain. IF USING BONELESS SHORT RIBS, THE TWO DAY PROCESS IS NOT NECESSARY!