4 pieces center-cut beef shank, about 2 inches thick
1/2 cup beef tallow or lard
2 cups peeled and cut carrots
2 cups peeled and cut onions
1 tablespoon mixed dry peppercorns
2 large bay leaves
2 quarts filtered water
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup balsamic vinegar
several sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
sea salt to taste

Allow to simmer very slowly, covered, 3-4 hours until the meat is tender and almost ready to fall apart. Remove the meat to a platter or baking dish; then strain the stock through a sieve and return the stock to the pot with the garlic. Let the stock reduce for about 1/2 hour by boiling gently, uncovered. Meanwhile, gently remove unwanted tissue from between the nuggets of meat (but don't scrape off the beautiful, shiny coating of gelatin that will tend to remain on each piece).

Return the meat and bones to the baking dish, cover and keep warm. Continue to skim any foam from the top of the stock. Once the stock thickens and becomes a sauce, carefully season to taste with sea salt.

Arrange a shank bone on each plate with the nuggets of meat placed around it. The marrow will be present in the center of the bone for those who appreciate this delicacy. Pour the sauce over the meat. Serve with mashed potatoes and oven-roasted carrots and leeks. (You may also wish to serve toasted bread on the side, to spread the marrow on.)

1-1/2 pounds lean cubed beef
4 tablespoons GF Flour mix
1 dash paprika
1 GF beef bouillon cube
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 carrot, 1 inch thick
2 potatoes, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
15 ounces stewed tomatoes, canned with juices
15 ounces corn, canned with juices
15 ounces peas, canned with juices
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dredge meat in flour, brown in hot oil. Add meat and all other ingredients into crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 2-4 hours. Or cover and simmer on medium for 90 minutes.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for frying, plus more to drizzle
3 tablespoons CF margarine
2 cups GF Flour mix
2 to 3 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast, cut into 2-inch pieces (this cut is also called chuck shoulder pot roast and chuck roast boneless)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bottle good quality dry red wine (recommended: Burgundy)
8 fresh thyme sprigs
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 orange, zest removed in 3 (1-inch) strips
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 cups beef stock
9 small new potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut in 1/2
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups frozen pearl onions, a large handful
1 pound white mushrooms, cut in 1/2
1/2 pound garden peas frozen or fresh
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with the oil and butter.

While the pan is heating, arrange the flour on a large dish. Season the cubed beef with some salt and freshly ground black pepper and then toss in the flour to coat. Shake off the excess flour and add the beef chunks in a single layer to the hot pan, being careful not to over crowd the pan, you might have to work in batches. Thoroughly brown all of the cubes on all sides. Once all the meat has been browned remove it to a plate and reserve.

Add the wine to the pan and bring up to a simmer while you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon being sure to loosen up all those tasty bits. Once the wine has gotten hot add the browned meat, thyme, smashed garlic, orange zest strip, ground cloves, freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste, bay leaves and beef stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the liquids start to thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 hours add halved potatoes, sliced carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms, along with a pinch of sugar to balance out the acid from the red wine. Turn the heat up slightly and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, until the vegetables and meat are tender. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cooking. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme sprigs.

Dijon-Rosemary Steak:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, stemmed
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

Citrus-Tarragon Chicken:
1 orange, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lemon, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lime, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 cup "soy" sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pound (16 to 20 count) shrimp, shelled and defined

Veggies For Kabobs:
Bell peppers
Onions
Cherry tomatoes
Mushrooms
Italian squash
Baby potatoes, boiled until cooked through
Corn on the cob, husked and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

Balsamic Basting Vinaigrette for Veggies:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 1 hour to retard charring.

Whisk together all of the Dijon-rosemary steak ingredients (except the steak) in a bowl. Toss the steak in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Whisk together all of the citrus-tarragon chicken ingredients (except the chicken) in a bowl. Toss the chicken in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Whisk together all of the lemon garlic shrimp ingredients (except the shrimp) in a bowl. Toss the shrimp in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces. Puree balsamic basting vinaigrette ingredients in a blender for 30 seconds.

Place meats, shrimp, and veggies in individual bowls and set out buffet style. Instruct your guests to skewer their own kabobs and baste veggies with balsamic vinaigrette.

Grill kabobs directly over heat source for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning 1/4 rotation every 2 to 3 minutes, or until the meat and/or fish is cooked throughout.


To top

4 cans kidney beans
2 lbs hamburger
1 medium onion chopped
1 30 oz can stewed tomatoes
2 pkgs GF chili seasoning (such as McCormick's Tex Mex Chili Seasoning or Carroll Shelby Chili Mix)
1 small green or red bell pepper, chopped

Brown hamburger meat, drain off grease. Combine all ingredients in crock-pot, stir and let cook 6 hours. You can substitute ground turkey or buffalo/bison meat in this recipe too.

2 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean
2 cups onion -- chopped
16 ounces tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 GFCF bread slices or hamburger buns

Combine ground beef and onion in a skillet, cook until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain. Add remaining ingredients to meat. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Spoon onto buns.

Marinade (Mojo):
4 orange, juiced
4 limes, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 chipotle chiles, in adobo sauce
10 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons salt
1.5 pounds skirt or flank steak, trimmed of fat cut into thirds or 8-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2 red and 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
6-8 large onion, thinly sliced
1 bottle of liquid smoke (Colgin or Wright’s are GF)
36 corn tortillas, warm
Guacamole, recipe follows
Pico de Gallo, recipe follows

In a food processor or small 2-cup measuring cup, or something similar size and shape, combine all the marinade ingredients. Using an immersion blender, puree the marinade until smooth. Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag and add the steak, seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate the beef for 2 to 4 hours to tenderize and flavor the beef.

Preheat a large cast iron pan on high heat.

Drain the marinade from the beef. Lightly oil the grill or grill pan. Grill the steak over medium-high heat and cook for 4 minutes on each side and then transfer to a cutting board and let rest. Depending on the size of your grill pan you may need to cook in batches.

Once the beef is off the grill pan and resting, add the bell peppers and onions tossed with lime juice, liquid smoke and olive oil. Grill the mixture for 7 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are slightly blackened and limp. Thinly slice the steak against the grain on a diagonal.

While the peppers and onions are cooking, heat up the tortillas by wrapping them in a damp towel and then in a Ziploc bag and microwaving until steamed.

To serve: Spread some guacamole on a tortilla, top with a few slices of steak, peppers and onions, and salsa. Roll up the tortilla to enclose the filling.

Guacamole:
5 ripe Hass avocados
1 lime, juiced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 Serrano chile, chopped
1 big handful fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Drizzle olive oil

Halve and pit the avocados. With a tablespoon, scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork, leaving them still a bit chunky. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, and fold everything together. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole so it doesn't brown and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Pico de Gallo:
10 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 onions finely chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix and leave at room temperature.

For roast
1 (7- to 8-lb) prime rib roast (sometimes called standing rib roast; 3 or 4 ribs)
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil

For jus
2 cups beef broth
1 small fresh rosemary sprig
1 small fresh thyme sprig
1 garlic clove, smashed

Prepare roast: Trim all but a thin layer of fat from roast. Grind peppercorns and bay leaves with salt to a powder in an electric coffee/spice grinder, then transfer to a mortar. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary, then pound to a smooth paste with pestle. Stir in oil. Rub paste all over roast. Transfer roast to a rack set in a small flameproof roasting pan. Marinate, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours.

Cook roast: Let roast stand at room temperature 1 hour (Roast can marinate up to 24 hours in refrigerator if needed). Preheat oven to 450°F.

Roast beef in middle of oven 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and roast beef until a thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 110°F, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours more. Transfer beef to a large platter and let stand, uncovered, 25 minutes. (Meat will continue to cook, reaching about 130°F for medium-rare.)

Make jus: Skim fat from pan juices. Add broth, rosemary, thyme, and garlic and deglaze pan by simmering on top of stove over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Transfer to a small saucepan and add any juices that have collected on platter. Gently simmer 10 minutes. Skim fat and season jus with salt and pepper.

Put slices from roast and serve with jus.

2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, boneless
GF Flour mix, for dusting
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 cups tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, halved
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Flour pot roast, brown in hot oil on all sides. Add in all remaining ingredients, bake at 325 degrees F for 2 hours. Until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Slice roast 1/2" thick and return to simmer for 1 hour at 325 degrees F.

1 pound ground turkey (or veal)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup chopped carrots
1 tablespoon olive oil (substitute vegetable oil if desired)
2 cups cooked white rice (more if preferred. Jasmin rice is nice too)
1 or 2 cartons vegetable or chicken broth

Mix meat with spices. Roll into thumbnail-sized balls. Add oil to skillet and sauté meatballs in pan until pink is gone and they are light brown in color. Remove meatballs, leaving juice in pan. Add 1/4 cup water and carrots to juice, cover and sauté until tender.

Heat vegetable broth in a stockpot. Add rice, meatballs, carrots and juice. Stir. Add additional broth as needed for desired thickness.

(Tips from Diane: If you want thicker soup, leave soup to sit on a low burner. The rice will swell and absorb broth. Also: Adjust spices to taste for more or less flavor. The meatballs are great on their own. The may be made ahead for warming in the microwave during the week, or frozen for later. I sub chicken stock for water to add flavor, and sauté chopped onions and a little garlic in GFCF margarine first.)