Happy Holidays from Quinn Family Health!

Many of us look forward to the holidays to celebrate cherished traditions. Sometimes, we may take  the opportunity to begin new ones. What is universal among us is our desire to seek out friends and family to share these moments with. 

What do you look forward to during this season? Do you eagerly await Mom’s shortbread cookies? Seeing old friends from school? Perhaps attending a holiday concert?

Our staff has shared a few recipes that make us happy, served with a side of good vibes.

We wish you and yours joy and good health on all the festive days, and on every day in between. 

-Dr. Jenn, Dr. Alyssa, Nancy, Rachel, Jackie, and Kathryn

My Grandmother’s Table

-Kathryn Yingst, QFH Front Desk

The occasions
were silky and ribboned
like gifts—
platters and people
draping the dining room
in holiday flourish—
the silver
of my nostalgia.
But the texture
of my childhood
emerged from the grain
of four simple chairs
around Mama’s kitchen table.
It was there I was nourished;
it was there I was fed.
When you grow up Italian,
love is measured in meatballs.
Love was the baked eggplant
stretched to share,
enough
even after guests stopped by,
sitting on the piano bench
folding their legs like sheet music
in order to fit.
We always left full.
At Mama’s table,
love was the fragrant pot of jambot
but it was also the play grimaces
my grandfather made to me
while eating his least favorite dish.
Nourishment came from being together
at one table
fed by ladles of belonging.
I wish I could tell my grandparents
what sitting at their table meant to me.
That I never take for granted
what it means to feel welcome.
How they showed me
there is always room, and there is always enough.
That I am grateful, every day
for the meatballs.

MAMA’S ITALIAN MEATBALLS

(Don’t let the raisins scare you. They, and the pignoli nuts, make this recipe delicious! All amounts are approximate. My ancestors never measured!)

Ingredients for the meatballs

• 1 – 1 ½ pounds lean ground meat (a mixture of beef and pork works well)
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (chop up your favorite GF bread in the food processor)
• ½ cup seasoned GF breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese (or dairy free parmesan)
• ½ cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons pignoli nuts
• Large handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped fine
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the sauce

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• Large handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped fine
• ½ teaspoon dried basil 
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 – 3 large cans of quality tomatoes, crushed (or tomato sauce style)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions for the meatballs

• • 1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. If the mixture seems too dry, add a small amount of water.
    2. Form meatballs, and place them in a baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
    3. Bake at 375 degrees, turning often, until golden brown.

Instructions for the tomato sauce

• • 1. While the meatballs are baking, add olive oil to a large saucepan and heat on medium.
    2. Add onion and garlic. Stir to avoid burning.
    3. Add chopped parsley and canned tomatoes.
    4. Add salt and pepper, basil, and oregano. Adjust seasonings to taste.
    5. Once the meatballs have browned, add them to the sauce and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for at least one hour. Do not cover the pan.
    6. Serve over your favorite GF pasta or veggie “noodles” with additional parmesan, if desired.

GLUTEN FREE FUDGE CAKE (We love when Nancy makes this!)

Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 35 min Total time: 50 min

Serves 8

Ingredients

• • • 2 cups sugar 
    • 1 ¾ cups Cup4Cup (235 grams) or other light gluten free flour blend
    • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend has it)
    • ¾ cup good quality cocoa powder (unsweetened)
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 eggs, lightly beaten (room temperature)
    • 1 cup whole milk (or milk substitute of your choice)
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • 2 teaspoons gluten free pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup hot coffee

Instructions

• • 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 inch cake pans with gluten free cooking spray. Set aside.
    2. Combine the sugar, flour, xanthan gum (if using), cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Carefully whisk in the hot coffee. The batter will be runny.
    3. Evenly distribute the cake batter between the two prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let it cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling completely.
    4. Make the ganache. (See recipe below)
    5. Pour the ganache over cooled cakes.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE (from Allrecipes.com)

Prep time 10 min Cook time 10 min Total time 20 min

Ingredients

• • • 9 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)

Directions

• • 1. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum, if desired.
    2. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over the cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward. For a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.  

        

EASY, “CRUSTLESS” APPLE PIE (from glutenfreeeasily.com)

Ingredients

• • • Deep-dish 9-inch pie plate, greased
    • 5-6 apples, peeled and cut up (4 ½ to 5 cups)
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • ¾ cup butter, melted
    • 1 cup gluten free flour
    • ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if using a flour mix that already contains xanthan gum)
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 egg (jumbo)

• 1. Put apples in a greased pie plate and sprinkle with cinnamon and one tablespoon of sugar.
  2. In a bowl, mix one cup of sugar, flour, xanthan gum, and butter. Blend in the unbeaten egg and a pinch of salt. Mix well and pour over the apples. (This mixture will be thick, so you’ll have to spread it with a spatula to cover all of  the apples.)
  3. Sprinkle more cinnamon over the top. 
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.