Calling All Cookies!

It’s the first of December, the time of year where everything begins to fast forward.

Holiday music heralds in the buzz that will surround us these next few weeks. There are parties to plan, presents to buy, holiday specials to watch, and baking, baking, baking to be done.

But, not if you don’t have a stove.

*sniff sniff*

If you don’t have a stove you can do everything but the baking. And, the cooking.

It’s a nice break for a minute or two. At least it was on Thanksgiving Day when I expected my new stove (after fixing all the granite, and gas line, and electrical service issues) to be installed the following Saturday. It was kind of relaxing—and a little weird—not to have pots bubbling and the oven steaming. It was nice of my sister and sister-in-law to host Thanksgiving and be satisfied with my meager offerings. It may have been the first relaxing holiday for me in, well, years.

Now it’s not so much fun anymore. The Saturday installation has come and gone. There is a stove sitting in what was an empty space. It looks very pretty. It doesn’t do much but it’s all shiny and stuff. It’ll sit there until the new one comes. The one that looks just as pretty but actually works. The one they told me will be delivered on *sob* December 26th.

That. Is. Not. Going. To. Work.

No dinners. No baking. No blog posts. No traditional Christmas Eve dinner. No Christmas brunch.

You know what…where there’s a will there’s a way. I’ll keep you posted on progress (follow the saga on Twitter!) but for now I’m going to have to get blogger creative!

So, here’s what we’re going to do.

I’m going to repost those lovely cookies you see in the photo. They were a favorite last year in our home and hopefully they’ll be a favorite again this year.

Then I’m going to ask all of you to link to your cookie recipes. Help me out here…bake me some cookies and share them by adding them below. I’m counting on my favorite (and hopefully some new) foodie friends.

It’s simple. Just follow the instructions below. You may add as many entries as you like but there are two rules…they must be gluten-free and they must be cookies. Plus they don’t need to be new posts. Can’t wait to see what you bring!! The posting closes on December 20th. So, check back often for new cookie links.

Head on over to She Let Them Eat Cake! to check out the 12 Days of Gluten-Free Cookies exchange.

Day After Thanksgiving Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

If your family is anything like mine you’re going to have some pretty spectacular food adorning your Thanksgiving table. Possibly too much spectacular food. After dinner folks will be pushing their chairs back and rubbing their bellies. One or two will utter that they ate too much. Some will collapse on the couch but will be more than happy to hobble back to the table for coffee and pumpkin pie after the dishes are cleared and the goodies are set out for the finale.

Hard to believe the next day you’re likely to do it all over again…there’s really nothing better than Thanksgiving leftovers. My husband will be making a turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce sandwich. And, he’ll start thinking about and planning it way before lunch time.

Me, I’ll be eating that salad you see in the photo. In fact, I eat that salad all year long because I love it. Love it. Love it. Love it. Did I say Love it??

It’s light, refreshing, crunchy and a little bit sweet. Organic salad greens mingled with leftover turkey, apple chunks, maple-glazed walnuts then studded with dried cranberries, pepitas and a sprinkling of feta cheese. I typically dress it with salt, pepper, good olive oil and balsamic vinegar. But, if there’s cranberry sauce left over I just might make a cranberry vinaigrette to drizzle over top.

Day After Thanksgiving Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Salad

Fresh organic greens (baby romaine or mesclun are favorites)

An apple, cut into 1/4 inch thick one-inch slices

Pecans or walnuts (How about these Maple Glazed Walnuts from Elie Krieger?)

Dried cranberries

Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Turkey, cut into bite sized pieces

Feta cheese, crumbled

Rinse and dry the organic greens. Sprinkle with apple pieces, maple glazed nuts, dried cranberries, pepitas, and turkey. Toss with cranberry vinaigrette (recipe below) and top with crumbled feta. Muah!

Cranberry Vinaigrette

4 tablespoons cranberry sauce

4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (white balsamic if you have it)

6 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil

3 tablespoons orange juice

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

a squeeze or two of lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Or, if you prefer whip it all up in a blender.

If you’re making this salad for only one or two people you may want to cut the vinaigrette recipe in half.

Here are some wonderful recipes for Thanksgiving and all season long…

The WHOLE Gang: Friday Foodie Fix—Thanksgiving Inspired

I Am Gluten Free: Thanksgiving Curried Butternut Squash Soup (GF EF CF Vegan)

Elana’s Pantry: Cranberry Apple Stuffing (GF CF)

Lexie’s Kitchen: No Bake Pumpkin Pie Filling (GF EF CF Vegan)

Gluten-free For Good: Cherry Cobbler (GF EF)

Simply Gluten-Free: Sunbutter Truffles (GF EF CF Vegan)

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