Ingredient: balsamic vinegar

Beef with Broccoli

If there’s one thing I miss about my pre-gluten-free days, it’s going out for Chinese food. Sure, even then, I could make it for myself, but there’s something about the way restaurants prepare the food that had me going back, time and again.

Yeah, that’s generally a solid clue what I ordered wasn’t the most healthy choice on the menu. Except when I ordered beef with broccoli. Done right, it’s a fairly healthy dish. And, it turns out, it’s so easy to make at home.

Which is perfect for those times when I want to treat myself with my favorite food!

Roasted Butternut Squash

Some years, the butternut squash never seems to stop coming. Sure, it makes for excellent soups, but even I can only eat so much of the stuff. And since I love roasted veggies, it only makes sense that a roasted butternut squash dish is in my repertoire.

I’ve served this as a side at dinner and as an appetizer at parties. I’ve also witnessed my husband snatching cubes of squash from the baking sheet while I’m busy with other tasks. Of course, I’m guilty of the same crime, so I can’t complain.

Red Wine and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

A basic red wine reduction adds a simple elegance to a dish of beef or lamb. Adding balsamic vinegar to the wine reduction increases the flavor and surprises your guests (one friend, as she walked into the house for a dinner party, sniffed the air with pleasure as she got a whiff of the balsamic vinegar).

[box type=”note” style=”rounded” border=”full”]There is a saying that you should never cook with a wine you won’t drink. Or, please use a decent red wine. So-called “cooking wines” do not work for this sauce.[/box]