Gluten-Free Scallion Pancakes

On June 8, 2023June 8, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, Ingredient, UsingLeave a comment

If you think of pancakes as sweet breakfast treats, think again. Savory pancakes can be eaten any time of day and make a delicious light summer meal that features seasonal veggies—in and on them. This week, in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, I share one of the first variations I make each summer. It’s easy to make, delicious, and—bonus—gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.

You can make scallion pancakes with store-bought scallions (also called green onions), but if you grow your own bulb onions, you can swap in small ones as you’re thinning your onion bed. I make them even earlier in the season with walking onions and then later in summer with just the green tops from nearly full-grown bulb onions that I pull early to use fresh.

Other vegetables and herbs work well in savory pancake batter, including zucchini with basil and grilled peppers with chives. I then pile on more vegetables as toppings, especially pickled ones like Tangy Radish Rounds, Ripe Cherry Tomato Pickles, Pickled Avocado Slices, and other quick pickles from my cookbook.
Learn to make Gluten-Free Scallion Pancakes

Arugula Salad with Asparagus and Shaved Parmesan

On May 11, 2023May 11, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, Ingredient, Using1 Comment

One of my favorite things about the start of garden season is clipping the first homegrown spring greens. If you grow lettuce, spinach, arugula, or other greens, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, I highly recommend getting a few seeds and giving it a try. Homegrown greens have flavor that is often muted or missing from store-bought ones, and you can buy seeds in varieties that grocery stores won’t carry. These seeds grow easily in the ground or in pots. My sister seeds two “lettuce bowls”—wide, low plastic pots—for my parents each year that sit in the shade on their porch all summer. When the supply gets low, they simply pull the straggly plants and tuck in a few new seeds.

My homegrown lettuces and other greens mainly land in salads, as I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon. I also tuck them into tacos and sandwiches, fold them into hot pasta or curry, and pair them with eggs.
Learn to make Arugula Salad with Asparagus and Shaved Parmesan

Compound Herb Butter

On May 4, 2023May 4, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, Freezing, IngredientLeave a comment

I save homegrown herbs in many ways, but one of the easiest may be mixing them into butter and freezing them, as I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon. This technique for making compound herb butter is also ideal for a bunch of fresh herbs you’ve purchased but won’t use up before they start to fade, since you only need 2–4 tablespoons for each stick of butter.

I typically mix up small, fresh portions of flavored butters to use immediately, like my favorite lime butter for grilled corn. Small batches of compound butter keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. For longer storage, freeze “logs” of herb butters and use them throughout the year.
Learn to make Compound Herb Butter

Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

On April 27, 2023April 27, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, Topic, UsingLeave a comment

We’ve had a spate of cool spring weather here in northwest Montana, including days when I woke up to snow on my just-emerging crocus and scilla, so I’ve been in comfort food mode. That means—along with other recipes that satisfy filling, fatty food cravings—mac and cheese.

I grew up eating homemade mac and cheese baked in the oven until the center was gooey and the top was a crunchy cheese crust. My mom’s version was kid-friendly and simple: elbow pasta, butter, flour, milk, and mild Cheddar. I’ve tweaked it to bring in more flavor and better texture. But when it comes to making mac and cheese your own, the recipe I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon is just the beginning.
Learn to make Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese