Gluten-Free Scallion Pancakes

On June 8, 2023November 18, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, grainsLeave 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

Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

On April 27, 2023November 18, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, grainsLeave 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

Shrimp and Green Vegetable Risotto

On October 27, 2022November 19, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, grainsLeave a comment

Cool weather always puts me in the mood for risotto. The dish can be as warming as soup but is also hearty and filling. It’s a fabulous way to use up the last vegetables pulled from the garden before frost hits, but risotto can be made year-round: in winter with frozen and dry-stored ingredients, in spring with the first vegetables and herbs of the season, and throughout summer with the freshest treats from the garden.

As I explain this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, risotto often appears daunting but is actually just a 30-minute, one-pot meal. Starting with the right rice and adjusting your cooking technique are key: Instead of covering a pot of short-grain rice and water with a lid, buy medium-grain Arborio rice and cook it in an open pot. Add a little hot liquid at a time, stirring often and letting the rice absorb it before pouring in more. I also create the best risotto when I use homemade stock.
Learn to make Shrimp and Green Vegetable Risotto

Zucchini–Basil Pancakes

On August 25, 2022November 18, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, grains3 Comments

Zucchini. If you grow it, you likely have more of it than you know what to do with. Even if you don’t grow your own, store-bought zukes tend to be large enough it’s easy to buy more than you need. Fortunately, zucchini and other summer squash are delicious in many dishes, whether obvious or disguised by other, more flavorful ingredients.

I share one of my favorite recipes showcasing zucchini this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon: Zucchini-Basil Pancakes. They use two prolific producers from the garden and are tasty on their own or as the base for other flavors, like Grilled Tomatillo Salsa, Spiked Guacamole, and Chipotle-Marinated Grilled Shrimp with Garlic Scape Aioli.
Learn to make Zucchini–Basil Pancakes

Huckleberry and Cheese Crepes

On August 11, 2022November 18, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, grains2 Comments

My social media feeds are increasingly featuring photos of huckleberry harvests and the creations made from them. The season is on. As I note this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, huckleberry season is short but sweet, so I always enjoy some now but save a few for the freezer. I tend to savor mine at breakfast—although I do go big when I pile any fruit on one bowl of homemade granola and fresh yogurt. I’ve taken sourdough starter into the backcountry so that I can dot pancakes with berries harvested at the campsite. Wild berries like huckleberries and blackberries are also delicious paired with homemade cheese and rolled into crepes.
Learn to make Huckleberry and Cheese Crepes