Entree or Main Dish

Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce
Al’s Spaghetti Sauce


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.


FYI - If you make this recipe to save money and/or time - it will do neither. It will give you the satisfaction of making a great homemade product. Truly a labor of love.

Ingredients:

2 - 28oz cans Dei Fratelli Chopped Italian Tomatoes
1 - 28oz can Dei Fratelli Diced Tomatoes
2 - 15oz cans Dei Fratelli Tomato Sauce
1 - 12oz can Everyday Essentials Tomato Paste
1 - Medium Sized fresh tomato (optional - had one on hand)
2 - Cups Cherry Tomatoes - halved (optional - had some on hand)
1 - Large (or 2 Medium) White Onion - diced
1 - 8oz package of Mushrooms - diced
2 to 3 - Medium sized Zucchinis
2 to 3 - Medium sized Yellow Squash
2 - Medium sized carrots - peeled and fine grated.
Minced garlic (you decide how much)
Penzey’s Dried Oregano
Fresh Thyme (stripped from stem)
Fresh Basil (several leaves fine chopped)
Salt & Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 - lbs Ground Chuck.

The ingredients used above will fill a 7QT pot. Scale your batch accordingly. We freeze measured amounts of sauce in a container - enough for 3-4 servings.

Directions:

Place a 7QT pot on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to pot. Add carrot, 1/2 of diced onion, zucchini, squash, 1/3 of diced mushrooms, and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, & oregano. Stir.

Sauté until veggies are tender (about 5 - 10 minutes). You might have to add more EVOO during sauté time. Onions will start caramelize. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Add about a teaspoon of fresh thyme and tablespoon of fresh basil.

Add all tomato products and 1/3 of diced mushrooms to pot. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce to a texture of your liking. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a screen and stir often. The goal is to reduce the water content and concentrate the tomato mixture. This process will take 2 to 3 (or more) hours. Place a teaspoon of the sauce on a plate to see how much liquid spreads out from the edges. I don’t like much water in my sauce, so there’s very little. Season to taste with salt and pepper after it’s done reducing. Salting too much before reduction will also concentrate the salt. Add a sprinkle of dried oregano and more fresh thyme if you like. Stir

While tomato/veggie mixture is reducing, brown the ground chuck.

In another pan sauté the remaining diced onions, remaining diced mushrooms, and some garlic until soft. Salt & Pepper to taste.

Add ground chuck. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle of dried oregano. Break up and stir. Drain excess grease. If you are freezing the entire batch - allow to cool before adding to sauce. If you plan to use the sauce right away - add meat to sauce if it’s reduced to your liking.

Cool before freezer packaging. Fill sink with enough cold water ice to reach 1/2 up the sauce pot when placed into sink. Stir every few minutes.

GIG of ECW 2017 Cookout Recipes


Barlow Park South Shelter

Recipes from our 8th Annual Gluten-Free Cookout 2017
at Barlow Park


If you are making these recipes for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



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For many, this event is probably the favorite meeting of the year. It wouldn’t be a success without our members.

Every year I marvel at the great food and beverages we have the opportunity to share. I bet we had 25 feet of gluten-free food & drink!

So much good food - so little time [sigh]

Thank you!

A special shout-out to these members:

  • Don & Laurie for faithfully providing the brats and the chicken.
  • Jeff and Jane for providing the bottled water.
  • Kimberly for being our Entertainment/Games Director.
  • Shannon and her nimble fingers for getting these recipes in electronic form.

Alan & Peggy Klapperich
Gluten Intolerance Group of East Central WI




Italian Pasta Salad

Jane & Jeff D.

Ingredients:

16 oz. gluten free rotini pasta, cooked and drained
8 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz. package mozzarella pearls
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped (or dried if you prefer)
Ken's Lite Vinaigrette Italian dressing (gluten free)

Directions:

Chop basil. Combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover and chill until ready to serve.


Taffy Apple Salad

Jeannie H.

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved
2 1/2 c. miniature marshmallows
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. Better Batter gluten free flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 1/2 c. roasted Spanish peanuts
1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 tart apples- peeled, cored and chopped
2 Snickers bars, chopped

Directions:

Combine the pineapple chunks and marshmallows. Mix together, cover and refrigerate overnight.
In a medium saucepan, stir together the pineapple juice, egg, flour, vinegar and sugar over medium low heat. Cook and stir sauce until thickened. Transfer to a medium sized bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
In a large bowl, blend together the marshmallow mix and sauce. Stir in the peanuts, chopped Snickers bars, whipped topping and apples. Refrigerate until serving time.


Tomato Cucumber Salad

Jenni B.

Ingredients:

Equal amounts of tomatoes and cucumbers
1 small onion (sliced)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Place tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt & pepper. Add olive oil. Mix well.


Tuna Pasta Salad

Peggy K.

Ingredients:

1 - 12oz package of Ronzoni or Barilla GF Pasta (cooked per directions)
16oz Canned or packaged Tuna - drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced green olives
1 1/2 cups frozen peas (thawed and rinsed)
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 1/2 tblspn lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Put tuna in strainer and allow to drain.
Make pasta according to package directions.
Pour lemon juice over tuna.
Mix Miracle Whip and Hellman’s together - toss with other ingredients in a large bowl.
Chill for 2 to 4 hours before serving.


Pink Fluff

Kimberly S.

Ingredients:

Cool Whip
Cherry Jello
Mandarin oranges

Directions:

Mix well.


Veggie Pizza

Peggy K

Veggie Pizza Frame
Crust Ingredients:

1/4 cup Millet flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup Sorghum flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup Almond flour (Honeyville)
1/4 cup Brown Rice (Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup tapioca starch (Bob's Red Mill)
1 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 tablespoon instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt
¾ c. water
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 eggs
2-3 tablespoons sweet rice flour (for dusting pan/hands)

Topping Ingredients:

1 1 oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix
2 - 8oz. Packages cream cheese (Philly)
Broccoli (raw)
Cauliflower (raw)
Cherry Tomatoes (raw)
Red Onion (raw)
Yellow Pepper (raw)
Shredded Cheese


Directions:

Make and bake crust following Peggy's Flat Bread Recipe found here:
http://bit.ly/156AATs

While crust is cooling, chop veggies in small bite sized pieces. In a bowl mix together Dip Mix and cream cheese.

When crust is completely cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle chopped veggies. Top with shredded cheese.


Grilled Herb Lemon Chicken

Provided by: Don & Laurie P.
Prepared by: Al K.
grilled chicken frame


Ingredients:

boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Fresh rosemary - minced
Fresh sage - minced
Fresh parsley - minced
Fresh basil - minced
Fresh oregano - minced
6 cloves garlic - minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut chicken breasts in half make them thinner (butterfly). In a bowl mix olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper to make the marinade. Pour marinade in large pan/dish, then add chicken. Make sure all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours.

Preheat grill. Cook chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is completely cooked (juices run clear).


Grilled Brats

Provided by: Don & Laurie P.
Prepared by: Al K.
brats fire frame


Ingredients:

2 packages of Johnsonville Original Brats
3 bottles of your favorite GF Beer (Used Redbridge Beer, New Grist, Shakparo)
Water
A few slices of onion
Minced garlic (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the grill. In a large pot, pour in beer and fill with water. Drop in onion slices, garlic (optional) and brats. Bring to a boil. Grill 'em how you like 'em


Grilled Burgers

Al K.
Version 2 (6)


Ingredients:

2 lbs Ground Chuck
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Generously season ground chuck. Mix.
Form into patties.
Grill.


Banana Bread Bars with Brown Butter Frosting

Shannon J.

Ingredients - Banana Bread Bars:

1-1/2 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1-3/4 c. (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Ingredients - Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. milk

Directions:

Heat oven to 375F. Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan. For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy. Blend in bananas and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute. Stir in walnuts.
Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.
Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting). Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm).

Yield: 2 dozen large bars


Peanut Butter Dessert

Carol K.

Ingredients:

1 c. Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour
1/2 c. cold butter
1 c. pecans

Directions:

Mix until coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 25-28 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. cream cheese
1/3 c. peanut butter
1 c. powdered sugar
1 carton Cool Whip

Directions:

Mix together and put on crust.

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate pudding
1 box vanilla pudding
2 and 2/3 cup milk

Directions:

Mix till softset put on top of cream cheese layer. Top with cool whip. Put in fridge.


No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

Jane & Jeff D.

Ingredients:

1 c. butter
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. gluten free (purity protocol) quick cooking oats (GF Harvest Oats)
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. peanut butter


Directions:

Grease 9x9 square pan.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Mix in oats. Cook over low heat 2-3 minutes or until well blended.
Press half of mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Reserve other half for topping.
Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Pour over crust and spread evenly.

Crumble remaining oat mixture over chocolate layer. Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours (or overnight). Bring to room temperature before cutting into bars.


Maggie's Brownies

Original Recipe - Maggie Watkins
GF Conversion - Peggy K.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose GF flour (GF Jules, Better Batter, Bob’s Red Mill)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp Xanthan Gum

Note: double the ingredients above for 9x13 pan.

Frosting Ingredients:
3 tblsp softened butter
1 tblsp light corn syrup or honey
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tblsp Hershey’s Cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 to 2 tblsp milk

Makes about 1 cup of frosting.

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350. Grease 9x9 pan.
In a large bowl blend melted butter, sugar, and vanilla.
Add eggs - using spoon - beat well.
Combine flour, xanthan gum, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually blend into egg mixture.
Stir in nuts
Spread into greased 9x9 pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies pull away from side of the pan.
Allow brownies to cool, then frost.


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Baked Alaskan Cod

Baked Alaskian Cod

Baked Alaskan Cod


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

Wild Caught Alaskan Cod, thawed, cut in 4" to 5" pieces
1/2 stick of butter, melted
5 to 6 lemon slices
1/2 187ml bottle White Zinfandel wine
1/2 medium white onion, sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons minced garlic
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Granulated garlic (Penzey's)
Granulated onion (Penzey's)
Smoked paprika (Penzey's)
Tuscan Sunset (Penzey's) (optional)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place lemon & onion slices, and minced garlic in bottom of 9 x 13 glass pan.
Pour in 1/2 bottle of wine and melted butter.
Season mixture with pepper, and a pinch of salt.

Drizzle each side of cod with olive oil. Season each side of cod with salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, smoked paprika, and a sprinkle of Tuscan Sunset.

Place seasoned fish in pan and cover with foil and place in oven.

After 30 minutes, uncover fish and return for another 10 - 15 minutes. Fish will flake apart.

Spoon liquid over the top of fish and squeeze of fresh lemon after plating. The liquid is also great poured over rice

Grain-Free Pizza Crust

IMG_3132 (1)
Wheat Belly Pizza Crust
Original recipe by
Wheat Belly - Dr. William Davis


After trying this recipe only once - it has become a favorite. Warning: this pizza is very filling. You’ll want to eat more, but you’ll be too full.

When using any flours/grains, nuts, seeds, etc - make sure they labeled gluten-free. Gluten contamination of these products are very likely if they’re not produced in a dedicated facility.

To learn more about this, see
Grain-Free for the Gluten-Free

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/4 cups GF almond flour (Honeyville) or ground almonds
1/4 cup GF garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour (Bob’s Red Mill GF) or GF coconut flour
1/4 cup GF ground golden fax seeds (Bob’s Red Mill GF)
1 teaspoon granulated onion powder (Penzey’s)
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder (Penzey’s)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 Pizza Seasoning (Penzey’s) - optional
2 eggs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of water

This recipe makes one 14” (if not bigger) crust when pressed to 3/8” thick.
IMG_3158


If you like a thinner crust, consider making two crusts instead of one depending on your pan size.


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a food process or chopper, chop cheese into smaller rice sized pieces.

Place all ingredients into large bowl and mix thoroughly. Stand mixer works great.

Place parchment paper on large (16”) pizza pan or cookie sheet.

Scoop dough on parchment paper and roughly shape into a circle. Use spatula or oiled hands to do this.

Cover dough with parchment paper. You can use a rolling pin, or another large flat pan (pizza pan works perfectly) to roll or press dough out flat. Depending on your tastes - aim for 1/4” or 3/8” thick. This recipe makes at least one 14” crust when pressed to 3/8” thick.

TIP: If you have a smaller pan, place only half the dough if you want a thinner crust (less than 3/8” thick).

Carefully peel off parchment paper and adjust shape or edge with oiled hands.

Bake for 20 minutes or more. Crust will start to brown. The cheese chunks will turn a golden brown.

Remove from oven and apply desired toppings.

Return to oven for another 15 minutes or until topping cheese is melted.

Gluten-Free Stuffing

Submitted by Peggy


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1 loaf gluten-free bread
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
2 carrots, peeled and small diced
2 celery stalks, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, peeled and small diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Slice the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread out on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 25 minutes, flipping/tossing once during toasting.

To kick this recipe up a notch, check out our excellent recipe for gluten-free croutons.

Melt butter in a large and deep cast iron or oven-safe skillet. If you do not have a large and deep oven proof skillet, you can prep the stuffing in a skillet and transfer to a 9" x 13" baking dish before finishing off in the oven. To the butter, add carrots, celery, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Sauté on medium heat for 15 minutes until the onions and carrots are soft and tender. If the onions or garlic start to brown, reduce heat to medium-low.

Once the carrots are tender, add chicken broth, sage, and thyme and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste, and add additional salt or pepper, if needed.

Next, add the toasted bread cubes and gently toss to combine. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 6-8 servings.

Aneh's Awesome Turkey

Original Recipe by: Aneh Mundi
Submitted by Al (with slight modifications)

Shortly after going gluten-free [in 2003], Peggy & I took a gluten-free holiday cooking class from food scientist extraordinaire Aneh Mundi. She went through an entire holiday feast. Lots of great recipes. To this day, we still use Aneh's blend of seasonings when we make turkey and turkey broth. We keep a jar of it on our “Wheel-O-Spices”.


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1 fresh or frozen turkey 10 to 13 lbs
2 tbs Black ground pepper (Penzey's)
2 tbs Salt
2 tbs dried basil (Penzey's)
1 tbs white pepper (Penzey's)
1 tbs ground coriander (Penzey's)
2 tsb dried orange peel (Penzey's)
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
1 medium/large onion, rough chopped
1 celery stalk, rough chopped
¼ lemon, chopped (optional)

Note: Before you start working with the turkey, set some of the seasoning aside for use in the gravy or for future turkeys. It has the potential to get contaminated with raw turkey.

Directions:

Remove giblets from turkey and set aside for broth.
Combine seasonings in a bowl – mix well.
Place turkey in cooking bag (optional)
Drizzle & rub olive oil over entire turkey.
Sprinkle and rub seasoning mix inside, outside, and under the skin.
Stuff cavity with onion, celery, and lemon.
Place bagged turkey in a roasting pan
Roast turkey at 325 for 3 to 3 ½ hours – until juices run clear or internal breast temperature reaches 161 or 162. Remove turkey from the oven, let it rest. The temperature will continue rise. Carry-over cooking will take you to the food safe number of 165.
Drain drippings from bag into large bowl. Strain into large pan for making gravy.

Gravy Ingredients:

Turkey drippings
4 – 8 tbs Gluten-Free Sweet Rice Flour (Bob's Red Mill)
A few pinches of Aneh's Turkey Seasoning

Gravy directions:

Heat drippings in pan on medium-high heat.
Add a few pinches of turkey seasoning to taste.
Make a slurry 3 – 4 tbs of Sweet Rice Flour and a teaspoon or so of cold water. Mix until no lumps.
Whisk in slurry as drippings begin to heat up and start to boil. This when gravy will start to thicken. Keep adding slurry until gravy is the consistency you desire.

GIG of ECW 2016 Cookout Recipes


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Recipes from our 7th Annual Gluten-Free Cookout 2016
at Selfridge Park


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



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Stuffed Cucumber Bites

Jane & Jeff D.

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers
8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
2 Tbsp. Hellmann's mayonnaise
2 tsp. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1/4 tsp. salt
Grape tomatoes, halved.

Directions:

1. Peel & slice cucumbers to 3/4 inch.
2. Hollow out with the melon baller.
3. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, ranch mix & salt in a bowl.
4. Place in a pastry bag with a rosette pipette end.
5. Pipe cucumber slice with cream cheese mix to 1/2 inch above cucumber.
6. Stand a halved tomato in the cheese.
7. Sprinkle with chives or parsley to garnish.


Bacon Delight Salad

Carol K.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower- cut into bite sized pieces
1 head broccoli - cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 read onion, sliced in half rings
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 pound bacon, crisp cooked

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar

Directions:

Combine veggies and cheese, add dressing. Add bacon right before serving.


Pesto Quinoa with Tomatoes & Fresh Mozzarella

Shannon J.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pesto (I used Classico brand)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups cooked and cooled Quinoa
1 pint quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
Salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the pesto, extra-virgin olive oil and pepper. Add the cooked and cooled Quinoa, quartered tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes. Season with salt and serve.


German Potato Salad

Jenni K.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bacon w/drippings (dice and fry bacon and 1 onion)
1 cup water
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoon gluten free cornstarch

Directions:

Add water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in pan with bacon drippings. Bring to a boil.
Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup water and add to pan. Bring to full boil. Add bacon and 15-24 baked potatoes.


Cranberry Nut Salad

Kimberly S.

Ingredients:

4 cups (cooked) wild, brown, white, red and/or other rice mix
4 green onions, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
3 cups dried fruit – cranberries, blueberries, cherries, raisins, etc.
[I used only Craisins this time]
1 cup walnuts
1 cup almonds
2 TBS – walnut oil
The juice of 2 lemons

Place cooked rice in a large bowl. Add the green onions, celery, dried fruit and nuts to the bowl. Pour walnut oil and lemon juice over everything and blend together. Best served at room temperature. Serves 8-12


Bruschetta

Jane & Jeff D.

Ingredients:

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. Olive oil
2 Tbls. Balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. chopped fresh Basil
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Add olive oil & garlic to a small saucepan & heat over medium heat about 2-3 minutes.
Careful not to over cook garlic. Remove from heat & cool.
2. Dice tomatoes.
3. Add tomatoes, chopped basil, balsamic vinegar & garlic/ olive oil to a medium size bowl and stir to combine.
4. Serve immediately or let sit at room temperature for up to an hour or two before serving.

I bought GF bread from Benvenuetos. We checked the company that made it and they do a great job in their facility!

Sliced at an angle for more bread surface. Brushed olive oil (lightly) on one side. Placed on cookie sheet and baked at 375 for about 10 minutes until toasted. (Keep checking, it may take a couple extra minutes or less depending on your oven.



Veggie Pizza

Peggy K
Veggie Pizza Frame


Crust Ingredients:

1 cup GF brown rice flour (Authentic Foods Superfine Brown Rice Flour)
½ cup tapioca starch (Bob's Red Mill)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt
¾ c. water
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 eggs
2-3 Tablespoons sweet rice flour (for dusting pan/hands)

Topping Ingredients:

1 1 oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix
2 - 8oz. Packages cream cheese
Broccoli (raw)
Cauliflower (raw)
Cherry Tomatoes (raw)
Red Onion (raw)
Yellow Pepper (raw)
Shredded Cheese


Directions:

Make and bake crust following Peggy's Flat Bread Recipe found here:
http://bit.ly/156AATs

While crust is cooling, chop veggies in small bite sized pieces. In a bowl mix together Dip Mix and cream cheese.

When crust is completely cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle chopped veggies. Top with shredded cheese.


Grilled Herb Lemon Chicken

Provided by: Don & Laurie P.
Prepared by: Al K.
grilled chicken frame


Ingredients:

boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Fresh rosemary - minced
Fresh sage - minced
Fresh parsley - minced
Fresh basil - minced
Fresh oregano - minced
6 cloves garlic - minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut chicken breasts in half make them thinner (butterfly). In a bowl mix olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper to make the marinade. Pour marinade in large pan/dish, then add chicken. Make sure all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours.

Preheat grill. Cook chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is completely cooked (juices run clear).


Grilled Brats

Provided by: Don & Laurie P.
Prepared by: Al K.
brats fire frame


Ingredients:

2 packages of Klement's Brats
3 bottles of your favorite GF Beer (Used Redbridge Beer, New Grist, Shakparo)
Water
A few slices of onion
Minced garlic (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the grill. In a large pot, pour in beer and fill with water. Drop in onion slices, garlic (optional) and brats. Bring to a boil. Grill 'em how you like 'em


Grilled Burgers

Al K.
Version 2 (6)


Ingredients:

2 lbs Ground Chuck
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Generously season ground chuck. Mix.
Form into patties.
Grill.


Easy GF Red Velvet Cupcakes

Shannon J.

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) box gluten free yellow cake mix
1 (3 1/2 ounce) package chocolate-flavored instant pudding mix (Jello brand is gluten free) or 1 (3 1/2 ounce) package pie filling (Jello brand is gluten free)
1⁄2 cup butter, softened (no substitutes!)
8 ounces sour cream
3 eggs
2⁄3 cup milk
2 tablespoons red food coloring (McCormick's is GF)
8 ounces cold cream cheese (Philadelphia is gluten-free)
5 tablespoons softened butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
1 pinch salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine the first seven ingredients in a large mixing bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. (The remaining ingredients are for the frosting!).

Once combined, spoon the mixture into muffin pans lined with cupcake liners. Bake for 16 – 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when you stick it in the center.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then carefully remove them and place them on cooling racks.

Directions For the Frosting:

Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until combined (but do not whip). Add salt.
Gradually add powdered sugar with the mixer on slow until desired sweetness/texture.
These cupcakes should be kept in the refrigerator if they aren’t eaten within 12-24 hours due to the cream cheese frosting! (Note, cupcakes seem to "deflate" or "shrink" as time goes on, but they still taste great!)


Pretzel Torte

Carol K.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
1 bag 8 oz. gluten free pretzels, crushed
1/2 cup sugar
2 cans Cherry Pie Filling (Roundy's)


Filling Ingredients:

8 oz. mascarpone or cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 half pint whipped cream (Dairy Pure)

Directions:

Melt butter, then add sugar and pretzels (save some to sprinkle on top), press in 9x13 pan.

Layer on top of pretzels - 2 cans of cherry pie filling



Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches

Al & Peggy K.

The
cookie recipe is from Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix bag.

Ingredients:
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7 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, large
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups
Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (1-1/2 cup chips for chocolate lovers)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugars together. Mix in egg and vanilla, then dry mix. Add chocolate chips and nuts and incorporate. Place scoops of dough (1 TBSP sized) on parchment lined or greased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten. Bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly and use a spatula to remove from cookie sheet.


Ingredients for sandwiches:

Lots of chocolate chip cookies
(an even number is preferable, although many would be open to an open-faced ice cream cookie sandwich)
Gluten-Free Vanilla Ice Cream - slightly softened (Haagen Dazs used here)

Directions for making sandwiches:

After cookies have completely cooled, create pairs with similar diameters. The tops and bottoms should be close to the same size.
With an ice cream scoop form a 1" to 2" (or more) diameter ball. Place ball on bottom cookie. Place cookie on top of ice cream and gently press until it expands to the edge of the cookie - but not over. Scrape excess ice cream with knife or spatula. Place cookie in a container already in the freezer.

Tip: Make sure your cookies have cooled and don't let your ice cream get to melty when assembling the sandwiches. Ice cream may start to run even after you put them in the freezer.

We purchased dry ice to keep these guys frozen for the cookout. Worked like a charm!


IMG_1582

Salmon Croquettes

Salmon Croqs

Salmon Croquettes

Original recipe by Anita Johnson


If you have left-over salmon, this is an excellent way to use it! Don't worry reheating these guys if you make too many, they reheat well. Best in a toaster-oven.


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.


Ingredients:

1 - 6 oz can of salmon (or 1 cup of left over shredded salmon)
1/2 - Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1/2 - Onion, chopped
1 - Egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup - Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs (enough hold the salmon together)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes or Penzey's Forward Blend to taste (optional)
1/4 to 1/3 cup - Peanut Oil for frying (deep enough for croquettes to float)

Directions:

Remove any bones from salmon and shred into a large bowl. Add green pepper, onion, egg, salt, pepper, any additional seasonings. Mix well. Add enough bread crumbs to allow the mixture to form a 4" diameter by 3/4" to 1" thick patty.

On medium heat, preheat pan and oil until it just starts to shimmer. Gently place patties into oil. Depending on size of pan, do not add too many patties. Do not crowd them. Fry patties for about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Gently flip to fry the other side. Patties should be golden brown. Watch them carefully so they don't burn. Remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate. If you have number of patties to fry, keep plate in low heated oven to keep them warm.


Need a quick meal? Instead of eating them, make the patties and put them in the freezer. Get them out about 20 - 30 minutes ahead of time to let them thaw slightly before frying. It only takes minutes to fry.

GIG of ECW 2015 Cookout Recipes

GIGECW cookout 2015 frame

Recipes from our 6th Annual Gluten-Free Cookout 2015


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



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Three Bean Salad

Donna B.

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans
1 lb wax beans
1 can kidney beans
1 medium onion (optional)

Dressing ingredients:

1 ¼ cup sugar
3 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt
1 tsp dried mustard
½ cup vinegar
1 ¼ cup water

Directions:

Cook green and wax beans until slightly crunchy.

Dressing directions:

1. Bring to a boil and stir for about 2 min.
2. Let cool.
3. Pour over beans.
4. Store in fridge.


Garbanzo Salad

Kimberly S.

Ingredients:

Garbanzo beans
Red Onion
Red & Yellow Peppers
Feta Cheese
Green Olives
Balsamic Vinegar [with figs]

Please beans, onion, peppers, cheese, olives in a bowl. Drizzle Balsamic Vinegar and toss well refrigerate till ready to serve.


Quinoa (Keen-wah) Salad

Jane & Jeff D.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup quinoa (dry)
1 cucumber (diced)
1 pkg grape tomatoes (halved)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 ¼ cup olive oil
1 tbspn onion (finely chopped)
Feta cheese
Lemon Juice (to taste)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Prepare qunioa according to package directions. Stir in olive oil and rest of ingredients. Chill.


Veggie Pizza

Peggy K
Veggie Pizza Frame


Crust Ingredients:

1 cup GF brown rice flour (Authentic Foods Superfine Brown Rice Flour)
½ cup tapioca starch (Bob's Red Mill)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt
¾ c. water
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 eggs
2-3 Tablespoons sweet rice flour (for dusting pan/hands)

Topping Ingredients:

1 1 oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix
2 - 8oz. Packages cream cheese
Broccoli (raw)
Cauliflower (raw)
Cherry Tomatoes (raw)
Red Onion (raw)
Yellow Pepper (raw)
Shredded Cheese


Directions:

Make and bake crust following Peggy's Flat Bread Recipe found here:
http://bit.ly/156AATs

While crust is cooling, chop veggies in small bite sized pieces. In a bowl mix together Dip Mix and cream cheese.

When crust is completely cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle chopped veggies. Top with shredded cheese.


Grilled Herb Lemon Chicken

Provided by: Don & Laurie P.
Prepared by: Al K.
grilled chicken frame


Ingredients:

boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Fresh rosemary - minced
Fresh sage - minced
Fresh parsley - minced
Fresh basil - minced
Fresh oregano - minced
6 cloves garlic - minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut chicken breasts in half make them thinner (butterfly). In a bowl mix olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper to make the marinade. Pour marinade in large pan/dish, then add chicken. Make sure all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours.

Preheat grill. Cook chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is completely cooked (juices run clear).


Grilled Brats

Provided by: Don & Laurie P.
Prepared by: Al K.
brats fire frame


Ingredients:

1 package of Johnsonville Original Brats
1 – 2 bottles Gluten-Free Redbridge Beer
Water
A few slices of onion

Directions:

Preheat the grill. In a large pot, pour in beer and fill with water. Drop in onion slices, garlic and brats. Bring to a boil. Grill 'em how you like 'em


Taylor's Carmelitas

Shannon J. Recipe by Taylor D.

Ingredients:

1 ¾ c. all purpose GF flour
2 c. certified GF quick oats
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. butter (melted)
14 oz. Kraft Caramels (unwrapped)
1/3 c. heavy cream
2 c. (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. (6 oz) un-sweetend baking chocolate
1 c. chopped pecans

Directions:

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350F. Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about 1 inch of paper hanging on the sides. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, soda, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and mix until crumbly.

Press 2/3 of the mixture on the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans and chocolate (both the chips and chopped one) over the crust.

In a small saucepan, combine caramels and heavy cream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth.

Pour the caramel in the pan, over the chocolate and pecans. Crumble the reserved oatmeal cookie dough over the caramel layer.

Bake for 23 minutes or until light golden brown.Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Once cooled cut into bars.

Optional, melt both the remaining caramels and chocolate chips and drizzle over the bars.




Shelter Riggs Frame
View from the shelter house at Riggs County Park

GIG of ECW 2014 Cookout Recipes

eating 1

Recipes from our 5th Annual Gluten-Free Cookout 2014



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If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Jeannie H.

Ingredients for salad:

1 pint grape tomatoes
1 ripe avocado
2 ears of fresh sweet corn
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing ingredients:

Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp honey
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:

Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes. The corn should have some brown spots and be tender and not mushy. Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices. Set aside and let cool. Slice the tomatoes in half. Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.

Dressing directions:

1. Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

2. Combine the sliced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn and honey lime dressing and mix gently so everything is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash the avocados. Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle.


Cabbage Crunch Salad

Missy K.

Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage or (1/2 green and 1/2 purple heads) sliced thin'
1 Cup sliced Carrots
3-4 celery stalks chopped
3/4 C sliced Almonds
rock climbing buddies

3/4 C sunflower Seeds
1 C Craisins

Dressing ingredients:

1/2 C olive Oil
1/4 C red vinegar wine
2 TBSP Honey
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix well pour over cabbage mixture Toss well refrigerate till ready to serve.



Creamy Grape Salad

Jane D.
Original Recipe:
http://bit.ly/1mpnryt

Ingredients:
Jeff and Tay - aligment


1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 c. sour cream
1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 lbs. seedless red grapes
2 lbs. seedless green grapes
3 Tbls. brown sugar
3 Tbls. chopped pecans

Directions:

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in grapes until well coated. Refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle brown sugar & pecans just before serving.

Serves 21 - 24.


Cold Veggie Salad

Kimberly S.

Ingredients:

Any veggies you have on hand, today's mix included:

1 large onion
3 stalks of celery
1 pound each of corn, peas, green beans [all cooked, if frozen; otherwise 15oz can each is fine...especially if you're not cooking for an army!]
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Yellow Sweet Pepper
1 pound of your favorite beans [today's were kidney - they add nice color]

Dressing:

1 cup oil
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground pepper
Dash of ground mustard

Put dressing ingredients in an a small-medium bowl and whisk together.

Put all veggies in a large bowl, pour on dressing and carefully mix ingredients together. Chill in the fridge.


Deviled Eggs

Al K.

Ingredients:
Girls Spoon


Eggs – hard boiled
Miracle Whip
Hellman's Mayo
Penzey's Ground Mustard
Penzey's Powered Garlic (omitted)
Penzey's Powered Onion
Penzey's White Pepper
White Vinegar
Salt
Penzey's Smoked Paprika

Directions:

Cut eggs in half and put yolks in a food processor, set aside the white halves for filling.
Pulse the yolks until they're finely ground

Add 2 heaping tablespoons of Miracle Whip, 1 heaping tablespoon of Hellman's to yolks. Mix.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add another 1 or 2 spoons of MW and 1 of Hellman's. Mix

You're going to for a smooth, creamy texture. You'll also want to adjust the MW/Hellman's balance too. Again – use your taste buds. We add the Hellman's because MW can breakdown and get watery over time. Hellman's stops this from happening.

Now add a ¼ teaspoon of vinegar and mix. Taste – is it tangy enough for you? Add more if you like. We like ours tangy. Usually as the day goes on, the tanginess turns into sweetness, so we usually go for a bit extra tang upfront.

Now add the ground mustard and mix. Start small and add a little until you get it to your liking.

Do the same thing with the onion and garlic powder. You might go lighter on the garlic.

Same goes for salt & pepper.

Once you get the flavor profile where you like it, it's time to fill the shells.

Spoon the filling into plastic bag. Enough so it will fit comfortably in your hand. Snip one of the bottom corners. Don't make the snip too big – do about ¼” or slightly bigger. It's easier to control the filling process.

Squeeze the filling into the shell and set aside.

After all shells have been filled, sprinkle the paprika on top.


Veggie Pizza

Peggy K

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup GF brown rice flour (Authentic Foods Superfine Brown Rice Flour)
½ cup tapioca starch (Bob's Red Mill)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt
¾ c. water
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 eggs
2-3 Tablespoons sweet rice flour (for dusting pan/hands)

Topping Ingredients:

1 1 oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix
2 - 8oz. Packages cream cheese
Broccoli (raw)
Cauliflower (raw)
Cherry Tomatoes (raw)
Red Onion (raw)
Yellow Pepper (raw)
Shredded Cheese


Directions:

Make and bake crust following Peggy's Flat Bread Recipe found here:
http://bit.ly/156AATs

While crust is cooling, chop veggies in small bite sized pieces. In a bowl mix together Dip Mix and cream cheese.

When crust is completely cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle chopped veggies. Top with shredded cheese.


Grilled Herb Lemon Chicken

Provided by: Don & Laurie P.
Prepared by: Al K.

Ingredients:
Grilled Herb Lemon Chicken


boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Fresh rosemary - minced
Fresh sage - minced
Fresh parsley - minced
Fresh basil - minced
Fresh oregano - minced
6 cloves garlic - minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut chicken breasts in half make them thinner (butterfly). In a bowl mix olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper to make the marinade. Pour marinade in large pan/dish, then add chicken. Make sure all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours.

Preheat grill. Cook chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is completely cooked (juices run clear).


Grilled Brats

Provided by: Don & Laurie P.
Prepared by: Al K.

Ingredients:

1 package of Johnsonville Original Brats
1 187ml bottle of red wine
Water
A few slices of onion
A few cloves of minced garlic

Directions:

Preheat the grill. In a large pot, pour in wine and fill with water. Drop in onion slices, garlic and brats. Bring to a boil. Grill brats until they have the color and char you like.


Taylor's Chocolate Chex Bars

Taylor D.
Peg tay don pK

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate Chex cereal
1 pkg. GF miniature marshmallows
1 stick of butter
2 c. chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt butter in large pan, add marshmallows. Stir until melted. Add cereal & stir until coated. Then, mix in chocolate chips.

Press into greased 9 x 13 pan.


Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

Jeannie H.
Original recipe:
http://martha.ms/1mXAvHb

Ingredients:
Missy SP

1 pack gluten free Oreo cookies finely ground.
4 tablespoons melted butter
6 ounces raspberries
32 ounces cream cheese room temperature
1/4 cup Better Batter gluten free flour
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs room temperature
Boiling water, for roasting pan

Directions:

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap exterior of 9inch springform pan (including base) in double layer of foil;set aside

Step 2
Mix finely ground cookie and butter together in medium bowl. Press crumb mixture firmly onto the bottom of pan. Bake until set about 10 to12 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Reduce temperature of oven to 325 degrees.

Step 3
Process raspberries in food processor until smooth about 30 seconds. Pass purée through fine sieve into small bowl & discard solids. (I do not sieve the raspberries). Whisk in 2 tablespoons sugar and set aside.

Step 4
Put cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed add remaining 11/2 cups sugar 1/4 cup Better Batter gluten free flour in a steady slow stream. Add salt and vanilla mix well. Add eggs 1 egg at a time mixing well after each but do not over mix. Pour cream cheese filling over crust.

Step 5
Drop raspberry sauce by the teaspoon on top. With wooden skewer or toothpick swirl into filling.

Step 6
Set cake pan inside shallow roasting pan transfer to oven. Carefully ladle boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan.
Bake until cake is set but slightly wobbly in center, 60 to 75 minutes.

Step 7
Transfer cake pan to rack let cool completely. Refrigerator uncovered 6hours or overnight. Before unfolding run knife around edge of cake.

German Chocolate Cupcakes

Peggy K.

Ingredients:

Pam Cooking Spray (not Pam Baking Spray - that contains wheat flour), for misting the pans
2 tsps. rice flour, for dusting the pans
1 bar(4 ounces) Baker's German Chocolate Sq.
1 Betty Crocker Yellow GF cake mix (15 oz)
1/4 cup (half of a 3.4-ounce package) Jell-O Brand Vanilla instant pudding mix
3/4 cup milk (see Note)
1/2 cup coconut oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsps. pure Penzey's vanilla extract

Directions:

Bake the cake at 350. Spray pans with veg. spray and dust them with rice flour. Shake out the excess rice flour.

Melt the chocolate by breaking it into squares, placing it in a heavy saucepan over very low heat, and stirring constantly, about 5 min. or microwave on high power for 45 seconds, then stir until the chocolate has melted completely. Scrape the melted chocolate into a large mixing bowl.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and 2 tsps. of vanilla in the mixing bowl with the chocolate and beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop mixing scrap down sides and continue mixing on medium speed for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Then pour in prepared pans and bake for 18 to 22 minutes.

Note: If you need it dairy free also use water instead of milk.


For the coconut pecan frosting:

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup granulated sugar
8 tbls. (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 package (7 ounces, 2 2/3 cups) sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Place the milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolks in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened and golden brown in color, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let the frosting cool to room temp for a spreading consistency, 30 min., then fold in the coconut and pecans.


Lemon Cupcakes

Peggy K.

Cupcake Ingredients:

Pam Cooking Spray (not Pam Baking Spray - that contains wheat flour)
2 tsps. rice flour, for dusting the pans
1 Betty Crocker Yellow GF cake mix (15 oz)
1/4 cup (half of a 3.4-ounce package) Jell-O Brand Vanilla instant pudding mix
3/4 cup milk (see Note)
1/2 cup butter
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
tay key don jane SF

1 tsps. pure Penzey's vanilla extract
2 tsps, pure Penzey's Pure Lemon Extract

Frosting ingredients:

4 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup butter
6oz. Cream cheese
2 tbsp Limon Chello
Zest of 1 lemon


Directions:

Bake the cake at 350. Spray pans with veg. spray and dust them with rice flour. Shake out the excess rice flour.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla & lemon extract in the mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop mixing scrap down sides and continue mixing on medium speed for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Then pour in prepared pans and bake for 18 to 22 minutes.

Note: If you need it dairy free also use water instead of milk.

Frosting – mix all ingredients in a bowl.






Tomato Soup




Gluten-Free Tomato Soup

Peggy came home from work and was hungry tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. However, there was a small snag in this plan; we didn't have any tomato soup.

As many of you know, most tomato soup is not gluten-free. Since I'm not a huge fan of tomato soup, this fact was not a hardship for me when I went gluten-free.

It was late and neither one of us wanted to run down to the store to get a can. I said, "It is tomato soup, it can't be that difficult to make, I'll just make some [gluten-free of course]".

So I hop on the iPad and Peg grabs her laptop. In few minutes we a have few recipes that are quick and easy [and good and gluten-free!]. While I worked on the soup, Peg made the grilled cheese sandwiches. We make a great team!


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium white onion, coarsely chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes [with juice]
1 1/2 cups gluten-free chicken broth or water
(Kitchen Basics, Swanson’s, Pacific, Imagine)
2 Bay leaves
1/3 cup skim milk (we didn't have any heavy cream)
Salt & fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Place medium sized pot [enough to hold all the ingredients] on medium heat. Add butter and olive oil. Add onion, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté until onion is soft and just start to caramelize [about 10 - 15 minutes].

Add tomatoes and juice to the pan and stir to crush dices of tomatoes. Add the broth [or water] and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Simmer until tomatoes pieces begin to break down, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, remove bay leaves, and allow soup to cool slightly. Carefully spoon some of the soup in blender/food processor [you may have to do this in batches]. Blend until smooth. Return soup to the stove over low heat and stir in cream.

Taste for seasoning adjustments.


Even though I'm not a fan of tomato soup, I have to say, I did like it and will make this again.

If you're looking for a kicked up grilled cheese sandwich, check out our
Pesto Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Sauteed shrimp and steamed asparagus garnish the soup.


Until the next good eats - cook well and be well.

Al

Seasoned Rice with Chorizo



Seasoned Rice with Chorizo

Most meals around our house are like an episode of The Food Network's Iron Chef. We never know what we're going to have too far in-advance.

It usually starts with "You know we have ________ in the fridge yet".

However, in this case, I was digging through the freezer looking for a protein. Chicken - nah, just had it. Beef - nope, need to give it a rest. Pork chops - mmm nah-uh, just not feelin' it.

Tonight's secret ingredient is...Chorizo sausage! Allez Cuisine!

Now...what to do with it? This is what I came up with...

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1 cup rice (Lundberg)
2 cups of gluten-free chicken broth
(Kitchen Basics, Swanson’s, Pacific, Imagine)
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
Penzey's Forward seasoning

Klemment's gluten-free chorizo sausage - sliced
1 or 2 carrots, finely diced
1/2 cup diced white onion
Salt & Pepper
Granulated garlic
Olive Oil
Green Peas (frozen, but fresh if you've got 'em)
Fresh Parsley - roughly chopped

Directions:

Combine rice, broth, butter, salt and seasoning in a pot. Bring to boil and stir once. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add olive oil and carrots to large pan saute on med-high heat until carrots start to soften. Add a bit of water to help steam carrots.
Add onion and stir
Season with salt, pepper, granulated garlic
Add sausage to pan and stir.
Lower heat once everything is heated thru
Add rice to pan when it's finished cooking.
Mix ingredients well.
Add chopped fresh parsley right at the end.


Until the next good eats - cook well and be well.

Al

Seasoned Vegetable Medley with Shrimp




Seasoned Vegetable Medley with Sauteed Shrimp

This veggie dish has become a favorite in our house. I make a large batch so I can have left overs. I like to make an omelet with these veggies.

This dish is all about timing. You don't want the shrimp to get done first and get cold. You don't want to leave the veggies in the pan waiting for the shrimp to get done.

The veggies will cook at different rates; you can help adjust for that by paying attention to piece size. Cauliflower and carrots tends to take longer to cook due to their density. I like to have a bit larger pieces of cauliflower, so those go in first. I try to keep the carrot slices about 1/4" thick. Broccoli, squash, and zucchini cook pretty quickly - keep a close eye on them so they don't turn to mush.

I tend to like my veggies on the crunchy side, so adjust the cooking times to suit your tastes.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Veggie Ingredients:

Cauliflower
Carrots
Broccoli
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
1/2 lemon - quartered
Grass Fed Butter
Olive Oil
Granulated garlic (Penzey's)
Granulated onion (Penzey's)
Tuscan Sunset (Penzey's)
Salt
Fresh ground pepper

Shrimp Ingredients:

1 lb raw, peeled, devained, and cleaned shrimp
Olive Oil
Granulated garlic (Penzey's)
Granulated onion (Penzey's)
Forward (Penzey's) Adds a bit of heat and spice
Salt & fresh ground pepper


Directions:

Place shrimp on a plate.
Season shrimp with garlic, onion, Foward, salt & pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Mix well.
Set aside while working on the veggies

Cut veggies into bite sized pieces. Place large saute pan on medium high heat.
Add olive oil to pan. Add cauliflower. Stir.

Squeeze lemon pieces over cauliflower and add lemon pieces in the pan.
Add splashes of water to create steam. When water has evaporated, add a bit more. Do this through out the entire cooking process.

Lightly season with granulated garlic, onion, Tuscan Sunset, salt and pepper.
Stir. Allow cauliflower to saute/steam for about 2 - 3 minutes.

Heat another saute pan for shrimp.

Add carrots - lightly season - stir - add a bit more water - stir for 3 - 4 minutes.

Add a bit of olive oil and shrimp to other saute pan. Stir.

Add broccoli - lightly season - stir - add a bit more water - stir for 1 - 2 minutes.

Stir shrimp

Add squash and zucchini - lightly season - stir - add a bit more water - stir for 1 - 2 minutes.

Remove shrimp pan from heat. Shrimp should be pink.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter to veggies. Stir while melting.
Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.
Remove the lemon pieces.

Plate the veggies, top with shrimp.


Until the next good eats - cook well and be well.

Al

Lemon Garlic Chicken over Cauliflower Mash



Grilled Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast
over Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash


Facebook is not all time-wasting games, people-sharing-more-stuff-than-we-really-wanted-to-know...it can be a really useful tool. Seriously...

I believe one of my Paleo Diet friends posted the low-carb
Lemon Garlic Shrimp over Cauliflower Mash recipe from Nancy at SheCooksHeCleans.net. Like a good husband, I asked Peggy to Pin it for me so I could make it for her. The ironic thing...it's just the opposite in our house...I cook and Peg cleans...just the way I like it.

I did make the shrimp & cauliflower and we both loved it! We had tried mashed cauliflower in the past, but we weren't impressed [at least with that particular recipe]. This recipe on the other hand...is a keeper!

In my adaptation of Nancy's recipe, I am simply replacing the shrimp with chicken and removing the lemon juice and red pepper flakes from the sauce. Actually the chicken you see was actually grilled the night before. Peggy is not a fan of reheated meat, but she had no problems cleaning her lunch plate.

If you like garlic, you're going to love this dish! It calls for fourteen to sixteen cloves. You'll need a way to peel them quickly; watch this video, it really works:
http://vimeo.com/29605182

Oh yeah, word of caution, don't plan on going out after eating this, you're a walking Garlic Weapon of Mass Destruction. This gives a whole new meaning to "chemical weapon".

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients

Marinade:

Zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound (3 or 4) chicken breasts


Cauliflower Mash:

1 head of cauliflower, cut into even medium to large sized florets
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Half and half or cream / Milk or broth, optional use if needed to correct consistency

Lemon Garlic Chicken:

Marinated Chicken (from above)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white wine, or gluten-free chicken broth
1/2 sweet onion, minced
Pinch or two of dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped


Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients of marinade in a bowl large enough for all the chicken pieces. Place chicken in the bowl and make sure each one gets well coated. Cover and place in refrigerator for 1 - 4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 400 and fire up your favorite grill (gas or charcoal). Place cauliflower and garlic cloves in foiled shallow pan [sided cookie sheet or jelly roll pan]. Drizzle enough olive oil to coat the pan/foil and the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover loosely with foil and roast for 15 min. Remove foil and carefully stir vegetables so they don't stick and so they brown evenly. Uncover and roast for another 15 – 20 minutes or until cauliflower and garlic are soft and lightly browned. Remove from oven.

3. As the cauliflower is roasting, get your grill grates cleaned and prepped. I like to heat my gas grill to about 500-600° to carbonize anything that might be sticking on the grates. Brush the grates with a grill brush to remove any carbonized food particles then clean with several layers of paper towel that was liberally coated with vegetable oil. This clean the grates, but it also creates a non-stick surface. Close grill cover and allow internal temp to rise back up to 500+

4. Place chicken breasts on the grill. Grill until meat is firm and juices run clear (or internal temperature reaches 165
°). Remove from grill, cover allow to rest and keep warm.

5. Place cauliflower & garlic with a couple tablespoons of butter in a food processor and puree. Add parmesan cheese and mix well. The cauliflower should be a mashed potato or grits consistency (fairly thick, not runny). Add a touch cream or broth if it's too thick. Place in a heat-proof bowl and keep warm.

6. In a sauté pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon set aside on paper towels. When cool, chop into small pieces. Set aside.

7. Add two tablespoons of butter to the bacon drippings and melt on medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Add minced garlic, and oregano – sauté for a minute. Stir in wine/broth. Cook until liquid is reduced by half (only a few minutes). Salt & pepper to taste.

Note: I also had left over bacon, so I did not have bacon drippings to help create a sauce. So, in order to re-heat the chicken and make a sauce, in a pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter, a splash of olive oil and sauté some minced onion and garlic. After onions soften, add some gluten-free chicken stock (1/4 - 1/2 cup?). Cover just the chicken with a small cover and allowed the sauce to reduce & slightly thicken. Near the end of cooking, add some dried oregano. If I had some white wine, I would've used that instead of chicken stock.

8. Slice chicken and place over mashed cauliflower, spoon sauce over the top. Garnish with chopped bacon.


Until the next good eats - cook well and be well.

Al


Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore



Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore


Slow-cooker to the rescue...again! It's been pretty busy around the Al & Peg House as of late. Weekends are doubly-busy, so in order to make good eats, we need some help. Whilst we're scurrying around the house, the slow-cooker is doing all the hard work.

Peg found this naturally gluten-free recipe:
http://www.recipe.com/slow-cooker-chicken-cacciatore/?esrc=nwrc071212pinc

The original recipe calls for chicken drumsticks, but we used thighs instead - more meat on the thighs.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped carrot
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
1 green, yellow, or red sweet pepper, cut into strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 chicken thighs, skinned (about 3-1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste


Directions:


1. Combine mushrooms, celery, carrot, onions, sweet peppers, and garlic in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Place chicken on vegetables. Combine broth, wine, tapioca, sugar, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper; pour over chicken.

2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.

3. Remove chicken; cover to keep warm. Remove and discard bay leaves. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in undrained tomatoes and the tomato paste. Cover and cook for 15 minutes more. Serve vegetable mixture over chicken and cooked pasta or rice.





Until the next good eats...

Al & Peg

Crockpot/Slow-cooker Beef Roast




Slow-cooker Beef Roast


Have you ever come home from a long day at work tired, hungry and don't really feel like making anything? Yeah, that happens around our house...
a lot. One weapon we rely on is our slow cooker. It's a magic time machine - you put stuff in it [usually frozen] before work and by the time you get home - POOF! Dinner! Good eats without a wholelotta work...I'm all over that like fur on a weasle...

This is crazy simple - takes about 5 - 10 minutes of prep work before you leave for work. Simple is what I need in the morning 'cos I'm usually half asleep when I'm putting this together.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

Sliced large onion or 2 med. onions
Hand full of carrots
Stalk or two of celery
Chopped tomato (I've used tomato paste in the past, but we had fresh tomatoes to use)
Penzey's Granulated Garlic
Penzey's Granulated Onion
Penzey's Herbs de Provence
Salt & Pepper
1/2 - 3/4 cup of water or gluten-free beef broth or red wine.
2 - 2 1/4 lb Chuck Roast
1 tablespoon of Sweet Rice Flour to thicken gravy


Directions:

Place veggies on the bottom of the slow cooker. This gives the meat a bed of flavor to rest on.

Season both sides of the frozen meat with salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, Herbs de Provence. Use whatever herbs/seasoning you like - be creative!

Place frozen meat on top of veggies.

Add liquid.

Set slow-cooker to stun (low). For us, the cooking process is about 9 hours by the time someone gets home.

Walk out the door and return 8 - 9 hours later to some really great smells!

When I get home, I strain the veggies from the liquid. After 9 hours, they've given their little veggies lives to flavor the meat and the liquid for the gravy.

In a sauce pan heat up the liquid. Make slurry with the gluten-free flour and some water. Whisk the slurry into the pan. Allow to come to a boil and thicken. If it's not thick enough, make and whisk in a bit more slurry. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Season gravy to taste.


Homage to the Herbage

If you've ever wondered what type of herbs to use, my Facebook friend Jimmy Boswell [aka the
Gluten-Free Chef] from New Zealand created this very handy chart. He suggest which herbs to use for selected meats or veggies.

http://www.foodie.co.nz/Blogs/Jimmy-Boswell---Gluten-Free-Chef/Herb-Usage-Look-up-Chart.aspx

A great tip from Jimmy -

The general rule for using dried is use ¼ dried herbs for what’s suggested for fresh amounts in a recipe. You can reverse this if dried is suggested and you have fresh.



I took the liberty of putting Jimmy's text chart into a table...

Jimmy Boswell's Herb Chart for Proteins
Protein Herbs
Beef Basil, Bay leaf, Caraway, Chervil, Lovage seed, Cumin, Garlic Fenugreek, Ginger, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme and Peppermint.
Chicken Thyme, Anise, Basil, Bay leaf, Borage, Chervil, Chives, Cinnamon, Cumin, Dill, Fenugreek, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Lovage, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Savory and Tarragon.
Duck Bay, Rosemary, Sage, Sweet Marjoram and Tarragon.
Fish Anise, Basil, Borage, Caraway, Chevil, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Savory, Tarragon and Thyme.
Fish - Baked or Grilled Basil, Bay, Caraway, Chervil, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Lemon Thyme, Lovage, Marjoram, Mints, Parsley, Savory, Tarragon and Thyme.
Fish - Oily Fennel and Dill.
Fish Soups Bay, Lovage, Sage, Savory, Tarragon and Thyme.
Goose Fennel, Sage and Sweet Marjoram.
Ham Lovage, Marjoram, Mint, Mustard, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary and Savory.
Lamb Basil, Bay leaf, Cinnamon, Coriander, Cumin, Chervil, Dill, Garlic, Ginger, Lemon Balm, Lovage seed, Marjoram, Mint, Parsley, Saffron, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme and Savory.
Liver Basil, Dill, Marjoram, Sage, Savory and Thyme.
Pork Anise, Caraway, Cardamom, Coriander, Chervil, Dill, Garlic, Ginger, Oregano, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Tarragon, Fennel, Lovage seed, Marjoram, Savory and Thyme.
Rabbit Basil, Bay, Marjoram, Lovage seed, Rosemary and Sage.
Salmon Dill seed and Rosemary.
Seafood Basil, Bay, Chervil, Chives, Dill, Fennel Seed, Marjoram, Rosemary, Tarragon and Thyme.
Turkey Basil, Garlic, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme, Parsley and Sweet Marjoram.
Veal Basil, Bay leaf, Chervil, Chives, Ginger, Marjoram, Mint, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Savory and Thyme.
Venison Bay, Lovage seed, Rosemary, Sage, Savory and Sweet Marjoram.


Jimmy Boswell's Herb Chart for Veggies
Veggie Herbs
Artichokes Bay, Savory and Tarragon.
Asparagus Chives, Lemon Balm, Sage, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme, Chervil, Dill and Tarragon.
Avocado Dill, Marjoram and Tarragon.
Beans Dried Savory, Cumin, Garlic, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, and Thyme.
Beans, Green Savory, Basil, Caraway, Cloves, Dill, Marjoram, Mint, Sage and Thyme.
Broccoli Basil, Dill, Garlic, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Oregano, Tarragon and Thyme.
Brussel Sprouts Dill, Sage and Savory.
Cabbage Basil, Caraway, Cayenne, Cumin, Dill, Fennel, Marjoram, Sage, Savory, Borage, Dill seed, Mint, Oregano and Savory.
Carrots Anise, Basil, Chervil, Chives, Cinnamon, Clove, Cumin, Dill, Sage, Ginger, Marjoram, Mint, Parsley, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme and Chervil.
Cauliflower Basil, Caraway, Chives, Cumin, Dill, Garlic, Marjoram, Parsley, Rosemary, Savory, Tarragon and Fennel.
Corn Chevil, Chives, Lemon Balm, Saffron, Sage and, Thyme.
Eggplant Basil, Cinnamon, Dill, Garlic, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, Savory and Thyme.
Lentils Garlic, Mint , Parsley, Savory and Sorrel.
Mushrooms Coriander, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Tarragon, Thyme, Basil, Dill, Lemon Balm, Parsley, Rosemary and Savory.
Onions Basil, Marjoram, Oregano, Sage, Tarragon and Thyme.
Parsnips Basil, Dill, Marjoram, Parsley, Savory and Thyme.
Peas Caraway, Chevil, Chives, Rosemary, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme, Basil, Chervil, Marjoram, Mint, Parsley and Sage.
Potatoes Parsley, Basil, Caraway, Chives, Coriander, Dill, Fennel, Lovage, Sage, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Tarragon and Thyme.
Spinach Anise, Basil, Caraway, Chevil, Chives, Cinnamon, Dill, Rosemary, Thyme, Borage, Marjoram, Mint, Sage, Sorrel and Tarragon.
Squash Basil, Caraway, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Savory and Dill.
Tomatoes Basil, Bay leaf, Chives, Chervil, Coriander, Dill, Garlic, Lovage, Sage, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Savory, Tarragon and Thyme.
Turnips Dill seed, Marjoram and Savory.
Zucchini Basil, Dill, Marjoram, Rosemary and Tarragon.



Until the next good eats...

Al


Chili Con Carne

Chili is a fall/winter favorite around our house. It's quick to make and easy scale up if you want leftovers [Gotta love leftovers!].

This is the style of chili that I grew up on. Rarely did we have the "soup-like with pasta" type chili. Peg prefers the "soup-like" chili so she uses my chili as a "concentrate" to create her type [see below]

My mom and I would take a spoonful of chili and place it on top of a Saltine. This is how I learned how to eat chili. It was nothing for me go thru at least an entire sleeve of crackers this way. I shudder at thought of this now. Good grief...

Also, as a kid, I picked out the beans because I didn't like them. Now I like them, but Peg picks them out for "preventative measures". Funny how things change...

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Chili Con Carne

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
2 cans of diced tomatoes (use fresh if you have 'em)
       or 1 jar of Newman's Mild Salsa
1 diced medium onion
2 stalks diced celery
1 diced bell pepper (pick your favorite color or colors)
1 can of kidney beans (I prefer Joan of Arc)
1 - 2 teaspoons Penzey's Chili Con Carne spice blend (start small, you can always add if needed)
1 - 2 teaspoons gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
       (
Lea & Perrins brand is gluten-free, many brands are not)
Salt to taste
V8 or tomato juice
GF Beer (optional)
A few ounces of shredded cheese (garnish)
1 - 2 Green onions (garnish)
1 fresh diced tomato (garnish)


Directions:

Add peppers, celery and onions to pan, add pinch of salt and Penzey's Chili Con Carne spice mix
Saute' until slightly soft.
Add ground beef and brown on med-high heat. Remove any excess grease.
Drain and add beans - stir
Add canned tomatoes or salsa - stir
Add 1 - 2 cups of liquid (V8/Tomato Juice/GF Beer) - stir
Add Worcestershire sauce - stir
Allow chili to come to a good bubble and reduce heat to simmer.
Stir occasionally.
Salt & season to taste
Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. If chili becomes too thick - add more liquid of choice.


Options:

Soup-like Chili with Pasta
Note: Gluten pasta requires you to be be mindful of cross contamination risks.

Make your favorite pasta and set aside.
Place several scoops of Chili Con Carne into a larger pan on low heat
Add 16 - 24 oz of V8/Tomato Juice
Add cooked pasta
Simmer until heated
Salt & season to taste

You might need to re-season this chili depending on how hot you like it. I tend to like my chili spicier than Peg, so when she adds the liquid and the pasta - it's about right for her tastes.


Notes:

If you are using canned tomatoes, they are going to be sweeter and less spicy than salsa. You'll need to adjust amount of chili seasoning depending on the tomato product used. Taste as you go...


Until the next good eats...

Al


Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken



This was part of a very fallish Saturday night dinner. What you don't see is the roasted squash.

In the 20 years that Peg and I have been married, we've never roasted a chicken. We've done turkeys countless times, but not chickens. Why? Don't know. 99% of our chicken comes in the form of boneless-skinless breasts...it's quick, it's easy, it's versatile. Well, things have changed.

Some days it's like Iron Chef Kitchen Stadium around our house - I never know what is going to turn up. Friday night I helped put away groceries and came across a whole chicken.

Me: "A whole chicken?!"
Peg: "Yeah, I think we need to roast a chicken to go along with that squash."
Me: "Are you going to make Beer Can Chicken?"
Peg: "I would but we don't have any gluten-free beer in cans".

Now I'm sure we could've worked out the logistics of making a gluten-free beer can chicken if we put our minds to it, but we had a zillion other things to do around the house on Saturday. As I was recovering from my yard raking & mowing induced myocardial infarction, I decided to consult one of my friends about a roasted chicken recipe. It didn't take long before he suggested a recipe from Tyler Florence of Food Network fame.

I decided on Tyler's recipe because 1) there is only a handful of ingredients 2) there is only a handful of steps 3) it was going to taste great! I don't like following recipes in the first place, and it's even worse when it's long and drawn out...and often times organized weirdly...and often times makes me swear at it [maybe I'm the one that's organized weirdly, but that's whole 'nother post...].

Some people like gourmet-type foods with an ingredient list as long as your arm and a set of directions that is as thick as War and Peace. I have neither the patience nor the time for that! I'm a simple guy, that likes simple, but great tasting gluten-free food. Tyler's recipe is a perfect example of how you can take simple ingredients and make amazing food! Yes, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts".

This recipe is a keeper. In our house we call it "Company Food" [food we'd serve to guests].

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (organic, free-range if you like)
1 lemon, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved
1/4 bunch of fresh rosemary, thyme and parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds of red potatoes (all about the same size)
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Tyler's recipe [and many others] calls for rinsing the chicken, however the USDA suggests that rinsing can spread bacteria thus increasing cross contamination risks. When cooked properly (internal temp >165) any bacteria on the chicken will be destroyed.

Season the cavity with salt & pepper - after removing the bag of "goodies" found inside.

Stuff the herbs, garlic & lemon inside the cavity.

Tie the legs together and place into roasting pan. I used our dutch oven, it was a snug fit so I didn't tie the legs.

Season outside liberally with salt & pepper and drizzle the olive oil over the entire chicken.

Toss in the potatoes around the chicken.

Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remember to baste the chicken with the drippings every 20 minutes.

Check internal temp by inserting an instant read thermometer into thickest part of of thigh - it should read 165 degrees.

Remove from pan and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!


Note: We saved the pan drippings, added the carcass (and the head of garlic) back to the dutch oven and covered it with tap water. Let this come to a boil for 10-15 minutes and strained the liquid gold into a large bowl or measuring cup. After cooling, place in fridge. The fat will rise to the top to be skimmed off later. This will be the base for some killer chicken soup!

Until the next good eats...


Al

Pesto Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich

One of the great things about a stay-cation - is having the time to make something really good for lunch.

Don't get me wrong, I really like leftovers for lunch, and have them quite often, but sometimes it's nice to make something fresh.

Since we had a couple of tomatoes from the farmers market just begging to be used, we decided to turn our Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich into a Pesto Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

I best get back to the vacation fun of cleaning the garage...

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Pesto Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slices of GF Bread (Udi's is shown here)
Basil Pesto (homemade is best, but Classico Basil Pesto shown here)
2 slices of Provolone cheese
1 slice of tomato
Olive Oil


Directions:

Heat pan or griddle to medium heat.
Drizzle olive oil on one side of each slice of bread. This side will be placed directly on the heat.
Spread pesto on the non-oiled side of each slice.
Lay down one slice of cheese on top of pesto
Lay down the tomato slice.
Lay down the last slice of cheese. This encases the tomato in an envelope of cheese.
Cover with remaining slice of bread. Remember Pesto side toward the cheese/oiled side on top.

Place sandwich on pan and cover. Covering will help the cheese melt.
Check after 1 - 2 minutes - make sure it's not burning. Flip when GBD (golden, brown & delicious)
Do the same to the next side.

I'll let you decide how best to slice your sandwich. Personally, I think diagonal cuts taste far better. :-)

Since GF bread slices tend to be smaller, I made 2 sandwiches.

If you're looking for gluten-free tomato soup to go with this, check out our Gluten-Free Tomato Soup!


Until the next good eats...

Al

Tuscan Chicken with Veggies

During one of our trips to the Appleton Penzey's store, we ran across a new spice mixture called Tuscan Sunset.

It's a great mix of basil, oregano, red bell pepper, garlic, thyme, fennel, black pepper and anise.

We only purchased a small .5 oz bottle that day, but we will getting a larger bag of it. Sadly, I used it all tonight.

At the checkout, we found a recipe for Tuscan Veggie & Chicken Pasta Salad. I decided tweak how the ingredients were put together. This is my version...

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Tuscan Chicken with Veggies

Ingredients:

1 Package boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in thin strips.
1 package gluten-free pasta (shown here: Jovial GF Brown Rice Penne Rigate)
1 Red bell pepper, thinly julienned
1 Green pepper, thinly julienned
1 Medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (half a lemon)
1 - 2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Teaspoons Penzey's Tuscan Sunset
Salt & Pepper


Dressing:

2 Tablespoons Penzey's Tuscan Sunset
2 Tablespoons water
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar


In a bowl large enough to hold all the pasta, mix Tuscan Sunset and water, let stand 1 minute, then whisk in oil and red wine vinegar.

Prepare GF pasta per directions on package. Leave it slightly al dente because it will be returned to the pan at the end. Place cooked pasta in to bowl with dressing and gently mix until pasta is coated. Let stand.

Using medium heat and large deep pan saute' peppers and onion with small amount of olive oil for several minutes or until peppers have softened. Sprinkle in 1 tsp Tuscan Sunset. Salt and Pepper to taste. Remove from pan.

Return pan to stove, increase heat to medium-high and allow pan to heat up without smoking. Add small amount of olive oil to pan and add chicken strips. Allow chicken to turn golden brown. Reduce heat to simmer. Sprinkle in 1 tsp Tuscan Sunset. Salt & Pepper to taste. Add lemon juice.

Add in saute'ed veggies and dressed pasta. Make sure to get all the pasta dressing into the pan.

Gently stir a few times until all ingredients are fully heated - about 2 - 3 minutes. Be careful not to damage the pasta.


Notes:

The original recipe called for asparagus tips. This is a great addition, unfortunately I did not have any handy this time. Options I want to try in the future: mushrooms and/or artichoke hearts.

If you like more tanginess, add more red wine vinegar or lemon juice.


Until next time...

Al

Big Al's Burgers



Big Al's Burgers - Al

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1lb of your favorite hamburger (we use Brandon Meats)
Salt or your favorite seasoned Salt
Pepper
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (this brand is gluten-free in the USA. It was not GF on Canada that last I knew. Not all Worcesteshire sauces are)
1/2 medium onion - finely diced.


Directions:

Fire up the grill.

Flatten out hamburger on a plate.
Spread out the onions.
Sprinkle the salt & pepper to taste.
A few splashes of Lea & Perrins to taste.
A few splashes of A1 to taste.

Mix hamburger and ingredients together.
Make 1 big burger patty and cut into equal fourths. Do thirds if you want monster burgers
Form each portion into patties. I make a ball, place it on a piece of waxed paper large enough to folder over the top - then use a small 4-5" plate to press it flat to desired thickness. No high-tech burger presses for me!

Grill and enjoy!


Options:

Red pepper flakes if you like a little fire in your burgers.
Add a splash of A1 Steak Sauce to the meat before mixing it.

Crockpot/Slow-cooker Beef Tips & Gravy

We usually have 2 pounds of beef stew meat lurking in the freezer. We mostly use it in the fall or winter seasons, but beef cravings can hit anytime; it's best to be prepared!

Crockpots [technically we have a slow-cooker] are nice - you toss the stuff in - head off to work - when you return - dinner awaits! It's great getting out the vehical in the garage; you can smell dinner even before you walk into the house.

In this case, Peg had off of work, but was busy around the house so she decided to make this. Down home comfort food...

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1/4 cup GF sweet rice flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup GF Sorghum Flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dash black pepper
2 pounds sirloin or beef stew meat -- cubed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
7 1/4 ounces (just shy of 1 cup) gluten-free beef broth
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (USA Lea & Perrins brand is gluten-free, many brands are not)
1 teaspoon gluten-free ketchup (Heinz)

Optional Seasonings: Penzey's Bavarian Style Seasoning or Penzey's Herbs de Provence


Directions:

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Toss beef cubes in seasoned flour mixture to coat. Place in slow cooker.

Cover with onions and mushrooms.

Combine beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Pour over beef cubes.

Cover and cook on low 7 to 12 hours. Before serving, check gravy consistancy, if it is too thick, add some more beef broth.


Notes:

Mushrooms were omitted this time because for some strange reason we were out. Bavarian & Herbs de Provence were added.


Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Original recipe: Cook's Country

This is our favorite and go-to mashed potato recipe.

Ingredients:
4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, quartered, ½” pieces
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
12 garlic cloves, minced [We use 4-5]
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper

Directions:
Place cut potatoes in colander. Rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain thoroughly. This is a very important step to eliminate excess starch, which produces gluey mashed potatoes.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook garlic and sugar, stirring often, until sticky and straw colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Add rinsed potatoes, 1 1/4 cups half-and-half, water and 1 teaspoon salt to pot and stir to combine. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from heat, add remaining butter to pot and mash with potato masher until smooth. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining half-and-half until liquid is absorbed and potatoes are creamy. Season with salt and pepper.


Spare Ribs with BBQ Sauce

BBQ Ribs

While perusing the meat cases at Brandon Meats, I saw a nice rack of ribs. I had never cooked ribs, but they looked too good to pass up.

Since Google and I are on a first name basis, I decided to see what he could dig up for me. I finally decided upon this recipe at AllRecipes.com. Since it was basically gluten-free from the get-go, there was little converting. Be aware - many Worcestershire sauces are not gluten-free, as well as soy sauces.

Not all of our recipes are "Company Food", but we have deemed this worthy of that title. Company Food is food that we'd serve to guests or at family functions.

Not being one that strictly follows recipes, I decided to modify the one I found and created what you see below.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Meat Ingredients:

A rack of 12 (or more!) spareribs

Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup of brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cups of ketchup
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/2 cup GF soy sauce (La Choy)
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins is GF in the USA)
1/4 cup of rum (optional)
4 cloves of crushed garlic
2 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon Penzey's Chili 3000 mix

Misc. Ingredients:

1 Bottle GF Beer - Use when oven roasting the ribs


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, mix all sauce ingredients together.
Pull out about 1/4 cup of sauce for coating the raw ribs. This prevents contaminating the entire batch of sauce with raw meat.
Cut ribs into manageable pieces (I had 2 slabs of 6 ribs).
Liberally coat raw ribs with the sauce.
Place ribs in a container and store in fridge 1 - 2 hrs or overnight if you have time.

Remove ribs from fridge & wrap in tinfoil - double layers if you like.

Pour bottle of beer in large roasting pan.
Insert a small oven safe rack in the pan. I used 3 "snakes" of tinfoil since I had no rack. This keeps the meat out of the beer.
Place ribs in the pan.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove & unwrap ribs.
Apply another coat of sauce and loosely wrap.

Preheat Grill to 350 - 400. I used a gas grill.
Apply vegetable oil to paper towel and wipe on grill grate.
Place ribs on grill grate. Meat side up.
Use in-direct heat when grilling the ribs. Burnt ribs are not good eats!
Every 10 minutes - add another layer of sauce.
Total grill time about 30 - 40 minutes.

Enjoy!


Al Notes:

This entire cooking process does take about 3 hrs like the original recipe states. It depends on how long you leave the ribs marinade after the roasting. I left mine sit about 30 - 45 minutes before grilling. Your patience will be rewarded!

Note: I doubled the amount of sauce, however I didn't double all the ingredients. I didn't have chile sauce so I replaced it with ketchup & chili seasoning mix.

Adjust the ingredients of the original sauce to your liking. I didn't want my sauce to be too sweet, so I didn't double the brown sugar.

I didn't have Chile sauce so I sub'ed with ketchup & chili seasoning. I also increased the dry mustard.

I did not double the rum, I wasn't sure how it was going to taste. We happened to have some White rum we brought back from our last trip to Jamaica. You could taste the rum, but not over powering.

Taste it as you go - adjust accordingly - and make notes!

There's a good bit of sauce leftover. We plan to use it on chicken next!

Next time, I'd cut back the chili seasoning a bit. The sauce applied to the ribs was perfect after cooking. The unheated sauce has a bit of a bite to it. This is good if you like a little extra bite. Peg does not, I do.

Options:

Next time, I think I'll put the meat directly in the GF beer, I opted not to this time since it was the first time making this. I added the beer so the meat wouldn't dry out.

Slab-O-Ribs



Chicken & Wild Rice Blend with Veggies

WildRiceandChicken


The Wild Rice Blend is from Lundberg and has become one of my recent favorite meals. It simple to do, but it takes time for the rice to cook. However it gives you time to do the veggies.

The recipe for this on the bag.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients

1/2 cup of chopped celery
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 small onion
1/4 cup red bell pepper
1/4 cup carrot
1 (or more) cloves of garlic
2 tbs butter or Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used EVOO).
2-3 tbs of GF soy sauce (GF Teriyaki sauce is used in the original recipe, but we don't like teriyaki sauce)

1 cup of Wild Blend
2 cups of water or GF chicken broth (Kitchen Basics, Swanson’s, Pacific, Imagine)
1 tbs butter (optional - you could use EVOO too)
Salt & Pepper to taste. Just know how salty the broth is before you season.

Directions

Combine rice, liquid & butter/EVOO in pot with tight lid
Bring to boil. Stir once then cover.
Reduce to simmer and cook 50 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand while covered for 10 minutes.

While rice is cooking prep the veggies. Use you imagination - use colorful veggies!

In a pan, add butter/oil & garlic over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add onion, celery & carrots and stir. Sauté for 3-4 minutes
Add red bell pepper. Sauté for a couple more minutes.
Add mushrooms & stir.
Add GF teriyaki or soy.
Reduce heat and stir occasionally.
Remove from heat when veggies are tender.

Once the Wild Blend is done, fold in veggie mixture.

Cashew Chicken Stir-fry

cashew_chicken

The recipe is from Taste of Home's Treasury of Christmas Recipes.

This is our favorite stir-fry recipe. The sauce has a perfect balance.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients

2 cups GF Chicken Broth (Campbell's Natural Goodness, Kitchen Basics)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into bite sized pieces
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
3 cups broccoli florets
1 cup Snow or Snap peas
1/4 cup GF corn starch (Argo)
3 tablespoons GF soy sauce (La Choy)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cups of cashews

Cooked rice (optional)


Directions

In skillet or wok, add 3 tablespoons of broth and heat.
Add chicken, stir-fry over medium heat until pink is gone (3 -5 minutes).
Remove chicken with slotted spoon and set aside.
Add garlic, carrots & celery to pan - stir-fry for 3 minutes.
Add broccoli and peas - stir-fry for 4-5 minutes - till crisp tender.

Combine corn starch, soy sauce, ginger & remaining broth and mix.
Add chicken to pan.
Add liquid to pan.
Cook and stir for several minutes - sauce will thicken.
Stir in cashews or add cashews when serving.

Al Notes:

I tend to use more chicken broth than stated. We like to have a bit more sauce.

Beef Stew



If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

2 pounds beef
3 - 4 Tb Sweet Rice Flour
2 Tb chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp thyme
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups cubed onions
1 1/2 cups of cubed celery
3 cups cubed and peeled potatoes
3 cups sliced carrots
28 ounces beef GF broth (Kitchen Basics, Swanson’s, Pacific, Imagine)
or (Herb-Ox w/ 28 oz of water could be used instead of beef broth)

Option - replace 6 oz of stock with 6 oz of red wine.


Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Trim fat from beef and cut into 1.5 inch cubes. We get stew meat that's already cubed at our meat market.

Put flour, salt & pepper into plastic bag. Drop in a handful of meat, close bag and shake to coat. Remove coated pieces and set aside. Repeat this until all pieces are coated. You may need to add more flour as you go. Just be mindful as to how many pieces you have left and how much flour is in the bag - you don't want to have a lot to throw out when done.

Discard excess flour.

Combine parsley, pepper & thyme and set aside.

Put half of beef on the bottom of a Dutch oven or a big pan with a lid. Top with half the onions, half the potatoes, half the carrots. Sprinkle with half the parsley mixture. Repeat layering (starting again with the beef and ending with parsley). Pour in broth [or broth/wine mixture]. Cover and bake for 2 hours.


Al & Peg Notes:

This recipe as it's shown is fine, however, it could use a bit of jazzing up. We are making this for dinner tomorrow afternoon. We are planning on replacing 6 oz of beef broth with red wine. 6 oz equals a mini bottle of wine that you get in a 4 pack.

Edit 2/5/07 - We really like the addition of the red wine. However, it turns the sauce [and the potatoes] a slight shade of purple. It tastes good, but color is not right.

We also added a several shakes of McCormick's Grill Mates Hamburger Seasoning.

We did have to add a little extra salt after tasting it.