Gluten Free Spinach Tomato Penne w/chicken

Since I discovered I have Celiac Disease, my favorite gluten free dishes to cook have been pasta dishes.  With so many gluten free pastas on the market your choices are endless!  And although you may think Italian dishes are complicated, they are not.  Basically, most pasta recipes have one of two sauces:  fresh tomato and basil sauce or a cream sauce.  In this dish you will make your tomato sauce into a creamy tomato by using cream cheese.  But other cream sauces are basically a 1/2 and 1/2 cream slowly cooked with parmesan added for thickening. Any Italian dish you choose to make can be adapted to your own taste with fresh mushrooms, basil, red peppers, onions ect.  Let's get this new dish on the table...

Ingredients:
1 bag of gluten free penne
2 chicken breasts grilled
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic minced depending on your taste
1 teaspoon each of basil & oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes depending on your taste
1/3 cup of parmesan
1  14oz  can of diced tomatoes
1/2 can of tomato paste
3 oz of cream cheese
2 cups of freshly chopped spinach
salt and pepper to taste
fresh mozzarella to top

Put the chicken on the grill and water on to boil while making the sauce

Place oil over a medium heat and add onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper

Once the onion is transparent add the tomatoes and the paste and simmer. 
Do not simmer to the point of decreasing your liquid.

After this step of the sauce you should put your pasta on to boil because it is only about 10-12 min. to completion.
I can honestly say, ANY brand of gluten free pasta is just fine.  How wrong can you go?

Add cream cheese and melt.  Then add parmesan and spinach to the sauce.
About this time your chicken should be finished on the grill.  I go ahead and slice it and turn the grill off
to allow all sides to char. Grate your mozzarella put your dish together to serve!  

 

 

We do a family style plate.  I drain the pasta, place it on a large plate, top it with the sauce, then the chicken and finally the fresh mozzarella and some cracked pepper.  SERVE!!!!!

IN YOUR FACE GLUTEN!



Gluten Free Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken

This stuff is so stinking amazing it will make you want to set in a closet, with a spoon, by yourself and eat it alone. All of it.  Problem is, the people in the house you call family, can smell it cooking! Let's just jump right in...

Here is what you need...

2 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or a whole chicken d-boned,  poultry seasoning if you use a whole chicken,  salt and pepper to taste, 3 T olive oil, 1 large clove of garlic, 3/4 cup of onion, 3/4 cup of fresh chopped mushrooms, 1/4 cup of dry sherry,  1 & 2/3 cup of broth saved from boiling your chicken, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3/4 cup cream, 1 box uncle Ben long grain wild rice any flavor you choose, 1-1/2 t of sea salt, a 375 degree preheated oven, several appetites. 

 Slowly boil your chicken breasts on a medium low heat so they are nice and tender.  When I boil a whole chicken (rarely) I douse it with chicken seasoning so it doesn't stink up my house.  When your chicken is cooked remove and cut into chunks but save your stock. I put mine in mason jars and keep in the refrigerator for other gluten free recipes.

When your chicken is cooked cut it into bite sized pieces. 

 

Dice your onion and garlic.  Heat olive oil and sea salt in a pan and place onion first and then garlic.  When they are almost transparent, add your chicken and combine well.  Remember, everything is already cooked and you are just combining them.  Remove from pan and set aside. 

                                                                     Add your cooking Sherry to the pan and reduce it to a tablespoon.  When reduced, add your broth and heat on medium low. Once it is heated thoroughly, add both your creams and whisk. While this is simmering pour your rice in the casserole dish, and sprinkle the seasoning packet evenly over the rice.  Then, put your chicken on top of the rice, along with diced mushrooms. 
Now, pour cream mixture on top of the chicken. 

Do not panic!  This is not going to be too soupy, the rice is going to soak up this cream and broth like a sponge.  

Trust me! 

Cover very tightly so the steam helps cook the rice.  Cook at 375 for 40 minutes.  If there is more liquid than you would like, remove the foil and cook a little more, but be careful it will evaporate quickly.  If you find it is more dry than you would care for, add some of the left over chicken broth and mix it in.  But it should be PERFECT when you remove it.  

 

 

  You are going to love this recipe.  Yes it is a little involved, but totally worth it! 

Peppered Turkey Tetrazzini - Gluten Free

This recipe is gluten free and taken from the cookbook, "Gluten Free Makeovers" by Beth Hillson.  The only difference I made is that I purchased peppered turkey breasts from the store; it doesn't make it hot but gives an extra little kick.

Here is what you need:  2 cups peppered turkey breasts, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 3 green onions with tops chopped, 2 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms, 1 cup gluten free chicken broth, 3 Tablespoons dry sherry, 1/4 cup cream, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with the chicken broth, 8-10 oz of gluten free spaghetti, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Dice your turkey

I keep chicken broth concentrate in the fridge and McCormick brand is gluten free.  It is so easy using 1 teaspoon per cup of water; and I think it has a better flavor than the can version.

Dice your green onions and mushrooms.  My family is NOT big on the mushroom, so I only used 1 1/2  cups of very finely chopped mushrooms so they didn't notice :) 

Mix your cornstarch with 1/4 cup broth and set aside.

Put your water on to boil and add your gluten free spaghetti.  Cook as directed.

With one tablespoon olive oil in a skillet, on a medium heat, add your diced turkey, onions, and mushrooms until your onions are transparent and soft.  

        Add the cornstarch mixture, dry sherry, and cream to turkey and stir to thicken. I used a lot more cream, because I can....BOOM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turn off heat, add the pasta, and place in a greased casserole dish. Top with Parmesan cheese and place in oven on broil until golden brown. (I'm not going to lie, I added a few cuts of butter to the top because I like the way it blends with the cheese to brown)

The recipe says it serves four, I think 5 is safe especially if you are serving with a nice salad and garlic bread. (I had some gluten free bread for myself, and for the boys garlic toast. They REALLY liked this recipe and asked I make it again SOON) 

 

Sarcasm Note Today:  (Brought to you by the lady at Wal-mart)

"Too many clowns, not enough circuses".  Totally agree...

Creamy Chicken Pockets and Baked Broccoli

Ingredients:  

2 cups cooked chicken, 3 oz softened cream cheese, 3 T melted butter, 4 T cream of chicken soup, 1/4 cup of chives, salt and pepper to taste.  (I am cooking for boys so I added a medium cooked potato)  & 2 cans of crescent rolls 

Directions:  

Chop the chicken into small bits, add remaining ingredients and get ready to load the crescents!  I have a magic way to roll them that I will share with ONLY you...

So, you lay out your crescent and place some of the mixture at the wide end.  Then take that little point and wrap it around the mixture toward you. Then...

Take the edge furthest away from you and place it over the mixture so that you only have the one point left closest to you.  Then....

Close that bad boys up and lay it folded side down on a greased cookie sheet.

 

This is the best broccoli ever...

All you do is pull it apart, lay it on a piece of foil.  Sprinkle with olive oil,

and some lemon juice and salt and pepper. 

Bake both at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until your pockets are golden brown.

(Serve with a little fresh corn and you have a great and well rounded meal)

Sarcasm Note:  I love it when I have a meal planned and something is gone because one of my boys ate it.  I mean I LOVE IT when that happens.  **Notice there are only 8 pockets and NOT 16 for lack of crescents!