Gluten Free Potatoes and Sausage

As children our menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it!  I have made things in the past, ok the present as well, that my family is not crazy about.  (esp since I have begun learning to cook Gluten Free) But you are going to at least give it a shot before you complain at my table.  This recipe is just 'naturally' gluten free, and by that I mean you don't have to buy special flours, gums, oats ect.  So meat & potatoes is definitely a TAKE IT meal for my boys! 

 Here is what you need:  2 Tablespoons olive oil, little gold potatoes, sausage of your choice, red pepper, green onion, salt, pepper, 1 cup water, & rosemary or thyme. (If you don't have one or the other, you meal is going to be fine without it)

 Just to speed things along, I wash the amount of potatoes my family will eat and place them in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, turn and cook another 1 1/2 minutes on the other side while I am preparing the other ingredients.

  

While your potatoes are in the microwave, cut your sausage, red bell pepper and onions.   I'd like to tell you an amount, but each simple ingredient is up to you and how many you are feeding and how much they like of one thing.    

When your potatoes are finished, place your 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a pan on a medium heat.  Dice your potatoes and place them along with the sausage in your pan.  Add I cup of water for the potatoes and sausage to steam.

Add salt and pepper to your liking, veggies on top, toss and cover.  Turn heat down to medium low and let steam until potatoes are tender.  Remove from burner, top with rosemary and serve.  I made a pan of gluten free cornbread to go along with this nice winter meal. 

So...isn't it pretty? My son devoured it, and when I found his plate in the sink it was covered in green onions and red bell pepper.  At least he didn't complain and chose his own method of "take it AND leave it".  

Gluten Free Lemon Drop Cookies

These are really good, but I am learning that sometimes the GF baking can be a little crumbly---BUT TASTY and yes, GLUTEN FREE!  **these have to be chilled 2 hours and do not brown much in cooking

So here's what you need!  1 cup white rice flour, and 3/4 cup SWEET rice flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum, 1 Tablespoon lemon extract, zest of 1/2 lemon, 2 sticks of softened butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and some for dusting,  & the juice of 1 lemon

Add all of your dry ingredients except for your powdered sugar.  In a separate bowl, cream your powdered sugar and butter, then add it along with remaining ingredients to your dry and mix to form your dough.  It will look like the photo below...

             Just thought I'd reassure you that Argo is in fact Gluten free.  
             If you look below the Nutritional Facts is says "a gluten free
             product".  When you go to your health food stores some of 
             baking products can be purchased at a higher price, but if the 
             ones at the store state 'gluten free'...you can count on it and 
             save a little money.  (And all extracts are GF)

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours....wait, wait, wait...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, roll into tablespoon size balls, & bake for 13-15 minutes

let cool and coat in powdered sugar. YUM :)

 My 16 year old dips them in lemon juice,then powdered sugar again; and pops them in his mouth.  He hates anything lemon!  (sarcasm)

Gluten Free Broccoli and Walnut

This recipe is really great with any meat you may fix for the family and best of all...it's Gluten Free

 

You are going to need, two bunches of washed broccoli, a few tablespoons of parmesan, a small bag of walnuts, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 -2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoon of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste

Place your oil in a skillet on a medium heat and add, salt pepper, garlic for about 2 minutes

I usually don't measure, and I use coarse salt for most of my recipes.  I have no idea why....preference I guess.

Next add your broccoli and walnuts,  lower the heat, & squeeze lemon on top.  Mix.

When your broccoli is a nice bright green color, and tossed with all of the seasonings, juice and oil, top it with parmesan & serve. 

And maybe you don't like broccoli.....well, 

Creamy Crunchy Chicken Pasta

I found this on a wonderful blog.The recipe is beautiful and tasty, but I took some short cuts because #1 I can and #2 I can.  The first one being that she has you dip the chicken in milk, then flour, then milk, then crunched cornflakes she crunched up in a blender. 

 I crushed 5 cups of cornflakes with my hands, combined the 1/2cups of flour with them---turned our the same!

Also her recipe called for pounding the breasts into thin pieces and fried them whole in a sauce pan.  My kids like extra crunchy stuff, so I took the 3 chicken breasts and cut them into thin strips instead.  Then dipped them first in the milk and then the flour-corn flake combo.  Popped them in the oven at 375 degrees until brown turning them once. 

Meanwhile....

I made the sauce with 

2 Tablespoons of olive oil with a few corn flakes in a sauce pan along with Italian Philadelphia Cooking Creme, 2 cans cream of chicken soup,

 And finally 1 cup of mile and heat thoroughly to a slight bubble.

While the sauce is slowly heating up, and the chicken is in the oven, you can boil your pasta.  I prefer penne but bow tie is also great with this recipe.  When it is all finished plate with pasta, creme, chicken and creme again.  Serve with a salad and bread.  

Sarcasm Note:  I love it when I have prepared a great dish and there is no frozen garlic bread!

So I had to make my cheating standby I'll share with you now.

 I take frozen biscuits, spray a bundt pan and pop them in the oven until they can be pulled apart. 

 

 Pull them apart, and melt 2 tablespoon of butter and season it.  I use garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano.  Then, pour it over the biscuits and continue to bake until golden brown. 

 This is the outcome and they are soooo flaky and yummy you won't believe it!

Sarcasm Note:  The bundt pan makes them beautifully shaped and I'd never use anything else.  

(Actually I chose it because it was on top of the other pans)

Ahhh the Avocado....

There are 13 vitamins that the body absolutely needs: vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate). Avocados naturally contain many of these vitamins.  Check this out:

 So, how do you choose an avocado? Although skin color can be a good indicator, your best bet is going to be the touch.  If an avocado "yields" to gentle pressure it is ripe and should be eaten within a day or two.  But when you are going to be using them within the week, purchase them firm and allow them to ripen at home at room temp. Now, how to cut them?  Some suggest you cut lengthwise and scoop out the seed with a spoon. But avocados don't have much "meat" so I don't use this method.

lengthwise cut

center cut

I prefer to cut around the center and tap a knife on top of the seed and twist out.  You don't lose any of the avocado itself this way.

 


After you remove the seed, take a spoon around the inside of the skin and you have wasted NO MEAT and a perfectly clean avocado to use however you chose. I usually add a few drops of lime juice on top to prevent browning.

note:  3 avocados were harmed in the making of this post

Best gluten free go-to meal

        Eating gluten free is so overwhelming at times.  Especially the days your family requests one of their favorite meals which happens to be LOADED with gluten.  I often have people ask me, "how can you cook for them and NOT eat it?"  The answer is, "I poisoned it."  NOT REALLY.  If you have celiac disease, gluten makes you deathly ill and you do not want to eat it; but I love cooking and seeing my family eat what I cook.  So it's not difficult at all!  But on the occasion I do make them a meal which cannot be made with gluten free substitutes; I have a wonderful back up I really enjoy.  Here it is:  

This cornbread mix is so easy and good my family has no idea they are eating GF, but let me give you a tip:  when baking GF whether by box or scratch it is best to let your ingredients be as close to room temp as possible.  I put my eggs in a bowl of warm water for an hour or so, and my milk out at the same time. (it's not going to spoil) It will still be cool, but not COLD.  Also, lay out your butter at the same time or even before.

 

Yes, I am a cheater.  I DO have a great GF recipe for creamy tomato soup which my family thinks is better than this; but when you do not want to cook TWO separate meals this is always a great go-to.

We do not have a Panera in our city, but I bought these at Sams and if you can't find it I will post my Creamy Tomato Soup next.  You will just want to freeze it in separate containers to use for yourself when you're cooking with gluten.  ENJOY!

 

 

 

J.R.R. Tolkien said, "if more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world!"  He's right!  I am so thankful I have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease because without that diagnosis; food would continue to be misery for me.

Tomato Avocado and Spinach Salad

Take one ripe avocado and dice.  Combine it with washed baby spinach from the market and add tomatoes

Toss in a few teaspoons of lemon juice.

Add corse salt and cracked pepper and serve.

 For variations, add cheese of choice ,i.e. fresh parmesan, walnuts or almonds