As we sit and reflect on the year gone by, and we spend our time around Family and Friends, remember to pack something for yourself before heading out to those holiday parties. It is amazing how many people do not realize just what goes into the holiday snacks they set out for friends and family. With the exception of MOST corn chips or plain potato chips almost every bag I check the label on contains wheat or dairy. There are very few chocolates that do not contain dairy and very few fillings in those chocolates that do not have a questionable ingredient for wheat (Modified food starch). Most people do not make accommodation for most allergies with the exception of peanuts, but then again Gluten doesn't usually cripple you on the spot the way peanuts can. It usually waits until you leave because you aren't feeling well.
So, bring something with you to share with everyone. Something with a bit of WOW factor that will make the Host of the holiday party ask for the recipe. Maybe you'll get the most wonderful gift a G/F person can get. Watching their jaws drop as they find out it is Gluten Free. Thanks to Bette Hagman: Gluten Free Gourmet, for the base recipe for this carrot cake that will make people rave about the most delicious and MOIST carrot cake ever. I personally have had requests for this cake from an office full of people that don't have a single case of celiacs disease.
Due to the holiday schedule I may not be able to post again until after Christmas. Enjoy your holiday, and Merry Christmas.
Carrot CakeGF/DF
Ingredients:
In A Mixing Bowl:
1/2 cup White Rice Flour
1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour
1 cup Millet Flour
1/2 cup Potato Starch
1 tsp Xanthan Gum
2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp Salt
In Mixer:
4 Large Eggs
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Mayonnaise (yup good ole Mayo)
2 cups Crushed Pineapple (16 oz) NOT DRAINED
ADDED AFTER MIXING FIRST TWO GROUPS!
3 cups Grated Carrots
Frosting:
1 package (8oz)Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese (Yellow Package, Not Blue. Hydrogenated=yuk)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Confectioners Sugar to taste
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 and Lightly grease and rice flour a 9" X 13" pan.
2)Mix first group of ingredients in separate bowl.
3) Mix second group of ingredients in large mixer on MED speed.
4) Slowly mix in Dry ingredients.
5) Fold in Carrots with a wooden spoon or spatula.
6)Pour batter into grease and floured pan and cook for 35 to 45 minutes or until tester placed in center of cake comes out clean.
7) Mix Frosting while cake cools. Just add the sugar until it is JUST sweet enough. Spread Frosting on cake
8) Watch as people DROOL while hoping they get a chance for seconds.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
GF Tip of the week.
Did you know that many candy manufacturers do not use wheat flour as an ingredient, and therefore do not have to list it.... But they do use it to coat the belts during manufacturing to keep the candy from sticking. It's not an ingredient. It's a lubricant. Tso make sure to call the manufacturer before buying that candy for the kids, especially if it is made on shared equipment or in a facility that produces wheat products.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Toothless must have eaten too many of these.
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Gingerbread CookiesGF/DF
Ingredients:
1 cup GarFava flour2 cups Potato starch
2 cups Rice flour
1/2 cup Millet flour
3 cups Brown rice flour
2 Tbsp Xanthan gum
3 Tbsp Baking powder
1/2 cup Potato flour
2 Tbsp Ground ginger
1 Tbsp Ground allspice
1 Tbsp Ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup powdered sugar
3 cups Sugar
2 cups shortening
4 Lg Eggs
1/3 cup Molasses
3 cups Brown rice flour
2 Tbsp Xanthan gum
3 Tbsp Baking powder
1/2 cup Potato flour
2 Tbsp Ground ginger
1 Tbsp Ground allspice
1 Tbsp Ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup powdered sugar
3 cups Sugar
2 cups shortening
4 Lg Eggs
1/3 cup Molasses
1/3 cup Honey
1 Tbsp salt
5) Place shaped dough on foil covered cookie sheet, or insulated pan. If you roll your cookies to 1/4″ thickness and bake on insulated pans as suggested, baking time is 19 minutes. If your cookies are thinner, and/or you’re using thinner pans, bake time will be shorter. When done, the corners of your cookies will just start to brown, and the middles will no longer feel spongy. Also, you can bake for 16-17 minutes to produce a softer, chewier cookie (this is not recommended for gingerbread houses, though).
1 Tbsp salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1) In a large bowl, with a whisk, mix together the flours, starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, and spices until well-combined. Set aside.
2) In another large bowl, cream together the powdered sugar ,sugar, shortening, eggs, molasses, honey and salt.
3) To the sugar mixture, add flour mixture, about 2 cups at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon. Once the flour mixture is mostly incorporated, knead the dough in the bowl, slowly punching the dough down in the middle and folding the sides of the dough into the middle. Add all the flour mixture until you have a stiff dough. If the dough is too dry, add a Tbsp of water at a time until it will gather into a ball. Resist adding water if at all possible. The dough works best if it is not very moist.
4) Working with about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll the dough 1/4″ thick. Use 1/4″ round dowels as a guide for uniform thickness.Use cookie cutter or follow pattern for house.
1) In a large bowl, with a whisk, mix together the flours, starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, and spices until well-combined. Set aside.
2) In another large bowl, cream together the powdered sugar ,sugar, shortening, eggs, molasses, honey and salt.
3) To the sugar mixture, add flour mixture, about 2 cups at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon. Once the flour mixture is mostly incorporated, knead the dough in the bowl, slowly punching the dough down in the middle and folding the sides of the dough into the middle. Add all the flour mixture until you have a stiff dough. If the dough is too dry, add a Tbsp of water at a time until it will gather into a ball. Resist adding water if at all possible. The dough works best if it is not very moist.
4) Working with about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll the dough 1/4″ thick. Use 1/4″ round dowels as a guide for uniform thickness.Use cookie cutter or follow pattern for house.
5) Place shaped dough on foil covered cookie sheet, or insulated pan. If you roll your cookies to 1/4″ thickness and bake on insulated pans as suggested, baking time is 19 minutes. If your cookies are thinner, and/or you’re using thinner pans, bake time will be shorter. When done, the corners of your cookies will just start to brown, and the middles will no longer feel spongy. Also, you can bake for 16-17 minutes to produce a softer, chewier cookie (this is not recommended for gingerbread houses, though).
Friday, December 17, 2010
Dog Days of Winter?
The greatest problem with winter is the lack of fairs and their fried foods. By the time the solstice rolls around I am in serious need of some deep fried wholesome goodness known as Corn Dogs. Especially since I can't eat the beefy, wheaty, dairy filled golden puffs at the fair. The problem is that there are no good recipes on the web for Corn Dogs. Either the flavor of the breading is awful, or the texture feels like sand while you chew. So, with a little tweaking, I have come up with the best corn dog recipe I have tasted since before I knew what Celiac was.
Get out your Fryers and enjoy these deep fried dogs of winter.
Corn Dog CrazyGF/DF
Ingredients:
1 Cup Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour Mix
1/2 Cup Fine Ground Corn Meal
1/2 Cup Corn Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 Lg Egg
1 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Rice/Soy Milk
1 Package of Hot Dogs. Turkey Dogs in our house.
1 TBSP Cornstarch to coat hot dogs
10 Wooden Dowels
Canola Oil for frying.
Directions:
1) Mix all DRY ingredients in a large bowl. Mix 1/2 cup of milk and the egg. Pour mixture into dry ingredients then slowly add milk until it is slightly thicker than cake batter.
2) Put hot dogs on the wood dowels.
3) Heat oil in fryer to 375 Degrees.
4) Dry hot dogs with a towel. Lightly coat hot dogs with corn starch. Dip each hot dog in batter getting about 1/4 inch of batter on them all the way to the dowels. The batter is easier to even out if you twirl the dogs on the way out of the batter.
5) Cook for 3 minutes. Let drain on drying wrack.
Get out your Fryers and enjoy these deep fried dogs of winter.
Corn Dog CrazyGF/DF
Ingredients:
1 Cup Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour Mix
1/2 Cup Fine Ground Corn Meal
1/2 Cup Corn Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 Lg Egg
1 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Rice/Soy Milk
1 Package of Hot Dogs. Turkey Dogs in our house.
1 TBSP Cornstarch to coat hot dogs
10 Wooden Dowels
Canola Oil for frying.
Directions:
1) Mix all DRY ingredients in a large bowl. Mix 1/2 cup of milk and the egg. Pour mixture into dry ingredients then slowly add milk until it is slightly thicker than cake batter.
2) Put hot dogs on the wood dowels.
3) Heat oil in fryer to 375 Degrees.
4) Dry hot dogs with a towel. Lightly coat hot dogs with corn starch. Dip each hot dog in batter getting about 1/4 inch of batter on them all the way to the dowels. The batter is easier to even out if you twirl the dogs on the way out of the batter.
5) Cook for 3 minutes. Let drain on drying wrack.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Things to do with your overgrown Sage.
Because I am having a bad day, I am going to give a double bonus post today. Maybe it will make me feel better.
Well, If you are anything like me, you enjoy very few things better in the morning than a freshly made breakfast sausage patty. The sound of the sizzle. The smell of spices mixing gently with the turkey.... TURKEY? Why not turkey? If you are like our family, then you add excitement to that already challenging diet of Gluten/Dairy free by limiting yourself further by not eating anything that walks on four legs. Sometimes this rule is bent a bit, but not very often. So, Here is my recipe for breakfast sausage with a bonus at the end. Hope you enjoy it.
BREAKFAST SAUSAGE PATTIES
Ingredients:
2 tsp Dried Sage (2 TBSP if fresh)
2 tsp Salt (Kosher or Mortons)
1 tsp Oregano (1 TBSP if fresh)
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 TBSP Sugar
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 pinch Ground Cloves
1 pinch Allspice
1 shake Fennel Seeds (about 10 seeds)
1 package Gound Turkey (approx 20oz)
Directions:
1) Put all ingredients except Turkey and Fennel Seeds into Mortar and Pestle. Mix until completely ground. Add Fennel Seeds (whole).
2) Remove Ground Turkey from fridge just before mixing as this will be colder, but will make the turkey stick less to your hands. You can also use gloves if you choose. Cover the top of the turkey with Spices and fold in. Do this until all spices are used. Then use your hands to mix in the spices by squishing the meat between your fingers. Do not over mix as it will make the turkey TOUGH!
3)Form into patties and cook over MED heat for about 4 minutes per side making sure to cook it thoroughly.
Sausage GravyGF/DF
Ingredients:
Canola Oil
Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour Mix
Unsweetened Soy milk
Breakfast Sausage
Salt and Pepper
1) Prepare the Turkey Sausage recipe, but instead of patties, brown the ground meat over MED heat using a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces.
2) Because I am using turkey there is not a lot of grease from the sausage cooking. When the sausage is cooked through, add 2 TBSP Canola Oil. Coat all of the meat with the oil.
3) Slowly shake in Flour until all the pieces are coated evenly in a flour (should look like paste).
4) Pour milk over the mix just until it covers the top of the sausage. Mix continually while cooking thickening the gravy. If the gravy gets too thick, you may add more milk to thin it.
5) Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
6) Serve over GF/DF Biscuits. (My favorite addition to this is a few shakes of Chipotle Tobasco for a tasty bit of heat).
Well, If you are anything like me, you enjoy very few things better in the morning than a freshly made breakfast sausage patty. The sound of the sizzle. The smell of spices mixing gently with the turkey.... TURKEY? Why not turkey? If you are like our family, then you add excitement to that already challenging diet of Gluten/Dairy free by limiting yourself further by not eating anything that walks on four legs. Sometimes this rule is bent a bit, but not very often. So, Here is my recipe for breakfast sausage with a bonus at the end. Hope you enjoy it.
BREAKFAST SAUSAGE PATTIES
Ingredients:
2 tsp Dried Sage (2 TBSP if fresh)
2 tsp Salt (Kosher or Mortons)
1 tsp Oregano (1 TBSP if fresh)
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 TBSP Sugar
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 pinch Ground Cloves
1 pinch Allspice
1 shake Fennel Seeds (about 10 seeds)
1 package Gound Turkey (approx 20oz)
Directions:
1) Put all ingredients except Turkey and Fennel Seeds into Mortar and Pestle. Mix until completely ground. Add Fennel Seeds (whole).
2) Remove Ground Turkey from fridge just before mixing as this will be colder, but will make the turkey stick less to your hands. You can also use gloves if you choose. Cover the top of the turkey with Spices and fold in. Do this until all spices are used. Then use your hands to mix in the spices by squishing the meat between your fingers. Do not over mix as it will make the turkey TOUGH!
3)Form into patties and cook over MED heat for about 4 minutes per side making sure to cook it thoroughly.
Sausage GravyGF/DF
Ingredients:
Canola Oil
Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour Mix
Unsweetened Soy milk
Breakfast Sausage
Salt and Pepper
1) Prepare the Turkey Sausage recipe, but instead of patties, brown the ground meat over MED heat using a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces.
2) Because I am using turkey there is not a lot of grease from the sausage cooking. When the sausage is cooked through, add 2 TBSP Canola Oil. Coat all of the meat with the oil.
3) Slowly shake in Flour until all the pieces are coated evenly in a flour (should look like paste).
4) Pour milk over the mix just until it covers the top of the sausage. Mix continually while cooking thickening the gravy. If the gravy gets too thick, you may add more milk to thin it.
5) Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
6) Serve over GF/DF Biscuits. (My favorite addition to this is a few shakes of Chipotle Tobasco for a tasty bit of heat).
The Essentials
What is the one thing every Celiac wants... no craves... no, NEEDS. Give up? Biscuits. Hamburger rolls. Hot dog buns. Pizza dough. This is the ultimate GF bread recipe as just the slightest change and you can make all of the above. The main recipe will be for the Hamburger buns. The adjustments will be listed after the main recipe. This is the recipe I used last Super bowl to make all the pizzas. Halfway through the game I got the surprised reaction of, "Wait! These pizzas are GLUTEN FREE?" Yup. it's that good.
G/F HAMBURGER BUNS
Dry ingredients:
3/4 Cup White Rice Flour
3/4 Cup Brown Rice Flour
3/4 Cup Millet Flour
3/4 Cup Potato Starch (not flour)
1 1/2 Cups Tapioca Starch
6 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3 TBSP Sugar
Wet ingredients:
6 Eggs
1 Cup Oil (canola)
1 1/2 Cup Soy/Rice Milk
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2) Mix all dry ingredients in mixer bowl.
3) Mix all wet ingredients in separate bowl. Using a fork, lightly break egg yolks.
3) Turn mixer on low and slowly add wet ingredients. Once all wet ingredients are added, Turn the mixer on high for 30 seconds. Scrape sides with spatula and turn back on high for 20 seconds.
4) Cover cookie sheet with foil. Spoon out dough in hamburger bun shapes. The bread will rise in the oven so 1/2 inch thick will make good size buns. Drizzle or spray olive oil (or any oil of your choice including butter) on top of the breads.
5) Bake each tray for 13- 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. If you pull them out to early, they will fall.
6) Remove from oven and eat warm delicious bread, or let cool then wrap and place in refrigerator. Will stay good for 1 week. Be sure to reheat for about 10-20 seconds in the microwave to reconstitute bread.
Variations:
Hot dog buns: Aadd 1/2 tsp for a total of 2 tsp xanthan gum. Shape like hot dog buns and bake the same way.
Biscuits: Use 5 eggs instead of 6 and add 1/2 tsp for a total of 2 tsp xanthan gum. Same cooking as hamburger buns.
Pizza Dough: add 1/2 tsp for a total of 2 tsp xanthan gum and use 3 tsp baking powder instead of 6. Spread very thinly on foil, or cast iron (oven safe) skillet and add ingredients on top. Since dough is more like cake batter, be gentle when adding sauce.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
General Tso's Chicken GF/DF
Ingredient list:
Chicken
1 1/2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (Cut into bite size pieces)
1/2 cup Cornstarch
3 lg Eggs
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Cup GF All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 Cup Canola Oil
Sauce
2 Tbsp Black Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Grated Ginger
3/4 Cup Chopped Green Onion
3/4 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Rice Vinegar
4 Hot Chili or Thai Peppers (Optional)
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
3 Tbsp Tamari (an excellent GF soy sauce sub)
1/3 Cup Oyster Sauce
1/8 Cup Ketchup
Directions:
1) Coat the Chicken with Cornstarch.
2) In a large mixing bowl beat the Eggs, Salt, and Pepper until smooth. Continue beating and add Flour and Baking Powder. Mix in Chicken coating lightly.
3) Heat the Canola Oil in a large skillet or wok over MED-High heat. Cook Chicken pieces until golden brown 4-6 minutes per side making sure it is cooked through. Pull out Chicken and set aside. Keep warm.
4) Reduce heat to MED and stir in Sesame Oil, Ginger, and Green Onions. Stir until Ginger begins to brown. Pour in Water, Vinegar, and Sugar. Add Peppers also if making hot and spicy. Bring to boil.
5)Dissolve the Cornstarch in the Soy Sauce(tamari). Add Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, and Ketchup. Stir constantly until sauce is thickened and not cloudy. Stir in Chicken and simmer until hot.
6) Serve over Rice, Quinoa, Broccoli, or fried cripsy Rice Noodles.
Ingredient list:
Chicken
1 1/2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (Cut into bite size pieces)
1/2 cup Cornstarch
3 lg Eggs
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Cup GF All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 Cup Canola Oil
Sauce
2 Tbsp Black Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Grated Ginger
3/4 Cup Chopped Green Onion
3/4 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Rice Vinegar
4 Hot Chili or Thai Peppers (Optional)
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
3 Tbsp Tamari (an excellent GF soy sauce sub)
1/3 Cup Oyster Sauce
1/8 Cup Ketchup
Directions:
1) Coat the Chicken with Cornstarch.
2) In a large mixing bowl beat the Eggs, Salt, and Pepper until smooth. Continue beating and add Flour and Baking Powder. Mix in Chicken coating lightly.
3) Heat the Canola Oil in a large skillet or wok over MED-High heat. Cook Chicken pieces until golden brown 4-6 minutes per side making sure it is cooked through. Pull out Chicken and set aside. Keep warm.
4) Reduce heat to MED and stir in Sesame Oil, Ginger, and Green Onions. Stir until Ginger begins to brown. Pour in Water, Vinegar, and Sugar. Add Peppers also if making hot and spicy. Bring to boil.
5)Dissolve the Cornstarch in the Soy Sauce(tamari). Add Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, and Ketchup. Stir constantly until sauce is thickened and not cloudy. Stir in Chicken and simmer until hot.
6) Serve over Rice, Quinoa, Broccoli, or fried cripsy Rice Noodles.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Namesake
About 5 years ago, our family had a sudden crushing realization that warped the very fabric of the reality within which we lived. Our child had a wheat and dairy sensitivity. When you become a celiac household, you truly have some heartbreaking moments. Like the moment I realized that I myself was feeling better ,for the first time in 8 years, after giving up wheat and dairy. Or the mind numbing metaphorical concussion you feel when you are informed in a most unwelcome way that "GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN HAS WHEAT!" Lots and lots of it. Soy sauce...Check. Crispy chicken... Check and Mate.
So, after about four and a half years I have found the right combination to make a GF/DF Generals Chicken and many other foods you actually want to eat. Gluten and dairy free used to make me think there was no end to the salad bar with bland dressing and no Ceasar salads because why? Oh yes. The cheese, dressing, and croutons. So this blog will be my medium for sharing the recipes I have tweaked to the GF/DF lifestyle and still kept them tasting like the food my family love and want to eat.
So, after about four and a half years I have found the right combination to make a GF/DF Generals Chicken and many other foods you actually want to eat. Gluten and dairy free used to make me think there was no end to the salad bar with bland dressing and no Ceasar salads because why? Oh yes. The cheese, dressing, and croutons. So this blog will be my medium for sharing the recipes I have tweaked to the GF/DF lifestyle and still kept them tasting like the food my family love and want to eat.
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