Delay in posting.

It has been very interesting here with the weather, and loss of the internet for a bit. Will resume posting as soon as possible. Thanks for understanding.

Feel free to ask

I have a few people that have asked about substitutions for recipes, and a thought popped into my head. What are YOU wanting to make that is Gluten Free/Dairy Free and maybe even some other allergen free. Give me an idea and I'll see if I can convert or find an awesome recipe for it. I also have no issue with making something again with other allergens eliminated. It may not be right away, but I will try to get to it within the week. Leave a comment if you have an idea.

It is spelled Doughnuts.

After the record setting single day snowfall in the Northeast, I bet you would love nothing better than to sit back and enjoy your morning with a delicious breakfast and a hot cup of coffee. How about Doughnuts? No, not those stale and flavorless Donuts you had last week. I mean some nice fresh and hot doughnuts straight out of your kitchens deep fryer or skillet. Trust me. It's time to break out the deep fryer and listen to Homer. "mmmmmmmm... Doughnuts!"

DoughnutsGF/DF

Ingredients:

2 Large Eggs

2 Cups Plain Silk Live Soy Yogurt

1/4 Cup Melted Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks

1 3/4 Cups White Rice Flour

1 3/4 Cups Brown Rice Flour

1 Cup Potato Starch

1/2 Cup Tapioca Starch

1 Cup Sugar

1 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Xanthan Gum

Directions:

1) Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl making making sure it is well mixed.

2) In a Large Mixing bowl, beat the Eggs, Soygurt, and melted Buttery Sticks.

3)Using a spatula, slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. When mostly combined, use your hands to kneed the dough to make sure it is properly mixed. Let dough rest for 15 minutes.

4)Heat deep fryer or deep dish pan with 2 to 3 inches of Canola Oil to 375 degrees

5)Sprinkle Rice Flour on your work surface and roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. If dough sticks too much, work in more flour.

6) Cut out your doughnuts with a cutter approximately 3 inches in diameter and the center holes at 1 inch diameter.

7)If using deep fryer, place basket into oil. Drop a few doughnuts in oil slowly being careful not to splash hot oil on yourself. Cook time may vary. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove with slotted spoon, or fryer basket. Let dry on a cooling wrack.

8) For extra delicious flavor, you can roll the doughnuts in more sugar while they are still hot. Serve them hot and fresh.

GF Tip of the week.

Have you made sure that the medication you take does not have wheat flour in it. Some medications may have wheat in the coating, or possibly as an ingredient.  Also, remember that pills may often be made the same way candy is. Check the list of inactive ingredients and be sure to check the label carefully. When in doubt call the manufacturer.

The bread has a will to live on.

I was experimenting this week trying to make the bread Nightshade allergy friendly. To my surprise, The Everything bread has become even more adaptable. By adding some corn products, yes another allergen, instead of potato starch and brown rice flour we get a much lighter and flexible pizza dough or hamburger bun.
While trying to do this experiment however (while the bread was in the oven) I was informed that I was ridiculous. Our friends with the Nightshade allergy have no Gluten intolerance, and could just go out and buy regular old bread. On the plus side, I did find a new way to make the flavor slightly different on the bread even if I did exclude more of our friends who have an allergy to Corn. This makes me remember a very important lesson. The old "you can't please all the people..." quote comes to mind and I am reminded how I always insist that others not try to cater to my allergies as they are hard enough for me to fully understand. Do I appreciate when others make me foods I can eat? YES I DO! But I always hope they have not had a hard time in doing so.

These are the adjustments I have made to the bread recipe.
5 tsp baking powder instead of 6 tsp
3/4 cup corn starch instead of Potato Starch
3/4 cup corn flour instead of Brown rice flour

It is not a huge change in the flavor, although I think it is an improvement, but it does reduce the Nightshade allergen. If you need to make the bread Egg free, use powdered egg replacer. Remember that the egg replacers will make it more MOIST and should be accounted for in the cooking.

A Rose by any other name... is a lie! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all. I hope it brings you good fortune and tasty food. I would like to apologize for the long break, but the holidays brought me to my knees with all the extra things life threw at me. For starters, I had to rebuild my Subaru's engine. Ick! Now that the drama llama has left for the new year (I HOPE!) it's back to business on keeping the second class citizens of the restaurant world, ie: Celiacs, well fed and maybe dare I say FAT!

I pick on the restaurants because:

a) a car company cannot claim their car to be the highest MPG because they left out an engine.

b) a movie cannot have the rating dropped from R for violence to PG by telling you to close your eyes.

c) a restaurant cannot claim to be gluten free by telling you to order your meal without the bread, sauce, or spices. Sorry Outback. You been called out!

d) ALL OF THE ABOVE

Here is how my strange little mind works. If I went to your house with the promise of a GF meal, and you served me a slab of unspiced and unflavored meat and nothing else I would think, "At least they are trying. Gluten is sneaky. Almost Ninja.", but if you then handed me a bill for $20 I would be saying such unkind things to you that you would not only have to take the GF off your description, but probably the family friendly as well. Please remember that we (GF people) have to read the back of every label before purchasing. The words on those labels are longer than those on my child's junior home chemistry set. The creative ways that companies repackage the names of crap (CORN SUGAR? ARE YOU SERIOUS?) or label it with the safety net "MAY contain...", or even lie about it. Even if we weren't highly intelligent to begin with, this raises our awareness to a level above your bait and switch "Gluten Free*" menu.

Here are a couple of  places that I have great respect for as far as their choices for an actual gluten free menu.

Burtons Grill

P.F. Changs (not the West Hartford, CT location. Have had questions about cross contamination)

As much as it pains me... Our local Burger King does say order without bun and that Fries are cooked separately as to be GF. I give them credit because there is only so much you can do with fast food. After all, it is what you eat when you forgot to pack healthy or just do not care.

Just remember. "Fool me once..." as well as a hospital visit, is a lot easier to avoid if you are cooking for yourself. This week I will be working on adjusting a couple recipes to be even further limited in allergens, but I promise I will get back to trying and posting the new stuff by the end of the week.

Tis the season

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.

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.

Toothless must have eaten too many of these.

Ginger bread! This recipe has been altered slightly and is FAN FREAKY TASTIC. It is not often that I find a recipe that I have done so few adjustments to, so I want to make sure I give credit where it is due. For the original recipe, which is great to begin with, you can go to Only Sometimes Clever. Makes about 8 dozen medium-sized cutout cookies

Gingerbread CookiesGF/DF

Ingredients:

1 cup GarFava flour
2 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

1/3 cup Honey
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.

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).

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.