Zuppa Toscana

We have been on an Italian kick when it comes to cooking lately. It's a good thing we figured out how to make it gluten free! I have a serious affinity for the Olive Garden but while they do have a gluten free menu, my favorite things aren't all on it of course. There isn't one within about an hour of here anyway so I have taken to the internet (and experimentation) to help.

My all time favorite dish there is Zuppa Toscana. Yes, it's just a soup but I frequently ordered just the soup, salad and breadsticks specifically for this soup! I found the recipe recently on Tuscan Recipes but, sadly, I am lazy so I altered it just slightly. SO SO SO good. I served it with a Mediterranean salad and homemade dressing.

Zuppa Toscana

• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 1 pound Italian Sausage (GF)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 slices bacon, diced
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 10 cups water with 5 bullion cubes (GF) OR 10 cups Broth
• 3-4 large potatoes, sliced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 - 1/2 bunch Kale, torn into bite size pieces

Saute the sausage, pepper flakes, onion, bacon and garlic over medium heat in a large soup pot until sausage is no longer pink and onions are softened. Add water and bullion or broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until potatoes are softened. Add cream and kale, heat through and serve!

We're Back!!!

After an ultra long, and rather accidental, hiatus we're back on track for regular posts. It's been a crazy few months around here with surgeries, broken bones, cookie season and more.

This time of year is a little tricky for us. It's been about a year and a half since Pom's diagnosis so she still remembers Thin Mint milkshakes. She can't have them though, which can be a little rough with them taking over our house and schedule. She is a great little salesperson, as is Diva, and really enjoys selling cookies. Booth sales are one of her favorite parts of being in Girl Scouts!
She misses the eating part of it though, so I am on a mission to create an accurate GF Thin Mint. I have seen GF "Samoa" recipes but not Thin Mint types. I am also attempting to petition for a GF cookie. I can't and don't believe that it wouldn't be a godsend for many people.

With the busiest part of the year upon us I haven't been experimenting quite as much with meals. I am sticking with tried and trues. I haven't forgotten my Stumble challenge though! I found a recipe one day for "Trailer Trash Pot Roast". Definitely not gluten free. And I don't like chili sauce very well. So of course I changed it a bit. MMMMMMMMM.....and wow was this an easy roast!

Busy Night Roast

• 3-4 lb (or more) butt roast
• 1/2 bottle GF steak sauce (whatever your favorite is)
• 1/2 cup dried onions
• 1 can cola (I prefer Pepsi)
• some baby carrots, potatoes and onions chopped into one inch (or so) cubes, OPTIONAL

Put roast and veggies in roasting pan.
Mix steak sauce, onions and cola in a mixing bowl.
Pour sauce over roast.
Put in a 400 degree oven for one hour, reduce heat to 325. Cook an hour or so longer.
ENJOY

Gluten Free Holidays....starting with Green Bean Casserole

Well, it is DEFINITELY the holiday season. Christmas lights are up, travel plans have been made, extra dance practices are in and preparation for the busiest time of the year is in full swing. I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving! We had just the four of us here since Pom had croup and Diva ended up with strep throat. Poor little things.

It was still a good day though! We made some total experiments this year! Most of them worked but some need tweaking. Oddly enough, the best experiment came out of frustration at the small bits of leftovers that needed to be eaten immediately. That recipe will be coming up!

Every year I try something new but there are a few standby's. This year I finally made a gluten free Green Bean Casserole that turned out right and I tried something new with a Wild Rice Casserole. Both will be made again for Christmas dinner on request of the hubby and both girls.

Green Bean Casserole

• 2 cans salt free cut green beans
• 1 can gluten free mushroom soup (I use Progresso)
• 1 Tblsp gluten free soy sauce
• 1 onion, sliced and "fried" (recipe below)

Mix beans, soup, soy sauce and half the onions in a casserole. Sprinkle the other half of the onions over the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 - 45 minutes.

"Fried" Onions

• 1/3 cup gluten free flour blend
• a few dashes of gf season salt (McCormick is good)
• salt and pepper
• 1 onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix flour and seasonings. Toss onion slices in flour mix. Spray a baking sheet with Canola oil. Toast in oven for about 15 minutes.

This was the closest we've come to the green bean casserole we knew and loved. It's wonderful! I know this post is late for Thanksgiving but it's perfect for all those upcoming holiday dinners!

ENJOY!!

Oatmeal Fruit Cookies...Like Grandma used to bake, only better!!

Lately I have been craving Oatmeal cookies the way my grandma used to make them. One of the few things we cooked together when I was growing up was cookies. They were warm, chewy and comforting. The last time I tried to make them after going gluten free, they were NOTHING like that. I hadn't tried them since but tonight, the desire overcame the fear and a-baking I went.

Having learned a few tricks and lessons over time, I altered the recipe of my grandmothers and these were the result. Perfect. Chewy. Comforting. EXACTLY like grandma's. Only gluten free. Making them better. And here they are.

You may notice that these aren't Oatmeal RAISIN cookies. It began years ago simply because we were out of raisins but they were so good that we continued making them like this. They are fantabulous!!

Oatmeal Fruit Cookies

• 2 cups gluten free quick cooking Oats **(see note)
• 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup dried fruit (I used a mix of cranberries, cherries and chopped apples)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Beat all ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed until well mixed.
Drop onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (or a well seasoned stoneware pan) about one inch apart. Bake about 10 minutes, cool on a wire rack.
ENJOY!


WARNING: I ate five of these very quickly. They are seriously yummy.

**People ask me all the time about the label "gluten free" for oats. YES it is very important that you get GLUTEN FREE oats. Bob's Red Mill sells some. Since oats are grown alternately on the same land as wheat then processed in the same facility, they are contaminated from the very beginning. Gluten free oats are grown and processed in wheat free facilities.

Kalamata Meat Sauce with Noodles

The holidays, they are upon us. It is not only "the most wonderful time of the year" but seriously the busiest!!! We have multiple birthdays coming up as well so between hand made gifts (pictures coming, I am ultra excited) and hand made invites to parties on top of the holiday preparations, I haven't been doing a WHOLE lot of cooking, just quick, easy stuff. The weekend is coming up as are multiple, more complicated recipes but in an effort to get some stuff done for our "Vision of Trees" girl scout tree and dance performances tonight's dinner is an old stand by.

My Kalamata Meat Sauce and noodles is an easier, and tastier, version of my Mama's sauce recipe. The olives lend it a TON of yummy flavor, while the ground beef makes it hearty. It's also pretty cheap, making it a very good choice for this time of year.

Kalamata Meat Sauce

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 1 Tblsp garlic powder
• 2 Tblsp onion powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 Tblsp Italian Seasoning
• 7 - 8 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 1 large can Tomato Sauce
• 1 pkg gluten free noodles (your choice. I used macaroni for this one because it's what I had on hand)

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown meat in seasonings. Add olives and tomato sauce. Simmer until noodles are cooked.

That's it, enjoy! I added Parmesan cheese after the picture was taken and as you can see, we had peas along side. The kids take after their Mama. I never met a pea I didn't like. ;)

Four Cheese Hashbrown Casserole

I tend to get on a breakfast food kick on weekends, much to the delight of my family. This weekend was a huge score on that front! Years ago, when we were with some friends at the coast, I had a yummy hashbrown casserole that someone else had made. When I asked for the recipe he said he didn't use one and just listed off some ingredients. I have been trying to re-create that deliciousness ever since, to no avail.

I finally did it. After about four years of tweaking here and changing there I have perfected the casserole. It was so well received in fact that I made it two days in a row! I warn you, it is ridiculously good and hard to stop eating it.

Four Cheese Hashbrown Casserole

• 4 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns
• 1/4 large onion, minced
• 3/4 cup half and half ( I use fat free )
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded white or mild cheddar
• 1 Tblsp dried Oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together in a square casserole and bake uncovered 35 - 40 minutes.

I cannot express how exciting it is to finally get it right after so long. I have a feeling we'll be making it a lot for awhile!!

Super easy, comforting Root Beef Stew...it cooks itself!

With the munchkins being incredibly busy this year, I am finding it difficult to get much done. I am trying to get things posted I promise.

Tuesdays are our hardest day. With four classes (one that I lead), picking up and dropping off kids and much more, we try to do either leftovers or slow cookers for dinner. Tonight was beef stew with a kick. The kids love it, its comforting and warm, incredibly easy and cooks itself!

Over the next few months there will be a lot of experimenting with GF baking. It's taken me nearly two years of trial and error but I have recently made a number of things that are surprisingly decadent and perfectly textured! Look for some recipes coming soon!

Root Beef Stew

• 1 pound lean stewing beef
• 4 large baking potatoes OR 8 baby red potatoes
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/1 inch chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into bite size pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 radishes, quartered
• 4 - 6 cups vegetable broth or beef broth (see note)
• 4 tablespoons herbes de provence
• 2 cups frozen peas
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large slow cooker pot, combine all ingredients except peas. stir well and set to high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

Add peas in the last half hour.

Serve and enjoy!

See? Easy! I usually serve it with just a salad. It is very filling.

NOTE: Pacific Foods broths are gluten free. They are the only brand I will use.

Side note about pictures. With all of the recent vacation chaos and a moving plan, I seem to have misplaced my camera's battery charger. Some recipes will have pics taken with my cell phone, many will not. I am looking for it I promise!

Gluten Free....BEER BATTER! (and it's versatile!)

What do you get when you let a nine year old make dinner? Meatballs (no pasta), salad and onion rings. She might be brilliant though. It was awesome!

I originally made the onion rings with regular flour and beer, back before "the diagnosis". It was a recipe from Giada DeLaurentis. I was ecstatic with the results, but have been concerned about altering the recipe so much now that we can't have either. Pom wanted onion rings though, so I sucked it up and made the changes.

WOW. I am still impressed. Light, YUMMY onion rings in a batter that can double as a tempura batter. For shrimp of course. This made my daughter's whole year! Diva doesn't like onion rings much so we dipped apples in the batter and fried those with a cinnamon sugar dusting. Mmmmmm.........those would be good with ice cream.

I have to apologize for the photo quality. The camera was dying, so I didn't even get a chance to see the pictures until they were downloaded.

Gluten Free Beer Batter

1 1/2 cups gluten free beer (we used Bard's sorghum beer but there are other brands)
1 cup gluten free flour (we use Gluten Free Pantry. See my note about this.)
1 egg white
2 pinches salt (plus more for dusting)

Mix all ingredients well. There will be a few little lumps. That's okay
.

Onion Rings

Slice an onion into rings (pop out the individual rings from the slices). Put the rings in the batter and drop them into a fryer. If you don't have a fryer, like I don't, pour half a bottle of oil (canola) into a pot on the stove. Set to medium high and let it heat for a good ten to twenty minutes before frying. Remove the rings when golden and place on a paper towel covered plate. Sprinkle with salt.

The onion rings turned out perfectly!

Apple Rings

If you have a corer, core the apple first. Otherwise just slice it and use a small circular cookie cutter to remove the middle from the slices. I used a pumpkin shaped one...because I could.

Pat the apples dry with a paper towel before dipping in the batter and frying. The batter doesn't stick so well without this step. Remove from oil when golden and place on a separate paper towel covered plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.


Apples frying in the pot .... yum. The pan below contains meatballs, that recipe to come!

Note: Gluten Free Pantry All Purpose flour uses rice flours. I don't like the flavor of bean flours or sorghum flour very well so I don't use them. I don't know how they would work. You can make your own flour as well. Celiac.com has the recipe for my go-to homemade all purpose flour. It's similar to GF Pantry's and works well. I go with the pre-made right now only because most things (brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, etc etc etc) are not available in this town and I happen to have a LOT of GF Pantry flour on hand thanks to my Mommy. :)

I am trying shrimp next. DH and Pom want to batter and fry bacon. I think they are odd. This is going to be used for fish and maybe even hot dogs too! Hm.....that gives me an idea. Stay tuned!

Opening Weekend Chili and Praise for RedZone

In our household things are a little different. DH has ZERO interest in football but the girls and I wait anxiously every year for the start of NFL season. Autumn is my ALL TIME favorite season and football is one reason for that.

Being from the Pacific Northwest, Seattle is our primary team. We live, however, in Colorado so we definitely root for Denver, so long as they aren't playing our Seahawks. Pom is also a big time Dallas fan and we root for Indy and New Orleans too. St. Louis is my best friends team, big rivalry there. We love watching the Rams games in order to root against them.

Here is the problem. We live in Colorado. The ONLY game we cared about that we could get today was Denver (which didn't turn out so well). After a few frustrated minutes of searching for a live stream on the computer, I called the cable company. "How much is RedZone? Good. ADD IT NOW." I haven't ever cared about that channel because I always got my games. Really? I should have added it a LOT sooner!! I missed NOTHING from ANY of my games! :) It was fantastic!! I HIGHLY recommend it.

The other good thing about Autumn and Football? Comfort Food. What better comfort food for opening weekend than Chili? Not just any Chili, but Chili made with stew meat and bourbon....decadent, easy and comforting all in one.



Opening Weekend Chili (or Whiskey Chili)

• 3 Tbsp EVOO ( Thanks Rachel Ray, that's a MUCH easier way to write that )
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced (or crushed)
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 pound beef stew meat
• 1 large (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 large (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3 cans beans...kidney, pinto, black...a mixture...your choice. I use black and kidney. (or approximately one pound of dry beans, fully softened and cooked)
• Chili Powder, a bunch. I estimate I used about 4 Tbsp.
• Cumin ... about 1 1/2 Tbsp (again I estimate)
• 2 shots Bourbon or Whiskey
• 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat 2 Tbsp oil over med-high heat. Saute onion, garlic and green pepper. Season with a bit of salt, cook until onions are softened. Meanwhile, put tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add onion mixture. In saute pan, add remaining oil and stew meat. Season with salt and pepper. Saute about 5 minutes until browned but not cooked. Add to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients.

Cook on low 8 -10 hours or high 4-6 hours. Adjust seasoning as desired.

Enjoy with GF cornbread and grated cheddar cheese!