Southern and GFCF

Happy 2012

2012-02-10T08:57:00.003-05:00

Hi everybody. I just wanted to say hello and take a minute to post something, so that this blog won't be deleted. I hope everyone is finding something helpful here. Do you have any requests?

I'll be back with more recipes in a few days. xo

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

2011-06-15T19:10:00.003-04:00

1 large chicken breast, cut into strips
water
salt

2 1/4 cups water
1 cup rice
2 teaspoons GF chicken base paste (or 4 GF chicken boullion cubes, crush 2 of them)
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine

6 small or 4 large baby portobello mushrooms, chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons GF constarch
1 cup CF milk

Place chicken breast strips in salted water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until fork tender. Remove from heat. Do not discard broth.

Bring 2 1/4 cups water, 1 teaspoon chicken base paste (or 2 chicken boullion cubes), and margarine to a boil. Stir in rice, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 21 minutes. Remove from heat.

Saute chopped mushrooms in extra virgin olive oil and margarine over med./low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 teaspoon chicken base paste (or 2 crushed chicken boullion cubes) and cornstarch. Increase heat to med./meat high and gradually add milk. Stir frequently until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat.

When rice is cooked, chop cooled and cooked chicken strips into small pieces and stir into cooked rice. Stir in mushroom sauce. Place heaping helpings of rice mixture into a bowl and ladel in warm strained chicken broth. Stir well. Add more or less broth/rice for desired thickness. Serves 2.

Buttery and Creamy Grits

2011-06-15T19:05:00.002-04:00

2 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon Ghee clarified butter
2/3 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free - Polenta - Corn Grits*
salt and pepper

Bring water, Ghee, and salt and pepper (to taste) to a boil over med. high heat. Stir in 2/3 cup grits. Stir well. Reduce heat to very low (between low and off on our stove), cover, and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and to distribute the water and Ghee. Remove from heat but leave covered for 5 additonal minutes. You may stir in additonal warm salted water to reach desired thickness. Serves 4.

~ My Grandmothers would be so proud that I finally got grits right! This method produces creamy and delicious grits that are not gritty. ~

*Bob's Red Mill uses only non-GMO corn.

Appetizers

2011-02-23T17:32:00.009-05:00

A friend recently asked me if there were any appetizers she could prepare for us for a short visit we had planned at her home. I thanked her and told her not to go to any trouble as I always have gfcf snacks for my daughter whenever we are away from home for an extended period of time.

Out of curiosity I Googled gfcf appetizers just to see what is out there, in case she had possibly done the same thing.

A few suggestions:

~ Kabobs - Meats and vegetables are gfcf. Make sure your marinade does not contain malt or maltodextrin or caramel color. Many brands list allergens on their labels. Make sure there is no "food starch" listed on the items you purchase unless it is specified that it is corn starch. Fleischmans's unsalted margarine is CF, as are other oils. Many Wishbone salad dressings do not contain gluten.

You can use pepperoni with vegetables marinated in a GFCF Italian dressing for Italian kabobs, cooked or uncooked.

~ Deviled Eggs

~ Deli Meat roll-ups: These are great. You can sprinkle garlic salt on your mayo and/or mix minced garlic and onions in it. You can use strips of red bell pepper, scallions (green onions), etc. Make sure your ingredients are very cold when you roll your wraps into cigar-like shapes (Boston/Bibb lettuce is great for this) and chill thoroughly if you are going to slice them into coin shaped servings, affixed with a toothpick.

~ BLT stacks - You can make mini single serving sized bites using lettuce, tomato, bacon and mayo, secured with a toothpick. Use a very small biscuit or cookie cutter to help with portion size if you need to.

~ Mixed nuts

~ Chex Mix using GF Chex cereals

~ Mini quiches/frittatas cooked in stainless steel mini muffin tins.

~ Mini pizzas and finger sandwiches:

There are GFCF products that can help make appetizer preparation easier, such as: GF tortilla chips, GF pizza crusts (cut into smaller sizes for mini pizzas), Daiya vegan cheese shreds are delicious and are GFCF.

Udi's GF bread can be used for finger sandwiches and mini toasts. Both chicken and ham salad recipes are traditionally GFCF.

These are just a few things off of the top of my head. As I think of more, I will add them to this blog.

Hoppin' John

2011-01-04T12:16:00.003-05:00

This is another one of those "Holiday Dishes" that we will be having throughout the year. This recipe is modified from a HJ recpie at Tasty Kitchen by MissAmy.

1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas
8 cups water, divided
3 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 smoked ham hock
6 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, uncooked
chicken broth (optional)

Place peas, 6 cups water, salt and pepper, and ham hock in a large covered pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until peas are tender, 1 1/2 - 2 hours. 30 minutes before the peas are done, fry bacon until crispy, and drain on paper towels. Saute chopped onion in bacon grease until tender but do not discard the grease. When peas are done, carefully remove the ham hock. Add crumbled bacon, sauteed onions and bacon grease, rice, and 2 cups hot water. Mix well and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pot. If you wish to add more liquid to your Hoppin' John serving, add a few tablespoons of chicken broth. This works especially well when re-heating left-over servings that have been refrigerated.

Cheesy Peas + Casserole Idea

2010-11-28T13:45:00.004-05:00

12 oz. frozen organic baby sweet peas
2 tablespoon GFCF margarine, divided
1/4 cup water
salt
pepper
GFCF Cream of Cheese Soup

Bring peas, water, margarine, salt and pepper to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes. Drain. Add 1 tablespoon GFCF margarine and stir until melted. Add Cream of Cheese Soup and blend well. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6.

~ I think this would be even better with GFCF cheddar crackers (I don't have a recipe for them) crumbled over the top and then baked in a lightly greased baking dish until crackers are lightly browned. And perhaps also doubled, with the addition of Cream of Mushroom soup instead of doubling the Cream of Cheese soup. This recipe is inspired by a very old asparagus and sweet pea casserole. ~

Cream of Cheese Soup

2010-11-28T13:38:00.002-05:00

GFCF Cream of Cheese Soup

1/2 cup Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine
1/2 cup GFCF milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon GFCF chicken boullion powder or paste
salt
pepper

Sprinkle cheese shreds into melted margarine. Season with salt and pepper and stir over med-med/low low heat until melted. Add milk, cornstarch, and boullion. Increase heat to boiling, whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

Cream of Celery, Chicken, and Mushroom Soups

2010-11-24T13:55:00.004-05:00

GFCF Cream of Celery Soup

1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine
1/2 cup GFCF milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon GFCF chicken boullion powder or paste
salt
pepper

Season celery with salt and pepper and saute in margarine over low heat until tender. Add milk, cornstarch, and boullion. Increase heat to boiling, whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

GFCF Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 cup cooked chicken, finely chopped
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine
1/2 cup GFCF milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon GFCF chicken boullion powder or paste
salt
pepper

Season chicken with salt and pepper and toss in melted margarine over low heat until heated through. Add milk, cornstarch, and boullion. Increase heat to boiling, whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

GFCF Cream of Mushroom Soup

6 baby portobello muchrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine
2 teaspoons exra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup GFCF milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon GFCF chicken boullion powder or paste
salt
pepper

Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and saute in margarine and extra virgin olive oil over low heat until done. Add milk, cornstarch, and boullion. Increase heat to boiling, whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

Chicken Tetrazinni

2010-11-24T13:19:00.005-05:00

*This dish requires a lot of prep but it is so worth it, at the very least for Thanksgiving and Christmas. :) *

2 tablespoons GFCF margarine
1 med. chopped onion
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons GFCF flour mix
1 1/2 cup GFCF milk
6 oz. GFCF spaghetti, cooked
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 1/2 cups Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds, divided
GFCF cream of mushroom soup (see recipe below)
GFCF cream of celery soup (see recipe below)
2 oz. chopped pimentos, drained
3 tablespoons Galaxy Vegan Parmesan Topping
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt

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GFCF Cream of Mushroom Soup

6 baby portabella muchrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup GFCF milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon GFCF chicken boullion powder or paste
salt
pepper

Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and saute in margarine and extra virgin olive oil over low heat until done. Add milk, cornstarch, and boullion. Increase heat to boiling, whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

GFCF Cream of Celery Soup

1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine
1/2 cup GFCF milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon GFCF chicken boullion poweder or paste
salt
pepper

Season celery with salt and pepper and saute in margarine over low heat until tender. Add milk, cornstarch, and boullion. Increase heat to boiling, whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic seasoned with salt and pepper in margarine until tender. Add GFCF flour and cook over med-low heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk and cook over med-med/low heat until thick and bubbly, stirring frequently. Season with garlic salt. Stir in chicken, pasta, and 3/4 cup cheddar shreds. Mix well. Add GFCF cream soups, pimentos, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix well. Pour into lightly greased 8 x 8 baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup cheddar shreds evenly over top. Bake for 25 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Chicken Cornbread Dressing

2010-11-24T12:53:00.007-05:00

*This is a much improved version of the CCBD recipe posted previously.*

Cornbread Base

3/4 package Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix
1 small-med. onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 1/4 cup GFCF milk (add 1/4 cup more if batter is thick, like cookie dough)
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly combine ingredients and pour batter into a greased 8 x 8 baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees, or until golden brown on top and bottom. Cool completely.

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4-5 slices Udi's Gluten-Free Whole Grain bread (end slices work best), torn into small pieces
2 cups cooked, diced chicken breast
5-6 cups chilled chicken broth (increasing as needed until ingredients first appear soupy
1 egg, beaten
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a very large bowl, crumble thoroughly cooled cornbread. Add bread pieces, chicken, broth, 1 beaten egg, and an additional 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix just enough to combine ingredients. Pour into lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes at 400 degrees. Serves 10-15.

Tender Juicy Baked Ham

2010-11-20T14:25:00.003-05:00

This is my recipe for fall-off the bone, tender, juicy, smoked, baked ham.

6 pound semi-boneless smoked ham, half
Stainless steel covered roaster

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place ham, pink side down, in roaster and cover tightly. Bake for 1 hour. Reduce heat to 200 degrees and bake for 6 hours. Turn oven off, but do not open the door. Leave covered roaster in oven for 1 hour. Remove roaster from oven but do not open it. Let sit for 45 minutes. Slightly open the roaster and allow ham to rest for at least 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Healthy Top GFCF Whipping Cream!!

2010-07-30T19:05:00.002-04:00

It's here!

CLICK

Fried Okra

2010-07-11T17:31:00.006-04:00

1 bag frozen cut okra (not whole pods)
1/2 cup (or more, if needed) Bob's Red Mill GF Cornbread Mix
salt
pepper
oil for deep frying

Place frozen okra in a large shallow bowl and allow to partially thaw (just until the pieces are moist) at room temperature. Toss with BRM GF cornbread mix, salt and pepper to coat. Carefully place coated pieces into hot oil and cook until golden brown. Drain. Salt to taste.

~ I would venture to guess that you could moisten fresh cut okra with water before tossing with the CB mix, or even coat fresh cut okra with an egg mixture before coating with the CB mix. ~

Better Battered Cubed Steak

2010-07-03T17:45:00.007-04:00

Cubed steaks
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
Pepper
GFCF Flour Mix
Oil

Cut cubed steaks into strips in the opposite direction that they were cubed. Season on both sides with Lawry's Seasoned Salt and pepper. Coat with flour mix on all sides. Cook in heated oil until done, turning strips as necessary.

~ Cutting the steaks into strips - against the grain - makes them so much more tender! ~

Flour Mix Update

2010-07-03T17:37:00.004-04:00

I am now using Carol Fenster's Sorghum Flour Blend mix exclusively for all recipes that call for flour: Carol's Gluten-Free Flour Blends

I use Sorghum Flour Blend (#3) and I omit the 4th ingredient.

This blend, minus the 4th ingredient, is featured in the Carol Fenster's 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes cookbook that I purchased in September 2009.

Cherry Crumble

2010-07-03T15:23:00.005-04:00

1 large can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
1/2 pkg. Bob's Red Mill GFCF Vanilla Cake Mix
1 stick Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
GFCF non-stick spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8 x 8 square baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour cherry pie filling into the dish. In a bowl, combine melted buttery stick with BRM GFCF cake mix. Crumble the buttery cake mix mixture evenly on top of cherries. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely. Serves 6-8

~ This recipe is adapted from a recipe from our dear friend, Molly, in Florida. Could this be any easier? 3 ingredients! OK, 4 counting the non-stick spray. :) Feel free to use the fruit pie filling of your choice - apples, blueberries, etc. ~

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY, EVERYBODY! :)

Fabulous Find - EcoFriendly Travel Cup

2010-06-17T23:04:00.017-04:00

THIS is my new favorite travel/sippy cup for Miss B. It is also available in dark purple (in the pic - on my computer - it appears to be blue, but it is purple). It's made for runners, but I think it's just about perfect for Miss B. (I put the carabiners in the junk drawer. Ya never know when you might need a carabiner.)

You may have already read that we've gone organic? Well, for us, that also means no more juice boxes. I read recently that some of them have tested positive for lead but the fact that they are lined with aluminum is enough for me. Same thing with broth boxes! So, I went in search of new sippy cups for Miss B since we wouldn't be purchasing the oh-so-convenient juice boxes anymore. (I confess that I am in Juicy Juice Punch withdrawal.)

What I like most about these cups, other than the fact that they are BPA free, 5% of sales of the pink cups go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and the fact that they are spill-proof is that the straws are Miss B proof. They are soft! The top portion of the straw is soft and the bottom portion (the portion below the lid) is hard. Twist the top of the cap and the soft portion of the straw folds over and the lid is sealed shut.

Miss B has destroyed so many sippy cup straws. It is unreal. We have so many cups with matching lids, but no tight-fitting straws for them. I don't even want to think about how many of them contained BPA!

Miss B hasn't even tried to chew on these straws. They are kinda short when fully extended, so that may have something to do with it. :) But anyway, I found these cups at Kroger in the seasonal items area. I think they were around $8. The only downside is they are NOT dishwasher safe. I purchased two of them.

Check 'em out if you see them anywhere. If you know someone who is a straw chewer/destroyer, this might be just the thing for them.

You can order these and similar products online Here and Here.

GFCF and...Organic

2010-06-11T19:58:00.002-04:00

We are jumping in the deep end ($$$) and purchasing all organic items this month. And that means, among other things, grass-fed organic beef. It is going to be so expensive but after watching Food, Inc. and reading This Story, I am convinced, and I refuse to put any more stuff into Miss B's body. She doesn't need animal antibiotics or growth hormones. She has been through too much already.

This may mean that I have to drastically reduce my portion sizes of meat, or cut out meat altogether from my diet, but that's OK. Miss B is worth it.

We just got back from the Health Food Store with Applegate Farms: ham for sandwiches, bacon, and hotdogs - organic and nitrate-free.

I can hardly wait to see Miss B's beautiful eyes and face tomorrow when she has nothing going into her mouth but 100% certified organic products.

We hope you all have a very nice weekend.

Spaghetti Carbonara

2010-05-22T16:54:00.012-04:00

I apologize in advance to all those who are soy-free. The spaghetti pasta I use is made with soy, potatoes, and rice. I tried this dish with corn pasta and rice pasta and I did not like it. The parmesan cheese used in this recipe is also made from soy.

1 12 oz. pkg. Bionaturae GF Spaghetti -- alternate pkg. photo
1 med. onion, finely chopped (I prefer a sweet onion for this recipe)
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4-5 slices GFCF bacon, uncooked, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine
2 eggs, beaten
salt
pepper
garlic salt
1 tablespoon Galaxy Foods Vegan GFCF grated Parmesan cheese (our container is purple)

Beat eggs in a small bowl. Set aside.

Into a large skillet or dutch oven, place chopped onion, garlic, bacon pieces and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Cover and saute over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the garlic to brown.

In a medium saucepan cook pasta in salted water, adding 1 tablespoon margarine, for 13 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain but do not rinse. Immediately pour the pasta into the pot of onions, garlic, and bacon. Then, immediately drizzle the beaten eggs over the top of the hot pasta. Cover for 2 minutes. Stir and then cover for another 2 minutes. Remove lid and continue stirring, if necessary, until the eggs are cooked. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top and stir. Season to taste with garlic salt. Serves 4

~ This is another one of those dishes that I was resigned to never having again until I tried it with the soy-potato-rice pasta and a drastically reduced portion of the Vegan brand Parmesan cheese. I think I went wrong all those times before by using the same amount of Vegan Parmesan cheese that I was using with real Parmesan cheese. The Vegan Parmesan cheese seems so much more concentrated to me, but I digress, I am not a big fan of soy cheese. ~

Bread Pudding

2010-05-19T20:03:00.005-04:00

6-8 slices Udi's GF Whole Grain Bread, cubed *
2 cups GFCF milk
4 large eggs
1 cup pure cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

*If the bread slices are compact and you prefer bread cubes without crusts, you may want to use more than 6 slices.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 2 to 2 1/2 qt. casserole dish. Place bread cubes in baking dish. In a bowl, mix or whisk remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour over bread cubes to cover completely, pressing bread cubes into liquid as necessary. Let stand for 10-15 minutes. Place lid on baking dish (do not use aluminum foil) and bake 35-40 minutes. Remove lid and bake 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes (while you prepare the glaze). Pour cinnamon glaze evenly over top, or spoon over individual servings. Serves 8.

Cinnamon Glaze

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons GF cornstarch
2/3 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Add margarine and lemon juice. Stir until smooth.

~ If you want to toss 1/2 cup of raisins on top of the bread cubes at the beginning of the recipe, go ahead. We don't like them. Please don't hold it against me. ;) ~

Strawberries, Fruits & Veggies Info.

2010-05-12T18:11:00.003-04:00

Environmental Working Group's list of 47 fruits and veggies, ranked by pesticide load:

List

Tips

Non-Organic Strawberries Alert

Summer Squash with Vidalia Onions

2010-05-06T11:56:00.012-04:00

* Must be prepared in a large non-stick skillet with a lid. Please do not even attempt this recipe in a regular skillet.

2 - 2 1/2 pounds small yellow (summer) squash
1 med./large Vidalia (or sweet) onion, chopped
3 tablespoons GFCF margarine
salt
pepper

Thoroughly wash squash, trim ends, and slice into rounds just under 1/4 inch thick. Place margarine into the middle of a large non-stick skillet. Place squash rounds and chopped onions into the skillet. Generously season with salt and pepper. Cover.

- My stove dial settings range from low, 1 through 9, and high. 5 is medium. 8 is med./high. 2 is med./low. -

With skillet covered, turn heat to just above medium-low (3 on my stove) and cook for 15 minutes. Remove lid and turn squash and onions over in sections. Cover, reduce heat to med./low (2 on my stove) and cook for 15 more minutes. Stir.

Now comes the part where you cannot leave the skillet unattended...

Remove lid and turn heat up to just below high (9 on my stove). Gently press squash and onions down to completely cover the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the liquids begin to evaporate and the squash and onions begin to caramelize, for approximately 4-5 minutes. Turn over squash and onions in sections, press down and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat this 2-3 minute process 2-3 more times, reducing heat to Med./high (8 on my stove), turning squash and onions over in sections each time, until the squash and onions reach the desired level of golden brown goodness - caramelization. When the desired color has been reached, remove the skillet from the heat and partially cover the skillet with the lid. (Do not completely cover the skillet with the lid - the squash and onions will dry out and become tasteless.) After 10 minutes, stir completely, being sure to scrape any bits off of the bottom of the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6-8

~ This is another one of those recipes I tried for years to perfect. I was able to achieve the desired taste almost immediately, but the consistency of the squash and onions was mush. Using this technique, I am able to see portions of the squash rounds and still enjoy the caramelized deliciousness of the squash and onions. I do not recommend using a regular (non-sweet) onion in this recipe as the end result will taste very different. If you don't have a sweet onion, simply prepare the squash according to this recipe, without onions. ~

Udi's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread

2010-04-11T20:28:00.004-04:00

Oh my goodness! I learned about this bread a few weeks ago from MaconMom on Twitter and recently I found out that our favorite health food store carries it.

What can I say about this bread without sounding silly and ridiculous?

This bread made me cry happy tears. I just had two small ham sandwiches for the first time in months that didn't make me reconsider sandwiches as a meal option. THIS BREAD is so soft and delicious and not spongy.

Once again, our life regains a little more normalcy. First it was Carol Fenster's recipes, and now it is this bread.

I told the clerk at the store that I would see them in a month (I purchase enough food to last a month because they are quite a distance from us) unless the Udi's bread was as good as everyone said. I told him we'd be back for more if it was (I only purchased two loaves). He laughed and said, "OK then, we'll be seeing you soon."

No doubt.

Udi's Gluten Free Products

Udi's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread

Where to Find Udi's Products in Your Area

I also purchased a package of Udi's Lemon Streusel Muffins. We will try those tomorrow and I will post a review.

This is the best GFCF sandwich bread I have ever had. God Bless Udi and MaconMom and Yvonne's.

Ham Ball

2010-03-22T10:37:00.010-04:00

16 oz. GFCF cream cheese (such as Tofutti)
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
8 oz. sliced GFCF ham, chopped

Mix together well and form into the shape of your choice. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate until set. Serve with your favorite GFCF crackers or breadsticks.

~ The GFCF version of this recipe is inspired by a Paula Deen Cream Cheese contest currently in progress Here. Make sure your sweetheart has some of this dip, too, because it will definitely give you onion breath! :) ~

Non-Southern Green Beans

2010-03-14T15:19:00.004-04:00

So, I have to tell you the backstory for this recipe first.

A week and a half ago I went bounding out of bed at 2 a.m. on a quest to get more Melatonin for Miss B, who had not slept in over 48 hours. Instead of moving the baby gate (which was propped in the doorway - not locked into the doorway), I attempted to step over it, which I have done successsfully many, many times.

Really, I have.

Call it sleep deprivation, exhaustion, laziness, whatever you will, but my right foot did not clear the baby gate and I went down, hard, on my left elbow and the base of my left hand. Still today, I cannot use a manual or electric can opener.

Those regular sized cans with pop-top lids, that I was actually able to find, are twice as expensive as regular cans twice their size. But I digress. We simply have to have canned peaches and tomatoes. And I thought - green beans, too. I looked in three grocery stores and found not one single pop-top can of green beans.

Being a Southern Girl I have witnessed many fine cooks preparing fresh green beans, or snap beans as they are often referred to in our part of the world. But I have never attempted to cook them myself. Since green beans are a required food in my life, in the final grocery store I hurried over to the produce dept. where I chose a bag of fresh organic green beans.

So today I was thinking about those green beans, and green beans that I have had in non-Southern restaurants before and I really wanted to have that flavor instead of the green beans I usually prepare with smoked ham. I turned to Google for help and I found several recipes for green beans that did not include bacon or ham. What follows is what I came up with, based on several recipes that just did not give me the desired effect until I took them a little farther. This is my green bean recipe exactly as it happened, necessity being the mother of invention and all...

(And, yes, I do have a small container of bacon grease in my refrigerator at all times.)

1 1/2 pounds fresh organic green (snap) beans
water
salt
pepper
pure cane sugar
Earth Balance organic buttery spread
bacon grease

Remove the ends from the green beans and cut into smaller pieces, or leave whole. Rinse well in a colander. Put the green beans into a pot with enough water to cover them. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to med-med. low. Cook for 7 minutes. Drain in a colander, but do not rinse. Into the empty, still hot pot, put 1 tablespoon Earth Balance organic buttery spread, 1 tablespoon bacon grease, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pure cane sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. When melted and combined, put green beans back into the pot, stir to coat well, cover, and simmer over med. low to low heat for 10 minutes, stirring 3-4 times to completely coat the beans with the delicious juices every time. (What I noticed at this point was that some of the thinner green beans had begun to shrivel, but the thicker beans had not and were not quite the consistency I wanted, so I let them simmer, covered for 2 more minutes. I have no idea how those restaurants achieve the cosnistency and flavor they do without the beans shriveling, but I wish I did!) Remove from heat and toss the beans again to redistribute the juices. Serve with a slotted spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Do not drain the liquid out of the pot! If you go back for more, stir the beans to coat well with the juices each time.) Serves 4-6.

~ These would probably be very good with thinly sliced sweet onions added during the last 10 minutes of the cooking process, though I have not tested this theory. ~

Tangy Potatoes

2010-03-02T13:03:00.006-05:00

2 medium red or Yukon gold potatoes, skin on
4 tablesppons GFCF mayonaise (trust me)
salt
pepper
green (spring) onions, chopped

Bake or microwave potatoes in glass baking dish until done. Place potatoes in a wide bowl such as a pasta bowl. Mash with a fork to open the cooked potatoes. Drop dollops of GFCF mayonaise over the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Blend well. Garnish with green onions. Serves 2.

~ Now I know the thought of mayo in potatoes may not seem appetizing to some of you, but trust me; these potatoes have a sour cream-y, lemon-y flavor and the green onions advance them to an even more delicious level.

I was a little girl when I first saw my Aunt put mayo and milk on potatoes while making mashed potatoes and I thought "gross!". Until I tried them. I think she must have used mayo because Grandma didn't have any butter in the fridge. What a geat substitution this turned out to be. :) ~

Better Than Boullion Organic Bases

2010-02-23T13:48:00.005-05:00

Better Than Boullion Organic Chicken Base and Organic Beef Base are so good, so full-bodied, so cooked-all-day-long delicious, I may never go back to GFCF boullion packets again!

Better Than Boullion Try them. :)

I have seen both the chicken and beef base jars at Publix and Kroger, as well as our favorite health food store.

Here is their Frequenty Asked Questions page.

Better Vegetable Beef Soup

2010-02-23T13:23:00.010-05:00

1 small smoked ham hock (or smoked turkey)
28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons GFCF ketchup
3 cups water (or GFCF chicken broth/vegetable broth) **
2-3 tablespoons Better Than Boullion organic beef base (2 - if diluting with broth)
16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
2 potatoes, diced (if mixed vegs pkg. does not contain them)
*1 tablespoon pure cane sugar (optional)

Place ham (or turkey) in the center of a large pot or dutch oven. Blend beef base with a small amount of veg. or chicken broth. Add to pot, along with remainder of ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover. Gradually reduce heat to low. Simmer for one hour. Ladle soup into bowl and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

*I seasoned the ingredients with salt and pepper before I remembered that the beef base is salted. I added sugar in an effort to remedy that, but you may find that it is necessary even if you don't add extra salt to the ingredients.

~ This is soooo much better than the original vegetable beef soup recipe that I posted when I first started this blog. I am almost tempted to remove the first one. Miss B likes this recipe a lot better too, judging by the two pasta bowls-full she just eagerly consumed. (She really misses Campbell's ABC soup. Poor thing!) ~

** EDIT: Someone emailed me to ask why I included chicken/vegetable broth instead of just entirely the boullion base(s) diluted with water in this recipe. Good question! I had some boxed chicken broth in my pantry, left over from before I discovered the boullion bases, and some broth from green beans and potatoes that I made over the weekend in the refrigerator, so I just typed the ingredients that I actally used. But yes, feel free to use only the bases diluted with water instead of broths, if you like. I'm sure that was really confusing! Thanks reader. :) It has been a very long time since I used water as a liquid ingredient for soup. I have always used chicken broth or leftover veg. broth, even with boullion cubes/packets. I guess that comes from watching so much Rachael Ray, "adding layers of flavor." :)

Healthy Top™ Whipping Cream update

2010-02-23T09:37:00.007-05:00

Mimicreme Updates

...In addition, Spring will also see the much anticipated release-- HOORAY!-- of our Healthy Top Whipping Cream. (Phew, that was hard-- way hard!!)

Healthy Top will be the first truly Non-Dairy, Non-Soy Whipping Cream made without fractionated (or partially hydrogenated) oils and it will not contain any hidden caseinates...

Ooooh, I can hardly wait for this! :)

July 1, 2010 UPDATE (It's here!): CLICK HERE!

Oven Roasted Carrots

2010-02-18T12:32:00.008-05:00

2 pounds carrots, scraped and trimmed (not pre-packaged baby carrots*)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

*Baby carrots are actually processed Imperator carrots. Imperators are bred to grow faster and ripen quickly. They have only 70% of the beta carotene found in non-processed carrots.

Choose carrots that are close to uniform in size from top to bottom, or, cut carrots in half and then cut larger portions lengthwise, as necessary, until all pieces are approximately the same thickness.

In a glass baking dish or stainless steel baking pan, toss carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange carrots in a single layer. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes. I prefer 50 minutes cooking time. (If the ends start to brown (caramelize), you probably won't be sorry. :) ) They will shrivel, and also shrink in size quite a bit. Let cool for at least 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6

~ This recipe was life-changing for me. Seriously! I never knew carrots could be so good. The finished product is to me pretty much lke McDonald's french fries were - irresistible, can't-stop-eating-untl-they-are-gone, crave them daily, etc. If I weren't afraid of turning orange (which can happen, you know) I would have them every single day of my life. So, if you try them and your life changes because of them, don't say I didn't warn you. ;) ~

Oven Roasted Vegetables

2010-02-18T12:04:00.006-05:00

1 pound yellow squash, sliced
1 pound zucchini squash, sliced
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, diced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
GFCF lemon pepper

Place vegetables in a large glass baking dish or stainless steel baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Toss to coat well. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then stir to completely coat with drippings. Use a slotted spoon (to drain excess oil) to serve. (I usually put a few clean dish towels under one side of the dish/pan so that it is at an incline, to aid in the draining process.) Serves 6-8

~ I find myself going back to these basic roasted vegetables so very often. If I don't have any squash, sometimes I just roast potatoes. If I don't have zucchini squash or potatoes, sometimes I will just roast yellow squash and onions - though my favorite method for preparing squash and onions is in a non-stick frying pan, with GFCF margarine. (More on that later.) Sometimes it just seems easier to put veggies in the oven and let the magic happen there. ~

Favorite Thing ~ Earth Balance Organic Buttery Spread

2010-01-24T06:31:00.004-05:00

Earth Balance Organic Buttery Spread is absolutely divine. It has the buttery flavor Fleischmann's unsalted margarine does not have and it is not as concentrated as Ghee. And, unlike Ghee and Fleischmann's, Earth Balance Organic Buttery Spread is delicious when spread on your favorite foods - like muffins, or GFCF bread, or biscuits, or waffles.

Delicious Rice

2010-01-23T20:18:00.006-05:00

2 cups GFCF chicken broth
1 packet (or cube) GFCF chicken boullion
2 tablespoons Ghee (or 2 tablespoons GFCF margarine*)
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup extra long grain rice

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil. Add rice. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low/simmer for 21 minutes. Remove from heat and remove lid. Let stand (do not stir) for 5 minutes.

* Fleischmann's Unsalted Sticks or Earth Balance Organic Buttery Spread

Banana Walnut Muffins

2010-01-23T19:56:00.006-05:00

1 large egg, beaten well
1/3 cup GFCF milk
1/3 cup pure cane sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon GFCF vanilla
1 small, very ripe banana, mashed well

1 1/8 cup GFCF flour mix
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon xantham gum
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Mix first 6 ingredients well with a fork. Combine next 4 ingredients, mix well, and add to banana mixture. Mix well with a fork, add walnuts, and combine. Spoon evenly into paper lined muffin tins (1/3 cup batter per muffin) and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes. Makes 6 muffins.

~ These are especially delicious when spread with Earth Balance Organic Buttery Spread while warm. ~

Dr. King's Delicious Fried Chicken

2010-01-19T15:16:00.005-05:00

1 cut up fryer (or boneless skinless chicken breasts)
3 tablespoons salt
4 cups water
1-2 eggs, beaten
GF flour blend (enough for coating each piece)
pepper

Soak chicken pieces in enough salted water to completely cover them for 5 minutes. Drain well. Pour in beaten eggs and stir to coat each piece. Remove each piece, one at a time, and coat with lightly salted and peppered flour mixture on all sides. Fry until done.

~ This is the most delcious fried chicken I have ever eaten. For those of you who may think Dr. King uses a "brine" to soak the chicken in just for flavor - well you don't know Dr. King. :) He tells me that the salty brine also kills any bacteria that may have deposited itself into/onto the chicken during/after packaging. ~

And so with this recipe for this delicious southern delicacy, I say hello beautiful cyberspace! I've missed ya ever since the motherboard eater (AKA my old computer) bit the dust during the last weekend of November 2009. It has been so hard being without a computer, as I've become so accustomed to having one. I was so worried this blog would be deleted due to inactivity! Thanks to our beloved LI, NY friends, we are back, baby!! I hope your holidays were just lovely! See ya again real soon...

xo

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody! :)

2009-11-25T19:15:00.000-05:00

GFCF Pie Crust

2009-11-20T17:15:00.007-05:00

1/2 cup Carol Fenster's Sorghum blend *
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1 tablespoon pure cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup GFCF milk
1/2 teaspoon vinegar

Makes one 9-inch pie crust **

* Carol's Gluten-Free Flour Blends: Use Sorghum Flour Blend (#3). Omit the 4th ingredient. This blend, minus the 4th ingredient, is featured in the Carol Fenster's 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes cookbook that I purchased in September.

Pulse the first 8 ingredients in a food processor until crumbly, or combine with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Add milk and vinegar and blend until pastry forms a ball. Knead until smooth. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour. Very lightly, dust rolling pin and dough on both sides with rice flour and roll into a 10 inch circle. Place dough into a 9-inch non-stick pie pan or into a very lightly greased 9-inch pie pan and press into place. Trim and/or crimp the edges.

** To make an additional pie crust for the top of your pie, repeat this same recipe. After filling the pie with the filling of your choice, place second pie crust on top and press/crimp the edges of the two crusts together. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Brush the top with a beaten egg white + 1 tablespoon water. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pure cane sugar. Prick the crust with a fork several times before baking.

GFCF Buttermilk Pie

2009-11-20T16:44:00.004-05:00

1 1/2 cups pure cane sugar
1 cup GFCF buttermilk
1/4 cup Carol Fenster's Sorghum Blend flour mix *
1/4 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup GFCF margarine, melted
1 teaspoon GFCF vanilla extract
3 eggs

Combine ingredients and blend for 1 minute with a mixer. Pour mixture into lightly greased pie plate. Bake for 50 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes.

* Carol's Gluten-Free Flour Blends: Sorghum Flour Blend (#3) - omit the 4th ingredient. (This blend, minus the 4th ingredient, is featured in the Carol Fenster's 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes cookbook that I purchased in September.)

GFCF Whipping Cream

2009-11-20T14:37:00.009-05:00

TACA Whipping Cream Recipes

GFCF Diet Whipped Toppings

Mimicreme

Mimic Creme does not whip, but works well in recipes that call for whipping cream that is not to be whipped for the recipe. The manufacturers of Mimicreme will be releasing a new Product, "HEALTY TOP"™ in the next few months. According to their website, "Healthy Top (tm) will be a whip-able, non-dairy cream based on almonds and cashews", just like MimicCreme."

GFCF Caramel Cake

2009-11-19T21:41:00.005-05:00

On the site meter, I saw that someone out west was searching for a GFCF caramel cake recipe. There have been a lot of searches lately for speciality items - I am guessing because of Thanksgiving. So I am breaking with my usual way of posting recipes, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, and because caramel cake happens to be my second favorite cake of all time.

This is Carol Fenster's basic GF cake recipe: Carol Fenster's Basic Cake

It's not so different from Bobby Deen's (Paula Deen's son) recipe for the cake part of a caramel cake, other than CF uses 2 layers and BD uses 3 layers.

Personally, I would omit the lemon peel and also use an equal part of vinegar instead of lemon juice with GFCF milk (to make buttermilk) to make this cake for a caramel cake recipe. I just don't think lemons and caramel compliment each other, but that's just me. Be sure to substitute with GFCF margarine instead of butter or regular margarine, rice or almond milk as your non-dairy milk, and GFCF vanilla.

This is the recipe for Bobby Deen's Caramel cake: Bobby's Caramel Cake Recipe There are good reviews about it.

To make the filling and frosting GFCF, use rice or almond milk instead of milk, Mimicreme instead of cream, GFCF margarine instead of butter, and GFCF vanilla.

I have not tested this recipe, but I don't see any reason why these substitutions would not yield basically the same cake as Bobby Deen's.

So, to recap, we have Carol Fenster's Cake (with GFCF substitutions and vinegar instead of lemon) and Bobby Deen's filling and icing (with GFCF substitutions) combined to make a GFCF Caramel Cake.

I am looking forward to trying this recipe when we purchase more Mimicreme. In the meantime, I hope you all find this mishmash of two recipes helpful. And delicious.

Review: Carol Fenster's 1,000 GF Recipes

2009-11-17T15:17:00.005-05:00

After downloading individual recipes online for weeks and then later searching through the various GF and GFCF cookbooks available, as well as customer reviews, in September I decided to order Carol Fenster's 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes cookbook.

This book is as thick as a Family Bible and offers step by step instructions for delicious recipes as well as explanations of the hows and whys of GFCF ingredients and cooking.

While the cookbook is GF and not GFCF, Mrs. Fenster offers CF substitution suggestions in almost all of the recipes.

Last night I prepared the pepperoni pizza recipe. It was the first time I had ever tried to make a homemade pizza or pizza crust. It was out of this world delicious. Today I prepared her chicken fried steak with white gravy recipe. I am still in Heaven. Mrs. Fenster has single-handedly restored our household back to the delicious way it was before going GFCF. I feel like I used to when I first discovered how to make delicious Southern delicacies with my Grandmother -- excited about cooking for my family again. And, hold into your hats, I am going to make her white sandwich bread within the next couple of hours. I am not worried. I am not nervous. I believe this will be a success.

So, if you are thinking about buying a GFCF cookbook and you are confused as to which one to purchase, I wholeheartedly recommend Carol Fenster's 1,000 Gluten-Free recipes. It will make an excellent holiday gift for someone you know who is cooking for a GFCF household, or even for yourself if you are also GFCF.

Favorite Thing ~ Pamela's CC Cookies

2009-11-08T12:40:00.003-05:00

Pamela's Products' Gourmet GF Chocolate Chunk Cookies are soooo scrumptious. They are almost too good. I cannot eat just one. Ever!

Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

Comfort food at its finest.

INGREDIENTS: Flour Base (Brown Rice Flour, White Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, Sweet Rice Flour, Xanthan Gum); Organic Chocolate Chunks (Organic Natural Evaporated Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Paste, Organic Cocoa Butter, Non-GMO Soy Lecithin/emulsifier, Gluten-free Organic Vanilla. Chunks may contain traces of milk protein due to manufacturing equipment.)
; Monounsaturated Safflower Oil;Organic Natural Evaporated Cane Sugar; Eggs; Molasses; Gluten-free Natural Flavor; Non-GMO Soy Lecithin; Rice Syrup and Grape Juice; Sea Salt; Baking Soda; Xanthan Gum.

Buttery Mashed Potatoes

2009-11-07T20:25:00.011-05:00

This recipe includes optional onions or chicken broth.

4-5 small to med. red potatoes, unpeeled
1 large sweet onion, sliced into thin strips *
6 tablespoons GFCF margarine
salt
pepper

Bring whole potatoes to a boil in salted water. Reduce heat to med./med low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. With a large slotted spoon, carefully remove potatoes from water and place in a covered dish. Pour the hot water out of the pan and place margarine and onions into the pan. Cover and saute over very low heat until onions are translucent. Carefully add cooked potatoes, one at a time, to onions and margarine, and mash to achieve desired consistency. Repeat with each remaining potato and stir well. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6.

* These potatoes are just as good without the sauteed onions but I thought onions would be complimentary with potatoes as our meat entree today was ungrilled chicken. If you omit the onions, use the same directions but add the margarine after you've drained and mashed the potatoes. After the margarine has melted, add 1/2 cup GFCF chicken broth. Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper. The onions and/or the chicken broth make these potatoes really creamy.

{These are especially good if you use my Ghee and GFCF margarine combination - which is for this recipe - 3 tablespoons GFCF margarine + 1 1/2 tablespoons Ghee.}

Spaghetti With Tomato Based Sauce

2009-11-01T17:00:00.005-05:00

2 large (or 4 small) cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
12 oz. GFCF spaghetti noodles, uncooked
GFCF margarine
salt
pepper
garlic salt

In large skillet, saute onions and garlic seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic salt in olive oil over low heat until onions are translucent. Do not allow the garlic to brown. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste and blend well. Heat until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 25 minutes, bring water for the spaghetti to a boil. Add salt and 1 tablespoon GFCF margarine. Add spaghetti, return to boil stirring well, and reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to keep pasta separated. Drain spaghetti, rinse with hot water, and drain again. Into the empty but still hot pan, add two tablespoons GFCF margarine, 1 tablespoon garlic salt, and pepper. Add cooked spaghetti and toss well until margarine is melted. By this time the sauce should be ready, so add the buttery and garlic-y noodles to the sauce. Mix well, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Serves 4-6.

{I have never liked spaghetti sauce from a jar so I created my own sauce when I was in high school. This is the GFCF version of that recipe. I don't enjoy herbs, but feel free to add your favorites, and just consider this a base. We stopped including browned ground beef in our spaghetti a long time ago, but feel free to also use that in yours. I would suggest 1/2 pound for this recipe. I have tried using both brown rice spaghetti pasta and the rice/potato/soy spaghetti pasta in this recipe but lately I find myself using a combination of both. The extra sauce really helps disguise the taste of the GFCF pasta (vs. non-GFCF pasta). The package directions for the pasta call for a cooking time that is half the cooking time I use, but I never liked al dente pasta, even when it was not GFCF, and I certainly don't like al dente GFCF pasta. Feel free to adjust the cooking time of the pasta according to your preference.}

GFCF Buttermilk

2009-10-24T18:53:00.011-04:00

For one cup of buttermilk:

1 cup GFCF milk (soy, rice, almond)
1 tablespoon vinegar

Mix well and let stand for 10 minutes.

{When I first discovered that, YES, one can make GFCF buttermilk, I sang "Hallelujah!" It is a very important ingredient in the South.}

How I Use Ghee With Margarine

2009-10-24T18:27:00.003-04:00

Both of my grandmothers lived on farms. One churned fresh milk and made delicious butter. I was so disappointed in GFCF margarine because it lacked the buttery taste I have loved and cooked with all of my life.

When I first purchased Ghee as an alternative to GFCF margarine I was delighted to find that it did have a very buttery flavor, but I was put off by the overly concentrated butter flavor it brought to my recipes. My solution? I use both GFCF margarine and Ghee in recipes that call for butter or margarine. For example: If a recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of butter or margarine, I use 1 teaspoon GFCF margarine and 1/2 teaspoon Ghee. If a recipe calls for one stick of butter or margarine, I use 1/2 stick GFCF margarine and 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) Ghee. And so on. And now our GFCF life is light and buttery again. :)

(If you missed our previous discussion about Ghee vs. GFCF margarine, you can find it Here.

Scrumptious Steak (and optional baked potato)

2009-10-24T18:24:00.000-04:00

1 one-inch thick boneless ribeye * **
2 tablespoons GFCF margarine *
Lawry's (No MSG!) seasoned salt
GFCF Lemon Pepper
1 baked potato (optional) *

Put 1 tablespoon GFCF margarine into a small (just big enough to fully accomodate the steak) non-stick skillet. Heat to med./med.high. Swirl margarine so that it is completely covering the entire bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle seasoning salt and lemon pepper very generously over one side of the steak. Press down with the back side of the fork (do not prick) to make sure the lemon pepper does not fall off when you transfer the steak to the pan. Place steak seasoned side down into skillet. (Season the other side of the steak with seasoning salt and lemon pepper.) Cook for 4 minutes, 45 seconds (this is the amount of time to cook each side for steak that is pink in the middle, med. rare/med., but not draining pink. If you want med. rare that drains pink, cook for only 4 minutes each side), rotating the steak in the skillet 90 degrees after 2 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, turn the heat down to medium. Turn the steak over, making sure that margarine is completely covering the bottom of the pan first, and cook for 2 minutes. Rotate the steak 90 degrees and continue cooking 2 minutes, 45 seconds. Turn the heat down one number setting during the last 2 minutes, and to low during the last minute. Flip the steak over one more time to drain and cook the juices that have appeared, for about 15 seconds. Remove steak and place on a plate. Do not cut into the steak for at least 5 minutes.

Optional Baked Potato:

Into the cooked steak drippings in the non-stick skillet, add 1 tablespoon GFCF margarine and stir until melted. Gently place the baked potato into the skillet and mash with a plastic or wooden spatula, incorporating all the steak drippings, seasoning, and margarine into the potato. Salt and pepper to taste.

* For two steaks (and two baked potatoes), use a larger non-stick skillet (big enough to accomodate both, with space in between the steaks for even browning and cooking) and increase the margarine to 2 tablespoons each time it is called-for.

** For steaks that are thinner than one inch, I cook for 3 minutes, 45 seconds to 4 minutes each side.

{This is just a different take on grilled steak with baked potato. The steak is as delicious as grilled, perhaps even better because you don't have to deal with the outdoor grill at all. The idea for the baked potato came from the times I've had a steak and a baked potato on my plate and the steak drippings meandered into the potato. Of course, you can always stick with traditional GFCF margarined baked potato, if you like.}

Savory Squash and Tomatoes

2009-10-19T13:06:00.003-04:00

1 zucchini squash, sliced
4 small yellow squash, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
GFCF soy sauce
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place squash and onions in an even layer in an oven-safe square or round dish. (I used a pie plate.) Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Pour olive oil over vegetables and toss gently to coat each piece. Spoon one can of chopped tomatoes evenly over vegetable mixture. Do not stir. Drizzle a few drops of soy sauce over the tomatoes. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Remove from heat, stir, cover and bake for 15 more minutes. If desired, add more salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6.

{I had never seen a recipe for this combination of ingredients, but for some reason, today I thought the flavors might blend nicely. It was delicious!}

Homemade Flour Mixes ~ Totally Worth It

2009-09-27T14:14:00.015-04:00

Since our family went gluten-free on August 1, I have been using pre-packaged GFCF flour mixes: Bob's Red Mill Baking Mix and Bob's Red Mill Biscuit mix instead of homemade GFCF flour mixes. It wasn't until I tried Pamela's Gourmet GF cookies that I realized the unique (metallic ?) taste in BRM Mixes is so unnecessary. I can only surmise that this unique taste comes from the ground beans they use. I looked at the ingredients list on Pamela's GF cookies and noticed there are no bean flours, but rather combinations that include rice flours instead.

I did more research at TACA and was surprised to see that one of the contributors for the flour mix recipes page thinks rice flours (used in Bette Hagman's Feather Light recipe and Pamela's GF cookies) are gritty.

To me, regular flour seems very "light" so I decided to make a combination of Bette Hagman's Feather Light and the recipe the Taca author preferred - GF Flour Mix II. I omit the almond flour simply because it is so expensive.

Today I made my first from scratch recipe using my combo flour mix and it is just leaps and bounds better than Bob's Red Mill mixes, in my opinion. There is no weird taste or aftertaste and I detected no grittiness at all. I remain grateful to Bob's Red Mill mixes for helping me get started on this GFCF journey, and for also giving me that nudge I needed to actually make a flour mix. For, once I tasted Pamela's cookies, there was just no going back.

I must stress the importance of adding xantham gum to your recipes that call for GFCF flour, unless you want a cake that does not rise. I also noticed that cake recipes, instead of calling for 1 teaspoon of baking powder (for example), call for 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder AND 1/2 tsp. of baking soda.

I will edit the recipes I have posted thusfar to include flour mixes.

*** Update: November 20, 2009 ***

I am now using Carol Fenster's Sorghum Blend Flour Mix recipe exclusively for all recipes that call for flour: Carol's Gluten-Free Flour Blends

I use Sorghum Flour Blend (#3) and I omit the 4th ingredient. This blend, minus the 4th ingredient, is featured in the Carol Fenster's 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes cookbook that I purchased in September.

Grandma's Pound Cake

2009-09-27T12:42:00.009-04:00

2 1/2 cups pure cane sugar
1 cup Crisco shortening (not melted)
6 eggs
1/2 cup Mimic Creme (a GFCF cream substitute) *
3 cups sifted GFCF flour **
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. xantham gum

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs, one at a time. Add Mimic Creme and beat for 3 minutes. Add remaining dry ingredients in small amounts and mix well, until smooth. Pour into greased and GFCF floured tube or Bundt pan and bake @ 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Cool for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

* Mimic Creme does not whip, but the manufacturers will be releasing a new Product, "HEALTY TOP"™ in the next few months. According to their website, "Healthy Top (tm) will be a whip-able, non-dairy cream based on almonds and cashews, (just like our regular MimicCreme)."

When this product is released, I will test it and modify this recipe accordingly. But basically, the GFCF "whippped cream" will be folded into the batter just prior to pouring the batter into the pan. The amount required will increase to 1 cup (prior to whipping).

** GFCF flour: I use a combination of Bette Hagman's Featherlight and Taca's GF Flour Mix II. I omit the almond flour.

{This is the GFCF version of my Grandma's Pound Cake. I have never seen the original version of this recipe anywhere else. The aroma and flaky crust take me back to her dining room, every time.}

Fabulous Find ~ Tickle Bellies

2009-09-04T12:44:00.005-04:00

These are so cute! And there is so much more at Tickle Bellies

"Tickle Bellies is a fast growing stationery company that is becoming a top choice among stationery lovers from all across the United States and beyond. Their whimsical stationery is fun, colorful, affordable and full of happiness."

Snap (green) Beans & New (red) Potatoes

2009-09-03T17:26:00.011-04:00

1 28 oz. can cut green beans
1 small smoked ham hock (or large piece of smoked turkey)
3 medium red potatoes, diced but not peeled
2 cups water
Salt
Pepper

Place ham hock (or smoked turkey) in the middle of a large sauce pot. Pour green beans into pot. Add water and a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to almost low (#1 - not "low" on my stove), cover, and cook for 45 minutes. Add diced potatoes and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to almost low, cover and cook 15 minutes longer. Remove lid, and cool for at least 15 minutes. Serves 4-6.

* Save and refrigerate the liquid from this recipe to use in the Southern and GFCF Vegetable Beef Soup recipe. You'll be so glad you did!

{This is THE delicious recipe for those delicious green beans you've seen that have the small red potatoes in them. You can use 5-6 small whole red potatoes if you like, but be sure to add 10 minutes to the final cooking time. The green beans will be even better with the additional cooking time.}

GFCF Pastas

2009-09-03T13:12:00.015-04:00

Today I would like to take a minute and share my thoughts about GFCF pastas. I would love it if you would share your thoughts about it, too. I am not sure I have this GFCF "thing" down when it comes to pasta (or bread), to be honest.

First let me say (probably again) that I love, love, love pasta. There is hardly anything better to me than pasta simply cooked in chicken broth, or just cooked pasta tossed with butter and garlic salt. It's like bread - just add butter --> HAPPY.

The first GFCF spaghetti style pasta I tried was made from corn and I used it in a spaghetti carbonara recipe. It did not taste good and it seemed to dissolve in my mouth. Other than the dissolving thing, perhaps this pasta would be better in something like a chili-mac recipe? Corn + Chili = Yummy.

The second pasta I tried was organic brown rice pasta, in elbow macaroni style, with chicken and chicken broth. At first there was a distinct very slight bitter taste but it was gone the next day when we ate more as leftovers.

I tried the organic brown rice in spaghetti style in traditional spaghetti and it was just simply gross. I did forget to toss the spaghetti in (gfcf) margarine and garlic salt before I added it to the sauce. Maybe that is where I went wrong? A nice Italian lady told me organic brown rice pasta is the pasta her family prefers.

Lastly, I tried the rice-potato-soy pasta, spaghetti style, again in traditional spaghetti. I did toss it with gfcf margarine and garlic salt before I added it to the sauce and it was pretty darn good. Not exactly like non-gfcf pasta, but much better than corn or brown rice pasta. I found this pasta at Kroger - the brand is Bionaturae: http://www.bionaturae.com

I would love to know what you guys think about all the different gfcf pastas and combinations with different foods for different recipes that you have tried.

Ghee - A GFCF Alternative to Butter & Margarine?

2009-08-22T22:52:00.014-04:00

I purchased a jar of this last week but I haven't tried it yet. I asked about Ghee at one of my favorite Yahoo groups - GFCFKids. Some moms have posted that their children had casein reactions to it. Some moms have posted that their children did not react to it. After reading several posts, I think I will try it 50/50 with GFCF margarine and see if there are any changes, as was suggested by one of the GFCFKids' moms. I really miss the buttery flavor of butter. The GFCF unsalted Fleischman's margarine just doesn't have it, even when I add salt...

(For an update on this subject, click Here.)

Favorite Thing ~ Grandma's Dishes

2009-08-21T11:53:00.011-04:00

These are two pieces from my beloved Grandmother's dishes. They are not fancy. Her "fancy" dishes were stored in cupboards in the dining room and I never saw her use them. She had no china, no crystal, and no silver that I ever saw. She used these plates every day, and lovingly washed them by hand every day with her Ivory Liquid dish detergent. I never saw her use the sugar bowl, but I think maybe she and Grandaddy did before he passed away, during their very early morning moments with their coffee. I have no idea who manufactured these. There are no marks on them anywhere. To me they are so beautiful. They remind me of my Grandmother and her kitchen and all the profoundly delicious food she made for us. If I concentrate really hard, I can still smell the way her dining room smelled on Sunday afternoons... And, when not in use, no matter the time of day ~ the aroma in her dining room was that of her pound cake. When I get the GFCF version of that recipe perfected, I'll post it.

Fabulous Find ~ Single-Serving Bakeware

2009-08-21T10:41:00.007-04:00

I came across these pretty little dishes while searching for covered casserole dishes to use in the oven, instead of aluminum foil packets, and in the microwave, instead of plastic. I just love that they have an "old-fashioned" look and they are small enough for single servings. The dishes and lids are oven, microwave, and dishwasher-safe. From Anchor Hocking:

You can view the entire Bake "N" Store collection here on page 5.

Potato Salad

2009-08-21T03:19:00.009-04:00

2 eggs, boiled and chopped
4 med. potatoes, diced and cooked
2 tablespoons GFCF mayonaise
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
2-3 tablespoons dill pickle cubes/relish
Salt

Spoon mixture of mayonaise, mustard, and dill relish into cooled potatoes and eggs to gently coat. Salt to taste. Serves 4-6.

{This is my absolute favorite potato salad recipe.}

Pecan Pie

2009-08-21T02:40:00.008-04:00

3 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
3/4 stick GFCF margarine, melted
1 cup pecan halves or coarsely chopped pecans
1 prepared recipe GFCF pie crust, unbaked

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Blend first 4 ingredients well with a mixer. Fold in pecans. Pour into pie plate lined with prepared GFCF pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes.

{Nothing says "holidays" quite like a delicious pecan pie.}

Chilled Broccoli 'n' Cauliflower Salad

2009-08-21T01:59:00.016-04:00

1/2 purple onion, chopped
1/2 cup shredded GFCF cheddar cheese
1/2 cup GFCF mayonaise
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 pound GFCF bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup sunflower kernals
1 head broccoli, separated and cut into small pieces
1 head cauliflower, separated and cut into small pieces

Carefully place cauliflower and broccoli pieces in unsalted boiling water. Boil for 1 minute. Drain. Rinse with cold water until completely cooled.

Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Mix well. Toss in broccoli and cauliflower and coat well. Cover bowl and chill for a few minutes before serving. Serves 8-10, depending on the size of the broccoli and cauliflower.

{I don't care for raw onions but this recipe is the exception ~ from our dear friend, Melinda F. in Ohio.}

Brunswick Stew

2009-08-21T01:44:00.010-04:00

1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons GFCF margarine
2 cans GFCF chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
2 med./lg. potatoes, diced
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups cooked or canned corn, drained
2 cups cooked or canned english peas, drained
1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
20 oz. GFCF ketchup
4 oz. GFCF spaghetti, broken into small pieces, cooked

In a large soup pot, saute onions in margarine. Add broth, water, potatoes, and salt. Bring to boil and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Serves 8-10.

{This is the best Brunswick stew recipe I have ever seen written down. I worked on it for 3 years until I got it right ~ just like Granny Grace's.}

Grilled Chicken (minus the grill)

2009-08-21T01:24:00.010-04:00

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 cup GFCF Italian dressing
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
3 teaspoons honey

Place all ingredients in a large ziploc bag. Zip the bag, mix well and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Pour entire contents into a large non-stick skillet and cook over medium to medium-low heat until marinade becomes thick and caramelized - about 45 minutes, turning chicken strips every 10 minutes for the first 20 minutes, then every 5 minutes thereafter. Serves 4-6.

{I have seen this recipe referred to as a "Cracker Barrel" recipe.}

Vegetable Beef Soup

2009-08-21T01:08:00.018-04:00

1/2 pound ground chuck
1 med. onion, chopped
1 small smoked ham hock (or a large piece of smoked turkey)
2 packets GFCF beef bouillion
2 tablespoons GFCF ketchup
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (use 2 cans for more soup)
1/2 cup frozen English peas
1/2 cup frozen tiny lima beans
1/2 cup frozen field peas with snaps
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 small potato, diced
3 cups chicken broth (use 6 cups for more soup) *
Salt
Pepper

In a large soup pot (or dutch oven), brown ground beef. Add onions during last few minutes of browning. Drain. Place ham (or turkey) in the center of pot with beef and onions. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for one hour, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 8-10.

* Use the broth from the Southern and GFCF Snap Beans & New Potatoes Recipe in addition to chicken broth for a more delicious soup.

Delicious with Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread. (I find this cornbread is slightly sweet, so I add 1 teaspoon salt prior to baking.)

{This is just our standard go-to vegetable beef soup. Stew beef is just as delicious in it, though the initial cooking time would be longer than for the ground chuck, and I would use more than 1/2 pound. I usually cook stew meat in a pressure cooker for about 15 minutes before I put it in the soup pot. You can use any combination of vegetables that you would ordinarily like for your soup - just make sure that you have enough broth in the pot to cook them in. You will want more than just enough to cover the ingredients. You can also add 3/4 cup uncooked GFCF pasta or 1/2 cup uncooked rice during the last 30 minutes of cooking. If you don't have these frozen and fresh vegetables on hand, just use 2 large cans of GFCF mixed vegetables.}

Caramel Bars

2009-08-20T23:30:00.012-04:00

3/4 cup GFCF margarine, melted
16 oz. light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups GFCF flour mix *
1 teaspoon xantham gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. GFCF vanilla flavoring

* About GFCF Flour Mixes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream margarine, brown sugar, and eggs. Add flour mix, xantham gum, salt, nuts, and flavoring. Mix well. Pour into 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool thoroughly and cut into squares. Serves 8-10.

{These are so good! There isn't a word to describe how good they are. Maybe "scrumptious" comes close ~ from our precious friend, Mary H. in North Georgia.}