Skillet Lasagna

Gluten Free Skillet Lasagna

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1/2 onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 jar spaghetti sauce, gluten free of course

1 (8 oz) box spiral shaped pasta, gluten free

2 1/2 cups water

1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

In a large ovenproof skillet, brown beef, onion, and garlic. Drain fat. Add to skillet spaghetti sauce and heat for 2-3 minutes. Add pasta and water, stir and cover. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking for pasta doneness (It should be mostly done). Meanwhile, mix ricotta and Parmesan cheese.

Remove skillet from heat. Dollop the ricotta mixture on top of the pasta, creating little mounds. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top. Place the skillet in the oven and cook at 350 for 5-8 minutes, or until mozzarella cheese is melted.

I wanted lasagna the other night but didn't have lasagna noodles, hence my skillet creation. Just like gluten free lasagna, there is no precooking of the noodles. Don't worry about your sauce being runny from all the water, as it thickens when the pasta is cooked in it. Make sure to check the pasta often, so as not to overcook it. I made sure my pasta was still a little al dente when I added the cheese, because it continues to cook in the oven. I love ricotta, but I'm sure you could use cottage cheese as well. This made great leftovers, by the way.

Gluten Free Chili

Quick Yummy Chili

1 1/2 lbs ground beef or ground turkey

1 package Carroll Shelby's Chili seasoning (it's in a little brown paper sack)

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (8 oz) can filled with water

1 (10 oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes and chiles

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans

In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain fat. Add tomato sauce, water, Rotel, beans, and chili seasonings, except masa and cayenne pepper. Heat and stir. If desired, mix masa with 1/4 cup water and add to chili to thicken. Add the cayenne only if you like your chili very spicy. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and chopped green onions.

I seem to be a fan of seasoning packets, but it's because they are so easy. I love this little package of chili seasonings. It is the way chili was meant to taste. I emailed their rep to make sure of the gluten free status, it is. I find it at the local grocery store, but you can also order it online.

I love adding tomatoes and beans to my chili, and sometimes I also saute peppers and mushrooms with the ground beef. The chunkier, the better.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie

Mashed potatoes(I mash 5 large potatoes with butter and sour cream, but you can use instant)

1 1/2 lbs ground beef or ground turkey

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 tsp Italian seasoning

2-4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (14 oz) can Italian style diced tomatoes

1 (14 oz) can French cut green beans, drained

1 (14 oz) can corn, drained

Cheddar cheese

Make mashed potatoes and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes or until tender. Add ground beef and garlic salt. Cook until no longer pink. Drain fat. Add Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, tomatoes, green beans, and corn. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

In an ungreased bundt cake pan, spoon in meat and vegetable mixture. Dollop mashed potatoes over top, covering meat. Sprinkle on cheese.

Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

I like to use LOTS of mashed potatoes, because that's my favorite part. I didn't have any corn for the picture, but I would usually add it. You can also add other veggies, like grated carrots or celery or squash. I also like to use lots of Worcestershire sauce, because it gives it zip, but you don't have to. My mom used to make this when I was a kid, so it's comfort food for me. It doesn't even know it's gluten free.

Taco Salad

Taco Salad

1 1/2 lbs ground beef or ground turkey

1 packet Taco Seasoning (McCormick is GF)*

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, undrained

1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes

Lettuce

Shredded Cheese

Sour Cream

Guacamole

Salsa

Tortilla Chips

Brown ground beef, and drain off fat. Add taco seasoning, pinto beans, and tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes to let flavors blend.

Serve over lettuce and top with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and tortilla chips.

This is a recipe that we make all the time. The filling can be used over chips for nachos or in tortillas for burritos as well. In case you hadn't noticed, we eat a lot of Mexican food. And for good reason, most of it is naturally gluten free. Rice, beans, corn tortillas, meats, salsas. All good stuff.

*Make sure to check the label of your taco seasoning. So far the only gluten free brand I've found is McCormick.

Italian Roll-up Meatloaf

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Italian Roll-up Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef or ground turkey

1 small onion, diced

2 eggs

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2/3 cup spaghetti sauce

1 cup oats*

1 tsp italian seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic salt

4 oz thinly sliced ham

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

2/3 cup spaghetti sauce

Heat oven to 350. Line large cookie sheet with foil, and spray foil with nonstick spray.

In large bowl, mix ground beef, onion, eggs, parmesan cheese, 2/3 cup spaghetti sauce, oats, italian seasoning, and garlic salt. Pat out on foil into large rectangle, about 9 x 13 in size. Lay ham on top, and sprinkle cheese, leaving room around the edges, per picture 1. Lift foil at one end and begin rolling slowly, per picture 2. Once rolling is complete, pat down ends and cover any holes, per picture 3. Cut off some of extra foil. Drizzle remaining 2/3 cup spaghetti sauce over roll and bake 45-55 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting.

This is one of my favorite recipes! It sounds like a ton of work, but really isn't. The rolling part is very forgiving. If the meat mixture sticks to the foil, just pat it back on. If any cheese is showing after the roll, smoosh it down and cover with meat mixture. It will inevitably have melted cheese oozing out and not look very pretty, but that's okay, it still will taste great!

*Once again about the oats, if you cannot tolerate them, try using 1/2 cup potato flakes. I've used them and found no difference in taste.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 ¼ lbs ground beef or ground turkey
1 egg
1 envelope onion soup mix
¼ cup barbeque sauce
½ cup oats*
Sauce:
1 (15 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
¼ cup vinegar
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons corn starch
½ cup water
1 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks

Cooked rice

Heat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Combine meatball ingredients in medium bowl, mixing well. Form into about 20 meatballs. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until browned throughout.

Meanwhile, whisk together reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, and brown sugar in saucepan. In separate container, combine cornstarch and water, and pour into sauce pan. Heat until thickened. Add pineapple chunks and bell peppers and remove from heat.

Serve meatballs over rice, and ladle sauce on top.

*Oats do not contain gluten, but some people cannot tolerate them due to cross-contamination or otherwise. Out of the 3 celiacs in our family, 2 can eat oats. If you cannot, use potato flakes or grated parmesan cheese instead. It will have a slightly different flavor.

Enchilada Pie

I found the core of this recipe in a magazine, but tweaked it to fit my family. My husband loves it enough to eat it weekly, although I try not to make it that often. It makes a lot of food, but the leftovers are just as good. Check the labels on your enchilada sauce and tortillas, some contain gluten. If you can't find a canned gf encilada sauce, I use Las Palmas, buy a McCormick brand package. You just need to add water and tomato sauce to it.

Enchilada Pie

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 red or green pepper, chopped
1 package ground turkey, about 1 1/4 lbs
2 tsp ground cumin
1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes
1 can (20 oz) red enchilada sauce, divided in half
1 can (4 oz) green chiles
1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 corn tortillas
1 bag shredded cheddar jack cheese
Toppings: sour cream, guacamole, and salsa (optional)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and saute 3-4 minutes. Add turkey; cook, breaking up into chunks, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, tomatoes, half enchilada sauce, and chiles. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes to develop flavors. Remove from heat and add corn and beans.

Heat oven to 350.

Assemble enchiladas: Line bottom of a 9x13 pan with 4 tortillas, torn in large pieces. Top with half of meat mixture, then about one third of the cheese. Top with 4 more tortillas, and the other half of the meat mixture, and another third of cheese. Top with last 4 tortillas and pour the other half of the enchilada sauce over them.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle remaining cheese on it. Bake another 10 minutes until cheese melts.

Cool 5 minutes to let it set and serve with toppings, if desired.