toasted pumpkin seeds

I realize I should have posted this several days ago, as I imagine most other families may not wait so long to carve their pumpkins (we are doing ours tonight, so seed photo to follow).

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Detatch seeds from pumpkin pulp and rinse well. Coat seeds well in vegetable oil and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and bake until golden brown (400 degrees around 20 minutes on the top rack, check often).

Chicken Topped

This is a meal I tried to recreate from one a friend brought our family. Simply layer the following items, bottom to top in a caserole dish:

frozen corn
chicken (seasoned with salt, paprika, pepper)
sliced avocado
sliced tomato
cheddar cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, cover and bake another 30 minutes.
Serve with rice and/or salad.

Baby Shower Food Week!

Fruit Dip

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 (6 oz) container strawberry yogurt

1/2 tub Cool Whip

Beat cream cheese and sugar. Add vanilla. Stir in yogurt, and then add approximately half the container of whipped topping. Chill. Serve with apples, strawberries, pineapples, cantaloupe, grapes, or other yummy fruit.

This is just one of a thousand ways to make fruit dip. This recipe is light, and tastes really good. I've used different yogurts for different flavors, and it always comes out delicious. My sister Beka skewered the fruit, which was an awesome presentation. And we all know it's all about the presentation.

Baby Shower Food Week!

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

1 package gluten free pretzels

1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

In a ceramic or glass bowl, pour chocolate chips. Place over double boiler to melt, or melt in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Dip pretzels and place on wax paper. Place white chocolate chips in a quart-sized freezer Ziploc bag. Melt in microwave in 30 second intervals, squishing to melt. Snip tiny corner of freezer bag and drizzle over the still warm pretzels. Let cool in refrigerator.

These pretzels are the bomb. Seriously. I'm pretty sure I ate more than I served at the shower. Pick a good chocolate for better results. And this brand of pretzels is fantastic. I could not tell the difference, and neither could anyone else. I'm going to have to try making pretzel jello with them. The only down side is that they are not super big, so it took a while to make these. But worth the effort for a chocolate-covered pretzel deprived pregnant girl and her chocolate-covered pretzel deprived sister. BTW, I found these at Sprouts. They were a little pricey, $5 for a bag. So savor them. And for heavens sakes, dip them in chocolate.

Baby Shower Food Week!

Knorr Spinach Vegetable Dip

1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix

2 cups sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well

Mix all ingredients and let chill for a few hours to blend flavors. Serve with veggies or gluten free bread cubes.

I know I already posted this, but now I have a picture. And I can't get over how easy and good this recipe is. I'm sure probably all of you already make this, but if you don't, try it. It's an awesome shower food. I mean, who doesn't love a good veggie tray? It makes you feel like all the other junk you're eating is balanced out.

Baby Shower Food Week!

So my celiac sister is pregnant, and we just threw a shower for her. It was kind of fun to have an entire party that was gluten free. So to inspire you in your baby shower endeavors, this week we will be posting the different foods we served for our celiac sister to her non celiac friends.

By the way, isn't she lovely?
Here's a sampling of what's to come.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tsp GF vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups white rice flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together, and then add to the butter mixture. Stir well. Roll into balls. Bake in a 375 oven for 8-9 minutes, or until slightly browned on top. Remove cookie sheet from oven and let cookies cool for a couple minutes. Remove and place on wire rack to finish cooling. Frost as desired.

So all I did here was take Liz's White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookies and omit the chips and nuts. I tried rolling them out and using cookie cutters, but the cookies turned out very flat. Verrrrrry flat. Rolling them into balls is key, as it cooks them before they have a chance to spread too much. I love the taste of these cookies, in fact many couldn't believe they were gluten free. There is a slight texture issue. They seem to stick to your teeth a bit, but there I go again downplaying the cookies and my sister Beka would be very upset. I used cream cheese frosting, but only because that's what we used on the cupcakes. Cream cheese frosting is not good for cookies that need to be stacked, but it tastes delicious.

GF Pantry Ginger Spice Cake Mix, and Frosting

Gluten Free Pantry Ginger Spice Cake Mix
Plus Lemon Butter Frosting

I've tried this mix before and have been pretty happy with it. It's especially good warm. When you cool and frost it, it becomes a little dry, but not excessively so. My daughter gave this a thumbs up.
We used lemon butter frosting, which complements the cake very well. It gives the cake a little zest. All you do is add a lemon juice instead of milk to your butter frosting recipe. Soooooo good. I'll give you my recipe, but it's just an approximation. I never measure when I make frosting, I just add a little liquid if it's too stiff and dry, or a little sugar if it's too runny. I continue to alternate the two ingredients until I have my desired amount.

Lemon Butter Frosting

1/4 cup butter
2-4 Tbps lemon juice
2-4 cups confectioners sugar

Beat butter. Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 2 cups confectioners sugar. Beat well. Keep adding lemon juice and sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

Kudos, My Guests

Many thanks to our guest chefs:

Lindsey Johnson and

Adriana Velez!

Thanks to these ladies

for letting me feature their delicious skills

here on our kill.the.gluten space.

Hopefully I will be back on track

making regular meals or snacks to publish.

If not, you know where Lindsey and Adriana

are cooking in the event I have light posting

on my scheduled days.

Guest Chef: Adriana Velez on Chicken Curry

Southern Vietnamese Chicken Curry

Recipe, post, and photo by Adriana Velez of What I Made for Dinner.

Maybe you've been eyeing that Vietnamese cookbook on the shelf. Maybe you have some of the ingredients on hand, but not all of them. Maybe you have a craving for broccoli.

I tweaked a curry recipe from Cafe Vietnam, by Annabel Jackson. My "edits" are in italics below.

2 medium-sized potatoes, cut into chunks

Nah, too much starch. Let's do broccoli instead.

vegetable oil for frying

8 shallots, minced

Don't have 'em, so skip 'em.

4 stalks fresh lemon grass, minced

Oops, only have two. Oh well.

Pound and tie instead of mincing -- I like to remove my lemon grass after cooking.

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 fresh hot red chilies, minced

Omit, since we're feeding Jasper [age 4] as well.

2 tablespoons mild Indian curry powder

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/4 coconut milk

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

fresh Thai basil leaves (optional)

1. Shallow-fry the potato pieces in hot oil until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Hah, don't have to do this step now.

2. Heat a little oil in a pan and saute the shallots with the lemon grass, garlic, and chilies until soft. Awkward with the whole lemon grass, so add that at next stage. I did add some fresh ginger at this stage, though, just for fun. Add the currypowder and stir for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until it is opaque.

3. Add the potatoes, salt, coconut milk, and chicken stock. I added broccoli at this point, but I should have waited even longer and added it after 15 minutes or so. I also threw in some chopped red bell pepper the last five minutes. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Garnish with Thai basil leaves, if using.

Ahh, exactly what I wanted.

Meet the newest member of the Gluten Free Team

It's official.

My dearest daughter has celiac disease, like her mother. The blood tests were off the charts, but the endoscopy confirmed it. Here's her tale. Hope you don't mind that it's not a recipe.

My sweet baby was a very sweet baby. Easy, and happy. Except when it came to going #2. She struggled with this from about the time we started her on solids. It was horrible, really. Constipation was a constant companion. She would withhold which would just make matters worse. We are talking about a baby here, and yet she would still hold it until she couldn't any longer. The doctor suggested improving her diet, reducing milk, adding more fiber. We even used stool softeners and, yes, suppositories. (I wonder if she's going to like me telling you this?)

Anyways, when she was 2, I was diagnosed with celiac. I wanted to get my two children tested, but the pediatrician didn't see the need. You see, I have giant children. They literally are amazing growers. And apparently, children with celiac, aren't. Or so he said. So I didn't press for it. But in the back of my mind, I knew.

Every well child checkup after that went pretty much the same. The doc would marvel at her 95th percentile stature and tell me I had no need to worry about celiac disease. Even though she still was having bowel issues such as abdominal pain, gas, constipation, and fatigue. I would nod and say okay but secretly I knew something was wrong, and I knew she was going to end up with a diagnosis some day. I almost started hoping that her growth would stop so I would have a reason for her to be tested, you know, a reason besides that whole motherly instinct thing.

Now I don't blame her doctor. He's amazing, caring, funny, and great with my children. We've had the same one for 4 years now and I couldn't be happier. But I also know that I know a little bit more about celiac disease than the average gluten-eating person, even maybe more than the average pediatrician. So this year I was a little more persistent at her well child. The doc heard my concerns and told me he'd write a lab order, if I wanted him to. I didn't cave in to his expertise, and so I took the order in my clammy little hands and had her blood drawn that same day, before my courage waned.

I was not surprised at all at his Saturday morning phone call. Tests came back. He referred us to a GI. Apparently a normal reading for the celiac panel is 5 or under. Her numbers were greater than 100. Because they stop counting at 100.

We met with the Pediatric GI. He was also great. Her endoscopy was scheduled for a week later. But it was only to confirm. He told me that in his experience, children with those kind of numbers from their labs are positive for celiac 100% of the time. 100%? Well then why do the endoscopy? It seemed a bit redundant. But we went.

The endoscopy was pretty scary, for both of us. She worried about it for the entire week. I was okay up to the point that they put that little mask over her nose and mouth and she fell asleep. Umm, you know how to wake her up, right? She's not dead, right? Because she looks like she's dead. I was ushered out for the rest of the procedure and waited in the children's hospital parents room. Too antsy to do much of anything, I watched the other parents. I wondered what their children were in here for. I thought of all the horrible diseases and maladies that possibly afflicted their small babies, and I was so grateful for celiac disease. So grateful. Here was something I could help her control, something I already knew how to control, and she could live a long, healthy, gluten free life.

Once it was over, the GI took me into a small room to discuss the results. The biopsies wouldn't be done for a few days, but she had the scalloping of her duodenum, indicative of celiac disease. Were any of us surprised?

I went in to her recovery room, where she was still a little high from the anesthesia. She hadn't been able to eat all morning, so they gave her a popsicle. She didn't like feeling drugged, and her throat was sore, and she wanted to go get something to eat. I couldn't wait to take her home.

On the way back to grandma's to pick up her siblings, she wanted to stop and get food. I thought for a minute. Ummm, there aren't really any fast food places that have healthy gluten free food. So what have I been eating? French fries and milkshakes. Yeah, I can't feed that to my child for lunch. For the first time I thought, Wow, this is going to be different. Not only do I need to feed my daughter gluten free, but it needs to be healthy. Maybe this will be good for the both of us.

So now we have a whole new world of gluten free living to enter. What on earth do we pack for her lunch? What about birthday parties and class parties? Do I need to start baking more gluten free foods so she doesn't feel deprived? Do I tell all her sunday school teachers, and piano teacher, and all the other adults that give her treats? Or do I trust her to remember to check labels and ask if things contain flour or wheat?

I'm super lucky in that she's not a picky eater at all. In fact, she loves vegetables and fruits and grown up food of all kinds. I know that this will be hard at first. But most new things usually are, and as she starts to feel better, I know it will be easier and easier.

I'm so grateful for celiac disease. It really could be so much worse.

Guest Chef: Adriana Velez on Pork Chops

Herb-stuffed Pork Chops

Recipe, post, and photo by Adriana Velez of What I Made for Dinner.

I sliced boneless pork loin chops lengthwise in half and filled them with fresh herbs. Then I smeared a mixture of olive oil, toasted sesame seeds, salt and pepper on either side before grilling. I threw the herbs in whole, stems and all, so we discarded the herbs before eating. I loved the taste of the herb-infused pork, but in retrospect it does seem a pity to interrupt a thick, juicy, toothsome chop like that. So I'm not sure I'd do it again without first mincing the herbs and mixing with blue cheese or something fatty like that.

Baby artichoke hearts featured as the side dish in this photo.

Two Layered Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Two Layered Cheesecake

I got this recipe from my sister, her family loves it so much they ask for it as dessert for birthdays! I would say this is probably the best gluten-free dessert I have ever had.

Need for bottom layer:

3/4 cups sugar

2 pkgs. 8 oz. cream cheese (cut into small squares)

3 eggs


Need for top layer:

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. [GF] vanilla

1/2 cup sugar


Make bottom layer first....mix cream cheese and 3/4 cp sugar until fluffy.Add 1 egg at a time and beat well. Mixture will be thin. Pour into agreased 9" pie pan and bake 50 minutes at 325 degrees.

Make top layer....mix sour cream, vanilla and sugar. (I make it and keep it in fridge while the bottom is baking.)

Take bottom layer out of oven after 50 minutes and let it cool just a bit until the bottom layer forms a shallow hole. (kind of sinks down.. I would say takes about 5-10 minutes for this to occur- [see photo below].) Then place top mixture inhole and bake again for 20 minutes at 325 degrees.

I love it plain, but you could easily add fresh fruit on the side or served on top.

Holiday Snack Mix

I love mixing the flavors in this
Gluten-Free Autumn Snack Mix.

M&Ms

cashews

raisins

candy corn

Great website

http://www.celiacdisease.net/

Check this site out. It's fantastic. Really really great. I learned so much, plus it's easy to navigate. Not only that, but they give out a free care package to newly diagnosed celiacs. How cool is that?

Guest Chef: Adriana Velez on Zucchini

Zucchini and Ginger Cauliflower Stir Fry

Recipe, post and photo by Adriana Velez of What I Made for Dinner.

3 zucchini

one head of cauliflower

2T vegetable oil

shallot

ginger

I heated about 2T vegetable oil on high, added some minced shallot and ginger, and then added one chopped head of cauliflower and three chopped zucchinis. I cooked it all, tossing, until the zucchini was just barely tender.

Beef Briskit

Beef Brisket
adapted from thepioneerwomancooks.com

4 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups soy sauce, gluten free of course
2 lemons
5 cloves garlic
1 large brisket, mine was 12 lbs

Juice the lemons, it should be about 1/2 cup. Mince the garlic. Combine broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, and garlic.
In large roaster, place brisket fatty side up. Pour marinade over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Heat oven to 300. Place pan in the oven and cook for 7-8 hours, or until fork tender.
Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes.
Using a serrated knife, remove fat layer. Slice against the grain. Place slices and extra pieces into a 9x13 pan. Using a turkey baster, suck up the juices from the pan and drizzle over the top of the meat. Serve warm.

Man this was delicious. Of course everything Pioneer Woman makes is. I didn't have the liquid smoke that she called for, but it was good without. I also don't have a fabulous picture because I forgot my camera when I took this over to my mom's house for dinner. But look at Pioneer Woman's picture and imagine a photo that's not nearly as beautiful.
You could serve this with barbecue sauce, or just the au jus. You could chop it all up and put it on rolls. Just be aware that it makes a LOT. Which is good when you visit my mom's.

GF Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I adapted this recipe from my friend Tania. I am not a big fan of pumpkin flavored things, but this is a hit with me. More chocolate and spice comes out instead of the pumpkin flavor. Most importantly, these cookies are super soft and moist.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ C butter

1 C brown sugar

1 egg

1 C canned pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

2 C Rice Flour

1 tsp GF baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

chocolate chips

Cream butter & sugar, add egg, pumpkin & vanilla.Then add all dry ingredients, then choc chips.Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. (They're best a little underbaked, so they are still really soft.)

Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti Pie

1 (8oz) box gluten free spaghetti

1 Tbsp margarine

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 lb ground turkey or beef

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 (15 oz) container Ricotta cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Cook the spaghetti as directed, and drain. Return to saucepan and add margarine, stirring until it melts. Add the egg and Parmesan cheese, stirring well.

In a large skillet, brown ground turkey with the onion, pepper, and garlic, cooking until the meat is browned. Drain the fat and add the tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Heat on low.

Spray a 2 qt casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Press the spaghetti mixture on bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Spread the ricotta over the spaghetti. Add the meat mixture over the ricotta. Sprinkle with mozzarella.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

I've been wanting to make this forever, and was very happy with how it turned out (although the picture doesn't do it justice, we ate late that night). The sauce wasn't too runny but still had a ton of flavor, and the ricotta made me feel like I was eating lasagna, which I love. I guess you could use cottage cheese, but why? The tricky part is forming the spaghetti mixture into a crust. Don't feel like you can't break noodles, they aren't supposed to be long. And it doesn't have to look pretty, it just needs to do the job of holding the filling. Mmmmmm, this one's good. I give credit to my Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, from which I adapted this recipe.

Guest Chef: Lindsey Johnson on Summer Beans

Photo, recipe, and post by Lindsey Johnson at Just Recipes.

Summer Beans

Tomatoes--can use fresh (5-6 large tomatoes) or canned (2 small cans or 1 large)

4-5 Yukon Gold potatoes (or other waxy potato), sliced into 1/4" rounds

1 bag frozen green beans (I like the Haricot Verts from Trader Joe's)

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced or sliced (whatever you like)

Salt and pepper

Drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil. Cook sliced potatoes, tomatoes, and garlic in a large pot until you can pierce the potatoes easily with the tip of a knife--so there is still some resistance, but the potatoes aren't mushy.Remove the potatoes and tomatoes to a large bowl.

Steam the green beans in the same pan you used to cook the potatoes and tomatoes. Add the cooked green beans to the bowl with the potatoes and tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve:My husband likes a splash of balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce. I like a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Typo-Soooooo Sorry!

It's a little embarassing when we mess up around here, but it does happen. The Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice recipe calls for 1/3 cup soy sauce instead of the 2/3 that I wrote. I apologize for the mistake. Really apologize. Thanks to Kacey for taking the time to ask.

Guest Chef: Lindsey Johnson on Salad & Dressing

Recipe, post, and photo by Lindsey Johnson of Just Recipes.

Spinach Salad with Pork, Avocado and Oranges

1 bag baby spinach

1 (not overly) ripe avocado, sliced and cut into chunks

2-3 oranges, peeled, segmented

2-3 green onions, thinly sliced--white and green parts

1/2 sliced, toasted almonds

sliced olives

shredded pork (you can also use chicken)**

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing (recipe below)

Toss all the ingredients together and serve with the dressing. Serves 2-4.

**To prepare the pork:

I like to use my crock-pot for slow cooking pork roasts. This was a very lean pork loin roast. I seasoned it well with salt and pepper and seared it in a very hot cast iron skillet. I cooked the roast on high for a few hours to get it going and then turned it to low for about4 or 5 more hours. Because it didn't have a ton of fat, I also added a bit of water.I let the pork cool a bit and then shredded it with two forks. This makes more than enough for the salad. You will have some leftover. Use in tacos or add some BBQ sauce.

-------------------------------

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing

1 cup low fat buttermilk

2-3 Tbsp. light mayonnaise

1/2 cup tomatillo salsa

1 small bunch of cilantro (to taste....)

juice 1/2 a lime

freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

Puree in a food processor or blender

Guest Chef: Adriana Velez on Pad Thai

Pineapple Pad Thai

Recipe, post and photo by Adriana Velez of What I Made for Dinner.

1 package rice noodles

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

broccoli, chopped and lightly steamed

1 fresh pineapple or 1 can of pineapple rings, cut into 1" cubes

1 pound pork loin or tofu cut into 1" cubes

1/2 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup chopped salted peanuts

1 bunch mint, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and 1/4 cup water; set aside.

2. Drain the noodles. Set a wok over high heat for 1 minute, then add the oil and heat until almost smoking. Add the garlic and ginger; saute for 30 seconds. Add the pork and saute until almost cooked through, 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. [Skip this step if you're using tofu.]

3. Add the noodles and stir-fry for 1 minute. Pour in three-quarters of the tamarind sauce and toss to coat the noodles. Add more sauce if needed. Cook until the noodles are al dente, then push them to one side of the wok and scramble the eggs in the remaining space. Add the protein whatever, broccoli, pineapple, and half the peanuts. Toss to mix. Divide among plates and garnish with the remaining peanuts, the mint, and lime wedges.

gift basket

This was a unique gift basket we recieved that The Celiac can also enjoy!

It came from Edible Arrangements.

Guest Chef: Lindsey Johnson on Clam Chowder

Market Street Clam Chowder (a modified version)

Recipe, post, and photo by Lindsey Johnson of Just Recipes.

(Serves 12)

3-4 potatoes, cut into 1/2" dice
2 green peppers, cut into 1/2" dice
2 small onions, 1/2"dice
4 stalks of celery, 1/2" dice3 or 4 leeks, cut into 1/2" dice** (see note)
3, 6.5 oz. cans of chopped clams plus the juice
3/4 Tbsp. fresh coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
6-7 stalks of fresh thyme
3-6 bay leaves
a couple of shakes of Tabasco sauce
4 cups water
1 stick butter
3/4 cup [rice] flour
1 cup heavy cream
about 5-6 cups milk

Add all the vegetables, clams, clam juice, salt and pepper, thyme, bay leaves, Tabasco and water to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Cook the mixture over a very low heat for about 3 minutes. But be careful that it doesn't brown. Set aside until ready to use.

When the potatoes are tender, remove the pot from the heat and add the butter/flour mixture to the stockpot. Stir well. The soup will get thick like cookie dough. Slowly add the milk and cream while stirring constantly until it reaches the consistency you want. More milk for a thinner broth, less milk for a thicker one. Taste and adjust salt and pepper and Tabasco according to your taste. When ready to serve, put the pot back on the stove and heat to serving temperature. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stalks before serving.

Serve with [GF] crackers, [GF] bread, or all by itself.

**Make sure you wash the leeks very well. They tend to be very dirty because of the soil they are grown in. I cut them in half vertically and into thin slices, then I wash them well under running water in a colander.

Guest Chef: Lindsey Johnson on Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Recipe, post, and photo by Lindsey Johnson of Just Recipes.

2 pork tenderloins, about 1 lb. each

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp dried thyme

12 slices (more of less) bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Line a jelly-roll pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.Trim the fat and silver skin from the pork tenderloins. Dry off the surface of the tenderloins with a paper towel.

Mix together: pepper, garlic and onion powder, and thyme. Rub the surface of the tenderloins with the spice mixture. You may also need to even up the ends by tucking the thin part underneath, but you won't need twine, the bacon will help hold it just fine.Begin at the end and wrap the bacon around each tenderloin at a slight angle--overlapping and layering each strip to completely cover the tenderloin.

Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 150 to 160 degrees. Any higher and the tenderloin will be overcooked. You want the center to be slightly pink, but not raw. Let the tenderloins rest for a few minutes before serving. To serve, cut into 1-2" slices.If you aren't on a diet, drizzle the tenderloin slices with the rendered fat and juices. YUM.

**I used regular bacon. Usually I buy uncured, nitrite-free bacon. It is thicker cut and has better flavor. I think that bacon would be better in this recipe. But, regular bacon was delicious, too.

Chicken and Rice, Spanish Style

Spanish Chicken and Rice

1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded
2 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 cup rice
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 cups chicken broth
1 (16 oz) can stewed tomatoes, Mexican style
1 (15 oz) pinto beans, undrained
1 tsp Italian seasoning

In a large electric skillet, heat oil. Add uncooked rice and onion. Saute and stir until onion is tender and rice is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, garlic salt, tomatoes, beans and Italian seasoning. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, checking periodically to make sure the rice hasn't gone dry. If it is starting to stick to the pan, add more water, 1/2 cup at a time.

I know Liz posted a recipe similar to this a while back. This is basically the same, only we add chicken. And no olives. Because we aren't olive-eaters in our house. Except olive oil. Which we love.
I've used a can of diced tomatoes before, which is good as well. In fact, this recipe is basically foolproof. Add more or less garlic, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, pretty much any item, and it will still turn out. The only tricky part is the broth. Make sure your rice doesn't get dry as it cooks. Because not only will it not cook thoroughly, it will most likely burn. Which is yucky. So keep an eye out, lifting that lid every 5 minutes or so and you'll have a hearty meal in about half an hour.

Guest Chef: Lindsey Johnson on Chocolate Mousse

Cream Cheese Chocolate Mousse

Recipe, post and photo by Lindsey Johnson of Just Recipes.

I hesitate to share this recipe because I don't use really use a set recipe. I was playing around trying to copy a chocolate mousse one of my friends had made as a filling for cream puffs--not the traditional pastry cream. So, be aware that these measurements are a rough estimate. However, I don't think it's too difficult to mess this up. You can vary the ingredients to your own taste.

8 ounces cream cheese (don't use fat-free, but 1/3 less fat will also work)

4-6 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (I use Trader Joe's Pound Plus)

1/2 cup powdered sugar (more or less depending on how sweet you like it)

1/2-1 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar until well blended and smooth. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on 50% power in 15 to 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval. Don't over heat or the chocolate will burn.Let the chocolate cool slightly and add to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until well combined. It will get very thick. At this point add the heavy cream. Continue beating until the mousse reaches the consistency you want--somewhere between a thick icing and whipped cream. If it starts to get too thick, stop beating and use a spatula to fold in a little more cream to thin it out.It makes enough to fill a three layer cake--two layers of mousse between three layers of cake.

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Liz suggests adding this mousse to the GF crepes or any GF chocolate cake/ brownie recipe previously posted here at kill.the.gluten.

Baby Back Ribs

Pork Baby Back Ribs

1 package pork baby back ribs

1 bottle barbecue sauce (I use Baby Ray's Original)

Cut ribs into sections, about 2-3 ribs per section. Place in a large stockpot. Cover with water by a couple of inches. Add about 1 cup barbecue sauce to the pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer until tender, about 1-2 hours. Remove from pot while someone else fires up the grill. Place ribs on grill and slather with remaining barbecue sauce. Grill for about 10 minutes.

This is quite simply the easiest recipe ever. I've seen many rib recipes that require rubs or indirect grilling or other labor intensive requirements. I'm not a labor intensive kind of girl. You just boil and grill. Easy.

If, say, you don't have a grill, I'm sure you could baste them with barbecue sauce and stick them in the oven for a while to let the sauce caramelize. I've never tried it, but I'm assuming you would get similar results.

This one's for you Liz.

gravy

Gluten-Free Gravy

I found these packets of GF gravy at a health food store several months ago and forgot about them until tonight. We tried the shitake flavor and it was AWESOME. I am sad we didn't partake of its goodness earlier.

It's made by the company Road's End Organics. Looks like you can order on-line from them not only the gravy, but other GF products as well. They also list retailers that carry their products and have a store locator feature.

Sorry, my camera ate the photos I took of the actual gravy on top of mashed potatoes. Yes, it's THAT tasty even my camera can't resist.

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This will be my final personal post for a while, I get induced to have my baby tomorrow. Enjoy our guest chefs replacing me! And catch some sleep for me, will ya?!

Deviled Eggs

This is my mother's recipe. It's just not summer without deviled eggs.

Gluten-Free Deviled Eggs

6 hard boiled eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/8 teaspoon salt

dash pepper

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

green olives with pimento, sliced

paprika (optional)

Mix egg yolks (discard one) with next 5 ingredients. Refill egg halves. Top with olives and paprika.

Homemade Gluten Free Brownies

The Best Homemade Gluten Free Brownie Recipe

(as per my humble opinion)

2 sticks butter, melted

3/4 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup gluten free flour mixture

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk cocoa into melted butter. Stir in sugar. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each. Stir in vanilla. Add flour, xanthan gum, and salt. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Grease the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Pour in batter. Bake for 25-35 minutes.

Alright, these are seriously so good and gooey and chocolaty. I've had this recipe for years and it works perfectly gluten free because there is hardly any flour in it at all. The top comes out flaky, just like real brownies and they taste, well, you'll just have to make them to find out.

For the flour mixture I mix together Bette Hagman's blend of 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch flour, and 1/3 cup tapioca flour. I then measure out the 1 cup that I need for the recipe. Could you use all rice flour? Maybe, but I've never tried it.

The trick to making brownies that are really good is to not over beat the batter after the flour is added, just like when you're making pancakes. Stir only as much as necessary. I don't use a mixer for that reason.

Why the difference in the baking times? Because the recipe I have calls for only 25 minutes, but I always cook them for at least 30, sometimes longer. I can tell they are done when the edges look crusty and the center is set. I then let them stand on the counter for half an hour before digging in, to let them finish setting. They will fall apart when they are still warm, so if you have a problem with that, stick the pan in the fridge. But I personally love hot brownies that fall apart. Yummy.

Spinach Lasagna

We have declared in my home that my husband will be the permanent lasagna maker, his turned out so well. He included a layer of spinach and layered it differently than the recipe I posted here.

Here are his suggestions on layering, list begins with bottom layer:



sauce/sausage mixture

noodles

spinach

ricotta cheese

noodles

sauce/ sausage mixture

mozzarella

Pantry Beef Casserole

I saw this recipe and haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since. I finally made it tonight and it's super yum. So thanks, Gluten-Free Mommy! Below is her delicious recipe and check out her blog, her photo of this meal is much more appealing.

PANTRY BEEF CASSEROLE

1 lb. gr. beef, gr. turkey, or soy crumbles
1 onion
1/2 green pepper
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
28 oz. can Muir Glen crushed tomatoes w/ basil
12 oz bag of Tinkyada rice penne
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
salt to taste
red pepper to taste
pinch of sugar
3 oz. mozzarella
5-6 oz. mild cheddar

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to boil to cook the penne. Brown the gr. beef. Drain the excess fat. Add the vegetables and cook for about 8 minutes or until tender. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, red pepper, and oregano. Simmer for 15 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, cook the penne and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once the sauce and penne noodles are done, layer them in a 3 qt. casserole dish. Start with 1/2 the sauce, then all of the noodles, then a layer of cheddar cheese, then the rest of the sauce, and top with cheddar cheese and mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes.

Chicken Alfredo with Pasta

Once again, dinner from a packet. Do I not like to make homemade? No, it's just that sometimes, I need dinner on the table fast, like before my smallest darlings die of starvation. So this is what I turn to.

I called McCormick about this one. Once again I got the "If it doesn't state gluten on the package, it has no gluten in it" answer that I always get from them. Basically it means, always read the back, because you never know if it might say wheat on it.
See, no wheat. But always check, because one time one package did say wheat, and I was sad. By the way, I always use 2 packages, but that's cuz I like things saucy. Ask anyone.

Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo with Pasta


1 package McCormick Creamy Garlic Alfredo packet
3 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1/2 package gluten free pasta, cooked


In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the milk and the Alfredo packet and whisk. Cook over medium low heat until boiling. Simmer for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
Layer pasta, chicken and sauce on a plate. Enjoy the fact that you have successfully made dinner in about 20 minutes.

So for the pasta, I used Mrs. Leepers corn spirals, because that's what I had. Feel free to use a more traditional fettuccine type. Also, I tried both layering on the plate and tossing the sauce with the pasta and I must endorse, layering on the plate. The pasta just absorbs all the sauce when tossed together, and we all know I like my food to be saucy.

Creamed Peas

Gluten-Free Creamed Peas

This is a family recipe from my mother-in-law.

2 T margarine

2 T rice flour

1 cup milk

peas, frozen or canned

garlic salt

Melt margarine in sauce pan. Add flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk until a cream-like texture. Add peas and garlic salt.

I do not like peas, never have. THIS recipe had me going back for seconds! Food in photo made by my husband, the true chef of my family.

Gluten Free Pad Thai

This is a staple at our house.

My kids call it noodles with chicken.

See how it serves two? That means we use 2 boxes.
See how it says right there on the package "Gluten-Free"? We love that.

And we love Thai Kitchen, as most of their products are, in fact, gluten free.

Gluten Free Pad Thai
(from a box)

1 box Original Pad Thai
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
3 Tbsp oil
1 egg, scrambled
2 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 lime
2 Tbsp peanuts, coarsely chopped

Boil 3 cups water. Add the noodles and remove from heat. Let the noodles soak for about 5 minutes, and then run under cold water.
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Add egg and cook until done. Remove the egg from the skillet. Add the other 2 Tbsp oil and heat. Add the chicken to the skillet, cooking until just done, about 3-5 minutes. Add the noodles and the sauce packet. Stir fry for a few minutes, or until the noodles are done, adding water if necessary to keep them from sticking to the skillet.
Add the egg, green onions, cilantro, and squeeze the juice from the lime over the top. Stir for 1 minute and remove from heat.
Garnish with peanuts.

Guest Chef: Adriana Velez Intro

Hello Again Readers!

I want to take another quick moment to prepare you for the second featured chef to cover some recipes when I go on Blogger's Maternity Leave.

The fabulous New Yorker Adriana Velez (in above photo with son, Jasper) who runs the site What I Made for Dinner will grace your eyes. She has a keen awareness of seasonal vegetables, healthy alternatives and creative hands at combining all sorts of flavors together. Her site is not exclusively on gluten-free foods, so I have pre-selected some of her posts that happen to be gluten-free. Keep an eye on her site as she will be have a featured article in Cookie soon!

Thanks for reading and eating,
Liz

Gluten-Free Cereal

Gluten-Free Cereal Round-up

We love the emails we get thanking us for this site. We also love the tips on new GF products and questions that come our way. One recent question came from Lindsay. She asked about cereal options of the gluten-free variety and where to get them. Here is what we have tried in our home.

1) Barbara's Bakery brand makes Puffins Cereal and Corn Flakes


2) EnviroKidz makes Peanut Butter Panda Puffs, Koala Crisp, and Gorilla Munch



3) Post makes Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles



As for where to get these cereal options, it depends on where you live. When my husband was first diagnosed we lived in Brooklyn, NY. Whole Foods and Trader Joe's were not options for me, so I had to think outside of my routine and found many health food stores carried a great variety. As I have moved to the suburbs, I am finding organic or health food sections of regular grocery chains have started to carry gluten-free foods such as cereal. The internet is a great tool to assist you in your search for local (or neighboring town) health food stores or seeking a product's availability for ordering on-line, such as Amazon.com!



Do YOU have any cereal suggestions to add to our list?! Please share the love!


*photos from amazon.com