2011's Top GF Blog Posts

Thanks to Foodista once again, I bring to you their Top 10 Gluten Free Blog Post List of 2011. Here you will find all sorts of recipes that are sure to please. I hope you enjoy these in the New Year. I know that I will be trying out a number of these recipes!

http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/12/29/top-10-gluten-free-blog-posts-and-recipes-of-2011

Happy New Year!

Dangerously Addictive... GF FUDGE!!!

As any Celiac knows, gluten is everywhere...even when it comes to chocolate. Well for all those Celiac Chocoholics out there, here is a fudge recipe that is so simple to make it would take you longer to drive to the store to buy yourself a piece of chocolate heaven.

I was lucky enough to discover this recipe gem through Foodista on Facebook. It truly is as simple as it looks. I did only a couple of minor changes. First I highly recommend using the plastic wrap suggestion of lining your pan- it makes things so much easier. I also used Semi Sweet Hershey's Chipits instead of the brand that was recommended. As for marshmellow's make sure you read your labels here again- I've used Jet Puff before, as well as store brands as I did for this recipe. Many do not contain gluten, but I've come across the odd brand that does- so read. Also feel free to experiment with flavorings. I made one batch with orange flavoring and omitted the vanilla and nuts. I used the same amount of orange flavoring as what was called for vanilla- however, next time I try that orange-chocolate combo I may increase the amount of flavoring slightly. Peppermint has also come to mind.

One last tip...if you find that when you are combining the marshmellow mixture with the chocolate that it is cooling too quickly and cracking- put it in the microwave for 30 seconds, give a final stir, and then pour into your pan.

Woops! I forgot...more tips!!! Place plastic wrap over your poured fudge and press into place with your hands while warm. This makes a smooth top, helps get rid of air bubbles, and your spatula wont keep grabbing the surface of the fudge as it cools while you try to press it into the corners and edges. Don't fuss over the size of your pan either- mine was 13x9 inches. Also, store your fudge in the fridge after cutting into squares. Other than that, I hope you enjoy this delight as much as my family and friends did.

I've included the original recipe below. If you want to visit the site this came from, take a peek at foodiecrush.com.

http://www.foodiecrush.com/2011/12/craving-the-best-homemade-fudge-and-a-big-kiss/

WARNING: This recipe results in extremely tasty treats. Potentially addictive.


My Mom’s Fudge with Pecans
1. In a large mixing bowl, add:
1 stick butter, or 8 tablespoons (room temperature)
12 oz. package Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips
Set aside
2. In a large pan stir together:
2 cups of sugar and
2/3 cup evaporated milk, until mixed
Then add 12- 15 large, fresh marshmallows
3. Cook over medium heat, (I use an electric fry pan set at 250 degrees) and stir constantly, I use a rubber spatula to stir and clean the sides of the pan. Once the mixture has melted, continue to cook and stir a bit more until you’re sure the sugar has melted; don’t let it change color.
4. Pour the hot mixture over the ingredients in the bowl and stir until the butter and chocolate melt then add:
¾ cups chopped nuts (I use pecans)
1 teaspoon vanilla
5. Continue to stir vigorously until it is very well mixed. [I kind of beat it by hand with the spatula]
6. Spray an 11” x 7” Pyrex baking dish with Pam and pour in cooked mixture, cover and refrigerate until set and ready to cut. FYI Recently I’ve lined the dish with plastic wrap so I could easily remove the fudge and sliced it with a pizza roller.

GF French Fry Cravings...Solved!

French fries are one of those things that you must be careful about as a Celiac. Many restaurants use the same deep fryer to cook things like battered pork bites and chicken tenders, including fries. This automatically excludes Celiac's from enjoying this simple food when out and about, since this causes cross contamination. Even these small amounts of gluten that are transferred to fries in this way causes problems for my Celiac daughter- severe cramping, bloating, the sensation wanting to vomit but can't, and then for the next day or two... a general blah lethargic feeling combined with headache often and becoming lactose intolerant for a week. Not fun.

For many (including myself), making fries at home is an intimidating proposition. I have attempted it, but my results have varied greatly ranging from burnt tasting to underdone, to oily and risking my skin to being scorched by the hot oil. Oven fries on the other hand, are either soggy or tough. Some of the frozen oven fries are not even gluten free, having been coated with gluten to adhere flavorings to their exterior. A losing battle it seems all for the sake of a simple comfort food. But I am here to tell you that all this fuss and frustration can be pushed aside!
 
Perfect homemade fries are possible. The "How", is called the ActiFry -made by T-fal. My son has been wowed by the commercials for the last few months and has begged for us to get one. Although intriguing, it was not on my priority list.

With Christmas coming, I took stock of my Airmiles that I have collected over the year, and began using my points to purchase various gifts for my family. As I browsed, I came across the long desired ActiFry that my son was wowed about. Well as you might guess, I bought it with my Airmiles.

It arrived yesterday. My son was elated, and hurried to help me wash the components. (If only I could get him that excited about doing dishes all the time! Lol.) I asked the kids what they wanted me to make with our new appliance, and in unanimous shouts it was FRIES.

I must say that I was impressed with results. The fries were golden brown, perfectly done and had an audible crunch to their exterior while still being tender and fluffy inside. All this was done with a tablespoon of oil! No more dealing with oil baths and splatters...and not to mention the cost savings in oil usage alone.

The ActiFry also comes with a cookbook. Here you will find everything from risotto to shrimp, and even desserts. Tonight I am going to try out a creation of my own. I will share it with you if it turns out! In the meantime here is a link to see for yourself what this contraption is all about. To briefly describe its cool factor... it is similar to what people have told me that they did when they got their first front loading washing machine (myself included)- stand there and watch it! http://tfalactifry.com/

Amazing and Easy GF Ribs

I've had alot of cravings these days and good ribs was one of them. I've never made great ribs before...until this recipe. And these are not great- they are Amazing! On top of that, they are simple with little to no fuss. The hardest part of this recipe is getting them out of the slow cooker in one piece. Yes they literally fall off the bone. Gotta love Google when you can find recipe gems like this one I found!

Easy GF Ribs

Ingredients:

2 tbsp   Brown sugar

2 tbsp   Smoked paprika

½ tsp    Salt (I use kosher)

1 tsp     Garlic powder (I ran out of powdered, so used 2 cloves of crushed garlic and mixed it in with the cola)
½ tsp    Cayenne pepper
2-3 lbs. Pork back or side ribs
1 cup    Cola, regular  (I used Pepsi, but don't use diet of either Coke or Pepsi)
½ cup   GF BBQ sauce (I used CattleBoyz again, it's gf- use your favorite)


Method:

Combine the first five ingredients to make a rub.
Generously rub the ribs with "the rub" all over both sides and then let them sit for 5 minutes.
Cut the ribs into 3-4 bone pieces and layer in a slow cooker.
Gently pour the cola over the ribs, making sure you don’t wash off all the rub. .
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
After 6-8 hours, carefully remove the ribs from the slow cooker and place them on a baking sheet.
Brush with bbq sauce and place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.
Enjoy!

Note: Smoked Paprika really makes this dish. It is more common in grocery stores now than even 5years ago. It is wonderful to add to many dishes and is one of my go spices- a great addition to any pantry.

My source for this lovely recipe:
http://moneygrubbinglawyer.com/2008/10/03/foodie-friday-lazy-man-slow-cooker-ribs/

GF Fried Zucchini...Yes, this means it's Battered!

This recipe discovery came about as a result of a sudden craving. I had remembered how good the tempura veggies were at our local Japanese restaurant and I began in search of a recipe that I could easily do at home. This one (http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1750,157176-224207,00.html) found on Cooks.com was simple and I quickly set to work within moments of finding this recipe. Aside from being easy, it took care of my craving. Yum!!!

GF BATTER-FRIED ZUCCHINI STICKS  

1 cup of your preferred Gluten Free flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup milk
2 tbsp. oil (I used Canola)
1 lb. zucchini, cut into 3 or 4 inch sticks (small zucchini work better)
Additional Gluten Free flour (optional)
Oil for deep frying

In a medium sized bowl, mix your gf flour with the baking powder and salt- I get fancy here and use a fork to do this...  ;)  . Then in a small bowl, now combine the egg, milk, and 2 tablespoons oil- a fork can be used here too but a whisk makes it easier. Now slowly add your liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, beating until smooth- this is where the whisk is key (a hand blender might do the trick too!). Begin heating your oil at this point- set on about medium high depending on the stove power you have- about 375'F. I used a medium to large sauce pan and poured in about an inch of canola oil- add more if necessary. I also added a bit of olive oil, having run out of canola, to top up the oil levels. Next, pat the zucchini sticks very dry (if desired, dredge lightly in gf flour- but I skipped this step since I was running low on flour). Test your oil temp by drizzling a drop or two into the oil- if it begins to sizzle and rise to the top, it is good to go. Dip the zucchini in batter, coating well, and carefully place in hot oil. You can cook a few at a time, but don't overcrowd your pan. Fry until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and place in warm oven until you have finished cooking the whole batch so they don't get soggy on you (about 170'F). Sprinkle with more salt, if you like- and serve.

Note: This tends to make a fair amount of batter. I refrigerated it overnight to use the following day and left my oil in the pan covered to reuse. In doing this, I discovered that the batter is better chilled. It sticks better and also has a heavier coating when fried, which I prefer. It was also easier to work with when transferring the battered zucchini to the oil.

Another suggestion recommended by the author of the original recipe, is to substitute with artichoke hearts, carrot sticks, cauliflower florets, sliced parsnips, or sweet potato/yam sticks. I will be sure to try this too!

Though I did not make the accompanying sauce as of yet, I am still including it for you to try out if you like. (See below.) Let me know how it turns out!!


HOLLANDAISE SAUCE:
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp. water or dry white wine
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of black pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice

To make sauce, beat egg yolks until thick and light colored. Mix in water and transfer to top of double boiler set over barely simmering water. Heat and stir 2-3 minutes until warm, not hot, and eggs have begun to thicken. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating continuously until well blended. Cook, beating 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens enough to coat back of spoon. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately with zucchini sticks.

Mouthwatering Meatloaf

Sometimes as a Celiac it feels as though you can't be "naughty" in the kitchen anymore... that all the bad things are off limits, or that you have to modify the recipe so much that it is unrecognizable as being sinful and satisfying. Well this meatloaf proves that you can eat gluten free while enjoying a truly satisfying comfort food. I found the original recipe on allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bbq-oatmeal-meatloaf/detail.aspx) and modified it to suit my gf daughter's needs. It is simple to make, moist, and mouthwatering. What more can you ask for?!... it makes two loaves so that you can freeze the second for a rushed mealtime or surprise dinner guest, and it freezes well! Woohooo!!!

GF BBQ Oatmeal Meatloaf *

*(this recipe assumes you are tolerant of oats)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 3/4 pound mild sage-flavored (Gluten Free) breakfast sausage 
• 1 medium/large onion, chopped
• 2 medium/large carrots, shredded
• 5 tablespoons dry onion soup mix (I used Safeway brand- 1 envelope- but read your labels!)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups barbeque sauce (I used CattleBoyz- it is labelled gf and has good tang- but use your favorite gf bbq sauce)
• 1 cup Only Oats quick rolled oats, or more if desired
• 6 slices bacon, divided  

Note: I omitted the breakfast sausage since I didn't have any on hand and just increased the amount of ground meat- then added about a half teaspoon of dried sage to replace the sage flavor in the sausage. I also used half ground beef and half ground deer with success. Feel free to try a ground beef and pork combo too!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Mix the ground beef, sausage(if using), onion, carrots, gf onion soup mix, brown sugar, eggs, and gf barbeque sauce together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in enough gf oats to make the mixture hold together- you can use up to 2 cups of oats. Divide the mixture in half, and spoon into two 9x5-inch loaf pans*. Place 3 strips of bacon the long way onto each loaf. *(If you only have one loaf pan like me, use a 9x9 square pan for one of the loaves and add more bacon to cover the top.)
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the meatloaf is no longer pink in the middle and the juices run clear, about 1 hour.

Freezing

To freeze the second loaf, put in the fridge overnight to cool completely. It will come out easily with a spatula when cold and the can be placed in a large ziploc freezer bag. Remove all the air to help protect against freezer burn. To reheat, pop frozen loaf into loaf pan again and thaw. Just before placing in oven I brushed bbq sauce over the top to prevent the top from drying out. Reheat in a 350'F oven till hot- about 30min.

Gluten Free "Fricassee"

I make this one pan meal when I'm stumped as to what to make for supper or too tired to cook something that requires much effort. This is something that my mom made on occasion when she was in a supper rush or looking for something easy to throw together at the end of a long day. The "recipe" came from her mother, who called it "Fricassee". Easy and comforting with the addition of savory, I'm happy to share this family recipe with you.

Fricassee

• Ground Beef
• Potatoes, cubed (2 two three)
• Onion (large to medium), chopped
• Peas, frozen
• Savory (1/2tsp to 1tsp- depends on how much ground beef used, you can always add more if needed)
• Salt and Pepper
• Water (1/2 to 1cup depending on amt of beef and potatoes used)
• Oil (olive or canola)  

Method:

Heat oil in skillet and cook onions until translucent. Add ground beef and brown. Season with salt, pepper and savory to taste. Add potatoes and water, simmering partially uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cook until potatoes are nearly cooked through, then add peas for the remaining few minutes. Serve when peas are bright green and cooked through (about 5 minutes).