PIZZA! GF Ratio Rally

Making pizza by ratio has definitely been a learning experience for me.  I've made over 8 pizzas in the last 3 weeks (which is a lot for a family of 3) and I have yet to find a "perfect" gluten free pizza recipe.  That being said, I do have a go to recipe that is yummy and easy and for now that's good enough!   This month's rally was hosted by Karen of Cooking Gluten Free.  Check out her blog for the complete list of links to the delicious gluten free pizza recipes created for this months rally.

Here are some things I learned:

Ruhlman's Ratio- For Pizza Ruhlman's ratio is 5:3 of flour and liquid.  I tried this and it was a dismal failure.  The dough was heavy and dense and looked compressed and underbaked.  It felt like a rock in my stomach.  Gluten free flours need more liquid.  I figured out the ratio for my go to crust, the one I posted here and have been using ever since.  The ratio for this is 6:3:1 flour:liquid:egg  This ratio is close to Ruhlman's  but the addition of an egg adds the right amount of moisture to create a nice firm crust that you can pick up with your hands without being heavy and dense.  For the flour I found that I like a crust with more starch than my usual flour blend so I went with 50% high protein flour (brown rice, millet, soy) and 50% starch (tapioca, potato, corn)

          

I knew I had a crust I liked before I started the challenge, but I wanted a go to crust that didn't use eggs.   I tried a few more flour:water ratios including:

10:7 (dense and heavy)

19:16 (excellent)

8:7 (also excellent but I cheated and used an egg as part of the liquid)

1:1 (batter too thin)

Like I said, I learned a lot...there's nothing like a good failure to get the noggin thinking!

Even though I tried several ratios, my main focus really was more on technique.  I cooked my pizza at a hotter temperature (450 degrees Fahrenheit), I let it rise for an hour before rolling it between 2 pieces of parchment paper, and I pre-baked it on the rack with a hot pizza stone on the oven rack beneath it before adding the toppings.  All of these things, together with the 19:16 ratio made for a great crust.

19:16 sounds like a strange ratio, but if you multiply it by 10 grams you'll end up with an easy 18 inch pizza crust. Here's the Recipe:

Pizza Crust by Ratio
makes one 18 inch crust (or two 8 inch crusts)

190 grams gluten free flour

• 95 grams high protein flour (I used equal parts of millet, sorghum and soy but play with this using flours you like or have on hand)
• 95 grams starch (I used 70 grams tapioca and 25 grams potato starch)

160 grams warm water
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2  teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix water with yeast and sugar and let proof for about 10 minutes or until nice and foamy.  Combine the remaining dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil slowly to the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture is well incorporated. Increase the speed to high and continue to mix for 4 minutes.  The dough will be sticky.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise for about an hour or until doubled.

After an hour preheat the oven to 450 Degrees Fahrenheit and put a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.  Place dough on a piece of parchment paper.  Spray a second piece of parchment paper and place it on top of the dough.  Use a rolling pin and with light pressure roll the dough to about an 1/8 inch thick (thicker if your prefer, but you'll need to adjust the baking times).  Remove the top parchment and slide the bottom parchment with the crust onto the oven rack.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust just begins to brown.  Remove crust from the oven and top with your favorite toppings.  Return the pizza to the oven for 10 more minutes or until the cheese is melted and crust is brown on the edges.  Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad - Gluten Free

We've been eating a lot of salads lately.  Not only are salads a great way to incorporate veggies into our diet, but it's been crazy hot in Arizona and salads make a nice cool meal!  It can get a bit boring having salad 3 times a week, so I'm always on the lookout for a new twist on a familiar favorite.  The buffalo wing sauce used in this otherwise traditional Cobb Salad fits the bill and tastes delicious.

**a note about bleu cheese**

Bleu Cheese was traditionally made using bread as the starter and there was a question about whether or not it was gluten free.  Many companies now use chemical starters for the cheese instead of bread, making the cheese free of contamination and safe for the gluten free world.  However, there are some cheese makers that still use bread to make bleu cheese.  Bleu Cheese tests have detected gluten at less than 1ppm (part per million).  That's even smaller than itty bitty, but if you are super sensitive research some brands before you buy.  And ALWAYS read the ingredients on salad dressings...or make your own using bleu cheese that you are comfortable with.  That being said, my husband doesn't like bleu cheese so I used sharp cheddar cheese and gluten free ranch salad dressing instead!

Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad

-serves 4

6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

1 large chicken breast, cooked & shredded (1 1/2 - 2 cups)

1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce (check ingredients)

1 head of your favorite lettuce, leaves torn

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese or 4 ounces bleu cheese crumbles

1 avocado, cut into cubes

1 large tomato, chopped

2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

1/4 cup diced red onion

gluten free Ranch or Bleu Cheese salad dressing for serving

Toss the shredded chicken with the buffalo wing sauce.  Cover four dinner plates or one large platter with the lettuce.  Arrange the bacon, chicken, cheese, avocado, tomato, eggs and red onion in columns on top of the lettuce.  Serve with your favorite gluten free dressing.

Mexican Style Black Beans and Pork in the Slow Cooker

This is one of our new favorites.  It's quick to put together and it tastes delicious.  The recipe makes enough for 4-6 adult servings, which means leftovers for us.  The first night I serve this over brown rice (I prefer short grain) and I garnish it with cilantro.  Later in the week I like to make it into tacos.  For tacos I heat up the pork mixture, drain off the liquid and serve it in warm corn tortillas topped with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.  My husband usually adds sour cream and chipotle tabasco sauce to his.  We've also had these in burritos using my gluten free multi-flour tortilla recipe.  Any way you choose, this one is a keeper!

Mexican Style Black Beans and Pork

2 1 inch thick pork chops cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (based on your heat preference)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans drained black beans (or 3-4 cups if you make your own like I do)
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can water (use the tomato can once it's empty)
chopped cilantro, sour cream or any other garnishes you like

Place pork into the slow cooker and sprinkle with all of the seasonings (chili powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, red pepper flakes and pepper) stir to coat the meat. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the garnishes and cook on HIGH for 4 hours (or low for 6-8).  Serve over rice and garnish as desired. 

Gluten Free Chicken Divan

I've kind of been on a food blog hiatus ever since we put our house up for sale in February. It's hard to cook and keep a clean kitchen. I'm a bit messy when I cook and the stress of having our house ready to show ALL the time makes me a bit reluctant to start something in the kitchen! Posting recipes is something that makes me happy, and who couldn't use a bit more happiness? My food blog is going back on my list of priorities!

Chicken Divan is one of my favorite dinners in the world. This is what I've had for my birthday dinner almost every year of my life! I was reluctant to post this picture because it doesn't look half has good as it taste...casseroles are kind of like that, aren't they.

GlutenFree Chicken Divan

1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 gluten free chicken bouillon cubes
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 cups cheddar cheese, grated.
32 ounce bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 pound chicken, cooked and cut into 2 inch pieces (or use tenders)
salt and pepper to taste
Cooked rice

Combine milk, cornstarch, pepper, and GF chicken bouillon cubes in a saucepan on medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add butter. Cook and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. To this, add the mayonnaise, curry powder and lemon juice. Combine until the sauce is smooth (my mom usually double this sauce and puts half of it in a gravy boat to serve at the table for those who want extra).

In a greased 9x13 pan place broccoli followed by the cooked chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce on evenly over the casserole. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes. Serve over warm rice.

Pasta Rosa with Spinach - Gluten Free

Last night I was craving pasta with some kind of cheesey sauce. I also wanted something fast because we were hungry 30 minutes ago. Looking in my pantry I saw a jar of Classico brand Creamy Alfredo pasta sauce (I love that it says gluten free right on the jar). Not a bad start, but we're trying to eat more vegetables so I did a little experimenting and came up with this simple yet delicious rosa sauce with spinach that we are already planning to make again.

Pasta Rosa with Spinach
--serves 6-8
16 oz jar gluten free creamy Alfredo sauce (I used Classico brand)
14 oz can diced tomatoes
4 cups baby spinach, washed
16 oz gluten free pasta (I used Trader Joe's brown rice pasta fusilli)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Prepare pasta as directed on package. While pasta is cooking, combine tomatoes and spinach in a sauce pan on medium heat with the lid on. Remove lid when spinach begins to wilt (about 3-4 minutes). Add jar of creamy Alfredo sauce, red pepper flakes and dried basil to you tomato spinach mixture. Stir well and cook until heated through. Place the heat on low until the pasta is ready. When the pasta is cooked to al dente, drain the water and place the pasta back into the pan. Add the Rosa Sauce and gently stir until the sauce is distributed evenly over the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired and serve immediately.

OOH LA LA! Gluten Free Crepes

We love crepes at our house! My husband served an LDS mission in Paris, France and brought this recipe home with him. When crepes are on the menu, we call it Crepe Fest and go all out! We love using all kinds of toppings from nutella to meat and cheese, fruit and pudding or lemon juice and powder sugar. Any way you top them, they are a fun change up to your menu and always delicious! It was pretty easy to make this recipe gluten free and I think the gluten free version tastes exactly the same as the original.

Shane's Famous Crepes

2 cups gluten free flour mix
6 eggs
4 cups milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon xanthum gum

Combine flour, eggs, sugar and xanthum gum in a mixing bowl. With the mixer on meduium, gradually add the milk. Continue mixing on medium high for 4 minutes. Allow batter to rest 5-10 minutes. While batter is resting, heat your crepe pans or skillet to medium heat. Give batter a stir before making each crepe. Place a small amout of crepe batter on a hot crepe pan that has been lightly greased or buttered and swirl to just coat the bottom of the pan. I use about 1/4 cup for my 10 inch pan. After about 1 minute, loosen the crepe and flip it over. Cook for another minute or until crepe is a light golden brown color. Remove from heat and top with your favorite toppings. Roll or fold into a triangle and enjoy! These refrigerate well. Reheat in the microwave or enjoy cold. Makes about 20 10 inch crepes.

Yum! Turkey and Cheese crepe!

We bought our crepe pans in France. The shallow rim makes for easy flipping. A skillet will work just as well if you don't own a crepe pan.

Slow Cooker Gluten Free Lasagna

I found this recipe in the Fix it and Forget it Cook Book when we first got married and have adapted it to our taste (including gluten free) over the years. It's super easy once you get the ground beef browned and it tastes great!

Slow Cooker Gluten Free Lasagna

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
28 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
15 ounce container of ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup water
8 gluten free lasagna noodles, uncooked (I use Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles)

Place the ground beef and chopped onion in a large skillet over medium heat. As the meat is browning, add the Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Continue cooking until meat is browned and onions are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Break noodles to fit slow cooker. Place half in the bottom of a greased slow cooker. Spread half of cooked ground beef over the noodles. Layer half of the spaghetti sauce, half of the water, half of the ricotta cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese over the beef. Repeat layers.

Cover and cook on LOW 4-5 hours.

Garden Fresh Tomato, Corn & Basil Risotto...Enjoy Year Round

I made this risotto in July based off a similar recipe at allrecipes.com. I was looking for a risotto to highlight all of the fragrant basil we had growing in our garden. I wanted to use our garden grown tomatoes too, but because of the mild summer we had in Chicago, our tomatoes didn't ripen until September and by then the basil was gone...maybe next year we can be a bit more in sync! Even using canned tomatoes and frozen corn, this risotto was delicious and tasted garden fresh (hence the name). I'll be making this again!

Garden Fresh Tomato, Corn & Basil Risotto

4 cups chicken stock
2 Tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked arborio rice
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 1/3 cup frozen corn kernels (I like the "baby corn")
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into this strips
salt and pepper to taste

Heat chicken stock in small saucepan and keep over low heat. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to skillet and cook 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and the rice to onions and cook for 1 minute or until garlic smells fragrant.

Begin to add the chicken stock to the rice mixture 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until stock is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Continue adding stock and stirring risotto until all of the chicken stock has been added. This will take about 15- 20 minutes.

Add the frozen corn and can of diced tomatoes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender but slightly chewy. Once the liquid has been incorporated, stir in the Parmesan cheese and basil. Salt and pepper the risotto to your taste preference and serve immediately.

Sweet Salsa Chicken

I'm a big fan of salsa chicken (frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs thrown in the crock pot with 1-2 cups of salsa and cooked on high for 4 hours). I use it to make nachos, tacos, burritos, and chicken taco salad. This weekend my sister-in-law introduced us to a sweet twist on this amazing chicken and we loved it so much that we made it again last night! I forgot to get the recipe, but knew it was the same as salsa chicken with the addition of brown sugar so here's how I did it:

Sweet Salsa Chicken

4 frozen chicken breast or thighs (use boneless, skinless)
1 1/2 cups medium or hot salsa
3/4 cup brown sugar

Place all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours. Shred meat and serve. We used ours for taco meat. Additional taco toppings include black beans, corn, cheese, sour cream, and cilantro served on warm corn tortillas. The leftovers are delicious, but they go fast!

Gluten Free Multi-Flour Tortillas

Recently I was asked what I eat to get enough fiber in my diet.  As you may have guessed, gluten free products are usually lacking in fiber.  Here are a couple of things that I do to get the recommended 25-35 grams a day.  When it's time for a snack I usually stick to fruits, veggies, almonds, and popcorn.  I try to use brown rice instead of white and I eat beans at least once a day - usually with a quesadilla and salsa at lunchtime.  I usually use corn tortillas to make my quesadillas, but after adapting a recipe for gluten free rice flour tortillas by Bette Hagman, I might just switch over to using these - they've each got 5 grams of fiber and 160 calories.  Plus they're easy to make and taste great!  

GF Multi-Flour Tortillas

1 Cup Brown Rice Flour

1/2 cup Buckwheat Flour

1/2 cup Soy Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthum gum

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons milk powder

1 cup warm water

Put all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat on medium for 1 minute.  Divide dough into 6 equal parts.  Dust work surface with corn starch and roll out each piece very thin to form a 12" circle (unless you're a superstar roller, expect your circle to be a bit jagged around the edges like the picture above).  If you are going to roll them all out before cooking them, use plastic wrap to separate each tortilla so they don't stick together .  Otherwise, cook the first one while rolling out the next, continuing until you've done all 6.

To Cook:  Heat a large griddle to medium-hot and cook each tortilla 1-2 minutes per side. Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.  These tortillas reheat nicely in the microwave.

Buen Provecho!

Beef and Broccoli - Gluten Free

One thing I've learned since going gluten free is that if I want Chinese food I need to make it myself (P.F. Changs does have a fabulous gluten free menu and their Chang's spicy chicken is my absolute favorite, but I can't afford to eat there every time I want Chinese food!).  I found the following recipe in the cookbook "Essential Mormon Celebrations" by Julie Badger Jensen and have adapted it to be gluten free.  It's very easy (under 30 minutes) and very delicious!

Gluten Free Beef and Broccoli

1 pound beef steak (we buy steak in bulk from Costco and freeze them.)

1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce (Walmart's Great Value brand is gluten free and very inexpensive)

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/4 cup cold water

16 ounces frozen broccoli florets

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

2 teaspoons sesame oil (this is the secret to make it taste like it came from a fabulous restaurant)

Combine soy sauce, sugar, corn starch, and water in a small bowl and set aside.   Cut steak against the grain into thin strips about 1/4 inch thick.  I find it's easiest to cut the steak when it's frozen (thaw it for 30 minutes so that it's not rock solid).  Heat a large skillet to medium high.  Put the olive oil and steak in the skillet and cook both sides until brown, about 4-5 minutes.  Steam broccoli in the microwave or in a steamer while steak is cooking.  When the steak is brown, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Pour the soy sauce mixture over the meat and cook until it begins to thicken.  Stir in the sesame oil.  Remove from heat, stir in the steamed broccoli and serve over rice. 

 I hope you enjoy this as much as our family does!

Gluten Free Crock Pot Pulled Pork

I've been craving BBQ, but the weather isn't quite ready to cooperate so I turned to my trusty crock pot for this easy and delicious BBQ pulled pork. Make sure your BBQ sauce is gluten free. My favorite is Trader Joe's All Natural Barbeque Sauce.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

2 pounds pork tenderloin

12 ounces gluten free root-beer (I've also used cola and it's just as good)

1-2 cups gluten free BBQ sauce

Place pork tenderloin and root-beer in crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove pork from crock pot, use a couple of forks to shred the meat then add the BBQ sauce to your desired sauciness. Serve over gluten free hamburger buns if desired.

We enjoyed our pulled pork with baked potatoes and this yummy 7 layer salad. The recipe for the salad can be found by following this link.

Lasagne! Daring Bakers March Challenge

Home made gluten free pasta, oh my!  When I found out I'd be making pasta I was a little nervous.  Pasta is something I'd always wanted to try making, but since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease and going gluten free I kind of put the whole pasta making thing out of my mind.  Without this challenge I probably never would have tried gluten free pasta, and although it was a bit time consuming, it was kind of fun too.  It didn't hurt that I had a especially cute sous chef by my side!

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

Here's the recipe that I used.  I cut it in half and used a 9x9 inch pan.

Gluten Free Egg Pasta
1 cup corn flour
3/4 cup corn starch
1 cup tapioca flour
1 cup potato starch
3/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 Tablespoons Xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
6 extra large eggs
3/8 cup of water
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
Whisk together 3 eggs, the water, and the oil. Pour into the middle of the dry ingredients. Mix with a sturdy wooden spoon, gradually drawing more of the flour mix into the wet ingredients. Add each egg as needed. The dough will be crumbly at the beginning but will gradually come together as you add the eggs. You will need to use your hands to squeeze and mix the dough.  The dough will be firm and stick together when ready. It will not have the elasticity of gluten dough therefore it will crack when kneaded and pushed. Form it into a smooth ball, oil it lightly, and cover securely with plastic wrap. Let it rest for an hour.

Put a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. This is very important as the dough will not hold together very well when lifted. Have flour ready for dusting (corn flour etc) and dust the surface lightly. Cut a piece of dough about the size of really large egg – it doesn’t matter the size but start small for the first one to gauge how much space you need. Keep the remaining dough covered so it does not dry.

Roll the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc with your hands. Put it on your work surface and flatten with your hands. Use a rolling pin and gently push the dough down and out ward from the centre. You may have to place one hand on the plastic wrap as you push the dough down and away. Gluten free dough does not stretch like wheat dough therefore it needs gentle flattening and pushing. If it breaks, pat it back together. If it is too dry, dab a little water with your finger.

The gluten free dough will be thicker than wheat dough and you will barely be able to see your hand through the dough. Once it is flattened, cut into strips or squares that will fit your pan.  Set the dough aside on the plastic sheet. There is no need to dry the dough. But if you do dry the dough, it will not be able to hang because it will break. Stack the rolled out dough with plastic sheets in between.

Stack the sheets when dry and wrap securely. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Freezing will make the dough crumbly and difficult to work with – so freeze only as a last resort!  This dough does not need to be precooked before being assembled into the lasagne.

Gluten Free Béchamel - White Sauce

2 & 2/3 cup milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter or Extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons corn starch

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Mix the corn starch with ½ cup of cold milk. Heat the rest of the milk in a small sauce pan until steaming but do not boil. Add the milk/cornstarch mixture to the steaming milk. Stirring constantly, raise the heat and heat the mixture until thick. Once it is thick, remove it from the heat and add the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Have the béchamel warm or at room temperature ready to assemble the lasagne. Whisk the sauce occasionally if it becomes stiff or thick.

Gluten Free Ragu Sauce

I used my spaghetti sauce recipe and added 1 pound ground sirloin

Before assembly, pour plain water into the pan, enough to form a thin film of water over the bottom. A 9 x 13 inch pan required almost ½ cup (125 mL) of water. Once the lasagna is assembled, pour a tablespoon of water into each corner of the dish. Cover the lasagna tightly with aluminum foil. Be careful not to touch the top of the lasagna with the foil. Bake as directed.

Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted but not brown.

Crock Pot Chipotle Chili and Skillet Cornbread

I think I've found my new favorite meal! I came across the chili recipe in the Jan/Feb issue of Midwest Living. My husband and I both like the smokey flavor of chipotle and I had most of the ingredients on hand so it was a bit of a no brainer to make it for dinner. The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, but I only had 1/2 pound so I substituted an extra can of beans and doubled the hominy to take its place. I also used chipotle seasoning instead of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - it's a personal preference.

After getting the chili into the crockpot I started thinking of what to serve with it. I love cornbread and have a decent gluten free one already posted on my blog, but unless you eat it right from the oven it's a bit on the dry side and doesn't re-heat very well (must eat with milk to choke it down although the flavor is nice). I was thinking of ways to add some moisture (sour cream, applesauce, etc) when I remembered that I had some creamed corn in the pantry. I thought creamed corn might help make my cornbread moist, and after doing some online searches realized that others shared my same line of thinking - there were lots of recipes online for cornbread using creamed corn. I used this one because it looked like I could easily make it gluten free. Here are the recipes exactly how I made them. They are so yummy and the cornbread is my new favorite!

Chipotle Chili

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 2 cups water
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 14 oz can mexican stewed tomatoes
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 30-oz. can golden hominy, rinsed and drained
  
• 2 cups loose-pack frozen diced hash brown potatoes with onions and peppers
• 1 teaspoon beef flavored better than bouillon
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle seasoning

Brown hamburger and place in slow cooker with all of the ingredients. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Serve with sour cream, chopped avocado and shredded cheddar cheese if desired.

Skillet Corn bread

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup gluten free flour blend
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthum gum
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 
  
• preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk cornmeal, gf flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and xanthum gum in large bowl to blend. Add creamed corn, butter and egg. Stir just until blended. Spoon batter into an 8 inch cast iron skillet.
  

Bake until edges begin to pull away from pan sides and tester inserted into center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm with butter and honey.

PIZZA! PIZZA! October Daring Bakers Challenge

3 years ago this month I was diagnosed with celiac disease.  That means it's been 3 years since I've had a great slice of pizza...until now!  I'm excited to announce that I've found a pizza crust that I love.  So much in fact, that we've had pizza 3 times in the last two weeks.  Hurray for pizza!

I've based my recipe off the one used by Emeril in a recent episode of Emeril Green.  I played with the flour types a little and came up with the following:

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

(makes 2 18 inch pizza crusts)

1 1/2 cup warm water (120 degrees F)  

1 tablespoon sugar  

2 tablespoons active dry yeast  

2 cups gluten free flour blend 

1/2 cup soy flour  

1/2 cup corn flour  

1 cups millet flour  

2/3 cup instant non-fat dry milk powder  

3 teaspoons xantham gum  

1 teaspoon salt  

3 tablespoons olive oil  

2 eggs

Combine warm water, active dry yeast and sugar in a small bowl and let it sit 5-10 minutes until it's nice and foamy. If it doesn't foam, your yeast is bad and you'll need to start again with new yeast. Spray two large baking pans or pizza stones with vegetable oil and set aside. Combine the remaining dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the yeast mixture, olive oil and eggs slowly to the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture is well incorporated. Increase the speed to high and continue to mix for 4 minutes.  The dough will be sticky.

Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and divide into two balls. With damp hands gently press each dough ball into a circle about 1/4 inch thick, leaving the edges a bit thicker to prevent sauce from dripping onto the pan. Heat oven to 100 degrees and place pizza crust in the oven to rise for 10-15 minutes until double.

Without removing the pizza crust, turn up oven heat to 400 degrees and cook the crust for 10 minutes (including the time it takes for oven to heat). Remove from the oven and top with pizza sauce and your favorite toppings. Place back into the oven and continue to cook until the crust is golden brown and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes longer. (Note: if the baking pan is not liberally greased, the dough will stick. If this happens, use a flat metal spatula to separate the dough from the baking pan.)

Enjoy and eat often!

Tomato Spaghetti Sauce

Our garden is bursting with tomatoes and we so love it! I spent the morning making freezer spaghetti sauce from a recipe found in the slow cooker cookbook Fix it and Forget it. My slow cooker was filled to overflowing, and I ended up with several bottles of spaghetti sauce to stock my freezer for the winter. As is, this recipe serves about 6. I usually triple or 4 times the recipe so that I have a lot to freeze.

Tomato Spaghetti Sauce

1 cup chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds fresh tomatoes peeled and chopped

6 oz can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons better than bouillon beef base

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 large bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker except for the cornstarch and water. Cover and cook on low 10 hours or high 5 hours. Remove bay leaf. Combine cornstarch and water. Stir into sauce. Cover and cook on high until thick and bubbly (about 25 minutes).

This sauce freezes well. Thaw and reheat over stove or in microwave. Add browned hamburger, veggies, frozen meatballs (Aidell's sun-dried tomato meatballs are gluten free but always check package before buying.) or anything you like and serve over pasta.

Fresh Tomato Risotto

This is one of our favorite ways to use the tomatoes from our garden.  It's a recipe taken from the cookbook Cucina Rustica and is naturally gluten free.  While risotto is a relatively easy dish to make, it is time intensive.  This usually takes me an hour to make start to finish.  The original recipe calls for wine, but since we don't drink alcohol I use additional broth instead. I hope your family enjoys it as much as ours!

Fresh Tomato Risotto

• 6 cups chicken brothtablespoons butter, divided
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
• 8 medium tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat the chicken broth in a medium size pot or saucepan until it's very hot. Turn off the heat but keep a lid over the broth so that it stays hot.
2. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in a heave 2 quart saucepan. Add the onion and cook over low heat until it is tender.  Add the garlic and when it starts to smell fragrant (about 1 minute) add the tomatoes.  Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes break down and form a sauce.  Add the rice, turn the heat to low, and cook slowly until all the tomato sauce is absorbed.
3. Begin to add the hot chicken broth one ladleful (about 1/2 cup) at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next ladleful. Once you've added about half of the broth, add salt and pepper to taste.  Continue cooking risotto adding one ladleful of chicken stock at a time letting the liquid absorb before adding more. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender but still slightly chewy.
4.  Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and the basil. Stir vigorously until all the butter and cheese are absorbed.  Serve immediately.

Pasta Fresca

This is my spin on the Pasta Fresca dish served at Noodles and Company.  Not only is it delicious, but it's a great way to use some of the zucchini and cherry tomatoes we have growing in our garden.

Pasta Fresca

(serves 4)

8oz GF pasta (I like Trader Joe's organic brown rice pasta)

1 medium zucchini cut into bite size pieces

1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half

1 cup baby spinach

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon better than bouillon chicken base

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Get your pasta water going first so that you can get everything else prepared and cooked while the pasta is boiling.  Cook pasta as directed on package.  Steam zucchini for 5-7 minutes (while the pasta is cooking so they finish together.  You could boil you zucchini with your pasta if you'd like, but sometimes it gets a bit mushy for my taste.)

In a saute pan on medium heat, heat oil and add minced garlic.  Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  You don't want the garlic to burn.  Add onion, balsamic vinegar, water, and bouillon. Reduce heat and simmer until onions are soft, about 7 minutes.  Add red pepper flakes.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.  

When pasta is cooked, drain water.  Add pasta, zucchini, tomatoes and spinach to the balsamic vinegar mixture and combine. (Spinach will wilt from the heat). Serve with parmesan cheese.

Vegetable Fried Rice

I love fried rice! One day after missing not being able to order it in a restaurant it dawned on me - I learned how to make this in my 6th grade Home Ec class. Hello! If the 6th grade version of me could make fried rice, then this older version of me had a pretty fair chance of being able to make it too. And it is so easy! My favorite recipe is based off of one I found at www.allrecipes.com The original recipe has a lot of ingredients and requires a lot of chopping. I love this recipe because it's so easy to make,it's delicious, and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. I especially love the addition of sesame oil. It gives the fried rice that depth of flavor not often found in home-made Chinese food. Tonight dinner was finished and sitting on the table in under 15 minutes. Now that's what I'm talking about! Here's my version:

Vegetable Fried Rice

3 cups cooked white rice (leftovers preferred or cook 1 1/2 cups rice to get 3 cups cooked)
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen stir fry vegetables or any other stir ins you like (see variations)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce (more or less depending on your preference)

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Pour in sesame oil and stir in onion. Cook until translucent, then add garlic. When garlic is lightly browned, stir in vegetables. Stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in beaten egg and cook just until egg is scrambled and firm.
Add rice, mix thoroughly with vegetables and stir in soy sauce. Adjust seasoning to your preference and serve immediately.

Variations: instead of stir fry vegetables add a combination of any of the following equaling a total of 1 1/2 - 2 cups. chopped ham, chicken, shrimp, carrots, celery and of course frozen peas.

Catalina Taco Salad

My version is loosely based on a recipe found here, but mine's vegetarian (at least tonight), uses a lot less dressing, and had no taco seasoning... does that make it a "not taco" taco salad? I love salads because you can pretty much use whatever you've got and it always taste good, plus it's so nice on a hot humid day to not have to fire up the stove!!!

I didn't really measure, but here's a list of ingredients and an approximation of how much I used:

Catalina Taco Salad

4 cups spinach
1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 small tomatoes chopped
1 avocado seeded and cubed
1/2 cup grated cheese
2 green onions sliced thinly
1 cup fritos
1/2 cup light Catalina salad dressing

Toss everything together in a large bowl and serve immediately. If you think there will be leftovers, add the fritos to each individual serving instead of mixing them with the salad. Otherwise they will get soggy.

This is one of our favorite salads - especially during the summertime!