Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

Yes, Yes, I'm still alive. It has been a trying couple of weeks. My car broke down and had to have the engine rebuilt and then my wife got strep throat. I figure I'm about a six pack of beer and a lost dog away from a good Country Western song. Here in the Portland area the weather can't seem to decide what to do. One day it's sunny and warm, the next it is cold, windy, and rainy. It's best just to whip up some comfort food and stick close to home this time of year. I don't usually get too crazy with macaroni and cheese. Simple is often best. However, I saw an episode of Barefoot Contessa where Ina made up some mac and cheese that looked delicious, bold, and easy. So, I had to give it a go.
Grown Up Macaroni and Cheese:
courtesy of Ina Garten, modified to be GF
4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
8-12 ounces GF elbow pasta (I use Ancient Harvest Quinoa)
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons GF flour mix
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices GF sandwich bread (I use Whole Foods Brand)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves Cook the pasta per directions on the package. Drain well and set aside. Cook the bacon, coarsely chop and set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and add the gf flour. Stir to combine. Whisk in the milk until it become smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow the milk to boil. Add all of the cheese and stir until smooth and creamy.
Add the chopped bacon, pepper, and nutmeg.
In a food processor, add the gf bread and basil. Pulse until combined into crumbs.
Mix the pasta and cheese sauce together. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish or several smaller baking dishes. Cover with bread crumb mixture. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until the bread topping is golden brown. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Glazed Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

A little while back my wife subscribed to Bon Appetit magazine as a gift for me. So besides finding new recipes on the Internet to try, Bon Appetit has become my inspiration for new recipes. Unfortunately, some of the recipes that look great in the magazine have ended up in the garbage after one bite. I hate spending the time and money to try something new only to be thoroughly disappointed. On the other hand, I have found some really good recipes in the magazine also. I knew this recipe for glazed chicken was a hit when my wife asked me when I could make it again. The glaze for the chicken is sweet and tangy and the pineapple salsa is fresh and tropical. It is very delicious.
Glazed Chicken with Pineapple Salsa
from Bon Appetit
Serves 4
For the chicken:
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 Tbs brown sugar (packed)
1 Tbs yellow mustard
For the salsa:
3/4 cup fresh pineapple cut into 1/4 inch cubes
3 Tbs diced red pepper
3 Tbs chopped cilantro
1-1/2 Tbs diced red onion
1-1/2 Tbs diced jalapeno pepper (adjust amount to your liking)
pinch of salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring pineapple juice, brown sugar, and mustard to a boil in a small sauce pan. Stir together and boil until the glaze is thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and brush both side of chicken with the glaze. Bake for 15 minutes. Apply another coat of glaze and broil to finish cooking, about 5 minutes longer. Keep an eye on the chicken so it doesn't burn under the broiler.
For the salsa, combine all the salsa ingredients together in a medium bowl. It is best to make the salsa at least an hour ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld a bit.
Spoon the salsa over the chicken. Serve with rice and a vegetable and you are all set to eat a delicious and easy weeknight meal. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Grilled Cheese and Short Rib Sandwich

I was just looking back through my blog the other day when I realized that I have been at this for a year now. February 24th is when I started my little venture into blogging. At the time I didn't know what to expect. I thought it would be cool if one or two people stumbled across my site. The first comment I received was from Kim at Gluten Free Green Mommy. The next few comments came from Lori at Living Chronically, Cathy at Noble Pig, and Linda at The Gluten Free Homemaker. I really want to thank you four. Your positive comments and feedback gave me the motivation to keep posting with the realization that, yes people really are reading my blog.
Now let's get to this sandwich. I am a very visual person. When I look at recipes I love to see pictures of what it is that I'm trying to make. I've passed by many cookbooks that are all words and no photos. I'm sure they may have some great recipes, but I need to see what I'm making. This sandwich was featured smack-dab on the front cover of last months Bon Appetit magazine. Gooey melty cheese, crisp toasty bread, and perfectly browned short ribs. There it was just staring at me. Of course it wasn't meant to be gluten free, but that has never really stopped me. I have always wanted to try short ribs and this seemed like a perfect excuse to do so.
Grilled Cheese and Short Rib Sandwiches:
from Bon Appetit, modified to be GF
Serves 8 with the full recipe. I made half but I'll give you the full recipe here.
Short Ribs:
5 pounds beef short ribs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup low-salt beef broth
1/3 cup medium-dry Sherry
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 large fresh thyme sprig
Pickled Caramelized Onions:
1 tablespoon butter
2 large red onions, halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 6 cups)
4 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Assembly:
Butter, room temperature
16 slices gf sandwich bread (We use Whole Foods brand)
8 slices Monterey Jack cheese (I used Colby Jack cheese)
2 cups baby arugula (I used Romaine lettuce)
For the ribs, sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper. In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Working in two batches, brown the ribs on all sides then transfer to a plate. Next, saute the celery, onion, and carrot until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, broth, Sherry, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, scraping up all the browned bits. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Return the ribs to the pot, propping them up on their side in a single layer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, turn the ribs over. Cover and continue cooking for 1-1/2 hours. After the ribs are done cooking, remove them from the pot. Trip off excess fat and remove them from the bone. Cut the meat into 3/4-1 inch pieces.
While the ribs are cooking, prepare the caramelized pickled onions. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and saute until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes-stir frequently. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook until most of the vinegar is absorbed, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.
To make your sandwich, butter two sides of bread. Add the cheese, meat, onions, and arugula. (I used Romaine lettuce) Top with the other slice of bread and grill until crisp and the cheese is melted.
Crispy, gooey, and hearty. Everything a sandwich ought to be. Enjoy!!!
I almost forgot. This beautiful blue Dutch oven that I cooked my ribs in came from Margo at Off The Wheaten Path. She had a contest a few months back and I won. This was my first time using it. Thanks again Margo, I love it.

Gluten Free Smoky Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

I really can't believe I haven't shared this recipe with you yet. Yes, it's hard to believe that I eat salads on occasion, not just desserts. When I am craving salad, I love fresh salad dressing from scratch. Most salad dressings are easier to whip up than you may realize. The freshness and flavor of homemade dressing is unbeatable by the bottled stuff. I found this recipe last year on one of my favorite blogs; Noble Pig. The key addition to this smooth, creamy, buttermilk ranch is a little smoked paprika. The smoked paprika adds such a unique touch to this amazing salad dressing.

Smoky Buttermilk Ranch:

from Noble Pig
2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tablespoons fresh chives

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of Salt

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the buttermilk. Whisk in the buttermilk, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Prepare your favorite greens and top with your homemade smoky buttermilk ranch. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Chocolate Pudding

When was the last time you made chocolate pudding that didn't involve a box of brown powder? I have tried a few scratch pudding recipes over the years and they all seem overly complicated. So, I often default to the boxed mixes also. There's no shame in it. Convenience is often king. I have to tell you though. I found a simple homemade recipe for you to try out. The pudding is smooth and creamy, with just the right amount of chocolate.
Chocolate Pudding:
from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 6
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk (I used 1% milk)
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a double boiler (a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water)mix together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Next, whisk in the milk.
Stir frequently for 10-15 minutes. The milk mixture will thicken up and begin to coat the back of a spoon. Add the chocolate.
Continue stirring for 3-4 minutes until the chocolate is completely melted and mixed into the milk. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the pudding into small ramekins or serving dishes. To prevent a skin from forming on top, cover with plastic wrap by pressing the wrap down on top of the pudding. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Top with a little whipped cream and enjoy your victory over powdered pudding mix.

Prana / Boomi Bar- Product Review

Several weeks ago I received a free sample Prana Bar and a Boomi Bar from Divine Food Products to review. I opened the package, pulled out the two sample bars, looked them over, and set them down. I nearly forgot about them. I think subconsciously I was apprehensive about trying them. Sure, I like to try new things and I like to spread the word about quality products to the GF community. I have tried several "power bars" in the past, both gf and non gf. What always bothers me is that I feel that they try to pack too much into one thing. Too many vitamins, too much protein, too much whatever. Or they try to be all things to all people. Usually this comes at the price of sacrificing flavor or texture. When I saw the packaging for the Prana Bar, I had some similar feelings. The Prana Bar is: Soy Free, has No Sugar Added, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Vegan. In my mind this all added up to a little tasteless rectangle of chewy cardboard. Before I even got around to trying these bars, I had already decided that I would not like them and this would be a difficult review. For crying out loud, I still don't even know what Acai is or why I would want to eat it.
Well, I did finally get around to trying the Boomi Bar. I took my first bite. I must say, all my apprehension and skeptisim faded away instantly. The Apricot Cashew Boomi Bar turned out to be really good. The apricot flavor was wonderful and the cashews and crisped rice added a nice crunch. The Boomi Bar contains one full serving of fruit and only has about 190 calories. I could easily see myself picking up a few of these to have on hand for a quick snack or to pack with me when I take my daughter to the Zoo for the day. After trying the Boomi Bar, I was much more open to trying the Prana Bar. Again, I was surprised. The flavors were well balanced and the texture was great. I love coconut and I was happy that a nice straight forward coconut flavor came through without being offset by the other ingredients. Despite my initial, unfounded apprehensions, I really enjoyed both of these energy bars. I have no problem recommending that you seek these out for yourself. You might be just as surprised as I was. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole

This week's theme for What Can I Eat That's Gluten Free is casseroles. I love the idea of throwing a few ingredients together and popping it in the oven for a simple meal. However, I rarely make casseroles. I didn't really grow up eating many casserole dishes, except for the occasional pot luck where the casseroles seemed to be more mystery than good eating. I am hoping to pick up some new and fresh ideas over at The Gluten Free Homemaker this week. For my contribution, I made a recipe that I got from my mother-in-law a few years back. This breakfast casserole is so simple and for my small family can serve us for a few days. It's also perfect for Easter and other family get togethers that involve breakfast or brunch.
Breakfast Casserole:
1/2 pound of meat (Bacon, Sausage, Ham, or a combination of any)
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1/2 cup green bell pepper (Chopped)
12 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I use 1%)
1/2 cup water
1 package (about 16 ounces) fresh hash brown potatoes or frozen hash browns-thawed
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dill weed
Baking Directions:
Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes Begin by cooking the bacon, sausage, or any other meat of your choice. Cut the meat into bite size pieces. While the meat is cooking, chop the onion and green pepper, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the 12 eggs, milk, water, salt, pepper, and dill weed. Add the meat, hash browns, cheese, onion, and pepper to the egg mix. Combine thoroughly.
Pour the whole mix into a 9x13 baking dish. Spread the mixture around in the baking dish to even it out. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Allow to cool for a couple minutes before serving. The hash browns do a great job of holding this casserole together. Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee!!!