Gluten Free Pork Chops with Apple & Tomato

May 22nd, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Main Dish - (0 Comments)

Easy & Quick Meal, Great for Summer!

Gluten Free Pork Chops with Apples & Tomatoes

Short on time, too hot to light the oven? This Pork Chop with Apples & Tomatoes is quick, easy and flavorful! Serve over rice and you’re all set. Salad is a quick fix too, so let’s get going with the main dish!

These ingredients are for 2 Chops, so if you’re cooking for more people, then do the math and double up, or triple if need be. I’ve added a photo of one chop in a pan as it was cooking to help visualize your steps, but truly, you’ll see this is easy and quick. Perhaps, ½ hour from start to serve. I’d say that was fast!

Ingredients:

2 Pork Chops
2 tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dash of Salt & Pepper
1 Fresh Tomato, Sliced into about 6 crescents. Don’t slice as for a sandwich, but from stem to top into crescents.
1 Tart Apple such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, etc.
½ teas. Lime Juice
2 Scallions, Slice only the 3 inches at the bulb end. (Not the greener end)
Dash of Nutmeg
1/8 teas Ground Ginger or just a dash. We’re not relying on too much, just a dash
½ cup G-Free Chicken Broth
1 tbls Brown Sugar. I used Light Brown Sugar.

Rice of choice. I used a white rice, but brown or jasmine will do fine as well.

Directions:

First, cook the rice. While it’s being prepared, we’ll make the meat.

Next, get all of the ingredients out in front of you. It goes quickly, so you’ll be all set.
Slice up the tomato, apple, scallion.

Heat the EVOO in a pan and give a dash of Salt & Pepper to the 2 sides of each Chop. Place in the hot oil and brown lightly on both sides. We aren’t cooking them thru here, just a browning for color.

Remove to a plate.
In that same oil, saute the scallions till translucent. Then add the sliced apple and tomato at the same time. Saute for about 2 minutes, then add the broth, nutmeg, ginger and another dash of Salt & Pepper.
Add the Brown Sugar.
Stir well to combine all.
Place the Chops back in that mixture. Cover tightly and simmer on low-to-medium heat for only about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the hot burner and let sit with cover for a few minutes.

While this was going, you should have put up the rice, and if timed right, we’re all done at the same time.

Serve over that rice of choice and perhaps a green salad or some fresh corn.
No need to heat the kitchen with the oven…we’re all set in no time!

Gluten Free Asparagus, Prosciutto Quiche

May 19th, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Appetizers | Main Dish | Side Dishes - (0 Comments)

Easy with a Store-bought Pie Crust!

Gluten Free Asparagus, Prosciutto Quiche

Right now the Spring Vegetables are plentiful, and so I decided to make a Gluten-Free Asparagus, Prosciutto Quiche. You can whip it up in no time with a pre-made Gluten Free Pie Crust Shell that is sold in most large markets.
It sure makes life easier in the summer too. If you don’t want to purchase gluten free Prosciutto, (Boar’s Head brand is G-F) you can substitute gluten free Ham that’s diced up. So, let’s get started:

Ingredients:

1 Gluten Free Pie Crust. (This shell is bought frozen. No need to defrost)
2 tbls Butter
1 small Shallot, sliced into small pieces
6 eggs
¼ lb G-Free Prosciutto, Diced into small pieces
1 ½ cups Light Cream
¼ cup Chopped Cheddar or Fontina or your favorite.
½ lb Fresh Asparagus Spears, Washed, scraped of scales, remove bottom couple of inches. We want the tender top half.
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sprinkle of Grated Italian Cheese on top ( Romano or  Parmesan, etc)

Place Spears on top for a great effect!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the empty pie shell in the oven for about 10 minutes. Watch not to forge it there. We only want to give it a head start, not to bake it all the way through. Remove at that point and wait to fill. Lower oven to 350.

Wash & clean the Asparagus Spears and cut into desired size as stated above. Wipe dry with paper towel & set aside.
Chop up the Shallot and Prosciutto or Ham.

In a small skillet, melt the butter and then saute the shallot until really translucent and very slightly golden. Add the meat and saute as well for about 2 minutes, until nice and tender. Remove from heat.
Set pan aside.

In a small saucepan or if you have another small skillet, place some water, about 1 cupful, and when boiling, add the Asparagus spears , in a single layer, to blanch. Just let simmer for no more than 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool on a plate.

In a bowl, beat the eggs well until frothy, and then add the light cream and beat another minute.
Add the cheese, shallot and meat from that pan, and combine well. Salt & Pepper to your tastes.

Pour this gently into the pie crust. Now, very gently, place the Asparagus spears on the top, floating in a circular design as in my photo. They’ll stay on top if you’re gentle.  Sprinkle that small amount of Italian Grated cheese  in the center area.
Bake at 350 degrees for first 15 minutes, then lower to 300 degrees until set and golden.
Since ovens vary, watch for the look I demonstrate here. It can be 20-35 minutes. You can test for doneness with a toothpick or a thermometer reaching 160.  Done!  Enjoy with a salad or beside something fruity.

Gluten Free Penne, Roasted Veggies & Steak

May 17th, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Main Dish | Pastas - (0 Comments)

Gluten Free Penne, Roasted Veggies & Steak

Grilling and Roasting are such easy & practical ways to cook that now almost everything can be prepared that way, including almost all of the ingredients in this Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Steak dish.
The Asparagus, Zucchini, and Skirt Steak were all roasted in the oven or you can grill if you like. This is such a satisfying “One-dish” meal, and doesn’t need any expertise to make.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Gluten Free Pasta. Penne makes a great presentation, but you choose the shape you prefer. Spaghetti won’t work that well here, however.

1 lb. Fresh Asparagus. (clean, scrape off “gills” and remove the bottom 2 in.)

1 Zucchini.(wash, peel off outer skin, slice into ¼ to ½  inch slices & then half those)

2 Garlic Cloves. Minced.

4 tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I used “Light” oil)

1 tbls Butter

Several Rome Tomatoes or Cherry Tomatoes. (These are Rome.) Remove end near stem and slice into long quarters.

Skirt Steak. For 4 servings, you’ll need enough to put 5 or 6 one-inch slices on each plate, so judge how much to buy with that in mind.

Solid piece of Fontina Cheese. You’ll cut into slivers or shavings as a garnish at the end, when serving.

Salt & Pepper for adding to olive oil for flavor.
Few Fresh Basil Leaves as garnish as well.

Directions:

If using the oven to roast the veggies, then take a dark coated pan and put in 2 tbls of the Olive Oil, & a dash of Salt & Pepper. After cleaning the Asparagus and cutting, coat the pieces in the oil by turning over and over.

In a second pan, put the Zucchini in 1 tbls oil that is also sprinkled with S & P. Also turn slices to coat.

Place both in a 375 degree oven.
Keep an eye on Asparagus and remove when becoming a little brown on the tips. Zucchini will be golden when you’re going to remove. No need to rotate while roasting.

While these are in the oven, grill the steak to your liking. These were medium-well. When it’s done, allow to rest. Don’t slice immediately or you lose precious juices.

Place a saucepot on stovetop with the water that’s had 1 teas. of salt added, and cook the pasta to “al Dente”. Drain and save covered until ready to plate. You can add a drop or two of oil in the drained pasta to prevent sticking. Stir to coat. Cover to keep warm.

But, while that pasta’s cooking, on another burner, in a skillet, melt the 1 tbl of butter with the last 1 teas. of Oil. When melted saute the garlic, but don’t allow to get brown. We’re just releasing the flavor. Add the tomatoes that are sliced and just warm to coat in the liquid. We are NOT cooking the tomatoes, we’re merely warming and coating to flavor them.
Remove from heat and set aside.

Assuming everything is cooked, & your pasta is done, we can assemble the dish.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked ingredients: pasta, vegetables, tomatoes, sliced steak, and lastly the shaved cheese on top. If you’d like the Basil, then by all means, ad on top as well.
After tossing lightly, place portions on individual plates and serve, or for family style, use one large platter. Filling and colorful, and very delicious!

Easy Gluten Free Chicken Salad

May 14th, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Main Dish | Side Dishes - (0 Comments)

Easy Gluten Free Chicken Salad

I must give credit for this one to my daughter-in-law, Mary. Already a fabulous cook, she easily prepares dishes that are gluten free for several folks in the family, and this is her creation.
It calls for the ingredients that may be typical, ( celery, mayo, etc) but also adds a couple that may not be something you’d add ( cranberries, apples).
In addition, we left out others that would jazz it up even more, but for our family’s likes and dislikes, we chose not to include. Those are chopped walnuts or pecans, poppy seeds, diced bell peppers, etc. The list can be endless…just be sure the ingredients are, you guessed it, gluten free. Including the prep for the chicken itself.

You can buy a rotisserie chicken if you’re sure it’s labeled gluten free, or ask the store manager; which certainly makes life easy for you. Or if you have time, roast 2 breasts on the bone, which is what I’ve done here.
We used the white meat, and naturally discard the skin. You decide. It’s even something you can do with leftover chicken from yesterday’s dinner!!

Ingredients:
Approx. 2 cups Chopped or Shredded White Meat Chicken
2 tbls “Lite” Mayo. If you prefer, use regular Mayo
1 Granny Smith Apple. Peeled, cored, diced into ¼ to ½ in. pieces
1 Celery Rib. Washed, diced into same size pieces as apple
Handful of Dried Cranberries. (I used “Craisins”)
Dash of Salt & Pepper
1 teas. Lime Juice. ( Optional)

Directions:

Can’t be easier: dice, shred the chicken in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Combine well.
Of course, you may serve as a salad over crispy romaine or arugula; or toast up that G-F sliced bread or ciabatta roll, and enjoy a really good sandwich.
It’s so simple, yet so good.
The above will satisfy approximately 4. For a larger crowd, just double up on everything. No stress here!

Gluten Free Spanish Rice

May 11th, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Side Dishes - (0 Comments)

Gluten Free Spanish Rice

Here’s a side dish that is so versatile you’ll use it all year round: Spanish Rice. Goes great next to that BBQ Steak, Roasted Chicken,  Pork Loin, even a Fish dish.
So, take your time preparing the Arborio Rice, and everyone will thank you!
This should feed 6-8.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups White Arborio Rice ( I love Lundberg’s) You may know it as the Risotto rice.
2 Tbls Butter
2 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (I like Light)
2 garlic Cloves
½ cup Chopped Shallot
1 Can ( 14-15 oz.) Crushed or Diced Tomatoes. (I love Muir Glenn)
1 ½ cups G-Free Chicken Broth, and more if needed.
1 Poblano or Jalapeno Pepper- chopped into small pieces after seeding. (Use 1/2 if you prefer less spicy)

1/4 to 1/2 teas Cumin

Dash of Salt & Pepper

Few Fresh Parsley Sprigs, chopped, for garnish, if desired.

 

Directions:

In a very large skillet or saucepan, melt the butter and heat oil together on a low heat.
Add the shallot and saute until clear. Add the rice, and garlic and saute for about 4 minutes or so, until they are both very well coated., but don’t brown the garlic.

While this is going, put all of the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mash the tomatoes with a fork or potato masher until well combined. If you want, of course you can use a hand mixer on low, or food processor for a better combination.

Add this liquid combo to the pan with rice, garlic and onion, adding by 1 cupful at a time. Cover tightly. This Rice MUST be stirred frequently. And be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you do. We want to achieve a creamy rice, so the stirring is key.

You’ll see the liquid being absorbed as this is cooking. Taste the rice for softness. If it’s still “chewy” or “al dente”, then add more broth and keep simmering on low heat with a cover.  It’s difficult to provide an actual time frame here, since your pan, the type of heat you’re using, etc will vary.
Best advice is to “baby-sit” the rice.
When ready to serve, you can garnish with a few sprigs of fresh parsley, finely chopped, if desired.

It’s a great dish, and one you’ll repeat again & again. Worth the time you may put in!

 

Gluten Free Strawberry Trifle Parfait, A Semi-Homemade Recipe

May 10th, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Desserts | Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

 

Gluten Free  Strawberry Trifle Parfait
Semi-Homemade and Easy!

Whether it’s a surprise dessert for Mother’s Day, or a lovely dessert for guests all year long, this is a Super Easy G-F Strawberry Trifle!  And as I often promise, it’s a Semi-Homemade one.
So, for those who think they are “baking-challenged“, you’ll have no excuse this time! HaHa!!

You’ll need a Gluten Free Yellow or Vanilla Cake Mix, I like Betty Crocker’s, but you may prefer another.
After mixing to the pkg instructions, I added an extra teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract.

You’ll need a nice clear glass vessel to show it off. This was a wine glass, but any glass will do. Even a water glass that’s clear will allow the trifle effect to shine through!
Let’s get started….even you Dad!

Ingredients:

1 Box Gluten Free Cake Mix in Yellow or Vanilla flavor.

The ingredients that the mix calls for. (Can’t list here because they differ from one another.) I used Betty Crockers, myself.

Fresh Strawberries, Washed dried, hulled and then sliced

1 pint Heavy Cream for whipping
1 teas. Confectioners’ Sugar

Some Udi’s Granola . Here’s a photo of their bag.

Directions:

Bake the cake as directed, but add an extra teas. of Vanilla Extract.
When completely cooled, remove from cake pan, and using a sharp knife, cut off the side edges, the ones that are dark golden. We want the yellow, inner cake to show in the dessert.

Pour the heavy whipping cream in a small bowl, add 1 teas of Confectioners’ sugar and beat on high until peaks form. Again, easy!!

Taking the glasses, you’re going to layer the ingredients as you can see in the photo.
On bottom, the small piece of cake, on top of that, the few berry slices, then cake again, followed by berries.
Next layer will include the whipped cream on the berries and so on.
It’s up to you, but the layering is what presents a pretty dessert, as well as the colors.
Lastly, sprinkle those crunchy granola bits on top of the last cream, crowning the trifle.  Delish!

So, whenever you can’t bake from scratch, and make something to wow your guests, or at this time of year, to Wow Mom, get to work on this easy-peasy trifle parfait!!

Gluten Free Halibut with Croutons & Capers

May 10th, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Main Dish - (0 Comments)

Use any Fillet: Sole, Flounder, Halibut, etc.

 

Halibut with Croutons & Capers

It’s a late afternoon. You’ve had a REEEEALY tiring day. You’re on your way home but the thought of preparing something for dinner that’s going to take over an hour, isn’t too appealing right now.  And you’re not feeling like changing  clothes to dine out. So…what to do? Got it! Stop for a few minutes at the fish & seafood market and buy some pieces of fillet. It can be flounder, sole, or another white fleshy fish. In this case, I prepared Halibut.

At this time of year, Spring, wild caught Halibut is in season here in the northeast and tastes soo delicious. Whichever you choose, be assured this recipe is quick so that energy you lack on this day, won’t be necessary.

It whips up in a large skillet or I used a ceramic frypan. No need to heat the oven. If you don’t have these ingredients on hand, then why not pick them up for a future use. The only thing you may not already have is the capers.
And once opened, that jar will last in the fridge for a while. So, let’s get started!

Ingredients:

4 Fillets, Halibut used here, but Sole or Flounder are fine. Try to get thick pieces.
3 tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 or 4 tbl Butter
1 Garlic clove, minced
2 Slices of G-Free White Bread. Use the 2 end slices. I love Udi’s White Sandwich Bread. Here’s a photo below
½ lemon-Sliced very thin, then cut each in half
1 ½ tbls Capers, drained
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tbls Parsley  or Preferably Dill

Directions:

First, take the 2 end slices of the bread and slice into cubes. We’re making croutons out of them, so they ought to be about ½ -¾ in squares
Set aside for a minute.

In the skillet, heat 2 tbls of the oil and when warm, add the garlic cloves. Only saute for a minute or so, watching that they don’t brown. Remove and throw away.
Add the croutons to the pan and saute until golden. Keep turning so as to coat and brown all over. That oil was infused with the flavor of the garlic, so the croutons will pick that up. This crisping takes about 5 minutes. Watch them carefully.

Season the fish pieces with S & P.
Remove the croutons and set aside for later.
To the skillet add the last tbls of the oil, and 2 tbls of butter.

Add the fillets, one next to the other, never stacking them. Saute until opaque in color, taking 3 minutes on 1 side and then gently turn over with a spatula to repeat on the second side. Another 3 or 4 minutes.

Remove and place fish on a plate for later. Cover to keep warm.

To that skillet, add the remaining butter and lower heat to low. Add the lemon and capers. Cook and stir constantly for about 1 minutes.
Add the Parsley or Dill ( I used Dill in mine) and cook only for about 25-30 seconds.

Ready to plate:  Place the fillets on your platter or individual plates. Scatter the croutons all over or on sides. Pour the sauce with the lemon slices all over as well. Done!
Now how long did that take??  Quick, Easy. Foolproof!!

The croutons give an added crunch to each forkful as you eat. It tastes lemony, tangy and delicious!

Note: About 25 years ago, I found this recipe in a cookbook by Sarah Chase and loved the taste & ease of prep. Of course, hers wasn’t gluten free, but we can make our own croutons and achieve the same results.

,

Gluten Free Pasta in Bolognese Sauce

May 3rd, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Main Dish | Pastas - (0 Comments)

Surprise Mom with dinner you prepare!

 

Gluten Free Pasta in Bolognese Sauce

Would you like to surprise Mom with dinner on Mother’s Day or on any day, for that matter? Why not an Italian Dinner that you can easily make from scratch?
Bolognese Sauce is pretty easy and this recipe shortens the time to 1 hour.
There are various recipes out there, some simmering the sauce for 2+ hours, but you can achieve similar results with this one, which shortens that by half.

Bolognese Sauce also varies in which meat you choose to use. Some recipes call for ½ Ground Beef and ½ Ground Veal. I’ll leave that up to you.
Here I used Ground Beef, so feel free to follow this exactly or combine the two. Just use half as much of each, if you do.

I also don’t use “naked” ground meat. I prepare the ground meat as I would for meatballs. Then instead of rolling into a ball, you just leave it un-shaped and brown it in your saucepan, so it’s result is a loose meat within the sauce.
Please let me know if you prepare this and how you like it! Bon appetito!

Ingredients:
Meat Prep:

2 tbl Vegetable Oil
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 Egg
¼ cup Italian Flavored Gluten Free Bread Crumbs- (I like Gillian’s)
¼ cup Grated Italian Cheese
1 slice of White G-F Sliced Bred that has soaked in small am’t of milk.
You will use the center of the slice, the white part and gently squeeze out the milk. It’s ok if it’s still wet, no need to get it too dry. It adds moisture.
Dash of Salt & pepper.

Sauce Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 small Onion- minced
2 Garlic Cloves- minced
1 Carrot- Shredded. Use a food processor for speed of prep. Or shred by hand
1 Celery Rib, minus the green leafy end– minced or shredded in a food processor
The above prepared ground Meat
1 Lg. Can Crushed Tomatoes
3 Basil Leaves, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
Grated Italian Cheese to garnish when ready to serve. Parmiggiano-Reggiano or Romano Chhese

Directions;

First, prepare the ground meat, as you would for meatballs.
It’s easy: place all of those ingredients in a large bowl, use clean hands and combine well.  Don’t form meatballs, just leave it as combined.

Take a fry pan and brown the meat in the hot Veg.Oil,  loosely stirring as you brown it, and turning over to brown all parts. Drain off any fat and oil, and then set aside until the time to add to the saucepan.

In a large Saucepot, place the Olive Oil and when hot, saute the onion and garlic. Don’t allow to brown. After onion is translucent, add the shredded carrot and celery and saute for about 4 – 5 minutes.

Now, add the browned meat, and stir into the vegetables.
Add the can of Crushed Tomatoes, the Basil ,Salt & Pepper.
Here’s a view of the simmering sauce:

Stir frequently !

Cover and begin to cook on a low-medium heat. Keep checking. When it’s simmering, reduce to low and simmer for 45 minutes. BE SURE TO STIR FREQUENTLY. And touch the bottom of the pot when you stir. This isn’t something you can set and forget. It will stick to the bottom and burn if left unattended for more than 10 minutes. So, if you feel you may forget to stir, set a timer for every ten minutes so your results will be the best!

When it’s done, you can remove from heat and leave covered until your pasta of choice is cooked.
Boil the pasta until “al dente”.
Then drain pasta and place it in a large bowl so you can pour this yummy sauce on top and fold into the pasta to coat well.
Add grated Italian Cheese on top and enjoy!!

May is Celiac Awareness Month

May 1st, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Just Chatting! - (0 Comments)

Hooray! This is May, and that means not only has Spring arrived, but it’s Celiac Awareness Month!!

Here is a link to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness’ exciting programs this month.

There you’ll find valuable information, such as a Free Webinar, a Gluten Free Product of the Day, their “Fuel the Family” Campaign, and more monthly events.

I’m happy to say that I recently joined the site as a Staff Blogger, so I’m eager to share more helpful recipes and hopefully reach more people searching for help and advice.

They are doing such wonderful work…I know you’ll be glad you visited the site and will return to them again and again.

Here’s the link for the Celiac Awareness Month Events:

http://www.CeliacCentral.org/awarenessmonth

Hope to see you there!!

Gluten Free Cherry-Walnut Loaf or Cake, A Semi-Homemade Recipe

April 28th, 2013 | Posted by Annette in Desserts - (0 Comments)

 

Gluten Free Cherry-Walnut Loaf or Cake
A Semi-Homemade Recipe

As promised, I try to give you Semi-Homemade recipes, making life a little easier and since numerous types of flour and other ingredients may not be in your pantry, a little bit more affordable.

This recipe calls for a G-F Vanilla Cake Mix. I used Namaste. Their package contains enough for a 2-layer cake, not just a single layer as some others provide.
Here I used ½ of the bag, saving the remainder for another time. That being said, I did the Math and used HALF of the required ingredients that they list on the package. Keep that in mind.  The only difference is that I used 2 eggs for the half bag in this recipe.
The tart cherries are dried, sweetened cherries that are sold by weight in many shops. That’s a good bargain since most times we never use the entire box or bag of dried fruit, and then they just get tossed out in the end.

Ok, here goes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a square pan, as I did here, or an 8 x 4 loaf.

Ingredients:

13 oz  Vanilla G-F Cake Mix. ( I used ½ of Pkg of Namaste Vanilla Cake)
2 Large Eggs
¼ cup Vegetable Oil
½ cup Water
¼ teas. Ground Cinnamon
½ cup Sweetened Tart Cherries, Dried, not canned-in-syrup type
¼ cup Chopped Walnuts. (Optional. If you prefer, use Almonds or no nuts at all)

Drizzle Icing Ingredients:

Since it’s a small amount of drizzling, you don’t need much.
¾ cup Confectioners’ Sugar ( Powdered sugar)
2 tbls Sweet Butter- softened
¼ cup Milk
1 teas. Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions for Cake:

Place mix, cinnamon, eggs, oil & water in bowl.   Beat until smooth and free of lumps. Add the cherries and nuts at the end.

Pour into the greased pan of choice.
Place in 350 degree oven for approx. 30 minutes. Ovens vary, so set a timer for ½ hr and keep watching for doneness. The toothpick test works here. ( If it comes out dry, the cake is done. It also springs back a tiny bit when touched in the center.

Cool before drizzling with icing.

Directions for Icing Drizzle:

When the butter is soft, beat in a small bowl with the Confectioners’ Sugar, add the milk and vanilla and beat until thin enough to flow freely from a spoon. If it’s too thick, just a drop or two of Milk. Add a little at a time, and beat after each addition. Then dry the free-flow test. It’s easy, so don’t worry.
Enjoy!

©2012 bestlifeglutenfree.com All rights reserved. Any unauthorized copying, duplication or misrepresentation of content, by any method, is a violation of copyright laws.
Designed by NattyWP