Homemade Gluten Free Corn Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup all purpose gluten free flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Grease an 8" square baking dish.
3. In a medium bowl, combine corn meal, gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine milk, oil, and egg.
5. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir well until blended.
6. Pour into the prepared pan.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Serve warm.

Fruity Pebbles & Cocoa Pebbles Go Gluten Free!

Post Cereal recently announced that Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles will not only have lower sugar content but will also be certified gluten free!!!  I am so glad that some of the larger brands have started to notice the size of the gluten free community and are responding by making certified gluten free items! For more info check out this link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40796626/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

Sonoma Veggie Burger-New Amy's Item!

Great News!  One of the most trusted names in gluten free is Amy's.  Beginning in January 2011, they have a new item that is gluten free, dairy free, & soy free! Click on the link below and check it out for yourself! 

 http://www.amys.com/products/new_products.php

Sonoma Burger
"Our amazing new Sonoma Burger is a flavorful combination of organic quinoa, walnuts, mushrooms, veggies and spices. Quinoa is a great source of all 9 essential amino acids that make up a complete protein. Plus our new burger is gluten, dairy and soy free. Available in stores beginning January 2011."
-Amy's Kitchen Website

Thai Curry Over Rice-Gluten Free & Dairy Free

One of my best friend's told me about this recipe and I have made it several times.  She definitely gets all the credit.  Try it for yourself, you won't be disappointed.  

Ingredients:

Limes, 2

Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, 4, about 1.5 lbs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Peanut or canola oil, 3 tablespoons

Green beans, 1/4 lb trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths

Thai red curry paste, 1/4 tablespoons (I may do a little more)...the brand I buy is THAI

Unsweetened coconut milk, 1 cup (8 fl oz.)

Chicken broth, 2/3 cup (5 fl. oz.)

Asian fish sauce, 1 tablespoon

Green onions, 6 sliced

Fresh basil

Directions:

1.  Cook the chicken and the green beans

Cut the chicken into thin strips and season with salt and pepper.  In a large frying pan or wok, warm the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden (5-7 minutes).  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.  Add the green beans to the frying pan or wok and cook, stirring frequently, just until tender-crisp (2-3 minutes).  Transfer the green beans to the chicken plate (or a new plate) and set aside.

2.  Prepare the Sauce

Stir the curry paste into the pan over medium-high heat.  Stir the coconut milk, broth, and fish sauce.  Bring to a simmer and stir, scraping up the browned bits on the pan bottom.  Squeeze the juice from the two limes in now.

3.  Finish the Curry

Return the chicken and the green beans to the pan and stir to combine with the sauce.  Simmer until the chicken is opaque throughout (4 minutes or so).  Stir in the green onions and basil.

Spoon the rice into bowls, top with the curry and serve.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a terrific recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup.  It is quick, easy to prepare, and only has a few ingredients.  Bon appetit!

Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts
2 cans of diced tomatoes (15 ounces), undrained (I used Trader Joe's Organic diced tomatoes which are 14.5 ounces)
1/2 to 1 cup of chicken broth
1 can (4 ounces) chopped mild green chiles, drained (I used Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Green Chile)
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste
4 corn tortillas, sliced into small 1/4 inch strips
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 avocado, peeled & diced
limes
olive oil

Directions:
1. Place 2 raw chicken breasts in the slow cooker.  Add the 2 cans of tomatoes (including the juice) with 1/2 cup of chicken broth, chiles, diced onion, garlic, and cumin.  Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until the chicken is tender. You can stir mixture periodically during the 3 hours it cooks.

2. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred or cut into small pieces.  Return chicken to slow cooker, adjusting seasonings and adding more chicken broth if needed.

3. In a small frying pan, add a small amount of olive oil.  Fry the corn tortilla strips for a few minutes.  Remove and let dry on a plate layered with paper towel.

4. Serve in soup bowls and top with cilantro, sliced avocado, & squeeze lime wedges into bowls.  If desired, top with Monterey Jack cheese.

Gluten Free & Dairy Free Gingerbread Men

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend until creamy:

1/4 cup of Earth Balance (butter substitute)

1/2 cup white or brown sugar
                                 

Beat in:
1/2 cup dark molasses

Sift:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I like to use Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour)

Resift with:
1 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add the sifted ingredients to the Earth Balance mixture in about 3 parts, alternately with 1/4 cup water, if you roll the dough or 1/3 cup, if you model it.  You may have to work in the last of the flour mixture with your hands if you are not using an electric mixer.   Roll out the dough to any thickness you like.  A good way to do this is to grease the bottom of a baking sheet and to roll the dough directly onto it.  Alternatively, I like to use a Tupperware pie mat to roll out dough.  Then, use a gingerbread man shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies.   Decorate before baking with small raisings, bits or candied cherry redhots, etc.  If wanting to use icing on the cookies, wait for the cookies to be fully cooked and cooled before icing.

Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes, or longer according to their thickness.  Test them for doneness by pressing the dough with your finger.  If it springs back after pressing then the gingerbread cookies are ready to be cooled on a rack.

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Honeycomb Bites

This is a fabulous and fairly easy recipe for those brave enough to try candy making.  As I have learned, candy making is certainly an art and something that I strive to continuously learn more about. This recipe is fun, fast, and festive for the holiday season!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. powdered gelatin
3 tsp. baking soda
1 bar semisweet chocolate, for dipping

Note: You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe.  It will be difficult to accurately reach the desired temperatures without one.

Directions:
1. Lightly butter a 9x13 aluminum pan
2. In a large pot, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 3 tbsp. water.  Cook over medium heat, continuously stirring.  Cook until it starts to bubble.

3. Add honey and continue cooking until the temperature reaches 325 degrees.  Then, turn off heat and let pan stand for 3 minutes.
4. Dissolve gelatin in 1 tsp. of water and stir until it starts to thicken. 
5. Vigorously stir gelatin into sugar mixture until it is thoroughly combined.

6. Add baking soda and stir quickly.  (Note: Once you add the baking soda, the mixture will puff up to the top of the pot so be sure you are continuously stirring). IMMEDIATELY pour mixture into prepared pan.  Do not move the pan and let it stand for 2 hours.

7.  Use a large fork or knife to break honeycomb into pieces.

8.  Using a double boiler, melt chocolate.  Dip pieces of honeycomb into the chocolate and lay onto pieces of wax paper or parchment paper to harden.

Enjoy!

Curious George Goes Gluten Free

Have you heard?  Curious George now endorses Nana's Gluten Free Cookies.  They even have some giveaways and promotional deals going on.   A perfect cookie snack for your little one! Check it out!

http://www.nanascookiecompany.com/Section/Curious_George/index.html