Gluten Free Cooking Class #1

I'm a slacker, I know.

I hope that this post will be worth the wait.

I have been attending gluten free cooking classes, working out, working. Everything but posting here.

Right now This post will be about a recent cooking class that I was in attendance of. The food is always awesome. I have so much fun at these. I've given one dish, but I can come up with like 6 more to go with them or turn them into.

The fist dish we were served, was a Parmesan Cup with an arugula salad that consisted of pears and walnuts and was topped with a orange juice and balsamic vinegar dressing. YUM!!!

For this you will need the following:

1 cup Parm or favorite cheese ( I like the parm because it adds a nice salty bite to the salad.

1 tsp Gluten Free flour (I like rice but use what ever you like )

1 cup packed Arugula 

2 tbsp walnuts lightly toasted (in a dry pan on the stove top or a dry sheet tray in the oven)

1 orange (using the juice and zest)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 large pear 

For the Parm crisp cup:

In a small bowl, combine the cheese and flour. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Be sure that the pan is fully heated before adding the cheese. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of the cheese mixture into a 4 inch circle  in the middle of the skillet. DO NOT USE NON STICK SPRAY. It will make it too oily and wet. 

Cook util the circle starts to hold together as you lift it off the pan and the bottom is starting to brown, about 1 minute. Using an off set spatula, lift the circle of the cheese from the pan and flip to the other side. Cook for an additional 15 seconds. 

Gently press the circle into a muffin tin, or flip it over and gently press it over the upside down tin. Repeat with the remaining cheese, to make a total of 8 cheese cups. Let the cheese cups cool completely in the muffin tin. When ready to use, carefully life them out o the tin. Fill with the salad of your choice or the nice peppery arugula.

For the salad dressing:

Mix the salad greens with the toasted walnuts and chopped pears with skin on. In a small bowl, combine the juice of 1 orange and the 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, drizzle over the salad and top with orange zest. 

If you happen to break one or two, use those pieces for croutons :)

Our entree tasted better then its name: Garden Loaf with Maple-Apricot Glaze

This particular entree was also vegan as well as Gluten free. It was really delicious, even though it was falling apart. 

Here is what you will need:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup chopped onion (red or sweet)

2 heaping cups of chopped baby bella or cremini mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

5 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves

sea salt and ground pepper

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 cup toasted gluten free bread or waffle crumbs

2 tbsp Ketchup

2 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp good olive oil

1 tbsp dried Italian herb mix

1 tsp minced rosemary

3-4 scallions (or spring onions) sliced thin white to light green section

1 baked sweet potato peeled and diced.

Pre Heat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a glass bread loaf pan - OR - line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper that extends up the longer sides (this will help you when you go to lift it out of the pan when its done baking.)

Heat the Olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion until its translucent. Add the Mushrooms and garlic, stir until softened. Add the Balsamic vinegar  and stir. Add the Spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook down until the mixture is soft - about seven minutes or so. 

Spoon the skillet veggies into a food processor and pulse until you have a grainy mixture. You dont want to over process it, you want some texture. 

Dump the mixture into a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, gluten free bread crumbs, ketchup, molasses, and olive oil and stir to combine. Add in your dried herbs, rosemary, scallions, and mix to distribute. You want a moist mixture that sticks together when you press it with a spoon. If you need more ketchup or bread crumbs to hold it together, add it now, but no more then a tablespoon. Last - add the sweet potatoes and fold in gently.

Spoon the loaf mixture in the oiled or paper lined pan and shape ti with moist fingers, pressing it tight into the pan. Smooth the top, and make your glaze.

For the Glaze you will need:

1/4 cup no sugar added apricot fruit spread

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp maple syrup

A sprinkle of cinnamon and cumin.

Red chili flakes to taste. 

There were no directions on how to do this, but see my idea below:

Basically, combine it all in a small sauce pan  just to help  melt the fruit spread and bring it all together. 

Pour the glaze over the top of the loaf, save some for garnish

Tent loosely with a piece of foil. Bake in the center of the preheated oven until heated through and the edges  of the glaze are bubbling. About 25-30 minutes. 

Allow the loaf to set for about 10 minutes, tented with foil. You may need a second set of hands to help you lift it out of the pan if you lined it with parchment paper, let it set for a few more minutes so its easier to slice. 

Slice it into about 2 inch thick slices and serve. Garnish with the reserved glaze. 

Finally, our dessert. It was light, fresh, and so good. 

This is called the Raw Apple Crumble. This is a NO BAKE dessert.

This is so much easier and less complicated then the last dish, but it is such a good summer dish and would be GREAT with a little vanilla bean ice cream.

For this dish you will need:

4 Honey crisp apples, cored and chopped

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (zest it before you juice it, you will need the zest for garnish)

3/4 cup pecan halves

3/4 cup hazel nuts

3/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup dates

3/4 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

*NOTE* When you add cinnamon to a fresh fruit, it becomes spicy. 

Put the apples in an 8 inch square baking dish or 2 quart casserole dish. Drizzle with the orange juice , and toss until the fruit is coated and smooth the top. 

In a food processor combine the pecans, hazelnuts, raisins, dates, ginger and cinnamon and pulse until just chopped. It will be like an oat mixture, kinda chunky. Spoon this mixture over the apple mixture, smooth it out and serve. 

Oh yea, did I mention I met Carla Hall from Top Chef? Home girl, is from DC and was at Whole Foods promoting her cookie bites. SOOO GOOD!!

Happy Eating!!

Heather :)

Caprese Pizza with Goat Cheese Gluten Free

I love pizza. 

I had to go gluten free, I though * sad face* "No more pizza". 

Then I found Schar Gluten Free Pizza Crusts. At first I was leery, I thought they might taste funky and grainy like most of the gluten free bread products. 

When I made my fist pizza, I was like "OMG NOMZ!!" and decided to share my recipe with you. 

For this meal you will need the following:

Schar Pizza crusts

Mozzarella Cheese

Goat Cheese

Ragu pizza sauce (or your favorite kinds)

Pepperoni (or none if your not a meat eater)

Fresh Basil about 10-15 good size leaves

Preheat the oven to about 425F as per the package directions for the pizza crust. 

Take about 2-3 table spoons of sauce and plop it in the middle of the crust. Then spread in a circle from the middle out and leave about a 1/2 inch of crust remaining. 

I LOVE Basil. And cilantro, but that's for a different dish. 

Take your basil leave and stack them. You are about to do a fancy technique called a chiffonade, but its super simple and helps the flavor of the basil permeate the dish. 

Next to a tight roll of the leaves and they should look like the picture below. 

Now, please dont attempt to be a hippy and smoke it. It will only give you a headache.

What you need to do is take a sharp knife and slice it all the way to the end and it will look like the picture below. 

Time to cut the cheese! 

Take your mozzarella ball and slice it both long and short ways, then cube it to about 1/2 inch pieces. Trust me, if you don't most of your cheese will wind up on the cookie sheet or baking stone or what ever you use.  Mozzarella really spreads out. 

Crumble up the goat cheese log, small and big pieces are OK. Do realize tho that goat cheese tends to release a lot of moisture when hot and can make your pizza too soggy if you have a lot of itty bitty pieces. 

If you are using pepperoni, layer the meaty goodness first. 

Then sprinkle the mozzarella and goat cheese and leave about a 1/2 inch room for the spreading.

Take the basil and sprinkle it on the top of the pizza, save some for garnish if you choose. 

Place the pizza on a cookie sheet lined with Reynolds Non Stick Foil. Dont spray the sheet, it just makes the pizza crust bottom moist. I like a crunchy crust, but not burnt. Or use a pizza stone.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes and when it comes out it should look as yummy as the picture, but please dont lick your screen. 

I said DON'T lick it!

Let it cool about 5 minutes and then slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Yum!

Heather 

Fun with left-overs and barely anything left in the package!

I know its hump day and you have that mid week slump. You open the fridge and freezer door to see what you have to make for supper. 

Left over baked or grilled chicken from 3 nights ago, but not enough for the family right?

Oooh, there's a bag of tater-tots in the freezer that are about get freezer burn...oh wait, again not enough to serve everyone.

I see a half of a brick of cheese, half a bag of shredded mozzarella. Both on the verge of growing a winter coat.  

The wheels are turning in the direction of ordering take out right? You make one last pass in the pantry as you briefly think, "Hmm...maybe soup?" and you see 2 cans of Cream of something soup and they are about to expire.

Take all those ingredients and set them on the counter, have I got a dish for you!

Chicken & tater-tot casserole!

I know, your probably saying, "...but there isn't enough to feed my monster and the kids!"

Trust me this makes A LOT!

Here is what you will need to gather up:

Left over chicken (thighs and breasts) that are pre-cooked

That bag of icy tater-tots

Both the cheese brick and the bag of shredded cheese

And those two cans of cream of something soup.

You will also need for seasoning the following:

Onion (dried)

Garlic powder

First thing:

Bake the tater-tots as directed until they are super crispy. This helps when you add the soup and mix it all together. 

Chop the chicken up into 1" cubes, and place in a bowl of warm to hot-ish water. This helps bring the chicken up to a warmer temperature and re moistens and keeps it from drying out.  You could use chicken stock to help add flavor, if you have any of that lurking in the fridge.

Next:

Empty both cans of soup into a small-ish mixing bowl and had about a 1/4 cup of water to help thin it out. (This helps it go farther in the recipe)

Add the dried onions, and garlic power and mix well. 

After the tater-tots are done, lay them in the casserole dish of choice, that you have sprayed with a non stick spray. 

Drain the chicken and toss that in with the tots. 

Chop up that brick of cheese in small cubes. Toss that in as well.

Now, empty out the bowl of soup on to the left-over party and gently toss it so you dont break the tots and also coat everything.

Level it out so it cooks evenly, and sprinkle with the mozzarella.

Bake it at 350F for about 15 minutes, or until its heated through then turn on the broiler and brown that mozzarella. But don't burn it!

It should come out looking like this:

Ignore the mess around the dish, I'm better then that but your not eating out of that.

Let it rest about 5 minutes or so and then scoop out and enjoy!

Literally the easiest dish I have EVER made, other then a bowl of rice krispies. 

Chew with your mouth closed!

Heather 

Good for you Salmon, and a fly by night easy recipe.

Salmon. 

My mom hates it,  my mother in law loves it. Either way it smells like fish, or so my mom says. I have gotten it from some stores and it smells like fish, and stinks up my tiny apartment and leaves me feeling yucky after. However the last few times I have gotten it from Wegman's, its been perfect. It doesn't smell like fish, its doesn't have that strong fishy taste, and unlike some stores, it dont see the words "with color added" on the label. Its straight up real salmon. 

Its also one of the easiest cuts of fish that I have found to cook. Yes, I know your gonna say "OMG it still haz skinz! How will I cook it?" Easy! Let me show you how to prepare this delightful dish that was also one of those "lets use up some items in the pantry as well, even though we don't know how it will turn out.---OMG NOMZ!!"

You will need the following items for the fish:

2 hearty looking salmon fillets 

Dehydrated onions

Garlic powder

Cajun Seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

fish seasoning

First thing - 

Get your skillet hot, and melt some butter in it.

Season your fish, sprinkle the onions, garlic powder, cajun seasoning on the fish and then add your salt and pepper. 

 Lay your fish skin side down in the hot skillet. This will crisp up the skin and when you flip it, allow you to easily peel the skin off. 

Salmon, skin side down with seasoning

Once you start to see the bottom of the fish turn from the opaque color to the pink color, about a good 1/4 inch up the side, flip the fish with a pair of tongs or fish spatula and peel off the skin. It should look like the picture below. 

Flipped salmon with no skin

Remember to season both sides of your fish - so repeat the seasoning process. Leave it to get a good sear on the fish and start your rice. 

You will need:

1 cup of rice 

1 and 1/2 cups water

1-2 tbs butter

This rice requires 1 and 1/2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. 

If you use this particular rice, you can choose to follow the directions or be like me and think its just like instant. It really isn't. You cant just boil the water, add the rice, stir and turn off the heat and cover it. This rice wants you to love it. Pay attention to it - but not too much.  It doesn't want to be smothered by you. 

Dump all the ingredients in one pot at the same time and bring it to a boil - stirring occasionally - then reduce the heat cover it and ignore it.  

The wild rice party is going on!

But wait! The fish! Flip them and the should look like the picture below. Tilt the pan and baste your salmon with the butter and seasonings. Trust me it really helps! It won't dry out when you add moisture from the top!

Looking good! Almost there!

Flip the fish again and make sure both sides look as yummy, remove from the skillet, place on a paper towel covered plate, and cover with tinfoil to keep it warm. Rinse your skillet and return to the heat and get it warm again. Keep the pan warm, but not too hot just enough to melt about 3 tbs of butter and bring it to a simmer.

For the topping you will need:

Craisins

Blueberries

Balsamic Vinegar (Just a TINY bit)

Garlic powder

Sugar (usually I use splenda but I tired and and looked ugly so only use a SMALL amount or none at all)

Ignore the knife, you dont need it for this step

FRESH blueberries make a HUGE difference here

So after the butter has melted, throw a hand-full of craisins in the butter, stir them around and let them soak up that yummy fat, add a big hand full of blueberries and let them reduce down.  Splash in some balsamic vinegar, about a teaspoon full and a sprinkle of garlic powder. If you choose to add the sugar, I only used about 2 teaspoons worth. 

Let this go for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and it should look like this when its done. 

This actually was better then I expected it to be!

 The rice should be done by now, fluff it with a fork stir in a little butter, salt and a splash of lemon juice and put it in the bottom of your bowl or plate. Gently lay the salmon filet on top and then drizzle over the berry reduction and enjoy!!

OMG NOMZ!!

Go Fish!

Heather

Gluten Free Mac & Cheese

Doesn't it look delicious?

I wanted to start off with something easy, that most people loved as a kid and now as an adult. And yet make it grown up and take it to a whole new flavor level. I wanted to make it healthier then the alternatives. 

If you want to make this, here is what you will need:

Ingredients:

Gluten free elbow macaroni

      I prefer Schar Products, as the taste and texture are amazing and really hold up. However if you are tight on money then go generic, just make sure you get the corn flour type, I find the brown rice flour to just taste weird. I recommend Wegman';s for this. 

Unsalted butter

Rice flour (Bob's Red Mill stone ground WHITE)

Milk (or half & half or cream)

Cheddar cheese grated (you will use a WHOLE 8oz brick)

Vermont white cheddar grated (half goes in the sauce and you will use for garnish)

Onion flavored cheese (This adds a HUGE amount of flavor with out making you cry, and makes it a bit more grown-up)

From right to left Onion cheese, cheddar, and white cheddar

Ham steaks (1-2 depending on thickness and your size dice)

I used 2 of these but it made a lot and we will have left overs all week!

Get your pasta on and while that is cooking you need to start your bechamel sauce base for the cheese sauce. Yes I know, I used a big fancy cooking term, but let me tell you, it makes a HUGE difference in the way things taste and hold together. To make this you need a medium sauce pan and get it hot over medium heat. Next you melt 2 table spoons of butter. I always suggest that you use unsalted butter when making a base as you can always add more salt in, you just can't take it out. 

After the butter has melted, add 2 table spoons of rice flour. (This is how we are cheating and making it gluten free!!) A NORMAL bechamel sauce calls for regular flour, but we aren't normal around here, now are we? Whisk it together and then add the cheese one at a time to make sure it all blends and melts. Then add salt and pepper to your taste. 

Completed bechamel sauce with cheese

Drain your pasta and the water empty the pasta into the hot pot you used to cook it, pour all of the sauce over the pasta, dump in your ham cubes and save a few for garnish. Mix it all together, serve and enjoy!

Go ahead, give it a try.  I promise you its not as hard as it sounds. Let me know what you thought of the recipe, and my first post. I'll be back with more soon!

 Cheese!,

Heather :)