Gluten Free Cooking School » Easy Gluten Free Recipes – Five Ingredients Or Less

Green Bean Casserole (Gluten Free & Casein Free)

Mary Frances — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:01:35 +0000

There’s a reason that Green Bean Casserole is on every Thanksgiving table. It’s so easy! It’s not quite as easy when you can’t open up a can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup, but it’s still not hard.

I’ve used toasted pecans as the crunchy topping for my casserole. If you’re really yearning for gluten free fried onions on top, you can make my gluten free fried onion rings ahead of time and use them as a topping. Just be sure to cut the onion rings very thin and hide these from anyone who might eat them before Thanksgiving. I think crushed potato chips would also be really good. I mean, can you really go wrong with cream soup and potato chips? No way.

Green Bean Casserole

20 oz. (4 c.) Green beans
1 recipe of Mary’s Condensed Cream of Soup with Mushroom
½ c. milk (non-dairy milk is fine)
2 c. toasted pecans, chopped

If you’re using fresh or frozen green beans, cook them in water in a large saucepan until they are tender. Then drain them and combine the green beans , the cream of mushroom soup, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Pour this into a casserole dish and bake at 350 F until the sauce is bubbly around the edges (approx. 25 minutes). Sprinkle the toasted pecans on top and bake for a few more minutes .

Would your Thanksgiving be less overwhelming if you knew the gluten free recipes that you’re planning would turn out wonderfully? Would it help to have a shopping list and cooking timeline to follow? Would you like to have someone to go to when you have questions? If so, then my Gluten Free Thanksgiving Made Easy Kit may be just what you need.

Sweet & Salty Popcorn: Easy Gluten Free Snacks for the Super Bowl

Mary Frances — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:08:42 +0000

I take a hard-line approach to sharing baked gluten free snacks. I don’t share.

Maybe I’m stingy, but I’m not about to make anything with gluten free flours to share with friends who are not gluten free. For example, I know that if I made cupcakes they would be delicious and no one would know that they are gluten free. But gluten free, delicious cupcakes are precious. And I want them all to myself. No sharing allowed.

That being said, I still need delicious food to take to the Super Bowl party this weekend. And it does need to be a tasty gluten free snack so that I can eat it, and so that I won’t be tempted to eat foods that I shouldn’t. Thus begins a series of posts on delicious gluten free snacks, all made of naturally gluten free foods.

Today, we have Sweet and Salty Popcorn. Have you ever popped popcorn in a pot on top of the stove? The first time that we did, I was just as excited as our kids to watch the popcorn kernels pop against the clear lid of our stockpot. I grew up knowing nothing but microwave popcorn which hides all of that wonderful popcorn magic inside a paper bag. I had no idea that we were missing out on the best part of making popcorn!

Making popcorn on the stovetop is very easy and very inexpensive. Which in my book makes it the perfect treat to take to a party. It just needs a little fancification so that everyone oohs and ahhs over it.

Sweet & Salty Popcorn
Photo by Jonah G.S.
(makes a really big bowl)

2/3 c. popcorn
2 Tbsp. oil (for popping)
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar

Pop the popcorn according to the package directions. We add the oil and popcorn kernels to a large stockpot over medium heat. Remember to put the lid on and do use a clear lid if possible (it just makes it more fun). Take the pot off of the heat when the popping starts to slow down. It will continue to pop after you take it of of the heat.

While you’re waiting on the popcorn, melt the butter and dissolve the sugar into it. Do make sure that your confectioner’s sugar it gluten free. Confectioner’s sugar has corn starch mixed in with it and not all cornstarch is gluten free due to cross-contact issues. If you’re not sure, I think that brown sugar would make a great substitute. Honey or agave nectar might also work. You can always experiment by making a small batch of popcorn and testing the altered recipe before the big day. Also, if you are dairy or casein free, you can substitute whatever “butter” you use.

Once you have your popcorn and syrup ready, drizzle half of the syrup over the popcorn and mix well. Repeat with the remaining syrup and then serve while hot.

It looks like I forgot to take a picture of the popcorn, so I’ve added on that looks like my popcorn. That’s what I get for testing recipes while David is at school. He’s the one that’s always reminding me to take pictures of what we make, which also means that there are quite a few pictures of Ants on a Log on my camera =)

As you can see, the popcorn will still look completely white after you add the sweet and salty flavorings. Other party-goers will likely be suprised when they put the popcorn in their mouths, and you will get many comments of, “Oh! This is so good!” as they quickly move to add another handful or two to their plates.

Here are some more gluten free snacks, if you still have the munchies.

Simple Suppers: Bean Burritos in Gluten Free Tortillas

Mary Frances — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 06:20:42 +0000

There’s nothing particularly glamorous about bean burritos. If you had peeked into our dining room last night you would have had no idea that John and I were celebrating one of the biggest turning points in our lives. But, for us, celebrating my first day working full-time on Gluten Free Cooking School (!!!!!!) with burritos made of homemade gluten free tortillas and simple, fresh ingredients seemed the most appropriate meal in the world.

These tortillas are an improved version of the gluten free tortilla recipe that I posted a couple of years ago. The new version is much more flexible and the dough is easier to roll out. If you’d like to make your own gluten free tortillas, the improved recipe is included in our new e-book.

Bean Burritos:
gluten free tortillas
pinto beans
rice
lettuce
tomatoes

I was cooking by eye last night, so I can only give you a general description of what I did. If I were to make this again I would do the following:

Cook a large pot of white rice (2 parts water: 1 part rice) and a large pot of pinto beans (you can substitute canned beans). Then, add approximately two cups of beans to a skillet that has been pre-heated with a small amount of oil. Mash about half of the beans with the back of a spoon. Add a small amount of stock (1/2 cup?) and 1 – 2 Tbsp. of any seasonings that you like. I used cumin and oregano – GF taco seasoning would also be good. Let the beans simmer on medium for until heated through. The mashed beans will soak up the stock, so you may have to add more stock to get a good consistency.

Take a tortilla and layer a small amount of beans, rice, lettuce, and tomato in the center. Roll the left and right sides towards the middle. Then fold the bottom of the tortilla up and over the fillings and roll towards the top. Leave the seam of the burrito on the bottom of the plate.

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Hershey Pie with a Rice Cereal Crust

Mary Frances — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:22:01 +0000

There have been way too many gluten free desserts in our house lately! For some reason I developed quite a sweet tooth while I was pregnant with Grant, and I can’t seem to get rid of it! It doesn’t help that some fabulous person at Erewhon sent me 6 boxes of cereals to use in my cooking experiments.

I’ve been wanting to make a gluten free Hershey pie for ages, but haven’t been sure how to replace the graham cracker crust from the original recipe. For those of you who are not familiar with Hershey pie, it’s basically a melted Hershey bar mixed with whipped cream and frozen. This is the pie that my Grandmother Somerville often made for me after a good report card.

I decided to use Erewhon’s Rice Twice cereal as the foundation for my crust. David and I poured the cereal into a large zip-top bag and crushed it with a rolling pin. We then added in melted butter, pressed the mixtue into a pie plate (the part of it that David didn’t eat straight from the bowl) and popped it into the freezer while we made the rest of the pie.

The crust did not end up being anything like a graham cracker crust, but it held togethereally, really well. No crumbles at all! And by the time I finished eating the entire pie (John wouldn’t help and I wasn’t about to let David eat much of it – he has enough energy without artificial help) I had grown accustomed to the taste and was enjoying the crust of the pie just as much as the filling.

P.S. As far as gluten free desserts go – this is an EASY recipe. It would be a great option for when you’re having company.

P.P.S. I’m also submitting this recipe to the Family Recipes: Memories of Family, Food and Fun blog event hosted by Shelby of Grumpy’s HoneyBunch and Laura of The Spiced Life. If you love good family recipes, be sure to check Shelby’s blog after May 23rd for the roundup post.

Rice Twice Gluten Free Pie Crust
(makes one 8 inch pie crust)

3 c. Erewhon Rice Twice cereal
1/2 c. butter (1 stick), melted

1. Pour the cereal into a zip-top bag and crush the cereal with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy glass jar. (scroll down for a picture of the crushed cereal).
2. Add melted butter to the crushed cereal and mix thoroughly.
3. Spread the cereal mixture as evenly as possible across the bottom of a pie pan. Then use a fork to press the cereal mixture down and out, so that it gradually moves up the sides of the pie pan.
4. Freeze the pie for at least 15 minutes before adding the pie filling.

Hershey Pie Filling
(makes one 8 inch pie)

8 oz. Hershey milk chocolate candy bar
3 Tbsp. milk (cow, soy, rice, etc)
8 oz. whipped cream (e.g. Cool Whip)
1 8-inch pie shell

1. Break the Hershey bar(s) into small pieces and place them, along with the milk, in a small glass bowl. Microwave the chocolate to melt it. Melting chocolate in the microwave is a delicate business so do short spurts of time (10 seconds or so) at 50% power and stir after every 10 seconds.
2. Let the chocolate cool a bit, and then fold the the whipped cream into the chocolate.
3. Spread the pie filling into your crust and chill the pie in the freezer for at least 3 hours before serving.

Breakfast on a Budget – Cream of Corn Cereal

Mary Frances — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:29:49 +0000

The theme for January’s posts is Kitchen Management – things like gluten free grocery shopping on a budget, stocking a gluten free pantry, and how to clean a messy kitchen. The posts will be shorter and more frequent than normal (since I won’t have to multi-test as many recipes) and there will be several chances for you to chime in with questions, opinions, and tips.

Yesterday we made a short trip to Whole Foods for fresh produce and soymilk (we’re going through fruit like crazy since John got a juicer for Christmas) and I ended up talking to another couple that looking at the gluten free cereals. They were trying to decide if a small bag of granola was worth $5.

And while I have paid more than that for the same brand of granola (what can I say, I’m pregnant and I was craving granola), we usually don’t by packaged cereal at all. The gluten free cold cereals are expensive, and I don’t think that they are worth the price. Instead we rotate through a pretty extensive selection of hot cereals: grits, oatmeal, kasha, cream of corn, cream of rice. We add a variety of spices and dried fruits to the cereal to provide even more variety.

Here is the recipe for Cream of Corn (or Corn Mush if you have kids that are Goodnight Moon fans). What do you eat for breakfast?

Cream of Corn (aka Corn Mush)
(yields: 4 c. or 4 servings)

1 c. corn meal (we use Hodgson Mill**)
2 c. milk (we use plain soymilk)
2 c. water

Cooking Instructions:
1. Bring 1 c. milk and 2 c. water to boil in a medium saucepan.
2. While the water is heating, mix the remaining 1 c. milk with the cornmeal. 3. When the milk/water mixture is boiling, turn the heat to low and slowly pour in the wet cornmeal. Whisk the mixture continuously while you add the cornmeal to prevent lumps.
4. Cook the cereal over low heat for 20 – 25 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so to prevent scorching. The cereal is ready when it has thickened to the consistency of cream of wheat.
5. Serve in large bowls and top with butter (or CF sub) and salt, and your choice of sweetener. (I’m partial to maple syrup)

Change it Up: If you want to add some variety, try adding 1/2 – 1 c. dried fruit to the liquid mixture in Step 1. Or top the cereal with sliced fruit after serving. We really like sliced bananas on our Cream of Corn, and I think that fresh peaches would be delicious in the summer.

** If you’re tired of looking at the label of every single brand of cornmeal trying to find one that is gluten free, then I would suggest that you buy The Essential Gluten-Free Grocery Guide. I refer to it regularly and its a great help in quickly identifying the brands/items that are gluten free.

Eggnog French Toast

Mary Frances — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 04:01:21 +0000

This is a picture of my stove the morning after Christmas.

The monkey bread that I made on Christmas morning was a little dry and the only milk-like substance in the house was a half empty carton of Silk Eggnog.

So my little elf helper and I pulled out “Joy of Cooking” (picture a dirty white cookbook with a disintegrating spine and round burn marks from where I accidentally turned on the wrong stove burner) and improvised a recipe for Eggnog French Toast.

It was delicious!

Eggnog French Toast
(6 servings unless you have a two year old bottomless pit)

2/3 c. Silk Eggnog
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
6 thick slices of gluten free bread
butter or margarine

1. Mix the eggnog, eggs, syrup, vanilla, and salt in a shallow dish.
2. Soak the slices of bread in the mixture until completely saturated.
3. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and add a dab of butter.
4. Place the bread into the skillet (don’t overcrowd; you’re going to need flipping room) and cook until the underside is golden. Then flip the French Toast and cook until the second side is golden (it doesn’t take nearly as long).
5. Serve hot with maple syrup and any other sweet things you can find in the pantry (but don’t tell my husband that this is why our chocolate chips disappeared!)

If you haven’t found a gluten free bread that you like, try my recipe for Finally, Really Good Sandwich Bread.

Dad’s Brown White Rice

Mary Frances — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:25:04 +0000

My mind has been drifting towards Thanksgiving this week and I’ve been testing out a few side dishes. Side dishes are, after all, my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal and all of you give me a great excuse to enjoy them for weeks instead of one little weekend.

This recipe is from my Dad and is one of my all time favorites. There is no way that I can have just one serving. My mom usually has to give me a look on my 3rd trip back for more =) Don’t skip on the butter the first time you make it. I know that it’s an obscene amount . . . but it’s worth it.

Dad’s Brown White Rice

1 c. white rice
1 stick of butter or butter sub
14 oz. beef broth
14 oz. chicken broth
dash of garlic powder
1/2 lb. white button mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1. Place all ingredients into a 2.5 quart casserole dish.
2. Bake at 425 degrees F for one hour.

*Vegetarians – I substituted 28 oz. of water, 2 tsp. Better than Bouillon Vegetarian Chicken and 2 tsp. Better than Bouillon Vegetarian Beef for the broths.
*Casein free – Try 1/2 c. of olive oil if you don’t have a non-dairy butter substitute.

An Overflowing Menu

Mary Frances — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:17:23 +0000

Menu Planning for Two (weeks that is):

Sometimes it really helps me to brainstorm my menus in my blogging software….and since the menu is already in a post, I thought I’d share it with you. If any of the meals, catch your eye, let me know in the comments and I’ll make a note to post about it. In the next few weeks I’ll be doing trial runs of some of the side dishes that I’d like to make for Thanksgiving, so there will soon be several new recipes if all goes well.

When I was typing out my menu, I kept thinking of all of these great dishes that I wanted to make. I decided to go ahead and plan the emails for an entire budget period, since that allows me to better estimate what we’ll be spending on groceries. Later tonight I’ll make out grocery lists and make sure that we’re under budget.

P.S. I just found out that the Gluten Free Menu Swap is being hosted by Angela’s Kitchen this week. Head over to her site on Tuesday to check out the round-up of gluten free menus!

Grocery Shopping Online:

I’ve started ordering some of my groceries from a local online grocery and I love being able to see the exact price of what is in my shopping cart as I add new items. The site saves my shopping cart, so I can leave the list up for an extended period of time to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything or to give me time to rethink the menu if I’m spending too much. They also deliver the groceries to our house the next day for a minimal delivery fee. It sure beats spending an hour or two at the grocery store each week!

The online market’s selection of produce is not as varied as I would like, so I’ll also do shop for fresh produce at a nearby supermarket a couple of times a week. However, my goal is to not by anything but fresh produce when I’m there. We’ll see how that goes!

Upcoming Posts:

And, while I’m thinking about it: I made a great loaf of banana bread this morning so I’ll be posting that recipe this week, along with an article about our recent restaurant experiences in Nashville and St. Louis, new thoughts on how to travel gluten free, and why we’re thinking about making the jump to a vegan diet.

Menu for November 3rd – November 16th

Monday, Nov. 3: White Beans and Pesto, Tomato Soup, Spoonbread Corn Muffins

Tuesday, Nov. 4: Vegetable Soup with Hummus Sandwiches

Wednesday, Nov. 5: Cashew Nut Tofu over Brown Rice; Japanese Salad

Thursday, Nov. 6: Country Fried Steak (Vegan) & Mashed Potatoes or Curried Sweet Potatoes

Friday, Nov. 7: Pizza; Greek Salad

Saturday, Nov. 8: Spinach and Tofu Onigiri and Homemade Sushi

Sunday, Nov. 9: Roasted Veggies, Bean Puree, Dad’s Brown Rice, Layered Salad

Monday, Nov. 10: Sloppy Joes on Toast and Tater Tots

Tuesday, Nov. 11: Black Bean Soup and Veggie Fajitas

Wednesday, Nov. 12 White Bean Corn Chowder, Spinach Salad with Red Onion and Mandarin Oranges, Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Thursday, Nov. 13 Spaghetti with Spinach Meatballs, Green Salad

Friday, Nov. 14: Chickpea & Dumplings; Green Salad, Yeast Rolls

Saturday, Nov 15: Grilled Pizza, Ranch Pasta Salad

Sunday, Nov 16:Hot Meatball Subs

For Midnight Snacking: Rice Chex Treats

Mary Frances — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 03:36:35 +0000

What do you get when you cross Rice Krispies Treats with Rice Chex? A gluten free snack that is even better than the original!

I made Rice Chex Treats when we were visiting my parents over Labor Day. My dad wanted to make Rice Krispies Treats for David . . . and then remembered that Rice Krispies are not gluten free. Luckly the small town grocery store stocked the new Gluten Free Rice Chex cereal and we decided to try that as a substitute.

Were we ever surprised! Not only did the Rice Chex Treats tast just like Rice Krispies Treats, they were easier to eat. Do you remember how Rice Krispies Treats can get hard after they sit a while? So that you almost break your teach trying to bite throught them? The shape of the Rice Chex cereal makes it impossible to packthem into a tight layer so the treats never get as hard as Rice Krispies Treats. Even after they sit on the counter all day, you can cut a square and bite into without any difficulty.

P.S. I made this photo sometime around midnight last night while in the midst of a most trying tax calculation. The photo didn’t turn out well….and John said that I should be embarrassed to post it. So we’ll be making another batch this weekend and try to make these Treats look as yummy as they really are.

Rice Chex Krispies

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 package (10 oz.) miniature marshmallows*
6 cups Rice Chex

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium low heat.
2. Add the marshmallows and stir frequently until they have melted.
3. Add the Rice Chex and stir until all of the Chex are throughly coated.
4. Spread the Rice Chex mixture into a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish and set aside to cool.
5. To serve, cut into squares or just let everybody grab a handful.

*make sure the marshmallows are gluten free

Minty Purple Peach Smoothie

Mary Frances — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:13:10 +0000

Today is the first day of the 6 week Eat to Live trial and I opted for a fruit smoothie for breakfast. I picked up fresh Chilton County peaches at the produce stand yesterday and decided to pair them with frozen blueberries and fresh mint for a very refreshing start to the morning. I could easily have doubled this recipe and still eaten it all myself. And check out the nutritional info below – eating lots of fruits and vegetables is the easiest way to get fiber on a gluten free diet. Who needs All-Bran when you can have a smoothie instead!

Minty Purple Peach Smoothie
2 peaches, unpeeled
1 c. blueberries, frozen
5-6 mint leaves
1/2 c. soy milk*

Roughly chop the peaches and place them in the blender with all other ingredients. Pulse the blender a few times to get the blueberries going, and then let it run for 30 – 60 seconds. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.

*This is an estimate – I forgot to measure =)

Makes 1 serving. Per serving: 273 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat; (12% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 60g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 62mg Sodium; 10g Fiber

If you’re looking to find more about the health benefits of fresh fruit and fresh juice, check out this great juicer recipes site.

Gluten Free Cooking School » Easy Gluten Free Recipes – Five Ingredients Or Less

Green Bean Casserole (Gluten Free & Casein Free)

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Sweet & Salty Popcorn: Easy Gluten Free Snacks for the Super Bowl

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Simple Suppers: Bean Burritos in Gluten Free Tortillas

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Hershey Pie with a Rice Cereal Crust

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Breakfast on a Budget – Cream of Corn Cereal

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Eggnog French Toast

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Dad’s Brown White Rice

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An Overflowing Menu

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For Midnight Snacking: Rice Chex Treats

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Minty Purple Peach Smoothie

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