Gluten-free Fried Rice

This is a very easy recipe that my aunt showed me how to make.  This recipe is actually something that I ate constantly when I first started eating gluten-free because it was cheap and easy and I was in college and did not have the time or money for much else.  This is also a great recipe for left-overs and you can easily make as much or as little as you would like.  This is an imprecise recipe that can be modified and made your own. 

Ingredients:

Some kind of meat (this time I used pork but I often use chicken and sometimes beef)
Rice (already cooked; I used left-over rice from the night before)
2-3 cups frozen veggies
2-3 Tablespoons oil (sometimes I need more sometimes less)
2-3 eggs
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (sometimes I use more sometimes less; La Choy is a good GF brand but double check the label!)
onion powder, garlic powder, and ginger to taste (you can also use an actual onion and garlic diced)

Directions:

1.  In a large skillet scramble the eggs; remove when cooked
2.  Add the oil and your choice of meat; cook until meat is done
3.  Add vegetables and spices; cook until crisp
4.  Add rice, egg, and soy sauce; cook until hot all the way through and all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. 

Pretty easy huh?  It is also very delicious!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Tassies (Peanut Butter Cups)

My Dad travels a lot for work and this week he is here in Seattle.  To make things better my cousin, who also works with him, is here for work with my Dad.  Tomorrow my Mommy is going to get here too!  I love having my family around so this week is just going to be fun!  Tonight, I made a wonderful roast with popovers for my Dad and this dessert, which resembles a peanut butter cup, for my cousin. 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

3/4 cup softened butter (1 1/2 sticks)

3 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons white rice flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, and soy flour

3/4 cup sugar (divided)

1 egg

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips (dark, semi-sweet or milk chocolate)

3/4 cup peanut butter chips

 

Directions:

 

1.  Beat 3/4 cup of butter with the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth; add 1/4 cup sugar and flour and beat until well blended

2.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is firm

 

 



3.  Shape dough into one inch balls
4.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
5.  Press dough balls onto the bottom and sides of a muffin tin

6.  In a separate bowl lightly beat the egg; add the remaining sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. 
7.  Whisk until smooth
8.  Add the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips; stir until well combined

9.  Evenly fill the muffin cups with the egg and chip mixture

10.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set and lightly browned.
11.  Cool for 10 minutes then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely

This was one of the most delicious desserts I have made in a long time.  They really are like a peanut butter cup with a crust!  YUM!

Turkey Pot Pie (The Last of the Leftover Turkey)

Tonight I finally used up the last of our enormous 23 lb. turkey and some other sides still hanging around from Thanksgiving.  I don't know what I like more about this pot pie, the filling or the crust!  YUM!

Ingredients:

Filling:

2-3 medium potatoes peeled and diced
1/4 cup butter
1/8 cup cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Approx. 2 cups cooked turkey (I used leftovers)
1 cup green beans or any other veggie (I used leftovers from Thanksgiving)

Pastry:

1/4 cup soy flour, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour, and white rice flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
3-5 Tablespoons ice water
2 Tablespoons milk

Directions:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
2.  In a medium pot cook potatoes until soft
3.  While the potatoes are cooking melt 1/4 cup of butter in a separate sauce pan for filling
4.  Whisk in cornstarch, milk, chicken broth and seasonings; cook until thickened
5.  Prepare the pasty by whisking together the flours and salt in a medium mixing bowl
6.  Cut in the 1/3 cup of butter
7.  Add the ice water slowly
8.  Place dough between two sheets of wax paper and roll out with a rolling pin or press out with your hands
9.  In a glass baking dish mix together turkey, veggies, and potatoes; cover with the crust; brush the crust with milk (if desired)
10.  Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Turkey Noodle Soup

My husband and I have had almost all the turkey sandwiches and reheated Thanksgiving meals we can handle.  Tonight, I thought I would make something a little more appealing, turkey noodle soup.  The weather has been very cold so soup for dinner was an added bonus to using up leftovers.

Ingredients:

Gluten-free brown rice noodles (I always use Tinkyada brand)
Gluten-free chicken broth (Swanson's is GF and also Safeway store brand)
Baby carrots  or carrots (diced)
1/4 of an onion
leftover cooked turkey meat
salt
pepper

Directions:

1.  Pour broth into a large soup pot (I used approximately 2 cartons of broth)
2.  Cut carrot and onion and add to broth
3.  Cut or shred desired amount of turkey meat and add to broth (I used a lot of turkey meat and vegetables so the soup was very hearty)
4.  Salt and pepper broth to taste bring to a boil and then simmer until the carrots are cooked
5.  In a separate pot cook noodles according to package directions
7.  Strain noodles
8.  Add noodles and soup to a bowl and enjoy

*I keep the noodles separate from the soup because gluten-free noodles tend to become mushy if they are left in the broth. 
  

Gluten-free Popovers: A Great Gluten-free Bread

I just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without some kind of bread.  I have come to love making popovers as a great alternative to rolls (they are much less complicated and not nearly as much work) or biscuits.  As soon as the stuffing was cooked and while the turkey was being carved I threw these into the oven and they were a great addition to our meal.  This recipe is also easy to double or triple.

Ingredients:

2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup soy flour, white rice flour, sweet rice flour, and tapioca flour 
nonstick spray or shortening

Directions:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
2.  Whisk together flour and salt in a large mixing bowl

3.  Add the eggs. cooking oil, and milk
4.  Whisk together thoroughly (This batter will be similar to a pancake batter or a little thinner)
5.  Spay or grease a muffin tin thoroughly (These will stick easily)
6.  Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 way full (They rise a lot!!!)
7.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until firm and golden brown
8.  Immediatly after removal from the oven prick the tops with a fork to let the steam out
9.  Remove from the tin and serve warm with gravy or butter or whatever!

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Sides (Mashed Potatoes, Fried Corn, and Green Beans)

I thought the Thanksgiving sides were the easiest to convert to be gluten-free.  Every year I like to have a couple of different vegetables and, of course, mashed potates.  The fried corn is my favorite side and it is easy to make a lot or a little.  I have found that not many of my Thanksgiving recipes have exact measurements because I know that everyone will need to make different amounts.

Fried Corn:

1 bag frozen corn
1 stick (1/2 cup butter)
Salt
Pepper

1.  Over medium-low heat melt the butter in a fairly large skillet
2.  Add the entire bag of frozen corn
3.  As the corn cooks salt and pepper to taste
4.  Cotinue to roast/fry corn until cooked thoroughly


**The longer and slower you roast/fry the corn the sweeter the corn will be and the more delicious it will be.

***Stir often so nothing sticks and burns to the bottom of the skillet.

Green Beans

I did not do much to the green beans.  I bought a couple of frozen bags and as everything was being put out before we ate I put them in the microwave and cooked them according to the package directions.  I added a little salt and pepper but that is it!  I LOVE THAT VEGETABLES ARE NATURALLY GLUTEN-FREE!

Mashed Potatoes:

Again this recipe is not exact and is usually naturally gluten-free!

Potatoes (peeled and diced)
Butter
milk
salt
pepper

1.  Peel and dice potatoes
2.  Boil in a large pot until the potatoes are soft
3.  Strain out water
4.  Add butter, salt, pepper, and milk (Don't add too much milk at once or you will get soupy potatoes!)
5.  Beat with an electric mixer until smooth

Gluten-free Turkey Gravy

I had an abundance of juices from my turkey this year and that is the best way to make a gravy.  This simple gravy required little effort or time.  You can make as much gravy as you want by adding more chicken broth to the drippings. 

Ingredients:

Drippings from turkey
Chicken broth/water
cornstarch
salt
pepper

Directions:

1.  Pour the dripping from the roasting pan into a medium sized sauce pan
2.  Heat over low heat and slowly whisk in small amount of cornstarch until thickened (I put in a little too much this year so I had to add a little extra water/chicken broth)
3.  Salt and pepper to taste
4.  Serve