Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Turkey and Aged Cheddar

Today, I was at the grocery store, and I overheard a girl having a mini-meltdown in front of the beer. She was upset and overwhelmed, because it was her first trip to the grocery store after being diagnosed with Celiac disease. I laughed to myself for a moment, remembering my first post-diagnosis grocery trip (and the meltdown that ensued), then I introduced myself to her and offered to help her out.

I wound up giving her some beer recommendations and showed her the random corners of the store where there are gluten-free products, and exchanged phone numbers with her in case she needs any more advice, tips, or someone to commiserate with.

(I also made a shameless plug for my blog!)

I always like helping people out, because I know how much that help meant to me when I was first starting my gluten-free diet. I decided to celebrate my good deed with a big bowl of cheesy, creamy cauliflower soup!


1 bag frozen cauliflower
1 1/2 cup diced turkey breast
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup diced onions
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely minced garlic
1 cup aged white cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken or turkey broth (gluten-free of course!)
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot over medium heat, combine cauliflower, onions, carrots, turkey and butter, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened. Add salt and pepper and garlic.

Meanwhile, combine milk and cornstarch in a separate bowl, stirring until thickened. Add to pot with turkey and vegetables, stirring to blend. Add broth, stirring, until warmed.

Add cheese and parsley, stirring until cheese is melted. Allow to simmer for a few minutes, until soup thickens.

I served mine topped with some Greek yogurt, and some additional cheddar cheese!

Open Faced Turkey Sandwiches with Red Pepper Hummus and Sun Dried Tomatoes

One of the things to deal with in the aftermath of Thanksgiving is the massive amount of leftovers. I get tired of eating of eating the same things, so I always try to be as creative as I can when it comes to using up food.

Over the last three days I have been eating nothing but rich, heavy foods, and I wanted a break, and to have something relatively light for dinner. My husband and I threw some ideas around, and somehow, we came up with this wonderful combination!

I used crisp gluten-free crackers, because I had them on hand, but this would also be good on gluten-free bread!

4 slices of gluten-free bread
4 tbsp red pepper hummus
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, or 4 tbsp sun dried tomato spread
1 cup turkey, shredded
tomato slices
4 slices Munster cheese

(ingredients should be divided into fourths, to make all the sandwiches)

Spread hummus onto bread, and top with cheese slice. Add sun dried tomatoes, or sun dried tomato spread. Layer on tomato slices, and top with turkey.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The best part of my Thanksgiving has always been homemade mashed potatoes. I usually make the boxed kind, but those just don't cut it for Thanksgiving dinner. This was my first time making mashed potatoes from scratch, and I was surprised by how easy they were. I mashed them manually, and my arm got a little tired, but it was worth it in the end!

(I made 5 pounds, but I have reduced the recipe to a more manageable serving size)

2 lbs potatoes, diced
1 bulb garlic
1 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

preheat oven to 400 degrees

Peel back the outer layers of garlic, leaving only the layers on the individual bulbs intact. Slice the tops off each clove. Place in muffin tin, and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 30-35 min, until garlic is soft, and browned.

Meanwhile boil potatoes in a large pot. (Make sure potatoes are completely submerged). Boil for 12-15 minutes, until potatoes are soft.

Remove from heat, and drain water. Using either a potato masher, or electric hand mixer, beat, or smash potatoes until they are smooth. Peel garlic, and add to potatoes, and continue to smash, until garlic starts to break apart. There should still be some big chunks of garlic.

Add remaining ingredients, and stir until blended. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving 2012!

This year, I hosted my first Thanksgiving. My In-laws came into town, and my husband and I prepared dinner for them. I was nervous, it was a huge undertaking, given my tiny New York sized kitchen, but everything came together pretty well. I had a few small hiccups, including the loss of one of my beloved crockpots, but in the end everything turned out the way it was supposed to!

For dinner I made:
Apple Sage Brined Turkey (from a kit)
Gluten-free garlic and herb stuffing
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Creamy corn and bacon casserole
Mustard and Parmesan coated brussel sprouts
Roasted Balsamic green beans with mushrooms
Cranberry sauce with dried cherries
Gluten-free pumpkin pie

The turkey was tender and juicy, the potatoes were smooth and creamy, and the pie was the perfect finishing touch!

I hope all of you enjoyed your holiday!

Lemon and Garlic Roasted Cornish Game Hen

This year, I am hosting my first Thanksgiving. Not only is it the first on that I am hosting, it is the first one that I will have that will be 100% gluten free. It will also have to be heart-healthy, due to the health issues of another guest who will be attending. As a result of these constraints, most of the traditional dishes that I know how to make have gone out the window.

I have been testing dishes out for weeks, trying to come up with the best possible options. It has been fun, and I have had some success and some failures.

This recipe was a test run for a turkey. I wanted to test the flavors, and although it tasted great, it was not the right way to prepare my Thanksgiving turkey. It's okay though, I have another idea in mind.


2 Cornish Game Hens
1/2 stick butter
Zest from 1 lemon
1/2 lemon, halved and quartered
6 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup white wine
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Prepare hen, but removing the innards (packaged, and stored in the cavity) and rinsing. Pat dry. Combine butter and lemon zest in a small saucepan, warming over low heat, until butter is melted. Brush into hen. Stuff lemon and garlic into cavity. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake in oven for 25 min, then lower heat to 375, cooking for another 30 minutes, basting every 10.

When hen is done the internal temperature should be about 170 degrees, temperature taken from the thigh area. Juices should be clear, and meat should not be pink in color.

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Baked Taquitos

I firmly believe that there is nothing better than buffalo chicken. It is so versatile, and acts as a wonderful base for many different types of preparations.

Before I found out about my Celiac Disease, I used to make buffalo chicken egg rolls. My husband loves them, and they are so easy to prepare, especially if you buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. They were just another dish that I had to adapt, so I swapped egg roll wrappers for corn tortillas, and rotisserie chicken for ground chicken. (Actually, in this case, turkey, because I had a pack to use up).


1 package ground chicken
3/4 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup buffalo sauce (to start, add more if you like it spicy. I used a whole 5 oz bottle, and then some)
Gluten-free corn tortillas
Oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

In a pan over medium heat, cook chicken and broccoli until meat it browned, approx 8-12 min. Drain excess liquid. Add mushrooms and green onions, cooking until mushrooms are tender, approx 2-3 min. Remove from heat. Add cream cheese, and monterey jack cheese and buffalo sauce.

Add meat mixture to corn tortilla, rolling tightly. Brush, or spray with oil.

Bake in oven for 14 - 16 minutes, until crispy. Serve with ranch or gluten-free blue cheese dressing for dipping!

Garlic Bread with Tomato Salad and Prosciutto

Every since I have gone gluten-free I find myself impressed by how wonderful my support system is. Most of the people in my life have gone out of their way to try to understand what Celiac Disease is, and what I need to do to stay healthy. I have found that people have gone out of their way to find gluten-free food options, and some have even incorporated certain gluten-free foods into their daily diet! I am so lucky to have these people in my life!

This doesn't really have anything to do with the recipe, but I got to spend the weekend with family, and I always walk away feeling very blessed to have them!

But enough of that, now onto the food!

1 gluten-free thin crust pizza crust
Thinly sliced prosciutto. (I used 6 slices for a 9 inch crust)
1 small tomato, diced
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, diced
3 tbsp garlic herb butter (based off of a 9 inch crust) If you don't have pre-made, you can blend 3 tbsp butter, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 2 tsp Italian blend herbs
Drizzle Balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste

Preheat oven according to pizza crust package instructions.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Brush over pizza crust, and bake according to package instructions. Once done, remove from oven, and cut according to your preference. (I cut mine into fourths).

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes and mozzarella, and salt.

Top crust with tomato and mozzarella, and prosciutto. Drizzle with Balsamic vinegar. Enjoy it!

Green Bean "Fries" With Spicy Mustard Dipping Sauce

This year, I decided to participate in Nanowrimo. (National Novel Writing Month) Basically, I am attempting to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. This is my third try, I have never made it to the end in previous years. So far, I am 11,000 words in, in seven days. The goal is to write 1,667 words per day, in order to finish.

This is very time consuming, so I have been trying to make simple meals, so that I have more time to focus on my writing. I am also back on my diet, so I need healthy options. I decided to make green bean "french fries" because they are easy, healthy, and delicious!

1 package fresh green beans, ends cut off
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

For sauce:
3 tbsp honey mustard
2 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
dash lemon juice
dash cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place a piece of tinfoil on a baking sheet. Arrange green beans in a single layer, making sure that none are overlapping. Top with cheese, garlic, salt and pepper, and bake for 20-25 min, until green beans crisp up.

Meanwhile, mix all sauce ingredients together, until blended.

Serve green beans with dipping sauce on the side!

Chili Cheese Burgers

Chili is one of the best foods to have as leftovers, because it can be used in so many different ways. I have spent the last week coming up with different ways to use it, from chili dogs, chili cheese fries, and chili cheese pizza.

Coincidentally, we had someone slide a menu under our door that boasted chili cheese burgers as their specialty. I decided on the spot that I had to make them for dinner that night, since I had all the ingredients on hand.

My recipe is for 2, but it can easily be adapted for more.

1 cup Chili 
2 hamburger patties
2 gluten-free hamburger buns (I used Udi's)
2 tbsp BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's, its GF)
2 slices pepper jack cheese
onion slices (optional, I used them, David didn't)

In a frying pan, over medium heat, cook hamburger patties, flipping occasionally, until cooked to desired doneness. (time depends on the thickness of the patty used) Add cheese slices for last minute, to melt. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, heat chili, until warm.

Put burger on bun, and top with chili, BBQ sauce, and onion. Enjoy!

Beef Ragout

Around Halloween I started to see articles and blog postings of people throwing "Last Dinner on the Titanic" dinner parties. I was intrigued, and quickly learned that there is a cookbook of the same name, which people were using for this spooky, but elegant, dinner idea. I was able to find most of the recipes online, and I have been eager to try them ever since.

The beef ragout was the first recipe I found, and I knew that it would be the perfect, comforting dish for today's cold weather. This was the last meal served to the third class passengers. I didn't follow the original recipe, instead, I adapted it for my crockpot.

1 pack beef chuck tips
2 potatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 carrots, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 strips bacon
1 cup beef broth
1 cup tomato juice (I used tomato sauce, because I had it on hand)
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 jar pickled cabbage

Combine all ingredients (minus cabbage) in crockpot, stirring to blend. Heat over medium heat for for 7-8 hours, until meat and vegetables are tender. Serve with pickled cabbage on the side.

Product Review: Udi's Gluten Free Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust

I have only been gluten-free for a little over 6 months now. At first it seemed like an almost impossible lifestyle, but the longer I do it, the easier it gets. One of the things that have made it easier is that my grocery store is now stocking more gluten-free products than they did before.

Udi's pizza crusts are just one of the new additions to the store. I always get upset that they don't care any gluten-free frozen pizzas, so I was overjoyed when I saw these. I bought one, and made it right away.

I love thin crust pizza, but some gluten-free thin crusts get gummy rather than crispy. These did not. They also didn't taste gluten-free. I baked them a little longer than the package directed, but I love thin crust just one shade below burnt.

My gluten-loving husband even commented on how good these crusts are. We have had some terrible, inedible gluten-free crusts, and we both agree that this is our new go to crust!

I am very happy with this product, and I also love the fact that each pack has two 9 inch crusts, so I get to have pizza again! The package says it has a 7 day shelf life, or a 6 month freezer life.

Pupusas

When David and I first moved to the city we found a Salvadorian restaurant. It was the first restaurant we ate at after we moved, and it was kind of our special place. I can't remember the name of it anymore, but I remember where it is!

When we lived in our old neighborhood we frequented that restaurant. Every time we went in we noticed that almost everyone was eating what looked like a stuffed corn cake. One day we asked the server about them, and she told us that they are pupusas. They are a corn cake, traditionally stuffed with pork, cheese, or beans, and she described that as El Salvador's equivalent of a cheeseburger.

We decided to order them, and I am so glad we did. They were incredible. They were soft, warm, and so savory.

I was so happy when I learned that they are pretty easy to make at home. They were so good that David and I had them three times in two day!

2 cups Masa (a type of corn flour)
2 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup oil for frying

For filling:
you can stuff these with whatever ingredients you chose. I chose spicy refried beans, and cheese. You can do chicken, cheese, beef, beef, pork, etc. This recipe makes about 8 pupusas, and you need about one cup of filling. It helps to mix the filling before stuffing, otherwise it can get messier than it it already is!

Combine Masa and water, kneading until dough forms. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Take about 1/4 cup amounts of dough and form a ball. Use them to press a dent in dough ball to form a cup like shape. Fill with filling mixture, and close dough around the top to seal, and press flat.

Put into frying pan, and fry, flipping occasionally, until pupusa is golden brown. Remove from heat.

I topped mine with sour cream, salsa and queso fresco, but you can choose your own toppings. Enjoy!

Pork Chops with Apple Chutney

Because NYC still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, my husband and I have been off work all week. The subways have only just started running again, and there are still a lot of places shut down. As a result, we are starting to go a little stir crazy. I feel very lucky that we were not really affected, but David and I are so tired of being cooped up that we have started running errands just to get out of the house.

I haven't been cooking much, since we have TONS of leftovers from our party, but today, we stopped into the local butcher's shop, and could not resist buying these magnificent boneless pork chops. They were thick cut, and we couldn't pass them up.

4 boneless pork chops
2 apples, cored, peeled, and diced
1 small white onion, diced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped raisins
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Pinch cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onions sauteing until soft, about 2-3 min. Add apples, vinegar, raisins and spices, cooking until apples soften, about 3-4 more minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, heat oven proof skillet on stovetop over medium heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, and add to skillet, browning chops on both sides, approx 2-3 minutes a side. Remove skillet from stovetop, and put in oven, baking for an additional 5-6 minutes.

Remove chops from oven, top with chutney, and enjoy!