Gluten Free Lasagna -easy!

This is a great recipe! You make a fresh gf noodle so no pre-boiling of the noodles is necessary.
















Gluten Free Lasagna
For the lasagna noodle:
1 1/2 cups sweet rice flour                                        
3/4 cups tapioca starch
3 teaspoons xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups water - or slightly more
2 eggs
1 tablespoons oil
Filling:
1 medium onion, diced
1lb ground beef
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons oil
1 10 oz can sliced mushrooms or 4 fresh mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup - 1 cup cooked chopped and drained spinach - optional
28 ox can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 egg, beaten
1 cup creamed cottage cheese.
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella 
In large skillet brown ground beef onion and garlic.  Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste, spices and spinach - if using.
 Simmer 15 minutes.
Combine the cottage and parmesan cheese with egg.  Set aside.  While meat mixture is simmering make the pasta.  Mix together the dry ingredients.  Stir together the eggs, water and oil and combine withe the dry mixture. If it is too dry add a little more water.  Dough should be slightly sticky to start.  Knead on counter until smooth. At this point it will not be sticky. Dust counter with sweet rice flour . Divide in half and roll out each ball into a thin rectangle at least 13" long. Cut into strips. You should have enough dough for 3 layers of noodles. Repeat with the other ball of dough.  In. 9" x 13" casserole place a little of the meat sauce mixture.  Place one layer of noodles over sauce.  Cover with half the remaining meat mixture. Cover with another noodle layer.  Spread the cheese mixture over this layer. Cover with another layer of noodle.  Cover with remaining meat sauce.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.  Cover with greased aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 - 30 minutes until done.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Soup stock from beef bones

We love soup at our house - we eat it for lunch almost every single day - especially during the fall and winter.  Good soup is easy to make and the best soaps use a stock made from beef or chicken bones.










Vegetable Beef Soup
Put about 1lb beef bones in pressure cooker.  Add 6 cups water and 4 tomatoes or 1 can tomato paste .  Put lid and weight on.  Bring to a boil.  Let pressure cook with weight rocking for 30 minutes.  Turn off heat. Let pressure come down.  Or simmer in large pot for 1-2 hours .  Remove meat and bones and set aside.  Strain the liquid if you choose and return it to the pot.  Once meat has cooled you may slice it up.

Add to pot of stock:
 3 stalks celery diced
1 large carrot shredded.
1 bay leaf.
3-4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon pepper
the diced cooked meat taken from the bones
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup orange lentils
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes. Or until lentils are soft. Add fine rice noodles if desired.  Season with salt and pepper. and add more water until it is about 1 " from top of pan. 

 

How to feed a family of 6 Three Meals from one medium Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast.

Got a good deal on Pork Shoulder Picnic $4.41 kg or $2.00lb.  Im going to show you how to feed a family of 6 three meals using this pork shoulder!
On day 1:

Pork Shoulder Picnic
1 pork shoulder picnic about 1.5- 2kg it has hock removed but still has a bone in
Place roast into a heavy cast iron roast pan
Preheat oven to 350
Place roast covered into hot oven and roast for 1 hour.
Reduce heat to 325F and add 1 cup water
Roast for 20-30 minutes a pound - this roast will take about 90 minutes.

Remove roast and place roaster on stove element.

see the darker spots in the grease?  Great for the gravy!

For the Gravy: Mix 2 tbsp flour (rice or regular flour), two teaspoons onion powder and two cups water together.  Pour into roaster and stir into roast drippings.  Simmer for two or three minutes while stirring until thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.
Slice off 6  pieces of meat 80 grams - 100 grams and serve to your family with a vegetable, potatoes and the gravy. 
Pick the meat off the bones and dice placing in a 2-3 cup container and store in fridge.

Day 2
Make Bahmi 

Day 3
Make Nasi Goreng and serve with Kroepoek and salad or sliced cucumber.

Nasi Goreng

This has got to be one of our favourites - have been making it for years! Great way to use up left over pork.
Nasi Goreng
2 cups rice
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 - 1 1/2 cups diced cooked pork
1/4 cup finely diced ham or bacon or bacon bits
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/ 8 teaspoon turmeric
Method:
Cook the rice with 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt.  It is s common to make the rice the day before or to use left over rice.
Fry onion and garlic and oil together in heavy frying pan or wok. Add meat and spices.
Fry 5 minutes.  Add soy sauce a tablespoon or 2 depending on how you like it.
Mix in the rice and fry it altogether. 

In a separate pan make an omelet.  I use about 8-10 eggs for 6 adults.  Mix eggs with 1-2 tablespoons milk, green onion (optional), salt and pepper.  Pour into greased and heated frying pan.  Pull the sides in with a fork as shown in picture.


 





Flip and fry on other side.  Cut up and place over Nasi Goreng.

If you wish to have Kroepoek with it, fry that up before you start.  You can purchase Kroepoek in the Oriental Stores or the Dutch stores.  Serve with sliced fresh cucumber, Kroepoek and a salad if you like. We like sambal oelek on our rice to give it some "heat".

Bahmi Goreng - Gluten Free

This is our traditional Bahmi method - its great for serving a family with just a little bit of meat.




Bahmi - serves 6
1 lb spaghetti style pasta - I use Costco's  Giovanni Panzani Gluten Free.
1 cup cabbage, sliced and diced
1 onion, diced
1-2 cups cubed pork in 1/2" cubes (cooked pork from roast, chops etc.)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-3 tablespoons soy sauce - depending on how you like it
1 cup canned or frozen cut great beans
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1 leak, diced - optional
Method
Cook spaghetti according to directions.  Drain.  Sauté onion and garlic powder in a few tablespoons cooking oil.  Add meat and spices.  Add vegetables and fry until done.  You may need to add a little water.  Add the cooked pasta and season with some leftover pork gravy (if you have it) or with soy sauce.  We like adding a little Sambal Olek to spice it up.

Sauté onion, leaks, meat spices vegetables

Butterscotch Fingers gluten free

This recipe is my mother-in-law's - one that she makes often.  She is in her nineties and still makes it.  Figured it would convert to gluten free quite easily and it did!  This is so simple and really has a nice taste - try it!




Butterscotch Fingers
1/2 c butter, melted
1 c packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups fine rice flour - I use Asian
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup walnuts chopped
1/4 cup dates, chopped
Mix in order given.  Spread in a lightly greased 8" baking pan.  Bake @ 325 for 30 minutes.  Chill before slicing.

Barbecue Sauce

We use this recipe on ribs or on meatballs- very good and easy to make!
 Barbecue Sauce
1 med. onion, diced
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce - check if your is gluten free
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 teaspoons salt
Mix all ingredients together.
I usually double this for a slow cooker of meatballs or a few racks of ribs.  We like the extra sauce on rice with the meal.

Gluten Free Corn Flour Bread

Another Corn Bread recipe - almost the same but it required extra liquid - guess the yellow corn flour is a drier flour.  This is good for breakfast as well with jam and butter!  For a whiter version go to:
http://applewoodrecipes.blogspot.ca/2014/10/gluten-free-skillet-cornbread-delicious.html
Gluten Free Skillet Corn Bread with Corn Flour
1 1/2  cups milk
1 egg
1/4 cup cooking oil - I used canola
1/4 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup yellow corn flour (buy at Bulk Barn or Asian section of store)
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2tsp. guar gum
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Mix milk, egg, oil and vinegar together in a mixing bowl using a fork or wisk.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well with a wooden spoon.
Heat a 10.5" cast iron skillet over high heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet.  Pour batter into hot skillet.  Fry for about 3 minutes until edge starts to look set.  Using a oven mitt grab handle of skillet and place into hot oven.  Bake an additional 10-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Serve warm with butter.
Notes:  You could also butter a 10" baking pan and bake it in there for 15-20 minutes until done

yellow corn flour

fry a minute or two in hot skillet until edges look like this

fresh out of the oven!

makes 8 large slices 224 calories each

Gluten Free Skillet Cornbread - Delicious!

Sometimes the best things  are spur of the moment recipe alterations.  This started out as a muffin recipe I had developed years ago.  I head read about cornbread today and it stuck in my mind so 15 minutes before supper I decided to give it a go. 
This is a very simple recipe that goes great with most meals.  If you prefer a recipe using corn flour go to this link: http://applewoodrecipes.blogspot.ca/2014/10/gluten-free-skillet-corn-bread-with.html
Gluten Free Skillet Cornbread! 
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup cooking oil - I used canola

1/4 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 guar gum
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Mix milk, egg, oil and vinegar together in a mixing bowl using a fork or wisk.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well with a wooden spoon.
Heat a 10.5" cast iron skillet over high heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet.  Pour batter into hot skillet.  Fry for about 3 minutes until edge starts to look set.  Using a oven mitt grab handle of skillet and place into hot oven.  Bake an additional 10-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Serve warm with butter.
Notes:  You could also butter a 10" baking pan and bake it in there for 15-20 minutes until done. 

Green Tomato Relish - for Hamburgers and Hotdogs

Wondering what to do with all the green tomatoes this fall?  We kept our tomatoes ripening slowly until the last frost and decided to salvage the green ones to make relish.  This relish turned out very well and tastes quite a bit like bread and butter pickles.  The colour is not dark green like store bought relish but the taste is really nice and if you really prefer a dark green you could add
a tiny bit of green food colour.  I use to do that until the family said they preferred I left it in it's natural colour!

Green Tomato Relish  
3.5kg green tomatoes
450 grams onion
450 grams green peppers
2-3 celery stalks
2 cups sugar
2 cups vinegar
2 jalapenos- optional
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard seed
1 1/2 tablespoons celery seed
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric - optional
Wash and core tomatoes.  Coarsely chop in food processor - in batches.  Place chopped tomatoes in large colander to drain.
Coarsely chop remaining vegetables in processor.
Place all ingredients in large pot.  Bring to a boil stirring often.  Simmer for 15 minutes. 
Place relish in hot sterile canning jars.  Wipe rims clean and place 2 part lids on.  Place in boiling water bath - covered by 2" water and boil covered for 30 minutes. 
Or, if you prefer process in pressure canner at 10lbs pressure for 15 minutes.  Turn off heat and let pressure down slowly following canner instructions.  Makes 6 quarts.

Curried Bean Soup

Got this recipe from my mother-in-law many years ago - she is in her nineties now.  This is an easy soup to make and very satisfying - great for a cool fall day.
I use dried beans that I soak and cook myself but you can substitute with canned beans - just make sure you add the liquid from the canned.  Oh yes, almost forgot- this recipe is gluten free.

Curried Bean Soup
1 pound dried kidney or chili beans (probably 2 cans of store bought beans)
12 cups liquid - use the liquid from the canned or home cooked beans plus water to make 12 cups
1 cup onion, diced
2 tablespoons bacon drippings or butter or oil
3 tablespoons sweet rice flour, rice flour or wheat flour if you can eat wheat
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup cooked rice - or just add 1/2 cup dry rice to the soup - I use brown rice.
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup ham , chopped (or smoked sausage or bacon)
If using dry beans, soak overnight, drain in the morning and cover with water.  Cook until soft.
Fry onion in bacon drippings in bottom of large pot.
Add flour and stir.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 30-60 minutes until rice is soft.
This is a pretty forgiving recipe.  You can add more rice and beans if you like a thicker soup.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - you'd never guess they were gluten free, egg and dairy free!

These cookies are so good you will find that everyone wants at least two or three!

Chocolate Chip Cookies   
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 cup potato or corn starch
3/4 cup white rice flour (fine Asian style)
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
2 tablespoons guar gum
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup cooking oil or shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Rogers Syrup , corn syrup or honey
4 tablespoons flax meal
6 tablespoons water
1/2 tsp pysillium husk
2 tsp vanilla extract
16 ounces chocolate chips ( use dairy free substitute if you have to)
Cream together oil and sugars - do not over mix.
Mix the flax meal with the water in small dish - let sit a minute or two
Whisk the dry ingredients together.  Mix everything together.  Form into 1" balls and place on greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Honey Dill Salad Dressing

This is my "go to" recipe for salad dressing.  Can be used on all kinds of salads.  We like it with lettuce, celery, radishes, bacon bits and feta cheese.


Honey Dill Salad Dressing - Makes 180 ml about 396 calories/100mls.
1/2 cup oil (I use either olive oil or canola oil. Olive oil gets more solid in the fridge and needs to be warmed before using the dressing)
1/8 cup prepared mustard
1 tablespoon dill seed
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon honey ( I use whatever I have - syrup, corn syrup, honey etc.)
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Mix together and store in fridge.

Gluten Free Biscuits - easy to make!

We like baking powder biscuits with our turkey pie.  Before our gluten free days I would place the biscuit top over the filling and bake it all in the oven.  It has taken years to find a good gluten free biscuit recipe and I think I may finally have tweaked a recipe enough to make it close.....I baked these on a baking sheet this time but next time I will try baking the biscuit on top of the turkey pie filling.  This recipe is extremely soft.  You can make drop biscuits or for cut biscuits place a generous amount of sweet rice flour on counter and place biscuit dough on flour.  Dust both sides with flour and lightly pat to 1/2" thick. Cut with biscuit cutter and place on greased sheet.


Gluten Free Biscuits
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
6 tablespoons shortening (could substitute butter or lard)
1 1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoon guar gum or xanthan gum
Mix dry ingredients together. Using a fork or pastry blender cut the shortening into the dry mixture until crumbly
Add the vinegar to the milk and stir into the dry mixture.  Stir lightly with a fork.  Place some gluten free flour ( I used sweet rice flour) onto counter. Lightly dust the ball of dough with flour and knead it 6 - 8 times until it is smooth.  Flatten with hands to about 1/2" thick.  Cut into 6 circles with biscuit cutter or glass cup. Preheat oven to 425. Place biscuits on lightly greased baking sheet. Brush a little melted butter or oil on top of each biscuit.  Place baking tray in oven and reduce heat to 375 . Bake for 20 minutes.

Biscuits ready to be brushed with melted butter - optional

You can see how nicely they have risen

Thin and Crisp Pizza Crust -gluten free

This crust holds together well, tastes great!

Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust
2 cups fine rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp salt
1 tsp guar gum or xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
Method
In mixing bowl combine rice flour, tapioca starch/flour, salt, guar gum, baking powder, and sugar.  Mix together.
In a two cup measure add the warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar.  Let sit 5-10 minutes. Stir.
Add to the dry mixture along with the oil and mix with wooden spoon or your hands. Divide in two and flatten each ball of dough onto an oiled 12" pizza pan. It is easy to spread out the dough if you make your hands really wet and smooth out the dough.  Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 20 minutes.  Bottom will turn golden but top should still be light.  Cool.  Add your pizza toppings and bake in a 400* oven for 10-12 minutes until done.

Yeast growing in the warm water and sugar

I use tapioca starch and rice flour purchased in the Asian section of the grocery store

Dough after being mixed by hand

Divide dough in half and put on well oiled 12" pizza pans

Make your hands really wet and spread the dough out

the dough may get some cracks but do not worry about that

this is the bottom - golden brown while the top is light coloured

Tomato Lentil Soup

I have some dark lentils in my pantry that no one seems to like so I figured I'd use them up in a soup - I think it tastes quite good!
Tomato Lentil Soup
1 ham bone
10- 12 cups water
28 oz crushed canned tomatoes
2 cups dried lentils
1/4 cup  onion, diced
1 carrot, diced or shredded
2 celery stalks sliced
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Place all the ingredients in a large soup pot.  Bring to a boil and simmer one to two hours.  Remove ham bone and adjust seasonings if necessary.
I measured the thyme generously so start with 1/2 teaspoon and after tasting soup you can add up to 1/4 teaspoon more.

Low carb gluten free flax bun

Putting this recipe on my blog so I don't lose it as like this toasted with egg and bacon.
Low Carb Flax Bread- Bun
1 1/2 cups flax meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, large
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons canola oil
Mix the above altogether.  Let sit for 15 minutes.  Lightly grease a 6 "cup" muffin top pan and divide mixture into 10 portions.  Put 6 portions into greased pan and wet fingers or spoon to spread out. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Cool and remove and then do the other 4. I freeze these and toast when needed.  About 122 calories per bun.

really like using the muffin top pan - makes nice thin bread