Apricot Ginger Chicken

I had some home made apricot jam. Tried this recipe from NewLeaf Wellness and we enjoyed it.

• 1 lb boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs
• 2/3 cup apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated. (I freeze them and then it's really easy to slice)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1lb frozen green beans

Prep:

Combine all the ingredients in large Ziploc freezer bag.  Remove as much air as jpossible - seal and lay flat in the freezer.

To Cook:

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.  Place in Crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over hot cooked rice.

Will take picture the next time we make it :)

Homemade Pork Sausage - gluten free

1 pound lean ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce or sambal oelek
Mix altogether and form into patties or cylinders. Fry in lightly oiled frying pan until done.  May be frozen and reheated.   Can also be used in recipes asking for pork sausage.

Meatless Lentil Taco Salad - Really Good! Serves 6

If you like the idea of one or two meatless meals a week this is a good one to try.  I tested it on 4 teens ages 15-19 and they all really liked it!

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, diced -  about 1 cup
• 1 teaspoon garlic diced ( I use the diced garlic in a jar from Costco)
• 1 cup dried brown lentils
• 1 package taco seasoning (or make your own)
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth ( I use water and bouillon paste or cube)

In large skilled heat oil over medium heat.  Saute onion and garlic.  Rinse your dried lentils.  Add the lentils to the onions and mix.  Stir in the taco seasoning and saute about 1 more minute.  Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer covered until the lentils are tender about 30 - 40 minutes.  Remove cover and simmer until the mixture is thickened.  Using your potato masher or a fork mash up the lentils a bit.

To serve:  crush some taco chips on your plate, spoon the taco lentil mixture over the chips.  Add lettuce, sour cream, salsa and grated cheddar.  Could also be rolled up in a tortilla or a pita.  Serves 6

To make into a freezer meal you could place the garlic, onions, lentils and taco seasoning into a zip lock freezer bag.  To cook thaw overnight in fridge and fry until onions are softened.  Then proceed with the vegetable broth and simmering.  I think this could also be done in a slow cooker by preparing everything up to the simmering stage and then cooling and freezing.  Then on the day of cooking place in slow cooker to cook until lentils are soft.  

This recipe is adapted from Epicurious.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Bars

I am trying to come up with a selection of easy gluten free baking recipes that use a minimum amount of ingredients.  Many times I read comments on the internet where people say they don't want to try baking gluten free because there are so many different flours.  I figure that fine rice flour is much like white all purpose flour and if I can adjust some recipes so that they will only use rice flour or one other flour it will be much like baking before our celiac/gluten free days.  The nice thing with this recipe is that it does not require guar gum or xanthan gum.  The teenagers came home from school and each daughter said "wow, these are good!" can I have another one?".  These are my kids who do not require a gluten free diet so I figure the chocolate chip bars pass the taste test!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Bars - Easy!  Delicious!

1 c butter, melted
2 c brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups fine rice flour - I use Asian
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup dates, finely chopped
Mix in order given.
Spread in a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake @ 325 for 30 minutes until golden brown and tester inserted comes clean. Chill before slicing.

Green Bean and Ham Freezer Meal

This is a quick easy to make recipe - great way to use up ham and turkey stock from Thanksgiving dinner!  Serves 6
Sauce:
400 grams frozen green beans
3 cups turkey or chicken stock
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2-3 cups ham cut into strips (400 grams)
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup flour (I use rice flour to make it gf)
Rice:
2 cups rice
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups water
Method:
Saute onion and ham in 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan.  Stir in flour.  Slowly add the 3 cups turkey/chicken stock.  Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.  Add beans and simmer until beans are tender.

While simmering the sauce prepare the rice:
In rice cooker or on stove place the rice curry powder, salt and pepper in the 3 cups water.  Cook until done.

Serve Ham and Bean sauce over the curried rice.
Serves 6.

Notes:
I have made it both in the saucepan and in the slow cooker.  In the saucepan the sauce evaporates a bit and the beans do not get overcooked - it is my preferred method.
In the slow cooker you will want to use less stock or a more concentrated stock - probably 2 cups as it will not reduce at all.   You could add a good quality bouillon cube to the sauce to give it more flavour.  DO NOT add extra salt to this recipe as the ham  and stock will give it enough salt.
To make it a freezer bag  recipe prepare with the tips for the slow cooker.  You need not saute anything if you do not want to.  Use frozen green beans.  Place in freezer bags.
Thaw overnight in fridge for freezer bag cooking.  Heat up in a sauce pan until beans are just tender.  Or heat up in slow cooker until beans are tender.  I cooked it in the slow cooker for 8 hours on Low.

Sweet and Sour Oriental Pork Crock pot Freezer Meal Gluten Free

400 grams diced lean boneless pork                  

1 kg frozen oriental style vegetables
1 19 oz. can pineapple chunks, including juice
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch - see notes
2 teaspoons oil

Method:
Place raw diced pork into bottom of crock pot.  Place frozen vegetables on top.  In 2 cup measurer mix together the remaining ingredients.  Pour over vegetables.  Cover crockpot and cook on Low for 10 hours or on high for 4-5.  Serve over rice.  This makes 6 generous servings.  .
Notes:

• For 6 adults cook 2 cups brown rice in 4 cups water.  There is enough topping and rice for 6-7 adults.
• I used raw pork loin from Costco.  The kids thought it was chicken :).
• My sauce was not quite thick enough so I stirred in one tablespoon mixed with a little cold water into the crock pot about 15 minutes before supper.  You could keep out a little juice and the cornstarch and add it at the end if you prefer.  I have increased the cornstarch in the recipe to reflect this.
• I used peanut oil as that is my oil of choice with stir frys - I find it gives a nice flavour. 
• To make freezer meals have large zippered freezer bags on counter and add all ingredients to the bag doubling or tripling recipe as desired.  I would leave bag in fridge overnight before placing in crock pot in the morning so it is frozen but not a solid brick.  

Chicken Florentine Freezer Meal

Makes 2 Casseroles - Servings 2 x 6 servings
600 grams raw boneless chicken breasts diced or leftover cooked chopped chicken
2 - 300-400 grams frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained ** see notes
200 - 300 grams mushrooms - sliced
1/2 cup butter - divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cans (284ml/10 fl oz) cream of Mushroom Soup
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
1 cup half and half cream
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2/3 cups bacon bits divided ( I used Costco Hormel real crumbled bacon)
2 cups shredded Mozzarella, divided

Lightly oil 2 casserole dishes 9" or 10"
Put 1/4 of diced chicken on bottom of each casserole dish.
In saucepan over medium heat melt 1/4 cup butter.  Saute mushrooms, add spinach and saute a bit more.
Cool Spinach mixture.  Place half of mixture into each casserole dish.
Add remaining 1/4 cup butter to saucepan.  Melt over medium heat - stirring contantly.  Stir in the garlic lemon juice, cream of mushroom soup, Italian Seasoning, half and half and Parmesan.  Pour 1/4 of the sauce mixture over each casserole.  Divide remaining chicken over each casserole. Cover with remaining sauce.  Sprinkle crumbled bacon over each casserole.  Top each casserole with shredded cheese.  Wrap and freeze immediately.  Or - bake one at 350 for 25 minutes and freeze the remaining one.  Thaw frozen casserole before baking.  Serve over hot cooked pasta.  I cooked the pasta while the casserole was heating up.  I do not like freezing pasta so I keep them separate until serving.

Notes:

• Instead of spinach I used fresh swiss chard from the garden - steamed and chopped.
• I used reduced fat Cream of Mushroom Soup - it was gluten free - always read ingredient list
• I made one with frozen raw chicken breasts and one with leftover diced chicken - both were equally good

Gluten Free One Dish Thrifty Meal

This simple meal and be varied to your tastes with different seasonings, cheeses, meats, etc.  Based on a recipe from Food.com

Thrifty Meal
1 large onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon canola oil or other cooking oil
1lb pound lean ground pork (or other ground meat)
4 cups of stewed, diced or home canned tomatoes
2 cups water
10 ounces gluten free macaroni - I used Tru Roots Ancient Grain Penne Pasta from Costco
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan or cheddar cheese
optional spices to add: parsley, oregano, greek seasoning etc.
* you could also add a cup of canned beans, corn or peas or chopped frozen spinach or swiss chard.

Heat oil in large saucepan.  Add onion and saute.  Add ground pork and fry until done.  Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and simmer for about 20 minutes or until pasta is cooked.
Sprinkle on parmesan when serving.

* I added a little extra water while simmer the mixture.
* this served 5 of us and the next day we sprinkled grated cheddar on the leftovers and heated it up in the microwave.  Leftovers served 3.
 (I'll add a picture next time)

Flour tortilla

Gluten Free Flour Tortillas 
 

Makes about 5

1 cup white rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour 
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt 
2 teaspoons guar gum
2 tablespoons shortening 
3/4 cup water

Mix together the rice flour, tapioca flour, white sugar, baking powder, salt, and guar gum. Mix in the shortening with your fingers until well combined. Add the water and mix well. If the mixture is still dry, add a little more water. Heat an ungreased skillet on medium-high heat. Roll out tortillas quite thin and cook each one on the hot pan until it begins to bubble. Then flip it and cook until the bottom has some brown spots. Stack them on top of each other covered by a dish  towel. These keep well in a zip lock bag in fridge.  Warm slightly before using.  Tip:  I have rolled these out on sheets of parchment and then frozen them.  They are really easy to take off of parchment and place in heated skillet.  I press the tortillas out using my Birds Hill Pie Machine - I just use the flat dies that come with it.

Gluten Free Naan

This flat bread goes good with curries, stews, soups, chili etc.  Give yourself enough time to let the dough rise.  You can also puff them and use as a pita.

Gluten Free Naan

11/4 cup fine rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/4 cup sweet rice flour

1 large egg

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed potatoes

1/2 cup slightly warm water

2 teaspoons yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

Method:

Wisk flours sugar and salt together.  Add yeast and sugar to warm water and let sit until yeast starts to grow 5-10 minutes.  Add the yeast mixture, egg, oil and mashed potatoes.  Using hands mix well, kneading it into a nice dough.  Cover and let rise in warm place for 30 minutes.  Shape into golf ball,size balls and flatten to less than 1/4".  I flatten on parchment paper.  Could also flatten on plastic wrap or floured counter.  Cover and let rise 30 minutes until you can see bubbles just beginning to form.  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot.  Add one naan at a time and fry until brown spots appear on underside - 1-2 minutes.  Flip and fry another minute or two.  Poke the sides and top a bit with the flipper to creat air pockets.  To puff naan place a folded dish towel in microwave - place fried naan on it and microwave on high for 10-20 seconds until puffed.  Place hot naans under clean dish towel until served.

Gluten Free Trommelkoek

Trommelkoek pan

Another recipe I married in to.  Husband always enjoyed a dessert of Trommelkoek served with brown sugar and melted butter.  In 2000 he was diagnosed with Celiac disease and I no longer made it.  Recently our married kids were talking about Trommelkoek so I decided to make a gluten free version.  It turned out quite well - except the raisins sank as the gluten free batter is quite thin.
Gluten Free Trommelkoek
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
3/4 cup warm milk
3 tablespoons oil or soft butter
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup raisins or currents or a mixture of both
3/4 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup white rice flour
3/4 cup chick pea flour
2 teaspoons pysillium husk or powder
Method:
Mix the first three ingredients together and let sit a few minutes.  Mix the dry ingredients together and add to yeast mixture.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Will be a thin batter.
This is traditionally made in a trommelkoek pan with lid.  If you do not have one use a bundt pan.
Grease pan and sprinkle with gluten free bread crumbs or ground nuts.  Pour in batter.  Let rise for 30'minutes or until almost double.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, reduce heat.  Place the lid on your trommelkoek pan or cover bundt pan tightly with aluminum foil. Place in pot with simmering water.  Put lid on pot and boil gently for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  Loosen cake and invert onto a plate.  Serve warm with melted butter and brown sugar.  Husband says "first you sprinkle on the brown sugar and the. Drizzle the butter over.

Gluten Free Pumkin Loaf

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake

Our gluten free version of the Booy family spice cake recipe.  This one is not quite as sweet and does not use Rogers Syrup but its pretty close in taste.  This cake is dairy and egg free using oil and coconut milk.  It tastes a bit like gingerbread is great served warm or cold.

Gluten Free Pumkin Cake - makes one loaf

3/4 cup Tapioca  Starch

3/4 cup Asian rice flour (fine rice flour)

1/2 cup Chickpea flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon ginger powder or up to half a teaspoon more if you like ginger.

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon mace

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon guar gum

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup milk or thick coconut milk from a can

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 1/4 cup canned or cooked and pureed pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

Method:

Mix all the dry ingredients together.  In 2 cup measure place the pumpkin, oil, and milk- stir to combine.

Served warm with butter

Add to the dry ingredients. Stir well.  Place in greased loaf pan 13x4 1/4 inches ( or a little shorter and a little wider loaf pan).  Bake at 350 for approx. 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted is clean. Cool 10-15 minutes and remove from pan.

Gluten Free Potato Pie Dough/Crust Recipe

This is our favourite pastry recipe for Chicken Pot Pie and other savoury pies!

Gluten Free Potato Pie Crust - makes 6 double crust 5" pot pies
2/3 cup rice flour (I use Asian rice flour)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon guar gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, chilled
1 cup (200grams) cool mashed potatoes

(If you do not need it gluten free you may substitute the rice flour and cornstarch for all purpose flour and leave out the guar gum)

Method:
Wisk dry ingredients together. Rub or cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add mashed potatoesand mix until combined. Do not add anymore liquid. Knead slightly. Shape in ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.  Remove from fridge and knead a minute or two until smooth.  Roll out for pies or if using a Birds Hill Pie Press form crust form after mixing - no need to chill dough. Bake pies until light golden brown.

Gluten Free Lemon Chiffon Cake

This is a wonderful cake -I got lucky on this one first try!   The combination of flours and changing the egg white and egg yolk amounts from my original recipe made a great cake that you would never guess was gluten free. 
Gluten Free Lemon Chiffon Cake - makes 2 cakes
Set  oven to 325*.  Have two 10" Bundt or tube pans  or one large 10" - 12" Bundt pan and cup cake pans - DO NOT grease pans

Sift together:
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt.
Make a well in the center of the dry mixture.  Pour in:
1/2 cup cooking oil (I used canola oil)
7 large egg yolks
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind - optional
Beat with hand mixer until smooth - about 2 minutes.
Clean the beaters well and in a separate glass bowl beat until very stiff:
7 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.
Pour the first mixture over the beaten egg whites a little at a time, gently folding it in with a spatula until evenly blended.  Do not beat or stir.  Pour half of batter into each cake pan. 
Put both pans in oven and bake at 325 for 50 minutes until the top springs back when you dent it with your fingers.  Top should be golden brown.  Take from the oven and turn the pans upside down on a wire rack and let stand until cold. 
When cold wrap one of the cakes in plastic wrap and a freezer bag and freeze for another time - eat the other!  Tastes good with a bit of whipped cream, lemon glaze or on it's own.

Pork sausage casserole -easy

Put this together today because I was in a hurry and it tasted good!
4-6 medium potatoes, peeled sliced or  diced
1 cup peas
1 lb ground lean pork
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sage
1/8 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup cooked crumbled bacon - I use the crumbled bacon from Costco
1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1 tbsp butter, melted

Lighty butter a 9x13 glass casserole dish.  Peel and slice potatoes and spread over bottom of dish.  Sprinkle fresh or frozen peas over the potatoes.  Mix spices through the raw ground pork and sprinkle over peas.  Sprinkle bacon over this layer. Mix can of mushroom with 1 can milk and pour over.  Mix crumbs with butter and sprinkle over this layer.  Bake at 375 for 1 - 11/2 hours.  Serve with a nice salad.

SpicyTomato Vegetable Soup - no noodles

I'm trying to reduce starches in my diet - especially in areas where I won't miss it so much.   I really enjoy this soup and do not miss the noodles at all!
Spicy Tomato Vegetable Soup
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups pureed tomatoes (I had canned my own)
10 cups water
200 grams diced chicken
1 grated carrot
1 cup diced green beans
2 leaks- sliced thin
3 celery stalks sliced thin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dried parsley
1-2 tablespoons diced hot peppers or sambal oelek - depending on how much heat you want.
salt - (I used 4 teaspoons as my homemade stock had no added salt.  First taste your soup before adding salt)
Bring to a boil in a large Dutch oven, reduce heat and simmer for one hour.  Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Lasy Wife Dinner

Now I have no idea why it is called "Lazy Wife Dinner" - I would prefer a name like "Simple Dinner for Overworked Mom's".   My mom found this recipe recently in a book she read about the Amish.  It's a decent meal - quick and easy to make.
Lazy Wife Dinner
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup - gluten free if needed
3/4  macaroni (gluten  free) uncooked 
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup frozen vegetables
1 cup potatoes, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup meat of choice, diced
1 onion, diced
Mix together and bake in 9x 13 casserole for 1 1/2 hours at 350.