Gluten Free Brownie Ice Cream Cake

Thanksgiving was an extra special holiday this year. It was also Bradley's birthday!! The big 21! (JK, he's much older than that!) ;)

We spent the day with Brad's family, me mostly in he kitchen. It's always a bit tricky cooking for a big group of people especially when I'm the only one with a food allergy. It worked out pretty seamlessly. We had turkey, potatoes, green beans and a few gluten filled dishes that I avoided. My meal was all delicious.

For dessert I whipped up a special treat for the birthday boy: gluten free ice cream cake! I prepared a box of gluten free brownie mix and once it cooled, I topped with a thick layer of slightly melted ice cream then popped it in the freezer for a bit. Before serving, I sprinkled some broken Butterfinger bars around the top as garnish. It was a bit hard to cut at first but chocolate brownies and vanilla ice cream are always perfect together!

Gluten Free Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

Earlier this week I whipped up another roasted chicken and used a large chunk of it on Saturday for  our pizza toppings but I still had plenty left over. Coincidentally, I've become a Pinterest addict and recalled pinning an interesting recipe for a chicken cordon blue casserole. Prior to my diagnosis I was in love with making Italian chicken cordon blue. It was delicious but I honestly can't remember the last time I had it. I figured there was no time like the present to give the casserole a whirl!

Recipe:

FOR THE CASSEROLE:

2 cups shredded roasted  chicken,

1/2 lb very thinly sliced gluten free deli-style ham, rough chopped

1/4 lb thinly sliced Swiss cheese 

FOR THE SAUCE:

4 tbsp butter

4 tbsp gluten free flour

3 1/4 cups whole milk

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp white pepper

FOR THE TOPPING:

6 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups gluten free bread crumbs

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp crushed dried parsley

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

2) Layer shredded chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Scatter the ham over the top of the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.

For the sauce:

1) Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the gluten free flour to form a smooth roux. Be careful not to let this brown! Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. 

2) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika and white pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being sure to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.

For the topping:

1) Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at a time and stop once it’s melted. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir in the gluten free bread crumbs, seasoning salt and crushed dried parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

2) Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

This simple dish came together in just a few minutes. It smelled absolutely wonderful as it baked and tasted even better than the smell! It is definitely a great option for left over chicken. :)

Gluten Free Pizza Night!

Brad and I had such a relaxing weekend. Saturday, we lounged around the house watching TV and debating what yummy meal we wanted to make on Sunday, while a roasted chicken was cooking in the oven. The chicken smelled delicious and we couldn't wait to reuse it for another dish. After debating, we settled on PIZZA!! I've had a pack of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Dough mix. It was about time I used it.

We popped over to the grocery store to pick up some toppings and couldn't wait to get to cooking. We decided to head out during the day Sunday to watch some football so before we left I prepped the dough.

Recipe:
1 16 oz package of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix (3 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 eggs
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 yeast packet (enclosed in mix)

Directions: 

1) Preheat oven to 425°F.

2) In a large bowl, combine water and yeast. Let stand a few minutes. Add eggs and oil to mixture and blend briefly. Add GF Pizza Crust Mix and blend about a minute on medium speed, until combined.

3) Leave dough in bowl, split in half, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise 20 minutes.

4) Place dough on greased pizza pans. Using wet hands, spread out dough to cover the full pizza pan. Bake without topping for 7-9 minutes.

5) Remove from oven, cover with favorite sauce and toppings. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

The dough kit makes two 12-inch or one- 16-inch pizza crusts. Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and store in plastic bag. When ready to bake, take dough out of refrigerator and allow to rest 30 minutes. Spread dough onto greased pizza pan and bake as directed.

I prepped the dough and tossed it in the fridge while we went out for the games. When we came back...it was pizza time!! While our chicken was roasting on Saturday, I tossed in a head of garlic for roasting. For my pie, I spread a thin layer of olive oil on the crust then smeared the roasted garlic, followed by loads of mozzarella, chicken a little more garlic and a balsamic glaze. It was absolutely amazing!! I loved every last bite. 

My roasted garlic chicken pizza

Brad opted for a more manly route and started with a thin schemer of tomato sauce, followed by mozzarella, chicken, cut up chorizo, red onion and a few dollops of BBQ sauce on top. I have to say, as much as I'm not a fan of BBQ pizza, I did enjoy a bite of his. 

Brad's chicken chorizo BBQ pizza.

We were both very pleased with the taste of the crust as well! If you hadn't told us it was gluten free, we wouldn't have known. It was just as great as any other home made dough. We both give Bob's Red Mill's dough an A+!!! We will definitely be buying it again. It's so much fun to play in the kitchen together, especially when the end results is pure deliciousness!

Avocado and Egg Salad

Some days I am just plain lazy. I don't feel like making dinner, therefore I don't have a lunch to bring to work the next day. That was the case today. I'm traveling later this week so I opted not to go to the grocery store. Thankfully, last week I snagged an avocado on my way home. I had every intention of making a really great salad but that never happened. Instead, it gave me the base for my lunch today.

While at my desk, I mashed the avocado together with the hardboiled eggs I brought in for breakfast (and never ate.) After they were fully mashed, I added a few dashes of salt and pepper. It tasted perfect! If I had lemon or lime juice I would have added that too but who keeps that at work? Not me! This will definitely become a new go-to recipe for me.

Baked Spaghetti Pie

I haven't had as much time in the kitchen as I would like lately so I've been making sure that if nothing else, I set aside Sunday night for new recipes. I was scanning Pinterest earlier this week and came across a baked spaghetti recipe and thought "why on earth would someone take an extra step to bake pasta after boiling it??" I had to find out for myself.

I was absolutely amazed and in love with this recipe. I wanted to capture the recipe step-by-step through photo so I could share because this was a whole new experience for me. Since I don't want to blow the big reveal, I'll start with the basics:

Ingredients for Recipe:
1 lb ground beef
1 jar 26 oz pasta sauce
8 oz gluten free spaghetti, cooked al dente
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup 2% milk
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Step 1:  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a deep 9x13 baking dish with foil then  lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Meanwhile, brown ground beef in skillet, stirring occasionally, breaking up the meat, until the meat is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain the excess grease. Add pasta sauce to meat and set aside (no need to heat sauce).

Step 2:

Step 3: Place cooked spaghetti in baking dish and sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the top.

Step 3:

Step 4: Next, In a small bowl whisk eggs and add cream, milk, garlic salt, to combine then pour egg mixture over the Parmesan and noodles.

Step 4:

Step 5: Pour meat sauce over the top and spread evenly.

Step 6:  Sprinkle layer of meat with Parmesan and mozzarella.

Step 6:

Step 7: Bake 45-50 minutes until cheese browns and sauce bubbles. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Step 7:

There you have it! The most amazing spaghetti dish I've had in my life. Seriously, this was life changing. Now I completely understand why someone would take the time go through the extra steps to make pasta. Not only does it taste better but it makes serving pasta easier and it's covered in twice as much cheese!! This will definitely be one of my new faves.

Trader Joe's Blessing: Shredded Brussels Sprouts!

I've been on a Trader Joe's kick lately. I don't know how people can hate that place (yes, haters exist. Trust me.) Not only do they have delicious options but it's cheap too. I can get a massive bag of fruit, veggies and snacks for less than $20. Amazing!

Two of my favorite products lately are the gluten free coconut chips and shredded Brussels sprouts (not to be eaten together, of course). The coconut chips are a great snack when I'm on the run. I usually toss them into the TJ's raw cashew, almond and dried cranberry mix. So delicious.

Brussels spouts, on the other hand, are best enjoyed after a little sauteing.  I love sauteing half the bag of sprouts with a third of a bag of chopped kale and half a chopped onion. Once they're softened, I add a dash of lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and a little Parmesan and voila, an amazing side dish! I've gotten into such a habit of making these I tried two main-dish options that I love equally: kale and Brussels pizza and kale and Brussels with shrimp. They're both super delicious and easy to prepare

Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Onion pizza:
First, cook the kale, sprouts and onions as directed above, sans Parmesan. Take your favorite prepared gluten free pizza crust and spread a tablespoon of olive oil to cover. Next, sprinkle some freshly shaved Parmesan to your liking. Personally, I love a thick layer of cheese. Lastly, spread kale-Brussels mix evenly over the top and season with salt and pepper. Bake until crust is cooked through and cheese is melted.

Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Shrimp:
Prepare kale and Brussels as directed above. In a separate sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of butter over medium heat and toss in 8 to 10 shrimp. Cook for about two minutes on each side, until pink. Season with salt and pepper then toss over kale and Brussels.

Two amazing dishes sharing the same easy to prep ingredients. Yum!

Restaurant Review: S'MAC

 The opportunity to write a restaurant review is very exciting for me.  And for obvious reasons...there aren't a ton of truly gluten free options out there. Sure, I can get a salad and burger without a bun almost anywhere but mac and cheese? That's rare.

But not at S'MAC, short for Sarita' Macaroni and Cheese. S'MAC caters to the gluten free but also offer options for the regular pasta eating folks. I had my first S'MAC taste several years before my diagnosis and loved it. I've been meaning to go back but just hadn't gotten around to it. Thankfully, S'MAC teamed up with Groupon and offered a great deal for two medium macs (also called major munch) and two drinks. It was destiny.

My boyfriend and I stopped by their Murray Hill location after work tonight. I couldn't make up my mind. Every menu option was available gluten free. From meaty cheeseburger mac to cajun or buffalo chicken. I was going to take a lighter caprese route but opted for the bacon and ordered their Apline instead: slab bacon covered in Gruyere. mmm mm

I have to say - it was absolutely amazing. Every cheesy bite was better than the one before. And the top was covered in the perfect layer of crispy crunchy cheese and served piping hot in an adorable cast iron skillet.

The major munch was so big that I had to take it to go in two containers which I can't even complain about because who wouldn't want delicious Mac two days in a row!? I definitely would have been satisfied with their "nosh" version aka small...but again: leftovers - amazing!!

I would give S'MAC a five star rating! Whether your gluten free or just love plain old Mac and cheese, this is the spot for you!