Basic GF Cooking Tips

(printer friendly version)

Recently, a friend of mine contacted me about eating GF.  At the same time I was asked to give a class on preparing GF meals for church.  The class is aimed at those who aren't GF, but may need to bring someone a meal with GF issues.  We are also addressing food allergies and diabetes and other special diets.  As a result I have been coming up with some basic GF cooking tips and thought I'd pass them along.

-You can not use any cooking ingredients that use Wheat, Rye, Barley or non-GF Oats, or any version of these ingredients.  Find a list of unsafe versions of these ingredients and use it!

     Seems silly to say if you are GF, but for the group I'm presenting to, this is rule #1, so I am adding it here.

-READ LABELS!  They identify Wheat in the allergens section but not Rye and Barley.  Look out especially for malt flavoring, a very common ingredient that is a derivative of barley.

-Buy a new toaster and waffle iron.  Your old ones are contaminated and will make you sick.  We have two toasters and just buy our GF waffles for cupboard space reasons.  For the toasters we have one for everyone else and one labeled with big vinyl letters "GF".

-When thinking about what to eat, stop thinking about what you can't eat.  Write down what you normally cook and you may notice that a lot of what you normally eat is naturally GF or only needs a small adaptation.

-I am incredibly brand loyal.  If you take the time to label products GF or tell me you will always identify gluten ingredients and they will never be hidden (Kraft and McCormick, for example), I will be your friend for life.  I also love grocery stories that identify GF foods (Trader Joe's is my favorite).

-If you don't use mixes normally and you are going to run a GF and non-GF house.  Invest or make some.  It will make cooking meals so much easier.  I usually mix up several bread mixes to keep in the freezer to save time on bread.  I also keep a pancake mix around to make breakfast go faster.  I also buy GF waffles to save cupboard space so I don't have 2 waffle irons around.

-Thicken with cornstarch or potato flour if you need to thicken something.  Once you get in the habit of cooking GF you may find other alternatives.  These are just easy ones to start with.

-Season with herbs and spices and not seasoning packets, you can find mixes all over the internet that are strictly herbs & spices.  I usually just season by taste anymore.

-Gluten can be found in soy sauce, bbq sauce, all condensed soups, some spaghetti sauces, seasoning packets (taco seasoning, spaghetti sauce mix, dressing mixes, etc.), cold cereals, salsas, etc.  You will constantly be surprised where it will pop up.  Read labels.

-Use clean plastic cutting boards (do not use wood cutting boards, they trap gluten and can not be completely cleaned of gluten), plates, knives, etc.  If you are unsure about whether a dish has touched gluten, DON'T USE IT!!!

         -- I never set food that is GF directly on the counter. Even if the counter is clean, I can't guarantee someone didn't stick something with gluten on there when I wasn't looking.

-If you are going to make GF food and food with gluten, make the GF first to avoid contamination.

-If you have any questions about whether something is GF, Google!  If you can't find the answer then call the company.  If all else fails, find something else to use.

-Casseroles are rife with gluten challenges.  Approach them carefully and be prepared to do some major adapting.  Or, like us, figure out the ones you like the best and say goodbye to the rest.  You will eat healthier, hopefully.

-Just because something says “Wheat-Free” does not mean it is GF. Newman's Own has a wheat free Oreo-like cookie that has rye -- Yep, learned that the hard way.  Luckily, my daughter didn't try if before we figured it out.

-I don't worry about "may contain ______" statements.   I feel that is more for their liability than my safety, which means it isn't worth my hassle.  It is my understanding that the FDA cleaning requirements for manufacturing equipment are pretty severe, so the likelihood of contamination is VERY small.  We’ve never had a problem with my daughter and GF contamination and I have a son with a SEVERE peanut allergy (smelling peanuts causes a reaction) and he has also never had a problem.  That said, this is my opinion and our family's decision, and you need to decide what the appropriate level of risk is for you and your family should be by researching it yourself.

-For a hamburger or other sandwich, if you don't want or have GF bread, use lettuce as your bun.  Or just use a fork and knife.  My non-GF sister has started choosing to eat a hamburger with a lettuce bun so she can save her calories for the cookies.

-Keep some mixed up flour handy in your kitchen and store the remaining flours in the freezer.  GF flour can go rancid quicker than regular flour.

I'm sure I will add to this as I think of other things.  This is just the beginning.  If you think of other tips let me know and I will add them to the list.

GF Bread Crumbs

I finally solved the GF bread crumb dilemma.  I know, after 3 years you think I would have figured this out before now.  But here it is.  Take Rice Chex or any other GF cereal, throw them in the food processor and process until crumbs.  Then throw in a freezer bag and freeze for later use.  Why didn't I think of this earlier?

Doll Makover

A few years ago we got our, then, 6 year old daughter a American Girl-like doll from Target.  She has loved it!  However, the hair on the doll was not the best.  Anyway, this year she chose to use her money from her grandmothers to buy a real American Girl doll and give the old one to her 3 year old sister for Christmas, to her delight.  The problem, this is what the doll's hair looked like:

Yes, this is photoshopped but my flash was acting wonky so I had to fix it as best I could.  Basically, you get the idea that the hair was BAD!

My Mother-in-law (who is the most amazing woman and one of my dearest friends), had an idea to get her new hair.  She let my daughter pick the new hair from dollparts.com (she chose "Modern Elegance" in red) and then she ordered it and this last weekend we went down and she replaced the hair.

First she (and my older daughter) cut all the bad hair off

 

Then she used a razor to get the hair cut as close as possible to the head

Then she used a razor blade to shave it even closer

In the end we had a bald doll

pretty cute still I have to say

Then she took put E600 glue on the doll's head and attached the wig

She had to remove a little of the bottom of the wig since it was a little too big

She then used some pins to hold the wig in place until the glue dried

The doll sat a little voodooed for a little while

In the end we had a brand new doll with hair that didn't rat horribly.

Pretty, isn't she?

Ground Nutmeg

Just a note about one of my favorite ingredients -- Ground Nutmeg.  I must admit until about a year ago I only used the nutmeg that came already ground.  I was happy with it and it tasted really good, or so I thought.  Then I was watching the Food Network and found so many of the cooks would grate their own, so I thought I would try it, not expecting it to be too much better, but I figured it would be fun. 

Boy was I wrong!  It was like night and day.  The taste of everything I put it in went up a level.  I have found new ways to use it and have found it to be absolutely divine in everything from desserts to just a little in white sauces (thanks Rachel Ray for the tip).  So I must recommend if you can, to get a small metal zester and some whole nutmeg and grate your own, you will not be dissappointed.

Dried Beans

 A while back I mentioned using beans I had cooked from dried and frozen.  I freeze them in portions sizes equal to canned beans since most recipes call for canned beans.  The measurements are listed at the end.  You can do this with any dried beans you want except Kidney beans.  Apparently they have some issues, I just buy them canned.  Here is the process I use.  First sort the beans, removing the undesirable items like:

 

Split Beans

 

Shriveled &/or discolored Beans

 

And Rocks, yes I said rocks.

 

Next, place in a crockpot with 2x's the water as beans.  Or just fill the crockpot about 1/2 way with beans and then fill with water to the top.  

 

Allow to sit over night.  Dump water (makes the beans less gassy), and refill with water about 1 " over the beans.   Add about 1 tsp salt.  Make sure you add salt unless you buy unsalted beans, beans are like pasta & rice, no amount of salting will help if they aren't cooked in salt.  Set on high for about 1-2 hours to get the cooking process speeding along, and reduce to low and let cook for 8-10 hours.   The lower in elevation you are the less time you need and the higher the more time you need.

When soft, place in the refrigerator overnight to cool.  Then place in qt freezer bags. 

 

It is best to freeze the beans with some some juice so the beans don't dry out.  There is approx 1 1/4 C beans and 1/4 C juice in a can of beans.  Make sure to remove as much of the air as possible before closing the bag, it will help prevent freezer burn. 

You can use these beans as you would any canned beans, in casseroles and baked things or fresh.  They are delicious!

Cheddar Cheese Fondue

For our Anniversary a few years ago my husband and I went to The Melting Pot for dinner. For those not familiar with the restaurant it serves strictly fondue. The tables have stoves in them and the food was divine, however the price tag was STEEP, especially on a grad student budget. That said, it was well worth the money. Since then we have loved fondue. Every so often we have fondue for dessert or dinner. This last New Year's Eve we started a tradition we hope to continue of having fondue every year to celebrate. All our kids enjoy the dipping and the food that goes with it.

TIP: If we are doing it with friends and not everything is Gluten-free, I spoon some fondue out into a container that keeps soup warm for my daughter. I have been wanting a Rival Little Dipper to use as well and last night I got on Amazon and bought one for future uses. I am very excited. We will probably have to have fondue again soon. She then has her own GF dippers (brownies, bread, cake, etc.) in addition to the ones that are naturally GF (fruit & veggies).

Recently I found a website that is devoted to fondue and has a ton of recipes for cheese, meat, and dessert fondue. It is Best Fondue.com, and contains everything you would need to know on how make and eat fondue. They have some wonderful recipes. This time I used a recipe from The Fondue Cookbook by Beth Merriman, I'm not even sure the book is still in print, it was given to my Mom for her wedding and she gave it to me, along with her fondue pot that had never been used, for Christmas a few years ago. We really like the Cheddar Cheese Fondue recipe in the book, with a couple of changes (juice for beer and no Ac'cent, also known as MSG).

Cheddar Cheese Fondue (printer friendly version)

1/4 C butter

1/4 C potato flour (or regular if no GF)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1 1/2 C apple or white grape juice

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 C (1/2 lb) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour, salt and mustard. Mix until smooth. Slowly add juice until thoroughly combined then add Worcestershire sauce and combine. Cook until mixture thickens and boils. Add cheese, stirring constantly until cheese is all melted. Pour into a fondue pot and keep warm.

TIP: If using an all metal fondue pot and you aren't ready to eat, place the pot into a warm, but off, stove. If the lid has plastic cover pot with foil until ready to serve.

Dippers
french bread, Rosemary Peasant Bread, Foccacia, apples, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, or any other veggie or food that you think would be good with cheese and hold up to dipping.

Double Chocolate Fondue

This is the chocolate fondue recipe I used last night. It is also from The Fondue Cookbook. I, of course, made a slight change to the recipe (used cream not milk), and it turned out delicious and very rich. You should try it, it was divine.

Double Chocolate Fondue (printer friendly version)

1 8-oz pkg semi-seet chocolate, broken in pieces
1 4-oz pkg german chocolate, broken in pieces
3/4 C whipping cream
1/4 C sugar
Dash of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Place over low heat, stirring constantly, until everything is melted and the chocolate is smooth. Make sure not to heat too hot or the chocolate can burn. Pour into a fondue pot to keep warm. You may need to add more cream if it sits out more than a 1/2 hour in order to keep the right consistency. This is also yummy over ice cream.

Dippers
Strawberries, Pineapple, Lg. Marshmallows (the chocolate swirl or carmel swirl would be fantastic -- toast earlier if you desire), brownies, cheesecake, angel food cake, etc.

Grandma's Baked Beans

Growing up we lived far away from my Grandparents most of the time. Consequently, we only visited a couple times a year usually for holidays or other important family events. As a child I never really got to know my grandparents and as an adult I moved even further away from her, and there were times when I wondered if she knew me. Usually when we visited my dad's parents my Grandmother would make Baked Beans which I tended to eat the whole weekend. Once I was grown and moved out I called my Grandmother and got the recipe. It has become my go-to recipe for potluck picnics and it is always a hit. When my Grandmother passed away and our family gathered we all talked about the food we loved that Grandma made and we realized that whenever we visited she always had our favorites. I realized then that my Grandmother not only knew me but cooked food just for me (she also made these pecan bar cookies that were to die for) because she knew I liked it. Anyway, whenever I make this recipe I think of her and I feel loved. I hope you enjoy it also.

Grandma's Baked Beans
1 lb ground beef*
1 small onion, minced*
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can butter beans, drained**
1 can pork and beans
1/2 C barbecue sauce
2/3 C brown sugar
1/4 C molasses or honey***
1/2 C ketchup
2 tsp mustard
1/2 lb bacon, cooked & crumbled****

This is my quick method.
1. Brown ground beef and add onion, cook until tender.
2. While browning drain beans

Don't they look pretty

TIP: When opening a can of beans, open from the bottom, then you don't need a spoon or spatula to get the beans off the bottom of the can, the can just drains cleanly.

3. Measure sauces & seasonings

I use a 2-cup measuring cup and just add all the (except sugar) to that, starting with the BBQ sauce. Then I just take a spatula & clean it out. It is a lot easier than finding different measuring cups. If you notice, my mustard is approx.

4. Dump the ground beef mixture, bean mixture, pork & beans, sugar, sauce & seasoning mixture together & stir well.

OVEN DIRECTIONS:
Pour into a 3 qt casserole dish, top with bacon. Bake at 350-degrees covered for 45 minutes. Uncover, and bake for 15 more minutes

CROCK-POT DIRECTIONS:
Pour into a crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

*I often replace this with a can of black beans drained, or if I double the recipe I do 1/2 ground beef & 1/2 black beans. If you use black beans either sub onion powder for the onions (which I did this time) or saute some onions and toss in. You can also add a beef boullion cube if you would like
**I didn't have butter beans so I used Great Northern
***I have used either. Molasses gives it a deeper flavor and a little more smokey, honey makes it sweeter. Whichever you prefer. For me, it just depends on the day.
1 can pork & beans, undrained
****TIP: When frying a lot of bacon, if you use a griddle and cover the bacon with tin foil, the bacon grease doesn't splatter everywhere and you can fry the whole pound quickly.