Gluten Free Heaven

I have always loved to go to grocery stores and see what is different even when I travel I like to go into grocery stores to find different things. Mostly now a days its the local meat market, Costco and Smith's, last week I went to Safeway just to see what they might of had in Passover foods that we could eat the answer there was zip zero zilch in either store. We have a Super-1 they do not have a good selection at least the one in Columbia Falls, they do have a nice produce dept with organic produce reasonably priced but thats it. Today I was in the next town over Whitefish and I haven't been into the Super-1 there that opened a couple years ago. I had spilled coffee on my shirt and was going into get Tide-to-Go but they didn't have any. I noticed a bunch of Amy's soups and wandered to that isle. I went around the corner and noticed they had more natural products and continued to look and came upon Gluten Free Heaven... A half isle of Gluten Free products!!! Gluten Free Pantry, Amy's, Anna's, Pamela's, Glutino, 123 Gluten free, Namsake. A great selection of pastas from TinkYanka to Corn Pasta to rice pasta. 7 different Ener-G breads.. I didn't have that much time so I went to my hair appointment and went back, I found in there freezer section Kinniktrik Hot Dog Buns, Hamburger Buns, Pizza shells, and Donuts!!!! Amy's Gluten Free cheese pizza. Oh and huge selection of gluten free cereals. The pizza's were $2 cheaper than the health food stores !! It is heaven in a small town with no Trader Joes, or Whole Foods or Wild Oats or Sunflower. I asked the lady she said they had just started stocking more and they had the biggest selection of there 3 local stores. I have donuts to try in the morning!! I am not a big morning eater but I have been on antibiotics and trying to make myself eat something so my stomach doesn't get nauseated its been hard for me.

Montina Flour

Living in Montana I like to buy Montana products to support our state and small businesses. When I was looking for flours to replace wheat I ran across this flour. I have made a loaf of bread out of it using the recipe on the package it came out very nice, it tasted like wheat bread. There blend is white rice, tapioca and Montina. Montina is a Native American grass. The University of Montana has branch in Creston Montana about 25 miles from me, they grow and experiment there and that is where they started working to make the Montina. Currently they are working on grains to produce bio fuel.

I want to experiment with Montina and make it a stable flour in the house. For more about there flour click on the title and read there webpage. They also sell large bags on eBay.

Coconut Butter Butterscotch Cookies

Reading through Dr. Fifes recipe book still and this recipe is available in the link from my coconut flour post. I made some Coconut Butter cookies with Butterscotch chips last night. I originally set out to make biscuits for hot dogs but got side tracked with this recipe along with a sweet tooth.

I substituted coconut oil for half the butter so it was a mix. They are fabulous cookies a big hit around the house here.

Coconut Flour Recipes

I was reading more and looking at some non-stick coconut oil and ran across some free recipes from Dr. Fifes book. It has the recipe I posted on cheese drop biscuits. I am going to use those tonight and try to make Biscuit Wrapped Hot Dogs as the gluten kids had some left over on a tray when we came home today and they looked good. I will take pictures and let you know how they turn out.

Anyway click the title and find some coconut recipes to try.

One thing to remember with coconut is batters will be thick dont add more liquid to thin or it will not come out right. Coconut flour absorbs liquid.

Review of Bette Hagman's Mock Toll House Cookies

This recipe is from the Gluten-Free Gourmet Makes Dessert cook book page 157. I have made these twice. The first time they were a little thin but a double batch lasted 4 days with 5 people yes we are cookie monsters when there are cookies around and 3 turn up there nose when we mention Gluten Free!. These taste just like Toll House Cookies actual we think they taste better. This time I added about 2 tbs of sweet rice flour and the cookies have held together even better.

The recipe calls for her featherlight flour mix and her book tells you how to blend it. It is easy I have been keeping a jar and marking it with address labels of what flour mixes or flours are inside.

This recipe is worth the book it is a great cookie and besides doing the little flour blend its as easy as gluten toll house cookies.

Canadian Bacon & Mushroom Quiche

I used a pie crust from the Incredible Edible Gluten Free Food for Kids by Sheri Sanderson

Pie Crust Pg 246
1/2C rice flour
1/2C tapioca flour
1/2C potato starch
2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/3C shortening or margarine
4 to 5 Tbsp ice cold water

Directions: In a bowl, combine rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two butter knives until the crumbs are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water over part of the mixture and toss gently with a fork. Push to the side of the bowl. Repeat until all the dough is moistened. Form ball. Transfer pie crust to pie pan, cover with scran wrap. Press dough into the pan evenly from the center to the edges. prss up on the dough to form the crusts edge. Remove scran wrap. Bake empty crust in 450 degree oven for 12 to 15 ins until slightly brown.

While crust is in oven:

4 eggs
1-1/2 milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 C sliced mushrooms
1C of chopped Canadian bacon (I used Cajun Canadian Bacon from Perfect Cuts Meat Market in Columbia Falls MT)
2 tbs Parsley
1c shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1c shredded montery jack cheese
2tbs sweet rice flour

Beat first 4 ingredients together, stir in mushrooms, bacon, parsley. Sprinkle sweet rice flour over shredded cheese and then mix with egg mixture. Pour into the pre baked crust above or your favorite crust. Cook at 325 for 40 to 45 or intel knife is inserted into top and it comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Pesto Pasta Salad

I used to make this with Gluten noodles.

1lb of elbow or shell pasta cooked and drained
1 large Dill Pickle chopped
1 small jar of Pimentos
1 can of sliced Olives or chopped or favorite black olives
2 ribs chopped Celery
1/2 c of chopped green onions or chopped red onion
1/2 c of Pesto Sauce
1/2 Mayo

Toss all together and serve. Makes enough for a family of 4 or buffet table.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

The Recipe book I used is Cooking with Coconut flour by Bruce Fife ND
Page 47

4 Eggs (I used large brown organics)
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil melted (I used organic butter)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Onion Powder (I didnt have any so I didnt add it)
1/3 cup Coconut Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour) (no sifter I used a fork to fluff it in the bowl so it wouldnt clump)
1/4 tsp Gluten Free Baking powder
1/2 to 3/4 Cup Shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (I used 3/4 C Tilamock special reserve)
8 Diced cloves of garlic ( I used 3 regular teaspoons of chopped garlic from a container)
I also added
1/2 tsp of Parsley

Blend togegther eggs, butter, salt and onion powder and parsley. Combine Coconut flour with baking powder and whisk into batter until there are no lumps. Fold in Cheese. Drop batter by the spoonful on to a well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F (205C) for 15 (mine went about 22 minutes) Makes 8 Biscuits. (I made 6)

I am going to try this in a hamburger pan when it arrives.

I plan on trying some more recipes and taking pictures next time.

I didnt find this caulky it was moist that is why I put in brand names and amounts of what I used. They were very moist

Warm Green Bean & Red Potato Salad with pesto & feta

This is sort of a warm salad it is also good cold. Could be served as a side dish.

Approx.

1lb Green Beans steamed for a few minutes to keep them crunchy and bright green
1lb Red Potatoes quartered and boiled
4 tbPesto either home made or store bought
4oz Feta Cheese Crumbled
3tb olive oil

Heat olive oil in fry pan and add boiled potatoes. Cook until browned on all sides. Put hot steamed green beans in bowl put two big spoon fulls of pesto on top, when potatos are done put them on top and crumbled feta cheese on top and toss all together. Serve. Garnish with Pine Nuts if you like.

Variations: leave the cheese out. add romano cheese instead. For a colorful Christmas dish add red bell pepper or roasted red peppers. You could add some cripsy bacon or cubes of chicken for a main dish.