All in One Gluten Free Potato Tot Casserole

I saw this recipe on Pinterest that I wanted to try, but it needed tweaking to make it gluten free.  I also added vegetables to make it a complete meal, and to hide them from finicky eaters. :)

It was so good my anti-vegetable son ate three helpings.  My teen daughter, just said, "Oh, wow"!

So here it is....my new version.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1# hamburger
1/8 cup onion flakes, or half a small onion
salt and pepper to taste.
Brown together in large skillet and drain.

Add :
1 can Progresso's  Cream of  Mushroom Soup ( it is gluten free/ Campbell's is not)
1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables (more or less to suit your taste)
Mix together and place in lightly greased 9x13 pan.

Cover with bag of  Ore Ida tater tots (they are gluten free)

Bake for 30-40 minutes until tater tots are golden.  I cooked mine for 40 minutes.

Add shredded cheddar cheese to top and return to the oven until cheese is melted.

This is definitely a new family favorite especially as the weather is brisk!

Enjoy!
County Girl

I know it's been awhile...life has been busy, but here is a new recipe to try.

Gluten Free Magic Crust Custard Pie

I made two today, and my house smells so good.

I found this recipe on facebook (by: Robyn Witte) and tweaked it to fit our allergy needs.

Half of one pie is already gone!

Ingredients
1/4 cup margerine (I used butter)
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
2 cups milk ( Iused skim, but I think rice or almond would be worth a try)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup gluten free flour (I used King Arthur All Purpose Gluten Free Flour)

Mix all ingredients in blender.  Pour into a buttered 9" pie pan ( make sure it is a heavy duty one.)It will overflow in a tin pie pan...Trust me...I know. :)
Sprinkle with nutmeg. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  The flour settles to the bottom to make it's own crust.  Simply delicious!

Gluten Free Bakewell Cream Biscuits

In my opinion, the very best biscuits were the Bakewell Cream Biscuits.  After going gluten free, they were hard to replace, and although they are not quite as fluffy as the original, these are VERY close. The top biscuit in the picture shows the inside of a split one.

I just made a half batch for today's meal, but I'll post the recipe from the Bakewell Cream can and tell how I have adjusted it.  A half batch made six regular and one tiny biscuits, so this batch should make 12-13.

Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.

4 cups gluten free flour (I used King Arthur Flour Gluten Free multi-purpose flour)
4 tsp Bakewell Cream ( the BEST)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients

1/2 cup + 1 TBSP shortening (I used butter Crisco)

Blend together with patsy blender.

1 and 1/2 cup + 2 TBSP milk (any kind works).

Stir in with fork.  Place dough ball between two layers of parchment paper and roll or pat to 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut for biscuits and place on one of the parchment papers to bake. I ALWAYS put a dab of butter on the top of each biscuit before baking.  Bake at 475 for five minutes, then shut oven off.  Do not remove from oven until lightly brown.  Enjoy with butter, jam, honey, or molasses.

Blessings.

Gluten Free Turkey (Chicken) Tetrazzini

It's cold, gray, and wet outside today.  This is definitely a day for comfort food.  Time for something warm and cheesy.  This is an delicious way to warm up.

I baked five chicken legs in the crock pot to divide between two separate recipes.  These were baked until the chicken just fell off the bones.

You will need.... 

1 package of gluten free noodles (I used Peacock Brand Brown Rice Vermicelli), but shells or anything will work.
2 cups cooked chicken (or turkey) bite size pieces
3 TBSP butter
1 can Progresso Cream of Mushroom soup (It's Gluten Free...Campbell's is not at this time, as far as I know.)
1 cup milk (I used Lactaid today any will do.)
1/2 tsp Bell's seasoning or Sage
1/8 tsp ground mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 TBSP Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti to aldente stage and drain.  Gluten free pasta tends to get too mushy for my liking. Place as bottom layer in a greased 9x13 pan.

Top with chicken or turkey.

Whisk together other ingredients except the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cook on medium heat until cheddar cheese melts. Pour over noodles .  Sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. 

YUM!




 

Happy Gluten Free Memoiral Day!

Happy Memorial Day! 

Thank you to all who have served our country.  Thank you especially to my Dad, and both brothers. 

This weekend we will be enjoying all the same foods that everyone else is.  Our BBQ is warmed up and steaks, pork chops, hot dogs (Kayem Brand but we have had not problem with any, just check the ingredients and go to the Celiac.com safe ingredient listing. ), and Brats are all on the menu.
Cheese, chips, soda, potato salad, and regular salad all add up to a fun filled weekend.

We will probably have gluten free no bake cookies or Rachel Ray's flourless peanut butter cookies are also a favorite.   So join your friends and enjoy.  Just don't add Worcester sauce or soy sauce to your meat.  We use Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, but check yours to see if it's Gluten Free....it very likely is. 

Blessings All!

Gluten Free Taco Bake

This is a gluten free "normal" recipe.  It can be made in mass production to feed a crowd easily.  It takes no longer to make a triple batch to feed twenty as it does for a single batch.  You have to love that! You can make it mild or hot to suit your taste.

Brown 1 to 1 and 1/2 pound ground meat. Tonight's used both ground turkey and hamburger.

3-4 carrots shredded and browned with meat (optional)I shred mine with my Kitchenaid. I add it to boost our veggies.

1 package of hard corn taco shells (soft shells have gluten)
1 package of shredded cheddar cheese
2 bottles of taco sauce mild-hot (or 2 cans of enchilada sauce mild-hot) I have used both.

Grease a 9x13 pan and layer bottom with one jar of your sauce.  Break 6 of the 12 taco shells in half and layer over sauce.  Add your layer of browned meat mixture.

Break the remaining six taco shells in half and line the top.  I place mine as if they are holding a regular taco. (Curve up on the bottom layer, curve down on the top layer.) Now cover the top layer with your other jar of sauce and then shredded cheese. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve it with a salad and sour cream if you like.  

This is a great dish for potluck suppers.  Enjoy.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter (or chocolate) No-Bake Cookies

Sometimes when going gluten free, you feel you need to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.  Sometimes your old favorites just need a bit of tweaking to make them safe for you to eat. Here is an old favorite of ours that we ( and by we, I mean my teenage daughter) makes often. She does so much of our baking, that I may have to relearn when she leaves home.

Gluten Free No Bake Cookies  

1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk ( we have used regular milk in a pinch)
3/4 cup peanut butter  
3  cups GLUTEN FREE oats (we use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick or Rolled Oats)
1 tsp. vanilla
***(if making chocolate no-bake use 1/2 cup peanut butter and 3 TBSP cocoa)*****
Put sugar, butter, milk,(cocoa) in sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Cook for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in other ingredients.  Beat until the mixture looses it shine.  Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper and let cool.  If you are in a hurry, put the in the fridge to cool faster.

ENJOY.

Blessings.

Gluten Free Amish Baked Oatmeal- Prefect for Sunday Mornings!

   We like to have a hearty "special" breakfast on Sundays.  This recipe was given to me for Christmas, as recipe jar gift, many years ago, by my dear friend Cindy.  It instantly shot to our very favorite breakfast. 

   It is good made the night before. Sometimes I mix it up the night before and bake it the next morning.  Be careful if you have a cold glass pan going into a hot oven...it could break. It is great warmed up or cold.  We like to eat it that morning with brown sugar and milk.  We even eat it on evenings when we don't want a normal supper meal.  Our family is so obsessive about this dish that we draw lines  to separate it into four parts.  No one takes from the other's section!  Believe me...it does not make others happy with you.

   Here it is as a single batch....I triple it...it's that good! 

1 and 1/2 cup quick rolled oat (gluten free...we use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk (today I used vanilla almond milk, sometimes I use rice milk, or regular)
1/4 cup melted butter ( I really do like butter better.)
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla ( I always use real vanilla flavoring)


Mix all ingredients well. Spread onto 13x9 greased pan (I use smaller like 9X9 pan for this size...I like mine moist.  Bake 25-30 minutes. Spoon into bowls. Add milk and fruit, or brown sugar. 

Blessings.

Ridiculously Easy Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets

Miss chicken nuggets????  Not anymore.  This is such an easy make it your way recipe that you will never miss the store bought stuff.

This is what I used for tonight's supper.

3 chicken breasts cut up about 1 inch cube size
1 cup Gluten Free Bisquick (I have used other baking mixes, brown rice flour...what ever with good success.)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp  garlic salt
A grind or two of pepper from the pepper mill...or regular pepper to your taste.
1 egg



Whisk egg in one bowl.
Mix dry ingredients in another bowl.
Heat olive oil (or any oil) in a pan that you can cover on medium heat.
Moisten chicken chunks in egg mixture and then roll to coat in the dry mixture.  Place in fry pan and fry until brown, turning the chicken over as it cooks.  Place cover over the pan and allow to simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and breaks apart easily with the side of a fork.

You can spice it up with sweet and sour sauce...homemade  with Gluten Free Soy Sauce, or BBQ sauce (most are gluten free, we use Sweet Baby Rays) and serve with rice and a salad.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 crushed garlic clove ( I use a Pampered Chef Press)
1 tsp gluten free soy sauce (I use San-J Tamara  Gluten Free Soy Sauce) I found with the other soy sauce in the grocery store.

Heat these first five ingredients together to boiling on medium-high heat.

2 TBSP Cornstarch
2 TBSP Cold Water

Mix cornstarch and cold water together and add to the heated mixture. Cook and stir constantly until thickened.
Stir in:
1 can pineapple chunks-drained

Add cooked rice...YUM.

I was out of energy and canned pineapple ( I could have sworn I bought several cans).  The kids like pineapple and cottage cheese.   We just had the chicken nuggets with BBQ sauce today. 
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These are frozen yogurt smoothies we made for kids at our picnic today.  They are banana/ blueberry.  I didn't have Popsicle sticks so I tried skewers inside of plastic straw......we ended up using spoons instead.  Delicious!

Blessings,
Nancy (AKA: County Girl)

Pinteresting...Gluten Free Meal

I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a try...  There are no words that can possibly describe how yummy this is.  Sweet and Spicy and oh so good!!!! The recipe can be found on

http://diaryofarecipeaddict.blogspot.com/2011/07/sweet-spicy-bacon-chicken.html

The ingredients needed to make this DELICIOUS main course are:

4 boneless chicken breasts  (sliced in thirds the long way)
1 package of bacon (who doesn't LOVE bacon?)
chili powder
garlic powder
brown sugar....the best part!
salt and pepper to taste.

Buy these ingredients....go to the site .....you won't be sorry!  My son and husband thanked me so much for the meal, when they could find time to speak between mouthfuls!

I paired this main course with broccoli, boiled potatoes, and melted Velveeta cheese.

Blessings!

What I Did to Prevent Gluten Cross Contamination at Home

As I said before I am fanatical about my family I am blessed with.  By fanatical I actually prefer that I am their biggest fan, advocate, and care giver.  So, when my kids were going through further testing for celiac disease, I realized they were still getting gluten at home.  The blood tests showed it and so did the rash on my sons legs.  So being the mom that I am, I research....a lot!  Here is what I feel was my biggest culprit....  the TOASTER!  Yep, the toaster.  I had been so careful to make sure they had gluten free products, but never thought that they were getting crumbs from this bad boy. 
                                                     
                                                              Steps I took...

 1.What to do about the toaster.  You can order bags that are reusable, but I just got a cheap new $7 toaster.  I kept my other toaster for my husband's use.  We keep regular bread in the freezer for his use, and store his toaster on a separate cupboard, far from our GF zone.

2. I created a gluten Free zone.  I bleached down the cupboard where the kids make their  meals.  I cleaned out and bleached the silverware drawer that is right under the new toaster and was where the gluten contaminated toaster had previously lived.  you may not like bleach, but it breaks down proteinns and I was obsessed!

3.  Get new butter!  That's right.  We have a tub of butter marked with a sharpy..GLUTEN FREE.  Think about all the crumbs that get stuck in the butter/ margerine tub....'nuff said!  When I am traveling or at my Mom's to visit we used the squeezable butter.  Not everyone understands not to double dip their knife! 

4.  For the same reasons as #3 step....we have squeezable, non contaminated, mayonaise, jelly, relish....any other thoughts.  It truly saves being obsessive with guests. :)  You do want to be hospitable, don't you. :)

5.  I gave away all my Pampered Chef non stick cookware and baking stones.  THAT was HARD!!!!
 I kept repeating...I love my kids...I love my kids.  They can be replaced...my kids can't.  The problem comes when you have baked ANYTHING with gluten before on them, it stays in the surface no matter how clean you are.  I bought really good metal cookie sheets that won't hold gluten, just in case I make a mistake.  I now have metal pots and pans.  I also have a few NEW non-stick pans and a griddle that on penalty of death are ONLY used for meat, eggs, etc. 

6. Glass and ceramic pans are fine.  They just got a good bath to make sure.  I also cleaned out my drawer under the stove, because it gets crumbs too.

7.  Cast iron cookware can be cleaned in the cleaning cycle of your oven and re seasoned.  It works like a charm!

8. Grills...clean, clean, clean.  You may need to replace the grill, but really tinfoil under your meat would protect you. I found that it takes less then a crumb to make my son ill.

9.  GET  a new pizza cutter.  I also kept my kitchen aid, but replaced my hand mixer.  Overkill???  Maybe, but I would rather be safe then sorry.

Scared????  Don't be.  I obsess in my home, not others.  it is under my control, but Here is what you can do to protect GF guests at your home. They will take care of themselves.  They know what they need.

A.  Cook on metal,glass,or ceramic cookie sheets,pans, etc. You can also cover your pan with tinfoil or parchment paper.

B. DO NOT use Worcester sauce or soy sauce that does not say gluten free.

C.  Serve Chips, Salsa,Cheese, but use a and let them serve themselves first if a big crowd can cross contaminate the item.  Not everyone gets as ill right off as my kiddo.  He gets sore joints, headaches right off when crossed, but never from a friend's house.  He has only gotten sick at restaurants, so take heart...invite gluten free friends in and enjoy!

D.  Tell you gluten free friends what you are planning to serve and don't feel bad when they ask for ingredients.  They know what they can have.  They don't expect you to.  REALLY.  We are so use to bringing a little something just in case.  It never makes us feel bed.  We still love our friends and we go to have fun with them...not just eat.



We recently flew to visit my parents. My nephew was picking us up at the plane quite late.  I called and asked if he could just make certain to have corn (normal plain salsa) chips and cheese for us to eat when we landed.  He also picked up a package of gluten free (marked on the front of the box) Chex cereal.  I didn't care what kind as long as it was gluten free and I figured that would make it easier for him to find.  I asked him NOT to buy anything that was a "special gluten free" product as they can be ridiculously pricey to have someone else buy for us.  There are so many normal everyday foods to choose from.  Long story made longer...it was perfect...we felt welcomed, well cared for, totally loved, and full!

Blessings. 
 
 

Breakfast Smoothie with Homemade Yogurt

  Here is a wonderful refreshing smoothie that I make often for breakfast or snacks.  We sometimes take it on the go.

There really is no set recipe, but this is what is in today's.

1 cup homemade yogurt ( you can use store bought- plain or flavored)
1 cup vanilla almond milk (you can use juice, regular milk...etc.  I just LOVE vanilla almond milk)
1 frozen banana
2/3 cup organic blueberries (any frozen fruit works great)
1 TBSP honey (more or less to suit your taste)

BLEND....DRINK....ENJOY!

This is really great on stomachs.  My son is on antibiotics right now and this is an added precaution to soothe his belly and protect it.


*****Fabulous tip*****

You don't have to invest in another kitchen gadget to make homemade yogurt.  There are many ways to make it.  Here is one I like.

Here is a picture of a new batch of yogurt being made in the crock pot.  I let mine ferment for 24 hours as recommended by the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) sites I have seen. Delicious!  Easy!  No extra gadget!!!!!!
I use 1/2 gallon whole milk in mine and was surprised to find that you can use store bought plain yogurt (1/2 cup) as a starter.  After you have made your yogurt, just keep 1/2 cup to start a new batch.  Easy...and cheap!

  I found the recipe here....http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html

If you have trouble getting on this site...check out making yogurt in a crock pot on Google search.

Gluten Free Chili Con "Nancy"

Let's get down to the fun part.  What to eat that's gluten free and simple.  Let's start with Chili. The chili mixes I have seen have had gluten in them and this is just too easy to bother looking around further.  I rarely follow a recipe and have tweaked this to suit my family.  Yummy, warm, comfort food that if made from scratch is affordable and gluten free.  I estimated that I spent $10 for ingredients, plus what I had on hand. Not a bad deal for two plus meals worth.  It also freezes well. Think about individual servings or double it for another quick night's meal later.

2 # ground beef (or turkey,or sausage)
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans red kidney beans
1/4 cup minced dried onion (or 1 small chopped finely)
4 crushed garlic cloves ( I use a Pampered Chef Garlic Press)
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons chili powder (to taste...I used 2 today)
(options...mushrooms, peppers...make it your way)

Brown ground beef, minced onion, and garlic.  Drain fat in a spare jar to throw later.  Add all other ingredients plus fill one of the cans 3/4 -full of water and add to mixture.  Stir and simmer on low.
Serve with shredded cheese if you like.

Best of all...if you like crackers...use Corn chips.  YUM

This recipe feeds my family of four at least two hearty meals.  I like to use my supper from one night as my lunch for the next day.  My husband takes some to work for his lunch also. I pack it up the night before, so he just can grab it and go.

***TIP***  You can take these on the go in a soup thermos for GF freedom.They will stay warm for about 6 hours.********************  Warning..sometimes the thermos can be hard to open, so don't make it too tight.*******

About Me

   Hi. My name is Nancy. I am a wife, homeschooling mother of two teens, and fanatical about my family, that I am blessed with. This is my journey to health for them. It has been a road with many twist, turns, and tears. I have a degree in dental hygiene with a background in nutrition counseling. I grew up with a mom who catered and still teaches cooking. To be honest, even though I would not have chosen this, I find it an enjoyable challenge.

   Why Blessedly Gluten Free?  Well let's be honest.  How many autoimmune diseases are there out there that you only have to change your food choice to not only control, but totally heal yourself?  It is a completely healthy diet/ lifestyle for anyone.  As my kid's pediatric gastroenterologist pointed out.  It can never hurt to go gluten free, but there can be a lot of damage done from not. That is about the best and sadly only advice I was given.  My goal with this blog is to encourage you, and to provide you with good, easy, "normal" foods.  I would like to point you toward information that has helped me greatly and given me peace.

  I began over three years ago trying to find answers to my son's stomach pains.  We were advised that it was probably constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, or just plain nerves from a big move we had made.  None of these things seemed to add up.  He would get really ill, even when having a great time with friends.  There seemed to be so many symptoms that I would, much to my shame, think he was making it up.  I later, through much research, found out that with gluten intolerance and celiac disease there can be hundreds of symptoms.  No two kids are alike in personality.  Mine are not.  It only reasons that no two kids/ adults will have exactly the same symptoms. My children did not fall into the failure to thrive stature that is associated with celiac disease either and  to be honest, neither did I!

   I did not start this diet with the hopes of doing anything, but making my son feel better. I cried the first night he came and told me his stomach didn't hurt anymore.  I would also not be telling the full story if I didn't tell you, he hated it at first.  The food can be crappy, gritty, and hard to make if you don't know what you are doing.   He begged us to eat regular food again, and so as we were experimenting at the beginning, we let him.  I few months later he came back to our bedroom at night, begging to go gluten free.  He was in so much pain, and had realized from trying gluten free, that pain is NOT normal.  We also noticed better attention and fidgeting had stopped while gluten free.  They came back immediately when eating gluten.  At the time I didn't know that was because his body was malnourished.  No matter how well I fed him, the gluten blocked and destroyed the ability for his body his body to receive the vitamins he needed.

   Last year we went through another whirlwind of proving there was an issue.  Why????  I am not certain now, but I will say it allowed me to reassess and fine tune our gluten free ideas.  I realized that we were cross contaminating in so many ways that I will give you tips on later today.  I am also thankful, because it pointed to the fact that not only my son suffered with this, but my daughter and I also had issues, just not the same symptoms. 

   I will tell more of this on going story later, but for now let me help you start realizing the blessings you have been given. If you have celiac or gluten intolerance there is really so much more food you can have then you may think.  Barring any other allergies: you can have and fruit; any vegetable; any milk (although milk may be hard to digest at first due to damage that needs to heal in the small intestine); and any meat.  I have found for us, that almost any chips (except BBQ and regular Nacho Doritos) can be consumed without fear.  Check your packages for wheat, rye, barley, and barley malt and avoid these at all cost.   I have found also that there are twelve families of grains and gluten is only present in one of those families.  Only one...that's not so bad.  Oats are naturally gluten free, but can be cross contaminated, so stick to gluten free certified oats found in the health food section of your grocery store. Good luck.

Blessings,
Nancy