When I have parties during the holiday season I like to keep things as simple as possible. Instead of inviting folks over for a high-stress, fancy-schmancy sit down dinner, I throw cocktail parties. There are lots of advantages to this. They are WAY less stressful, easier to pull off, you can have more people and by putting out platters of tidbits to eat and some beverages, you have more time to mingle and actually stand a chance of enjoying your party!




I make a few simple things and then supplement with items I can pick up at the store such as fruit, cheeses, olives, fancy deli meats or salami. I make a signature cocktail, stock up the bar with gluten free beer, wine and water (sparkling and still), turn on some music and that’s it.  I have even been known to use good quality, disposable plates and flatware (but I always use real glasses).




I don’t spend all day in the kitchen and at the end of the night I am not faced with a ton of dishes to wash. And I find people enjoy themselves more than when they were seated at a formal dinner table as they get to talk to everyone (or not, as the case might be) and the whole evening just has a relaxed, festive mood.




If you are looking for a cocktail party appetizer, or simple weeknight meal for that matter, this holiday season, I have a suggestion for you – Turkey Meatballs with Orange Cranberry Gravy. All the flavors of a festive holiday meal in cute, bite sized balls of yumminess – turkey with cranberries in a delicious orange sauce thanks to San-J’s Gluten-Free Orange Sauce.




So go ahead, deck your halls, shop ’til you drop, wrap your gifts with love and care but when it comes to parties – make it easy on yourself. You and your friends will enjoy it more – trust me!




Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs with Orange Cranberry Gravy



Ingredients




½ cup gluten free bread crumbs

1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried onion flakes

¼ cup parsley, minced

1 ½ cups gluten free chicken stock – use divided

1 ¼ pounds ground turkey

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 – 12 ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries (about 2 ½ cups)

1 cup San-J Orange Sauce

3 tablespoons sugar




Directions




Preheat oven to 450 degrees.




Combine the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion flakes, parsley and ½ cup chicken stock in a large mixing bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the turkey and mix with hands until thoroughly combined. Shape into 2 inch balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the meatballs until browned all over, about 6 minutes. Place browned meatballs on a baking sheet and bake in oven until cooked through, 10 minutes.




Add the cranberries to the skillet the meatballs were browned in along with the remaining cup of chicken stock, San-J Orange Sauce and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until the cranberries pop and the sauce is reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Add the meatballs to the gravy and serve.




A gluten free recipe that serves 4 as a main course, 12 as an appetizer.




Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com




Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/12/gluten-free-turkey-meatballs-with-orange-cranberry-gravy.html

It is December (how did that happen?) and while that can mean many things to many people, for me it means coming up with lots of gluten free cookie recipes! I like to give out cookies this time of year and I like to have them on hand for people who stop by during the Holidays.  And doesn’t it kind of go without saying that, “I like to eat cookies?”




For some reason I always associate the flavors of chocolate and cherries with Christmastime. Maybe it is because my Dad would always buy those chocolate covered cherries this time of year. So I came up with this recipe with Dad in mind – chocolate meringues with a sweet cherry inside. They are crisp on the outside, a bit marshmallowy inside and have a secret surprise hidden at the heart – a maraschino cherry. Along with being naturally gluten free they are also dairy free and, if you worry about such things, fat free!




The way to get the very best meringues is to use egg whites that are room temperature but it is much easier to separate cold eggs so I suggest you separate your eggs first and let them sit while you get out all the rest of your ingredients, prepare the pans and dry up your cherries.




You can serve these cookies two ways – the first (and best in my opinion) is to bake them, then turn off the oven and let them sit in there for a couple hours to really dry out, this will give you the traditional meringue. But as I discovered (due to a very impatient Father who couldn’t wait for his chocolate-cherry fix) you can take the cookies from the oven after they bake, let them cool and eat. They will be a lot less crispy and much more marshmallowy; softer and not very crisp. Which way is better, is in hot debate around here.




Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Cloud Cookies



Ingredients




24 maraschino cherries

3 large egg whites at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder




Directions




Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.




If the maraschino cherries have stems, remove them. Dry them well with paper towels and let sit until ready to use.




Combine the egg whites with the cream of tartar, salt and vanilla in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Start the mixer on low then increase the speed to high. When the egg whites are very foamy, add the sugar gradually while the machine is running. Continue to beat the egg whites until they form stiff, glossy peaks – about 5 minutes. Sift in the cocoa powder, fold gently to get them mixed in a little then mix on high speed with the mixer for a few more seconds until the cocoa powder is incorporated. You may have to scrape the side of the bowl a time or two.




Spoon 12 heaping tablespoons of the egg white mixture onto each prepared pan (a small #60 ice cream scoop works really well for this). Gently press a cherry into each mound of egg whites. Top with about a teaspoon of egg whites and using an offset spatula or your fingers seal the two meringue dollops together.




Bake for 30 minutes, turn off the oven and let the cookies sit in there for 2 hours. Peel the cookies off the parchment or silicon mats and serve. The cookies are best served within 24 hours, especially if you live in a humid climate. To store, put in an air proof container and keep at room temperature.




Alternately you can remove the cookies after 30 minutes of baking, let cool on a baking sheet and serve. They won’t really be crispy, but are still delicious.




Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com




Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/12/gluten-free-chocolate-cherry-cloud-cookie-recipe.html

There are a couple things I do every year on Thanksgiving after the food has been eaten, the table cleared and that last crumb of pie licked off the plates – first is to convince the hubby to do the dishes and secondly, I put a pot of dried beans on to soak. It’s not that I have anything against gluten free turkey noodle soup but after all the traditional, American flavors of Thanksgiving I am ready to spice things up! Chipotle Turkey Bean Soup is the answer.




I love this hearty gluten free soup recipe – it is filling and wholesome, packed with fiber and nutrients (as well as flavor) and it is a real budget saver. After all the turkey was already paid for, I use Hurst Family Harvest’s Black Bean Chipotle Lime Black Bean Soup Mix which cost about the same as 2 cans of black beans (but feeds a whole lot more) and has a tasty gluten free flavor packet included and the rest of the ingredients are just some pantry staples. If you don’t happen to have any leftover turkey hanging around you can use some leftover chicken or shred up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Or just leave out the turkey, use dairy free sour cream and you have yourself a fabulous vegan main course soup.




I also love the fact that this soup takes very little actual work to prepare! After all, I have been cooking, cleaning and entertaining for days – it is time for a little “easy” in my life!



Gluten Free Chipotle Turkey Bean Soup




Ingredients




1 package Hurst Family Harvest Chipotle Lime Black Bean Soup Mix

1 onion, diced

1 – 1 pound bag frozen corn kernels

1 – 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 – 4 ounce can diced mild green chilies

1 bunch green onions, sliced

½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

4 cups cooked turkey or chicken, shredded (omit for vegan)

Chipotle Lime Sour Cream – recipe follows

Handful of cilantro leaves




Directions




Remove the flavor packet from the beans and save. Place the beans in a large soup pot and cover with water. Let sit, covered, overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain the water from the beans. Place back in the pot and add 8 cups of cold water along with the reserved flavor packet. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Add the corn, tomatoes, chilies, green onions, salt, pepper, garlic powder and turkey and heat through, 5 – 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.




Serve with Chipotle Lime Sour Cream and cilantro for garnish.



Chipotle Lime Sour Cream



Ingredients




1 cup sour cream or dairy free sour cream

*1 – 3 teaspoons pureed chipotle in adobo depending on heat level you like

juice and zest of 1 lime – zest finely grated




Directions




Stir together the ingredients and let sit covered in the refrigerator until time to serve.




*I take one can of chipotle in adobo sauce, puree it in the blender and store in a covered jar in the refrigerator, that way I can use as much or as little whenever I want. Or you can take one of the peppers from the can with some of the sauce and mince finely.




Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com




Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/11/gluten-free-chiptole-turkey-bean-soup-recipe.html

Fashion experts tell us that we should dress, get all accessorized up and then remove one accesory before leaving the house, that less is more. For about a second and a half I decided to try that philosophy to my Thanksgiving dinner, to remove one thing from my normal menu.




What I had decided to remove was an appetizer – my thought was it’s at the beginning of a huge meal and that no one is going to miss it. And I decided that what I would leave off was my chicken liver pate – it was my oldest son’s favorite part of the meal but he has gone vegetarian so what’s the harm in leaving it off? After all, less is more, right?




Apparently, at least at my house, when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner – less is less! The aforementioned son informed me that he had flown 3,000 miles and was basically paying a ton of money for one dinner and he didn’t want to be shortchanged.




So instead of taking off one thing, I am swapping it for something else – Teriyaki Mushroom Pate. This is a gluten free, dairy free, vegan recipe that is super easy and quick to prepare and packs a ton of flavor thanks to San-J’s gluten free teriyaki sauce. No one, not even the meat eaters are going to miss my chicken pate this year.




So go ahead, add instead of take away that one more accessory to your Thanksgiving feast this year – after all more is more to be thankful for.




Gluten Free Teriyaki Mushroom Pate



Ingredients:




4 tablespoons olive oil – use divided

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 – 8 ounce packages of mushrooms (any type) sliced

½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 tablespoons gluten free San-J Teriyaki Sauce – use divided

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped




Directions:




Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until they start to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms start to brown, about 8 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of the San-J Teriyaki Sauce and the rice vinegar and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add the parsley and stir to combine.




Put the mixture into a food processor with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon San-J Teriyaki Sauce. Process until the mixture is fully combined and fairly smooth. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.




Serve with gluten free crackers and fresh vegetables.




Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free

raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com




Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/11/gluten-free-teriyaki-mushroom-pate-recipe.html

I am going to just spit it out – I love tuna casserole! There I said it. I know it is not hip, not trendy and certainly not “foodie” (you can add that to my mounting list of why I will never be called a “foodie”) but it is just plain good! I thought about adding some flair to this casserole, tossing in some sun dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese and portabella mushrooms, maybe some fresh basil and I am sure that would be delicious but what I really wanted was something very close to what I recall from when I was a kid – simple, comforting and homey. But I wanted it with less fat and calories and of course, it had to be gluten free.




I kind of think my mother made her tuna casserole with canned soup but when I started cooking I made mine with rich, thick, fattening-as-all-get-out white sauce laden with butter and cream. So I cut the fat and calories by using mostly gluten-free chicken broth for my sauce, low-fat milk in place of cream (rice milk can be used making this dish dairy free) and olive oil instead of butter. Then I added extra fiber by using Pastariso’s Brown Rice Gluten Free Vegetable Rotini – I love the way the spirals add extra texture to this casserole and the fact that this delicious gluten free pasta only takes 6 -8 minutes to cook.




Since there is high probability you just may have some turkey left over fairly soon, this works just as well with shredded turkey meat.




So go ahead, fess up – what food do you love that could threaten your reputation as a “foodie”?




Gluten Free Tuna Casserole



Ingredients




1 – 1 pound bag Pastariso Gluten Free Brown Rice Vegetable Rotini

3 tablespoons olive oil – use divided

1medium white or yellow onion

Kosher or fine sea salt

3 tablespoons gluten free flour blend or sweet rice flour

2 ½ cups gluten free chicken broth

1 ½ cups low fat milk (or rice milk)

2– 6 ounce cans solid light tuna in water, drain and flaked

1 cup frozen peas – thawed

1 cup gluten free panko style bread crumbs




Directions




Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.




Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Add the Pastariso Gluten Free Brown Rice Vegetable Rotini and cook for 6 – 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with hot water.




While the pasta is cooking heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until they are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and milk, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until the sauce thickens, 6 – 8 minutes. Stir in the tuna, peas and cooked pasta. Pour the mixture into a 9? by 13? baking dish.




Combine the remaining tablespoon of olive oil with the panko bread crumbs and top the tuna mixture. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the top is browned and the sauce bubbly. Let cool a few minutes before serving.




Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com




Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/11/gluten-free-tuna-casserole-recipes.html