Author: Leslie

BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

I love unique kitchen gadgets like this one.  It holds up to 17 chicken drumsticks at one time!  I wasn’t even thinking about gluten when I bought it, but it does have the advantage of holding the drumsticks upright so that they never touch the grill surface.  The chicken is coated with a dry rub and suspended vertically in the drumstick holder.  For this “off heat” method of grilling, we light only one side of the grill, and the drumsticks are cooked on the opposite side.  Since they are upright, the drumsticks do not need to be turned.  With only 3 ingredients, this recipe is easy to prepare and the chicken comes out moist and delicious every time.  I made 8 drumsticks but you can double the recipe for a larger family.

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Ingredients:

  • 8 chicken drumsticks
  • 3 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp. gluten free BBQ rub

Preparation:

Whisk together the brown sugar and BBQ seasoning.  Rub the chicken all over with the seasoning mixture and place in the drumstick holder.

Light one side of the grill, and remove the grate from the opposite side.  Place the chicken on the side opposite the flame.  Cover and grill for 1 hour.

Toward the end of the cook time, I grilled a little zucchini to go with dinner.

Just a few minutes to give the zucchini some grill marks.  It’s that easy.

Dinner is ready.  A side of rice and you have an easy summer meal.

Notes ♪♫  As always, check your ingredients for hidden gluten.  I used Creole seasoning combined with brown sugar in this recipe.

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Gluten Free Banana Bread

Making a quick bread used to be so second nature to me that I could throw one together without a recipe!  Today things are different in my gluten free world, but I still love a good quick bread.  Here is a delicious, moist gluten free loaf that will make you smile.  It tastes just like a classic banana bread.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup white rice flour
  • 1/2 cup sorghum flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup potato starch
  • 2 tsp. xanthan gum
  • 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. cardamom
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 stick of butter, cubed
  • 1 cup mashed bananas (2 small)
  • 1/3 cup ricotta
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350º.  Line a 9 x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper (do this, you’ll thank me later).

Whisk together the dry ingredients, rice flour through cardamom.  In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugars and the cubed butter.  Add the eggs, vanilla, bananas and ricotta.

Finally add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.

Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and use a wet spatula to smooth the top out.

Bake for 1 hour and check the center with a toothpick.  The top should be nice and golden brown.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift the loaf out of the pan by grasping both sides of the parchment paper (you’re welcome).

Remove the parchment and cool on a rack before slicing.  Cover any leftovers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes: ♪♫ Parchment paper provides an easy way to lift the finished loaf out of the pan without tipping and guarantees that your loaf won’t stick to the bottom of the pan.  But there’s more.  If like me, you have loaf pans that were once upon a time used to bake gluten filled treats, or perhaps your kitchen is not yet 100% gluten free, parchment provides an extra layer of protection from any hidden remnants of gluten that might be lurking in the corners of your favorite baking pan.  Better safe than sorry! 

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Gluten Free Garganelli Pasta

Garganelli are large, tube shaped pasta, formed by rolling squares of dough around a wooden dowel, using a gnocchi board to create the ribbed surface.  It’s a labor of love, that will reward you with the fresh pasta you have been craving, sans gluten.

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4 Servings

Pasta Ingredients:

Preparation:

Combine all of the pasta ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

Mix on low speed until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  You should easily be able to remove the dough from the paddle and press it into a ball.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it sit for 15 minutes on the counter, allowing it to hydrate.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces.  Work with one section at a time, keeping the rest covered so it doesn’t dry out.  Press the dough into a flat disc, and use a pasta roller to roll the dough out into thin sheets.  I used my Kitchenaid® pasta roller attachment.  Starting with the widest setting, I passed the dough through the roller a few times then gradually decreased the thickness to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th setting.  Lay the sheets of pasta on wax paper that has been lightly dusted with flour.  As you can see, the gluten free dough is very delicate.  You won’t be able to roll it as thin as a wheat dough without tearing.  Fortunately, this pasta shape is very forgiving.

Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the sheets of pasta into 2″ squares.  Eyeball it, and don’t worry about the edges being uneven.  I’ll show you how to hide them!

Flour a gnocchi board and wooden dowel.  Now, start rolling the squares diagonally around the dowel.  Start rolling from the ragged edge, so that it is tucked inside.

When you get to the end, press to seal.  See how the perfect, pointy edge is on the outside.

Slide the pasta onto a baking sheet that has been lined with wax paper and dusted with rice flour.  When it’s time to cook, you can easily pick up the wax paper and slide the pasta into the pot.

Aren’t they beautiful?  Using a dowel (get them at any craft store) ensures that the shaped tubes are roughly the same size, even though my squares were quite uneven.  Jagged edges are tucked inside and we have crisp ridges on the outside to soak up a sauce.  Cook fresh pasta for 3 minutes in a large pot of salted water, be sure water is at a rolling boil before you add the pasta, and put the cover back on so the water returns to temperature.

When they begin floating to the top, they are done.  See how the Garganelli keep their shape when cooked?  Still, treat them gently.  Use a spider strainer to remove the pasta to a skillet and toss with your favorite sauce.

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