Category: Comfort Food

Gluten Free American Chop Suey

I grew up eating American Chop Suey and have been making this peasant dish my whole life.  It wasn’t until I became an adult that I realized this was not an Italian recipe, and in fact variations of this dish exist all over the country.  From goulash, to slumgullion (huh?), to simply macaroni and beef, this is a meal that goes by different names but is universally loved.

These days I am grateful that delicious, gluten free pasta is readily available so I can still enjoy this comfort food.  It goes from stove top to table all in one pan, for easy cleanup!

In my rendition I add Italian sausage for a spicy kick, and more healthy veggies to round out the plate.  I was thrilled to find gluten free elbow macaroni that is traditionally used in this dish!  If you can’t find elbows, go ahead and substitute shells, or even penne or fusilli.

4 servings

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Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 8 oz. Lean ground beef
  • 8 oz. Italian sausage, hot or sweet
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • ½ cup mushroom, diced
  • ½ small zucchini, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. Olive oil
  • 29 oz. Can tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp. Oregano
  • 1 tsp. Basil
  • 1/2 tsp. Marjoram
  • 1 tsp. Brown sugar
  • 6 oz. gluten free elbows
  • Fresh parsley for garnish
  • Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Preparation:

Mist a deep heavy skillet with cooking spray and add 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Add the ground beef and sausage and begin breaking it up with a spatula.

When the meat is completely browned, season with salt and pepper and add the onions and garlic.

Cook for 2 minutes then add the remainder of the vegetables, sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

It may look like a lot of veggies, but they will cook down and disappear into the sauce (don’t tell the kids! 😉).  Stir the veggies into the meat.  When the veggies have cooked for a few more minutes make a spot in the center in the pan and add the tomato paste.

Let it toast for a minute then stir it into the mixture.

Add the tomato sauce, brown sugar, basil, oregano and marjoram.  Stir well, cover and simmer 30 minutes.  Then simmer partially uncovered for 10 more minutes to thicken the sauce.

To finish the dish, cook the pasta to two minutes less than the package directions.  Drain and add to the skillet and finish cooking in the sauce.

Finish with grated cheese and fresh parsley.  Bring it to the table right in the skillet!

Notes: ♪♫ Traditionally a meat and pasta dish with tomato sauce, I packed mine with veggies for more nutrition and fiber.  Once cooked down, the veggies are almost invisible and take on the flavors of the dish.  Let it be your little secret!

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Gluten Free Risotto Cakes

Risotto Cakes are a family favorite, impressive enough for guests or even a holiday appetizer or side dish.  Isn’t it great that we can still enjoy them on a gluten free diet?  This recipe is a great way to use up leftover risotto, but you may find yourself cooking up a fresh batch just to make these delectable Risotto Cakes!  Are you new to making risotto?  Check out my Basic Risotto Recipe for a step by step tutorial.

8 Servings

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

Always start with cold risotto, it makes the rice easier to handle and the cakes will hold together during cooking.  If you’re making it from scratch, be sure that the risotto has been cooled and refrigerated for several hours.

Set up 3 breading trays with white rice flour, beaten egg + water, and gluten free breadcrumbs.  Start with ½ cup flour and ½ cup breadcrumbs and add more if needed.

Scoop a ¼ cup portion of rice and press into a ball.  Continue to form a total of 8 rice balls.

Use a spatula to flatten each rice ball into a ½” thick cake.

Handle the cakes carefully using spatula and floured fingers.  Pat each cake in the flour, then dip in the egg, and finally coat with breadcrumbs.

Melt 2 tbsp. Butter and 2 tbsp. Olive oil in a large nonstick skillet.  Add the rice cakes and cook for 10 minutes on medium low heat, turning once.

They should be heated through and nicely browned on the outside.  Don’t they look great?

Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately.

The crunchy breading is a nice contrast to the soft, sticky interior.  Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you will check out more of my favorite risotto recipes here!

Notes ♪♫ Carnaroli rice is widely regarded as the best for making risotto and it is worth seeking out if you can’t find it at the grocery store.  It is a high-quality short grain rice with a wonderful texture that is perfect for making risotto that is creamy but firm.  If you cannot find Carnaroli rice, then substitute Arborio.

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Tomato Bean Soup with Chicken Sausage

Making soup is one of my favorite ways to clear the pantry.  This wonderful fall soup is a great example of what you can put together from little bits of this and that from your pantry and freezer.  I had a cup of dry beans, some frozen chicken sausage along with the fresh roasted tomato sauce that I made earlier (in case you missed that post, catch it here).  Of course you can use a can of fire roasted tomatoes and canned beans, but don’t shy away from cooking beans from scratch, it’s easy and they are a healthy and nutritious addition to winter meals.  Just follow my step by step instructions!

4-6 servings

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

I had a cup of dry beans in the pantry left over from another recipe, a mix of Borlotti and Great Northern.  You can use whatever beans you prefer (see notes).  Soak the beans overnight in cold water.

In the morning, the beans will have almost doubled in size.  Drain and rinse them, and return to the pot.  Cover with cold water and add 2 bay leaves.  Simmer 2 hours on low heat.

Notice that I started with cold water.  One of the secrets to tender beans is to cook them slowly and gently.  The heat is on very low the entire time, so the water comes to temperature slowly.  When it does reach a boil, I keep it on a very low simmer.  Also note that I did not add salt.  Salt toughens the beans, so we only add it during the final hour of cooking.

After a 2 hour simmer, drain the beans and discard the bay leaves.  Wipe the pot clean to remove all moisture and add one tbsp. olive oil.

To kick up the flavor in this soup, I added 2 chicken sausage links from my freezer pantry, one hot and one mild.  You can use pork sausage, ham or whatever protein you prefer, just be sure it’s gluten free.  Dice the sausage into 1/2″ pieces and cook until any liquid has evaporated and the meat is nicely browned.  Pardon the shaky photo but you get the idea!

Remove the sausage, cover and set it aside until the soup has finished.  Leave any fat and browned bits in the pot and add another tbsp. olive oil.  Add all of the veggies and season with salt and pepper.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Now add back the beans, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, sage and thyme.  Cover and simmer (keep the heat very low) for 1 more hour.

To finish the soup, stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional but I like the spicy kick) and return the sausage to the pot to heat through.

Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh chives and serve with grated cheese.

We really enjoyed this soup, even though it was quite warm this first weekend of autumn!  I’ll be sharing more of my favorite soup recipes in the coming weeks, and I hope you will come by again to see what’s cooking in my Cucina!

Notes ♪♫  Beans are a naturally gluten free food.  However, be wary of the mixed bean packages as some contain barley.  I always rinse my beans thoroughly to limit risk of any cross contact during processing.

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Roasted Tomato Sauce

Last weekend I was gifted a bag of garden tomatoes.  They were a mix of  different colors, shapes and sizes.  Some were perfect, others had blemishes.  They sat on the counter for a few days while I decided what to do with them.

I’ve read several articles about roasting tomatoes for sauce, but have never tried it myself.  I must admit that I prefer the convenience of canned tomatoes, but with this bowl of fresh garden tomatoes in front of me I was inspired to give it a try.

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The preparation was simple.  I lined a baking sheet with parchment paper and rubbed it with olive oil.  I cut the tomatoes into 3/4″ slices and placed them skin side up on the oiled baking sheet.  I drizzled them with a little more olive oil, added a few garlic cloves and sprinkled with gluten free Italian seasoning.  I roasted the tomatoes for 2-1/2 hours at 250º.

When I removed the tomatoes from the oven, the skins were split and blistered.  I used tongs to gently lift off the skins and discarded them. I also removed the garlic.

Then I picked up the corners of the parchment and poured the tomatoes and juice into a sauce pot.

I used a stick blender to puree the tomatoes into a smooth sauce.

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of roasted tomatoes and garlic!  As you can see, the sauce is orange in color.  Quite different from the red canned sauce that we usually purchase.

My tomatoes yielded just under 2 cups of sauce.  It really gives you an appreciation of how many tomatoes are needed to fill a large sauce can.

So now my roasted tomato sauce is in the refrigerator waiting to become part of another meal (check it out here)!

Notes ♪♫ Canned tomatoes are one of the few processed foods that I indulge in.  My mother always used Hunts Sauce and I prefer it to this day, maybe because of the memories it brings.  Muir Glen is another favorite brand, especially their Fire Roasted Tomatoes which by the way are a fine stand-in for this very recipe!

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Crab Stuffed Sole

Crab Stuffed Sole is another old restaurant favorite of mine.  It is elegant enough for company but easy enough to prepare on a weeknight.  Your whole family will love this simplified version, and I’m pretty sure my preparation has much less butter and calories than its restaurant counterpart (and of course no gluten)!

4 Servings

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

Drain and rinse the crab meat.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Pulse the crackers in an electric chopper or food processor to form coarse crumbs.  You will need about 1/2 cup total.  In a small bowl whisk together the egg, Worcestershire, crab meat and chive seasoning.  Stir in half of the cracker crumbs.

Arrange the fillets on a clean work surface.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with Old Bay.

Spoon the crab stuffing onto the fillets.

Mist a baking dish with cooking spray.  Now roll up each fillet into a bundle, starting with the wide end.  Tuck the ends underneath.

Arrange the fish bundles in the baking dish seam side down, and brush with the remaining melted butter.   Sprinkle with Old Bay and top with the remaining cracker crumbs.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350°.

There you are friends.  Garnish with chives and serve up this elegant main course right in its own baking dish.  No one will guess that it’s gluten free 😊.

Notes ♪♫ For seafood dishes like this one nothing beats a Ritz cracker crumb type breading.  I have always loved Lance’s Original Gluten Free Crackers, but they are hard to find these days!  My recommendation for this recipe is Schar Entertainment Crackers, you can find them online and at most grocers.

 

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Sausage and Egg Mini Quiche

Let’s get the day started with an easy recipe that you can prep ahead and bake in the morning!  It’s a great savory dish for a casual breakfast or Sunday Brunch.  The recipe will yield one dozen mini quiches, perfect for a 12 cup muffin pan.  Completely gluten free with no oddball ingredients to purchase, everyone will love this family favorite!

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Ingredients:

  • ½ lb. gluten free Italian sausage, casings removed
  • ½ small onion, chopped fine
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 package (8 oz.) white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 package (5 oz.) baby spinach
  • 10 large eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2-3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
  • gluten free breakfast sausage seasoning
  • Cooking spray

 Preparation:

Brown the sausage in a large nonstick skillet, breaking up the meat with a spatula.  Remove from the pan, reserving the fat.

Set the meat aside to cool, then pulse it a few times in a food processor or mini chopper, just enough to finish breaking up the meat.

Add a little olive oil to the reserved fat and begin cooking the onion.  When the onions are translucent, add the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid.  Sprinkle with seasoning.

Remove the mushrooms and onions from the pan, drain in a colander and set aside.  Wipe the pan clean.  Add 2-3 big handfuls of spinach with 1/4 cup water.  It will cook down!  Cover and steam for 1 minute, just until the spinach is wilted.  Drain the spinach well and pat it dry with paper towels.

Note! You can prepare up to this point and refrigerate the night before.

When the mushrooms and spinach have cooled to room temperature, preheat the oven to 375º and coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.  Whisk the eggs in a large bowl and stir in the sausage, mushrooms, onions, spinach, seasoned salt and half of the cheese.

Spoon the mixture into 12 muffin cups and sprinkle tops with the remaining cheese.  Bake 25-30 minutes until set.

The quiche will puff up during baking and may deflate a bit when removed from the pan.

Carefully scoop out the quiches with a spoon and transfer to a serving dish.  They should slide right out.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

This is a very easy recipe that you can double or triple to feed a crowd for brunch.  I used Italian sausage but you can substitute any sausage you prefer, or bacon or prosciutto!  Be sure to pin this easy and delicious recipe for your next Sunday brunch!

Notes ♪♫  There are many gluten free sausage seasonings on the market, but you may find them high in sodium.  If you are interested in making your own seasoning blend, check out my Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties post.  It includes a recipe for a blend of individual spices that you mix together, and you can adjust the salt content to your liking.

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Honey Glazed Pork Chops

Pork chops are an easy and economical main course.  There are so many ways to prepare them!  I have always breaded and baked mine, but in the summer I want something a little lighter.  This simple recipe is the one to keep handy for your weeknight rotation.  My family loved the honey glaze, and the pork chops come out tender and juicy every time.

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 boneless pork chops, about 6 oz. each
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tbsp. gluten free soy sauce
  • ½ tbsp. gluten free Worcestershire sauce (I like Lea and Perrins®)
  • Gluten free seasoning, to taste (I used The Spice House Brisket of Love BBQ Seasoning)
  • cooking spray
  • fresh chives, for garnish

Preparation:

Choose chops that are all about the same size, so that they finish cooking at the same time.  Whisk together the olive oil, honey and Worcestershire sauce in a baking dish large enough to hold your pork chops in a single layer.

Add the pork chops and marinate for 30-45 minutes at room temperature, turning every 10 minutes.

I cooked the chops in a 14” non-stick covered skillet, you want them spaced out in the pan, not touching.  Coat the pan with cooking spray and heat over medium low.  Add the pork chops, sprinkle with seasoning, then cover and cook 4 minutes.  Keep the cover on, and don’t move the chops around in the pan.

Turn the pork chops over, drizzle any remaining marinade over the top and sprinkle more seasoning.  Cover and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops and how you like them done.  According to food safety guidelines, pork should be cooked to a minimum of 145° and for me this is perfect.  Check with a thermometer to be sure.

Now turn them once more to coat both sides in the honey glaze and cook 30 more seconds to get that beautiful amber color!

Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chives.  I served with brown rice and roasted cauliflower.

Aren’t they gorgeous?  Now that you know how easy it is, surprise your family with a delicious pork chop dinner this week.  Make it once and it will become an instant favorite!

 I hope you’ve found some gluten free meal inspiration today at My Gluten Free Cucina!  Be sure and pin this one for next week’s menu!

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Gluten Free Orange Chicken

Foodie friends, I’ve been craving Chinese food!  Unfortunately for me, many Asian dishes are made with soy sauce, so they are off limits on a gluten free diet.  I have been thinking about a lightened up, gluten free version of this classic dish for a while now and dinner was a hit!  The chicken is not fried, so it’s a bit healthier than the restaurant version.  Gluten free coconut aminos make it safe for me, and lower in sodium as well.  I served it over fried rice.

3-4 servings

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Ingredients:

For the marinade:

  • 12 oz. Boneless chicken breast
  • ½ cup frozen orange juice concentrate
  • 2 tbsp. coconut aminos
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tbsp. Honey
  • ¼ tsp. Powdered ginger
  • 1 tsp. toasted Sesame oil
  • zest of 1 orange

For the sauce:

  • 1 tbsp. Olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tbsp. Arrowroot starch
  • ¼ cup gluten free low sodium chicken broth
  • ½ cup orange juice concentrate
  • 1 tsp. honey

For the garnish:

  • 1 tsp. Sesame seeds, toasted
  • scallion greens, sliced diagonal

Preparation:

Toast the sesame seeds and reserve for garnish.  I like to toast them in a small non-stick saucepan, so that they don’t fly all over the place!  As soon as they start to get a little color transfer them to a bowl.

Cut the chicken into 1” cubes and place in a bowl.  Whisk together the marinade ingredients (orange juice concentrate through orange zest) and pour over the chicken.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade.  To make the sauce, heat the olive oil and minced garlic in a small non-stick saucepan.  Cook one minute until garlic is fragrant, then whisk in the remaining ingredients, arrowroot through honey.

Stream in the reserved marinade, whisking constantly to make a smooth sauce.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until the sauce is thick and bubbling.  Keep warm while you finish the dish.  Important: because the marinade has been in contact with raw meat, it must reach a full boil in order to be safe to eat.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbsp. Olive oil and 1 tsp. Sesame oil.  Cook the chicken, turning to brown all sides.  Don’t crowd the pan, spread the chicken out so pieces don’t touch.  Brown in batches if needed.

Dip the chicken in the sauce, a few pieces at a time.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.

I served it with fried rice.  Doesn’t that look delicious?  Once you taste it, you’ll want to add this Asian inspired dinner to your rotation.  And if you make a double batch, it will be just as good leftover!

Notes ♪♫ Using frozen orange juice concentrate along with orange zest gives the sauce a more intense citrus flavor and helps with thickening.  If using orange juice, you will need to adjust the amount of arrowroot starch in order for the sauce to reach the right consistency.

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Gluten Free Banana Waffles

I have always loved pancakes and waffles, going all the way back to my childhood when Dad made us pancakes for breakfast on Sunday.  Back then I would devour a whole stack!

As an adult I have continued this Sunday tradition, even after my Celiac diagnosis.  At first, I went with a popular gluten free pancake mix.  Ugh!  I continued trying different brands and some were better than others, but all were expensive.

Finally, I decided to make my own gluten free blend from scratch.  Still pricey for sure, but in the end, it cost much less per serving than a packaged mix.

The main ingredients, almond flour, coconut flour and tapioca starch are staples in my gluten free pantry.  I think the taste and texture of my waffles are better than any prepared mix, and the banana provides moisture, flavor and sweetness!  This is a great recipe to use up bananas that are past their prime.

8 servings (serving size = 1 waffle)

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup tapioca starch 105g
  • 2/3 cup coconut flour 85g
  • 1-1/3 cup almond flour 135g
  • 1 tsp. baking powder 6g
  • 1 tsp. baking soda 6g
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt 3g
  • —————————————
  • 2 large eggs 100g
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed 150g
  • 2 tbsp. Canola oil 22g
  • 2 tsp. Vanilla 7g
  • 1-1/2 cups 2% milk 350g
  • Cooking spray

Preparation:

I often eat half of a banana and throw the rest in the freezer.  After a couple of weeks those bananas pile up and it’s time to make more waffles!

Before you begin, preheat your waffle iron to 350°.  Whisk together the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, mash the banana with a fork and add the egg, oil, vanilla and milk.  Whisk well to combine.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula, just until moistened.

Coat both sides of the waffle iron with cooking spray.  Spoon the batter into the center and use a spatula to spread it into the corners.

Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes, remove and transfer to a cooling rack.  Repeat with the remaining batter.

You can serve them immediately or cool to room temperature and freeze for later.  I like to make a big batch and store in freezer safe bags.

The waffles are filling, one is more than enough for our small appetites.  I serve them with fresh fruit and candied walnuts.  You can reheat them in the microwave, oven or toaster.

Always use real maple syrup!

Notes ♪♫ Gluten free pancakes and waffles take longer to cook than the wheat version.  I struggled at first with pancakes that were cooked on the outside and gummy in the middle, until I realized that I needed to adjust the time.  Then I decided to use my waffle iron, and that was the magic.  Since both sides cook at once, 5 minutes at 350° is usually perfect.

Substitutions: You can substitute 2/3 cup part skim ricotta for the banana, it makes a light fluffy waffle.  In the fall I like to use pumpkin puree.

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Veggie Omelette

I love Saturday mornings, when I have the luxury of extra time to prepare something special for breakfast.  Omelets have long been a weekend favorite of mine, and since the ingredients are naturally gluten free, they continue to be a healthy breakfast option.  I love adding fresh veggies like onion, bell pepper, spinach and mushrooms.  During the summer, I add zucchini and fresh chives from my herb garden.  Use your favorites or what you have on hand!

Serves 1 or 2, depending on your appetite!

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Ingredients:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup egg whites
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • 3/4 cup diced veggies such as onion, mushroom, zucchini, bell pepper
  • fresh or dried herbs such as chives, dill
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tbsp grated cheese, optional
  • gluten free seasoning of choice
  • salt and pepper

Preparation:

Chop the veggies evenly into small dice and sprinkle with salt and pepper, or your favorite gluten free seasoning.  It may look like too much but remember, the veggies will shrink during cooking.

Heat a 10″ skillet with a little olive oil.  In a bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites, milk and fresh or dried herbs.  Season with salt and pepper.

When the skillet is ready, add the veggies and sauté over low heat until their liquid has evaporated, and they are beginning to brown.  Take your time, you want as little moisture as possible, and this step develops the flavor.

Spread the veggies in an even layer, then pour the egg mixture in slowly so that they don’t all shift to one side of the pan!  If you like grated cheese, sprinkle some over the top and set your timer for 5 minutes.  As the omelet cooks, use a thin spatula to gently lift the edges, allowing the liquid to run underneath. This is how you want it to look before you fold it over, it should slide easily when you shake the pan.

Now pick up one side of the omelet with a spatula and gently fold it in half.  Don’t worry if it breaks, it will still taste great!

Turn the omelet once more after folding.  To make this easier, you can cut it in half or use 2 spatulas.  For smaller appetites, this omelet is enough to share. It’s quite filling!  Now that you know how easy it is, put away the cereal and treat yourself to something special this weekend.

Notes ♪♫ A good non-stick skillet is essential for making an omelet.  I have a 10″ Oxo skillet that is my dedicated omelet pan, I don’t use it for anything else!

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