Category: Gluten Free Dinner Ideas

Gluten Free Baked Penne

Today’s hearty baked pasta dish is pure comfort food!  A great choice for a potluck or casual family dinner, everyone will want to dig into this tasty casserole.  I use a combination of gruyere cheese with its superb melting qualities and parmesan cheese in the topping for a crispy contrast.  I sneak a few healthy veggies into the mix for even more flavor and texture.  Who’s hungry?

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Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/2 sweet onion, cut into large dice
  • 6 cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 small zucchini 1/2″ dice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • olive oil
  • 8 oz. ground beef
  • 8 oz. ground veal
  • 3/4 tsp. Tuscan seasoning, divided
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 8 oz. gluten free penne
  • cooking spray
  • 1/3 cup gluten free seasoned breadcrumbs
  • Italian parsley for garnish

Preparation:

Grate the cheese and set aside.  Add olive oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium low heat.  Cook the onions until they are translucent, then add the mushrooms, zucchini and garlic.  Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. Tuscan seasoning.  Remove from the pan and set aside to drain in a colander to remove excess liquid.

In the same pan, add more olive oil along with the ground beef and ground veal.  Season with 1/4 tsp. Tuscan seasoning.

Break up the meat with a spatula and stir until completely browned.  Clear a space in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste.

Let it toast for 1 minute then stir it into the browned meat.

Add the tomato sauce, sugar, oregano and basil.  Cover and bring to a low simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat water for the pasta and cook according to package directions.  Stir the cooked and drained veggies into the meat sauce.

Drain the pasta and add to the pan with 1/2 cup gruyere cheese.  Toss to combine.

Mist a casserole dish with cooking spray and fill with the pasta and sauce mixture.  Drizzle the top with olive oil and top with 1/3 cup breadcrumbs and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 350º.  Use tongs to carefully remove the foil and broil for 2 minutes to crisp up the top.

Garnish with Italian parsley and bring to the table.  Serve with extra parmesan cheese and marinara sauce.

Notes ♪♫ Not all gluten free pastas are created equal.  I used Jovial Brown Rice Penne in this recipe.  My favorite brand, it holds up especially well in casseroles, where even after boiling and baking it maintains a great al dente consistency.

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Gluten Free Stuffed Shells

This meal has been on my bucket list for a while.  It was a few hours in the making, but worth every minute and a great thing to make on a Sunday afternoon.  The veal and zucchini stuffing has a nice pop of flavor!

The gluten free shells are delicate and prone to breakage, so be sure to cook a few more than needed just in case!

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Ingredients:

  • 1/2 sweet onion, minced (about 1-1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 small zucchini, minced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • fresh ground pepper, about 6 grinds
  • sea salt, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • splash of white wine (about 1/4 cup)
  • 8 oz. ground veal
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 oz. Italian cold cuts of choice (about 3 slices)
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 tbsp. parmesan cheese plus more for topping and serving
  • 4 oz. gluten free pasta shells (about 30 shells) *see notes
  • cooking spray
  • 15 oz. marinara sauce, homemade or purchased
  • fresh basil and Italian parsley for garnish

Preparation:

Use an electric chopper to process the onion, zucchini and garlic to a fine mince.  Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a stainless-steel skillet, add the minced vegetables and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

Stir frequently and cook down until reduced by half.  Add a splash of white wine and continue stirring until most of it has evaporated.  Remove from pan and place in a colander to drain and cool.

Wipe the pan clean, add 1 tbsp. olive oil and brown the veal, breaking it up with a spatula.  Season with more salt and pepper.

Mince the cold cuts and add to the veal.  You can use prosciutto, pancetta or whatever you have on hand.  I happened to have a few slices of Italian Salame left over from an antipasto, and it really made the flavor pop!

Continue stirring frequently until most of the liquid cooks off, then add the browned meat to the colander to drain.

In a clean bowl, whisk 1/2 cup ricotta cheese with 1 tbsp. grated parmesan.  Stir in the veal mixture.

Cook the shells according to package directions, stirring gently so they don’t break.  Drain in a colander.

Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray and spread one ladle of sauce on the bottom.  Arrange the shells in the pan, then fill them with stuffing.

Spoon a little more sauce over the filled shells, and sprinkle with more grated parmesan.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350º.

After 30 minutes, use tongs to carefully remove the foil.  Broil on low for 5 minutes.  Garnish with fresh parsley and basil.  Serve with extra sauce and grated cheese.

Notes ♪♫ It wasn’t easy finding these gluten free pasta shells from Farabella.  Currently out of stock on Amazon, I was lucky to find them here—>

 If you can’t get them where you live or you can’t have corn pasta, these Brown Rice Pasta Shells from Tinkyada are a good stand-in.

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Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs

Foodie friends, you don’t have to wait for November!  Try my Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs whenever you feel like having a little “Thanksgiving Lite”!  The flavors of sage, thyme, onion and celery mirror the big Thanksgiving dinner in a fraction of the time.

A little ricotta in the mix keeps the meatballs nice and moist.  Potato flakes and rolled oats are the magic that hold these gluten free meatballs together.  You are going to love this easy entree!  Complete the meal with a side of stuffing and drizzle of turkey gravy.

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

Use an electric chopper to finely mince the onion and celery.  Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add the breadcrumbs, potato flakes and oatmeal to the wet ingredients a little at a time until well combined (use your hands).

Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray.  Spread 1 cup of breadcrumbs in a bowl or plate.  Form 12-14 meatballs, rolling each meatball in the breadcrumbs and arrange on the baking sheet at least 2″ apart.

Broil 5 minutes on high, turn and broil another 5 minutes.

With dinner on the table in under a half hour, you will want to add this to your weeknight rotation.  Everyone will love it!

Notes ♪♫ Oh those breadcrumbs, don’t they look amazing?  They are Aleia’s Italian Breadcrumbs, and yes, they are gluten free.  A bit more expensive but so worth it to get that true breadcrumb taste!

Originally posted 11/10/2018                          Updated post 8/12/2022

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Gluten Free BBQ Beef Short Ribs

Who doesn’t love beef short ribs!  Yes, they are pricey these days, but when they go on sale it’s time for a BBQ dinner.  In this very easy recipe, boneless beef short ribs are baked slowly at a low temperature and basted with a simple homemade barbecue sauce that will rival your favorite store brand!  It’s a meal that you can enjoy any time of year and with little effort.

The beef will shrink considerably during cooking, so start with twice as much as you think you need.  For two people I suggest 1.5 lbs. of boneless beef short ribs.  It may look like a lot to begin with, but there will be no leftovers 😉

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs. boneless beef short ribs
  • salt and pepper
  • cooking spray
  • 1 batch homemade Gluten Free BBQ Sauce
  • fresh chives for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 300º.  Cut each short rib into 3 pieces and place in a square baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the BBQ Sauce ingredients or use your favorite store brand (I won’t tell).  Spoon 3 tbsp. of the sauce over the ribs.

Turn them over and spoon another 3-tbsp. sauce to coat.  Cover tightly with foil.

Roast for 2 hours at 300º, then use tongs to carefully remove the foil.  If there is too much liquid, you can remove some of it with a ladle.  Cook 30 minutes more, uncovered.

Warm the remaining sauce for serving.  Remove the short ribs and arrange on a serving platter.  Brush with the extra sauce and garnish with fresh chives.

This meal was so good!  I served the ribs with roasted carrots, parsnips and baby potatoes.  Use your favorite seasonal sides (sweet corn in summer for sure).

Notes ♪♫ If you prefer to buy the BBQ sauce, I recommend Stubbs.  All of their BBQ sauce flavors are delicious and gluten free.

Originally posted 05.27.2018                       Updated 08.06.2022

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Gluten Free BBQ Turkey Meatloaf

Today my usual meatloaf recipe gets a spicy BBQ twist and dare I say a bit of a healthy spin, with the addition of ground turkey.  I’m calling it a “Turkey-Meat” Loaf!

I subbed ground turkey for half of the beef, and instead of ketchup I used a smokey BBQ sauce.  And instead of Italian seasoning I used a BBQ rub with some heat.  It was so delicious and moist (and no one was the wiser about the turkey)!

Did you know that gluten free meatloaf can be soggy and falling apart using only breadcrumbs?  I use a blend of breadcrumbs, rolled oats and mashed potato flakes for a meatloaf that is moist and holds together when you slice it!

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

Mince the veggies in an electric chopper, you will need about 1-1/2 cups total.  Use what you like or what you have on hand, this is a great way to use up bits of veggies you have in the fridge.  I used sweet onion, garlic, mushroom and zucchini.

Heat a small skillet with 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Add the minced veggies and cook over low heat until most of their liquid has evaporated.  They will reduce to about 1/2 cup.  Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.

Mix the breadcrumbs, rolled oats and potato flakes together.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 egg, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce and 1/2 tsp. BBQ seasoning.  Add the ground meat along with the cooled veggies.  Mix thoroughly with your hands.  Be sure that everything is well combined.

Begin adding the dry ingredients to the meat mixture a little at a time, incorporating with your hands.

Mist a loaf pan with cooking spray.  I love this silicone loaf pan for quick cleanup!  Spread the meatloaf evenly in the pan, be sure to get into the corners.  Drizzle a bit more BBQ sauce and use a fork to spread it over the top.

Bake for 35 minutes at 350º.  When it’s done, the meatloaf will be browning around the edges and pulling away from the sides of the pan, like this.

I served the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and butternut squash.  Everyone loved the smokey BBQ flavors.

Notes ♪♫ My favorite BBQ brand is Stubbs.  They have delicious sauces and rubs, everything from spicy to sweet, all gluten free.  My favorite is their Smokey Mesquite, which I used in this recipe.

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Gluten Free Catfish with Cornmeal Breading

I love Catfish!  We don’t often see it at the market, just a short time each year when in season.  When it does become available, this is how I like to prepare it.

First, I soak the Catfish in milk for 30 minutes.  Milk tenderizes the fish and gives it a milder flavor.  Then, after dredging in a seasoned cornmeal breading, I pop it into the fridge for 15 minutes.  Finally, the fish is cooked quickly on a buttered griddle.  It is nice and crispy on the outside, moist and flaky on the inside.

Is Breaded Catfish gluten free?

To make this recipe gluten free, the only change needed was to substitute a gluten free flour for regular in the cornmeal breading.

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

Add 1/2 cup of milk to a 9 x 13″ glass baking dish and season with Old Bay.  Soak the catfish in milk for 30 minutes, turning once.

In a large plate, combine the rice flour and cornmeal.  Sprinkle with Old Bay.

Dredge the catfish in the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to coat both sides.  Transfer to a clean plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (this helps the breading to adhere).

Melt 1 tbsp. of butter on a nonstick griddle pan, electric griddle or skillet.  Cook the catfish 5 minutes per side, adding another tbsp. of butter when you turn the fillets.

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh chives.

What goes well with Catfish?  In keeping with the Southern vibe of this meal, I made a side of Gluten Free Corn Cakes.  Check out the recipe here!

Notes: ♪♫ Be sure to choose cornmeal with the gluten free label (some are processed alongside wheat products and may not be safe for those with Celiac).  I like to use whole grain, medium grind cornmeal.  It’s great for breading and for baking.

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Easy Gluten Free Pasta Salad

Here is a simple, Italian inspired Gluten Free Pasta Salad to bring to the family BBQ, or to make ahead and enjoy with dinner after a busy workday.  With no mayonnaise, it won’t go bad on those hot summer days.  It’s a light refreshing side dish that won’t leave you feeling stuffed.

My biggest tip for this recipe is to assemble it no more than a few hours before serving.  You can prep the veggies the night before, but don’t cook the gluten free pasta too far ahead, it won’t keep as well in the fridge as regular pasta.  For best consistency, I like to drain and chill the pasta for 30 minutes before tossing it with the veggies and dressing.

8 servings

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Ingredients:

  • 3 slices of bacon, diced
  • 8 oz. gluten free pasta
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cups veggies cut into small dice –
      • frozen peas, thawed and drained
      • red onion, small dice
      • grated carrot
      • cucumber, small dice seeds removed
      • red bell pepper, small dice
      • green beans, blanched and diced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Italian cold cuts, chopped (optional but good)
  • 1/2 cup gluten free Italian dressing
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

It’s been almost impossible to find these Garden Pagodas from Ancient Harvest since the pandemic.  But they are just perfect in this pasta salad, so if you spot them be sure to grab a couple of boxes!

Tinkyada also makes tri-color spirals, as does Lieber’s although I haven’t tried them and they are frequently out of stock.  I will update the post if I can find any others.

Preparation:

You will need about 2 cups total diced veggies.  This is a great way to use up leftovers, use veggies you have on hand or use your favorites!  Today I’m using red onion, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper, peas and green beans.  You can do this step a day ahead to save time.  Keep everything chilled until ready to assemble the pasta.

Cook the bacon and drain on paper towels.

As I mentioned above, I recommend that you wait until a few hours before serving to assemble the salad.  Cook the pasta to al dente.  This will likely be several minutes less than the package directions, so taste frequently.  Drain the pasta and immediately rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking.

Place the colander over a large bowl, toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Combine the drained, chilled pasta with the veggies in a large bowl, toss with the bacon, cold cuts and cheese.

Add the Italian dressing and toss well.  You can serve it just like this!

Or transfer it all to a pretty serving bowl.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes ♪♫ I always add a gluten free marker to a dish that I bring to a cookout, in case there are other guests with the same dietary restrictions.  I’ll bet that if I didn’t tell anyone it was gluten free no one would be the wiser!  Make it for your next get together and watch it disappear 🙂

 

Originally posted 5/28/2018                      Updated 7/15/2022  

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Gluten Free Sausage and Mushroom Pizza

Tales from the Cucina…

I got a new stove!  Recently my beloved stove of 10 years had a major malfunction.  Actually, I couldn’t turn the gas off and we had to call the fire department, oh my that was quite the night!  A few days later our repairman pronounced the stove DOA, and we were off to shop for a new one.  Fast forward one week, and this pretty new stove arrived.

Coincidentally we were also having our first heat wave of the summer.  It was over 90 degrees in the shade, so what did I do?  Yes, I cranked up the oven to 500º and made pizza!  Just to be sure everything was working properly, right?

Servings:  1 pizza – about 6 slices

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Ingredients:

Dough Ingredients:

  • 175 g. Better Batter Artisan Flour Blend
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. instant yeast or active dry yeast (note- if you are doubling the recipe use the same amount of yeast)
  • 7 oz. warm water (just under a cup)
  • 1-1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

Topping Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. gluten free Italian sausage, cut into coins
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • 8 crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
  • olive oil
  • Italian seasoning
  • fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup pizza sauce (use leftover from another meal or jar sauce)
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheese

Preparation:

The gluten free pizza crust in this post was made with the Artisan Flour Blend from Better Batter.  This is the flour I use and recommend for pizza.

To make the dough, combine warm water, yeast and sugar.  Proof for 10 minutes.  Sift the flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Combine the yeast mixture, sifted flour and olive oil.  Beat for 6-8 minutes.  Bring the dough together in the bowl, cover and refrigerate for one hour.

While the dough is resting, prepare the toppings.  Cook the onions, mushrooms and sausage in olive oil.

Transfer the sausage and veggies to a colander and let them drain.

Remove the proofed dough from the refrigerator, it will have doubled in size.  Cut a sheet of parchment to fit your pizza stone.  Place the dough on the prepared parchment, sprinkle with flour and roll it out into a circle less than 1/2″ thick.

Brush with olive oil and season.  Let it rest at room temperature for an additional 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 500º.  Place your pizza stone in the oven to preheat.

Spoon prepared pizza sauce over the dough and spread the drained toppings evenly.  Remember less is more when it comes to topping, just a few tablespoons of sauce so you don’t end up with a soggy crust.

Top with grated cheese of your choice.  I used cheddar, because we had some in the fridge left over from another recipe.  Slide the pizza, with parchment onto your preheated pizza stone.  After 5 minutes use gloves and tongs to carefully remove the parchment paper.  Continue baking for 15 minutes.

Remove to a cutting board, slice and serve.

Look at that crispy crust!  This was definitely a great way to christen my new stove.  Just a single pizza was enough for our small appetites but when I make it for company, I double the recipe.

Notes: ♪♫ Of course I missed having an oven, but we did not go hungry during that week without a stove!  Check out some of the air fryer meals that I made while we were waiting for our new stove to arrive in this post!

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Apple Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin, baked and basted with a sweet, apple-based barbecue glaze is the star of tonight’s fall inspired dinner.  Fancy enough to wow your guests, but so easy you can enjoy it any night of the week.  The secret ingredient – frozen apple juice concentrate!  As it simmers, the apple glaze will thicken to the consistency of a syrup, that is as beautiful as it is tasty.

4 Servings

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Ingredients:

  • 1 pork tenderloin, about 1-1/2 lbs.
  • 6 oz. frozen apple juice concentrate (1/2 can)
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper
  • cooking spray

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425º.  In a small nonstick saucepan over low heat, stir together the apple juice concentrate, ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, thyme and red pepper flakes.

Simmer on low to form a thick, syrupy glaze.

Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray.  Remove the tenderloin from the packaging and pat it dry.  Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to remove any membrane or silver skin (see below).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tie the tenderloin with cooking twine every few inches to help keep its shape and bake evenly.

Insert a meat thermometer into the tenderloin, brush with glaze and place in the oven.  Keep the glaze on a low simmer and baste every 10-15 minutes.

Continue baking for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145º (if you prefer more well done, cook it a bit longer, to 160º).  When the tenderloin is ready, remove from the oven and tent with foil.  Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing, to retain more of the juices.

Transfer the slices to a serving dish and drizzle glaze over the top.  If you have a bit of extra glaze, you can bring it to the table in a small gravy boat.

Tenderloin goes well with potatoes, rice or just about any veggie.  I served it with roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus.

Notes: ♪♫ Always check ingredient labels for hidden gluten.  I used frozen apple juice concentrate made from 100% fruit juice with no added sweeteners.

Originally posted 09/07/2018                     Updated 7/06/2022

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Gluten Free Salmon Burgers

Since I began my gluten free journey, one of the things I miss most is being able to just go out for a sandwich.  A few restaurants do offer gluten free buns, but even then, gluten is lurking everywhere!  Toppings, breadcrumbs, binders, fillers, sauces and even seasonings may contain hidden gluten.  One of my favorite local chains has the best salmon burgers, but of course they are now off limits for me.  I’m feeling deprived!  So, this week I decided to create a copycat version of this awesome sandwich at home.  Here’s how!

4 Servings

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

I used fresh salmon, so that I could freeze 2 burgers for another meal.  If you are not going to freeze them, you can use frozen salmon.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350º.   Bake the salmon for 15 minutes.  Cool slightly then remove the skin.  It should peel off easily.  Use a fork to flake the fish and let it cool to room temperature.

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a small stainless-steel skillet over medium low.  Add the minced onions and cook until they begin to brown and caramelize.  They will cook down to about 1/4 cup.  Remove, set aside and cool to room temperature.

Whisk together the egg, mayo, onion, chives, Worcestershire, lemon juice and seasoning.

Add the flaked salmon.  Be sure it has cooled to room temperature, so the egg doesn’t cook.

Next add the potato flakes and gluten free Panko.  Stir and use a fork to blend everything together thoroughly.  Don’t overwork it.

You should have enough to form 4 generous sized patties.

I used a hamburger press to make them nice and even.  Mist the press with cooking spray first to help the patties release.

I placed the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment to make them easier to handle.  Keep them refrigerated until ready to cook.  You can also freeze them at this point.  Let them freeze on the sheet so they keep their shape, then wrap them individually and store in a freezer bag.

To cook, brush a grill pan with a little olive oil and cook the patties 5 minutes per side over medium heat.  The patties are delicate, so handle them gently with a wide spatula.

Add your favorite gluten free bun and there you are.  This is one of my favorite restaurant meals that was just waiting for a gluten free makeover.  Now I can enjoy a salmon burger at home any time.

I hope that you enjoyed this recipe.  My gluten eating husband also thought these Salmon Burgers were great, just like the restaurant version!  So don’t feel deprived!  Try the recipe at your house and let me know what you think!

Notes ♪♫ I see you ogling that gluten free bun!  My own flour blend, it’s a nice big bun that you will love for all your burgers and sandwiches!  Get the recipe here!

This post was originally published on 07/06/2018.  While the photos have been updated over the years (as I become a better photographer!), the recipe itself has not changed.  

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