‘Out of this World’ Stuffing from Bethenny Frankel (Gluten Free)

I can’t not share that this is ‘Out of this World’ stuffing because that’s the name that Bethenny’s titled it.  Truth is…it’s better than out of this world.

This was my first ever attempt at making stuffing (or dressing for those of you that call it that).  I’d never had to make it before because other women in my extended family took care of that each year for my entire life.  Outside of Thanksgiving, I had the StoveTop version of stuffing.  Anyway, now that I’ve been diagnosed with Celiac Disease and must eat gluten free, I had to take matters into my own hands.  I was NOT prepared to not have stuffing for Thanksgiving (or Christmas).  I was determined to make it happen.  Since Bethenny has yet to fail me with delicious recipes, I decided to trust her on this one.

Further to that, since bread is the main thing involved in any stuffing recipe, I had to ensure that I was selecting the right bread for this.  In true Krista fashion, I should have baked the bread myself.  However, I wasn’t trying to overdo it this time, so I selected Udi’s Whole Grain bread!  I’m quite disappointed in our local grocery stores only selling the small loaves.  Ugh.  It’s just not enough.  Fortunately, I discovered that since Jason’s Deli serves this same bread, you can purchase it straight from their store!  Better still, they sell a LARGE loaf of this bread.  I purchased 2 loaves from them (just in case), and it was much more economical and efficient.

As for other details of this recipe, dried morels were difficult to find.  I did find them (finally) at Whole Foods.  FYI, they are not cheap, but they ARE worth it!

If you decide to proceed with your recipe as being gluten free, just be sure that your bread, turkey sausage, and chicken stock (if used) are gluten free.

I so enjoyed every bit of this recipe, and I’m no longer scared of making stuffing.  I’m so thrilled to have found a recipe that makes eating gluten free more exciting than not eating gluten free.  I know this recipe wasn’t intended for the GF world, but, when modified, it’s fantastic!!!

Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon pepper, plus more as needed
1 or 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
4 sprigs sage, finely chopped
Leaves from 6 to 8 sprigs of thyme, finely chopped
½ pound turkey sausage (choose your favorite)
Splash of good dry white wine
1 teaspoon butter
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (whatever kind you like or use an assortment)
½ cup dried morel mushrooms, coarsely chopped and soaked in water until soft
½ loaf of 9-grain or multi-grain bread, toasted and chopped (reference my comments above on making Gluten Free)
½ to 1 cup chicken stock, mushroom broth, white wine, or other richly-flavored liquid
1 egg beaten
Cooking spray

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sauté the onion and celery in olive oil in a nonstick pan. Add salt, pepper, garlic, sage and thyme.
Remove the sausage from the casing (if it is in casing) and break into small pieces. Add to the pan and sauté until browned. Add the wine and butter. Stir in the mushrooms, morels, and the water the morels were soaked in.
Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Pour the sausage mixture over the top and toss to coat. If the mixture seems dry, add a splash of chicken stock, mushroom broth, wine or other flavored liquid. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Add a beaten egg and mix well. Put it into a large baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then turn the oven to broil. Broil for five minutes to make the top crunchy -- but watch closely to be sure it does not burn. By the way, yes, I am VERY behind on posting

Cajun Black Beans and Rice

Gluten Free notes at the bottom of this post.So much of what I have forthcoming is from Pink Parsley.  I’m hard-pressed to find something she posts that I DON’T want to make for myself and the sous chef.  This recipe was not any different.
I’m serious…YUM!  To be fair, if you check out her recipe, you’ll notice that it should be red beans.  Yep, I had red beans purchased, too.  They were sitting right there next to the black beans in my pantry.  However, I manage to grab the black beans which is what ended up in my recipe.  Not so bog of a deal though; this was still fantastic.

What I love about good recipes that I want to share with family and friends is their capability of being good leftovers because I don’t ideally like leftovers.  I’m the kind of person that needs to have the best smelling and best tasting leftovers, which is usually how I determine what recipes I will make and then how much of that recipe I will make.  Hence the reason why this recipe was selected!

Ingredients
1 pound small red beans, rinsed and picked over (As I said above, Krista Kooks used black beans and used canned beans instead of doing the overnight process below)
Salt
4 slices of bacon, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (1/2-1 pepper)
1/2 cup chopped celery (1-2 ribs)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tsp paprika
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
ground black pepper
3 cups chicken broth
6 cups water
10 ounces andouille or chicken andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tsp red wine vinegar, plus more for seasoning
3 scallions, sliced thin
hot sauce, for serving

Directions
Dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt in 4 quarts of water in a large pot and add the beans. For the overnight brine, allow to soak at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours. For the quick-soak method, bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat, cover, and stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans.

In a large dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook until browned and almost fully rendered, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in beans, broth, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat but just enough to still maintain a vigorous simmer. Stirring occasionally, cook 45-60 minutes, or until the beans are soft and the liquid has begun to thicken.

Stir in the sausage and 2 teaspoons of the red wine vinegar. Cook until the liquid is thick and the beans are fully tender and creamy, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve over rice, sprinkled with scallions and passed with hot sauce.

Make it Gluten Free!

• Fortunately, this recipe is easily made gluten free!  Just be sure that your bacon and sausage are gluten free, and everything will be fine.  If using hot sauce, check that as well.  If you have questions, feel free to leave a comment to ask!

Bethenny Frankel’s Zesty, Cheesy Mac and Cheese (Gluten Free)

Gluten Free notes at the bottom of this post.

First of all, I’ve never been the greatest at making homemade mac n’ cheese.  Somehow, I never get the cheese mixture to look right despite my determination to follow the recipe as instructed.  Nevertheless, I’m sure I didn’t manage to get this recipe to look just right, but it definitely tastes amazing!  The butternut squash completely brings a sweeter taste; plus, it’s helpful that it’s presence reduces the amount of cheese!  Less calories and fat, of course.  I definitely prefer this mac n’ cheese recipe in our household now!

Zesty, Cheesy Mac and Cheese from Bethenny Frankel

Ingredients

12 ounces whole wheat mini pasta shells (these hold the cheese better than elbows)

1 cup soy milk

1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup frozen butternut squash, thawed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp. chili powder or a few dashes of Tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs

2 tablespoons reduced fat Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta shells in salted water until slightly firm, according to package directions.

In another saucepan, combine the soymilk, Parmesan, cheddar, and butternut squash over medium heat until melted and combined. Turn off the heat. Add salt, mustard, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder or Tabasco.

Drain the pasta but don’t rinse it. Add it to the cheese sauce (use a large bowl if necessary) and toss to coat the pasta. Taste and add more salt or pepper, according to your taste.

Spray a shallow baking pan with cooking spray and put the pasta-cheese mixture in it. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Monterey jack cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Make it Gluten Free!

• Of course, be sure to use gluten free pasta.  Specifically, quinoa pasta would be fabulous for this recipe, but brown rice pasta will work great as well.  The photo you see above is with brown rice pasta!
• Make sure you use gluten free breadcrumbs, though I would not suggest buying the pre-packaged brown rice breadcrumbs.  YUCK!  Ter-ri-ble!  Simply dry out a piece of gluten-free bread or two, then crumble up to use as the topping here.  Obviously, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t use these breadcrumbs; you will still have some great mac n’ cheese.

Another Remix: Salsa Verde Sour Cream Enchiladas

I know, I know. Some of you that followed my blog are likely having a heart attack that I’m actually posting. My absence is nothing more than simply an absence. Nothing to report, I can assure you. Nevertheless, I hope I do not have yet another extended period of no blogging.

Today’s blog is simple. Visit the original Salsa Verde Sour Cream Enchiladas post for a look at a remix of this favorite Krista Kooks dish. Enjoy!

Classic Crab Cakes

As some may recall, I very much like to follow Bethenny Frankel and have taken great advice into my own eating habits from Naturally Thin. I’ve tried couple recipes of hers previously, and there are definitely more to come.  Her recipes are quite easy to transition to gluten free, if even necessary at all (this part I love!).  This is one of her recipes suggested in the ‘Downsize Now’ chapter of Naturally Thin.
I made the full recipe of these crab cakes, and the sous chef and I could NOT finish them for dinner one night!  This was the only thing on our menu that night.  We had leftovers, although leftover crab cakes are not really my thing.  Nonetheless, if you are cooking for two or preparing this recipe as an appetizer for two (say for Valentine’s Dinner tonight ), I would do some reducing on these crab cakes.  All that said, these were DELICIOUS!  I love the many flavors involved in this recipe!  Below is my adaptation of the recipe to make it gluten free, which is hardly different from the original recipe AT ALL!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup small-diced red onion
1 1/2 cups small-diced celery
1 1/2 cups of each; small diced red and yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup gluten free breadcrumbs (I used Udi’s whole grain bread and created bread crumbs from this loaf)
1/4 cup gluten free mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 pound (8 ounces) jumbo lump crabmeat, drained
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons store-bought pesto + 2 tablespoons gluten free mayonnaise mixed together and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

Directions

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion, celery, and bell peppers until soft.  Season with Old Bay, salt, and pepper.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and the Worcestershire sauce.  Stir in the crabmeat to combine, but don’t overmix.  The crabmeat should remain in large pieces.  Combine ingredients from steps 1 and 2.

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and turn heat to medium.  Scoop evenly-sized cakes into the pan using an ice cream scoop and sauté over medium heat until crispy on both sides.  Top each crab cake with tiny dab of pesto/mayonnaise mixture.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.



Be sure not to cook too long or too little before flipping the crab cake.  This is the only tricky part to this recipe.  Unfortunately, mine are little too done in these pictures.
In order to make this recipe as Bethenny suggested, simply make the gluten free ingredients above not gluten free.

Meatball and Spinach No-Sagna Remix

Today’s blog is simple.  Visit the original Meatball and Spinach No-Sagna post for a look at a remix of this favorite Krista Kooks dish.  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Pork Carnitas in a Slow Cooker/Crock Pot

I’ve never…other than bacon…made pork.  EVER!  No pork chops, tenderloins or anything.  It’s never been appetizing to me or something I wanted to try.  That said, recently, friends of ours (and one of the sous chef’s co-workers) invited us over for dinner.  While they were kind enough to prepare food for my gluten-free diet, they prepared pork as the main dish.  I sat down frightened, as I don’t ever eat it, but thought to myself, “Well, what can it hurt?!  They certainly prepared it well!”  After one bite, I was impressed.

Thus, it intrigued me to see what I could do.  After ordering two cookbooks that tailor to the gluten-free diet, I decide to try this pork carnitas recipe from Carol Fenster’s 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes.  Wait a second.  I take that back.  I was having a hectic day planning for the sous chef’s family coming in town, so I must give credit to the sous chef.  He is actually the one that threw everything in the slow cooker!  He deserves the credit

The family thought it was great, as did I, and we served it with Roasted Broccoli.  Whether you eat gluten free or not, I think you should try this!

Ingredients

1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin or pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat

1/2 cup gluten-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup gluten free salsa

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cut the pork tenderloin into 1/2 inch chunks and add to the slow cooker that has been coated with cooking spray.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, pour over the pork and cover.  Cook 6 hours in a slow cooker on low heat.

Serve the pork as a main dish, spooning the sauce over it.  Or shred the pork and serve it as a filling for tacos, using the remaining  liquid as a sauce.

As you can see from the recipe, there’s nothing that makes this blaringly gluten free other than making sure you get gluten free chicken broth (not hard) and gluten free salsa (definitely not hard in Texas). Thus, if you are someone who does not need to eat gluten free, don’t hesitate to use the chicken broth and salsa YOU prefer.  Enjoy!

Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach

Gluten Free notes at the bottom of this post.

Not a surprise that I’ve selected another recipe from Gina   She’s fabulous at what she does!  Even though this is a pasta dish, it seemed as though it would be easy enough to create as a gluten free dish.  The sous chef and I agreed that this is a great weeknight dinner dish that is fabulous for leftovers at lunch the next day!  I would also suggest this as a fabulous dish to take to new parents.

Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach

1 lb high fiber ziti

28 oz crushed tomatoes

1 tsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic,minced

10 oz frozen spinach, thawed

1 tsp oregano

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

salt and fresh pepper to taste

8 oz fat-free ricotta

1/4 cup Parmesan

2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella

Spray olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°.Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.
In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Drain and return to pot.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and chopped tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.
Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.
This can be made up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Make it Gluten Free!

• Use gluten free pasta.

Gluten-Free Southern Red Velvet Cake

Again, I leave the Krista Kooks readers hanging.  So sorry!  Life is crazy busy these days.  I’ve so missed being able to blog about the culinary delights that are created in this household

While I would love to be able to eat the fabulous Red Velvet Cake I’ve previously blogged about, a recent diagnosis of Celiac Disease has led me to search for new recipes, including my favorite cake - Red Velvet!
I loved tasting and consuming this cake as it made me realize that I won’t be missing out on ANYTHING with this diagnosis.  Don’t let the types of flour scare you; this is no different than tossing all-purpose flour in with other ingredients.

Cake Ingredients:

1 3/4 c. canola oil
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten (room temp)
1 c. brown rice flour
3/4 c. sorghum flour
3/4 c. tapioca starch
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk (or 1 Tbsp cider vinegar and 1 c. milk substitute)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 oz. red food coloring (this is one of the McCormick’s bottles)
1 Tbsp. cocoa

Frosting Ingredients:
1 box confectioner’s sugar
8 oz. cream cheese (can sub vegan cream cheese)
1 stick butter (room temp)
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 tsp vanilla Cake Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Use a mixer to cream oil and sugar. With the mixer still going, add one egg at a time and beat until the eggs are thoroughly incorporated. (This step creates an emulsion that holds the batter together)

Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Make sure they are well mixed, either by sifting the flours or whisking them.

Add the flour to the oil and sugar mixture in four parts. Alternate the flour with the buttermilk. You should begin and end with dry ingredients and each part should be mixed in completely before you add the next. (If you were to start with the liquids the emulsion would break.)

Make a paste of the cocoa, red food coloring, and vanilla and gently stir it into the batter.
Pour the batter into two greased and floured round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 25 minutes. (A toothpick stuck into the middle of the cake should come out clean when the cake is done)

When the cakes have completely cooled, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Frosting Instructions:
Cream the confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese, and butter.
Mix in the vanilla and chopped nuts.
Spread over cooled cake.

Ina Garten's Mustard Roasted Potatoes

I don’t know what it is about roasted potatoes, but I’ve always been so nervous to make them.  I know I know.  With all the stuff that I make, how could I possibly be scared of roasted potatoes?  It’s true!  I just always imagine them coming out of the oven completely charred on the edges.

Each Thanksgiving, my mother is famous for making these oven roasted potatoes that are to die for!  No literally, I think they are a recipe to kill you with all the oil and butter that is used.  I’m not knocking it, don’t get me wrong, because I serve myself some each and every year.  I do it happily.  I know how good they taste!  I wake up on Thanksgiving morning thinking about how I’ll be eating them in just a few short hours.  That said, I know my mother doesn’t love making something so unhealthy just the same as others don’t love eating something so unhealthy. 

After making these mustard roasted potatoes, I informed my mother that I had a way out of all that guilt!!!  These potatoes are FABULOUS!!!  Plus, I know how much easier they are than my mother’s oven roasted potatoes.  I know she’s always a fan of me making something easier  

Thus, Kornegay Klan, if you are reading this, get ready for a new recipe for oven roasted potatoes this year.  That’s right; these babies are headed for annual Thanksgiving Day reunion.  What?  You said you weren’t coming?  Oh….these should make you RECONSIDER!!!

Source: Beantown Baker

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
2 yellow onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the potatoes into one-inch cubes (halves or quarters for the small potatoes, several more cuts for the larger ones). Place potatoes into a large plastic bag with a zipper seal. Peel onion and cut in half. Slice crosswise to about 1/4 inch thickness to make half rounds and add to bag.

Add the olive oil, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to bag; seal, and toss together. This can be prepped a few hours in advance and left in the plastic bag until ready to roast.

Line a sheet pan with foil and spread potatoes and onions onto pan. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour; until potatoes are lightly browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Toss the potatoes occasionally to prevent sticking and for even browning.

Garnish with chopped parsley and more salt if needed and serve immediately.

I enjoyed my potatoes with Bison steak!

Crockpot Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Gluten-Free Notes at the bottom of this post.

Guests are in town, you sweated and slaved over dinner last night, or you know you’ll sweat and slave over dinner tonight.  Maybe you’ll do so for both meals.  How on Earth will you provide them a decent breakfast, too?!  Easy…pull out the crockpot!

I’d previously tried another version of this recipe that Stephanie with Crockpot 365 suggested, but it was not my favorite at all.  It was good enough for the sous chef, but it was not for me.  Thus, he ate all of it.

This try, however, was certainly tasty!!!  I attribute most of the taste to the fabulous sausage that I purchased specifically for this recipe.  Jimmy Dean’s new All Natural Regular Pork Sausage is absolutely terrific!  It tastes like it came straight from a butcher.  I realize that sounds odd, but, what I mean is, it doesn’t taste like it’s made with other things than just meat and some seasonings.  When you compare the ingredients of this sausage with that of other sausage on the same shelf, above, and below, you’ll see exactly what I mean!  This stuff is amazing, and I buy it 3 at a time now   I love love love the flavor!

Nonetheless, this breakfast dish is incredible because you can put these ingredients in the crockpot the night before, and, the night morning, you have a hashbrown, egg, cheese, sausage, onion, and bell pepper heavenly dish.  I imagine this would be GREAT for kids that have a big test one day; perfect “I have a big test today” breakfast

Below is how I prepared this dish, but click here to see Stephanie’s original recipe.

Ingredients

30 oz package of plain frozen hash brown (shredded) potatoes
1 lb. already-been cooked and cooled sausage (see above note on the HIGHLY suggested Jimmy Dean All Natural Regular Pork Sausage)

1/2 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
12 eggs
1 cup skim or fat free milk
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

Directions.
Use a  6 quart Crockpot for this full recipe.

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray. Dump in the whole package of hash browns. Spread them out with your fingers, and break up any clumps.

In a mixing bowl, mix the dozen eggs with the milk, salt and pepper, cheese, cooked sausage (make sure it’s cooled down), and diced vegetables. Pour everything on top of the hash browns.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4. This is done when the eggs are fully cooked and the edges start to brown a bit. If you want the cheese to brown and get a bit crispy on the sides, cook it longer.

Note that the edges of the dish in the crockpot did brown a bit.  Simply cut those portions off and do not serve them.  Nothing is wrong with the dish, it’s just the way the dish cooks.

Make it Gluten-Free!

• Be sure that the sausage you use is gluten-free.  The suggested sausage above is a gluten-free selection.
• Ensure that your hash browns do not have any additives with gluten.

Red Chile Chicken with Rice and Black Beans

Again, Pink Parsley comes through for me :)  As I mentioned before, she’s been making some fabulous recipes lately, and this was another tasty one, for sure.  The sous chef and I paired this one with the wonderful Mexican Corn Salad.

Sadly, my sous chef was volunteering for an opportunity at work that had him working nights, so I had to savor this by myself for the first time, and he had to partake in it alone the first time while I was at work :/  It was hard for the two of us to operate in the same house but not at the same time.  However, making yummy dishes definitely made it not seem SO BAD since we weren’t resorting to eating out every meal just because we were alone.

All that to say that good, home-cooked, healthy food really can warm the soul…and doesn’t have to make you fat ;)

Source: Pink Parsley adapted from Elly Says Opa! originally from Rick Bayless, Mexican Everyday
Ingredients

2 Tbsp. canola oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1.25-1.5 lbs. total)
2.5 Tbsp. ancho chili powder, divided
1 medium onion, large dice
1-2 jalapenos, diced
1 cup rice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped green onions, (OR 1/3 cup cilantro) OR a mixture of both (which is what I did)
1/2 to 1 cup salsa, for serving
lime wedges and sour cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

Season chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 Tablespoon of chile powder. Preheat a large skillet with oil until shimmering. Brown chicken on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and place on a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible. (As with other chicken recipes, Krista Kooks cooked this chicken in the crockpot with the oil, salt, pepper and chile powder.)

Sautee onion, rice, and jalapeno until the rice is toasted and is no longer translucent and turns opaque. Add the remaining chili powder, the garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook 1 minute, then stir in the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken and the black beans to the pot, stir, re-cover, and cook an additional 10-12 minutes.

Taste a grain of rice. If it is slightly chalky in the center, remove the pot from heat, stir in the green onion and cilantro, and let sit, covered, 5 additional minutes. If it is not cooked through, re-cover the pot, and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until done.

Fluff rice with a fork, and serve with salsa, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Mexican Corn Salad

Put down what you’re eating.  Put down the phone.  Stop whatever you’re doing.  You have to to start imaging how this will taste!  It’s amazing!!!  There is no doubt in my mind that I’ll be making this again.  It’s so full of flavor!  You don’t need much of it at one time as it’s pretty rich, but that doesn’t mean that it’s in any way bad tasting.

The recipe that Pink Parsley shared specifies using mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.  I’m not a big yogurt fan, so I used mayonnaise (gluten-free mayo to be exact).  Additionally, I skipped the ears of corn and went straight for the frozen corn; I don’t feel like we missed out on flavor at all.

I would feel sad for your grocery list this week if the ingredients for this recipe weren’t on it.
Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon minced red onion
3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
6-8 ears of corn, husked
vegetable oil
1/3 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt (Use gluten-free mayo to keep a gluten-free recipe)
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
4 ounces cojita, ricotta salata, feta, or queso blanco, crumbled (about 1 cup)
3 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
kosher salt and ground black pepper
hot sauce

Directions

Prepare grill, and brush the corn with oil.

Combine the garlic, onion, and lime juice in a medium bowl and toss to coat.  Allow to stand for 10 minutes.  Whisk the mayonnaise (or yogurt) and chile powder into the onion mixture.  Set aside.

Grill the corn 10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes, until lightly charred and tender.  Allow to cool slightly, then cut the kernels off the cobs and add to the dressing.  Toss with the cheese and cilantro, mixing well to coat with the dressing.  Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. 

Serve with additional hot sauce if desired.

Crockpot Roast Beef with Mushrooms and Tomatoes

I’ve prepared one other crockpot/slow cooker beef recipe to share with you on Krista Kooks in the past. I haven’t really ever tried another recipe as the previous one was so delicious!  I’ve made it a couple of times since that first post. 

That being said, I wanted to bring you a gluten-free crockpot beef recipe.  Jen (Beantown Baker) did a guest post on the Novice Chef with this terrific Roast Beef!  As Jen mentions, this is an amazingly easy recipe to throw into the crockpot.  I agree with Jen that more tomatoes should be added to this recipe.  I’m constantly looking for recipes that use up some leftover wine, as well.

Ingredients

1 beef roast (about 4lbs)
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup red wine
12 button mushrooms
6 large cherry tomatoes (Krista Kooks suggests using more)
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Dried thyme

Directions

Place meat in slow cooker (trim or remove any extra fat off the meat). Add mushrooms, garlic and tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. Add wine and chicken stock. Toss in the dried thyme. Cover and set on to LOW. Cook for at least 8 hours. Remove meat and vegetables and transfer sauce to pan. Bring sauce to a boil and reduce. Add 1 tbsp. cornstarch to 2 tbsp. Cold Water and mix in a bowl. Add mixture to sauce pan. Bring to a boil and let thicken. Carve meat , drizzle with sauce.

Pasta with Fresh Corn Pesto

Gluten-Free notes at the bottom of this post. I have to say that Pink Parsley has had some fabulous posts lately.  So many of my bookmarked favorites are from her blog!  Thanks for the inspiration Pink Parsley!

I’m sad to say that my cousin can’t partake in this dish due to the pine nuts, but, as long as you can eat everything in this recipe, you totally should!  I and the sous chef both agree that this dish is great and even more fabulous as leftovers. 

On a side note, however, I busted my Magic Bullet in the process of making this dish :(  I’m on the hunt for a repair part.  Sad day!

Source: Pink Parsley adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients


4 bacon slices, preferably applewood-smoked
4 cups fresh corn kernels, cut from 4-6 ears
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces fresh pasta (I used gluten-free pasta)
3/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used a mixture of basil, parsley, and chives)


Directions


Cut each bacon slice in half length-wise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.  Cook in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.  Pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of the fat.


Add the corn, garlic, salt and pepper to the skillet, and saute until the corn is just tender, but not brown, 3-5 minutes.  Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the corn to a small bowl and reserve.  Transfer the rest to a food processor, and add the pine nuts and 1/2 cup of Parmesan.  With the machine running, slowly stream the oil through the feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth.  Set aside.


Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender, but still firm to the bite (not quite as done as you would want it).  Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water and drain the pasta.  Return pasta to the pot and add the pesto, reserved corn kernels, and 1/2 cup fresh herbs. 


Toss well and add pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.  Cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until pasta is cooked through.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.


Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with additional herbs, cheese, and reserved bacon.
Make it Gluten-Free!
-Make sure to use Gluten-Free pasta.

Gluten Free Banana Nut Muffins

While I’ve never personally made banana ANYTHING, I have tasted many banana breads and muffins in my time.  That said, not a single one of them compares to this fabulous recipe; this is by far the best recipe I’ve EVER tasted!!!  It’s great that it’s gluten free, too ;)

I thought that it would be best for me to freeze all but the few mini muffins I made.  Well, that didn’t really do me any good.  I didn’t need to freeze them.  I still consumed them all within one week.  Ooops :/

Moral of the story: MAKE THESE MUFFINS! :)

Ingredients

2 cups Brown Rice Flour Mix

Brown Rice Flour Mix
2 cups extra finely ground brown rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch (not potato flour), 1/3 cup tapioca starch/flour. It is very important that you use an extra finely ground brown rice flour, (and not just any grind) or the muffins will be gritty and heavy.

2/3 cup coconut sugar (granulated white sugar also works)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 packed cup very ripe chopped banana  (about 2 medium bananas)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk (or almond milk/milk substitute of your choice)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (substitutions include canola oil or coconut oil)
Granulated sugar for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Position rack in center of oven. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray (or three 5 x 3 -inch loaf pans).

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and cinnamon in large mixing bowl. Add bananas and walnuts; stir to coat evenly.

Combine milk and oil in small bowl; remove 1 tablespoon of combined liquid and discard it. Beat in eggs. Add liquids to banana mixture and stir until just blended.

Fill muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake 18–25 minutes until golden brown (35–44 minutes for loaf pans). Remove from pan and serve immediately or cool on a rack.

Note: 

1. Krista Kooks much prefers coconut sugar for this recipe!  
2. Consider tossing in 1/2 tsp of allspice or nutmeg as well.  
3. Haven't tried this with flaxseed meal in place of the egg yet, but I'll try again soon!
4. Applesauce works the best in comparison to the canola oil or coconut oil.  Both subs work, but they just aren't the same.

Comfort Turkey Meatloaf

Glutne-Free notes at the bottom of this post. I’ve previously mentioned that I’m excited to try more of Bethenny Frankel Hoppe’s recipes after reading her book.  We tried her Comfort Turkey Meatloaf recently, and it was absolutely fabulous.  This was the best meatloaf I’ve ever eaten!  Bethenny describes this as a meatloaf that makes you feel at home, and I definitely agree; makes you feel at home without making you feel guilty.

I will say that, if you are making this for 2 or 3 people, I would half the recipe.  Add this to your meal plan this week or next; it’s so amazing!

Ingredients

2 T olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic plus 1 tsp
1 tsp of each, chopped: thyme, rosemary
1/3 cup chopped parsley
2 egg whites
1.5 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ C ketchup
2 T Worcestershire sauce
¼ C soy milk or lowfat milk
2/3 C whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 lb. ground turkey meat
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
½ C canned tomatoes, crushed or chopped
Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil and add onions, celery and bell pepper and cook until softened or caramelized (about 5 minutes).  Add 2 teaspoons garlic and the herbs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Cool the vegetable mixture and add the eggs, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and milk.  Mix until combined. Add breadcrumbs, ground meat, salt and pepper, and mix only until incorporated.

Transfer to loaf pan and form.  Pour tomato mixture over the top and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.

Season with salt and pepper, garnish with fresh parsley.

Note: Meatloaf is better when made a day before and reheated.
Make it Gluten-Free!
-Use corn tortilla crumbs or proper gluten free bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs.

Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Corn Muffin

Gluten-Free notes at the bottom of this post.

I bookmarked this recipe way back in January, but I had yet to get around to making it.  Well, I finally did, and these were fabulous!!!  My bosses both loved them, and, of course, the sous chef did, too :)  These would be a GREAT side to your tomato pasta dish.

Ingredients

2 (8 1/2-ounce) packages corn muffin mix
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
3 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes (from an 8-ounce jar)
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup sour cream
2 large eggs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 2 muffin tins.

In a large bowl combine the muffin mix, corn, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to combine.

In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs until well blended. Add the buttermilk mixture to the muffin mix. Stir to combine. Spoon the mix into the muffin tins, filling up the cups about halfway. Bake until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes.

Make it Gluten-Free!
-Use this mix for the corn muffin mix.
-Make sure to use Daisy brand sour cream to ensure a gluten-free sour cream.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

If it’s possible for you to believe, I had never eaten sweet potatoes until August 1st.  What’s harder for me to believe is that I’d never eaten the fabulous potato created by a Texas A&M professor! :)  Nonetheless, so far I at least know I like them in baked french fry form.  I have yet to try them any other way.

The following day, I  decided to make some at home to go alongside our Mexican Turkey Burgers.  This recipe was perfect!  I should say that I should have sliced these potatoes into a smaller fry; I think they would have cooked better.

Ingredients

1 lb peeled sweet potatoes cut into 1/4" match-sticks
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
1/8 tsp black pepper
*you want 1 lb sweet potatoes after they are peeled, sliced, etc. If you weigh them at the store make sure you have a little more than a pound to allow for the peeling, and tossing of small pieces.

Directions

In a small bowl combine cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, parsley, and pepper.

Place sweet potatoes in a pile directly on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use hands to toss until all pieces are well coated. Sprinkle seasoning mixture on top and toss again with hands to coat.

Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer so that pieces are not touching each other. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Use a metal spatula to gently flip fries and then return pan to oven. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until fries are starting to lightly brown and crisp. Remove pan from oven and cool 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Mexican Turkey Burger

The sous chef and I are VERY excited to share this recipe!  We both were so surprised by the flavor and tastiness of this recipe.

I’ve recently started reading Bethenny Frankel’s Naturally Thin in order to possibly change my whole way of thinking on how I nourish my body.  I took a browse on her website and found this recipe.  We were so impressed with the flavor of this turkey burger, and my new bosses :) thought it looked super yummy the next day when I brought in my leftovers for lunch.  The sous chef and I were discussing, post-dinner, about how we didn’t even realize that we were eating turkey as we ate this dinner.

We also dressed this burger with wheat buns, mango pico de gallo, and romaine lettuce.  No sauces or cheese involved.

I seriously SERIOUSLY think  you need to add this to your meal plans this week or next.  You won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey meat (white if ultra lowfat, dark for more flavor, a mixture for a combination of elements)
¼ red pepper, chopped
¼ yellow pepper, chopped small (if you only have one color, that is fine)
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp. chili powder
Dash of tobasco
Dash of Worcestershire Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine and broil until cooked and center isn't pink at all.