Spicy Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

3 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
1/2 sweet onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine
1 can  Dei Fratelli crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup beef broth
1 can red kidney beans
3 large basil leaves, chopped
4 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
3 TBS grated cheese
4 cups cooked white rice


Directions:

1.  In large skillet, heat oil.
2.  Add celery and onion.  Sautee until soft.
3.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stir and cook for 2 mins.
4.  Deglaze with red wine
5.  Add tomatoes and broth, stir
6.  Add beans, herbs and grated cheese.  Stir and simmer for 20 mins.
7.  Serve in bowl with white rice.

Serve 4-6

Mini Apple Brie Pies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour (I use my gluten free flour blend) (see recipe below)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 sticks cold butter (cut into 1 TBS pieces)
8 TBS very cold water
1 can Lucky Leaf Apple Pie filling
4 ozs brie cheese, cut into 1/2 tsp chunks
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 TBS vanilla
milk
chopped walnuts for topping

Directions:

1.  Cut up butter and place in bowl or dish.  Place in freezer to get really cold.
2.  In bowl combine flour, sugar and salt.  Mix well.
3.  In food processor blend together flour and butter.  Pulse 1 TBS of butter at a time.  Add water, 1 TBS at a time.  Pulse until fully blended.  Remove and knead on floured, clean surface for 5 mins.  (or add dough to kitchen aide to knead).
4.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for min. of 1 hour.
5.  Roll dough out and cut approx. 4 inch rounds using cookie cutter.  Place 1 TBS of apple filling and brie cheese chunk into center of each dough round.  Fold over and seal ends.
6.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven on greased cookie sheet for approx. 30 mins.  Let cool.
7.  In bowl add confectioner's sugar and vanilla.  Add milk, little at a time until thin enough to drizzling.  Drizzle icing across each mini pie.  Top with walnuts before icing dries. 

Gluten Free Flour Blend:
4 cups Rice Flour
1 1/3 cup potato starch or corn starch
2/3 cup tapioca flour
2 tsp xanthan gum

Super Moist Cheddar Corn Casserole

Ingredients:
1 cup flour (for gluten free, use GF flour)
1/2 cup sugar (adjust more or less to your liking)
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
3 Tbs butter, melted
1/3 cup vegetable oil
16 ozs creamed corn
16 ozs sweet corn
1 small red bell pepper, chopped fine
8 ozs shredded cheddar cheese
cooking spray

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease large cast iron skillet
2.  In large mixing bowl add dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt and baking powder)
3.  In separate bowl add egg, beat.  Add sour cream, butter, oil and creamed corn. Mix well.
4.  Add remaining corn and bell pepper.  Mix well.  Fold in Cheese.
5.  Pour into greased cast iron.  Bake for approx. 20-25 mins.

Note:  Casserole will be wet and moist, but slightly browned on top
Jalapenos may be added for heat.

Italian Sausage Lentil Soup

My Italian Sausage Lentil Soup

 

with lemon oil and basil oil

Soup Ingredients:
4 TBS olive oil
3 Italian Sausage links
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups red lentil beans
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 dry sherry
32 ozs chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 Bay leaves
1/4 cup grated cheese
salt, to taste
1 cup water

Directions:
1.  In large skillet, add oil heat on medium heat.
2.  Add sausage links.  Cook until brown.  Remove from pan and slice.
3.  Add celery, onion, garlic and sauté until soft
4.  Add lentils and red pepper flakes stir.  Sautee for 5 mins.
5.  Add sherry to deglaze. Stir
6.  Add broth and spices.  Simmer for approx. 25 mins. 
7.  Add grated cheese, stir. 
8.  Add water if too thick.
9.  Remove bay leaves
10.Serve in bowl with drizzle of lemon oil and basil oil.  Add additional cheese, if desire.


Lemon Oil:
zest from one lemon, with juice
4 TBS olive oil
Puree together until smooth.  Add additional oil, if needed

Basil Oil:
6 large basil leaves
5 TBS olive oil
Puree together until smooth.  Add additional oil, if needed

Corn Bread Casserole

Gluten Free Manicotti with Italian Sausage

                                                Pictured with Gluten Free Italian Sausage



Crepes:
1 cup gluten free flour (found in most grocery stores)
1 cup water (additional water may be needed)
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Directions for Crepes:
1.  Whisk all ingredients together in bowl.
2.  Heat approx. a 6 inch non-stick skillet on medium heat.
3.  Spray lightly with cooking spray.  (pan needs to be sprayed between each crepe)
4.  Ladle approx. 1/3 cup batter into non-stick pan, swirling batter around to cover bottom.  Heat to cook for approx. 1 minute.  Layer each crepe between wax paper.


Ricotta Filling:
1 lb ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1 tsp parsley flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions for Filling:
Mix in bowl


Simple Tomato Sauce:
1 lb Gluten Free Italian Sausage  (I use Mulay's)
2 cans crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup grated cheese
1 Tbs parsley flakes
1 Tbs basil flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions for sauce:
1.  Saute sausage in skillet until brown.  Add garlic, brown.
2.  Add tomatoes, cheese and spices.  Stir and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.


To assemble Manicotti:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.  Spread favorite tomato sauce on bottom of 13 inch baking dish.
2.  Fill each crepe with approx. 2-3 Tbs of filling.  Add about 1 Tbs chopped sausage.  Fold two ends, to seal.  Place folded side down into baking dish.  Repeat with remaining crepes.  Cover with tomato sauce.  Sprinkle with additional shredded mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 20 mins.  Let sit 10 mins before serving.

Serve crepes with additional slices of Italian Sausage.  Recipe makes about 8 large Manicotti's. 

Gluten Free Flour Blend

This recipe is for a basic gluten-free flour blend.  I buy my ingredients at a nearby Asian Market.  Some ingredients can also be found at your local grocery store or online.  You can also substitute the white rice flour for brown rice flour or mix half and half.  I also mix a small batch of this recipe incorporating sweet rice flour for dessert recipes, such as crepes. 

 

For a flour blend used for baking, you will need to add xanthan gum.  

What is xanthan gum?  Xanthan gum provides elasticity and stickiness into batters and doughs.  It acts as a binder, helps hold onto some moisture, and helps give your baked goods some structure.  

The first recipe below is an example of a blend used for baking.  Note:  I add my xanthan gum to recipes, as I need it to keep my flour blend basic. But if you do add it remember, a little goes a long way.  

Make sure to label your different combinations when stored so you can identify which one you are using. 

(Yield: Approx. 6 cups)

4 cups (463 g) Rice Flour
1 1/3 cup (228 g)potato starch or corn starch
2/3 cup (105 g) tapioca flour
2 tsp xanthan gum (optional)

(Yield: Approx. 12 cups)
8 cups Rice Flour
2 2/3 cup Potato starch
1 1/3 cups tapioca
4 tsp xanthan gum (optional)

(Yield:  Approx. 18 cups)
12 cups Rice Flour
4 cups potato starch
2 cups tapioca flour
6 tsp xanthan gum (optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Transfer into an airtight storage container.