Gourmet Pizzas

Over the years, Glutenfreeda has spent many hours in the kitchen trying to perfect gluten-free pizza. Part of the difficulty with pizza is that everyone has their own idea of what perfect pizza is. Some like thin, crisp crusts and some like thick crusts. But the one thing that all pizza lovers have in common is that they want a pizza crust that doesn’t taste gluten-free!

Making Pizza dough:

Through hours of experimentation we have developed a pizza crust recipe that tastes like the real thing. It has a wonderful "non-gluten" free taste and comes out with a crust that is neither thin or thick…but rather right in the middle. Here is our basic pizza crust recipe:

Pizza crust:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup warm water (105-115°F)
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2-1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast
• 2 cups gf flour*
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Extra olive oil for forming dough

Directions:

In a small bowl combine warm water, sugar and yeast. Stir and proof for about 5 minutes or until foamy.

Mix gf flour and salt in work-bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with a paddle.

Add 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil to proofed yeast. Pour yeast mixture into flour mixture and mix on medium speed for 6-7 minutes. The dough should be soft enough that it somewhat adheres to the sides of the bowl. If the dough appears to be too stiff, add more warm water, about 2 tablespoons at a time until it softens up.

Turn dough out onto a greased pizza pan. Drizzle dough with olive oil and rub your hands with a little olive oil. Press dough into an even layered circle, creating a little lip around outer edges. If it starts to stick to your hands rub your hands with a little more olive oil.

Cover pizza crust with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake pizza crust for 7 minutes. Remove from oven (keep oven on). Top with your favorite sauce and toppings. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese (if using) has melted and is lightly browned in spots.

*We used The Gluten Free Pantry's Country French Bread flour mix for the gf flour in this recipe. To purchase this product please click here.

If you would rather create your own flour mix we have tested the following gf flour combination with great results:

Pizza gluten-free flour mix:

• 1-1/2 cups brown rice flour
• 1-1/2 cups white rice flour
• 2/3 cup potato starch
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 2 teaspoons xanthan gum

The Toppings:

After your crust has baked for the original 7 minutes, it is now time to get creative. Sure you can opt for the American favorites such as Hawaiian or Pepperoni, however some of the best pizzas are those that are topped with great foods that compliment each other or perhaps even contrast each other (for example, sweet & spicy, or salty & sweet). My favorite thing to do with pizza is raid the fridge for leftovers. One of the best pizza’s I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying was made from leftover filet mignon, ricotta cheese, basil and fresh tomatoes. You can also look outside of the "pizza box" and experiment with different sauces…you don’t always have to use a red pizza sauce. You can use a white sauce, pesto, or you can eliminate the sauce altogether as we did with our Mesclun Pizza and have the highlight of your pizza be the toppings!

It’s OK to take off the Domino’s hat and discover some new and exciting flavors that could turn a safe standby meal into a gourmet meal you’ll treasure.

To get your creative juices flowing, here are some wonderful pizza recipes developed by Glutenfreeda:

Pizza with Beef Tenderloin, Ricotta, Basil & Tomatoes

Mixed Pepper Pizza with Feta

Pizza with Pancetta, Onions, & Red Pepper

Mesclun Pizza

Ricotta, Sun-Dried Tomato & Artichoke Pizza

Sausage, Pizza with Caramelized Onions & Fontina

Pizza with Beef Tenderloin, Ricotta, Basil & Tomatoes

Enjoy!

Perfect Picnics

Outdoor dining can be a challenge on a gluten-free diet because many of the foods associated with picnics are typically gluten oriented. Gluten-free foods generally do not keep as long and can suffer quality if made too far in advance of your outing. The trick to great gluten-free picnics is to choose the right foods that will keep and travel well.

Here are a few ideas:

Snacks:

• Gluten-free corn chips with Bean & Cheese Dip: Dip should be warm
• Robert’s Snack Foods: Many flavors and varieties, most are gluten-free
• Ener-G Foods Pretzels
• Barbara’s Natural Potato Chips: Arguably the best gf potato chip on the market!
• Fresh vegetables
• Fresh fruit

Breads and baked goods:

• Chili & Fresh Cornbread Muffins: Bake the morning of your picnic
• Strawberry Bread: Bake the morning of or the night before
• Carrot Spiced Muffins: Bake the night before

Salads:

• Cherry Tomato and Fresh Corn Salad
• Tropical Fruit Salad
• Chicken Pasta Salad w/Tomatoes & Kalamata Olives
• Fresh Corn & Black Bean Salad
• Summer Coleslaw
• Pasta Salad w/Corn & Chipotle Dressing

Main Dishes:

• Grilled Half Chicken with Abodo Recado
• Grilled Brats with Onion Marmalade: Marmalade can be made the day before
• Barbecued Pork Ribs with Blackberry BBQ Sauce: Make the day before and rewarm
• Chicken Burgers with Pesto: These are great if you can grill on your picnic
• Fried Chicken

Desserts:

• Blueberry Sour Cream Pie: Make the day before
• Lime Cheesecake Pie: Make the day before
• Decadent Brownies: Make the day before
• Cookies Make the day before
• Lemon Squares: Make the day before

We hope these ideas have enticed your taste buds and have you looking forward to your first summer picnic.

Have a great summer!

Perfecting GF Coffee Cakes

The secret to a great, moist gluten-free coffee cake is in following a few simple tips that you can apply to any ‘gluten’ coffee cake with terrific results.

A great coffee cake recipe is wonderful to have in your repertoire. Coffee cakes are easy to make and perfect to serve for breakfast, as a snack or for dessert.

Tips for a perfect gluten-free coffee cake:

1. Use no more than 2 cups of gluten-free flour.
2. We use the Gluten Free Pantry’s Country French Bread Mix as a straight substitution for flour with great results.
3. Use 1 teaspoon baking powder AND 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to give your cake lift.
4. Use 1/2 cup vegetable oil instead of butter.
5. Use 3 large eggs
6. Use 1 cup gf yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk

For Crumb Topping:

1. Use no more than 2 Tablespoons gf flour in the mixture
2. Sprinkle the topping over the top of the cake after 40 minutes of baking, then continue to bake for the remainder of specified time.

Try one of our favorite recipes this month, ‘Cranberry Nut Coffee Cake’ . This coffee cake is truly delicious and will hold its moist texture the next day.

Springtime Dinners

Light & Satisfying Meals for your Busy Spring Nights

This time of year always seems to be a blur. Most families are busy with the kid’s extra-curricular activities, their own commitments, work, school, yard work and so much more. This spring keep your energy up by enjoying light & satisfying meals. Here are some simple, delicious meals that you and your family can enjoy during this busy time of year.

Vietnamese Shrimp & Chicken Rolls served with Simple Cucumber Salad with Rice Wine Vinegar

Salmon & Dill Quesadillas served with Romaine Salad with Oranges & Strawberries

Grilled Tuna with Herbed Cream served with steamed rice and sautéed asparagus or green beans.

Grilled Herbed Porterhouse Steaks with Fresh Herbs & Olive Butter served with Braised Potatoes and a simple green salad.

Linguini w/Fresh Tomato & Basil served with Lettuce & Fennel Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Broiled Salmon w/Ginger & Scallions served with Lemon Rice

Polenta Revisited

Over the years, we have shared many recipes using polenta as a main ingredient. Polenta continues to be one of our favorite foods and is a wonderful, nutritious addition to a Celiac’s diet.

Polenta is coarse ground corn meal but other than the size of the ground grain, it is the exact same thing as corn meal. Corn meal can be purchased from fine to coarse grind. Fine and medium grinds are generally used for making corn bread, muffins and most baking. When recipes call for polenta, it is the coarsest grind that they refer to.

Different methods of cooking polenta result in different textures. Cooked polenta can be creamy as in soft polenta, to gritty, as when added to a crust. For soft polenta the cooking method is similar to that of risotto, except that for risotto, heated broth is continually added throughout the cooking process and for polenta, the liquid is added all at once. Flavorings are added virtually the same.

There are a few tips to remember when cooking polenta.

1. Generally, the liquid to polenta ratio is 3 to 1.
2. Always add polenta to the simmering liquid in a slow steady stream to prevent lumps from forming.
3. Always stir while adding polenta to liquid, preferably with a wooden spoon.
4. Cook polenta in a heavy saucepan to avoid burning
5. It is not necessary to stir polenta continuously once the cooking process has begun, but you must stir every 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Polenta is done when the mass comes away from the pan sides when stirred.

For this feature, we have compiled a varied group of polenta recipes from appetizers to desserts. Polenta is a refreshing change as a side dish from rice, potatoes or pasta and so much more. Explore these recipes and see if you don’t agree that polenta is a fabulous alternative to wheat.

Polenta Puffs
Polenta Croutons
Polenta Berry Pancakes
Braised Beef with Soft Polenta
Polenta Lasagne
Polenta with Smoked Salmon & Poached Eggs
Fried Tomatoes with Polenta
Chocolate Polenta Cakes
Apple Cranberry Polenta Tart

Baking in Foil

Baking in foil is a method of cooking that locks in natural flavors and keeps food moist. Foil packets are also great ways to combine an entrée with vegetables and sauce all in one neat packet.

Foil packets can be substituted with parchment packets if you prefer. When using parchment be sure to butter it well and reduce the cooking time.

Foil packets create a wonderful steamy aroma when opened at the table. They are the perfect way to tantalize an appetite! Packets can be cut in different and fun shapes like clam shells, footballs, rectangles, squares or circles.

A great time saver, packets can be prepared ahead of cooking time and popped in the oven for 30 minutes or less prior to serving.

For a quick and simple anytime dinner, try these baked in foil recipes,

Sole w/Crème Fraiche in Foil
Chicken & Pepperoni in Foil
Shrimp, Procuitto & Lemon in Foil
Chicken, Pineapple & Cherry Tomatoes in Foil

Everything Eggs!

We are fortunate enough to live on enough acreage that enables us to keep chickens. Our chickens live free range and are only fed organic feed. This combination produces the most wonderful eggs; deep orange yolks buried inside an odd variety of egg sizes and colors ranging from beige to blue. With an endless supply of eggs, I find myself compelled to dream up different ways to cook and eat eggs.

Breakfast around our house just wouldn’t be breakfast without eggs. The key to eggs for breakfast every day is to keep it interesting! Try ‘Eggs in Tomato Cups’ for a completely different presentation of and egg and a tomato. Strattas, crepes, omelets are all made completely unique by simply using whatever ingredients you have on hand. One of our favorite recipes this month is, ‘Polenta with Smoked Salmon & Poached Eggs’, the flavors compliment each other perfectly in this surprisingly delicious meal. For a great side dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner, try ‘Potato and Egg Torta’, simple to make and just as satisfying to eat.

If you’re on the go and have no time to cook a big breakfast, try my favorite quick breakfast. This is best with very fresh eggs. Simply fry two eggs in a little butter. While the eggs are frying, heat a dry cast iron skillet over high heat. When hot, place a gf corn tortlla on the skillet and cook until brown spots begin to appear on the pan side. Flip over and cook until tortilla is soft, this will only take a few minutes. Cook two tortillas this way, roll up and serve with eggs. The tortillas are delicious with soft egg yolks and perfect for mopping them up. You'’ll never miss toast again!

Cooking eggs:

Poached: Heat a fairly deep skillet of water to a simmer. When the water is simmering, carefully crack the eggs into the water. Cook the eggs at a simmer for approximately 3 minutes. You can cook longer depending on how firm you like your yolks but do not cook longer than 5 minutes. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon.

Hard boiled: Bring a pot of water to a boil relative in size to the amount of eggs you want to cook. There should be enough water to cover all the eggs. Add about a Tablespoon of salt to the water. I know that that sounds like an incredible amount of salt, but salt helps to free the egg membrane from the shell so that it is easier to peel. This is particularly true of very fresh eggs. Once the water is boiling, gently place the eggs in the water with a slotted spoon. Turn the heat down slightly so that it is still boiling, but less vigorously. Remove eggs after 8 minutes and plunge into an ice water bath to cool. Peel eggs after 1 minute. If you prefer firmer yolks, cook the eggs up to 10 minutes.

Scrambled: The best pan for scrambled or fried eggs is a non-stick skillet. It is not necessary to add any liquid to the eggs when scrambling. Just about anything can be added to scrambled eggs, salt and pepper, vegetables, cheeses, meats, fish and/or herbs. Cook the eggs over low heat and stir frequently. The eggs will continue to cook when you turn the heat off, so turn the heat off just before you think the eggs are done.

For more great egg recipes try:

Eggs Benedict
Spanish Tortilla
Shrimp Stuffed Eggs
GF Mayonnaise
Lemon Curd
Angelfood Cake with Strawberries
Creme Brulee