Tips and Tricks for the BEST GF St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef and Cabbage

Okay, so I cheat. I have no idea how to make corned beef from scratch. I just go to the grocery store and buy the pre-packaged corned beef (reading labels to make sure it's gluten-free), and I plop it in the slow-cooker for our GF St. Patrick's Day tradition.

However I have learned a few tips and tricks over the years to  make it turn out yummy:

• My grandmother told me that when you remove the corned beef from the package, you need to squeeze all the juice out of it. That juicy stuff is what makes it tender and tasty.
• Cook your cabbage in one inch of boiling water for four minutes, no more. That way the cabbage is al dente. If it's a really large head of cabbage, I cook it for five minutes.
• Pre-slice the cabbage before serving. That way, people who like their cabbage soft can get the outer leaves; people who like their cabbage stiffer can take the inner leaves.
• Minute rice is fine, but don't use flavored rices with your corned beef and cabbage. Just cook plain old white rice. The corned beef provides all the flavor your need.
• Potatoes go well with corned beef also, but if you substitute the rice for a potato dish, keep it simple. Boiled potatoes with butter and parsley is all you need. No gravy is necessary.

How to Make Your Own Gluten-Free Spaghetti Sauce

When my daughter, Annie, was first diagnosed with celiac disease, I had to learn how to make everything from scratch. My mother had always used pre-made, store-bought spaghetti sauce. And in those early days, I had no idea that Ragu offered gluten-free sauces. I went through a time where I was afraid to feed Annie anything at all, if I didn't make it myself.

Of course I don't mind opening a jar of Ragu these days, but quite honestly, I now prefer my own, home-made spaghetti sauce to anything pre-packaged.

So here's the recipe I use:

Ingredients

2 lbs. hamburger
2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
fresh parsley
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced peppers
4 med. white mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Brown hamburger in a frying pan and drain the excess fat. Add onions and mushrooms. Fry for an additional minute. Add tomato sauce, parsley, chili powder, and onion powder. Mince or crush garlic cloves and add this as well. (For some people, 4 cloves might be too strong, but my family likes a lot of garlic.) Simmer. At the last minute, add peppers and simmer for 30 seconds until peppers are al dente.

To make spaghetti, of course, you just cook noodles according to package directions and pour this sauce over your cooked noodles. Our favorite brand of GF spaghetti noodles is Tinkyada, because this brand cooks up al dente.

Gluten-free Breakfast on the Go!

The Domestic Geek made this wonderful video, showing us all how to make spinach and tomato frittatas, potato roasties, and almond breakfast bites. Each of these is made in a muffin tin, so they're handy to take with you in the morning. Thanks for this great video, Domestic Geek!

Nutella Hot Chocolate

Yep! Nutella is gluten-free! I wish this recipe was dairy-free too, but it's not. 

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup Nutella

1/4 cup GF chocolate chips

1 Tbsp. GF vanilla extract

dash of salt

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat, add milk, cream, Nutella and chocolate chips. Mix continuously with a whisk until smooth. Turn stove to low and add vanilla and salt, mixing nonstop.

Do not boil milk products. It’s ready to serve when hot.

Have Fun Making GF (Pretend) Waffles for Your Dolls

People who know me in my personal life are aware that I make doll clothes. In fact, I have another blog, ChellyWood.com, where I post my free, printable sewing patterns for dolls.

And I'm a big fan of Froggy, from My Froggy Stuff! I recently discovered this video, where Froggy shows us how to make doll waffles.

The cool thing about this video is that all the ingredients are gluten free, so while you're not supposed to eat these waffles, at least we can be sure we won't be getting sick from PlayDough under our fingernails or whatever. So I thought I'd share this under the category of "Food Projects for Kids".

 

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Eggs Benedict Recipe

This is one of my kids' favorite breakfasts! I usually make them this special treat before they leave for school on a day when they will be taking a test or going on a field trip, because it's a good, solid breakfast with lots of protein.

Ingredients:

GF bread or GF English muffins

1 Tbsp. bacon grease, lard, or dairy-free buttery spread

1 1/2 to 2 cups soy milk

2-3 Tbsp. GF flour mix (1 part rice flour, 1 part tapioca starch, 1 part potato starch flour)

salt and pepper

GF ham or Canadian bacon

slice of tomato (optional)

1 Tbsp. vinegar (less if your kids don't like the flavor of vinegar)

2 eggs

Directions: 

1. Toast the bread or English muffins.
2. Poach eggs in a water/vinegar fry pan or use an egg poacher.
3. Mix 1/4 cup of the soy milk with 2 Tbs. of flour mix until all the flour lumps dissolve into the soy milk. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, mix the extra 1 Tbsp. of flour mix with 3 Tbsp. of soy milk. Set the smaller portion aside.
4. Place your bacon grease, lard, or dairy-free buttery spread in the center of a sauce pan and melt it at medium-high heat. Add the 1/4 cup soy milk/flour mixture while whisking continuously.
5. When your flour/soy milk mixture thickens, slowly add more soy milk until you have a gravy-like consistency. If you find it becomes too thin, add the 3 Tbsp. soy milk/flour mix, a little at a time, until you've got a gravy.
6. You can add a little yellow food coloring to make the gravy look pretty, but you don't have to. Salt and pepper the gravy to to taste.

Layer the eggs Benedict in this order:

Bottom => toast

Next => ham

Next => tomato (optional)

Next => eggs

Top => gravy

Gluten and Dairy-Free Waldorf Salad (No Nuts)

As you can tell by the title of this post, we have food allergies at our house. Some of us are allergic to pecans; some can't eat walnuts; others are lactose and gluten intolerant. So how do I make a gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free Waldorf salad? Here's my recipe:

Ingredients:

4 apples -- cored and diced
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
dash of salt

Directions:

1. Mix mayonnaise, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Add salt to taste. 
2. In another bowl, toss apple, celery, and cranberries. 
3. Fold mayonnaise mixture in with a spatula and stir until apples are well-coated.