Chicken Pasta Salad

This is just the BEST!

1 package of gluten free noodles. I used Rotini cooked and drained.
4 dill pickles, diced
2 sweet pickles diced
1 medium sweet onion diced
1can sliced black olives
1 jar pimentos diced... (omit for night shade free)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins"
1 can of chicken (I used sam's brand)
shredded
3/4 cup of mayonaise
2 tsp garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Mix everything together.... WONDERFUL!

Baked Potato Salad

Baked Potato Salad

4 small or medium sized baked potatoes cooled in refrigerator over night
and cut into pieces
1/2 jar of Vlaski dill relish
1 small white onion, diced
1/2 cup green salad olives w/ pimentos
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp of liquid smoke
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup mayonaise (Hellmans is gluten free)
3/4 cup of sour cream

Mix all spices and vinegar into mayonaise and sour cream
pour over all other ingredients and stir together.
Let chill for about an hour before serving.

ALTERNATIVE:
Instead of Mayonaise and Sourcream
Substitute 1/2 cup of light olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp basil
and all other spices mentioned above
mix dressing well and pour over potatoes.
Chill.

Potato salad is very tasty with gluten free sausage, such as
Mozarella/Artichoke, or Poblano pepper.... there are gluten free sausages
available at Sams Club at a very reasonable price.

(Potatoes are not night shade free) :/

Posole Casserole

Posole Casserole

My friend Kim introduced me to the idea of Posole Casserole
(This is NOT nightshade free)

1 cup of diced chicken (optional)
2 cans of white hominy
2 cans of yellow hominy
(15 oz cans)
1 small can of chopped green chilis
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups fiesta cheese (mexican cheese)
1 can of rotel tomatoes with lime and cilantro
1 small onion diced
1 small jar of pimentos diced
1/2 cup sliced black olives
garlic, salt and pepper to taste
(I use 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic and 1/2 tsp of pepper)
1/3 cup sliced MILD jalapeno's with a little juice. (we use Mezzetta brand)
Tortilla chips or fritos crushed

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Drain fluid from Hominy and place in large bowl
Drain fluid from Rotel
Mix all ingredients together except chips
Pour into casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with chips
Place back in oven and bake for 15 more minutes.

Gluten Free Stuffing

Gluten Free Bread Stuffing

I figured since Thanksgiving is almost upon us, I had better get to experimenting!

Here is my Gluten Free Bread Stuffing Recipe :

8 slices Udi Bread toasted and torn up in 1 inch pieces
2 mushrooms sliced (I used larger white cap mushrooms but not giant ones)
1 stalk of celery diced up
1/2 onion diced
1 egg
1/4 cup of butter melted
3/4 cup of gluten free chicken broth
2 TSP sage
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp parsley
4 oz of ground pork sausage (great value brand is gluten free)

If you want it more moist, use 1 cup of broth.


combine all DRY  ingredients and stir
add melted butter
well beaten egg
sausage
3/4 cup broth

stir well and put in baking dish
(I am using a 10x9, but I think an 8x8 may be better. (I just don't have one) :)

Bake at 350º covered for 45 minutes
I almost forgot to take a picture! LOL
And, it tastes great, it really does!
It was my first attempt to make regular bread stuffing.

This recipe is not nightshade free because the Udi bread contains potato starch. Working on a new one.

Gluten Free-Night Shade Free Lettuce Wraps

GLUTEN FREE- NIGHT SHADE FREE Lettuce Wraps

 ( I need to dice everything more carefully)

This is a recipe that would serve 2 people.  After eating at P.F. Changs last night, I was really interested in recreating the gluten free Lettuce Wraps.

I found a few recipes online that seemed to go in the right direction, and then I decided to give it a shot and recreate the taste from last night.....

My first try was DELICIOUS!  I think there are many things to do with this recipe.....and many ways to tweak it according to dietary needs.

So here is my "loose" not etched in stone Recipe. :)

Lettuce Wraps:  GLUTEN FREE and NIGHT SHADE FREE

2 chicken tenders diced into very fine pieces
1 green onion , including green part finely sliced
8 shitake mushrooms finely diced
water chestnuts finely diced ( I used about 15)
1 TLB of freshly minced garlic
1/4 tsp pepper  (still experimenting)
1/4 cup RICE WINE
1/4 cup GLUTEN FREE soy sauce... ( I used tamari)
I think Braggs liquid aminos would work fine.
If you are soy free, I don't know.....
Lettuce

Put all ingredients into wok, and stir fry until done. (about 5 minutes0
Serve with lettuce leaves  (like tacos made of lettuce) :)
It will make about 8.....small wraps


Ideas I have flowing:
Add finely diced carrots, finely diced celery, MORE mushrooms and NO chicken for vegan,
more pepper and maybe some horse radish for spice......and possibly nuts. 

I know that PF Changs puts sugar in their recipe. I think the rice wine is sweet enough.

Christie M's Waldorf Salad

Christie M's Waldorf Salad

I am trying all sorts of new things. I remember having a Waldorf salad a long time ago at a hotel and I really liked it.  This is my attempt to make it for myself and it turned out great! 

                                                            Minich Waldorf Salad
1 stalk of celery diced
1 apple cored and diced (peel on) I used gala.
12 grapes of any kind, (seedless) I used red, for color.
1/3 cup diced white onion
1/2 tsp garlic
1/3 cup diced walnuts
2 TLB non fat plain yogurt
1 TLB  Hellman's (gluten free) Mayonaise
Freshly ground pepper to taste

(options if you are not vegetarian.... 1/3 cup diced chicken,  or 1/4 cup bacon bits)
( also, fresh, drained pineapple would be a wonderful addition)
Mix it all together and refrigerate.  The Longer you refrigerate the more the flavors blend together and it is TASTY! 
This will be on our Thanksgiving Day Table!

I am no longer missing coke or pizza on Friday night. :)

Gluten Free Night Shade Free Sauteed Sauerkraut

Sauteed Sauerkraut

I know many folks do NOT like sauerkraut. I didn't, because all I knew of it was that it was canned and tasteless.  What a terrible knock to real sauerkraut!

Since then, I have discovered REAL sauerkraut that is made well and NOT from a can!  Fresh sauerkraut isn't so tart it makes your mouth pucker.  Saute' it, and it is even better!

So here is my Saute'd Sauerkraut Recipe.

                                                             Sauteed Sauerkraut

1 cup of sauerkraut  preferably fresh not canned
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 tsp dill weed
1 tsp fresh garlic minced
1/3 cup diced onion
fresh ground pepper to taste (black or white)
1 tsp unsalted butter or 1 tsp coconut oil

melt butter or heat coconut oil on hot skillet
add all ingredients and stir until sauerkraut gets a little wilted
(3-5 minutes) and flavors blend.

optional- top with a tsp of fresh bacon bits, or add 1/2 a diced apple