#GlutenFree Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pretzel Snack Mix

Being Gluten Free does not mean that you need to deprive yourself. There are more and more Gluten Free items out there each and every day. However, I have noticed that there are a lot more treats ans in sweets available now than let's say 5 years ago. I feel that no mater if you are gluten sensitive, intolerant or if you have celiac disease it does not mean that it has to ruin your life. You can learn to go to peoples houses with your own snacks and treats. To be honest your host will probably welcome the idea. I let people know up front not to worry about Miss J. I will make sure she has plenty of snacks and treats and if we happen to be going for a BBQ or a Pizza party I make sure I call ahead to find out the menu. I next prepare her the same food at home so she doesn't feel left out. This way there are no cross contamination issues. 

So the other day we went to a a BBQ and the host said that she had made snack mix with Gluten Free Cereal. J was so excited. but prior to letting her have some of this snack mix I asked the host a couple of questions. What kind of pretzels are these? She said I don't know just regular old pretzels. So we decided to pass because if your host can't tell you exactly what's in it it's best to skip it. After we came home, I asked Miss J if she wanted me to make her some snack mix and yes she did. So here is my recipe for Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pretzel Snack Mix .

Gluten Free Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pretzel Snack Mix Ingredients:

1 bag of Chocolate Chips (processed in a Gluten Free Facility)
1 Cup Crunchy Peanut Butter (Gluten Free)
1 stick of butter
9 Cups of Gluten Free Cereal ( I used 3 Cups Cinnamon apple 3cups plain and 3 cups Honey Nut)
3 Cups Pretzels (Glutino Gluten Free Pretzels)
2 Cups of peanuts
1 1/2 cups of powder sugar

Equipment:

2 Sheet of Wax Paper
1 Supper Large Bowl
1 Medium Size Bowl (Microwave safe)
a pair of disposable gloves
2 cookies sheets

In a medium size add first 3 ingredients and place in microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high stiring each time 30 second is up.

It took about 3 times for mine to be creamy.

In a large bowl combined pretzels, peanuts and ceral.

Now it's time to put your gloves on but before you do that get your 2 cookie sheets out and place waz paper on each of them.

Next pour chocolate peanut butter mixture on pretzel mixture and make sure you have your gloves on and toss with hands.

After fully coated add powder sugar a little at a time while continually tossing.

After fully tossed place on cookie sheet in refrigerator for about a hour until completely set.

Makes about 12 (1) cup servings i.e. this bowl is 8 ounces.

Enjoy...

Sheila Fretz

#GlutenFree Chicken in a paper bag the way my Mom used to make.

 

 

I love a good rotisserie chicken; I love the way the skin is crispy and almost taste like a piece of salty candy and has that savory flavor. The other day I was discussing with my hubby before there were plastic oven bags people made there chickens in paper bags. He was in shock!  He said "Your oven will catch on fire!" I assured him that it would not, but I promised him that I would stay home while I was cooking the chicken the brown paper bag. My mom cooked it this way for years. The reason it works is the bag just keeps enough steam in the bag to keep the chicken moist. While caramelizing the skin at the same time, to get that savory crunchy flavor.  So yesterday we both got home from work a little early and we decided it was time to make this chicken. He even offered to help me and cleaned the chicken before I could snap a few shots. This is quick and easy just follow the directions and you will be done in a snap. Enjoy~

 

 

Chicken in a paper bag Ingredients:

 

1 large 3 or 4 pound chicken

3 Tablespoons salt

3 Tablespoons pepper

3 tablespoons garlic powder

1 medium size onion

a sprig or two of Rosemary (optional)

 

 

Equipment

 

1 large cookie sheet or Jelly roll pan with edges

1 Large grocery bag with handles removed

1 piece of String.

1 meat thermometer

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

 

 

Clean Chicken by salting cavity and rinsing thouroughly and pat dry.

 

 

Cut 1 onion in quarters

 

 

Place onion and Herbs in Cavity

 

 

Liberaly coat the chicken with Salt peper and garlic powder.  DO NOT ADD ANY OIL!

 

 

Next pace in Bag that has been placed on a cookie sheet.

 

 

Tie Bag closed making sure the bag has some air in it and is pouffy.

 

 

About 2 hours in place a meat thermometer to the thickest part of the chicken where the leg meeets the breast the temperature should register 160 degrees. BE CAREFULL WHEN OPENING BAG STEAM BURNS CAN HAPPEN. If it's not at 160 degrees seal the bag up again. This is why I use a a meat thermometer that you can leave on in the begining of the cooking process leading out of the bag.

 

 

 

If your bird does read 160 degrees cook uncovered for another half hour to get that crispy skin.

 

Enjoy your chicken in a bag

 

Bon Appetit~

 

Sheila Fretz

Gluten Free Fried Chicken the way the Colonel used to make it.

I love fried Chicken however, since being gluten free it is not the easiest to find. So this past Memorial Day weekend my hubs and I got out the Deep Fat fryer and the Colonel's secret herbs and spices and I am going to share it with you today. This recipe involves a deep fat fryer, however, you could also fry in a cast iron skillet but it might take a little bit longer. Did you know that Colonel Sanders used a pressure cooker to fry his chicken. Well I'm not that brave. I have a pressure cooker but oil and pressure cookers don't sound like a good mixture especially if you have never used one before.

Gluten Free Fried Chicken Ingredients

1 whole chicken cut up in 8 pieces
Salt Pepper and Garlic Powder
2 cups of buttermilk

2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon onion salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon basil leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon marjoram leaves, crushed finely
1 cup of sorghum flour
1 cup of rice flour
2 cups of  gluten free bread crumbs. (I like to take my Glutino Bread heals and grind up in Cuisinart or Glutino also makes and sells at your local market.)
4 eggs beaten
1 gallon of Canola Oil (Can be reused, but make sure that this is only used for gluten free foods because once you add wheat flour too no longer can used to fry gluten free foods again. )

Equipment
Deep Fat Fryer
Tongs or Birds Nest
Drying Rack
Paper towels
Cookie Sheet

The night before cut up your chicken in 8 pieces and season with salt pepper and garlic powder than place in a zip lock back covered in buttermilk let marinade over night.

In a large bowl place both flours plus 11 secret spices and whisk together.

Take your chicken out of the bag and dip flour mixture then beaten eggs lastly coating with bread crumbs.

 Place in fryer with the temperature of 320 to 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Next place on cookie sheet on a rack that has paper towels below and place in oven to keep warm while cooking the rest of the chicken. I normally have my oven temperature at 250 degrees or so.

Serve with your Beet Greens, Beets, Potato Salad and this fabulous fried chicken. Enjoy and have a great and happy summer.

Sheila Fretz

Beet Greens #gluten free and tasty

Do you like eating collard greens? Well I do and I hate to waste food. When I buy beets I never throw out the stems. I simply do this....

Cut the Greens away from the beets leaving a small amount of stem.

Place in sink or tub with Water and salt to kill any bugs.

Place in a pan with steamer and steam until wilted mine took about 5 to 7 minutes. Then coat with olive oil salt and pepper.

Last garnish with a little butter and toss until full coated serve with my fried chicken recipe which I will post later on next week.


Enjoy and Bon Appetit

Sheila Fretz

#Glutenfree Roasted beets

I love going to the local farmers market. You generally know what your getting when you go there because at most farmers markets the growers are the ones that are selling the fruits and vegetables. Today I am going to give you the quickest and easiest way of roasting beets with the skins on so you loose very little  of the nutritional value.  I like to serve these as a side or on a salad with a little goat cheese and my balsamic glaze


#Glutenfree Roasted beets ingredients
2 bunches of Beets from your local farmers market
Olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste
Garlic Powder to taste

Equipment
Aluminum Foil
Cookie Sheet

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Take the Beets and Cut off the greens and bottoms ( You know you can steam and eats like collard greens) place in colander and scrub off dirt.

On a sheet of foil place cleaned beets and coat with olive oil.

Next season with Salt Pepper and Garlic Powder.

Next seal up  and place on cookie sheet for 60 minutes until fork tender.

When tender let cool for about a hour. Next place gloves on and place under water the skins should fall off.

Serve with a salad or a side dish. Like I made this great salad with goat cheese, grapes, strawberries and beets served with my balsamic glaze.


Enjoy and Bon Apetit

Sheila Fretz

Gluten Free Lemon Curd Bread Pudding

The other day my husband and I were shopping at the 99 cents only store and to my surprise they carry Gluten Free Products like Glutino's Harvest Corn Bread. I had never seen this product before and I noticed the size of the bread was a great deal larger than my regular Gluten Free Bread that I buy at $7.00 a bag. So for $0.99 I thought what the heck lets do something fun with this bread besides making toast or Sandwiches.
So I thought to my self how about a bread pudding recipe that won't break the bank. So I created this lucious lemon curd bread pudding.

Equipment
13 x 9 pan
whisk
Sauce Pan
Bowl
wooden spoon
Aluminum foil to cover.

Bread Pudding Ingredients
1 loaf of Harvest Corn Bread by Glutino
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Gluten Free Cornstarch
the zest of a whole lemon about 2 Tablespoon
1/2 cup lemon juice about 2 lemons
1 1/2 cups water
6 egg yolks
Butter for pan

Lemon Curd Sauce
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 ounces lemonchello or lemon extract

Take the bread and shred in small bite size pieces place in bowl and set aside.

In a sauce pan or frying pan whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest.

 Next add lemon juice, water and 6 beaten egg yolks make sure you wait until lemon juice is diluted. You do not want to cook eggs in acid of lemon juice.

Now cook on the stove until slightly thickened you do not want to have to thick because it will also thicken in oven. Next pour on top of bread and mix until fully coated.

Butter a 13 x 9 pan  I used a oval because I like my bread pudding a little thicker.

Now pour into the pan and bake for 30 minutes covered at 350 degrees and 30 minutes uncovered. Now if you are making this ahead of time (A day before ) you can cook for 30 minutes covered then place in refrigerator over night . Then place in oven for another 30 minutes prior to serving like I did.

Next make the Lemon Curd sauce in a frying pan add yolks, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and milk and whisk together.

Next add water.

Then bring to a boil adding lemonchello or lemon extract at end.

Serve with whipped cream and sauce warm

Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

Watermelon Arugula salad Inspired by Contemporary Hotel's California Grill and Ina Gartnen

I was reading Twitter and Facebook this weekend and was dreaming of Florida. I love the white sand beaches, the theme parks and all of the fabulous restaurants in Florida.  I next had a flash back of a salad that I had at the Contemporary Resort restaurant called the California Grill  - this is a great restaurant to go to next time you are at Walt Disney World. The last time we were there I had a salad that was very similar to this one. So I thought I would share my version of these too salads.



Watermelon Arugula salad Inspired by Contemporary Hotel's California Grill  and Ina Gartnen Ingredients :
One square slice of Watermelon
1/4 cup Arugula for each portion
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Glaze dressing
1 Tablespoon Goat Cheese
　

Slice Watermelon cutting off rind leaving a square of Mellon like this.

Next take 1/4 cup of Arugula a 1 tablespoon of Balsamic Glaze dressing toss in bowl

Place tossed Arugula on Watermelon

Next Sprinkle with Goat Cheese

Last drizzle remaining dressing on Salad and serve.




Bon Appetit and Enjoy



Sheila Fretz