Fish tacos are a favorite meal in our house. Just about any type of fish works in this recipe. I added the bell pepper topping because I think it helps make a tastier dish along with the Chipotle sauce.
Crispy Fish and Mini Bell Pepper Tacos
4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound fish fillets
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
1 cup all-purpose flour, low-carb flour or gluten-free flour
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 cup sliced miniature sweet bell peppers
Tortillas (regular, low-carb or gluten-free), crispy or soft, see below
Chipotle Sour Cream, see recipe below and shredded lettuce or shredded cabbage
Directions
Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Cut the fish into two-inch pieces.
In a shallow dish, whisk together the cream, egg and taco seasoning. Place the flour in another shallow dish.
Dip the fish in the cream mixture and then into the flour. Repeat to coat the fish again in cream and flour. Place the breaded fish on wax paper or parchment.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add fish to the hot oil (working in batches, if necessary).
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Drain the oil from skillet; wipe clean with a paper towel.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the peppers to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes or until crisp tender.
Serve the fish with peppers, shredded lettuce and Chipotle Sour Cream in tortillas.
For crispy tacos:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and drape the tortillas over the bars of the oven grill racks until they are crispy, about 5 minutes.
For soft tacos:
Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Chipotle Sour Cream
Ingredients
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the can
Pinch of kosher salt
Directions
Stir together the sour cream, lemon juice, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce and mix well. Season to taste with salt; refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tomato, Cucumber and Avocado Salad
Ingredients
2 avocados
2 tomatoes, cored and diced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Cut each avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Carefully scoop the flesh from the shell and dice it.
Toss the diced avocado with the tomato, cucumber, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, oil and lemon juice. Stir to mix and season to taste with salt and pepper.
You may have family or friends visiting for the holidays who follow special diets. If you plan ahead and with just a few ingredients changes, many of the Thanksgiving recipes can be adapted to meet the needs of vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and low carb diets. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Everyone.
Vegan Gravy (or Regular or Gluten-Free)
Kitchen Bouquet is a browning sauce that you can find in the grocery store next to the A1 and Worcestershire Sauce. It helps to add a brown color to the gravy. There are several brands of browning sauce available, but I use this one. Since 2006 this vegan sauce has been gluten-free. It is made from a base of carrots, cabbage, turnips, parsnips, celery and onion.
You can use this same recipe for everyone by make a second batch and using chicken broth in the second batch for regular diets. To make this gravy Gluten-Free, use gluten-free cornstarch to thicken the gravy. Gluten-free gravy also works for low carb dieters.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 small garlic clove, minced
4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 cup low sodium vegetable stock
2 heaping tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon each salt, pepper and dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet, optional
Directions
Warm the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic and mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Cook until the mushrooms are soft and brown, and most of their liquid is evaporated.
Stir in the flour with a whisk and reduce heat to low. Cook for another minute or two.
Slowly add the vegetable broth while whisking to reduce clumps. Then add in the salt, pepper and thyme and whisk again.
Stir in the Kitchen Bouquet, if using.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to stir until it reaches the desired thickness, about 5-10 minutes.
Thanksgiving Sausage Stuffing
To make this recipe gluten-free use cornbread instead of Italian bread in the recipe. The gluten-free cornbread recipe is below.
Ingredients
8 cups Italian bread, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large onion, diced
2 large ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon dried poultry seasoning
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
Directions
Place the bread cubes into a very large bowl and set aside. Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and the sausage.
Cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon or spatula, until light brown, about 5 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bowl of cubed bread.
In the fat left in the pan, sauté the onions, celery and garlic until the onions are just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the thyme, sage, salt and peppers, cook 1 minute and, then, add the mixture to the cubed bread.
Add the broth to the bread mixture; stir until well combined.
Place the stuffing in a large baking dish and bake in the oven for the last hour that the turkey cooks.
Gluten-Free Cornbread
This can be made several days ahead.
Ingredients
2 cups (264 g) coarsely ground yellow cornmeal (gluten-free)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 large egg at room temperature, beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
4 tablespoons honey
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch square or round pan, and set it aside.
In a large bowl, place the cornmeal, salt, baking soda and baking powder, and whisk to combine well.
In separate bowl, mix the egg, butter, buttermilk and honey, and whisk to combine well.
Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top, golden brown around the edges, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool completely and cut up into cubes.
Vegan Thanksgiving Stuffing
Ingredients
3 cups sourdough wheat bread (made without dairy or eggs) cut into cubes
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
1 leek white part only, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 large rib celery finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable stock
Chopped fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until all moisture has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
Add sage and continue to cook, stirring, until mushrooms are well browned, about 5 minutes longer.
Add leek, celery, garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add parsley, and chopped pecans.
Add stock to the bread cubes and fold in the cooked vegetables until evenly mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
.
Transfer mixture to a greased baking dish cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake with the turkey until hot throughout, about 30 minutes.
Remove foil and continue baking until golden brown and crisp on top, about 10 minutes longer.
Vegan Stuffed Squash
Serve this dish instead of turkey for your vegan or vegetarian dinners.
To make this recipe for non-vegans, add a ½ cup of cooked lean ground pork to the stuffing.
Directions for preparing the squash:
Cut a thin slice off from the top & bottom of one acorn squash (just enough to leave a flat edge, so the squash can stand up on both ends).
Cut the squash in half, horizontally, so you have two bowl shapes. Scoop out the membranes and seeds and discard.
Place the squash in a baking dish cut-side up. Brush the inside with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
Roast the squash for about 30 minutes.
Filling
Combine the following:
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons diced celery
1/4 cup diced, peeled pear
1/4 cup diced, peeled apple
2 tablespoons fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup cooked brown rice
Place the filling mixture in the partially cooked squash halves. Place the filled squash in the oven and bake 20 minutes.
Easy Vegan or Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
The pumpkin filling can be used for either pie.
Ingredients
Pat-in-the-Pan Vegan Crust
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water
Vegan Pie Filling Directions
Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Whisk together the oil and water, then pour over the dry ingredients.
Stir with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened. Pat the dough across the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan and up the sides.
A flat-bottomed measuring cup can help make the bottom even. Press the dough up the sides of the pan with your fingers, and flute the top.
Chill in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
Pat-in-the-Pan Gluten-Free Crust
1 1/3 cups gluten-free flour mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil (or alternative oil)
5 tablespoons cold milk (or cold plant milk)
Gluten-Free Pie Crust Directions
Mix together the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
Blend oil and milk together in a separate bowl.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine.
Place dough into a 9 inch pie plate and press the dough firmly onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
Place the pie crust in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or a mix of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Filling Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Add all the pie filling ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust and bake for about 60 minutes.
The crust should be golden brown and the filling should still be set.
Remove the pie from the oven and let cool completely before loosely covering and transferring to the refrigerator to fully set overnight.
Low-Carb Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
Crust
2¼ cups almond flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons sugar substitute (1:1 with sugar)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 large egg at room temperature, beaten
Filling
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup 1:1 sugar substitute
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs at room temperature, beaten
Directions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix together all the crust ingredients until a dough forms.
Press the dough into 9-inch pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Whisk together the beaten eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla, spices and sweetener. Mix well.
Add the heavy cream until fully combined.
Pour into pie crust and bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick (or knife) inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so generally desserts are not often on my menu. When I do want something to go a cup of tea, it would be a biscotti. I tend to not make them very sweet. Here are two of my favorites. The chocolate ganache is optional. These cookies can also be made gluten-free, if almond flour is substituted for the all-purpose flour.
Pecan Pie Biscotti
Makes 14-15 biscotti
Ingredients
3/4 cup pecan meal (finely ground pecans)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 1 ¼ cups almond flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache, recipe below
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the chopped pecans.
In a small bowl combine the eggs, molasses and vanilla extract.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until the dough comes together.
Turn dough out onto parchment lined baking pan and form into a log 4 by 10 inches.
Bake about 25 minutes, until golden brown and just firm to the touch.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the biscotti log cool for 20 minutes.
Using a sharp, straight-edge knife, slice into 14 or 15 even slices .
Space the slices a few inches apart on the baking pan and bake 10 minutes.
Turn the biscotti slices over and bake 10 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. They will continue to crisp up as they cool.
Slide the parchment onto the kitchen counter to cool the biscotti completely.
Dip one end of the biscotti in the chocolate ganache and let dry on the parchment paper.
Pumpkin Pie Biscotti
Makes 12 biscotti
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour or 2 cups almond flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache, recipe below
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a large baking pan with parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl combine the pumpkin puree, egg, oil and vanilla extract.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto the parchment lined baking pan and pat the dough into a log 4 by 10 inches.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the log is just firm to the touch.
Remove the pan from the oven and cool the biscotti log for 20 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 225 degrees F.
Gently slice the log into 12 even slices using a serrated knife.
Place the slices back on the baking pan on their sides and place the pan back into the oven.
Let bake 15 minutes and then turn the biscotti slices over and bake 15 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. They will firm up as they cool.
Slide the parchment onto the kitchen counter to cool the biscotti completely.
Dip one end of the biscotti in the chocolate ganache and let dry on the parchment paper.
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
Makes enough for both recipes.
4 oz Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate 86% (or any high percentage chocolate)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
Directions
Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds.
Add the cold heavy cream and microwave for 30 seconds. Add the butter and gently whisk to combine.
The ganache should be thick and glossy.
Italian Easter Specialties at Rizzo’s Malabar Inn Crabtree, PA
Most regions in Italy have their favorite sweet bread, pies, and cookies that are served at Easter time. Dolci (dessert) is an important part of the Easter feast. Chocolate eggs are, of course, among the favorite. The Pastiera Napoletana is another authentic Easter tradition; originating in Naples, this cake is made with cooked wheat, ricotta cheese, candied fruit and orange-blossom water. The Pizza Pasqualina, a dessert made with cinnamon and chocolate, is a specialty of northern Lazio. In Sicily, cassata and cannoli are traditional desserts; and in Sardinia, casadina (made with a thin puff pastry and stuffed with ricotta and raisins) is usually served. Pane di Pasqua (Easter Bread) is a famous Easter treat made all over Italy.
If you are on a gluten-free diet, you do not have to miss out on these traditional Easter treats. If your favorite dessert calls for a large amount of flour in the recipe, purchasing a gluten-free all-purpose flour mixture will be the key to preparing these treats. These mixes are often made up of a mixture of gluten-free binding and rising agents like xanthum gum, baking powder, baking soda and a variety of gluten-free flours, such as: brown rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, tapioca flour, potato flour, buckwheat flour, coconut flour, almond flour, teff flour and sorghum flour.
I am sharing recipes below for traditional Easter treats and their gluten-free counterparts. 
Easter Wheat Pie (Pastiera Napoletana di Grano)
Filling
- 1 ¼ cups cooked (4 oz uncooked) soft wheat or bulgur or Basmati rice
- 1 ¾ cups of sugar
- 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg
- 1 ½ cups of ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ tablespoons orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec or Grand Marnier.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Grated zest of one organic lemon
- Just under a cup of whole milk (about 7/8 tablespoon)
Pastry
- 2 cups of flour
- 8 oz (one stick) very cold butter
- 1/4 cup of sugar,
- 1 egg plus one yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Egg Wash
Directions
One day ahead prepare the wheat or rice for the filling: Rinse hulled wheat or rice with water and place in a large bowl. Add enough cold water to cover and let soak overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, drain the wheat and place in a saucepan with enough milk to cover. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Cool completely for use in the recipe.
Prepare the pastry dough: Mix the ingredients together in a processor by hand, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for a half hour before using.
Prepare the filling: In a saucepan place the milk, the cooked grain, the butter, and the lemon zest. Simmer together on low heat for about 10 minutes, mixing often, until all of the ingredients have formed a creamy mixture. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. In a food processor combine the ricotta, the sugar, the eggs, the vanilla, the cinnamon and the orange liqueur. Pour the ricotta into the wheat or rice mixture and mix together.
Cut the dough into 2 pieces, making 1 piece twice as large than the other. Using a lightly floured rolling-pin, roll out the larger dough piece to fit into and cover the sides of a 10-inch springform pan (a springform pan makes it easier to remove the pie) or 2-inch deep pie dish. Roll the pastry dough out as thin as possible — less than 1/8th of an inch thick is about right. Butter and flour the baking dish.
Pour the filling for the pie into the baking pan. Roll the other piece of dough very thin. Cut this into strips and place across the top of the pie, in a criss-cross pattern. Press the dough edges together with a fork. Beat one egg with one tablespoon of water and brush the top of the pie.
Bake the pie for about an hour at 380 degrees F. The top of the pie should be golden and the pastry strips very shiny. Once it’s baked, let the pie to cool. Refrigerate overnight.
For The Gluten-Free Version
Use the same filling but use rice instead of wheat berries. Flour the pan with gluten-free flour. Make and use the following pastry instead of the one in the traditional recipe.
Gluten-Free Double Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour or homemade brown rice flour blend (recipe below)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons cold butter or trans fat-free vegetable shortening (such as Spectrum)
- 2 large eggs
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- Cold water, if necessary
Directions
Whisk together the flour or flour blend, sugar, xanthan gum and salt. Cut the cold butter or shortening into pats, then work the pats into the flour mixture until crumbly. Whisk the eggs and lemon juice together until very foamy. Mix into the dry ingredients. Stir until the mixture holds together, adding 1 to 3 additional tablespoons cold water if necessary. Shape into a ball and chill for an hour or up to overnight.
Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling.Divide the dough as described in the original recipe. Roll out on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper that’s been heavily sprinkled with gluten-free flour or flour blend. Follow the directions for filling and baking in the original recipe.
Homemade Brown Rice Blend Whisk together 6 cups (32 ounces) brown rice flour; 2 cups (10 3/4 ounces) potato starch; and 1 cup (4 ounces) tapioca flour or tapioca starch. Store airtight at room temperature. Note: You can substitute white rice flour for the brown rice flour if you like; it’ll make your baked goods grittier (unless you manage to find a finely ground version). 
Ricotta Pie
This pie is gluten-free. Orange marmalade, heated briefly in the microwave to make it pourable, is a delicious topping for this pie. Yield: 9″ pie, 8 to 12 servings Crust
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 cups almond meal or flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon water
Filling
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup Amaretto liqueur
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the inside of a 9″ pie pan at least 1 1/2″ deep or use a deep-dish pan, if you have one. If your pie pan isn’t at least 1 1/2″ deep, substitute a 9″ square pan.
To make the crust: Whisk the dry ingredients together. Then add butter and water. Knead dough until well combined. Then press the dough into the pie plate, working the mixture up the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet, to make it easy to handle once you’ve added the filling.
To make the filling: Mix together all the filling ingredients in an electric mixer and beat slowly until well combined. Pour the filling into the crust; it will come nearly to the lip of the pan.
Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, until lightly brown around the very outside edge, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°F. The pie will still look quite unset in the center. Remove the pie from the oven and cool it to room temperature. Once it’s cool, refrigerate until chilled. Serve pie plain or with the topping of your choice. 
Sweet Italian Easter Bread
Makes 2 large braids Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 envelope of yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
- 1/2 cup warm water, about 110 degrees
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 uncooked but colored eggs, optional
- Frosting and Multi-Colored Sprinkles, optional
- 1 egg, beaten with a little bit of water to make an egg wash
Directions
In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter together just until the butter melts, set aside to cool. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar to the warm water and stir to mix, then sprinkle the yeast over top of the warm sugar and water and set aside for about 5 minutes. In the bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, mix together the eggs and sugar until combined, add the butter and milk mixture, the yeast and water mixture, the vanilla and orange zest and mix until all the wet ingredients are well combined.
Switch the attachment to a dough hook and add 4 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, mix until a soft dough forms. Gradually add a little more flour, if needed (1/4 to 1/2 cup ) to make a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes or until the dough is very smooth. Shape dough into a ball. Lightly grease a large bowl with some vegetable oil, place the ball of dough in the oiled bowl and brush a tiny bit of oil over the top as well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for about 1-1/2 hours or until it has doubled in volume.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and brush them lightly with some melted butter, set aside. Once the dough has risen turn it onto a lightly floured surface, punch it down and cut into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 22 inches long. Lay 2 ropes at a time side by side in front of you and loosely braid them together. Lift the braid onto one of the prepared baking sheets and pinch the ends to seal so now you have a circle. Place 3 colored eggs in each circle lengthwise, tucking them between the ropes.
Do exactly the same process with the other 2 ropes. Cover with plastic wrap and place them somewhere warm for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Brush the tops of the bread with the egg wash. Bake them for 30 minutes or until golden, making sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway through for even baking. Let them cool completely. Decorate with frosting and sprinkles, if desired and serve.
Gluten Free Easter Bread
Makes 4 small braids
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, such as King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast (SAF)
- 4 tablespoons soft butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 uncooked but colored eggs, optional
- Frosting and Multi-Colored Sprinkles, optional
- 1 egg, beaten with a little bit of water to make an egg wash
Directions
To make the dough: Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixer bowl. Add the soft butter, blending on low-speed until coarse crumbs form. Add the oil, milk, egg and vanilla, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until the dough comes together; scrape the bowl down again. Switch to the dough hook and knead a few minutes until the dough is smooth. form the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover the dough and let it rise for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until visibly puffy. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Once the dough has risen, preheat oven to 375°F. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Knead one piece on a surface floured with gluten-free flour; divide the dough into 3 equal pieces; roll into 12-inch long ropes and pinch the top portion together; braid; pinch the ends together; form into a circle. With a wide spatula, transfer the formed dough to one side of the baking sheet; repeat with the second piece of dough and place on the other side of the baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining dough to form two more braids and place them on the second baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place them somewhere warm for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Brush the tops of the braided bread with egg wash; place a colored egg in the center; bake for about 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown. Reverse the pans halfway through baking. Transfer the baked bread to a cooling rack to cool completely. Decorate with frosting and sprinkles, if desired and serve.
Anginettes (Italian Lemon Cookies)
Makes 36 cookies Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
Frosting
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 3 tablespoons of milk
Directions Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, baking powder and extract then slowly add flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Roll one rounded tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on parchment covered cookie sheets. Cookies do not spread so you can place them close together. Bake for approx 8-10 minutes. Remove when the cookies are still light in color but do not bounce back when touched. These cookies can dry out if you bake them too long. Cool on a rack.
For the Frosting Mix until the sugar-coating is of medium consistency, dip the top of the cookie in the icing, let the icing flow down along the sides of the cookies.
Gluten-Free Anginettes
Makes 36 cookies
- 2 ½ cups Gluten-Free Baking Flour, such as King Arthur’s or Bob’s Red Mill
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons trans-fat free shortening, cut in small pieces, such as Earth Balance or Spectrum
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and xanthan gum. Cut in the shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Pull off walnut-size pieces and roll into a ball. Place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Use the frosting ingredients and directions from the traditional recipe.
Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat (durum, emmer, spelt, farina, farro, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together.
When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, the response from their immune system damages the tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine, called villi. Properly working villi allow nutrients from food to be absorbed into the bloodstream. When villi are damaged, vital nutrients go unabsorbed. When people first get diagnosed with Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity, one of the things they mourn most is having to give up “regular” wheat-based pasta.
Gluten-free Flours
Gluten-free pastas are made from corn, brown rice, quinoa and some brands offer a mixture of gluten-free ingredients. Barilla and Ronzoni offer gluten-free products. An Italian made brand, Jovial, was rated best by America’s Test Kitchen and Food & Wine magazine. You might want to see if it is available in your area.
Gluten can be found in many types of foods, even ones that you would not expect to find it in, for example:
- Energy bars/granola bars – some bars may contain wheat as an ingredient, and most use oats that are not gluten-free
- French fries – be careful of batter containing wheat flour or cross-contamination from fryers
- Potato chips – some potato chip seasonings may contain malt vinegar or wheat starch
- Processed lunch meats
- Candy and candy bars
- Soup – pay special attention to cream-based soups, which have flour as a thickener. Many soups also contain barley
- Multi-grain or “artisan” tortilla chips or tortillas that are not entirely corn-based may contain a wheat-based ingredient
- Salad dressings and marinades – may contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, flour
- Starch or dextrin, if found in meat or a poultry product, could be from any grain, including wheat
- Brown rice syrup – may be made with barley enzymes
- Meat substitutes made with seitan (wheat gluten) such as vegetarian burgers, vegetarian sausage, imitation bacon, imitation seafood (Note: tofu is gluten-free, but be cautious of soy sauce marinades and cross-contamination when eating out, especially when the tofu is fried)
- Soy sauce (however, tamari made without wheat is gluten-free)
- Self-basting poultry
- Pre-seasoned meats
- Cheesecake filling – some recipes include wheat flour
- Eggs served at restaurants – some restaurants put pancake batter in their scrambled eggs and omelets, but on their own, eggs are naturally gluten-free
- Beer, ales, lagers, malt beverages and malt vinegars that are made from gluten-containing grains are not distilled and therefore are not gluten-free. There are gluten-free products available.
Gluten-free Italian Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 dash red (hot) pepper sauce, as desired, to taste
- 1½ tablespoons gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup finely crushed Rice Chex or gluten-free bread crumbs
Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a mixing bowl, combine ground meat, salt, onion, garlic, onion powder, basil, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce and mix well.
Add the ricotta, Parmesan cheese and crushed Rice Chex. Mix until evenly blended, then form into 1½-inch meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
Bake until no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Add them to your favorite pasta sauce.
Gluten-free Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
- 3/4 cup of potato flour, rice flour, cornstarch or general all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 3/4 cup crushed Rice Chex or gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 cups homemade or storebought marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, preferably fresh, cut into 6 1/4-inch-thick slices
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
Combine breadcrumbs and grated cheese in a shallow bowl.
Combine the spices (salt to thyme) in a small bowl and mix.
Heat the broiler.
On the stove, warm the tomato sauce in a saucepan.
Over another burner, heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Don’t let it get smoky.
Season both sides of the cutlets with the spice mix.
Dredge cutlets in gluten-free flour of choice.
Then dip cutlets in the beaten egg and then dredge in the breadcrumb and cheese mixture, turning to coat both sides. Place cutlets on a plate.
Place 3 cutlets in the heated skillet; cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
Using a spatula, transfer browned cutlets to a baking pan.
Cook the remaining cutlets and place them in the baking pan.
Top each cutlet with a slice of mozzarella. Broil the cutlets about 4 inches from the heat source until the cheese is melted and lightly browned in spots, 4 to 5 minutes.
To serve: put some warm sauce on each serving plate and top each with a cutlet. If you prefer, you can pour the sauce over the chicken.
Gluten-free Lasagna
Makes 1 – 9×13 inch pan
Ingredients
- 1 package gluten-free lasagna noodles (8 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1/2 pound Italian pork sausage, casing removed
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can diced Italian tomatoes (28 ounces)
- 1 can tomato paste (6 ounce)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1¼ pounds shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles to a firm al dente, according to instructions. Remember that the noodles will cook more in the oven later, so do not overcook them.
Place the cooked noodles on clean kitchen towels to prevent them from sticking to each other.
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, ricotta, Romano cheese, salt, black pepper and half of the mozzarella cheese. Refrigerate until needed.
To make the sauce:
Heat a large skillet to medium-high, add oil and cook the onions until soft.
Add sausage, ground beef and garlic and cook until the meat is crumbly and evenly browned. Drain off excess fat.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, basil and oregano.
Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened.
To assemble the lasagna:
Spread a thin layer of the cooked sauce evenly over the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch baking pan. layer 1/3 of the lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the remaining cooked sauce and 1/3 of the ricotta mixture. Repeat this layering 2 more times.
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the lasagna.
Bake about 30 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Cheese Stuffed Polenta with Sausage
Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- 1 cup quick cooking Polenta
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded provolone cheese
- 3 cups Marinara Sauce
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
Directions
Coat a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with olive oil.
Bring the chicken broth to a rapid boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat. Add the polenta, pouring slowly and stirring until mixture is thickened, about 1 minute. Mix in butter and Parmesan cheese until fully incorporated.
Pour 1/2 of the cooked polenta into the greased baking dish. Gently spread the polenta to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheeses. Pour the remaining polenta over the cheese and spread to the edges of the pan. Allow polenta to cool, then cover and chill for about 2 hours or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
In a skillet brown the sausage and add the marinara sauce. Cover the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Once ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Bake the chilled polenta uncovered for about 30 minutes, until it begins to brown. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Cut into squares and serve warm topped with the sausage sauce, grated Parmesan and fresh chopped basil leaves.
Shrimp Scampi Over Linguine
Yield:4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup dry white vermouth
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 pound gluten-free linguine (quinoa pasta works very well in this recipe)
Directions
Cook the gluten-free linguine according to package instructions. Drain and place in a large pasta serving bowl.
Put the shrimp on a large plate and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the skillet. When the foaming subsides, raise the heat and add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the pasta.
Return the skillet to the heat and pour in the vermouth and lemon juice. Boil the liquid until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir the zest and parsley into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and toss to combine with the pasta.
