Crock-Pot Chicken Burgers Divine

I think one of the most frustrating things when you first convert to a GF lifestyle is crock pot meals.  The crockpot is a source for true, down-home, comfort food.  Most recipes call for Cream of Something soup, or have pasta, or some other prefab ingredient that cannot be found gluten free.

Enter GF Convenience foods that I never knew existed, and aren't even touted as GF.  But should be!

I made this dinner a few weeks ago, my husband and son went wild over it.  I made it again tonight, just to make sure it was not a fluke.  It wasn't.  Normally, I serve over mashed cauliflower, but tonight I splurged and baked potatoes before I left for gymnastics with my youngest.   Let me tell you, the gravy made from this meal over baked potatoes is just over-the-moon deluxious! :)

I hope you enjoy!

Crock-Pot Chicken Burgers Divine

2 Packages Purdue Short-cuts Spinach & Garlic Chicken Burgers (the Oven Roasted would be good, too)
2 Cans Progresso Creamy Mushroom Soup
1 10 oz package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, peeled, halved and sliced thin

In a 5 or 6 quart crockpot, lay half the onions slices on the bottom, top with half of the sliced mushrooms, top with 4 burgers.  Pour over one can of the soup.  Repeat layering and top with last can of soup.   Cook on low for 4 hours.

Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, mashed cauliflower, or your favorite side dish.

This creates a lot of gravy, which becomes this rich and deliciously decadent mushroom soup if you reheat and add a little bit of cream or stock.  Don't let all that wondrous flavor go to waste! :)

Gluten-free Fried Rice

I don't know about you, but when going gluten free, I realized that Chinese Takeout would really no longer be a choice.  Many years ago, before going gluten free the first time, we used to order Chinese every Sunday night.  It was our family tradition.  My kids liked it, my husband liked it, I liked the night off cooking.  The first time I went gluten free, I was sad, no more Chinese Takeout on Sunday nights.  I might even have cried.  Maybe.  I mean, my husband's and my first day almost 20 years ago was for Chinese Food.  It held/holds a special place in my heart.  Of course I made do.  And when I went back to eating gluten, I happily consumed Chinese again.

Last week, after a tiring day on Sunday, we decided to order Chinese food.  I had to order mine steamed without sauce.  It was "okay", and I doused it with Saj-J Gluten-free Tamari sauce.  But it wasn't the same.  I watched my kids down Fried Rice, dumplings and Chicken & Broccoli.   It was good.  But missing that "Chinese Takeout" element for me!

Armed with two pints of steamed white rice, and my bottle of San-J, tonight, I decided to make my own fried rice.  The Results were well worth it!  Everyone enjoyed it.  I put it in the leftover containers just to make it "feel" authentic!

Gluten-free Fried Rice

2 Pints Leftover Chinese Steamed Rice
San-J Gluten-free Tamari (see directions for amount, it will vary on the rice)
1 tsp Nakano Rice Wine Vinegar
16 oz bag Frozen Mixed Veggies (I used Cascadian Farms), defrosted
1/2 lb Leftover Cooked meat, diced -  your favorite (I used cooked Turkey breast tenderloins, but you could do chicken, pork, beef, or none)
3 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 Tbs Sesame Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, peeled but left whole
1/3 - 1/2 Cup green onion, thin sliced, greens only
2 eggs, beaten
Sesame Seeds,  for garnish

Break up rice in a large bowl, and toss with rice wine vinegar.

In a large wok or skillet, heat the vegetable oil and sesame oils on med-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add garlic cloves (whole) and allow to cook in the oil.  The the garlic is lightly bubbled, brown and soft, remove from oil, set aside and save.

Add rice to wok and press into the wok.  Allow to cook for about 3-5 minutes, and stir around.  Pour San-J Tamari sauce over the rice to make brown - circle the pan two times and do a shake or two in the center.  Continue to stir the rice around.

Add defrosted vegetables on top of rice.  Circle the pan again with San-J Tamari sauce. Cover and allow to "steam" for about 3-5 minutes.  While this is happening, dice the cooked garlic very finely.  Remove cover and stir vegetables into the rice.  Add diced meat of choice and stir again.  Cover for another 3 minutes.

After this, create a "well" in the center of the wok.  Add beaten egg and cover.  Allow egg to cook in the well for about 2 to 3 minutes until starting to set.  Stir eggs as best you can in the well and allow to finish cooking.  Only stir into the rice/vegetable/meat mixture after completely cooked.

Add green onions, minus about 2 Tbs, and mix well.  Remove rice from heat.

Sprinkle with remaining green onions and sesame seeds prior to serving.

Enjoy!

Snow Day Fun - Paw Print Pops

Due to the outrageous storm outside, and the 6" plus inches of snow that have fallen since 7 this morning (no lie!), I've had to waylay my plans to go food shopping for the gymnastics meet that is happening this weekend at my daughter's gym.  Instead, I prepping the Paw Print pops that will be for sale at the Concessions Stand.

Was happy to find that the Make & Mold Chocolates sold by A.C. Moore stores is gluten-free.  :)  I'm also finding that doing this is easier than I thought it was going to be!  I was always sort of afraid of doing candy molds, but it's working really well, and I'm having fun, to boot.  In spite of the white stuff coming down outside my windows!

Gluten Free Brownies - Recipe Review

Superbowl Sunday hit the house with a flurry of fun food recipes!

Lots of Gluten-free fun goodies!

First, we had Crock-pot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Rachel Ray's Celery Succotash, Paula Deen's Sweet & Spicy Bacon-wrapped Chicken Bites, Guacamole Deviled Eggs, Tortilla Chips, and dip.

Then was time for dessert!  I had bought some amazing ice cream while at the grocery store, and craved good brownies to go with it.  So, I want on an internet search and found this recipe at King Arthur Flour's Website.  Picture above is from their website, used to entice you! I had purchased a box of their GF flour the last time I was shopping, so thought it would be a good fit.

Dense, moist, fudgy, and delicious. PERFECT for the a la modé  style - All Natural Cherry Vanilla.  It was so, so so good.  I could eat these and not ever miss flour.  Ever.

Check out the recipe!  Guarantee you won't be disappointed!