Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Turkey Day - A Traditional Gluten-free Thanksgiving


The Country Home 1931

The first Thanksgiving was not a one day event - the Pilgrims had faced adversity, barely surviving the previous winter and finished reaping a very successful harvest sure to get them through another winter - CELEBRATE and celebrate they did!  The four men sent out for a day of "fowling" by the governor of the colony returned with enough for almost a week  - not including the venison provided by the Native Americans. Although the "big bird" is not specifically mentioned in the one existing letter providing our historical record of the event, turkey (along with eel and mackerel) was a staple of the times so it's probably a safe bet that it was included in the feast. 


Turkey is not a favorite of mine, that said, my husband prepares the bird in a manner that I just ----- wait for it ----- gobble up.  He first soaks it in an awesome brine that makes the end result so much more moist and it retains that moist goodness even as a leftover! 

BRINE:


Brad's Brine Bucket

You'll need a BIG container to hold the brine and the bird.  We've found that a new 5 gallon paint bucket with a lid from our local home improvement store is perfect for the size turkey we tend to buy - 14 to 25 pounders.  Of course, we sanitize it before use!

Brine the turkey for 8 to 24 hours before roasting.

1/2 C         Kosher Salt per 1 gallon of water
1/2 C         Brown Sugar per 1 gallon of water
3               Oranges, halved and squeezed
3               Lemons, halved and squeezed
10 Springs  Thyme, fresh
8 Springs    Rosemary, fresh
2 T            Peppercorns
1 Quart      Kitchen Basics Vegetable Stock
2 Gallons    Water
  • Remove giblet package from turkey - save for gravy
  • Place turkey in the brine - covering completely, if needed add more water keeping the salt and brown sugar ratio
  • Cover and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours
  • Remove from brine and rinse thoroughly
  • Pat dry inside and out (paper towels most sanitary)
Your turkey is now ready to dress for the oven.  This brine will work equally well if cooking only the turkey breast.


TURKEY:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees

1                Turkey
1                Orange, quartered
1                Onion, quartered
1                Apple, quartered
1 Stalk        Celery, sliced
1                Carrot, sliced
1/3 C          Italian Parsley, fresh and chopped
2                Bay Leaves
1 Stick        Cinnamon
3 Springs    Rosemary, fresh
4 Leaves     Sage, fresh
Enough       Salt
Enough       Pepper
  • Place turkey on rack in roasting pan breast side up
  • Rub a little salt and pepper inside the bird
  • Stuff all ingredients into the turkey cavity
1 Stick    Butter
1 Quart   Chicken Broth
Enough   Kosher Salt
Enough   Pepper
  • Rub butter all over the turkey stuffing pieces randomly under the skin wherever you can
  • Season outside with salt and pepper
  • Baste with chicken broth every 45 minutes
  • Cook until internal temperature reaches 161 to 165 degrees
  • Before serving remove aromatics from inside and discard

I prefer to use my larger roasting pan for better browning


tip ~ for a Norman Rockwell looking turkey tie the legs together with kitchen string before cooking


The Centerpiece


worth the money ~ invest in a "leave in" thermometer - only one puncture, preserving the juices for a more juicy finished product.


Guess what?  The Pilgrims dressing was most likely gluten-free!  There was a scarcity of wheat flour while maize was in abundance...

DRESSING:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3/4 C        Onions
1/3 C        Celery
1/4 C        Poultry Blend (Rosemary, Sage and Thyme)
1 T           Butter, to saute
2 T           Butter, melted
2              Eggs, beaten lightly
1/4 t         Pepper
1/2 t         Kosher Salt
2 C           Broth
3/4 C        Apples, chopped
3 3/4 C     Cornbread, crumbled
3/4 C        Bread Crumbs


  • Saute onions and celery in 1 tablespoon of butter until transparent 
  • Add poultry blend and cook another minute


  • In a medium size bowl mix together melted butter, the onion mixture, melted butter, eggs, salt, pepper and broth
  • In a large bowl put the breads and make a center well
  • Add the contents of the other bowl and mix thoroughly
  • Pour into a 9x9 baking dish
  • Bake 25 minutes - should be moist
    

Thanksgiving - family, friends, food and fellowship...
CELEBRATE!



Friday, November 12, 2010

Katz Gluten, Dairy and Nut Free Bakery Goods ~~~ Their Challah Bread Heaven in a Bite

I really, really, love discovering new foods that make my taste buds sing!  Last month Anne Luther (fearless leader of the Central Arkansas GIG) offered a few items from Katz Gluten Free Bake Shop.  One sample and it was love at first bite!

Challah bread has always been a favorite of mine.  It was also one of the foods that went on my "nevermore" list after diagnosis.  In the words of James Bond - never say never. Katz Challah Rolls are award winning and it is a justifiable honor.  If you've been craving a really good bread to accompany one of those spectacular new gluten-free meals you've been serving up toss these in the bread basket next time you set the table.  They come in a small, dinner size - 4 for $3.99 and a large, sandwich size - 3 for $4.39.

And... if a little taste of sweet is what floats your boat give the Katz Cinnamon Rugelech a whirl.  Each crusty layer is filled with a mouth watering cinnamon goodness then rolled into the traditional pin wheel shape.  There is even a chocolate rugelech for all you chocoholics. These are a great, healthy dessert or snack and as a bonus they are also soy and corn free.  A 7 ounce container is about $5.00 but so worth the splurge.

These wonderful products are made in a dedicated bakery that is gluten, wheat, nut, dairy and casein free.  There are several products that are additionally soy, corn and egg free.  Oh, and did I mention that all the products are certified Kosher. Amazingly with all that "free" action going on the flavor is not even minutely compromised!  This company was founded in 2006 by a mother with two gluten intolerant children and like all us she wanted her kids to have the best. I believe she has succeeded.  Katz offers a wide selection of baked goods - breads, cupcakes, muffins, even bread crumbs and pizza crust.  At the time of this post I have only tried the challah rolls and the cinnamon rugelech - if one you have tried some of the other delectable items I would love to hear about it.

If you would like to try these for yourself orders can be placed at their online store located at www.katzglutenfree or use their store locator and find a retail outlet near you.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Autumn Apple Cake ~~~ Gluten-free Like Sandra Lee

It wasn't that long ago that anything gluten-free had to be baked from scratch.  Not anymore, these times they are a changing! GF can now do the "Semi-Homemade" dance just like Food Network star Sandra Lee!  Today there are so many companies with gluten-free products and mixes that the ease of getting great tasting treats out of our own kitchen has become a snap.  One such product that is new to my pantry is Namaste Spice Cake Mix.  It is delicious when prepared according to the package instructions but tweak it just a little and OMG - a flavor filled explosion takes place inside your mouth! In celebration of Fall here is my favorite upgrade (thus far) for this mix -


Autumn Apple Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

For best results start with all the ingredients at room temperature.

1 Package (26 oz)      Namaste Spice Cake Mix
3                              Eggs - lightly beaten
1/4 C                        Water
1/4 C                        Oil
1 C                           Applesauce
2 C                           Apples - peeled and chopped
1/4 C                        Pecans (optional)

             * Place mix in large bowl and make a well in the center
             * In a smaller bowl blend together eggs, water and oil
             * Combine the egg mixture and applesauce with the dry mix
             * Gently fold the apples (and pecans) into the batter
             * Ladle or pour into lightly greased pans or cupcake liners
             * Bake according to package instruction based on pan size
             * Cool completely before icing

ICING:

2 Pkg (3 oz)              Philadelphia Cream Cheese - softened
2 C                           Powdered Sugar
1/4 t                         Maple Flavoring
1/4 t                         Maple Syrup
1/2 C                        Pecan Pieces

               * Beat cream cheese until very smooth and soft
               * Slowly add the powdered sugar a little at a time
               * Blend in maple flavoring and syrup
               * Spread over the cake and sprinkle with pecans

These are great made into mini loafs - I especially like the fact that I can eat just one or even a half of one and stop whereas with a cupcake or a slice of cake...  I know, I know - it's a psychological thing but hey!



                                

                            
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I have found this product at Drug Emporium, Whole Foods and occasionally at my local grocery.  If it is not available in you area and you want to give a whirl, it can be ordered through Amazon Foods.  I have provided the link to help you get started!