Gluten Free Parmesan Sesame Breadsticks

These soft Gluten Free Parmesan Sesame Breadsticks are my new gluten free bread passion.  They are so amazing and so easy to whip up.  I have been using Pamela's Gluten Free All-Purpose Artisan Flour for a lot of recipes lately, including these breadsticks, and all  the recipes have come out great.  I have made these breadsticks using the all-purpose gluten free flour blend on the blog too and they came out good that way also.  It was a little more fluffy with the Pamela's though. You could leave out the Parmesan and sesame seeds if you'd like, but they really add to the breadstick. Serve them with a nice bowl of gluten free spaghetti, and you'll thank me!

Gluten Free Parmesan Sesame Breadsticks
Goodies Gone Gluten FreeEnjoy!

GLUTEN FREE PARMESAN SESAME BREADSTICKS
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from:  Taste of Home
click here for Printable Recipe

1 1/4 cups gluten free all-purpose flour (I used Pamela's)
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum if your flour does not contain it
2/3 cup milk (with an added 1/4 cup if needed)
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1/4 cup Parmesan

In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, xanthan (if using) and salt.  Gradually add milk and stir to form a soft dough.  If the dough is too dry, add a couple of tablespoons more of milk until the dough comes together ( it could take up to a 1/4 cup).  It will still be a bit wet, not  a totally dry dough.  Turn dough onto a surface heavily sprinkled with gluten free flour.  Sprinkle a little gluten free flour on top of dough and pat dough out with your hands into about a 6 inch rectangle.  You don't want it too thin.  With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into 12 breadsticks.  They will look a bit flat, so I roll each one a little on your floured surface to give it more of a round breadstick shape.  Melt butter in microwave and brush over each breadstick with a pastry brush.  I brush the bottoms and the tops.  Sprinkle the tops of each breadstick with sesame seeds and Parmesan cheese and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, about 1/2 inch apart.  Bake at 450 degrees for about 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Risotto Balls - Gluten Free

Yummy mozzarella cheese stuffed Risotto Balls, where have you been all my life?  I mean, seriously.  These things are amazing!  Creamy Risotto is sauteed with onion and mushrooms, made into balls, stuffed with mozzarella cheese, rolled in gluten free bread crumbs and fried up to make these babies.  You then step it all up a notch and dip these Risotto balls in warm Marinara sauce.  Crunchy, creamy, gooey, cheesy goodness in every bite.  Is your mouth watering yet?  It should be.

Risotto Balls - Gluten Free

Don't let the steps it takes to make these Risotto Balls stop you from trying.  It is well worth the effort.  I made the Risotto the day before and chilled it in the fridge so the next day all I had to do was make it into balls, bread it and fry it up.  If you have one of those deep fryers with a basket, you have to make this recipe, as that will cut your time in half.  I decided after making these I need one if for no other reason but to make these Risotto Balls (although, until I get one, I will be frying them on the stove top)!

RISOTTO BALLS - GLUTEN FREE
Recipe From:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 lb. mushrooms, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups warm whole or 2% milk
4 tsp. Chicken Broth Base (make sure it's gluten free.  I use Orrington Farms)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella pearls
1 cup of Italian Seasoned gluten free bread crumbs
Marinara sauce of choice for dipping

In large skillet, saute onions and mushrooms in oil over medium heat until softened.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add arborio rice and saute 1-2 minutes until grains are coated.  Add wine and stir until wine is absorbed.  Add warm milk, a cup at a time, stirring in between.  Add chicken broth base.  Stir often until liquid is mostly absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.  It should look creamy but not soupy.  Stir in Parmesan cheese and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring.  Spread Risotto in a baking pan and cool in fridge (I actually let mine sit overnight to make less steps the next day, but it just needs to be cool).

Heat about an inch of  Canola Oil in a large pan, until crumbs droped in the oil sizzle.  Using a cookie scoop or spoon, spoon out about a tablespoon size scoop of rice.  Make an indentation in the middle and put a mozzarella pearl inside, and form the Risotto around the cheese.  Roll the Risotto ball in the gluten free bread crumbs until fully coated all around and fry in the hot oil until lightly browned all over.  Drain on a paper towel.  Serve hot with warmed Marinara sauce.

Gluten Free Corn Flakes Potato Casserole

The Corn Flake Potato Casserole was a staple at most family get togethers years back.  It still is a favorite,  with it's creamy potato cubes and crunchy corn flake topping, but it has been missing from my repertoire of recipes I make since it contains not only one, but two gluten containing ingredients.  While Corn Flakes cereal is made of corn and not wheat, most brands contain malt extract, which is a controversial gluten containing ingredient that I don't wish to find out if it affects me or not.  I found several brands of gluten free corn flakes cereal that can be used to substitute here.  The brand I used was Barbara's Organic Corn Flakes Cereal.  Arrowhead Mills also makes a gluten free corn flakes cereal.  I found both at Sprouts.

Gluten Free "Corn Flakes" Potato Casserole

The other ingredient that contains gluten in the original recipe is the cream of chicken soup.  I have a few recipes that call for this soup, so I had to find a solution for that.  This Gluten Free Corn Flakes Potato Casserole may take an extra step to make the cream of chicken soup, but it's easy and worth it! So really, you are getting two recipes in one in this blog post!  Lucky you.  Maybe since you are having such good luck today, you should go out and buy a lottery ticket...that is after you make this Gluten Free Corn Flakes Potato Casserole.

GLUTEN FREE CORN FLAKES POTATO CASSEROLE
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Click here for Printable Recipe

1 bag hash brown potato cubes, defrosted
gluten free cream of chicken soup - recipe below
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
1 small onion, sauteed
2 Tbsp. melted butter
3/4 cup crushed gluten free corn flakes


Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup

1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules (gluten free) or 1 bouillon cube (gluten free)
1/2 tsp. salt

To make the soup, whisk together the cornstarch with the milk.  Add the remaining ingredients and heat to a boil while whisking until fully dissolved and combined.  Reduce heat and simmer a few minutes or until mixture thickens.  Use this recipe in place of one can of creamed soup.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  For casserole, heat in a sauce pan on medium heat  or microwave soup, cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and sauteed onion until cheese melts.  Stir the mixture into the defrosted hash browns and put into a greased 9" x 13" dish.  Crush corn flakes with hands or a rolling pin in a gallon size baggie.  Top casserole with corn flakes and pour melted butter over top.  Bake covered for 45 minutes and then uncover and cook an additional 15 minutes.

Gluten Free Sweet Corn Cake Casserole

Happy New Year!  I got all caught up in all the Christmas activities and found I didn't blog much.  I'm hoping to find and share lots of new goodies in this coming year.  I thought I'd start off with this yummy Gluten Free Sweet Corn Cake Casserole.  Have you ever had the corn cake at a Mexican restaurant, like El Torrito?  I just love the little ball of corn cake they serve with their dishes.  I have made this sweet corn cake dish in the past and it reminded me of the restaurant version.  I made it gluten free, and for some reason it seems even more like the restaurant version. I added extra sour cream to compensate for the dry gluten free flour, so maybe this creamier version is closer to what I like.   This one is topped with melted cheese, which is such a nice addition to the sweet and crunchy corn in the  cornbread/sweet corn cake.

Gluten Free Sweet Corn Cake Casserole

The thing I like best, is it all starts with a gluten free cornbread mix.  I used the Krusteaz Gluten Free honey cornbread mix.  This Gluten Free Sweet Corn Cake Casserole is a nice side for any Mexican dish, salad, soup or chili you are making.  Enjoy!

GLUTEN FREE SWEET CORN CAKE
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from: Paula Deen
Click here for Printable Recipe

1 (15 1/4 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8 ounce) package gluten free corn muffin mix (if using Krusteaz use 1/2 box or 1 1/4 cup)
1 1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter.  Pour into a greased 13x9 dish.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until set and slightly brown (the casserole will still be soft, but should not be raw or runny).  Remove from oven and top with cheddar cheese.  Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.  It warms up nicely in the microwave the next day too!

Gluten Free Onion Rings

I'm deviating from pumpkin for a quick minute here simply because I was craving these Gluten Free Onion Rings (and you know when Mama gets a craving, she needs to feed it), and while making them, I thought I should share them with you all.  They are super easy to make, as they are made with Bisquick Gluten Free Mix.  Can you believe it?  They are so crispy and flavorful, just like you would find in a diner.  I find myself eating a good majority of them as I make them!

Gluten Free Onion Rings

As you know, it isn't always easy or fun going out to eat when you are gluten intolerant.  A few times I have gone out and seen other people eating onion rings and I really wished I could have some.  So, maybe eating them at restaurants is out, but I can have my fill at home!  My whole family loves these Gluten Free Onion Rings.  They just happen to be another one of those things I never made at home before finding out I was gluten intolerant (so the family scores again because of my discovery!).

So take a break with me from all the pumpkin recipes, get out your ketchup and get ready for some finger licking dipping goodness (and maybe even make your family glad you can't eat gluten too).

GLUTEN FREE ONION RINGS
Recipe by: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Click here for Printable Recipe

Bisquick Gluten Free Mix
1 Tbsp. Creole Seasoning (make sure it's gluten free)
1 medium Sweet Onion (like a Vidalia)
Vegetable or Canola Oil for frying

Follow direction on Gluten Free Bisquick box for making pancakes.  Stir in Creole Seasoning (make sure to read the ingredients in your seasoning that it is all gluten free.  You can find creole seasoning in the seasoning aisle.  I make sure mine doesn't contain MSG either).

Pour a few inches of oil into a large frying pan.  Heat on medium heat until drops of batter sizzle when it hits the pan.  Slice your onion vertically into rings.  Separate the rings and put about half  of the onion rings (depending on the size of your bowl) into the batter and stir to coat.  Using a fork to lift the rings, so the excess batter can drip back into bowl, carefully set a few rings in the hot oil, turning them to brown on each side.  Remove from oil to a paper towel once both sides are browned and immediately sprinkle with salt.  Continue until all rings are dipped and fried.

Homemade Caramel Sauce - Gluten Free

I didn't know how much I needed Homemade Caramel Sauce until I made some.  I then found how many things I have been eating that have missed this creamy topping.  It really is the most amazing caramel sauce I have ever had.  The brown sugar and whipping cream slowly simmered on the stove becomes such a rich sauce with a creamy, milky flavor.

Homemade Caramel Sauce - Gluten Free

 I love this gluten free Homemade Caramel Sauce so much I find myself looking for opportunities to drizzle this delicious delight on whatever I can!  Obviously it's awesome on so many desserts, like ice cream, chocolate cake and apple pie, but it's also great drizzled in a cup of hot chocolate, over oatmeal or a dip for apples. Don't forget to use it on my Gluten Free Spiced Apple Butterscotch Cake too! My next post will give you yet another way to use this sweet bit of indulgence in my Slow-Cooker Turtle Pudding (ooh, so exciting, a sneek peak). Why don't you see how many ways you can use this amazing sauce and you too will wonder how you ever got along without it!

HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE

Recipe from: Barefeet in the Kitchen

click here for Printable Recipe

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and the water.  Stir to combine and then cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves; about 4-5 minutes.  There is no need to stir, simply swirl the pan over the burner occasionally as the sugar dissolves.

Raise the heat to medium high and cook the sauce, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is amber colored; about 7-8 minutes.  Add the butter, be prepared for it to bubble and sputter, lightly stir or swirl to melt, do not scrape the sides of the pan or splash sauce up the sides of the pan (This will cause crystallization, if you scrape the uncooked sugars back into the sauce).

Once the butter is melted, remove from the heat and add the vanilla, heavy cream and salt.  It will bubble again, but will calm quickly.  Stir to combine (again, not scraping sides of the pan) and then let cool before transferring to a jar and refrigerating for storage.  Enjoy!

You haven't heard from me for awhile because we have been taking in some fresh mountain air in Big Bear, California, on a little get away.  I hope you had some time to get away too this summer.  If not, I give you permission to live vicariously through these pics!

Gluten Free Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

One of my favorite dishes to make and take to a summer gathering is a cold pasta salad.  For years I have made this creamy veggie packed pasta salad that is made with garlic, basil and red wine vinegar that gives it a nice zip.  Of course, I couldn't let a little gluten stop me from making my favorite summer pasta salad...so of course I made a gluten free version.

Gluten Free Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

  Although my Gluten Free Creamy Italian Pasta Salad is on the creamy side, it is still light and refreshing with it's crunchy peppers and bright tomatoes.  I am lucky that my neighbor grows tomatoes and shares with me!  I also grow my own basil, making this pasta salad a fresh summer treat (although it is still great with store bought veggies...and is good to eat even in the winter!).

I made up a batch today to take to our neighborhood concert in the park.  So much fun!  My Gluten Free Creamy Italian Pasta Salad also happens to be my daughter's favorite pasta salad, so it doesn't hang around our house for long.

 I have found many brands of gluten free twist pasta and have liked them all.  I try to stick with a brown rice pasta or brown rice blend.  You need to make sure to not over cook the pasta, as it will be sitting in the fridge in the creamy sauce and will continue to soften.

Well, I better give you the recipe now...the concert is about to start!

GLUTEN FREE CREAMY ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
Recipe From: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from: Hellmann's
Yield: About 3 Cups
click here for Printable Recipe

1 cup Mayonnaise (you can use light or reduced fat if you wish)
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1 tsp dried basil or 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaf
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups gluten free twist pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green, yellow or red pepper (I use a combo of peppers)
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
1/2 cup cubed cheddar cheese

Combine first 6 ingredients.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover, chill, serve!