GF Tips and Tricks

Prep for the Holidays, Day 1

/ Janet Monk / Leave a comment

Gluten Free Croutons

/ Janet Monk / Edit

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I’m starting my prep for Holiday cooking today. I’ve been saving the ends of my Gluten Free Bread in the freezer for a while now. So today I’m going to make Croutons for Stuffing.

Gluten Free Croutons

Preheat oven to 400*

Gluten Free bread

1 Teaspoon additive free garlic powder

1 Teaspoon salt

Per 2 ½  Cups cubed bread

I use leftover Gluten Free bread if I can, and I like to save the ends for croutons also. But if you need several cups at a time, one 9×4 inch loaf will make about 4- 5 cups of baked croutons. To cut each slice into small crouton size squares, I usually stack the slices of bread, then cut so it goes faster. And spread the little squares on a cookie sheet, or baking pan one layer thick.  Sprinkle on garlic powder and salt, and bake. About 20 – 25 minutes or until crisp. Make sure to check them at about 15 minutes, they will need to be stirred. When done, let them cool, and store in an air tight container in the freezer until needed.  To use in a salad, take out what you need and microwave about ten seconds. Or save them for stuffing.

My dressing (or stuffing) recipe calls for 4 cups of croutons. My baking pans will hold 2 ½ cups of cubed bread at a time, which equals (after shrinkage) 2 cups of croutons. So after baked and cooled the 2 ½ cups will shrink to about 2 cups.

Eating Out Gluten Free

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RedRobinGFBurger

Eating Out Gluten Free

With everyone on summer vacations, I thought this would be a helpful post. I know there are apps that will help in finding Gluten Free restaurants, but it has been my experience that only a few of them are listed on the apps.
Recently I have had several people tell me, since they have started eating Gluten Free, they can no longer go out to eat. Well you can, you just have to do your homework. I have even had some Bakeries and Restaurants message me and tell me they are using some of my recipes!  So you never know when you go out to eat you may see some of my Gluten Free recipes on your menu.

Here are a few tips.
ALWAYS, tell your waiter that you need the Allergy, or Gluten Free menu, and if you are Celiac tell them it is medically necessary that you eat Gluten Free. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Such as do you have a dedicated fryer for fries, or are they fried in the same oil as all of the other breaded items, like chicken or onion rings? Ask if they toast the Gluten Bread in the same toaster or grill that wheat bread is toasted on. Always ask!

With the help of other sites and friends we have compiled a list of Gluten Free places to eat in several states. Please be aware, things can change. Chefs come and go, as do knowledgeable waiters and waitresses. Always ask questions, and if you don’t feel safe, don’t stay and eat. I am in no way endorsing any of these restaurants. As you well know if you have Celiac Disease or food allergies it is always a risk when you go out to eat. Please Feel Free to comment and add your favorite and SAFE Gluten Free places to eat in the comments below. Please remember, just because a chain restaurant in one city has a very good reputation for serving SAFE gluten free options, others may not. Always ask questions and make sure!

EATING OUT GLUTEN FREE BY STATE

ARKANSAS:

Angus Jack- Springdale, Arkansas
Callahan’s Steak House- Siloam Springs, Arkansas ( It’s better if you call ahead for this restaurant)

COLORADO:

Austin’s- Fort Colon’s, Co.

MARYLAND:

Alexander’s Tavern- Fells Point, Baltimore

MASSACHUSETTS:

Wagamama’s- Boston, Ma

MICHIGAN:

[V] = Dedicated Vegan
Dedicated GF
Wow (Okemos),1754 Central Park Dr. Meridian Charter Township, MI 48864
Live Gluten Free Bakery & Café 1062 E. Sternberg Rd.,Norton Shores, MI 49441 Just Off US 31 exit 109B
Moo Cluck Moo (Canton/Dearborn)42126 Ford Rd. Canton, MI (734) 844-0000 (behind Panera Bread) 8606 N. Telegraph Rd.,Dearborn Heights, MI (313) 562-9999(carry out only) (one block south of Joy rd.)**Be aware this is no longer a dedicated Gluten Free facility**
Little Mustard Seed Café & Shoppe, 51111 Washington Street,New Baltimore, MI, United States, 586-716-9255
Renee’s Gourmet Pizzeria (Troy/Southfield) 1937 W. Maple Road, Troy, MI 48084 248-280-7800, 29705 Northwestern Hwy. Southfield, MI 48034 (carry out and delivery only) 248-208-6000
Rumi’s Passion Gluten Free Bakery 41120 5 Mile Road, Plymouth, MI 48170, 734-335-7145
No More Belly Aching Bakery, 10049 Grand River Ave #100, Brighton, MI 48116 (810) 225-9773
[V] Try It Raw Inc. 213 E Maple Rd.Birmingham, MI 48009 (248)-593-6991
Celiac Specialties, 1928 Star-Batt Dr. Rochester Hills, MI 48309 (248)-860-0680
Ethel’s Edibles, Gluten Free Baking Company 22314 Harper Ave. St Clair Shores, MI 48080 (586)-552-5110
Heavenly Cakeballs 3522 S Lapeer Rd. Metamora, MI 48455 (248)-431-0740

Missouri :

Fuddruckers: Branson, Mo. ( has GF buns)

NEBRASKA:

Heidi Payton-Holstein Nebraska Great Plains Celiac group – Gluten Free
Published by Heidi Payton-Holstein · April 14 ·
Here is a list of Restaurants in Sidney Nebraska, that have gluten free menu options.
Buffalo Point Steakhouse & Grill—Yes they have a GF Menu, Yes they have a GF prep Area, chance of CC is extremely low
Perkins Restaurant & Bakery—–Yes they have a GF Menu, Yes they have a GF prep Area, chance of CC is extremely low
Applebees—–Yes they have a GF Menu, Yes they have a GF prep Area, chance of CC is extremely low
Sam and Louies Pizza—-Yes they have a GF Menu, Yes they have a GF prep Area——–The Cross Contamination is high with gluten based flour floating in the air.
Hillside Bar & Grill—-Offer ONLY a Chief Salad, but can not guarantee that all ingredients used (meats) used would be gluten free..
Sonic—–Yes they have GF options, Yes they have a GF prep Area, could not guarantee a a low CC chance.
Arbys—– Yes they have GF options, Yes they have a GF prep Area, could not guarantee a a low CC chance.
Chilli’s and Sam & Louie’s – Scottsbluff and Gering, NE.

NEW JERSEY:

Bill’s Bar and Burger – Atlantic City, NJ.

NORTH CAROLINA:

Shagger Jacks- Oak Island
Five Guys – Oak Island ( and all over the East Coast) (be aware of possible cross contamination)
Bob’s Dogs- Oak Island
My Way Tavern – Holly Springs

OKLAHOMA

The Chuck Wagon Café- Sycamore Springs Ranch 12754 South 442 Road, Locust Grove, Ok.74352 (918) 598-3310,Steaks and Baked potatoes!  (Beware of the fries they are not fried in dedicated Fryer) Just tell your waitress what you can have and they will work with you.
Denny’s- Pryor, Oklahoma
Los Cocos – Salina, Oklahoma
Rowlands Quick Shop – Locust Grove, Oklahoma ( Baked Chicken)
Applebee’s – Muskogee, Ok
Lone Star Steak House- Broken Arrow, Ok ( Currently Closed, Sept. 2017)
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers-Broken Arrow, or Tulsa, Ok
(The Photo was taken at Red Robin in Broken Arrow, and yes that is a GF bun)
Red Lobster-  51 Street, Tulsa, Ok
Lyn, just added Hideaway- Broken Arrow, Ok
Hideaway Pizza- Edmond, Ok
Five Guys- also Broken Arrow( be aware of possible cross contamination)
Los Cabos- Jenks or Broken Arrow, Ok
Scholtzskys has a gluten free bun
Incredible Pizza – Tulsa, OK (gluten free pizza if you request it)
Domino’s – Durant, Ok
Roma’s Italian Restaurant- Durant, Ok

SOUTH CAROLINA

McAllister’s Deli

TEXAS:

Cheesecake Factory- Frisco, Tx
PF Chang’s – Allen, Tx
McAllister’s Deli- Sherman, Tx
Jason’s Deli- Allen and Dallas, Tx.

First Anniversary of Jan’s Gluten Free Cook Book

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Cookbookpicforfair (2)

Jan’s Gluten Free Cook Book Give Away!

To celebrate the first anniversary of my cook book I’m going to have another give away. From now through July 9th 2016, the person with the most votes wins a Jan’s Gluten Free Cook Book and some *BONUS RECIPES* that I have never published or posted.
To vote you must have your friends and family LIKE my Face Book recipe page (Jan’s Gluten free Recipes, click the link below) and comment on the post for the give away, or the note about the giveaway, who they are voting for. If they do not comment” who they are voting for” I cannot count your vote. If you already LIKE my page and are voting for yourself, comment so I will know. The person with the most votes wins! Please share and pass this along! I would love to give away another Cook Book!

JansGlutenFreeFB

https://www.facebook.com/jansglutenfreerecipes?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Gluten Free or Not Gluten Free?

/ Janet Monk / 4 Comments

Pure Ingredients = Pure FLAVOR!!

Not only is eating Gluten Free a necessity for some of us, it is a choice for others. Gluten free cooking has so much more flavor! Simply because you cook with pure ingredients. There are no fillers in the spices, no additives to the meat, you actually taste the real food.

I have had this conversation so many times with people. They always ask me or tell me that soy sauce is already gluten free, it is made from soy not wheat. So why is some soy sauce labeled gluten free and some soy sauce is not? Because some food companies like to cut corners and add wheat or gluten containing fillers that are cheaper. The same with spices, I’ve also had people wonder why do I put in my recipes “additive Free”?  Sometimes the product has been produced in the same plant or on the same equipment as gluten containing products, thus it will contaminate the pure spice. If the company did not clean their equipment, that bottle of cheap spice that you just purchased may contain the remains of what was previously processed, then you did not get an additive free product.

I’ve also had a conversation about turkeys, they are not made from gluten so they are gluten free right? Well they should be, but if the meat was injected with flavorings or preservatives that contain gluten, then the turkey is no longer gluten free. Ham is the same way, if it has been injected in the curing process with gluten containing products or preservatives, then it is not gluten free. People just assume that food products are pure. Anyone with food allergies or celiac disease will tell you this is not true. If you have ever had your throat close up and you can’t breathe because of MSG or other food additives, then you become very diligent, even to the point of being paranoid about what is in your food. Or you’ve had body aches, stomach pains or other digestive problems so bad it puts you down for a week or sends you to the hospital; or your child cannot control himself and the school is calling you every day because he has gotten gluten or other food additive that sends him into a tailspin, then you become obsessed about what you put in your mouth, or on your child’s plate!

So whether it is by choice or necessity, pure true ingredients win out over fake every time!

More about Food Additives

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enhanced

Those Sneaky Little Additives

As you are out doing your last minute shopping for the holidays, PLEASE be aware of the sneaky way food companies have of enticing us to buy their products. The pictures look so appealing and appetizing. The chicken, or the steak, looks mouthwatering, but remember those are just pictures. A good food photographer was paid very well to make that picture look like that. It does not in any way mean that it’s real food.

I know it seems like I have said this a lot, but read the labels. Those little words like enhanced, or glazed, especially in meat and sometimes vegetables, just means you are paying for extra water or a flavor enhancer like MSG. Which not only adds to the weight of the meat, but also can be potentially dangerous for those of us that are sensitive to those additives. Those little enhancers, besides making you sick, can throw off a recipe and ruin a meal. Sometimes there is so much sodium or sugar already added, that when you add the amount called for in your recipe, it doubles or even triples the amount needed. And if you aren’t aware it is already in the meat, then by the time it’s cooked it is too late.

I know it is tempting, especially with the crowds and long lines to just grab and go, but it is important READ THE LABELS!!  Ok I’m through, with this. ( for now)

Gluten Free Flour Revisited

/ Janet Monk / 7 Comments

tomsawBCI had a conversation with a lady yesterday, that is still having trouble finding the right Gluten Free flours to work with. So I thought I would add some more info. about the flours I use. My favorite  G F flours and the ones that react and taste more like the wheat flour that we all grew up with, are the Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Flour and Betty Crocker Rice Flour blend mixed.  Below is the recipe I use to mix these 2 flours, and where to find them.

Tom Sawyer and GF Betty Crocker Flour Mix

The combination of these 2 flours is the closest I have found to the taste and texture of regular white wheat flour. And since this mixture works the best for these recipes I like to keep this mixed, it saves a lot of time.

2 – 16 oz. boxes of Betty Crocker all-purpose GF rice flour blend (each box measures out to a scant 3 Cups)

6 Cups Tom Sawyer GF Flour

In a large mixing bowl slowly pour each kind of flour in, and slowly stir with a wire whisk. ( You don’t want the flour to poof out, it is wasteful and it will throw off the measurement). Mix thoroughly, it is very important!

The reason I do this amount, is because it fills up my large Tupperware container, and this will last awhile. If you also have wheat flour in the house, PLEASE LABEL your containers!!!

NOTE: I realize some people may not be able to get the Tom Sawyer Flour, it is not available in all stores. ( We have to order this over the internet, I have provided a phone number and link below.)

Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Flour. Com

Phone 877-372-8800

Email: tomsawyer@esedona.net

You can find Betty Crocker Gluten Free Rice Flour blend at Wal-Mart, Homeland, Reesers, & other markets. Please be aware that this is not a Betty Crocker cake flour mix or Betty Crocker Bisquick, be sure and just read the boxes. Also please note, if you use the Betty Crocker rice flour alone, you must add xanthan gum to the recipe.

I hope this helps!

Getting prepared for Gluten Free Thanksgiving Dressing

/ Janet Monk / 2 Comments

IMG_1473 The Stuffing or Dressing recipe I use calls for 2 pans of corn bread, which equals about 12 cups of crumbled corn bread. I try to make my corn bread early, measure it out and put it into bags and freeze it. That way when it’s time to make my dressing for Thanksgiving, all I have to do is add it to the recipe.

Below is the recipe I use for the flour mix, and my Gluten Free Corn Bread. I hope this helps you getting prepared for your Gluten Free Thanksgiving.

Gluten Free Corn Meal Mix

1–24 oz. bag of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Stone Ground Whole Grain Corn Meal

2- 24 oz. bag of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Corn Flour

Mix well with whisk, in a large mixing bowl, and pour in air tight container. Be sure and label container.

The reason I like to use the mix of corn flour and cornmeal, is because the GF corn meal is coarser than regular cornmeal. So when you add the corn flour it just evens it out. If you like the grit of the corn, then just use the cornmeal. ( I have a thing about texture. I don’t even like regular pears because of the grit!)

If you like the finer grind of the Corn Flour, just use the Corn Flour alone instead of adding the Whole Grain Corn Meal.

GLuten Free Corn Bread

2 Cups GF Corn Meal/Corn Flour Mix (2 bags Bobs Red Mill Corn Flour, 1 bag Bobs Red Mill Corn Meal)

½ Teaspoon Salt

2 Teaspoon GF Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Tablespoon Sugar

¾ Stick of softened Salted Butter (6 Tablespoons or 3/8 cup of oil)

1 Cup Water or Milk

2 Eggs Beaten

In large mixing bowl whisk together dry ingredients, then add butter, water and eggs. Mix well and pour into a greased, 9 – 10 inch skillet, or baking dish. Bake at 350* for 25 – 30 minutes, or until set and browned around the edges. Cool and serve, or freeze in freezer bags for Turkey and dressing.

HELP!

/ Janet Monk / 5 Comments

help53I need your help yall ! I need all of you that have issues with Gluten Free living to give me some input. I would very much like to hear from any of you, to let me know what you would like to see on this site. If you want to see more recipes, let me know what kind of recipes. Main dishes, desserts, veggies, etc. I would love to help give you what you need! Or if you want more Gluten Free info, or product info. If I have the answers I will post it . And if I don’t know I’ll try my best to find out. Please give me some input yall ! Thanks so much for taking the time!!

Kitchen Tools and Gadgets

/ Janet Monk / 2 Comments

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If you’re like me, I love kitchen tools, or utensils. I like to just browse the kitchen ware and see what they have that’s new. One of my favorites, and I’m sure if you have read the recipes I’ve put on here so far you’ll know this, it’s the triggered ice cream scoop. It comes in different sizes, but the one I use most holds about ¼ cup. It is just the right size to fill cupcake and muffin cups with batter. It makes for more even and uniform muffins and cupcakes. You might want to give it a try, it makes baking cupcakes go a lot faster!

Pillsbuy Gluten Free Flour: Continued

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IMG_1414

I think I may have it figured out! I mixed the Pillsbury GF Flour and the Betty Crocker GF half and half. Then used an old recipe that called for the same amount of liquid as flour, in fact 1/4 cup more. (I will post the recipe this week) Then mixed the liquids and flour and let it set for 5 hours so the flour could absorb all the liquids. That way it’s not so gritty. It also has to bake longer than the original recipe, but it did rise well. This flour is just going to have to be used in recipes with a lot of liquids.

Food Additives

/ Janet Monk / 1 Comment

woodpulp

McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell And More Have Wood Pulp In Food

By Nadine DeNinno @nadinedeninnon.deninno@ibtimes.com on July 01 2014 10:40 AM

The entrance of this non-absorbable fiber into fast food ingredients has been stealthy, yet widespread: The compound can now be found in buns, cheeses, sauces, cakes, shakes, rolls, fries, onion rings, smoothies, meats—basically everything.

This product is marketed under a few different names;

, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) or “powdered cellulose” , “methylcellulose, as components of their menu items. Or, in plain English, wood pulp. corncobs, wheat straw, barley straw, etc.

I did a little more research and found the patent process for the food additive, this is what I found:

22, A process as in claim wherein said lingo cellulosic comprised of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or nitric acid. material is wood, cotton, soy bean hulls, oat hulls, rice hulls,

A prOcess as in ‘laim wherein the concentration of 30 corn cobs, corn stalks, bagasse, wheat straw, barley straw, said acid solution is about 1 to 5% (wlw). oat straw, or sugar beet pulp.

 

 

Pillsbury GF Flour

/ Janet Monk / Leave a comment

IMG_1406

Ok, I tried the Pillsbury Flour. Umm… not a fan yet. As you can see by the photo above, it just did not hold the rise, and it is not a smooth texture. I used my favorite recipe, but just as I’ve said before it is a different formulation, so it will take some work to get the right balance of oils, fats, and liquids to get a good loaf of bread. Pillsbury also uses Pea fiber, which might react more like Bob’s Red Mill flour. I’ll just have to work on it!