shrimp scampi

A new family favorite— we reduced the lemon from the original Ina Garten version and served it with Taste Republic GF linguine and grated Parm. So good!

Ingredients

Vegetable oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons

3/4 pound linguine

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon

1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Directions

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

1. Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
2. When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Battered chicken fingers

As we explore some new recipes after Cael’s celiac diagnosis, this one from “Paleo Perfected” was a hit with everyone and we will definitely use this batter for fish, onion rings, cheese curds… I did fry them in veggie oil in a Dutch oven seeing we aren’t worried about staying truly Paleo. After frying, I let them rest on a paper towel covered wire rack tented in foil instead of in a 200° oven and they were fine until all batches were done  

creamy spinach artichoke chicken

 A delicious dinner from The Forked Spoon, which I modified slightly. Everyone really liked this (Elle liked everything but the artichokes...) over GF pasta. 

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoon olive oil - divided
• 1-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied 
• salt + black pepper
• 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 3 tablespoon butter 
• 2 shallots - minced
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 2 (15 ounce) cans artichoke hearts - drained and roughly chopped
• 6 ounces fresh baby spinach
• ½ cup chicken broth - 
• 1 cup half-and-half 
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded

Instructions:

1. Place chicken breasts to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, mixing well to coat the entire surface of each chicken breast.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, drizzle with approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Work in batches, if needed , to cook the chicken until golden, approximately 5-6 minutes per side, (or until nearly cooked through). Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
3. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the butter and shallots and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic and stir continuously for 30 seconds more. Mix in the artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, and chicken broth. Mix well to combine. Cook until the spinach has just wilted. Add the half-and-half and bring just to a simmer. Stir in the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
4. Return the chicken back to the skillet. Reduce heat to prevent the half-and-half from boiling. Allow the chicken to simmer and finish cooking for an additional 5 minutes or so. Serve over pasta. 

mini oreo cheesecakes

 Elle's 12th birthday was the first celebratory meal that we needed to make gluten free. She picked these mini oreo cheesecakes from Live Well Bake Often and we made them with Goodie Girl cookies. They were SO easy and really good! Kory wants us to try with vanilla cookies or graham crackers and plain cheesecake as another option. 

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

• 12 Oreos (we used Goodie Girl chocolate sandwich cookies)
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter , melted

For the cheesecake filling:

• 12 ounces brick-style cream cheese , softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 grams) sour cream , room temperature
• 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg , room temperature
• 6 Oreos , crushed (we used Goodie Girl chocolate sandwich cookies)

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray each cavity of a 12-count mini cheesecake pan well with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. You may also use a regular 12-count muffin pan, I suggest lining each cavity with cupcake liners for easier removal.
2. Add the Oreos to a blender or food processor and process until you have fine crumbs. Scoop the crumbs into a mixing bowl and add the melted butter. Mix together until all of the crumbs are moistened.
3. Evenly distribute the filling between all 12 cavities in the mini cheesecake pan, making sure to press each one down firmly into one even layer.
4. Bake at 325°F for 5 minutes, remove from the oven, and set aside to cool. Keep oven temperature at 325°F while you make the filling.

To make the cheesecake filling:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, add the cream cheese and mix until smooth.
2. Add in the sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract and continue mixing until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add in the egg and mix on low speed until just combined, then gently fold in the crushed Oreos.
4. Evenly distribute the cheesecake filling between all 12 cavities of the pan and return to the oven. Bake at 325°F for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the cheesecakes are set.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Once the cheesecakes are chilled remove them from the pan, serve, and enjoy!

beef and broccoli

 Easy beef and broccoli recipe from Damn Delicious that is easy to make gluten free!

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup gluten free sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, chicken stock, honey, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, cornstarch, Sriracha, ginger, red pepper flakes and 1/4 cup water; set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add steak and cook, flipping once, until browned, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in broccoli and soy sauce mixture until tender and slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Serve immediately.

orange chicken

As an attempt to start recreating some of Cael's favorite meals, but gluten free, we tried this recipe from Mama Knows Gluten Free.  I did increase the OJ and decrease the vinegar, but it turned out really sweet, but still an acceptable alternative to Trader Joe's. Next time I will make it as below. 

Ingredients 

Chicken:

• 3 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch sized pieces
• 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying I like peanut oil for frying.

Dry Coating:

• ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (cup4cup).
• ½ cup cornstarch .
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 large eggs, whisked

Orange Sauce

• 4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce 
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup orange juice
• 2 TB rice vinegar (or white vinegar) 
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Combine the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and ground ginger in a large plastic storage bag, (Think Shake and Bake). This is the easiest method, but you could also dredge the chicken pieces in a bowl.
2. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch size pieces. 
3. Whisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Add chicken pieces to the egg and stir to fully coat the pieces.
4. Place all of the chicken pieces in the plastic storage bag of the gluten-free flour mixture and seal the top of the bag. Keep turning over the bag until the chicken pieces are fully coated. Place in the refrigerator while the oil is heating up.
5. Heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok, until 350°F.
6. Carefully add the chicken pieces to hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, until light golden brown. You may need to cook the chicken in several batches depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the skillet.
7. Remove the chicken pieces from hot oil to drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or plate.
8. Either spray your skillet with a nonstick gluten-free cooking spray or put a little oil back into the skillet and set to it medium heat.
9. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, garlic powder, and, ground ginger to the skillet and stir to combine. Add in the orange juice, stirring occasionally, until the sugars dissolved.
10. Add in the gluten-free rice vinegar and gluten-free soy sauce, and stir to combine.
11. Whisk together the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the skillet and stir. Cook the sauce until it looks like maple syrup consistency, stirring occasionally.
12. Return the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and stir to evenly coat the chicken with the sauce. Serve and enjoy!