RECIPE - Gluten Free Mozzarella and Corn Fritters

This recipe really came about by accident when we were experimenting with gluten free shake n' bake. The thought was to take our regular gluten free chicken fingers recipe, and instead of using chicken strips, just use whole chicken breasts and bake in the oven. Well, it didn't turn out so well. I think the egg dip was where it went wrong. The chicken didn't brown at all and the crust was more mushy than crunchy. I ended up quickly frying the chicken to make the crust crunchy like it should be. You're better off not seeing a picture.

Anyways, along came this dish! I realized that I had extra egg dip and extra cornmeal dredge, and my inner child got the better of me. At first, I just wanted to mix the two together and make a kind of play-dough. But then I realized that there was extra oil in the pan, so why not fry it! Everything tastes good fried, right?? The cheese just sweetened the deal. The result: a crunchy, soft, cheesy fritter that'll make you think twice before throwing out those leftover dredges. Fried cheese to the rescue!!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup gluten free rice cereal, crushed
1 egg
1/4 cup milk (or more, as needed)
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (we use Cabbott because it's lactose free)
1 tbsp italian seasoning
salt + pepper to taste
pinch red pepper flakes
vegetable oil, for pan frying

Directions:
Mix the cornmeal, ground cereal, and spices together in a small bowl. Add egg and a little milk. Stir together until combined and until the mixture looks like cookie dough (you may need to add a little more milk or a little more cornmeal for the right texture). Add the mozzarella cheese and stir to incorporate.

Form into little patties and fry in oil until golden brown on both sides (only takes 1-2 minutes per side). Let drain briefly on a paper towel, and serve hot. These are especially good dipped in marinara sauce.

RECIPE - Gluten Free Nachos Deluxe

Adding the "e" at the end of "Deluxe" makes it sound more spectacular. Like adding an "e" to "Shoppe".

I never really make nachos unless there's a party or some other festivity. It's impossible to make a small batch of them. But thankfully, the Superbowl this past weekend was the perfect opportunity!

I love the challenge of making something so easy and so well known. Have you ever watched those cooking challenge shows like Top Chef? They always have one challenge where the contestants have to cook a very simple dish perfectly. On Top Chef they once challenged the chefs to cook an egg. Easy, right? You'd think, but there are a million and one different ways to cook eggs. Even if you look at just scrambled eggs, some folks add milk, some add water, some add butter, some add flour (??), some whisk a lot, some whisk a little (when I'm lazy I don't break them up until they're already IN the pan!). The variations are endless.

Well, the same is true for nachos. If you were looking last weekend for Superbowl recipes, I bet you saw tons of different nacho recipes, all trying to be unique and different. But there's really no need when you have a tried and true recipe and a great technique.

Here are my secrets for the perfect nachos:
1. Topping to Chip Ratio - One of my pet peeves is nachos where half the chips have no cheese. It should be illegal. Every chip should contain at least 1, preferably 2, toppings.
2. Great Guac - I'm from Southern California. If I made bad guac there'd be a pack of foodie gangsters at my door poised to take my accent back. Don't buy that premade crap from the grocery store.
3. Cheese Please - To achieve perfect topping to chip ratio, you'll need more cheese than you think. Don't skimp.

Ingredients:
Lots of tortilla chips (make sure they're gluten free! We used a combo of Trader Joe's and Mission)
Combo of shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses (we used Cabbott for both)
Chili (we used Amy's Medium Southwestern chili; it's vegan but we decided to add a little ground turkey)
Salsa
Sour Cream
Perfect Guacamole (see recipe below)

Directions:
Spread the tortilla chips on a cookie sheet. The thinner the layer, the better. It'll help your topping to chip ratio.

Spoon hot chili over the chips. Then, top with shredded cheeses. Bake or broil for just a few minutes, until all the cheese melts. Create 3 lumps of guac, salsa, and sour cream on top. Enjoy!

Guacamole Recipe:
2 ripe avocados, halved and largely diced
1/2 tomato, chopped
1/4 red onion, very finely diced
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper

Put the tomatoes and the onion in the bowl first. Then, scoop out the avocado (you should dice the avocado in it's skin, then when you scoop it out it will break into cubes). Then, add the lime juice. Stir together, then add salt and pepper. Stir again and taste for seasoning. Cover with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic wrap down so it touches the guac. Refrigerate for about an hour, and then let warm to room temperature before serving.

And there you have it! I dare you to find a better, more perfectly simple recipe for nachos.

RECIPE - GF Chicago Style Pizza

I am never making "regular" pizza again! This way is so much better!!

We were first inspired to make Chicago style pizza from our neighbors Rob and Jaclynn. Rob was surprising Jaclynn (who has a blog called "Bad Fashion", check it out here) for her birthday with this Midwest favorite. Our other neighbor Pete is a master baker, and with the smells of homemade dough and pizza wafting through the building, it was hard to resist. Now we don't have to!

You really won't believe how easy this is. Literally the only thing different is the pan and the order you put the ingredients on.

Ingredients:
1 package Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 gluten free italian sausages, casings removed and sauteed until cooked and crumbly like ground beef
1 1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 Tbsp italian seasoning
1/2 each red and green bell pepper, sliced
5 mushrooms, sliced
1 tomato, diced
2 cups mozarella cheese (I use Cabbott, it's lactose free)

Directions:
Make the pizza crust according to the directions on the package. Before mixing together, add 1 tbsp italian seasoning. Let the crust rise.

This recipe made 2 cake pans and 1 sheet pan worth of pizza (the sheet pan was made the "regular" way). You can easily make 4 cake pans of pizza with this recipe. Be sure to thoroughly spray the pan before mushing the dough in. I recommend using a piece of plastic wrap to help mush the pizza into the pan. Push the dough out to cover the bottom of the pan, then push up the sides of the pan. Prebake crust according to directions.

Now, here's the important part. Pay attention!

First, sprinkle the mozarella cheese directly on the prebaked crust. This is crucial, it creates a barrier between sauce and crust so it doesn't get mushy. It also gives the crust a great texture and helps you taste the cheese more.

Then, the sausage. In traditional Chicago pizzerias they put the sausage on the pizza raw and bake for a long long time. But here we can't bake the crust too long, so I recommend cooking the sausage ahead of time.

Next, add the veggies. Finally, spoon on some tomato sauce (after you mix it with 1 tbsp italian seasoning). Be careful not to add too much, you don't want to completely cover the veggies, just enough to get a thin layer. Add some parmesan cheese and you're ready to go!

Bake the pizza according to directions, and let rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Convinced? Make your pizza night a gluten free Chicago pizza night!!

RECIPE - GF Soft Pretzels with Beer Cheese Dip

It's OK to drool. I won't tell anyone...

Ok, so the gluten free soft pretzel recipe I cannot and will not share with you. I got it out of my new cookbook "Gluten Free Baking Classics" by Annalise G. Roberts. Check out her website, The Food Philosopher.  They're fantastic. Simply said. Do yourself a favor and buy this cookbook. Seriously! Your family will thank you.

Now, onto the cheese dip!! I first encountered beer and cheese in dip format at a great restaurant The Readhead in the east village. Besides having the 2nd best (umm, hello? see mine) fried chicken ever, they make this amazing cheese-y beer-y dip for soft pretzels. I did my best to make a gluten free lactose free version. That recipe I'll share with you.

Now, there's a couple of things that make this recipe awesome and special despite its being gluten free and lactose free. The first is Cabbott cheese. Oddly enough, my grandpa told me about this gem. Their cheeses are gluten free AND lactose free. And they taste like CHEESE!!!!

The second is the Tofutti cream cheese. I've used this cream cheese in the past as a healthier alternative to cream cheese, but it's also great because it's gluten free and dairy free!

And finally we have the beer. You only need a little, so use your favorite gluten free beer. I recently tried Estrella Daura, the best American-tasting gluten free beer (vs. the best European-tasting gluten free beer Greene's beer).

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shredded Cabbott cheddar cheese
2 tbsp Tofutti original cream cheese
1/4 cup gluten free beer (I recommend Estrella Daura, see my review here)
a little salt and pepper
1 tbsp Hot Sauce (like for wings)

Directions:
Put everything into a bowl. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring after each burst. Once everything melts together, pour into your serving bowl and refrigerate. Difficult, eh?