Gluten Free Support Group Meeting?

Sorry that we haven't updated the blog for a long time. We would like to hold gluten free support group meetings again if there is enough interest. If you are interested in meeting together please email glutenfreestarvalley@gmail.com  We can do cooking classes, swap recipes, and share gluten free experiences!

Nutty Coconut Bread

This recipe is from Linda Linford.

This is our family’s absolutely favorite treat at Christmas.

Nutty Coconut Bread

Beat:  4 eggs

Stir in:  2 tsp coconut flavoring

Combine:  2 cup sugar 1 cup oil

Add 1/2 tsp soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt

Add alternately:  3 cups flour
                          1 cups buttermilk, add 1 cup coconut, 1 cup chopped nuts

Bake in 2 greased and floured pans at 325° for 75 minutes.

I usually use small loaves and bake for 35 min.

Syrup:  1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2 Tbsp butter, 2 tsp coconut flavoring

Boil for 3 minutes.  Pour over cake and leave in pans 4 hours.

This year I used Jules All Purpose Flour so I actually got to eat some.  It was just as good as the batch made with the regular flour according to my husband.


Thanks Linda!

Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving Recipe from Lisa Turner

Growing up we didn't have regular turkey. We had smoked turkey. Now, before you roll your eyes, let me assure you this is the best thing to happen to turkey since stuffing! Everyone, and I mean everyone, who has ever tried Smoked Turkey has fallen in love and their Thanksgiving has never been the same.

So, if you're feeling adventurous, and tired of spending all Thanksgiving morning basting your turkey, try this recipe out.

Smoked Turkey

In a five gallon bucket combine:

          2 gallons of water

          2 bottles of liquid smoke (found by the ketchup)

          2 cups Morton Tender Quick (found in the salt section of the store)

Place frozen (yes frozen) turkey into solution for 48 hours or more. Keep in cool place. (Best done in winter. You can use a cooler to keep colder, but allow extra time as turkey will not completely thaw in 48 hours inside a cooler--and your cooler will be permanently stained by the liquid smoke.)

Make sure to keep a lid on the bucket and to stir the water a bit. The best way to stir the water is to hold the bucket by the handle and twist from side to side avoiding any spillage.

Thanksgiving morning, remove from water, rinse, remove giblets, etc. and bake as usual.

**Tips: To ensure the turkey remains under water the entire time, it is advisable to use an empty glass bottle or glass bowl to push the turkey down, the lid helps with this. We put the turkey in the smoke brine Sunday evening and place it in our cold food storage room. The coolest spot in your house is best.

Image courtesy FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Great Bread Recipe

My family has been searching for a good gf bread recipe. Box mixes are so expensive. And, as far as mixes go, Bob's Red Mill bread mix is the best. We were quite surprised by this discovery because as a family we don't like most of the Bob's Red Mill mixes. If you'd like to give it a try, Familee Thriftway carries it. I haven't found it at Valley Market.

One thing I REALLY LOVE about this recipe is that you don't need to have a flour mix. I'm so sick of having five different buckets filled with five different flour mixes. Why can't recipes just call for a specific measurement of each ingredient?!

I discovered this great bread recipe at Baking Beauties. I've included a couple of modifications in parenthesis. As a family we've found these substitutions useful:

Buckwheat flour instead of ground flax
Sorghum flour instead of ground flax
Potato flakes work great for milk powder
Sweet rice flour (a.k.a. glutenous rice flour) in place of milk powder


***We like this bread better when potato flakes are substituted for milk powder. We've tried it three ways: with milk powder, with sweet rice flour and with potato flakes. Potato flakes make a better loaf!

Another Wonderful Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread

from Baking Beauties

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water

2 tsp instant yeast

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup ground flax (1/2 cup Buckwheat flour)

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup skim milk powder (1/4 cup sweet rice flour OR 1/4 cup potato flakes)

2 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 egg whites

Directions:

Combine warm, yeast & sugar in a glass bowl. Stir & let sit 5 minutes. This allows the yeast to proof & shortens rising time.

In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine dry ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

In a separate bowl, using a heavy-duty mixer with paddle attachment or dough hook, combine remaining ingredients until well blended. Add water/yeast mixture & combine.

With mixer on lowest speed, slowly add dry ingredients until combined. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula. With mixer on medium speed, beat for 4 minutes.

Spoon into prepared bread pan or mini-loaf pans. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place for 30-40 minutes, or until dough has risen to the top of the pan.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom of single loaf.

Slice and wrap while still warm in airtight individual sandwich bags, then place these in a larger freezer bag. Freeze up to 6 weeks.

Bake 12 minutes for 11 mini loaves. Freeze 2 loaves/sandwich bag

**This recipe makes 1 loaf. It sticks really bad so grease bread pan well.

NOTE: Unlike the recipe, I let my loaf cool totally before slicing & packaging.

Pizza Demonstration

We would like to thank everyone who came to our meeting Wednesday night. Susan Bell treated us to some tasty pizza and shared a few wonderful tips.

For those of you interested in purchasing her upcoming cookbook, Gluten-free Cooking Made Easy, it is going to available at health food stores in Utah and Idaho and on the following websites:

amazon.com
deseretbook.com
borders.com
barnesandnoble.com

Enjoy the holidays! We'll resume our meetings next year.

October Meeting

Join us at the Alpine Civic Center on Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 6:30 p.m. for a cooking demonstration.

Cookbook author Susan Bell is coming to share her Gluten Free Pizza recipe with us.

Jules Gluten Free Cookie Mix

At our September meeting we were able to sample the Jules Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix that Jules Gluten Free donated to our group.

The reviews were great!  On a scale of 1 to 10 almost all of the tasters gave it a 10!

The cookie mix was very easy to make and simple to bake.  If you are interested in a tasty GF cookie mix this one is definitely worth your while.

Click here to check out the Jules Gluten Free website to see, not only their Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, but all their other products.

Thanks Jules Gluten Free! (Thanks Kathy!)

September Support Group Meeting

It looks like winter is on our doorstep!  Beat the cold evenings by joining us for cookies and some great information Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 6:30 p.m. in the SVMC Education Room.

This month we will be holding a cookie taster's table.  Bring your favorite cookie recipe and a sample to share.  We also have a special treat!  Jules Gluten Free has donated a chocolate chip cookie mix for us to sample.  All they ask in return for their generosity is that we give them a little feedback.  So be prepared to put your GF taste buds to the test!

We will be highlighting an additional food allergy this month.  We will be discussing the all too common dairy allergy that is prevalent among the Celiac community.  We've got some substitution ideas and other information to help you out.  (If you've got some tips, please be sure to come and share them.)

Also, Laura (our registered nurse) will be talking about diabetes and Celiac.

We hope to see you all there!

365 Crock Pot Recipes

What do you get when you mix gluten free cooking and a slow cooker?  You get easy, delicious meals.

How often does your crock pot see more than a roast or some beans?

Would you love a whole bunch of free crock pot recipes that are gluten free?  If you answered "yes" to the last question, then this post is for you!

Stephanie O'Dea is spending an entire year cooking in her crock pot.  That means one meal, every day, for 365 days.  Wow!

Check out her blog for a huge supply of great, gluten free recipes for your slow cooker.

August Meeting

Do you miss the convenience of boxed meals and mixes?  Gluten free boxed mixes can be pricey and don't always taste very good.  Have you ever considered making your own gluten free mixes?


Join us August 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the SVMC Education Room where we will show you how to make your own mixes, saving you both time and money.

Also, this month we will be sharing tips for making great gluten free meals, snacks, and desserts.  All on a budget.  And, we will be discussing ways to save money by: planning ahead for your meals, preparing your meals, and storing the left-overs.

Don't forget to bring your ideas to share!


Image courtesy renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Gluten Free Expo in Utah!

Mark your calendars for October 9th to attend the first ever Gluten Free Expo in Utah.

There will be a free pancake breakfast, a seminar with Dr. Uma Karnam, cooking classes, gluten free vendors, and more.

The cost is $6 per person and kids 12 and under are free.  There is also a family discount available.

Click here for all the details!

Bisquick -- Gluten Free!

It looks like General Mills® has finally gotten their new Gluten Free Bisquick® to store shelves (though I have yet to see it).

Here's a sample of some GF recipes from General Mills® for use with their new Bisquick®:

Click here for the recipe for Strawberry Shortcake.

Click here for the recipe for this Chocolate Chip Cherry Cobbler.

Click here for the recipe for Impossibly Easy Breakfast Bake.

Check here for some more great GF recipes using the new GF Bisquick.

And check here for a review, some tips, and a Blueberry Scone recipe using the new GF Bisquick.

Make sure you tell us if you find where we can buy some!

Back-to-School and Gluten Free

For those of you with gluten free children, the idea of sending them to school or day care can be a bit daunting.  There is always the constant worry about what they might eat or play with that could contaminate their system.

The trick is to educate their teachers or caregivers, but sometimes that is easier said than done.  When we informed my daughter's 1st grade teacher that she couldn't have gluten, the teacher made the assumption that we just meant bread.  How surprised she was to learn that something like licorice contains gluten.

One thing that was hard for my daughter was when children in her class celebrated their birthdays and brought in a treat.  The treat was NEVER anything she could have.  This made things difficult for the teacher and frustrating and depressing for my daughter.  By the end of the year, the teacher and I had worked out a system to help my daughter have either a gluten free replica of the refreshment being offered, or, if that wasn't possible, her teacher had a stash of Skittles in her desk that I had provided.  Her teacher was very conscientious and really took the time to make sure my daughter didn't feel left out.  This made all the difference.

Each teacher is different.  It's in your child's best interest that you not only inform their teacher, but educate them as well.  The more they know, the better they will be at helping your child navigate their time away from home safely.

How you approach any teacher or care giver is up to you.  But we've got some resources that you might find useful.

Click here for a pamphlet made specifically for teachers and care givers.

On the Jules Gluten Free website, for a limited time, you can get a free ebook called "Jules Gluten Free - Back-to-School ebook".  Click here and scroll down to the Back-to-School ebook and click on it.  In your "Cart" enter coupon code b2s and download your free copy!

Sorry, this ebook is no longer free.

Good luck!

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Linda Linford gave us a great recipe for...

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

2 cups Mama's Almond Blend
1 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 oz.) carton vanilla yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups frozen blueberries
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup cream or milk

Preheat oven to 375.  Line muffin tins with muffin liners.  In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.

In a mixer cream butter and sugar.  Stir in yogurt, egg, and vanilla.  Beat 1 minute on medium speed until well combined.  Stop mixer and add half of the flour mixture and milk.  Mix on lowest speed for 10 seconds.  Repeat with remaining flour.  Fold in blueberries.  Fill muffin liners to top.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Chex No-Bake Apple Bars

Here's a great recipe Linda Linford found!

Chex® No-Bake Apple Bars

4 cups Cinnamon Chex® or Rice Chex® cereal

2/3 cup chopped dried apples

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1.  Line bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with foil.  Spray foil with cooking spray.  In large bowl, mix cereal, apples, almonds and cranberries; set aside.

2.  In 1-quart saucepan, heat butter, corn syrup and brown sugar over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil.  Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly until slightly thickened.

3.  Pour over cereal mixture in bowl; stir until evenly coated.  Using buttered back of spoon, press mixture firmly in pan.  Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to cut.

4.  For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.  Store covered at room temperature up to 1 week.

For nutritional and other information click here.

**If you try this, or any of the posted recipes, please make sure to leave a comment with your review!

Shredded Pork Roast

For those of you who attended the Picnic, here's Laura's recipe for...

Shredded Pork Roast

3 to 4 lb. pork roast (loin, boneless, bone-in you choose)
2 cups salsa
2 cups brown sugar (to reduce sugar use 1 1/2 cup)

Place into crock pot sprayed with PAM.

Cook until meat is tender and falling apart.  Leave lid off for the last hour to allow juice to cook down a bit.   When done, remove and shred the pork then return to cooking juice.  Keep warm.

Serve over rice and black beans.  Top with tomatoes, olives, cheese, avocado, sour cream, green onions and tortilla chips, as desired.

July Gluten Free Picnic!

Mark your calendars and join us for a completely Gluten Free Picnic!

When:  July 21 at 6:30 p.m.

Where:  Star View Park, Afton

We will provide the main dish--shredded pork roast served over rice with these optional toppings: tomatoes, olives, cheese, avocados, sour cream, green onions, and tortilla chips.  The roast will be cooked with gf salsa and brown sugar.

What to bring:

    ~Your family

 ~Dishes (plates, cups, silverware, napkins, etc.)

 ~A favorite side dish (like fruit, gf chips, salad, dessert, etc.--please bring a list of ingredients for your side dish to the individuals with other allergies will know what is safe for them to eat)

Please RSVP by July 14 so we can have enough pork prepared.

We need a few volunteers to bring the following:  rice, black beans, tomatoes, olives, cheese, avocados, sour cream, green onions, and tortilla chips.

Linda Linford's Monster Cookies

At the meeting last week I said I would share this recipe for Monster Cookies.  It contains oatmeal which I get from a company in Powell, WY (glutenfreeoats.com)

Monster Cookies

3 eggs
1 1/4 C brown sugar 
1/2 C M&M's
1 C sugar              
1/2 C chocolate chips
1/2 t salt              
1/4 C craisens
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t vanilla
12 oz creamy peanut butter
1 cube soft butter
4 1/2 C quick oats

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

May Meeting

When: Wednesday, May 19, at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Star Valley Medical Center Education Room

Topic: Gluten Free Bread Samples

and

Planning our summer meeting schedule

If you can (but you don't have to), please bring a sample of your favorite Gluten Free Bread to share and one copy of your recipe. The bread can be any kind. Like sandwich, rolls, dessert, homemade, or mix. Just bring one copy of the recipe and we'll and post them on the website. (If you want to bring more than one copy of your recipe that's fine. We'd just like to post the recipes online to save people the expense of copying.)

We'd like the samples to be on a taster's table. Bring a plate with bite-sized samples so we can all try each kind. Also put your recipe beside your sample so those with other allergies can check to make sure they can have a bite (if it's store bought, bring the package so we can see the brand and the ingredients).

New products on the way!

What would you give to use Bisquick again or even Hamburger Helper?

Check out this link to read more about what General Mills is doing to bring those two products in Gluten Free form to the market.