Secret Family Recipe

My dad was known for one signature dish. Every family gathering, you can almost bet that he would bring his gluten-free meatballs. These juicy meatballs were present at every Christmas party, family potluck, and any other time there’s good cause for a celebration.

My dad claimed them as a “secret family recipe”, but I’m choosing to pass this on to you! So welcome to the family, and make a batch of these great meatballs. I hope your family enjoys them as much as we have. 

Gluten Free Adaptations

In all honesty, this recipe for gluten-free meatballs underwent some alterations since its inception. In my younger years, my dad made these with beer, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, and Lipton’s Onion soup mix.

Fast forward to post celiac diagnosis, and regular beer is a no-no. (As is Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix.) You can leave the beer out, if you want. If you choose to use beer, make sure it is made from gluten free grains, not a gluten removed one like Omission or Space Rock.

Gluten Free Beers You Could Safely Use

• – New Grist
• – Green’s Beer- Any flavor
• – Ground Breaker Brewing
• – Ghostfish
• – Alt Brew (in Wisconsin)

Gluten Free Onion Soup Mix

• – Simply Organic French Onion Dip Mix
• – Mom’s Place Gluten Free Onion Soup Mix
• – Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix from The Country Cook

Gluten Free Corn Flakes & Breadcrumbs

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes are not gluten-free because they contain malt. Instead, look for corn flakes that are truly gluten-free, such as the one manufactured by Nature’s Path. You could also use the Gluten Free Corn Bran Flakes made by Meijer.

Another great possibility is to used crush Corn Chex. Chex underwent a huge reformulation years ago and took out all the malt from their cereal. I use crushed Corn or Rice Chex all the time in recipes.

Now, I don’t even use corn flake crumbs. I am in love with Aleia’s Gluten Free Breadcrumbs. They come in various flavors. I would stick with the plain breadcrumbs if you plan to add barbecue sauce to these.

However, if you plan to pair them with spaghetti, I highly recommend using their Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs. They’re my absolute favorite!

What Sauce Do You Use for Gluten Free Meatballs?

While these gluten-free meatballs are used best with my dad’s signature sauce, they’re pretty versatile. You could add other seasonings based on how you’d like to use them. Add Italian seasoning and serve them with marinara and spaghetti. (They’d work great as a meatball sub this way too!) Or prepare The Cookies Rookie’s Swedish Meatball gravy with a GF flour blend, and serve these meatballs over hot gluten free noodles

Add a pinch of Chinese Five Spice and serve them with a sweet and sour sauce over rice. One could also leave them plain and place them in a kid’s lunch with dipping sauce for a fun hands-on meal. The possibilities truly are endless. These freeze and thaw really well, sans sauce, so make up a batch in advance for your next gathering!

Looking for recipes for other types of meatballs? Sweet and sour or Swedish meatballs? Check out this post from Fearless Dining that lists 14 gluten free meatballs recipes!

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Gluten Free Meatballs

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 4 lbs ground beef I used ground sirloin, my dad uses ground chuck
• 1/4 c chopped onion
• 4 eggs
• 1 c gluten-free beer or beef broth
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 pkg gluten-free onion soup mix I used Simply Organic
• 2 c gluten-free corn flake crumbs

Sauce

• 3 c ketchup
• 3 c grape jelly
• 1/4 c bbq sauce I prefer Stubb’s

Instructions

• Line cookie sheet with tinfoil and coat with cooking spray. 
• Mix ingredients in large bowl with fork or potato masher. (You can mix with your hands as well. If so, I highly suggest removing rings first.) 
• Using a 1 oz (#40) scoop, gather a portion of the gluten-free meatball mixture. Drop in the palm of your hands and roll into a ball.
• Bake gluten-free meatballs in the oven, one sheet at a time, at 350 for 15 minutes. I highly suggest flipping them after 7 minutes.
• Remove baked meatballs from cookie sheet and place in crockpot or dish with lid. Repeat until all meatballs are cooked.
• In a medium sauce pan, combine ketchup, grape jelly and barbecue sauce. (The barbecue sauce is optional, but I highly suggest it to cut the sweetness of the sauce.) Cook until jelly melts completely. Allow to cool. 
• Finally, layer cooked meatballs and sauce in slow cooker. Cook on low heat for at least 4 hours. Stir occasionally so sauce does not burn.

**This post is NOT sponsored by any of the above named brands. However, this post does include Amazon Affiliate Links. This provides me a small commission fee. However, this does not influence the cost of your purchases. Thank you for helping to support this website!**

Originally published March 2017

The post Gluten-Free Meatballs: A Secret Family Recipe appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Waffle Makers – Not a One Hit Wonder

I love to use my waffle maker. Contrary to popular thought, waffle makers are not one hit wonders. I make all SORTS of things in mine. So much so that I recently taught a cooking demo at the Indianapolis GFFA Fest. The title? “Waffles – Beyond Breakfast and Syrup.”

I appreciate those who attended, as it was my first cooking demo. Lots of lessons learned, both for attendees and myself! I intended the highlight to be my infamous gluten free corn dog waffles. However the real star became the waffled chicken in this Waffled Chicken and Waffle Sandwich.

The “Waffled Chicken” = Moist & Crispy

I tried this waffled chicken for the first time just before my presentation. I snagged the idea from the king of “waffling,” Daniel Shumski. His book “Will It Waffle” truly opens the imagination to all things possible via a waffle maker. (I downloaded the Kindle version on Amazon for only $1.99!) 

Friends, I tell you the truth. I never want to cook chicken any other way. It cooks quickly and stays moist and CRISP! Truly the shining star in this Waffled Chicken and Waffle Sandwich. I used Aleia’s Gluten Free Italian Breadcrumbs for this, and I think it made all the difference. (Remember my cheese sticks? Yep, same brand.)

What Kind Of Waffle Maker Do You Use?

When I did this cooking demonstration in Indianapolis, I had 4 waffle makers at my disposal. I know what you’re thinking. “She owns four waffle makers?!” Don’t be silly. I own three, one was my dad’s, ha ha ha.

While I own this Presto Belgian waffle maker, I feel the wells stand too deep to evenly cook the chicken. Therefore I bought this “standard” (or American) Cuisinart Waffle maker. It may just be my new best friend. (My third waffle maker fits in the palm of my hand. Available for $10 at Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Amazon. Great for dessert waffles!)

Other Creative Uses for Your Waffle Maker

One attendee asked me “What’s the most creative thing you’ve made in your waffle maker?” To date, this Waffled Chicken and Waffle sandwich may take the proverbial cake. However, my website and brain are full of other waffle ideas.

• Waffled Stuffing
• Waffled Corn Dogs
• Brownie Batter (ice cream sandwiches anyone?)
• Hash Browns (topped with cheese curds and beef gravy makes for excellent poutine!)
• Waffled (Fried) Eggs with runny yolks (Great for Bi Bim Bap!)
• Omelettes
• Cookie Dough (not my favorite use. Cookie gets over cooked)
• Muffin Mix
• Corn Bread
• Banana Bread Batter
• and so many more ideas I WANT to try! (Waffled Mac and Cheese? Oh yes….)

How To Serve Gluten Free Chicken and Waffles

I drizzled a homemade sauce on my Waffled Chicken and Waffle Sandwich, trying to recreate a sandwich I tried at Noble Restaurant in greater Grand Rapids. It comes with the most amazing maple aioli. However, we don’t keep mayonnaise in our house.

Therefore I used Greek yogurt. When we had leftovers for dinner, ranch dressing also tasted great on it. These basic waffles really do make great “bread” for any sandwich. Sliced lunchmeat, egg salad, the sky’s the limit. Totally portable and perfect for lunches too! (Which now makes me want to waffle a grilled cheese. Be right back……)

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Waffled Chicken and Waffle Sandwich

Ingredients

For The Waffles

• 1 cup Gluten Free Flour I used King Arthur Measure for Measure
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 7 oz milk if a doubled recipe, you use 1 3/4 c milk
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 egg room temperature
• 3 tbsp melted butter or oil

For the Chicken

• 1 chicken breast or thigh sliced in thin portions
• 1 egg
• 2-3 tbsp Bob’s Red Mill White Rice Flour
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs I used Aleia’s Gluten Free Italian Style Crumbs

For the dressing

• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup

Instructions

• Combine milk and apple cider vinegar. Allow to set for at least 5 minutes. Make sure egg has been removed from the refrigerator and allowed to come to room temperature.
• In a small dish, melt butter and allow it to cool. 
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 
• To the dry ingredients, add curdled milk, egg, and melted and cooled butter. Mix until thoroughly combined. Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, plug in / turn on waffle maker to warm.
• Cook waffles according to waffle maker directions. Once cooked, keep warm in oven set at 200 degrees. 
• While the waffles are cooking, prepare the chicken. Either thinly slice a regular chicken breast, or purchase thinly sliced breasts and pound them until flat. 
• In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk one egg. In a quarter sheet pan (or cookie sheet) pour rice flour on one side and bread crumbs on the other. 
• Coat raw chicken breast in rice flour. Then dip both sides in egg. Make sure excess has dripped off. Then, coat each side with bread crumbs. Place coated chicken on plate while coating the remaining breast pieces. 
• After waffles are finished cooking, cook the breaded chicken. I cook mine in my Cuisinart Standard Waffle Maker, on level 3, for 3 minutes. The chicken will not need to be flipped, as the waffle maker is cooking it from both sides. 
• To build sandwich, place one piece of cooked, breaded chicken on half of waffle. Top with spinach or desired toppings (such as the sauce above), then top with remaining half of waffle. Cut down the center and enjoy! 

Have you experimented with your waffle maker? What creative culinary items have you created? Leave me a note in the comments so I can try them too! 

(Please note that this website contains Amazon affiliate links. A small advertising fee gets paid to me from Amazon, but doesn’t influence your cost. Purchasing through my links helps offset my website costs, so thanks for supporting my work!)

**While I was not paid for this post, Aleia’s did give me a package of their gluten free Italian Breadcrumbs for free.**

Originally Published October 2018

The post Waffled Chicken and Waffle Sandwich appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Aleia’s Gluten Free Coat and Crunch

Cheese. If there is one food we never tire of in this household, it is cheese. Whether it’s baked ziti loaded with mozzarella, meatloaf made with goat cheese, or creamy gluten-free cheesecake, cheese is always welcome at our dinner table. Most of these dishes are easy to modify gluten-free with just a few tweaks.

What I had yet to tackle though were Baked Mozzarella Sticks. I had a box of Aleia’s Coat and Crunch on hand, and I figured this was the perfect time to get creative. The Coat and Crunch serves as a great gluten free substitute for Shake and Bake. While great on chicken, it works well for breading cauliflower florets and other items.

The Best Way To Bread Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

I’m not used to baking breaded items. Therefore, I spent some time researching methods. The real science is the process of coating your mozzarella cheese sticks. Between research and a bit of trial and error, I settled on the technique Eat at Our Table used for her baked mozzarella sticks. Egg, flour, egg, Aleia’s Extra Crispy Coat and Crunch crumbs. This series of steps creates something similar to a paste that the crumbs can adhere to.

The Critical Step – Freeze Before Baking

Once you coat your mozzarella cheese sticks, THEN you place them in the freezer. This is critical, otherwise you will have a gooey melty mess all over your cookie sheet. I froze mine for at least 2 hours prior to doing a test bake in the oven. Good thing, because I overbaked the first three just a minute too long and they were not photo worthy. Delicious, but definitely not going to win a prize for photo quality. Therefore, I froze the rest overnight and tried again in the morning. SUCCESS!

At What Temperature and How Long Do I Bake the Cheese Sticks?

Just to clarify, you want to freeze these baked mozzarella cheese sticks flat on a cookie sheet first. However, once they are hard you can toss them into a ziploc bag and save them for a later date. Or be super awesome, freeze them, and give them to a cheese loving friend. I can just imagine how excited they will be. I mean, I would be.

When you want to finally enjoy your baked mozzarella cheese sticks, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then, bake them for 6 minutes. Not 7 minutes – trust me from experience that it is one minute too long. And not 5 minutes, because it won’t reach that level of stretchy cheesiness we all desire. 6 is the magic number for baked mozzarella cheese stick perfection.

Can I Deep Fry These? (and other questions)

I have not made these in a deep fryer, and can’t say how they will turn out. If you’d like to made deep fried cheese sticks, I recommend these Gluten Free Mozzarella Bites from Iowa Girl Eats. She also uses gluten free flour and bread crumbs, instead of Aleia’s Coat and Crunch.

Can I use this with dairy free cheese?

I’ve not used this with a dairy free cheese. I would recommend this Air Fried Dairy Free Mozzarella Sticks recipe from Daiya, instead.

Can I make this recipe without egg?

The Aleia’s Coat and Crunch contains egg as an ingredient. These Eggless Fried Cheese Bites from Vidhya’s Home Cooking could work, by subbing gluten free flour and gluten free and egg free bread crumbs.

Can I make this without grains?

Try this recipe for Gluten Free Low Carb Mozzarella Sticks from Wholesome Yum.

What to Serve with Gluten Free Baked Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

IMO, you don’t even need dipping sauce for these baked mozzarellla cheese sticks. They really do taste delicious completely on their own. However, they pair great with marinara sauce or even ranch dressing. They do tend to cool quickly, so I highly suggest eating them promptly. Then again, they’re so delicious that they’re kind of hard to put down. So, maybe that point is moot.

Recipe

Print

Gluten Free Baked Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

Equipment

• ALEIA’S BEST. TASTE. EVER. Extra Crispy Coat & Crunch – 4.5oz/3 Pack – Crispy Breading for Poultry, Meat, Seafood, Vegetables – Certified Gluten Free, Non-GMO, Dairy Free, Low Sodium, Kosher
• Bob’s Red Mill Organic White Rice Flour, 24 Ounce

Ingredients

• 12 ct package of Mozzarella string cheese
• 1/4 c Bob’s Red Mill Rice Flour
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1-2 tbsp water for egg wash
• 1 box Aleia’s Extra Crispy Coat and Crunch Crushed and Seasoned Corn Chex could work as well

Instructions

• Unwrap cheese sticks and cut in half. Place on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil to make clean up easier. 
• In a shallow bowl, beat eggs. Add a tsp of water to thin out if desired. Place gluten-free rice flour in a second shallow bowl and the crumb coating in a third. (I only opened one packet of crumbs at a time to keep it fresh.) 
• Dip cheese stick in beaten egg, making sure to get the ends of the cheese dipped in the egg. Next, roll the cheese stick in the flour, making sure the ends get coated in flour. 
• Now, dip the floured cheese stick back in the beaten egg, making sure that all parts coated with flour are now coated with egg. This will create a paste like texture that will help the crumbs adhere to cheese stick. 
• Finally, dip the cheese stick in the breading, again making sure the ends are thoroughly coated. Place on cookie sheet and repeat with remaining cheese sticks. 
• After all cheese sticks are coated, place cookie sheet in freezer for preferably three hours or even overnight.If you don’t plan to bake them right away, place in a sealable plastic bag and store for later use.
• When ready to bake the mozzarella cheese sticks, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake cheese sticks in an even layer, on aluminum foil, for 6 minutes. Serve alone or with favorite dipping sauce. 

What are your favorite game day snacks? If you’re looking for more “Super” recipes, Grain Changer, and Celiac Mama have other fabulous links for you, too! Is there a favorite recipe of yours you’d like me to remake “gluten-free”? Drop me a comment below and I’ll see what I can do! 

** Aleia’s Gluten Free provided the ingredients for this post. I was not otherwise paid or compensated for my time. This post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Originally published January 2018

The post Gluten Free Baked Mozzarella Cheese Sticks appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

What is Spaghetti Squash? Is it Gluten Free?

Yes, spaghetti squash is gluten frree. It’s classified as a winter squash, because it’s harvested in the fall and stored through the winter months. It’s yellow, and shaped like an oblong watermelon. Spaghetti squash derives it’s name from the pulp that, when pulled, looks like spaghetti strands.

Does Spaghetti Squash Taste Like Pasta?

No. Too often I hear people say they don’t like it, because they think it’s going to exactly replicate their favorite spaghetti. Which is sad, because this squash is delicious and needs to be appreciated for its unique flavor. Let me show you how to cook and prepare a dish that will make you realize the worthiness of this most marvelous vegetable.

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

There are multiple ways to cook a spaghetti squash. Any of these methods will work for making these Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats. I prefer to cook mine in the microwave, but that’s only because I often fail to plan ahead. Which means I rarely ever choose to cook in a crockpot. This recipe for Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats worked best with roasting the squash in the oven for 30 minutes.

Microwave Method

I learned to microwave spaghetti squash from the wonderful folks at The Kitchn. (No, that’s not a typo. That missing “E” is intentional on their part.) Why do I love to microwave spaghetti squash? Because you can fully cook it in less than 15 minutes. And if I’m honest, I’m usually planning dinner 30 minutes before i need to have it on the table. #RealLife Follow this link to get in-depth directions on how to cook spaghetti squash in the microwave.

Here’s the brief version. 1) Poke holes in the spaghetti squash, place on glass dish, and then microwave for five minutes. This is to soften the outside. 2) Remove from microwave and cut in half, hot dog style. (All my teacher friends know what I mean.) 3) Return spaghetti squash to microwave. Depending on the size of the spaghetti squash, cook for an additional 5- 10 minutes. 4) Remove squash, allow to cool, and pull out strands with a fork.

Slow Cooker Method

My friend Holly at My Plant Based Family will tell you that cooking this vegetable in the slow cooker is “the easiest way to cook Spaghetti Squash.” Cut the squash in half (hamburger way), scoop out the seeds, place in the slow cooker and cook it for 3 hours. Of course, having your hands free for doing other things does make life easier!

Baking / Oven Roasting Method

Roasting spaghetti squash is just as easy. Cut it, oil it, stick it in the oven and let it cook for 30-40 minutes. I chose this method for making these Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats because I would result in a darker color of squash. The things we do for better pictures! Based on advice from Chocolate Covered Katie, I baked my squash at 450 degrees.

How To Pull The Pulp From a Spaghetti Squash

Regardless which method you choose to cook the squash for these Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats, you will destrand (?) the squash with a fork. (Not sure that’s even a word. Oh well.) So here is how it should look when you have pulled the insides. Nice and fluffy.

Gluten Free Alfredo Sauce

Since spaghetti squash doesn’t truly taste like pasta, it becomes a canvas for anything. I often use Full Flavor Foods’ gluten free Alfredo Sauce Mix. Simply combine the mix with water, cook until thickened, and enjoy!

I will confess that I “tweaked” it a bit. Dinner time is when I add bits of items that I need to use up. Like the last two tablespoons of cream cheese, the final shakes of Parmesan cheese, and few glugs of milk. (Also, you can use a jar of Classico Alfredo sauce in a pinch. All Classico sauces are gluten-free.)

The Best Gluten Free Breaded Chicken

The chicken in these Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats are pretty stellar. I coated a chicken breast with Aleia’s Extra Crispy Coat and Crunch. (It had some leftover coating from the gluten free mozzarella sticks I just made. Waste not, want not, right?) On top of the cooked chicken I added some cooked spinach and then drizzled that gorgeous Full Flavor Foods Alfredo sauce on top.

The Secret to Perfectly Golden, Melty Cheese

Of course, cheese (or in this case MORE cheese) makes everything better, right? I topped these Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats with a mix of Mozzarella and shredded Parmesan, and placed it under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Spectacular, am I right? My husband thought so, when we had them for dinner later that night.

I Can’t Eat Dairy? What Alfredo Can I Use?

I do use a lot of dairy in this recipe, from milk to cream cheese to a WHOLE lot of cheese. If you are looking for dairy free alfredo sauce, I would recommend Primal Kitchen Alfredo Sauce. It’s available at many stores. As for dairy free cheese, Violife is great.

Other Spaghetti Squash Recipes

The great thing about spaghetti squash is that it creates its own serving vessel. Create Spaghetti Squash Boats with Meatballs, or even Chili Cheese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash. Don’t eat meat? Try these Vegetarian Italian Spaghetti Squash boats, made with lentils! Or ditch the boats and make a Spaghetti Squash Casserole!

Print

Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash

Equipment

• Aleia’s Coat and Crunch – GF Shake and Bake
• ZWILLING Twin Signature 3-pc German Knife Set
• Dreamfarm Brizzle-Red
• Dreamfarm 3mm Ograte

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• oil and salt for seasoning
• 1 packet Full Flavor Foods Alfredo Sauce mix
• 1/2 c water
• 2 -3 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 chicken breast 6 oz+
• Rice flour egg and crumb coating for chicken
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 3-4 oz shredded Mozzarella and Parmesan blend

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
• Pierce spaghetti squash with fork and heat in microwave for 1 minute to soften squash. Cut down the middle, lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. 
• Brush spaghetti squash with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on cookie sheet, cut side up. Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on size of squash. 
• While squash is cooking, make Full Flavor Foods Alfredo Sauce mix according to directions. It will thicken greatly as it cools, so don’t be tempted to cook it all the way down. I added cream cheese, Parmesan and a touch of milk to stretch the sauce. I added these after the sauce had cooked, not before. 
• My chicken breast was already pre-cooked from a different day. If you have a fresh chicken breast, I would suggest placing it in the oven for the last 15-20 minutes of cooking time, with the squash. 
• To bread the chicken, dip it in beaten egg, then rice flour, then beaten egg again, and finally in the Aleia’s Coat and Crunch. You could use crushed Corn or Rice Chex instead. Or, you could simple cook a fresh chicken breast on the stove top, and not bread it at all. 
• Wilt the spinach to remove excess moisture. I microwaved mine for approximately a minute because I was in a hurry. You can do this on the stove top, in a non-stick skillet. I suggest using a bit of cooking spray to prevent sticking. 
• Once the squash is finished cooking, remove from oven and allow to cool approximately 5 minutes. This prevents you from burning your fingers! Using a fork, pull the strands from the sides of the squash. 
• Leave pulled squash in shell and top with sliced chicken and wilted spinach. Pour Alfredo sauce on top, then sprinkle shredded cheese on top of sauce. Return to oven for 10-15 minutes until cheese melts. Broil for 2-3 minutes if you would like to brown the cheese. 

What’s your favorite way to eat spaghetti squash? I’m always looking for fun new recipes to try. Share with me in the comments below.

Originally Published January 2018

The post Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.