Butterball Turkey: gluten free thanksgiving turkeys AND gravy?!? November 20

Filed under Uncategorized by GF Karen | 1 comment

Thanks to Megan at Triumph Dining for sending me this link- apparently Butterball has reformulated their new gravy packets to be gluten free- all of them! Click HERE to check out the whole story published by Tiffany at The Essential Gluten Free blog. . . . I think Thanksgiving just got a little easier for many gluten free consumers.

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And the winner is . . . November 20

Filed under *Free Giveaway Info by GF Karen | 0 comments

We have a winner for the November gluten free give-away prize pack from MyBlogSpark.com

Congrats to Kris with her comment:

Kris Nov 9

Uno! When we have family game night, Uno is always the kids first pick!

Kris, email me at glutenfreefoodreviews at gmail dot com with your shipping information so you can receive your prize! This prize pack is great for a family night or even as stocking stuffers for the kids.

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Bummed you didn’t win? No worries! The give-away for December will feature gluten free flours and baking basics to help with all the holiday baking coming up. Be sure to check back the first week in December for details!

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Gluten Free Thanksgiving Menu: recipes, products and tips November 12

Filed under * My favorite recipes, *Thanksgiving by GF Karen | 2 comments

Thanksgiving is getting close – and I can’t wait! I see the grocery stores stocking up on frozen turkeys and cans of pumpkin and cranberries, and it reminds me that it is time to plan for my gluten free Thanksgiving dinner.

I admit, my first gluten free Thanksgiving wasn’t so great. I tried to make yummy gluten free rolls, pies and stuffing, but thanks to my inexperience the result was less than stellar.    I like to think each year gets a little better and tastier. It helps that with each year, the gluten free recipes and mixes seem to be better as well.

This year I am hosting our turkey day feast and may have up to 17 family members at my home. Of the potential 17 guests, only myself and my sister have Celiac and eat gluten free. I want to make sure every feels like their meal is delicious- period- not just good for being gluten free.

I wanted to share some links to hints, recipes and gluten free products that I think would be a fantastic for the  big day. A gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner can be just as delicious as a gluten one!

Frozen Turkey:  Be careful! The solution or broth injected into the turkeys may have gluten- check the label carefully and jump for joy if it is actually labeled gluten free. I usually purchase a frozen Norbest turkey simply because it IS labeled gluten free. Otherwise, check  the organic and minimally processed turkeys as well, they tend to have little or no added flavoring or solutions.

Gluten Free Stuffing: Catherine, from A Gluten-Free Guide, posted some great stuffing recipes you might enjoy- both a classic stuffing and cornbread  stuffing recipe- take your pick! I haven’t liked most of the gluten free stuffing mixes I have tried, so sometimes I will simply stuff the turkey with onion and herbs if I want to keep it simple.

Gluten Free Gravy: Shauna, the Gluten-Free Girl, has a great post that describes how insanely easy it is to make homemade gluten free gravy ( feel free to substitute cornstarch for the sweet rice flour; I have tried both and they work well.)

Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole:  Some love it, some hate it, and if you love it and want to make a gluten free version, Natalie ( the Gluten Free Mommy) can help! Her recipe is simply yummy! To save time, I substitute a can of Health Valley organic cream of mushroom soup, instead of the soup recipe, and thicken it with a bit of brown rice flour. Tasty!

Gluten Free Rolls: These can be tough, because I have yet to find the perfect light and fluffy dinner roll that I used to love.  The closest I have come is the Kinnikinnick’s Kinni-kwik Bread & Bun mix- it is incredibly easy to prepare and comes out light and airy, not grainy and heavy. I am also hoping to try one of these recipes as well:

Rosemary-Thyme rolls: Book of Yum has me seriously tempted with this recipe!

Yeast Rolls: compliments of Gluten Free Steve

Gluten Free Croutons: I actually haven’t tried any gluten free croutons in a salad yet, but I have found a great recipe for making my own:

5 slices of bread ( I used Le Garden Bakery gluten free bread)
5 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme

Cube the bread. In a pan on medium heat, combine the garlic, olive oil and spices. Saute for a minute or so. Add the bread cubes and saute until bread cubes are slightly crunchy on the outside. Cool on a paper towel or napkin to absorb extra olive oil.

Pie, Pie & More Pie: Right now my current favorite  is Gluten Free Mama’s pie crust mix - it is excellent with fruit pies and I look forward to trying it with a pecan pie and pumpkin pie this year. In the past I have also used the ‘Cause You’re Special pie crust mix with great results.

I might give these pie recipes a whirl:

*Karina’s pumpkin pie: it looks heavenly!

*Land O’ Lakes’ website features gluten free pie recipes- there is something for everyone! Check out their Mixed Berry Meringue, Harvest Nut Tart, and Lemon Upside Down Pie recipes.

I probably shouldn’t give these away, but I just can’t help it . . . these recipes are a staple at my home at the holidays. Sorry I don’t have photos, but these pies disappear quickly! The french apple creme pie is a traditional apple pie with a twist – in the center there is a layer of tangy custard creme that is simply amazing. The pecan pie is ultra buttery and flavorful. Enjoy!

French Apple Creme Pie - adapted from Welcome Home for the Holidays – Gooseberry Patch

Start with a  two crust unbaked gluten free pie crust of your choice. Place one crust in pie tin. Roll out the second crust and use a 3 inch ( or so) cookie cutter and use in the center of the top pie crust to create an opening. DO NOT remove the dough inside the cookie cutter after use, the entire crust will be baked and the cookie cutter will create a shape on the top of the crust that you can remove after baking. This is important so you can add the custard later on.

Apple Filling:

3/4 c. sugar

2 tbsp flour ( I use brown rice flour with perfect results)

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tbsp. grated lemon rind

5 to 5 1/2 cups of peeled and sliced granny smith apples

2 tbsp butter

Combine all except apples and butter. Add apples and toss to coat. Turn into shell and dot with butter. Top the apples with the pie crust that has the cookie cutter shape in the center. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees, then 30 minutes at 350 degrees. While the pie is baking, cook the creme sauce.

Creme sauce:

2 eggs beaten

1/2 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

3 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, cut into pieces at room temperature

1/2 cup gluten free sour cream ( I use Daisy or Great Value brands)

In a saucepan, combine eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick. Add cream cheese and sour cream and stir until smooth. After your pie is baked, spoon through the cookie cutter opening on the top crust. I have also used a mini baster to get the cream spread evenly under the crust. Chill before serving.

Buttery Pecan Pie – adapted from Words Worth Eating, by Jacqueline G Legg

3 eggs

1/2 c.  granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 c. dark corn syrup

1/3 c. butter ( do not substitute for best results)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. pecan halves

One 10 inch unbaked gluten free pie crust or two 9-inch unbaked gluten free pie crusts

Preheat oven to 350. Beat egg thoroughly with sugar, salt and corn syrup. Add butter, vanilla and pecans. Pour into pie shell for 50 minutes or until an inserted knife halfway between the center and and the crust comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake, and cool at least one hour before serving.

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I hope your enjoy your gluten free Thanksgiving this year! If you have a yummy recipe or favorite gluten free product you’d like to share, please feel free to comment and provide a link.

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Product Review: Gluten-Free Naturals Pizza Crust Mix November 10

Filed under *Pizza Crust & Pizza, Gluten-Free Naturals by Karen | 1 comment

I was so excited when Gluten-Free Naturals sent me an assortment of their gluten free mixes to try out, because I love gluten free pizza and there were TWO samples inside. Perfect! I tried one as a thin crust pizza and the other as a thick crust pizza.
The pizza crust mix comes in a glossy green package that is double bagged for freshness. The mix is 9.6 ounces and makes a  large rectangular pizza or 14 inch round pizza, or a bit smaller if you want to try the thicker crust version. I loved that this crust does not require kneading or rise time, and is ready to eat in 30 minutes.  That sounded perfect for me and my hectic evening schedule.
To prepare the pizza, combine the mix with oil, an egg and water. The dough is thick, a little sticky, and is the consistency of  butter cream frosting.  The directions suggest pre-baking the pizza for 18-20 minutes, then adding toppings and baking for another 5 minutes or so.  For both the thick and thin crust, I found my crust to be ready for toppings after baking for only 15-16 minutes. If you try this  mix, definitely keep your eye on it so it doesn’t over-bake.
Because this gluten free pizza crust is pre-baked, both the bottom and the top of the crust becomes crunchy and firm with a soft, bread-like middle, especially when used as a thicker crust.  I liked how the crust wasn’t spongy or had that mealy, course texture other GF mixes have tried, thanks to the absence of rice flour. The pizza dough does rise a bit, but nothing too extreme. Prep hint: if you are making a thick crust pizza, under-bake for a minute or two to add a  bit of chewiness.
The flavor was fantastic and paired well with both meats and vegetables. This gluten free pizza crust supported lots of sauce and toppings with zero sogginess and just a bit of crumbling. Nice! I also liked how this crust was  not sweet, and didn’t compete with my favorite home-made pizza sauce.
Overall, I was fairly pleased with this pizza crust mix, and wouldn’t mind having an extra package on hand in my pantry. Was it my favorite gluten free pizza crust mix? No, not really. However, it is a solid mix that provides a great crispy pizza crust that tasted pretty good.
Pros: No sogginess or graininess, great as a thick or thin crust, mild flavor, not too sweet, crispy
Cons: Not that chewy, easy to over-bake
Rating: 4 stars
Ingredients: cornstarch, tapioca starch, sorghum, soy protein, corn flour, sugar, yeast, xanthan gum, baking powder ( contains sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch and monocalcium phosphate), salt, soy lecithin, ascorbic acid ( Vitamin C)
Nutritional Snapshot (per serving): 120 calories, zero gram fat, 300 mg sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 2 gram sugar, 3 gram protein, 40% vitamin C.
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Interested in trying this mix? Click HERE to visit the GFN ( Gluten-Free Naturals) website; they have a comprehensive list of online vendors and brick & mortar stores located in the U.S that carry their products.
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November’s Gluten Free Give-Away: “Simple Joys” Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks Prize Pack November 8

Filed under *Free Giveaway Info by Karen | 15 comments

The give-away this month is a super fun “Simple Joys” prize pack from MyBlogSpark.com for your favorite kid or kid at heart.  The prize pack includes:

*Two boxes Betty Crocker fruit snacks with the fantastic “gluten free” label on the front ( who-hoo!)

*one pick up sticks game

*one frisbee

*one light up yo-yo

Fun in a box, that’s what it is! My kids and I had a blast playing together with the toys and tasting the fruit snacks ( they were better than I remembered, and didn’t last long.)

HOW TO ENTER:

1) One entry per person, US residents only please.

2) To enter, post a comment and tell me what your favorite game is.

To post a comment, simply click the “# comments” text under the title of this post.

3) Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 15th.

4) The winner will be announced via this site, via email to subscribers, and posted on my Facebook page ( click here to become a fan!)

You may subscribe via the feedburner box in the right sidebar.

Good Luck!

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Product Review: Gluten Free Mama Pie Crust Mix November 4

Filed under * MY FAVORITES!, *Pie Crust, Gluten Free Mama products by Karen | 6 comments

This gets me excited for Thanksgiving!  This will be my third gluten free Thanksgiving, and I am determined it will be the best one yet.  My favorite part of Thanksgiving leftovers is eating pie- I know, so bad of me.  Especially for breakfast – I know, double bad of me.
When I went gluten free, I panicked a bit because I wasn’t sure if eating pie at the holidays would be the same.  In fact, I used to be an excellent pie baker, if I do say so myself.  Up until now I have used the ‘Cause You’re Special! pie crust mix since I still haven’t perfected the balance of gluten free flours in a homemade pie crust.
I think I have a new favorite pie crust mix.
The Gluten Free Mama, Rachel, sent me this mix to try out. It happened to be at the time I was learning to can peaches, so why not a peach pie? I had never made one before, but it sounded perfect to me. I wanted to try a  pie that was sweet and juicy; I wanted to see if this crust could hold up to the fruit without sogginess or crumbling.
I found this pie crust dough fairly easy to roll out and place in the pan and over the filling. It cracked  slightly, but seemed easy to fix and patch since the dough was fairly soft and pliable. After baking the result looked beautiful! Golden brown and evenly baked . . .so far so good.
As I cut into the pie, I noticed that the crust had cracked around the edges, but still held together fairly well. It looked almost as if the top crust didn’t adapt to the height of the  filling as it cooked down. Maybe because I overfilled the pie? That is a bad habit of mine, I think.
I tasted my first homemade peach pie- gluten free peach pie – and just about died because it was sooo good!  I think this is the flakiest gluten free pie crust I have ever tried. I liked the fact that that the crust wasn’t grainy and had a mild flavor that would pair well with any sweet or savory dish that required a crust.
Amazingly, this crust lasted a full three days in my fridge before it softened and got soggy- not too shabby.
I have already ordered three mixes for my Thanksgiving dinner and plan to make a french apple creme, pecan and pumpkin pie this year.
*Each package makes two single crust pies, or one double crust pie and cost $5.99.
* Add butter or margarine, cold water, shortening and egg white; to make it eggless, substitute honey for the egg white
*Nutritional Snapshot ( per serving): 250 calories, 8 grams fat, 3 grams fiber, 3 grams protein, 10 grams sugar, 56 grams carbohydrates
Pros: flaky, buttery, mild flavor, looks great, versitile
Cons: cracks a little after baking ( but really, it isn’t a big deal)
Rating: 5 stars
Ingredients: white rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, organic evaporated cane sugar, sweet rice flour, coconut flour, sea salt, xanthan gum
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For purchasing information, please click HERE to visit Gluten free Mama’s website.
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What kind of pie are YOU going to make this year?
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Product Review: Enjoy Life Granola “New & Improved” – Cranapple Crunch, Very Berry Crunch, Cinnamon Crunch November 3

Filed under *Breakfast Foods, *Cereal & Granola, *GF/ CF products, Enjoy Life by Karen | 8 comments

Enjoy Life gluten free granola . . .  round two!
Enjoy Life reformulated their gluten and allergy free granola and asked me to give it a whirl, even though I didn’t like their old formula.  They sent me three flavors to sample: Cranapple Crunch, Very Berry Crunch and Cinnamon Crunch.
The biggest difference I noticed was the large, awkward clumps of granola weren’t there anymore. Instead,  their new granola seems much more separated with only a few bite size clusters and bits of freeze dried fruit.  The brown rice flakes appeared cut and textured to look just like bits of oats- very clever!
The flavor of the granola is quite bold, especially the cranapple and very berry flavors. I liked that the granola wasn’t very sweet, so it made a great option for breakfast or sprinkling on yogurt for an extra crunch. Speaking of crunch, when I tried this gluten free granola for breakfast I was happy to discover that it stayed very crunchy in milk.
I didn’t care for this granola as a snack though. It was so separated that any attempt at eating a handful of this  granola resulted in a shower of flakes and fruit bits all over the counter and my shirt. Not fun.
Way to go enjoy Life! This new granola is a huge step up from the prior formula.
*This granola is free from wheat, gluten, casein, dairy, oats, soy, corn potato , sulfites, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, fish or shellfish
*Nutritional snapshot: ranges 1.5 to 3.5 grams of fat per serving, 170-180 calories, 3 grams protein and 2 grams fiber. For detailed information, please click HERE.
Pros: nice flavor, not too sweet, stays crunchy in milk
Cons: messy to eat as a snack
Rating: 4 stars
Want to try this for yourself?
Check out your local grocery store, or you can order from amazon.com for a discounted bulk price:


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We have a winner! November 2

Filed under *Free Giveaway Info by GF Karen | 0 comments

Ta-da! We have a winner for our October lunch give-away! Thanks to random.org, the winner is . . . . .

MICHELLE with her comment:

Michelle Oct 21

I have been hoping that a GF company would come up with 100 calorie snack bags. When I am subbing at my children’s school I always brown bag it. I would love to be able to have something yummy and good for me to munch on=)

Michelle, please email me at glutenfreefoodreviews at gmail dot com with your shipping address. You have seven days to get in touch, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Congrats!

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Bummed you didn’t win? Stay tuned for the November give-away announcement this week!

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Restaurant Review: Fuego Bistro & Pizzeria in Park City, Utah November 1

Filed under *Restaurant Reviews by Karen | 0 comments

This appetizer of six shrimp in a bowl full of butter cost $10. Ouch.
My family and I went to Park City, Utah ( home of the Sundance Film Festival) for a weekend away with our children before the cold snowy weather sets in. It was fun to visit the Olympic sites and shop at the outlets, but I felt a tad frustrated with the gluten free eating options. We couldn’t find a place with a gluten free menu, and I was suspect of the restaurants that claimed they were “gluten free friendly”, but could not tell us over the phone which entrees could be prepared gluten free. In fact, there was one  eatery that claimed everything on their menu was gluten free . . . yahhhh right, whatever!
Our first night in Park City we settled on a Fuego Bistro & Pizzeria located at 2001 Sidewinder Dr.  They offered to cook some gluten free pasta if I brought in the pasta, as they stated all of their sauces were gluten free.   I declined that option, because in my mind, if I wanted to pay for my ingredients, I would just make it at home. I settled on their Wood- Fired Shrimp Bake, a shrimp & parmesan appetizer, prepared minus the breaded topping.
The good news: My dish was prepared with no cross contamination and was, indeed, gluten free.  The shrimp was cooked perfectly and tasted great with the melted cheese in the dish. The wait staff seemed familiar with gluten free preparation, so I felt pretty comfortable asking questions and getting accurate answers.
The bad news: Since there was no breaded topping to absorb the butter, I ended up with a butter bath than contained a cup or two- literally –  of melted butter. Don’t get me wrong, I like butter as much as the next person, this this was just  too much.  As you can imagine, eating six shrimp wasn’t exactly filling, and I was glad I smuggled my sour cream and chive baked potato from Wendy’s to go with my meal.
The rest of my family ordered pizza, since they do not need to eat gluten free. The reported it was so-so overall and nothing they would want to order again.
This eatery is comfortable and and the wood fired oven added a great ambiance to the place. The wait staff was slow, even though there were only three or four other tables occupied while we were there, which was kind of annoying.
After this disappointment, I ended up at Whole Foods to stock up for the weekend.
Fuego Bistro & Pizzeria
2001 Sidewinder Drive
Park City, Utah 84068
(435) 645-8646
http://fuegopizzeria.com
Have YOU eaten at Fuego, or another eatery in Park City? How was it?


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Product Review: Surf Sweets gluten free gummy candy & jelly beans October 26

Filed under * MY FAVORITES!, *Candy, *Kid Friendly Foods, *Snack Foods, *Surf Sweets, *Vegan, Uncategorized by Karen | 1 comment

Candy can be tricky on a gluten free diet.
When it comes to gummy candies and jelly beans, I have had a hard time finding a certified gluten free product.  I like to err on the side of caution, so I usually opt out of gummy candies all together because it just isn’t worth the risk of a reaction.
Surf Sweets sent me a few samples of their gluten free candies and they looked so good I marched off to Whole Foods and picked up the rest of their product line, keeping my fingers crossed they would all be tasty. The prices ranged from $1.79 for the larger bags of gluten free gummy candies and jelly beans, and 99 cents for the smaller gummy bear snacks.
Surf Sweets is a company that makes their candy with organic sweeteners and fruit juice, no corn syrup, are vegan and are produced in a nut free environment. They are also free of artificial colors and flavors. Most of the candies provide 60% RDA of Vitamin C, and the gummy swirls are fortified to provide 100% RDA of calcium. So far so good, right?
The candy I tested was their gummy worms, sour worms, jelly beans, gummy bears, sour berry bears and gummy swirls.
*The gummy bears and worms are your standard, familiar gummies- they are sweet, fruity, chewy and satisfying. In fact, these are better than the tougher gummy worms I used to enjoy. I don’t miss the corn syrup AT ALL ( Yuck!).
*The sour bears and worms provide the perfect sweet and sour experience. Surprisingly, these sour candies seem a bit softer than their regular gummy counterparts, but still provided me with a chewy and tasty gluten free treat.
*The gummy swirls tasted mostly sweet with a slightly sweet crunch. However, they seemed more like a soft candy than a gummy to me. I loved that they are fortified with calcium- I used that as justification for eating all of them and not sharing.  I did it for my bones, I promise! :)
* I am not a huge fan of jelly beans, so I gave a pack to my kids to share.  Here is what one of them said ” Hey mom, this is probably the second best jelly beans I have ever had. Wait, I think it is the best because I can’t think of a better one.”  My seven year old said ” I don’t like jelly beans at all, but I sure like these, as long as I don’t have to eat the yellow ones.” They handed me an empty bag  later that day. In our house, that means they really liked them.
Pros: vegan, mostly organic, small portable packages, great flavor, no corn syrup
Cons: On the pricey side
Rating: 5 stars
For a list of ingredients and nutritional information, please click here to visit their website
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Want to try these candies for yourself? Check your local Whole Foods or click HERE for a comprehensive list of 19 local stores to purchase them from. Click HERE for a list of online shops that carry Surf Sweets gluten free treats.

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Check our Surf Sweets’ website for some fun Halloween recipes!
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