Quesadillas

Contributed by Marie Ericson

ingredients

  • GF Tortillas (Our new favorite is Mission Soft Corn Tortillas) – 2 to 4 per person depending on their appetite.
  • Shredded cheese (I use Cabot blocks and shred myself or task a child or spouse. Use your favorite) – ¼ cup per person
  • Canned black beans (I use Trader Joe’s brand) – one whole can is more than enough for a family of 5.
  • Optional: sour cream or plain yogurt, fresh cilantro, your favorite GF salsa, sliced avocado with fresh lime juice.

instructions

Turn on your broiler or use your toaster oven. Assemble and cook for 2-3 minutes. Watch them closely because they will burn fast!

tips

  • Add in leftover vegetables or meat.
  • Instead of tortillas, you can use GF taco shells, tortilla chips or butter lettuce.
  • If using soft corn tortillas or butter lettuce, these can be taken on the go.

Simple quesadillas with a few options.

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Passover Banana Cake

from “Living Without” magazine, Spring 2003)

This Passover favorite appeared in Living Without magazine in the spring of 2003. It makes one 10-inch cake

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Ingredients

  • 7 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup mashed bananas
  • ¾ cup potato starch

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Beat egg whites until stiff, and then set aside.
  3. Beat egg yolks. Add sugar and salt; beat until lemon-colored and thick.
  4. Add bananas and potato starch while beating.
  5. Fold in egg whites and bake in a 10-inch tube pan for 45 minutes.
  6. Invert and let cool.

Butternut Squash Soup

Contributed by
Marie Ericson

This recipe for butternut squash soup is based on a recipe from the Food Network Kitchen. It serves 6-8 people, with leftovers.

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Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, optional
  • 3 fresh sage leaves, cut into ribbons
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Half of a 14½ ounce can of diced tomatoes (or 2 medium fresh tomatoes, diced)
  • 1 medium butternut squash (2 to 2 ½ lb), peeled, halved, seeded, and diced (or
    save time and buy already peeled)
  • 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable work best)
  • 2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, sage and 1 tsp of the
salt, and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and
fragrant, about 15 minutes.

To cook on the stovetop, raise heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring with
a wooden spoon, until the tomatoes break up and the onions brown slightly, about 7 minutes.
Add the squash and the remaining 1 tsp salt, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until
the squash is tender, about 12 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook,
uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
To cook in the slow cooker, after the onions are cooked, throw everything in the slow cooker.

Cook on high for about 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Return the soup to the pot
and reheat over medium heat. You could also use an immersion blender and blend the soup in
the soup pot or slow cooker. Stir in the balsamic vinegar if desired. Serve the soup in warm
bowls, and top with Parmesan cheese if you like.

Asian Noodles

 

Asian Noodles (15-20 minutes, will feed a family of 5 with leftovers for lunches)
By Marie Ericson
1 bag of GF Asian rice noodles
1 head of broccoli, chopped, about 1 cup (or you can use frozen broccoli, edamame or leftover corn
on the cob)
Sauce:
5 Tbsp GF soy sauce
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
¼ tsp onion powder (or grate ¼ of a small onion)
Boil about 8 cups of water (I have found that an electric kettle works the fastest), pour over rice
noodles in a bowl, add chopped broccoli, cover, and let stand for about 10 minutes. Then drain.
While waiting for water to boil, mix all sauce ingredients in a serving bowl. Pour drained noodles
and broccoli into the sauce and fold together.
Optional: top with fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts, fresh lime juice, and/or GF sriracha. Use 1½ –
2 cups of chopped leftover cooked chicken, steak or hamburger. Alternatively, turn on your rice
cooker when you get home and use rice instead of noodles.
TIP: To save time, buy minced garlic or ginger. I use Gourmet Garden paste in a tube, found with
the herbs in the produce section. The product should be labeled as GF.

Crock Pot Chili

Contributed by
Marie Ericson

When you have time in the morning or even the night before, throw all the ingredients in
the crockpot and keep in the fridge. In the morning, turn on the crockpot, and dinner is ready when you get home.

It take 10-15 minutes to prepare and will feed an army of ravenous teenagers!

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Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 3 palm-fulls of chili powder (to taste, depending on how spicy your chili powder is)
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried ground coriander
  • 1 – 2 tsp salt (depending on your taste, start low and add more later)
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cans of black beans (or any of your favorite beans)
  • 1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 4 dashes of GF hot sauce

Instructions

Toss all ingredients into slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low.

Optional: About 15-30 minutes before you are ready to eat, add leftover cooked meat, rice,
quinoa and/or vegetables. Serve with sour cream, fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocado and
shredded cheese if you like, or leave it out—no one will notice!

Addition: If you have time within the day or two before you are having the chili or that day,
make Zucchini Corn Bread Muffins. I use the Krusteaz GF Honey Cornbread mix, with one
extra egg, 2 cups shredded zucchini, 1 cup shredded cheese, 1 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and 1
tsp chili powder. Mix and bake 10-15 minutes longer than the box says.

American Girl Recap

American Girl

On Sunday, May 3, 2015, over 60 members joined us for a three-course dinner at American Girl Bistro in Natick. American Girl closed the restaurant for outside guests and hosted our group with tables set up for mingling among families.

Guests enjoyed specially prepared, gluten-free appetizers and entrees, including gluten-free pizza, chicken fingers, pasta, salmon and burgers on gluten-free buns. A gluten-free version of the signature American Girl pink and white cake, served with ice cream, was the highlight of the meal. Children and their dolls received the Grace Girl of the Year.

goodie bag complete with a special tiara, picture frame and a chef’s hat to decorate. Thank you to American Girl, partic- ularly Brian Theriault, Ed Gallante, Gabe Stipo and Ashley Newhall, for hosting our group and working with us to make this a special event for attendees.

Thanks also to Jenny Horsburgh for photographing the event.

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