The {GF} Sweets one night stand.

It isn't everyday that we have the opportunity to indulge in a sweet, special, gooey treat in the gluten free world. Baking and cooking in the GF lifestyle is difficult at best. Sure there are plenty of boxed items on store shelves that jump out at you with their soft, moist, seductive chocolatey cake photos and promises of tasting just like the original. Unfortunately our family has only come to learn that those promises of chocolate romance and sugary decadence are nothing more than a bad, GF one night stand. We bring our pre-prepared boxed lover home to mix and bake, only to find out that whatever strange flour substitute combination hidden behind that gluten-free pornographic box picture, has a bad after taste, and crumbles in a dry and sandy textured pile of disappointment on your plate. Occasionally a decent box mix can be found in the GF isle of the grocery store, but only after it is met with hesitation and low expectations after all those other bad gluten-free boxed, pick up lines turned bad. Not to mention this take-and-make bakery date is high in price and only allows for a couple servings by the time you are finished.

So in my quest to find a edible and hopefully delicious recipes with few deviations of taste and texture from the original, I have finally hit the jackpot on a few options. I have mastered the chocolate chip cookie and cookie bar, the dark, fudgey brownie, and the vanilla cupcake. In addition to this I have also experimented with other sweet options as a perfect snack on a cold night with a cup of hot cacao (spiked or not), and fire.

But first before I start posting photos of my own Gluten-Free bakery porn, there needs to be a discussion about the ingredients. First, as many of us find out in attempting to make our adapted family recipes from before our GF life, not all flour mixes are created equal. There are numerous recipes out there that allow you to mix and make your own baking substitute combination at home, however, most of us do not have this amount of time nor are we able to always locate the multitude of eccentric ingredients. Not to mention, its FREAKING expensive. So, if you have the time and money to chase down the vast amount of ingredients for your made at home flour substitute, or are lucky enough to have a market that carries the expansive variety of flours needed... then please feel free to mix your own. For our family of five, and two of us officially diagnosed with Celiac Disease, we do not have the access, time, or budget to partake in this process. So we have tested many of the flours out there and I have to say, there is a difference. Our families favorite and best results have come from Glutino products. We are in no way paid by, supported, or sponsored by this company, we simply have experimented with several different flour substitute options, and Glutino has the best texture and no aftertaste when it comes to baked goods. I have found that many of the other brands have a higher brown rice and soy flour content, which bakes funny and gives your foods a strange after-taste.

So now that we have identified our regular GF baked goods walk of shame, it's time to get baking!

Chili de Pollo Rojas

This recipe is a personal creation... and the kids LOVED it! Chili de Pollo Rojas is basically Red Chicken Chili. This has a wonderful flavor and makes plenty for left overs. It can be adapted and tossed in a crock-pot for the day or overnight and served at a tailgate, or it can be used as a gourmet comfort food to entertain on a cold and rainy day. I love this recipe because of the spices used and the smell it illuminates throughout the house. It is also an easy recipe that can be adapted for those who are also vegetarian.

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 35min minimum, up to an hour for best results.

Ingredients:

2 medium raw chicken breasts, cleaned. (for vegetarian option: substitute with yellow and zucchini squash, mushrooms, or any hearty veggie of choice or firm tofu- saute with same directions as chicken)

1 28 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes.

1 4oz. can of tomato paste.

40 oz. of water (may replace with stock or broth if desired)

1 cup red wine (any decent semi dry red or white will work)

1 small onion diced

1 small green pepper diced

1 C. sweet corn

1 can kidney beans (or any legume of choice)- optional

1 Tbsp of chopped garlic (about 3 lg cloves)

1 tsp. of dried thyme

1 Tbsp of smoked paprika

3 Tbsp of chili powder

1 Tbsp of cumin

2 Tbsp of kosher salt

1 large bay leaf

Fresh ground pepper to taste.

vegetable or olive oil as needed.

Toppings as desired for dressing chili and eating.

Tools:

Tongs (2)

Large skillet

Large stew or soup pot

clean plates (2)

cutting board

Sharp knife for chopping

Two forks for shredding chicken

Instructions:
These two preparations can be done simultaneously. The chicken can be cooking while the soup portion is being prepared.

Chicken prep (Tofu/veggies)-
1)Place skillet over medium high heat, oil pan as needed.
2)Mix all the seasoning and herbs (except Bay) together in a bowl.
3)Clean, rinse, and pat chicken breasts clean and place on a clean surface.
4)Lightly sprinkle some of the seasoning mix on the chicken on both sides.
5)Place chicken in hot skillet and let sear for 3-4 minutes on med-high heat, flip chicken and sear for an additional 3-4 minutes. Turn heat down to medium and let cook through (about 10-12 minutes total depending on thickness of chicken breast.
6)Once chicken is cooked through place on a clean platter and let rest for 5 minutes.
7)Chop, Shred, or slice chicken into desired bite size chunks.

Chili prep-
1)Add 1-2 Tbsp of oil to pot over medium heat.
2)Add chopped onion, green pepper, and garlic to pot. Saute until onions are translucent
3)Add Corn and beans to pot and mix well.
4)Add spice mixture to veggies and saute for about 2 minutes to let veggies absorb flavor.
5)Add Bay leaf.
6)Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and wine.
7)Stir well and heat to a slow boil, then simmer approx. 10 minutes.
8)Add prepared and cut chicken to the recipe and stir well.
9)Cook on med-low heat for an additional 10 minutes.
10)Taste for seasoning. Add extra seasoning as needed to taste.

Tips: the longer this recipe stew together, the better the flavors mix. This chili requires no thickening agent as the starch from the vegetables and beans add the perfect amount of starch to thicken as it cooks and reduces.