Sweet Ali's Gluten-free Dinner Rolls

Sweet Jesus these rolls are good. I've had Sweet Ali's products in the past, specifically their blueberry muffins and brownies in which they sold through Kramer Foods (a grocer in Hinsdale). Recently, they opened up a retail store in the town of Hinsdale...very exciting. On Christmas Eve, my mom and I popped into the store to find a flurry of gluten-free goodies. I bought almost everything: cookies, a crumb coffee cake, muffins, a frozen pizza, ready-to-bake frozen cookies and most importantly the ready-to-bake frozen dinner rolls.

I wasn't expecting much. I try not to keep my hopes up, specifically when it comes to bread. It is just one of the toughest things to get right. I had my first go at the dinner rolls the day after Christmas. We had had Beef Tenderloin on Christmas day, and I thought that the left over meat would make an excellent sandwich. After 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven, my dinner roll was good to go. I placed a little mayo and the meat on top and took a bite. OMG. I hate to be too crazy about these rolls, but honestly I felt like I had just eaten the best bite of food in my life. Since then I've eaten a roll at least every other day (with eggs pictured left). If only I could bring an oven to work, I'd bake up a fresh roll every time I ate lunch.

Thank you sweet Sweet Ali's.

Rolled Oats

This being my second gluten-free winter, I still find myself missing my instant Quaker Oats Oatmeal. There is something special about those oats. They are fast, they are warm and they are tasty. I have yet to find an instant gluten-free oatmeal that I like...so I purchased the plain Bob's Red Mill Rolled Oats. They are pretty easy to make (not quite as easy as instant, but what can you do).


Oatmeal:
1. In a medium/large pot, boil 2 cups of water with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
2. Add in the rolled oats, stir and reduce the heat.
3. Stir occasionally for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Take off heat, and stir in a little milk and honey.

Tyler's Ultimate Bolognese

Last year sometime, I took on the challenge of making Tyler Florence's "Ultimate Bolognese"...and since then my Dad has been asking me when I will make it again. So I did. This recipe is not something you tackle on a week day after work. This recipe has 20 ingredients...enough said.

The recipe is killer though. It has so many layers of flavors. Some rich. Some earthy. Some nice and fresh to balance things out. I challenge you to take a Sunday afternoon and make it for your family. It's not only amazing to eat, it's fun to make (if you have time and a bit of patience).

Ingredients:

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit

1/4 pound pancetta or slab bacon, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs rosemary

1 1/2 pound ground pork

1 1/2 pound ground beef

2 cups milk

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 cups dry red wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound dry pasta (I swapped for Gluten-free Rigatoni)

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

1 handful fresh basil leaves

Fresh ricotta cheese

Directions:

Reconstitute the mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes until tender, drain and coarsely chop.

Puree the mushrooms, pancetta, onion, celery stalks, carrots, garlic, together in a blender.

In a heavy-bottomed pot add olive oil, bay leaves, herbs and cook gently until fragrant, then add vegetable puree and continue to cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes.

Raise the heat a bit and add the ground pork and beef; brown until the meat is no longer pink, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon.

Add the milk and simmer until the liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Carefully pour in the tomatoes, and wine and season with salt and pepper.

Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Slowly simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the sauce is very thick. Taste again for salt and pepper.

When you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente"). Drain the pasta well and toss with the Bolognese sauce.

Serve with a good scoop of fresh ricotta cheese and garnish with some shredded basil, grated Parmigiano and a drizzle of olive oil.

RWS 12/12/10: 30th Birthday Celebration

Being female and single...turning 30 was bound to be an interesting day. After many years of having a birthday around the holiday's, I've gotten used to the fact that people are busy. Between family, friends and work engagements, who has time to plan/attend yet another party? Knowing that, I decided to keep this monumental birthday simple. I had my closest friends and family over at my parents house for the same meal that I request every other birthday. Without any stress, I was able to fully enjoy my favorite people and my favorite food to welcome me into my next decade of life. It fit with my mentality as I approach my 30's of keeping things a little more simple than they were in my whirlwind 20's.



Arugula Salad w/ Shaved Parmesan, Pine Nuts and Red Wine Vinegar Dressing







Baked Ziti: Gluten and Gluten-free versions








Sunday Meat Sauce w/ Pork & Sausage








Chocolate Cake w/ Chocolate Frosting (Betty Crocker Gluten-free)








Sprinkles Cupcakes: Gluten and Gluten-free versions








Carparzo Brunello Di Montalcino Wine










What else could a girl ask for...

Sprinkles Cupcakes

In a sea of cupcake options...Sprinkles has found a way to standout. Beginning in Beverly Hills, this little cupcake shop has exploded into 10 retail locations and a franchise in it's own right. A good question you might be thinking is why am I writing about a "gluten-full" cupcake place? The point of this post is two fold: Sprinkles has made it to Chicago and they decided to offer 1 gluten-free cupcake that just so happens to be in my favorite flavor (red velvet!).

I actually found out about Sprinkles from Williams and Sonoma. They sell Sprinkles cupcakes mixes so that you can make them at home (which was great before I knew that I needed to be gluten-free). The mix is very easy (like Betty Crocker) and tasted amazing. After becoming gluten-free I had given up on my love for Sprinkles and was more saddened than excited when they opened up shop in Chicago...until last week. A friend of mine mentioned that they have a gluten-free cupcake. Could this be true!?!?!

I visited their beautifully constructed website and found out that indeed they have begun selling as mentioned above a gluten-free cupcake. Funny enough, it's my birthday next Monday and my Mom is going to order a bunch of gluten & gluten-free cupcakes for the party. Can't wait! Stay tuned for a report.

Babycakes NYC

After exactly 365 day of posting my 1st blog...I visited the mecca of gluten-free baked goods. The fiance and I flew into Newark for his brother's wedding last month, and decided to stop in NYC for a few culinary pit stops. On our trip, we stopped at Katz's Deli, L&B Spumoni Gardens (in Brooklyn) and the reason for this post...Babycakes NYC.

I heard about Babycakes pretty early on in my gluten-free days. Babycakes is a bakery that offers different kinds of baked goods for whatever your specific allergy/food choices are...they have refined sugar-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, casein-free, egg-free, vegan and kosher items. I've followed them on twitter, I've bought their book, and I've watched their YouTube clips...pretty much I consider them celebrities.

If it's not obvious by the above, I was over the moon when the Fiance said that we would have time to pop into NYC for the good part of the day before heading off to Pennsylvania for the wedding. If my permanent smile from ear to ear wasn't enough...I had the Fiance take pictures of me in front of the storefront before even entering. My adult version of Disney World.

Once inside, to be honest, I was shocked at how small it was! I should have known, I mean it's NYC. We're not in Kansas anymore and space is tight. We were greeted by very 50's style employees...all very pink and cute; I loved it. The selection was pretty large, but was all crammed in a tiny display. I'm sure the new LA store is quite different, however all of this gave it it's NYC charm...very kitchy and cool.

Alas, I ordered a bunch of gluten-free items. I'll break down my thoughts:

Chocolate Chip Cookie: Chewy, tasty, thin, and very good. (not quite a Tate's cookie though)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich: Whoa!!!!! Genius. Putting frosting in the middle of 2 cookies?!? Amazing.

Cinnamon & Sugar Toasties: Awesome. After slaving for 5 hours to make my own...this is a way better option. Very soft, dense, flavorful, and delicious.

Carrot Cake Topper w/ Frosting: Wow. I mean, I almost died upon contact. The best carrot cake I've ever had in combination with the best cream cheese frosting I've ever had. To. Die. For.

Vanilla Cupcake: Completely bummed. This is their flagship item. My disappointment however may be due to the absence of dairy, egg and refined sugar.

Although my reviews are mixed, I still have more gluten-free options to dive into. I can't stop thinking about the carrot cake, cinnamon toastie and cookie sandwich. I still think that they are gods in the gluten-free world. I bow down to you Babycakes NYC...and thank you.

Flemming's Steakhouse Mac & Cheese (Gluten-free)

On a recent trip to Omaha for a friends wedding, we stopped at a Flemming's Steakhouse for a quick drink in between the ceremony and rehearsal. While there, the fiance ordered up some Mac & Cheese to fend off his hunger for a few more hours until dinner is served. He shared that it is one of the best Mac & Cheese dishes he's had and always orders it when dining there. I was definitely intrigued...I'm pretty much always intrigued whenever anyone says the "best of" of anything.

I thought it would be neat to try to recreate this dish at home, gluten-free, so that I could indulge as well. I had no problem finding the recipe online, and with a few very easy substitutions I was on my way to making gluten-free Flemming's Mac.

Ingredients: (Gluten-free substitutions)
1 lb pasta (Bionaturae)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup onion, 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill)
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon white pepper (ground)
3/4 lb smoked cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder (chipotle chili powder)
3/4 cup breadcrumbs (Schar)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and pasta and cook for 8 - 9 minutes. 3. Drain pasta and cool under cold running water. Pasta should be slightly firm. Toss drained pasta in oil and reserve.
4. Melt butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 4 - 5 minute.
5. Add flour and cook 1 - 2 minute but do not brown. Add cream, half and half, kosher salt and white pepper. Bring pot to a simmer. Cook until sauce is thick, about 5 - 6 minute.
6. Blend cheese into sauce and add cooked pasta.
7. Pour pasta and sauce into a 9 x 12" baking dish. Reserve.
8. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add oil and chipotle chili powder. Heat for 30 seconds, until pan starts to smoke. Remove from stove and stir in bread crumbs.
9. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the pasta and bake for 15 - 20 minute until golden. Cool slightly before serving.

Although the smokey cheese and chipotle are typically not up my alley, the dish was very rich and delicious. The fiance had at least 2 bowls...so I will consider it a success.