Gluten-Free Christmas Treats Don’t Get Any Easier Than This

Tada! It’s a Christmas miracle. I just got these mini gluten-free treats on the table in 7 minutes, and 2 of those minutes were sent searching for the gluten-free peppermints that were hiding on the top shelf in my pantry. By the way, aren’t all peppermints gluten-free? This is an assumption I made, then someone was all, “You can’t eat peppermints!” So I went home to confirm that mine were, in fact, free of the g word. Who is out there putting gluten in peppermints? That is bullshit.

So I got these dark chocolate brownie bites from Udi’s when I was celebrating the holiday and learning how to use knives properly. But I’ve also seen them all over Whole Foods, so you should pick up a package for any holiday emergencies. Or life emergencies. Or any non-emergency situation you may find yourself in that still requires gluten-free brownies. Naturally, I have a whipped cream in a can on hand as well (also gluten-free). This is a given.

Combine those three elements and bam, you’ve got a peppermint brownie to serve your hungry guests, and/or that empty hole in your heart. The bonus part of this exercise is you get to put peppermints in a plastic bag and whack the holy hell out of them to make these peppermint crumbs. Isn’t your holiday getting better by the gluten-free second?

Only, one very important note. While we didn’t eat every single brownie up right away (there was one sad brownie left) if you let these sit around at room temperature, that whipped cream from a can will wilt. Solution? Add more!!!

Here’s all you have to do to make this happen.

Feast Your Eyes on Gluten-Free Holiday Grub Via Udi’s

So I got to do something pretty cool last weekend. Udi’s, the people who make gluten-free breads, pastries, sweet treats, and other replacements for those of us intolerants, invited me to a cooking class here in Los Angeles. I don’t know why they might have thought I needed some boning up on my cooking, but I was STOKED. I learned some super cool knife skills and an easy way to chop an onion. I feel much more badass in the kitchen now.

Yes, that sign above is everything we made in an afternoon at Cook LA and all of that magnificence is gluten-free, you guys. Also, it was made by pros. Or rather Cook LA pros Chef Liz Alexanian and Chef Adam Brooks, me, some Udi’s employees, a couple other awesome bloggers, and Jackie, an Udi’s recipe winner who actually did have mad skillz, as she WON A CONTEST. I worked with the lovely Suzanne of Udi’s to churn out these Toasted Pistachio-Cheese Arancini Balls.

Photo by Susan Goldman

Oh to the em gee, everybody, these were amazing. Even though I did totally mess up by forgetting to double the recipe because I was way too busy chatting with all of the other lovely people. I got way too excited as I usually cook, alone, in my kitchen, talking to my dog. So I got distracted and jacked up the risotto a bit. Here I am saying, “I am such a dumbass!”

Yet, those balls turned out quite well, if I do say so my own bad self. I’m totally stoked I now have a gluten-free recipe for those things, because it makes me so sad when I’m in an Italian restaurant and I can’t order the rice balls. You’re feeling for me right now, aren’t you? The plight of the ball-less GF’er. Michael Moore should make a documentary about the injustice of it all.

While we baked these balls in the oven on 350 until they were toasty brown (and then eliminated the step where you roll the rice balls in flour), this recipe calls for frying. If you’re concerned about making these healthier, simply bake ‘em up. Otherwise deep fry those bad boys. Udi’s will have all of these delish recipes up on their site any second now, but in the meantime here’s how you can do what I did!

Gluten-Free Christmas: Booze & Apps

Well now, doesn’t that look all Christmas-y? We trimmed that tree, and enjoyed some festive snacking yesterday so now I’m going to tell YOU how you can start your winter holiday season off with a gluten-free bang. Of course it involves booze and snacks. Of course it does.

One of my fave holiday snacks is the gluten-free cracker topped with smoked salmon, creme fraiche, and chives. It’s incredibly simple, and you’ll want to eat the entire plate-full. I recommend you share, but you don’t always have to take my recommendations as you are your own person and I respect that.

Next, I thought I’d get crafty while fantasizing about how many Pinterest shares I would get and did these Gluten-Free Peppermint Pretzel Sticks™. Not shockingly, my attempt at culinary craftiness did not go as smoothly as I anticipated, so this is exactly how many Gluten-Free Peppermint Pretzel Sticks™ I wound up with, instead of say, 50.

I tend to lose patience when I’m getting crafty also, which is just another reason I’ll never be a Pinterest star. Later I realized a nice ribbon around the shot glass would have really nailed it. Sigh. Still, I ate an entire shot glass full of white chocolate and peppermint covered pretzels. Eat your failures, people. Eat ‘em up. They are delicious.

Anyhoo! There are so many fun things you can make for a tree trimming party. I just did three, however, and one of those thing was an incredibly strong cocktail, the Sazerac. Kind of like an Old-Fashioned, but without the gooey cherries, and with a lemon twist, a classic Sazerac can be served over a giant ice cube (you have those, right?) or straight up in a martini glass. I will say it goes very well with a shot glass full of Gluten-Free Peppermint Pretzel Sticks™.

Here’s how you can pair those yummy things together and fill yourself with some holiday cheer.

Bacon-Infused Bourbon is Totally Gluten-Free

Sometimes I make something “for the blog” that is really pushing the whole gluten-free envelope. This is one of those times. But yet, it’s true. Bacon-infused bourbon is totally gluten-free. Which means I can drink it all day long if I want. And if I want, I can throw up and clog my arteries all day long too. (Although really, how much bacon is getting into my arteries if I’ve strained this stuff with a cheesecloth? Also, if I throw up?)

So when I had this idea to make some infused liquors for holiday gifts, naturally I went bacon. For my meat-eating (and drinking) friends only, this particular infusion is kind of the bomb. Or rather, a lot the bomb. It’s bourbon with bacon. Can I get a Manhattan with a side of pork? Yes I can!

Infusing booze is actually quite simple. So much so that I ditched the method I found online after discovering it really wasn’t giving me that bacon taste I was hoping for, and figured it out myself. One bottle of Costco bourbon and 1 lb of bacon later, I’ve got some super fun holiday gifts and you can too! Oh, and don’t forget the straining, like so:

Even though bacon flavored bourbon is ah-ma-zing, chunks of bacon grease in your cocktail is actually quite WT.

Here’s how to make your holidays bacon-y and bright.

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes III: Sweet Potato Fritters

I’ve been having fun with my deep fat fryer this weekend in pursuit of the ultimate in fried food for the celiac. You were hoping someone would do that, right? You don’t have to give up greasy fried food just because you can’t eat wheat. But you do have to make it yourself. Which is why I’m here. To help you, help yourself.

This recipe for gluten-free sweet potato fritters is so incredibly fast and easy. You just need your gluten-free bread crumbs and gluten-free flour. And the rest of these ingredients, all mushed together:

Honestly, I’ll fry anything but these sweet potato fritters seem perfect for the holiday, yes? You can go sweet or savory when you’re making fritters, and this recipe is decidedly sweet. The cinnamon really makes it work (alongside all that sugar, of course). In fact, I think rather than serving it along side Thanksgiving dinner you should consider this a dessert. Although I will try to sneak in some sweet potato to my kids in this donut-like form because I’m tricky like that.

Speaking of donuts (as I always do), I do believe one could tweak this recipe a bit and make actual light and airy donuts. In fact, I’ll get right on that as soon as I’m finished stuffing myself for this particular holiday. Because these fritters are good, you guys. I mean, can’t stop eating them good. But I must, to avoid that heart attack that is surely coming.

You know you want it! Here’s how.

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes II: Stuffing ‘N’ Salad

It’s gluten-free Thanksgiving all week long at my house! And I’m certain everyone is really appreciative and not at all getting burned out on traditional Thanksgiving food. I don’t care how many times the request has been made that “Maybe we should just go to Denny’s on Thanksgiving.” I know they LOVE it.

Last night we enjoyed some recipes for a gluten-free cornbread, pecan, and sausage stuffing and a butternut squash salad that I tweaked in many, many, ways; again taken from the New York magazine holiday eating piece. This time I stole from April Bloomfield, which I think is only fair given the amount of time she stole from me as I waited outside The Spotted Pig in hopes of getting a table.

The most labor intensive part of this ordeal is mixing all of the herbs and spices together before you slather them on the squash for roasting. I used a mortar and pestle, even though the instructions in the original recipe are quite different. I just love the satisfaction of grinding up a bunch of crunchy things in a bowl. It makes me feel all primitive and stuff.

As you can see in the first photo above, it’s a pretty simple salad after you’ve grinded the crap out of the marjoram & friends, made even more so since I nixed the pomegranate seeds. I have a thing about fruit in salad. Or fruit in savory main courses. Cooked fruit in pies (unless it’s citrus), and basically anything unless it’s fresh fruit. I realize it’s not okay to be so picky once you’re already eliminating everything from your diet, but I honestly can’t help it. I’m just not a fan of mixing savory and sweet unless it involves chocolate, salt, caramel, and gluten-free pretzels.

Which is why I also cut out the cranberries in this stuffing, but feel free to add. I think it’s perfect just like this –

Doesn’t that look like you just want to dive in and take a nap? Or is that weird?

Be sure when you use this recipe you buy gluten-free cornmeal, or even a gluten-free cornbread mix. Cornbread is not gluten-free, unfortunately, and you must look at labels to avoid the big sick.

By the way, I stuff my turkey with lemons and onions, never with foods I actually want to eat. Do people still do that? Are you wasting perfectly delicious bread products in the cavity of your turkey? I think it’s time to stop that tradition. No one should waste amazing gluten-free cornbread,  pecan and sausage stuffing on the butthole of a bird.

Here’s how you can make these dishes as well!