This year I was humbled and honored to be highlighted as the Delight Gluten Free's blogger of the week. This magazine provides a great source to the gluten free and Celiac Disease community. Their magazines are full of research, new product highlights, and recipes that are simple to make and can usually be made with things that you can find in your house. They have an extensive, searchable recipe database on their website.
For those of you who may not already receive their magazine or have internet capabilities, Delight Gluten Free Magazine recently came out with a cookbook. They were generous enough to send me a copy to review. It contains over 150 recipes with everything from gluten free baking basics to baked goods to main entrees to cocktails. Each recipe gives a time from prep to table, an easy allergen indicator, and nutrition facts.
I had also recently been sent some samples from Sunbutter, so I was eager to try the Nut Butter Sandwich cookies on the front cover as well as the Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce. While I know that this would change some of the ingredients listed in the recipes, I wanted to show that making a small substitution would not change the integrity of the dish.
The added blessing was that I was able to share these two items in a meal with some of my neighborhood kids and their mom. The ten-year old boy was eager to help me in the kitchen, taking great care in measuring liquids and following direction step-by-step. He tried coconut milk for the first time, without fear, and was proud of himself that he had tried something new. The best part was his excitement in telling his mom that he helped to make such an interesting and delicious dinner.
And delicious it was. As it turned out, I didn't have any chicken but substituted beef instead and it was a huge hit. It tasted like an Asian inspired beef stroganoff, and the older teenage brother actually asked for seconds. While I didn't have seconds, I did have cookies for dessert. Again, the younger child helped me in spreading the frosting between the two cookies and served them to the table with pride. Because we were short on time, I actually chose to use Betty Crocker Vanilla frosting that I had in the cupboard. All persons trying the cookie sandwiches agreed that they preferred a vanilla frosting to the proposed chocolate frosting, stating that they would have thought it would have been too rich that way.It was honestly one of the most memorable dinners of my lifetime.
The third dish that I tried was the Creamy Macaroni & Cheese with Turkey Sausage and Mushrooms. Again, I had the pleasure of making a gluten free dish for company that was coming over. I did substitute chicken sausage, as it was what I had in the house. I made three small ramekin sized servings, as some of my guests were children under the age of 5, plus one for my husband's lunch the next day. The remainder I baked in a 9x9 square casserole dish, which my adult friend and I enjoyed with much gusto. She especially liked the crushed pretzel topping, so much so that she stated she might have to start using it when she makes baked macaroni and cheese in her own home.
Hopefully now that the planning and execution of the 7th annual Lansing Gluten Free Fair is over, I can spend more time in the kitchen using this cookbook. I'm eager to try the Bacon Cheddar Scones, Roasted Seasoned Chickpeas, Sweet Potato, Apple & Brie Gratin and S'mores Cupcakes.
But don't take my word for it. As someone recently noted, there's approximately 50 days until Christmas. This cookbook could make a great Christmas gift for the gluten free foodie in your life. You can find the book online from multiple retailers, including Amazon.Labels: product review
