I was first introduced to chicken lasagna as a kid. My mom and my older sister made a creamy chicken lasagna in a white sauce; the recipe came from one of those church/community cookbooks. If I remember right the ingredients go something like this, pasta, chicken, cream cheese, mozzarella, 2 cans cream of something soup.

I like the idea of a creamy chicken lasagna, but I am not a fan of the cream of anything soups (I am pretty sure they are full of gluten, so I have yet another reason to avoid them). I know this might make me sound like a food snob, I have heard people call cream of whatever soups an American staple, but I really just find them gross, so I had to come up with my own version of chicken lasagna. I like both the idea of using chicken in lasagna and the richness of the original recipe, but I wanted a more traditional red sauce.

After trying several different things, I came up with a version of chicken lasagna my family loves. I am not going to tout this as healthy lasagna, but unlike the original version, it does actually have vegetables in it. I like to add spinach, but I know many people dislike it, so it is very optional. This isn’t a really firm-set lasagna, if that bothers you, you can add an egg to the cheese mixture and it will help it set.

We use Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles, but if you aren’t gluten free, use your favorite lasagna noodles. If you haven’t used the rice lasagna noodles before, they are pretty fragile so handle with care. Every time I cook them I seem to end up with more broken noodles than not, so I just lay the pasta pieces down and proceed with the recipe.

Chicken Lasagna

• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• 1/2 a green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• oil
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 chicken breast halves, cooked and chopped (leftovers work great here)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated or chopped
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained, optional
• 9 rice lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

1. Saute onion, green pepper and garlic in a few teaspoons oil. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and herbs. Simmer until flavors are blended, about 10 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, combine chicken, cream cheese, mozzarella and spinach if using. Add about 2/3 cup of warm sauce and stir to combine.
3. In an 11×7 pan (you could use 9×13 but it won’t be as full), spoon enough sauce to cover the bottom. Layer three noodles; spread about 1/3 of the cheese & chicken mixture on top. Repeat noodle layer, cheese & chicken mixture two more times. Pour remaining sauce on top of pan.
4. Place pan on top of rimmed baking sheet to catch drips and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let set 5 minutes before cutting.

Main Dishes chicken lasagna, Gluten Free, gluten free chicken lasagna, gluten free lasagna, gluten free pasta

Fried rice is such a good idea. It is a perfect way to use leftovers that are sitting in the fridge. I have made fried rice a few times, using various recipes, but it wasn’t until I saw a recipe for Impromptu Fried Rice from Mark Bittman that I realized brown rice could also be used. I think it really works well here. Bittman also notes that you can use leftover cooked quinoa as well, which I think is clever. Do make sure the rice or quinoa is leftover though, fresh rice really won’t give you the correct texture.

I am not much of a recipe follower, so this is my adaptation of Impromptu Fried Rice. Just use it as a springboard for your own dish. I kept my version meatless, but if adding meat you could just brown it separately, after the vegetables. Almost any leftover vegetables or meat could be used here, so get creative, let the kids have some say and have an impromptu meal, I think they are the most fun to cook anyway.

Impromptu Fried Rice

• 3 Tb peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 bunch scallions, diced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup fresh or thawed, frozen beans
• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
• 1 Tb minced garlic
• 1 Tb peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 3-4 cups cooked leftover brown or white rice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tb soy sauce (San J makes a gluten free one)
• 1 Tb sesame oil
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Put 1 Tb of the peanut or vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. When oil is hot, add the scallions and pepper and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat if they are browning too fast. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.
2. Add the green beans, peas and any other vegetable you are using and cook until nicely browned and hot. Add them to the bowl also.
3. Put the remaining peanut or vegetable oil in pan and add ginger and garlic. Add rice, a little at a time, breaking up the clumps as necessary. When all the rice is added, make a well in the center and add eggs; scramble them with a spatula; once cooked stir to incorporate them into the rice.
4. Return the vegetables to the pan and use the spatula to combine. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil; tasting and adding salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat and serve with cilantro and additional soy sauce if desired.

Main Dishes brown fried rice, fried rice, Gluten Free, impromptu fried rice

The first time I saw a recipe for this I thought it sounded crazy, but then I got Weber’s Real Grilling cookbook and I read the description and saw a picture. It seemed a bit unconventional to me, but it really reduced the cooking time for a whole chicken and it seemed worth a try. The results are amazing.

Whole chickens are usually fairly inexpensive, and go on sale for less than $1 a pound quite frequently, making this one of the most economical main dishes I can think of. The skin gets crispy and the meat stays very juicy and tender. The rub is simple, but adds the right amount of flavor. It is my absolute favorite way to cook a whole chicken. And I don’t actually own bricks, I just use a heavy cast iron skillet and it does the trick. The hardest part is probably cutting the backbone out of the chicken, this is necessary to flatten the chicken; you can use a knife, but kitchen shears will work better. Don’t worry if you don’t do this part perfectly, mine never look pretty, you just want the chicken flat. You might want to watch for flare-ups, as you can see in the picture mine got a little blackened, but it was still very good; you can also see how tender the meat is, it is practically falling right off the bone.

Chicken Under Bricks

Rub:

• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp granulated onion
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. In small bowl, mix the rub ingredients.

Chicken:

• 1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds, excess fat removed
• vegetable oil
• 1 cup your favorite bbq sauce, optional

1. Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using a knife or poultry shears, cut along the backbone and remove it. Open the chicken like a book and flatten as much as possible; cut and discard wing tips.
2. Season the chicken with the rub.
3. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the grill over indirect high heat. Lightly coat the bottom of a baking sheet with oil. Place the baking sheet on top of the chicken and weight it down with foil-wrapped bricks or a cast iron pan (I actually oil the bottom of my cast iron pan and place it directly on the chicken, why wash a baking sheet if you don’t have to?).
4. Grill until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
5. Using pot holders, carefully remove baking sheet and bricks/pan. Using a wide spatula, carefully release chicken from grate and move to medium high heat and grill 5-10 minutes  more (I like to flip chicken at this point to get nice skin on both sides, but the original recipe doesn’t do this).
6. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Cut chicken into serving pieces and serve with bbq if desired.
   

BBQ, Main Dishes bbq whole chicken, Gluten Free, Weber's chicken under bricks, Weber's Real Grilling

Only rarely have I ever used the prepackaged rice mixes, and since going gluten free I haven’t even looked at them. They are full or sodium and lots of other ingredients I care not to read about. That is one thing about having food restrictions, you have to read the labels, which means you can’t avoid knowing what goes into the food you consume.  I think this has made me a much more health conscious cook.

I have been making Best Spanish Rice from allrecipes for many years and it so easy to prepare. I like that the recipe calls for jarred salsa, it not only makes the recipe simple, but allows you to change the flavor of the dish by simply choosing a different salsa next time.  And if you rinse your rice, make sure it is completely dry before beginning, or the dish won’t turn out. This recipe can easily be halved.

Best Spanish Rice

• 2 Tb oil
• 2 Tb chopped onion, optional
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth or water can also be used)
• 1 cup chunky salsa

1. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and rice, stirring often. When rice begins to brown add broth and salsa.
2. Return to a boil, reduce heat and cover; simmer 20 minutes, until all liquid has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Sides easy spanish rice, Gluten Free

Apple desserts are pure comfort food. The apples, the spices, the smell that fills the house. I have never met a person who dislikes apple pie, not to say that all apple pies are created equal, because they certainly are not, but if done correctly, apple desserts are sublime. Like “happiness in a bowl” my daughter says. My mom has been making her version of apple pie filling for over 40 years. Although I love the recipe, I decided to make a freezer version because I am just not that into canning, and I have more freezer space than cupboard space. So, I decided to adapt my mom’s classic recipe. I find it really convenient to have pie filling frozen, ready to use for impromptu desserts.

I use this apple pie filling for pancakes, waffles, ice cream topping, cobbler, crisps, etc. There are so many uses and they are all good, a pie is just the obvious choice, but don’t let the title fool you, this can be used for so much more than just a pie. If you have never made pie filling before, it isn’t difficult, preparing the apples is the most labor intensive part. If you have a teen or spouse who likes to help in the kitchen, this would be one task that could use some assistance.

The measurements for cornstarch and water work for me with Granny Smith apples, if you are using an apple that is significantly sweeter or has a higher water content you might find these measurements need adjusted slightly. Make sure and use a firm baking apple though, not all apples will make a good pie filling. So next time you see apples on sale buy a bunch and make some apple pie filling, you’ll never want to buy it again.

Freezer Apple Pie Filling

• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 generous tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 cups water
• 20 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples (about 20 apples)
• 2 TB lemon juice

1. In large bowl toss apples with lemon juice; set aside.
2. In large pot (stock pot) or dutch oven, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and water to a boil. Boil until thickened, about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add apples and return to a boil; cover and lower heat, simmer for 5-7 minutes or until apples are tender. You don’t want the apples to be too soft, or you’ll end up with applesauce.
4. Cool for 30 minutes. This mixture can be used immediately or scoop into freezer containers or freezer bags and sealed; allow to cool to room temperature or so before freezing.

Desserts, Make ahead freezer apple pie filling, Gluten Free, gluten free apple pie filling