Gluten Free Spaghetti

Gluten-free Pastas are often soggy and limp. Our favorite is Tinkyada rice pasta, which is true to the promise on weird purple packaging, "Can withstand quite a bit of overcooking without becoming soggy."

We made this pasta ourselves by frying up garlic and an onion, adding carrots and meat, throwing in frozen peas and finally a can of tomato paste and half a packet of sketti seasoning. Then we let the whole thing simmer for half and hour. This can be as quick as you need.

Hot Pasta for Fall

I don't know what I like best, soup or hot pasta for fall. Today it's pasta with shrimp and veggies.

Grab whatever veggies you have in the fridge, julienne carrots, zucchini, broccoli and toss it all in with the pasta while it boils. Pull the shrimp out of the freezer (we're landlocked here in the midwest) and toss it in to cook and turn pink after everything else is nearly al'dente.

I prepped the sauce while everything finished, water, a scoop of my favorite cream soup mix, (can be made GF/CF) a dash of garlic and lemon pepper and a spoonful of rice flour to thicken. (using rice flour to thicken will not make lumps, even if you sprinkle it in dry--so much better than "glu-tened flour).

I drained the pasta/mire poix mix in a colander and added the sauce. WOW! Easy and delicious. I served it with focaccia bread.

Watch a video making GF Pasta

GF Pasta Possible

Truly, this video is calming to watch and makes me think that maybe, just maybe I could attempt homemade GF Pasta. Yeah, whatever.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/food_wine&id=7233735

Olive Garden's GF Menu

The Olive Garden’s Gluten Free menu.

I usually go there, eat the salad and drool over whatever everyone else orders.

But now, they have a GF pasta on their Garden Fare options menu. Pennine Rigate with Marinara is a hearty marinara sauce made from tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and herbs served over gluten free penne pasta.

Gluten sensitive diners can also try their Steak Toscano (grilled 14 oz. steak served with grilled veggies) or the Herb-Grilled Salmon (salmon filet brushed with herbs and olive oil, served with broccoli and red bell peppers.

Their Mixed Grill, which comes with broccoli and grilled veggies, can be made with skewers of grilled steak and chicken, marinated in Italian herbs and olive oil, or with all chicken.

There is even a children’s GF menu item: Grilled Chicken Breast served with broccoli and grilled veggies.

http://blog. glutenfreeworks. com/2009/ 09/22/the- olive-garden- offers-gluten- free-options/

Pasta Joy? WHAT?

Reprinted from January 09, with this update for Michael Fusco's fresh pasta recipe.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectID=39&articleID=20090827_4_D1_Gluten323487 It's delicious, I've eaten it.

There are some wicked GF pastas out there. And I have purchased all the gnarly, bad ones. Here are some brands I've had some success with over the years:

Tinkiyada pastas are by far the best. If I tried no other I would be satisfied. If the doctor said to me, you have celiac disease and you have a prescription for Tinkyada pasta, (no generic substitute) he would be totally and completely right.

DeBoles (no boil) Rice Lasagna Noodles are also delicious because there is no boiling to be done and no flavor can penetrate my maranara sauce.


Heartland make a pasta from beans that I've heard is good. http://www.heartlandsfinest.com/

Pesto Pasta

Sometimes we limit ourselves to this dish whenever there is fresh basil in the backyard. Now, have it anytime 'cause this one is made with spinach.

Believe it or not, my boys will eat this stuff if I serve it with pre-grilled chicken chunks--and if I call it HULK SPAGETTI.

I have also included a link to the best recipe for GF pasta ever, Michael Fusco a top chef from Tulsa has perfected the making of GF pasta. He is a celiac (pure motivation when you have skin in the game).

http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectID=17&articleID=20090827_4_D1_Gluten323487

2 cups raw spinach

1/4 cup pine nuts (a pulse) I keep these in the freezer and just toss out a few into this dish. One package seems to last forever.

2 TBS olive oil
1 clove garlic or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Grind these all together in blender - if it's cold, it kinda balls up. Then add it to hot pasta, warmed chicken chunks and serve.

GF Ramen

Gluten Free Ramen? Yeah, I've purchased Thai Kitchen's ramen, it's easy and fast, but not college cheap. This is!

I have fond memories of the stacks of ramen beneath the dorm bed all safe in shrinkwrap and ready for eating within three minutes! My purpose was to make my daughter's and soon-to-be college bound son something that is this fast, that easy and most of all, affordable!

This packet of noodles was about two bucks. It makes four batches (big) of ramen and the other added ingredients are also inexpensive!

I break off a couple of hands full, drop it in water, enough to cover noodles, bring the pot to a boil and it's ready! I add a spoonful of chicken boullion and it's ramen. If I need a meal, I break an egg in it while it boils and have a delicious egg drop. I add shrimp, chicken or frozen veggies, g-f soy sauce, garlic, fish sauce, tabasco... really anything that is in a dorm fridge would work well!

and VOILA!

Megan is right that rarely is the soy sauce in a college dorm gluten free.  So true.  Check your label.  AND,
just FYI  

The beer in a college dorm, even gluten-free isn't good in this.

I love ramen!