GF Cauliflower "Mac and Cheese" Style

GF WTF?

The what and the why about Gluten Free.  Now, I am not a nutritionist, just a woman on her soap box.   Disclaimers aside, I don’t think wheat is inherently bad.  The current Gluten Free craze smacks of a fad diet trend, however I think some people do have a sensitivity to wheat/gluten.  The American diet is probably a little too wheat based, with too much nutritionally light breads and pastas ("ummmm, bread and pasta" said in Homer Simpson's voice). 

That said, we are trying out a Gluten Free diet for my youngest, Noah, who experiences autism.  Some children with autism see their tummy issues alleviated and an increase in their cognitive clarity on the diet.  So far, we have seen a happier tummy and a surprise consequence, an increase in the types of foods Noah will eat.  Now, instead of stuffing himself like a Thanksgiving turkey with bread, he is eating vegetables and meats.  

As we are new to this diet, I am still experimenting with the different products out there.  I have tried a few different GF flour mixes: Trader Joe’s rice based wasn’t terrible but not great, Winco bulk bin garbanzo bean flour made me want to cry, super gritty and awful flavor.  I will report back on our GF product findings.  

Now on to the main event:  

 GF Cauliflower "Mac and Cheese" Style 

As I said in my introduction about me, my family is super picky.  And unfortunately they cannot agree on what they like and what they dislike, with the exception of Cauliflower, they all hate it.  At the farmer's market the other night, I tried to talk them into chocolate/beet cupcakes with no success.  Our compromise was they would try a new cauliflower recipe.  Seriously, it is covered in cheese sauce, so how could it not be good?!  Serves 4 or so as a side dish.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, or a bag of frozen cauliflower

2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 tbsp flour (using the Trader Joe's GF flour)

1 cup milk

1 cup cheese (I am using cheddar and smoked Gouda, that Gouda is my secret to great mac and cheese.  You can substitute Parmesan or just use a sharp cheddar.  If all you have is regular old cheddar, that will work, you may just want to add a little extra so your sauce doesn't just taste like milk.)  
1 squeeze of mustard, honey mustard or Tabasco  (optional)   

Directions:  

• Cut cauliflower into small florets and boil on the stovetop for 5 minutes.  Drain cauliflower and set aside while you make the sauce. 
• I used the same pot (save on dishes, yay!) melt the butter over medium heat.  When melted add the flour and make the roux.  Whisk the flour and butter until well combined and cooked for a minute.  
• Add the milk and whisk.  Continue cooking over medium to medium-high heat.  It is imperative not to allow your milk to boil however, nothing good happens when you boil milk.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, whisking often until the milk mixture thickens.  
• Add the cheese and  if you like an additional flavoring.  I added a squeeze of honey-mustard (thinking of my friend Amber and her love of honey mustard).  Add salt and pepper (I add a lot), kill the heat and whisk until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.  
• Add the cauliflower and combine.  If you are feeling decadent, add another sprinkle of cheese to the top. 
• Transfer to a oven safe pan and put into a 375 oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.      

Super Easy Baby Back Ribs With a Fresh Corn Salad

Super easy and ribs aren't concepts that usually go together.  My friend and neighbor, Mark makes amazing ribs on the grill.  They take him all day.  This option seems out of my depth, both because I am too lazy to stand at the grill all day and don't feel like I possess the barbeque prowess to pull this technique off.  I have since mastered making my ribs in the oven with just a quick char on the grill.  They taste so, so good and are super simple.

Ingredients for the ribs:
Rack or racks of ribs (one rack for 3 of us was plenty, but my Dad can put away a rack himself, so adjust as necessary for your eaters)

Dry rub mix:  To be honest, I just get out my spices and start adding the ones that seem "barbequey".  Today for one rack that meant:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
(I am not adding salt and pepper because the grill seasoning has a lot of it)

Sauce:
I use whatever jarred barbeque sauce I was able to coupon for really cheap, but to make it my own I like to add jam.  I don't share this secret with my husband Geoff because for some reason fruit with meat makes him irrational.  Today I added homemade peach jam at a 2-to-1 ratio.  Other stone fruits or orange marmalade are really tasty too.  

 Make up 2 bowls of sauce, one to use on raw ribs, one to use on cooked.  In each bowl (again for one rack of ribs, please do the math on your own to figure out how much you'd need for more racks) combine 1/2 cup barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup jam.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Slather the ribs with the dry rub and put in the oven.  After 45 minutes add one of the bowls of barbeque sauce and coat the ribs.  Cook for another 45 minutes (for 1 1/2 hours total).  To test for doneness, carefully grab a hot rib bone and wiggle it.  You want it to wiggle to demonstrate the meat is "fall of the bone" tender.  Now add the second bowl of sauce if you like a "saucy" rib or you can save to serve along side.

Fresh from the oven

You can do the above early and just let the ribs hang out until you are ready for dinner.  Seriously, I got the ribs in the oven and left the house to go to my son's baseball practice, that is how easy and mostly hands off this recipe is.

To finish:  preheat your grill or broiler on high, and lightly char ribs on both sides, 2-5 minutes each side.

If your bbq sauce is gluten free, so is this recipe.

Now on to corn salad...

Fresh Corn Salad

 I make several variations of this salad, for today's I used:

Ingredients:
2 ears fresh corn
1/2 orange bell pepper
1/2 large tomato
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
1 squeeze of lemon
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper

Directions:
Prepare corn by adding to boiling water for 2 minutes.  Remove from water and allow to cool.  Cut kernels off the cob and add to the bowl.  Dice bell pepper, tomato and basil and add to bowl.  Add lemon, olive oil, honey and salt and pepper.  Mix it all together and you have a simple, fresh, summer side dish.

Variations:  Think of corn as your base and really you can change up the flavors so many ways.  In the winter I will just defrost frozen corn and use it in place of the fresh corn.  I sometimes go more southwestern with canned and rinsed black beans, sliced avocado, cilantro, peppers, tomatoes and lime instead of lemon in the dressing.  Oh, so good.