Homemade All-American Gluten Free Apple Pie

Happy 4th of July! Thanks to the "Gluten Free Pantry Perfect Pie Crust" mix, I was able to actually take a REAL apple pie to our friend's 4th of July Party. It was a perfect festive evening, complete with American flag decorations, red and white-checked tablecloths, swimming, ginormous BBQ ribs (gluten free - because my friends are so awesome that way), watermelon, kids running everywhere, moms and apple pie, and fireworks.

The only thing missing were the lightening bugs, also known as "fireflies," which we don't get here in San Diego. We stood outside in the cool evening air (what happened to the heat?) watching fireworks and lamenting the absence of the flying self-lighting creatures. Of course, we also don't have a lot of any other flying bugs, like mosquitoes, but I digress....

This is a long post for a relatively simple recipe! This pie crust was easy to make and the results were well worth it, and way above expectations. I discovered some tricks to getting the top pie crust on without it breaking apart. I'll discuss this more in my "tips" section.

ABOUT THE APPLES
I bucked the normal trend of using Granny Smith or McIntosh Apples. I went crazy and used just "Gala" instead. Why? Experimentation, mostly. I did some research on WHY certain apples were used in most recipes and it turns out that it's as much habitual as it is science. It's all about the sweetness (or not-so sweetness) of the apple and the amount of juice they contribute when baking. It really comes down to personal taste. Some of the other "rave review" recipes I read used "Fuji" apples. Both Fuji and Gala apparently tend to be sweeter and juicer than the tarter Granny Smith and McIntosh. (Thus the need for them to be tossed with gluten free flour. It helps absorb the juice when baking. Corn starch or tapioca flour could also be used.)

Gala apples are aromatic and have a sweet, light flavor. Almost all the apple pie recipes out there seem to be quite similar. Generally, apples are mixed with sugar, flour and a citric acid (usually lemon juice). Other common spices include cinnamon and nutmeg. But the real trick to a good apple pie is the crust and the flavor of the apples. So, my research revealed that fresh, flavorful apples are key. Turns out, Gala is one of the "recommended" apples for a sweeter apple pie. You can also mix them with a more "tart" apple (Granny Smith), depending on your taste. Mix it up....go crazy.

ABOUT THE CRUST
For anyone who has experimented with gluten free pie crusts, they know that it's tricky to work with. It breaks apart easily and isn't easy to handle. I'm not a big fan of complicated recipes with elaborate ingredients. Mostly, because I'm generally short on time. I was very happy with the "easy" factor of this pie crust mix. It took about 5 minutes to mix together into a ball of dough. Refrigerate for an hour or so, then divide the ball in half. Roll out for the top and bottom of the pie dish. This is where it gets frustrating if you're used to working with regular dough.

Tip #1: Have extra gluten free flour on hand to put on the working surface and the rolling pin.

Tip #2: Instead of rolling out the bottom crust on a flat surface, just gently press it into the bottom of a pie dish, including the sides. Use a small smooth glass to roll the bottom smooth while it's in the pie dish. Press the dough up along the side of the dish.

Tip #3: Whisk an egg white and then, using a basting brush, baste the bottom of the pie crust with half of the egg white wash. Bake on a middle rack at 425 deg F for 10 minutes to create a "waterproof" bottom for the pie. This keeps it from getting soggy from the juices and hard to keep together when slicing later.

Tip #4: When rolling out the top layer, don't roll it too thin. Sprinkle the surface with gluten free flour, and the rolling pin. Then sprinkle the dough with some of the gluten free flour. If it breaks when rolling it out, press it back and continue until the dough is large enough to cover the pie.

Tip #5: My "a-ha" moment. I tried a bunch of different ways to get the top crust on the pie without it breaking the crust. I ended up using a thin, flat piece of cardboard (the back of an 8 1/2 x 11 notepad) to move the pie crust from the working surface to the top of the pie. Gently slide the cardboard under the crust and then slide the crust off on top of the pie. This crust held together well for me and did not break apart when I did this. (I think I actually mumbled something like, "it's a miracle.")

Tip #6: Pinch the top and bottom crusts together as you would a "normal" pie. Cut four vent holes on top.

Tip #7: Using a basting brush, baste the other half of the whisked egg white wash over the top of the pie until covered. Sprinkle with sugar.

This recipe took about 3 hours to make and serves 4-6. However, I would recommend making it the night before and refrigerating it. Serve at room temperature the next day.

Ingredients:

• Prepared pie dough (I used the "Gluten Free Pantry Perfect Pie Crust" mix)
• 1 egg white, whisked
• 6-8 Gala (or your favorite) apples, washed, peeled and sliced thin
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp gluten free flour (I used the Whole Foods 365 Gluten Free Flour)
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from a real lemon, NOT the bottle)
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest (from the lemon above)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1. Prepare the pie crust (using the tips above).
2. See Tip #3 (basting the bottom crust with egg wash and baking for 10 min at 425 deg F). Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Preheat a cookie sheet (with raised sides) on the lowest oven rack at 500 deg F.
4. In a large bowl, toss the apples with all of the remaining ingredients, except set aside 1 Tbsp of the sugar.
5. Place apples in the pie dish, stacked slightly higher in the center.
6. Using Tip #5, place the top pie crust over the apples.
7. Pinch the sides together and cut four vent/slits evenly on top of the pie.
8. Baste with the remaining egg white wash.
9. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbsp of sugar.
10. Place on the pre-heated cookie sheet on the lowest rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 425 deg F and bake until the top crust is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
11. Reduce the heat and continue to bake at 375 deg F until the juices are bubbling and the crust is a darker, golden brown (about 35-40 minutes).
12. Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving.

My recommendation would be to cool it completely, then refrigerated it for at least an hour our two to "set." Serve at room temperature. I found that the crust was very flaky and tasty. It was actually a much better crust, all the way around, then my old "flour" recipes. I did have some difficulty getting it to "stay together" perfectly when cutting it. Some of it did crumble. I had let it cool all the way, but am convinced if I had refrigerated it a bit, it would have cut a lot easier.

Pamela's Gluten Free Bread Mix

Another big "kudos" to one of my favorite gluten free companies, "Pamela's." I just tried her bread mix for the first time and it's fantastic. It's great for several reasons. First, it's one of her typical "easy mixes." It doesn't require any difficult instructions, extra ingredients or items at different temperatures. Just put everything in the pan and you're done. Second, it was easy to bake in the bread maker on the "light" setting (1:58) and a "medium" crust. (Although, next time I might do the 2:05 setting to see the difference.) Finally, it made a nice big loaf of bread, worthy of any sandwich items. It was a bit more "gluteny" than the Gluten Free Pantry Favorite Sandwich Bread mix, meaning far less crumbling. It tasted great and held together well. It looked A LOT like wheat bread, actually. (see picture above)

Making homemade bread can be tricky, whether it's gluten free or not. It doesn't help to have a bread machine, either, until you figure out which setting works best for each mix. I say this because my wonderful little sister (recently baking gluten free!) said that my faithful stand-by gluten free bread (Gluten Free Pantry Favorite Sandwich Bread mix) was, let's say, less than satisfactory. So, for all my gluten free friends and family out there new to the gluten free bread world, I have some tips for you!

Tip #1: You may have to try a mix more than once until you get your bread maker settings correct. I remember my first loaf of bread was just terrible. Then I got desperate for bread awhile later and tried again. Much better.

Tip #2: Pay close attention to the directions. If something in the mix is supposed to be at room temperature, ice cold, etc., then make sure that it is.

Tip #3: Liquids go first. Then the mix. Then the yeast goes on top of the mix. DON'T let the yeast touch the liquid. Bad juju, folks.

Tip #4: Understand that this is not WHEAT bread. It won't taste like wheat. It won't be mushy like wheat bread. Depending on the mix, your bread may be more crumbly. That's because gluten proteins (wheat, rye, barley etc) are what make regular breads hold together.

Tip #5: You have to freeze un-used bread. Gluten free mixes use other binders, such as Xanthun gum, and no preservatives. The gluten free breads have a VERY limited shelf-life (less than a day) without drying out. I always let the bread cool overnight under a towel (I bake my bread at night) and then slice it in the morning. I put two piece of bread each in a ziploc bag for easy-to-make lunches. They thaw out well in the microwave at about 45 seconds. Once it's heated up, it's soft and warm like fresh bread.

Tip #6: All gluten free bread is better if it's warmed up or toasted. Don't let anyone serve you a cold gluten free roll or bun. :-) (Side note: that happened to me at Disneyland and, at the time, I didn't have the heart to interupt the waiter and ask him to just heat it up for me!)

Tip #7: Don't give up if you've tried one kind of gluten free bread and you don't like it. There are many brands of mixes and pre-made breads on the market now that are terrific. Feel free to email me your favorite!

Gluten Free Skillet BBQ Chicken and Baked Beans

The sun is finally out here in San Diego, so the last thing I should really be doing is cooking barbeque chicken INDOORS. However, it was just easier this way on a busy night to use the stove-top method for BBQ Chicken and Baked Beans. I actually used store-bought (gasp) Original barbeque sauce by Sweet Baby Ray's (our favorite gluten free BBQ sauce) and baked beans by Bushes. (According to their site, all versions of Bushes Best Baked Beans are gluten free except the Bushes Best Chili Beans.)

This recipe took about 25 minutes and serves 2-4.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, chicken breast (organic, if possible!)
• 1 1 /2 cups Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ Sauce
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3/4 cups of chopped bacon
• 2 cups Bushes Best Baked Beans - Original
• 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• Fresh ground pepper - to taste
• Kosher salt - to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet, or in the microwave, until crispy. Set aside.
2. In a separate sauce pan, heat the beans over medium/high heat until warm. Reduce the heat to low and simmer.
3. Heat the oil in a 12" skillet over medium/high heat until glistening.
4. Sprinkle the salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken pieces and place in the oil. Lightly brown each side (about 4 minutes each). Remove from heat.
5. In the same skillet, saute the onions until clear. Add 1/4 cup to the baked beans.
6. Add the bacon to the beans and stir together.
7. Add the BBQ sauce to the remaining onions in the skillet and stir together.
8. Add the chicken breast back on top and cover.
9. Simmer approximately 10-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
10. Serve with fresh seasonal fruit.

Gluten Free Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

I spent the day in LA today for a business trip and had the pleasure of riding the train home to San Diego (instead of fighting insane traffic) with colleagues from work. It gave me plenty of time to mull over dinner ideas with my friends as we talked about what I could make with the flank steak I had thawed out when I arrived home. And, what to do with the five pound bag of Calrose rice I had just bought....?

I really missed being able to get a beef and broccoli Teriyaki stir-fry bowls at restaurants because the Teriyaki sauces almost always contain gluten. Viola! A perfect dinner to make that didn't require an additional trip to the store after a long day out and about.

This is a really easy to make stir fry that is, of course, gluten free! It has a lot of rich flavor that gets its "kick" from a touch of crushed red pepper and is served over Calrose rice. (If you're not familiar with Calrose rice, it's commonly served with sushi and is grown right here in California!)

The stir-fry goes pretty quick, so have all the ingredients chopped, cut and ready to go. I use a wok for the stir-fry, but you can use a deep 12" skillet instead.

This recipe took about 25 minutes to make and serves four.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs flank steak, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup fresh broccoli
• 2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup of gluten free soy sauce (I use La Choy)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp sherry or cooking wine
• 1 Tbsp minced ginger
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 3 Tbsp canola (or vegetable) oil
• 2 cups cooked Calrose rice

Directions:

1. Cook the rice according to directions on the package. It usually takes 18-20 minutes. Don't over cook!
2. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil over medium/high heat.
3. Sprinkle the sliced steak with the salt and pepper.
4. Stir-fry half the steak until lightly browned and cooked through, approximately 4 minutes. Set aside in a bowl. (if your skillet isn't large enough, consider browning half of the steak at a time)
5. Return the wok/skillet to the heat and add the half a cup of water.
6. Add the broccoli and cook for approximately 2 minutes. The broccoli is done when it's bright green and slightly tender. Remove from the heat and add to the steak.
7. Whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, sherry, ginger, garlic, corn starch and red pepper. Set aside.
8. Add the remaining oil to the wok/skillet and saute the scallions for approximately 2 minutes.
9. Add the bowl of steak and broccoli back to the wok/skillet.
10. Whisk the soy sauce mixture again and pour over the steak and broccoli. Heat through. (approximately 4-5 minutes)
11. Serve over the Calrose rice.

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Mixes!

After more than five years of doing everything the "hard way" and ordering most everything that is "good" gluten free food from an online source, check out what is hitting the "mainstream" stores this summer! Betty Crocker has made gluten free cookies, cakes and brownie mixes! I don't know if they're good (if you try them first, please let me know) and I don't know how expensive they are, but it's amazing after all this time to see something like this on a grocery store shelf! I can't imagine them being better than "Pamela's" but I'm looking forward to trying them! It's always nice to have options.

"Over the Sink" Flavorosa Pluots

These "Flavorosa" pluots (cross between a plum and apricot) are so good they should be illegal. I actually detect zero "apricot" in them, but that is where they got their name. They're only in season in the last week or so of May and first few weeks of June and are grown right here in California! They have an incredibly sweet, deep red, juicy flesh that is full of flavor. That's why I call them "over the sink" plums...it's just too hard to eat them "neatly."

I've been waiting a year for them to come back into season and was not disappointed. The pluots pictured here are of the organic variety with a dark purplish, tart skin and a rich, sweet flavor. When doing research about these great treats, I read that the "black plumb" pales in comparison to the richness the Flavorosa pluot. But, truth be told, I bought about a pound of each and could barely tell the difference. A week or so from now, these will no longer be available and the crops are probably down to their last Flavorosa pluot, so don't wait to try them! (Of course, as all fruit, they are naturally gluten free!) These are truly the best of "nature's candy."

Grilled Salmon with Rosemary Garlic Red Potatoes

This is a really easy dish to make with simple, organic ingredients. There was a special on "fresh, wild" Atlantic salmon that I couldn't pass up. It's amazing how difference the taste is between "fresh" and "frozen" seafood. Because of the freshness of the fish, I chose not to use a marinade. This entire dish is naturally gluten free, so you don't have to think twice about the ingredients you're using. (If the heat is too high when you cook the salmon, the outside will burn before the inside is done.)

This recipe serves two and takes approximately 60 minutes to prepare and make.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb salmon fillets
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 8-10 red potatoes (small) cut into wedges (or in half if really small)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp freshly chopped rosemary
• 1 mashed garlic clove (needs to be mashed to a paste)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley

Directions (cook the potatoes first because they take about 45 min):

Rosemary Garlic Red Potatoes -

1. Heat oven to 425 and adjust the rack to the center position.
2. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with foil.
4. Roast for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the foil and roast uncovered another 15 minutes, or until the edges of the potatoes are golden brown.
6. Using a spatula, toss the potatoes and cook another 5 minutes.
7. Sprinkle the rosemary on the potatoes and toss again. Cook another 3 minutes.
8. Remove potatoes from the oven and place in serving bowl. Gently toss the potatoes with the mashed garlic.

Salmon -

1. Heat grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grill grate (I use Pam Original)
2. Rub both sides of the salmon with the freshly ground pepper and kosher salt (approximately 1-2 tsp of each on each side).
3. Grill approximately 6-7 minutes on each side until it flakes easily with a fork.
4. Garnish with sliced cherry tomatoes and fresh parsley.
5. Serve immediately.