Pasta Salads

Summer heat has definitely defined the past few weeks!

I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven and cook a complicated meal. I am rather inclined to go out to my garden and pick a few vegetables to eat. However, I do get tired of only eating salads.

When you go Gluten Free, it is the simply things one misses, like pasta!
I remember my mom making cold pasta salads from a box when I was growing up and it occurred to me that I could make those myself. How hard can it be? Not very hard at all!

I am offering up two delicious pasta salads for you to try this summer: Italian Dressing with Salami and Lemon Dressing with Tuna.

Enjoy!

P.S. The pasta salad with tuna is my son’s favorite and has become a staple in our diet for the summer!

Allergen Alert: Read the ingredient labels for most canned tuna has soy.
Read the Free Guide for more information.

Click for a free PDF Printable!

Click for a Free PDF Printable!

Click for a Free PDF Printable!

Potato Salad

Every time I cook with potatoes this movie/book quote runs though my mind!

Samwise Gamegee: “What we need is a few good taters.”
Sméagol: “What are taters, Precious? ”
Samwise Gamegee: “Po-tay-toes! Boil them, mash them, put ’em in a stew.”
~The Two Towers by J.R.R.Tolkien

With the Fourth of July coming up, I know I will be at the grill and the perfect side for this American day patriotism is potato salad!

My recipe for potato salad has caused many moans of delight as family and friends eat second or even third helpings during summer gatherings.

I prefer to use red potatoes in my potato salad because you don’t have to peel them!
My potato peeling skills or lack there of, have made my mom and mother-in-law both shake their heads.

This recipe will call for Mayonnaise, Bacon and Hard Boiled Eggs.
All three of these ingredients can be made and prepared ahead of time!

Enjoy!

P.S. For a tasty variation season with some coriander instead of black pepper.

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Mayonnaise

The world of comfort food was reopened to me once I learned how to make mayonnaise.

Many commercially produced mayonnaise options contain soy.
Many contain soybean oil, but other manufactures use other derivatives because soy is cheap.

Download my free guide for more information.

Not only do Midwestern staples like egg salad & potato salad depend on mayonnaise, but a whole world of condiments like tarter sauce and salad dressings are available once you have master making mayonnaise.

It is a little tricky at first, but do not give up!
It is worth trying again.
The first few time I tried making mayonnaise, it took me over 15 minutes.
Now I can make it in 5 minutes.

I understand oils can be pricey, so I suggest starting with corn oil until you master the technique. Then you can experiment with different oils to change the taste profile.
This works especially well when creating salad dressings.

Recipes to come will build upon using the recipes for Bacon & Eggs as well as Mayonnaise.

Enjoy!

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Bacon & Eggs

10 years ago I was a newly wed.
I could eat anything, but could cook nothing!
Who would have guessed that by gaining dietary limitations I would learn how to cook well?!

When I was first married, I could not figure out how to boil an egg without if turning green in the middle, and I could not make bacon without setting of the smoke alarm for the whole apartment building because I would char the meat beyond recognition.

Whether  you have allergies or not, knowing how to cook Bacon & Eggs are basic necessities.

Enjoy!

Click for Free PDF Printable!

Click for Free PDF Printable!

 

Lasanga & Ricotta Cheese

Finding good Italian food that was Gluten, Dairy and Soy Free is practically impossible in restaurants. I was craving a good lasagna, so I made one and it has become the most requested meal by family and friends.

I have made this lasagna for church potlucks and family gatherings without telling anyone it was Gluten, Dairy and Soy Free and no one guessed!

This recipe includes a Ricotta Recipe that provides a dairy free option.

The last time I made this lasagna I used the wine I recently made at home. It was a Cabernet Sauvignon and a fantastic substitute for a Malbec wine

The venison  sausage I use in this recipe is a delicious benefit of my husbands going deer hunting in the fall with his family in Minnesota. They butcher and process their game on a family farm. I know not all have this resource in their freezer, so substitute  a half pound of ground beef/bison mixed with a half pound of pork.

Enjoy!

 

Click Image for PDF Printable

Click Image for PDF Printable

 

Guacamole & Taco Dip

On a beautiful sunny day, one does not want to be cooped up slaving over a hot stove to make dinner!

I reach instead for fresh veggies and some grilled chicken to make Guacamole & Taco Dip. This meal feeds for my family, or I make a double batch to serve a gathering of family and friends.

My husband homebrews; he actually does gluten free brewing.
I am so blessed he found a way to produce gluten free adult beverages.
A Witbier style or an IPA pairs very nicely with this meal & Strawberry Lemonade is a delightful alcohol-free option.

Enjoy!

Click For PDF Printable

Click for PDF Printable

Strawberry Lemonade

Upon seeing the number of blossoms that will turn into strawberries this year along the side of my house, I asked my son what we should make with them all. Without missing a slap-shot with his invisible hockey stick as he went from dandelion to dandelion he relied, “Strawberry Lemonade!”

Challenge accepted. Enjoy what is to become a weekly addition to our summer!

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