Today was the first day of our small community’s Wednesday Farmer’s Market. So last night as we sat on the sofa, I started thinking about the delicious organic vegetables and herbs that would be available today. One of my absolute favorite herbs is basil – the aromatic scent carries through with a robust flavor. Mild yet it packs enough of a punch to really make a meal.

Basil is great in so many things. I love to purchase the *real* mozzarella cheese and slice that with fresh off the vine tomatoes and basil leaves. Yum. It’s also great in omelettes with swiss cheese and tomato. And bacon, of course. And it’s fabulous in italian cooking – like homemade pasta.

And that’s when it hit me – homemade gluten-free pasta with basil, shrimp, white sauce. That would be dinner tonight.

I made my way to the Farmer’s Market this afternoon and picked up a freshly picked bunch of basil and some organic spinach (spinach is also great folded into an omelette. No cooking required!). Since I was on a mission, my trip to the FM was brief – in and out with my veggies & herbs. From there it was on to the grocery store to get some shrimp, fresh parsley, heavy cream, and wine. Then home to prepare the meal.

The spinach was supposed to be used for a salad or quickly sauteed and served on the side of our pasta dish but I rather quickly decided to shelve that idea. No time.

This meal was comprised of three parts: the sauce, the shrimp, the pasta. I started a pot of water boiling on the stove for my pasta and then set up 1 cup or so of the white wine to simmer in a smaller pan to which I also added some chopped basil and parsley and fresh garlic. Once the wine came to a simmer, in went the shrimp – tails and all.

While the shrimp slowly cooked, I started another saucepan with some gluten-free flour, more chopped basil/parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, a bit of olive oil and some cream. To this I added wine and then set it where the shrimp had been cooking – these I set aside to finish cooking off the heat.

Then it was time for the pasta. In hindsight, I would have used more basil. Having never made basil pasta before I was concerned about doing too much and having basil overkill (yes, it’s possible!). Oh well, I know for next time.

Typically I make my pasta on the counter but as the components were coming together so quickly, I decided to use my food processor. What a great time saver – less than 45 seconds and the pasta was ready to be rolled and cut. With my fabulous Kitchen Aid pasta attachments, this step is a breeze. Combined with the food processor the entire process was less than 10 minutes. Homemade pasta ready for water in 10 minutes. How I love modern technology.

Once the pasta was cooked it went into 2 bowls and then I poured on the cooked white sauce and plenty of shrimp. What is the point of eating pasta and shrimp if you’re just using a few? No thanks – I’m all about *lots* of shrimp!

Now I’m sitting here practically groaning. I ate WAY more than I should have and I’ll likely be hitting the hay early tonight. Heck, I’m ready for bed now. :laugh:

Gourmet pasta and shrimp in something like 30 minutes. Can’t beat that with a stick!

Gluten-Free Basil Pasta & Shrimp in White Sauce
serves 3-6, depending on appetites

gluten-free pasta (previous blog post) *
1 pound raw shrimp
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups white wine
3 Tbl gluten-free flour
2 Tbl olive oil
fresh basil
fresh parsley
chopped garlic
salt
pepper

*You can make plain pasta or you can add basil to make a delicious alternative. Add 1/4 cup (or a good handful of leaves) finely chopped basil to pasta ingredients and finish as directed. Yum!

Pour 1 cup wine into small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Add some chopped basil & parsley (approx 2 Tbl each) and 1 Tbl fresh chopped garlic. Once wine simmers, add shrimp and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring to make sure shrimp cooks evenly. Remove from heat and set on heat-safe surface to cool.

In separate saucepan combine 3 Tbl gluten-free flour, olive oil, approx 1/4 cup chopped basil/parsley combo, 1-2 Tbl chopped garlic. Stir well to combine and add cream and remaining wine. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until thickened and aromatic. Add salt/pepper to taste and more wine if too thick.

While sauce cooks, peel and devein shrimp. Place back into wine & herbs when finished.

Cook pasta until al dente for best results (approx 4-5 minutes). Portion into dishes and top with sauce. Remove shrimp from wine/herbs and place over sauce and pasta.

Serve immediately. And then make sure the area behind you is clear because you’re going to be receiving a good number of pats on the back. This meal is beyond fab!

You ever have one of those moments where a craving comes on and you simply MUST indulge yourself – even if it means you have to go to the store to get the ingredients? I had one of those moments last night. We were watching tv and it hit me – I wanted a smores bar something fierce.

The health food stores were closed so getting gluten-free “graham” crackers was out of the question. Besides which, I am not a huge fan of those. They’re kind of, well, icky. They leave a real gross aftertaste and the texture while you’re eating is a bit chalky and gross. No thanks. So I thought for a moment – what could I use in place of those. Then it came to me. Chex cereal!

So I headed out to the local Walmart. Ok, I didn’t head there… my darling hubby graciously agreed to go for me. What a guy! I’m not a huge Walmart fan but when you’re tight on funds, it sure is a money saver. And a big benefit is that they were among the first major brands to identify gluten-free products. Case in point: their marshmallows are clearly labeled as gluten-free. So I can save $$ and know that what I’m eating is safe from cross-contamination.

But I digress. Onwards to the smores bars! For this recipe you need a few simple ingredients: Chex cereal (I used rice – you could use Honey Nut or Chocolate, but those are going to make this dessert VERY sweet indeed. I didn’t think that Corn Chex would work that well. They have a pretty strong flavor that might overwhelm..), large marshmallows, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, butter. As you can see from the photo above, I had hubby get M&Ms as well, but I decided against using them. Less is more!

The first step in this process is to melt the marshmallow with a bit of butter in the microwave. Once the butter is melted and the marshmallows are puffy and soft, stir in the chex cereal until well coated. Try to refrain from licking the spoon WHILE you’re stirring. It’s hard, I know, but once you’re done and you’ve dumped out the contents, there is plenty left on the sides and bottom of the bowl to satisfy. Mmm…

Now that your mixture is nicely combined, press into a greased 13×9 pan. You can butter your hands to do this step but that’s just messy. It’s faster (and cleaner) to just wet your hands and then press down. No sticky residue and it just takes a few moments to accomplish.

Now that the base is ready, it’s time to melt the mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. But not fully melted, I wanted them to be *just* at the point where they were thinking about melting; soft and easy to spread. This was about 25 seconds on high in the microwave.

Dump the mini marshmallow/chocolate chip combo onto the base and then quickly spread with a spatula. I have a silicone one that works great with super high heat and also helps with sticky situations.

Now it’s time for the last step – the top of the bars. I could have just left them as they were, but I was concerned about sticky and messy fingers and hands. And I wasn’t sure that they’d travel too well (going to be making these this summer for picnics at the beach and such) so I decided to dump some Rice Chex on the top. A quick press to make sure they’re nicely stuck in the marshmallow/chocolate mixture and it’s time to let them set.

Because we wanted to eat them immediately, I put them in the frig for 45 minutes to set. You could also make them ahead and let them set on the counter for a few hours. After we enjoyed a few bars, I left the pan on the counter all night and they’re perfect this morning. Set and not sticky, yay!

Cut into bars and enjoy. These things are fabulous. Gluten-free has rarely been as yummy as these Chex smores bars!

Chex Smores Bars
makes 13×9 pan

8 cups Chex cereal (your choice of flavor)
10 ounce bag of marshmallows
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3 Tbl butter
butter for dish

Butter 13×9 dish and set aside.

In large bowl melt bag of large marshmallows and the butter until butter is melted and marshmallows are puffy and soft. Stir well to combine.

Add 6 cups Chex cereal and stir until well-coated. Dump into greased dish and using wet or buttered hands, press until a nice flat base is formed.

In another bowl, combine chocolate chips and mini marshmallows and microwave just until softened, approx 20-25 seconds. Dump onto base and spread evenly until the base is covered.

Take remaining 2 cups Chex and pour over the top of the bars. Press into place making sure all pieces are firmly cemented into the marshmallow/chocolate mix.

Place in frig for 45-60 minutes to set OR leave on countertop until firm and set. Cut into squares and enjoy! This is one dessert that will not last for long…

A few months ago, my mom joined me in a trek down to Vancouver, WA where we attended a gluten-free sourdough bread baking class by Charles Luce. It was amazing. Brilliant. The absolute best money I’ve ever spent.

>> find him on Facebook
>> read his blog

I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was so excited to meet with other gluten-free folks and attend my first ever gluten-free class of any kind. The class itself exceeded my every expectation. It was held in a gorgeous home owned by the founders of Gling. They were the nicest couple and their home was amazing. And the kitchen to die for. But while I can wax poetic for thousands of words about that fabulous home and all the features in that glorious kitchen – that’s not the point of this post….

So, mom and I arrived and met the other 10 or so “students.” I’m terrible with names and I couldn’t tell you who anyone is at this point – heck, I couldn’t have told you 2 hours after we left. Haha. Anyway, Charles spent the first hour or so discussing different flours and all things bread baking and I learned about things I’d never heard of before. Autolysing. Colloids. Charles is a veritable encyclopedia of information about everything that has to do with gluten-free sourdough.

After a information packed morning, we moved to the actual baking part. First up he baked some gluten-free sourdough buckwheat rolls that he’d had proofing overnight. Believe me when I tell you I about swooned. Without a doubt the most fantastic food to have passed my lips since going gluten-free. Moist. Chewy. Delicious sourdough tang. I inhaled the entire piece in mere seconds. And immediately wanted the rest of them for myself. Bravely I restrained myself and instead made a sandwich with one – yep. Best sandwich EVER.

Once we’d finished lunch, we broke in several groups to experiment with making bread that had differing water contents. My group was in the middle – not too moist, not too dry. We made a sourdough millet dough and since the class was just a few hours and not and entire day and night, we added yeast so it would rise within our allotted time. Once the dough was ready, we divided it up and each of the members of the group made a baguette. As all loaves were rising, Charles did a Q&A session and my head was filled with more valuable information. It was during this time that I really regretted that I had to close my food biz. If I were still open and able to sell what I could now make? Wow. I’d be the most popular person on the Olympic Peninsula. At least in the gluten-free circles!

When the class was finished, we took our 2 loaves and headed out to meet a few of my sisters and other family for a meal at the Spaghetti Factory in Portland, OR. Gluten-free pasta – woot! I took my gluten-free sourdough millet baguette in with me and proceeded to polish off the entire loaf…slathered with their garlic butter. I had to stop myself from moaning.. it was SO good. And before I make myself out to be some kind of gluten-free glutton… please note that the loaf was very small. Well under 1 pound. It wasn’t *that* much. However, after that meal, demolishing the second loaf over the next 2 days and a previous weekend out of town trip where I ate nothing but sandwiches I’d packed, needless to say, I had to restrict my bread/sugar intake the next few weeks. A few extra pounds somehow found their way onto my weight. Curse you, delicious gluten-free bread!

Fast forward to now. I finally had some extra $$ and was able to order a plethora of different gluten-free flours and begin my own sourdough bread experiments. First on the agenda was the sourdough buckwheat bread. Made with just buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, yeast, sugar, gelatin, xanthan gum, salt, water. It was actually very easy to make and the end result = perfection. Moist and tender, flavorful bread with a delightful crust. It’s *just* like the sourdough bread I remember getting from San Francisco in my pre-gluten-free years. Only even more moist and tender than that bread. I seem to remember that almost being a bit dry and choking a bit on it. Of course, that could be because it was such a treat when my dad would take a biz trip in that area and bring back loaves of sourdough bread (one for each daughter), that we tore into them like wild savages, cramming fistfuls of the tangy goodness down our throats. Or not. ha!

I’ll post recipes and the sourdough starter info that Charles gave us in another post later. I’m on a roll (no pun intended) and will be creating sourdough millet bread next. And then sourdough pizza crust, sourdough rolls, and more!

If you are in an area where Charles is giving one of his classes, I cannot recommend it enough. I’ll be going again when he next makes it to our next of the woods. I could take his class for a month and still be learning new things when I finished. Why this guy isn’t running a gluten-free bread shop, I have no idea. But I’m thankful he’s not and instead imparting his knowledge to those of us fortunate enough to be able to attend!

Once I learned I was a celiac, I made a vow to never cheat on my gluten-free diet. That was early 2003 and I’ve kept to that and have never knowingly ingested gluten. Being accidentally contaminated I’ve done plenty of times, but I’ve remained firm in my goal to see my life through without cheating.

That doesn’t mean this is easy. Approximately 2-3 times a year I really get into a funk and making meals is almost more than I can handle. It’s not so much that I miss what I cannot have – it’s that I miss the freedom of being able to just purchase a convenient food or eat out anywhere. I rarely eat out on our home turf as the places here aren’t GF friendly. On a typical day, that’s ok – doesn’t bother me. When I’m in one of my “woe is me” times, it really bothers me.

I love to bake and cook. It’s one of my main passions in life. But sometimes I would love the ease of picking up the phone and ordering a pizza. If I want a pizza, I have to make it from scratch. Or when I’m not feeling too swell – how nice it would be to send the hubby out for food. Instead, I have to power through and make dinner (or lunch or breakfast) anyway.

This is what gets me down. And this is where I’ve been since early-mid May. Feeling sorry for myself and having a few crying spells over what I can/not eat and that I have to make every. single. meal I eat.

I struggled in deciding whether or not to post about this. I am not one who likes to let others see weakness and I really wanted my blog to be an uplifting place to find great recipes and delicious eats. But that’s not reality and I think it does a disservice, especially to those who are new to the gluten-free lifestyle and think that they are the only ones feeling down and out. No, this happens even if you’ve been doing this long-term. Well, 7 years anyway… that is long-term to me. (smile)

But in addition to the freedom I miss, I do also miss a good number of foods. Not only am I a celiac, I also suffer from multiple allergies and intolerances and my diet is pretty limited. I cannot digest grains so all beans, corn, wild and brown rices are pretty much out. Even gluten-free cereals cause me digestive issues and I’m left feeling comatose and nauseous. I have oral allergies which makes my fruit and veggie intake very limited. And after my last stomach churning bout with ice cream, I’ve finally thrown in the towel on milk. Major bummer!

So basically, I guess I’m just saying that I’m human. And I do my fair share of weeping. But then I remind myself of how I’d likely be dead if I hadn’t found out why I was so horribly ill for so many years and I find the inner strength to go on. Yes, I might have a limited diet for the rest of my life — but I’m alive and compared to where I was 8+ years ago, I’m a new person!

And something I’ve learned, which is not rocket science and is likely what many others in my position already do (I never claimed to be the brightest bulb in the room!)… when I’m not in a funk, I make food and freeze it. Is the frozen pizza as chewy and delicious as when I make it fresh? Of course not. But it’s pizza, it’s pretty darn good, and it sure beats having to drag myself into the kitchen and make a meal when all I want to do is curl on the sofa and read a book.

I try to keep an assortment of baked goods and meals on hand in my freezer for just such a day. And I’ve taught our son how to make a mean breakfast so when I can’t muster up the energy to make it myself, he can go in there and emerge with crispy bacon, soft and tender home fries, and a delicious omelette.

I just make do. And look forward to the time when I wake up one morning and feel the weight of the sorrow and self-pity slide from my shoulders. And I give thanks that I’m alive and that I have so many delicious options available…