Southern-Style Barbecue Ribs

I tried this recipe for the first time last night and it was SO INCREDIBLY YUMMY!!!! 💛  I was shocked that all of my boys liked it too!  Even my pickiest eaters!  It is so juicy and tender, it just melts in your mouth!  So much flavor too!!  You're gonna LOVE this one!!

Enjoy!

Kirsten

SOUTHERN-STYLE BARBECUE RIBS

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle or more to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne or more to taste

5-6 pounds southern-style (country-style) pork ribs

1)  Stir together the first 5 ingredients (onion through vinegar) in the slow cooker crock; set aside.

2)  In a separate bowl, stir together the next 10 ingredients (brown sugar through cayenne).

3)  Generously coat the ribs with this mixture and set them in the crock pot.  Sprinkle any remaining spices over the ribs.

4)  Cover and cook 8-10 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.

5)  To serve, transfer ribs to a serving platter and cover with foil.   Skim and discard any visible fat fro the surface of the cooking juices.  Stir the juices and spoon some of the juices over the ribs before serving.

NOTES:

~With this pandemic going on, I couldn't find the tapioca at my grocery store, so I just made it without it.  I was going to use a little cornstarch or gelatin instead at the end if needed, but I didn't feel like the sauce needed thickening at all.

~I did not add more chipotle or cayenne than the recipe says and it had a nice heat to it!  If you like things really spicy, I would add more!

~I served the ribs with baked beans, mac n' cheese and a salad.

Grilled Chicken Skewers

I made these for the first time this week and everyone in my family LOVED them!!  I didn't add any "heat" to them, but I think they would be even better with a little cayenne added for some background heat!  I hope you like them as much as we did!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

GRILLED CHICKEN SKEWERS

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced

1)  Wash and trim excess fat from chicken thighs.

2)  Cut chicken into 2-inch strips.

3)  Combine chicken strips and all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Stir until well blended.

4)  Cover and refrigerate.  Let marinate at least 20 minutes.

5)  Place chicken slices on individual skewers.

6)  Place skewers on grill over medium heat.  Cook thoroughly on each side until done.

NOTES:

~I always use kosher salt in my recipes.

~I used bamboo skewers.  If you are using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before you add the meat and put them on the grill!

~I served this with white rice and a side salad.  Everyone said that it went really well with the rice!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts

Hi friends!  I tried this recipe a couple of nights ago and it was so yummy!!  Most of my kids loved it.  A couple of them didn't like the taste of the crispy Parmesan coating, but they just scrapped it off.  I am a big proponent of making the kids eat what I make, but if they really don't like something, I'll make slight alterations to accommodate them, like leaving the sauce off or not putting seasoning on.  So next time I make this recipe, I'll probably just do a more traditional seasoning for the ones that don't like the Parmesan.

My husband and I loved it, as well as a few of the boys!  It's a very simple and quick recipe as well, so that's a plus!

I hope you enjoy it!
Kirsten

PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN BREASTS

2 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 2/3 cup grated)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

1)  Coarsely grate the Parmesan cheese.

2)  Put the chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound it out to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch.

3)  Rub the top side of the breasts with half the mustard, then sprinkle with half the cheese, pressing lightly so it adheres, and season with half the pepper.  Flip the chicken pieces over and repeat on the other side.

4)  Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken to the pan and cook, without moving it, until the cheese on the bottom forms a deep brown crust that releases fairly easily from the pan, 3 to 4 minutes.  Flip and repeat on the other side, cooking until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes more.

NOTES:

~I used the grated Parm in the green can and it was great!  Instead of sprinkling it on, I put the cheese in a dish and laid the chicken in it and pressed down.

~I doubled the recipe and did 8 breasts, since my family is a bit on the large side!

Update from Kirsten!

Hi gluten free friends!

Well, it's been a few years since I've posted on here!  I am so sorry I've been absent!  I ended up going through a divorce in 2016, so life has changed a lot!

I got remarried last summer, so now, not only do I have my two boys, who are now 12 and 14, but I have three step sons who are 9, 13 and 15!  We have a full house and they eat A LOT!!!  We go through about 5 gallons of milk a week, can you believe that, and my husband and I rarely drink it!  Crazy isn't it!

Anyway, I have lots of yummy recipes to add on here, but I am going to school in February and I'm working too, so I'll have to get them added slowly but surely, so bear with me!

I hope this blog is helpful to you as you navigate being gluten free, whether you're a newbie or an old pro!  Believe me, it's SO much easier now than when I was first diagnosed!  When I received my diagnosis, nobody had heard of celiac disease or gluten, and it was all new to me too!

So if you are newly diagnosed, you are very lucky!  It's a great time to be gluten free!

Enjoy the recipes and I look forward to your likes and comments!  I respond to all messages, so feel free to drop me a line with any questions or comments!

Oh, by the way, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Kirsten

PS: Here are a couple of pics for you!  My new husband and I - and our family!

Pork Piccata

I tried this recipe last night along side the Garlic Mashed Potatoes and it was AWESOME!!!  My boys weren't big fans.  I think the sauce is a very "grown up" taste, with the tart lemon and salty capers!  Some of them ate the meat without the sauce, and they loved that!  You can't go wrong with pork tenderloin!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PORK PICCATA

1/4 cup gluten free flour blend
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick medallions
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, drained

1)  Combine the flour blend and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a gallon size Ziploc bag.

2)  Place the pork medallions in the bag and shake until well coated.

3)  Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet (not nonstick) over medium-high heat.  Working in 2 batches, cook the pork until it is browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side.  Transfer the meat to a plate.

4)  Add the garlic to the same skillet, then immediately add the wine and cook over medium-high heat.  As the wine reduces, stir to dissolve the small bits and juices remaining in the pan from the meat.  Cook until the wine is reduced by about half, 4 to 5 minutes.

5)  Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, capers, and remaining salt and pepper and cook until the mixture has reduced slightly, an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

6)  Return the medallions to the skillet along with the remaining tablespoon of oil and heat until the sauce thickens and the meat is cooked to medium, about 3 minutes.

NOTES:

~For the flour, you could use one type of gluten free flour, if you don't have a blend on hand, but the blends are much more like regular all-purpose flour!  I used King Arthur's blend that you can replace cup for cup with regular flour in any recipe.

~I got my pork tenderloin from Aldi and it was amazing!  You don't want want with seasonings, just plain is best for this recipe.

~For the white wine, I just used a cheap Pinot Grigio from Aldi, Winking Owl ($2.99 a bottle).  Rule of them, don't use a wine for cooking if you wouldn't drink it!  This wine is definitely good for drinking too!

~I also get my chicken broth from Aldi!  It's inexpensive, organic and with only a few ingredients that I can read!

~If you have Meijer where you live, that's where I got my capers.  They were really inexpensive too!  $2.95 for the jar, or something like that!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I tried this recipe last night for the first time and it was AMAZING!!!  I have found that most garlic mashed potatoes in restaurants are not gluten free, unfortunately!  I was surprised by this!  This recipe is not only gluten free, but it's super easy as well!  They are so good, they don't even need gravy!  Although I served them with Pork Piccata and they were extra delicious with a little bit of that white wine, lemon sauce on top!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, left unpeeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

1)  Place the potatoes and garlic in a steamer basket fitter over a large pot of boiling water.  Cover and steam until the potatoes are knife-tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

2)  Warm the chicken broth in a small saucepan on the stove or in a glass container in the microwave.

3)  Remove the steamer basket and drain the water from the large pot.

4)  Transfer the potatoes and garlic to the pot, add the oil, salt and broth, and mash until smooth.

NOTES:

~I couldn't find Yukon Gold potatoes at the store, so I just went with another yellow potato.

~I recommend using a chicken broth that has only a few ingredients!  Some of them are full of unhealthy stuff, like MSG!  Aldi has a great organic broth that is super cheap!

~I always use Kosher salt for cooking.

~I did this in my rice cooker/steamer and it was SO easy!!  Also, I heated the chicken broth in the microwave,  You just want it to be warm so it doesn't cool off your potatoes!