Perfect Turkey

It's Christmas time and we always cook a Turkey! After many a discussion at and around Thanksgiving, my mom finally gave my "cooking the turkey" a try- I was told it was perfect... so why not pass it on... here you go, enjoy :) and most of all MERRY CHRISTMAS

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving


Most if the turkeys are less!!!! Check w thermometer after an hr and every 1/2 after that!! ;)

Buffalo Chicken and Potatoes

Such a crowd pleaser- and filling too! 

In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder & paprika.

Add the potatoes and stir to coat.

Add the potatoes to a greased baking dish.

 When scooping the potatoes into the baking dish, leave behind any extra olive oil/hot sauce mix.

Add the diced chicken to the “left behind” olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat all the chicken.  Allow to marinate as the potatoes bake.

Roast the potatoes for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and nice and crispy on the outside.

Once the potatoes are fully cooked add the marinated chicken.

In a large bowl mix all the topping ingredients together.

Top the raw chicken with the topping.

Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is melted and bubbly delicious.

 

Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole 

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 8-10 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes  (I leave the skin on)
• 1/3 cup olive oil 
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 TBS. freshly ground pepper
• 1 TBS. paprika 
• 2 TBS. garlic powder 
• 6 TBS. hot sauce 

Topping:

• 2 c. Fiesta Blend Cheese or a mix of Cheddar & Monterey Jack
• 1 c. crumbled bacon 
• 1 c diced green onion

Preheat oven to 500F (This is NOT a typo, 500F is correct!)  In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika,garlic powder & hot sauce.  Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat.  Carefully scoop the potatoes into a cooking spraycoated 9 x 13 inch baking dish, leaving behind as much of the olive oil/hot sauce mix as possible.  Bake the potatoes for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and crispy & browned on the outside.  While the potatoes are cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the leftover olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat.  Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400F.  Top the cooked potatoes with the raw marinated chicken.  In a bowl mix together the cheese, bacon & green onion and top the raw chicken with the cheese mix.  Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly delicious.  Serve with extra hot sauce and/or ranch dressing.

Enjoy!

Potatoes and Cheese, Please!

NO.32 Broccoli and Chicken

Ingredients	1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips  1 cup beef broth 1/2 cup soy sauce - gluten free 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons sauce from the crock pot after being cooked Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired) Hot cooked rice
Instructions	1. Place beef in a crock pot. 2. In a small bowl, combine consomme, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce form the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine. 4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine. 5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken). 6. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Crunch-a-licious

Crazy Karo Crunch

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Butter

1/2 Cup Karo Syrup (Light)

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 Quarts air popped dry pop corn

Cooking spray

Preheat Oven to 200 degrees

1. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray (I actually cover my cookie sheet in tin foil for easy clean up).

2. Spread the pop corn across the cookie sheet and PICK OUT ALL OF THE SEEDS! (so important)

3. In a pot on the stove, combine butter, sugar, and syrup on high. Stir until boiling. Reduce heat to Med-High and boil for EXACTLY5 minutes. Add Vanilla.

4. Drizzle over pop corn, stir, and bake for 15 minutes.

5. Remove pop corn from oven, mix the pop corn and carmel around replace in oven for another 15 minutes.

6. Repeat step 5 until carmel corn has been in the oven for an hour and has been mostly covered in carmel.

7. Allow it to cool, break apart, and serve.

BEST EVER GLUTEN FREE COOKIES... i told you so!

A love note from my bestie in Maui...

Hey there SweetThang....here is the recipe for your cookies:

3/4 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 cup sorghum flour
1 teaspoon xantham gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
7 ounce bag sweetened coconut flakes (toast half)
8 ounces unsalted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
toasted pecans
1 bag chocolate chunks
dried cherries, plumped with some hot water

Method:
-grind the untoasted coconut (in coffee grinder if you have one) & combine with the other dry ingredients (not the sugars).
-cream the butter & sugars in a stand mixer until light & fluffy...5 minutes or so, scraping down the sides of the mixer from time to time.
-add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract.
-add the dry ingredients and mix just to combine.
-add the chocolate chunks, nuts, cherries and the toasted coconut.
-portion the cookies with ice cream scooper or spoon & chill a few hours or over night.
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Space out the chilled cookies on a parchment lined baking sheets. Press down the cookies with palm of your hand to flatten out the top a bit.
-bake 8-10 minutes until the cookies are nice and toasty brown and set in the middle.
-enjoy & remember that I miss you!

Holiday Nuts- and no I am not talking about your family :)

Feeling a little bit "SPICY" after eating our yummy cupcakes yesterday? Try our Spiced Nuts they are guaranteed to make you smile!

SPICED NUTS

2 tablespoons butter 

1/4 cup light brown sugar 

2 tablespoons water 

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne 

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 cups mixed nuts...we use walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews 

and almonds 

1. Mix cumin, cayenne, cinnamon & salt in a small bowl 

and reserve. 

2. Heat nuts in oven at 350 degrees on a sheet pan till lightly

toasted stirring occasionally to insure consistent browning.

3. Transfer nuts to a bowl and set aside. 

4. In a skillet add the butter, sugar, water and spices and cook 

over medium heat, stirring, until a glaze forms, about 

5 minutes. Add the nuts to the skillet and toss to combine 

with the glaze. Continue to sauté the nuts for 5 minutes. 

5. Remove from the heat and transfer to a baking sheet sprayed 

with Pam nonstick spray, separating with a fork. 

6. Let rest until cooled and the glaze has hardened. 

7. Store in an airtight container.

ENJOY!!

Crockpot: It's what's for breakfast!

• Meat: 1 lb ham, bacon OR sausage; cooked, degreased and crumbled/diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 small bell pepper, diced
• 16 oz. hash browns, frozen
• 3/4 cup cheese, shredded (co-jack or cheddar are Crock Pot Girl's favorites)
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• scallions (Optional)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Grease or use a crock pot liner.

2. Layer ingredients starting with frozen hash browns followed by meat, onions, peppers, and cheese.

3. Repeat layer twice and top with scallions.

4. Beat the eggs, milk, salt & pepper together.

5. Pour over the layered ingredients in the crock pot (ensure everything gets moistened well)

6. Cover. Cook on low for 7 hours.

Happy Crocking!

Paella- on a stovetop!

Stovetop Vegetarian Paella

Serves 4 to 6

Enjoy this simple vegetarian version of classic Spanish paella. We added lima beans and peas for extra flavor and protein. Topping with grilled tempeh would provide an even bigger protein boost. Rice in paella should be al dente, so take care not to add too much water.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked jasmine or basmati rice
1/4 teaspoon saffron strands
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 small yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 cup frozen lima beans
2 cups gluten-free vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas
Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions

Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add rice and saffron and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Add tomatoes and stir to break up with a large spoon. Add peppers and lima beans and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add broth and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Check to see if more liquid is needed to prevent sticking. If so, add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, then cover and cook another 5 minutes.

Stir in peas and cook until just tender and liquid is absorbed. The rice should not be over-cooked, but just slightly al dente. (If not tender enough, you may add a bit more water and continue cooking.) Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

Chicken Pot Pies, for the cooler weather!

Chicken "Pot Pie" with Crunchy Brown Rice Crust

Serves 6

This is a delicious gluten-free and healthy alternative to traditional chicken pot pie. The Parmesan melts into the rice to create a tasty crust :)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound sliced button mushrooms
2 teaspoons chopped thyme, divided
1 large carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium gluten-free chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup cooked brown rice or brown and wild rice blend
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with oil; set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper and cook until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add broth and milk, stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until very thick, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine rice, cheese, paprika, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Stir peas into chicken mixture then season with salt and pepper and transfer to prepared dish. Scatter rice mixture evenly over the top then arrange dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until bubbly and crust is crisp, about 30 minutes.

CHEESY JALAPENO CORNBREAD.. it deserves the full caps!

3 cups Bobs Red Mill Flour
1 cup  Bobs Red Mill Cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 lb (2 Sticks) unsalted butter
12 ounces aged extra sharp cheddar cheese
7 finely chopped jalapenos
5  finely chopped scallions

Combine solid ingredients, in a separate bowl combine wet. Combine 8 ounces shredded cheese, 5 jalapenos and 3 scallions. Incorporate all ingredients in a sheet pan. Let sit for a half hour. Sprinkle extra cheese, jalapenos and scallions to the top before cooking.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes! Rotate pan half way through!

Olivette Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Olivette Garlic Smashed Potatoes

 
2 lbs baby Yukon Gold potatoes
1/3 cup Olivette Garlic Infused Olive Oil
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sea salt
Cracked black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°
In large saucepan, cover potatoes with water and add 1 tbsp of sea salt
Bring to a full boil and cook until potatoes are tender and can be pierced easily with the tip of a knife
Drain the potatoes thoroughly
Rub a sheet pan liberally with Olivette Garlic Infused Olive Oil
Place the potatoes on the sheet pan and gently crush each potato in to a disk using the bottom of heavy glass that has been greased with Olivette Garlic Infused Olive Oil
Sprinkle the smashed potatoes with the remaining sea salt and and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Drizzle liberally with the remaining Olivette Garlic Infused Olive Oil and bake until golden brown and crisp.

I Want To Have A Dinner Party BUT… My Friends Are Gluten-Free

Found this blog and had to share!!

If you're like me, you're wishing you had invested in the largest manufacturer of plastic straws last Wednesday.  I can only imagine how many of those boxes flew off the racks last week because my throngs of devoted, loyal, inspired readers were slurrrrping up more smoothies than two lovestruck pups with a plate of spaghetti.

*Sigh* Young love.  And spaghetti -- the perfect large party quick dish.  EXCEPT, if your party guests are... GLUTEN-FREE...........

Poor Goldilocks.  I wouldn't have put my plastic-straw-market-wins on gluten leading to the demise of a woman trespassing into Grizzly Manor, but you win some, you lose some.

So what exactly is this Gluten-free stuff all about?

Apparently this carb-cutting regimen is a treatment for celiac disease.  Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which the ingestion of gluten induces enteropathy, or inflammation of the gut, in genetically susceptible individuals. This destruction of the gut means that nutrients cannot be absorbed, leading to a variety of clinical symptoms: anemia due to the lack of iron, atherosclerosis due to the lack of calcium, failure to thrive in children, GI stress, chronic fatigue, neurological disorders, nutrient deficiencies, anemia, nausea, skin rashes, depression, and more..  (Scientific American and Food Renegade).

But I must say, that it's hard not to feel like this whole diet is a fad because of it's recent crazy popularity.  It feels like celiac disease is the new deviated septum....  No?  I know.  That was not P.C.  But I'm not deleting it soooooo....... anyway! 

Back to the topic at hand. A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes the protein gluten. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye).

In the past few years, researchers have learned that the primary culprit in celiac disease and gluten-intolerance is a particular peptide strand in the gluten molecule, not the gluten itself. It is theorized that this peptide strand wasn’t present in ancestral varieties of wheat. And, we’ve also learned that the long, slow ferments necessary for making traditional sourdough breads also severs the bonds of this particular peptide strand while leaving enough of the remaining gluten proteins in tact to achieve a pleasant rise (without gluten, your whole wheat bread couldn’t rise). (Food Renegade)

In other words:

So... let's just jump ahead to this week's challenggggeee! 

Make a gluten-free recipe!!

I'm going to make a gluten free - dairy free, paw paw bread recipe by a fellow Ithacan, Allison, who specializes in this genre.  I will share the recipe once it comes through!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Look for the HC Victim guest posts each Wednesday by Lauren O'Rourke where you can enjoy her struggles and triumphs in the kitchen.

Posted 6 hours ago by Lauren

Labels: Gluten HC Victim

Poor Goldilocks!

It's Boating Season!

Lobster Salad in Avocado Boats

INGREDIENTS :3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 medium ripe Haas avacados, pitted, peeled and chopped ( reserve shells)
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup Simple Herb Vinaigrette (see below), prepared with cilantro
1/3 cup crumbled cheese such as feta or gorgonzola
1 pound cooked lobster meat cut into bite-sized pieces

Vinaigrette: In a bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup white wine, champagne or sherry vinegar; 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro, 2 small cloves garlic, minced: 1 teaspoon sugar: 1/2 teaspoon salt: and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. whisk in 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

 

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS : 
In a serving bowl, combine the tomatoes, avacados, cucumber, lobster and dressing toss to coat well.
place 1 shell on each of 4 lunch plates and fill with the salad

HOLY HAM ANIMAL!

HOT HAM DIP... need I say more, a sister favorite :) 

For Non Glutards- serve in a hollowed out bread bowl :)

1 pint sour cream (lowfat ok)

1-8oz block of cream cheese (lowfat ok)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 lb boiled ham, finally chopped

3 scallions finally chopped

1 4oz can diced green chillies

dash of Worcestershire sauce

In a medium mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese with sour cream, blend well. Stir in cheddar cheese, ham, scallions, diced green chillies and Worcestershire sauce. Mix all together

Put mixture in a round pie shell bowl. Wrap tightly with foil and bake at 350* for 90 minutes- YES 90! Serve hot with scoop Fritos! 

Fresh from the sea....

Mussels with Garlic and Basil

INGREDIENTS : 

4 pounds mussels, well scrubbed with beards removed

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves (or 1 tablespoon dried basil)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 large cloves)

1/4 cup minced green pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried mint)

Salt to taste

Hot red pepper flakes to taste

So here is the question I pose to you... What's your favorite Gluten Free Bread to dip? 

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake :)

6 ounces butter

2 cups Bobs Red Mill Flour

1 1/2t baking soda

1 1/2t cinnamon

1t ginger

3/4t salt

1/4t cloves

1 1/2c sugar

2/3c buttermilk

1 1/2c pumpkin puree

-brown butter and cool in bowl for 15 min

-wisk together in med bowl the flour, bs, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves

-in a large bowl, wisk pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and buttermilk

- stir flour mix into pumkin mix to combine

- wisk in butter

- pour into pan and back until toothpick comes out clean about 45 mins to 1 hour

- cool in pan  10 mins, then turn out onto rack and cool completely

A night in the big City... a few hot spots to hit!

Top 10: Gluten-free Options in NYC

by Sarah Mintz, Contributing Writer

January 13, 2012

There seems to be a misconception that being gluten-free also means being banned from eating many foods and in general, eating out. No more bread, soup, pasta, sauce, beer, cake, or cookies. Wrong! Gluten-free options and full gluten-free menus are becoming quite commonplace around NYC. From what we've found, gluten-free alternatives often taste better than regular menu items. Here's our top 10 restaurants for all of our gluten-free friends:

10. Lilli and Loo 792 Lexington Avenue nr. 62nd Street

Navigating Asian cuisine with a gluten allergy may be near impossible. Wontons and dumplings? Wrapped in wheat. Lo-mein noodles? Made from wheat. Fried dishes? Battered in wheat. Savory sauces? Almost all contain some wheat derivative. Not at Lilli and Loo! Along with a great regular menu for your non-celiac pals, Lilli and Loo offers a gluten-free menu with over 50 items to choose from, such as dumplings with gluten-free soy sauce, rock shrimp tempura, Kung pao chicken, and even pad thai.

9. Sambuca 20 West. 72nd Street nr. Central Park West

Head to the Upper West Side for family-style Italian at this neighborhood gem. Sambuca has offered a separate gluten-free menu in addition to its regular menu for over seven years - quite ahead of the trend! Don’t expect pasta with red sauce here; instead, you'll find almost 40 gluten-free dishes including chicken scarpiello, spinach ravioli, and pesto pasta. You can also expect gluten-free beer, dinner rolls, chocolate truffle cake, and warm brownies!

8. Risotteria 270 Bleecker Street nr. 6th Avenue

Everyone gets a taste of a gluten-free lifestyle at this West Village risotto haven. Every meal starts with light and airy gluten-free breadsticks, whether or not you are gluten-free. Don’t worry, refills of these tasty sticks are on the house so let your non-celiac  friends indulge! The menu is extensive and clearly indicates with a "g" every dish that is gluten-free. Choose from options such as meatballs with bolognese sauce, risotti (creamy Italian rice without the cream) with calamari, roasted garlic, and Italian parsley, as well as paninis and pizzas. Definitely save room for the gluten-free éclair! Risotteria doesn't take reservations and with only 20 seats (re: this place is really tiny), I recommend arriving early to avoid a wait. For a restaurant that calls itself “gluten-free heaven”, you almost have to check it out!

7. S'Mac 345 E. 12th Street nr. 1st Avenue

Lip smackin' mac n' cheese comes out piping hot and fresh at this East Village eatery that's been around since 2006 - essentially a lifetime in the NYC dining scene. The best news is that a gluten-free lifestyle can fully indulge here. After extensive testing and overhauling ingredients in 2009, S'Mac successfully found ways to make every regular menu-item without gluten. Béchamel can now be made without wheat flower, and breadcrumbs are made from gluten-free cornflakes. I recommend the classic 4-Cheese skillet (cheddar, Muenster, gruyere, and Pecorino) and the Parisienne, which combines creamy brie, roasted figs, roasted shiitake mushrooms & fresh rosemary. This Parisienne is definitely unorthodox in the mac' world but is an amazing balance of savory and sweet. Eat-in (limited seating), take-out, or for a truly indulgent meal, get it delivered!

6. The Meatball Factory 231 Second Avenue nr. 14th Street

Not to be confused with the Meatball Shop, the Meatball Factory and its chef,Top Chef alum Dave Martin, offer three gluten-free meatballs and six gluten-free sauces among the plethora of menu options. Braised and ground pork shoulder, bacon fat, mascarpone and a dash of red chili paste? Yes please. Fire roasted marinara sauce with fire roasted tomatoes, garlic, & sweet onion, fresh basil and sherry? Yes please. Sauces are made from scratch, atmosphere is casual and prices are more than reasonable. And for your friends who don't mind a little gluten in their diet, there are plenty of salads, pizzas, and additional meatball options to choose from. Don't let them leave without trying the Black Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese. And as of 2012, The Meatball Factory delivers!

5. Taim (222 Waverly Pl.)

No question, Taim makes the best falafel in city. Taim offers three types of falafel daily, all of which are gluten-free and fried to order in 0% trans-fat oil. Taim also makes the freshest gluten-free hummus that is always a perfectly smooth yet creamy consistency. I'm partial to the green falafel, a traditional flavor combination with parsley, cilantro, and mint - it's basically perfection in a pita. Others prefer the falafel platter, which provides a sampling of all three falafel flavors, hummus, tabouli, and Israeli salad. Keep your eye out for Taim Mobile driving around town if you don't want to head to the West Village!

4. Bistango 415 Third Avenue nr. 29th Street

Get lost in the charming ambience and limitless gluten-free options at this family-owned Italian trattoriain Murray Hill. Bistango used to have a separate gluten-free menu, but the owner Anthony has since decided to make everything on the entire menu adaptable to be gluten-free.Tell your server you're gluten-free when you sit down and you will be served complimentary bruschetta on a piece of fresh radicchio rather than the typical bruschetta. Menu items include wild mushrooms & ricotta ravioli, spinach & ricotta ravioli, and cheese tortellini. For an extra $2 dollars, Bistango is more than happy to make any pasta item on the menu gluten-free, including gnocchi with slow-cooked short-rib ragu. Don’t forget to order one of the two gluten-free beers and top off the meal with one of eight gluten-free desserts including carrot cake with buttermilk frosting.

3. Tu-Lu’s 338 E. 11th Street nr. First Avenue

When owner's Tully and Jen were diagnosed with gluten intolerance, they became determined to eat the things they had always loved in the past. The hardest replacements for Tully to find were high-quality baked goods, so she took it upon herself to make her own and share them with others. This is how Tu-Lu’s was born. This 100% gluten-free bakery features cupcakes, cakes, muffins, cookies and even paninis. With dense and moist brownies (with chocolate chips!), chewy oatmeal, cranberry and white chocolate chip cookies, and fluffy cupcakes with rich creamy frosting, it is essentially impossible to tell that the treats are gluten-free.

2. Blue Smoke 116 E. 27th Street nr. Park Avenue South

BBQ lovers rejoice - Danny Meyer to the rescue! Blue Smoke in Flatiron and its Executive Chef Kenny Callaghan offer a separate gluten-free menu in addition to its full-fledged stick-to-your-ribs barbeque menu. The gluten-free menu includes appetizers such as iced oyster, deviled eggs, and baked chipotle wings. Main courses range from citrus-crusted tuna and shrimp & grits, to filet mignon and NY strip steak. With additional gluten-free BBQ options like Kansas City spareribs, Memphis baby back ribs, and Texas salt & pepper beef ribs, there is no reason to feel “left out” at dinner!

1. Rubirosa 235 Mulberry Street nr. Prince Street

Ranked “Best Slice” by NY Mag in 2011, #5 on Eater’s January 2012 “38 Essential New York Restaurants” and #1 on its “15 New York Restaurants with the Hottest Servers”, and #1 on our Gluten-Free Top 10, Rubirosa has taken the NY pizza community by storm since it opened in 2010. This classic pizzeria with chic Nolita flair serves super thin-crust yet supple pizza (the family recipe is over 50 years old!) along with a host of other Italian classics including fresh pasta made in-house and chicken parmigiano. The gluten-free menu includes pure deliciousness such as risotto balls with marscapone and prosciutto, calamari fritti, penne pasta, and six pizzas. Do not, I repeat, do not leave Rubirosa without trying the vodka pizza. Creamy, alcohol-spiked tomato sauce with fresh mozzarella? What more could you ask for? Gluten-free items are cooked in separate pots, pans and fryers as to not cross-contaminate any food items. 

Doggie Style... Another Choice for Gluten Free Beer

Dishing With . . . Sam Calagione

Delaware's Dogfish Head Brewery has long been an innovator in America's craft beer movement, so when the company announced last summer that a newcertified gluten-free beer would be released in 2012, the gluten-free community took notice.

Tweason'ale - which will begin to hit shelves nationally later this month - is the brewer's first 12-ounce four-pack in nearly five years and will retail for about $9.99, comparable to the company's other four-packs.

In this "Dishing With..." segment, Dogfish Head's founder, Sam Calagione, talks about the development of Tweason'ale, its taste profile, and how to enjoy this seasonal release throughout the year.

What prompted Dogfish's development of a gluten-free beer?
The number-one request we got last year was for an off-centered gluten-free beer that didn't taste like it was a standard lager beer base ingredient approach.

Dogfish is known for its non-traditional beers. What makes Tweason'ale different from other gluten-free beers?
The recipe. I think we are the first company to combine buckwheat honey - which is super dark and malty and in that way boosts the complexity and beer-essence - strawberries, sorghum and a bit of hops.

How did you settle on Tweason'ale's profile? 
We wanted to make something complex, fruity, malty (but not made with malt) and champagne-esque that also just happens to be gluten free.

How much of a learning curve was there to develop a beer that doesn't contain gluten? 
A bit more elaborate than our normal R&D [research-and-development] process. We made three test batches before we did the first big production batch.

Did you speak with gluten-free beer drinkers along the way?
Just incidentally, as we did the test batches and put them on at our pub for feedback. We have never done focus groups or formalized outside tasting panels. We trust the palates of our co-workers and our regular customers more than we would a room full of MBAs.

What kind of response did you get when you had Tweason'ale at the brewpub last summer?
Really good. The first batch was a bit too bitter because we didn't expect the sorghum itself to contribute bitterness, so we dialed back the hops.

Will Tweason'ale appeal to beer drinkers that don't have to avoid gluten?
So far it does seem to appeal to a really broad range of people, both wine and beer drinkers alike. It doesn't have a lot of hop character but it has malty notes and fruity notes and great complexity. It also pairs very well with spicy foods and chocolate.

Why did Dogfish decide to pursue gluten-free certification?
It cost us many thousands of extra dollars to certify but we want customers to have confidence we did this the right way.

What's the idea behind releasing Tweason'ale at various times of the year?
It comes in four-packs and every bottle has the date it was packaged inked onto the the neck of the bottle. We believe this beer is best drunk within four months of the bottled-on date. By releasing it quarterly, people who dig it can stock up four times a year and never run out. We don't have the ability to brew it any more frequently because demand for our other beers is so much higher than our brewing capacity and our ability to supply.

How will you measure whether Tweason'ale is successful?
We encourage people to give us feedback online, when visiting at our pub [in Rehoboth Beach] and brewery [in Milton], and events throughout the country where we pour this beer. We hope people will use the Fish Finder page on our website and hunt down Tweason'ale and give it a try!