Crispy Onion Straws #gluten free

I grew up with green bean casserole served at every holiday meal.  It is a family favorite and the kids don't leave any evidence that green beans ever existed in the dish.  They lick the casserole dish clean.

That's them and this is me:  Give me the crispy onion topping!  I love them.

 When I went gluten free I had to give them up.  It has taken me a while to find the time to make them using a gluten free coating.I have tried several combinations but this is my go to coating when I need to deep fry something. The combination of corn and white rice flour works well together to create a crispy exterior with great flavor.

I used my Spiralizer to cut the onion.  Yep, that is one onion.  It makes a ton but my family could have easily eaten two or three onions.   It took me about 20 seconds to spiral the onion.  I didn't cry once.

I have included a picture of my green bean casserole that will be coming out soon, but I want you to know that these Crispy Onion Straws work well topped over macaroni and cheese, added to your favorite burger or eaten straight out of the bowl.

If you get a chance, share with the rest of us in the comment section, just how you would use them in your families favorite recipe.

ENJOY!

Crispy Onion Straws #gluten free
Makes one onion, about 3 cups of crispy onions

1 onion, sliced thinly or spiralized
100 g (1/2 cup) white rice flour
64 g (1/2 cup) tapioca starch
42 g (1/4 cup) corn meal, fine
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
 pepper, to taste
Oil, to fry

1.  In a medium size pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees.   Make sure the pot has enough room for the straws to "fry". It will swell when the onions cook.

2.  Cut onion thinly with a sharp knife or by using the Spiralizer.

3.  Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.  I used a mesh strainer to shake the onions a bit before I added them to the hot oil. (see picture above).  I did not use a milk mixture to coat the onion slices because the onion was already "wet".

4.  Add the coated onions to the hot oil and fry until golden brown.  Remove to a bowl that has been lined with a paper towel.  Sprinkle with salt.

5.  For the best quality product, use them right away.  To store them use an air tight container to retain freshness.  Some of the crispy exterior will be lost after they have sat for a while.

Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole, recipe coming soon!

WRITTEN BY SHERRON WATSON

Gluten Free Steak Fingers with Gravy

I grew up eating chicken fried steak.  My grandfather was from Texas and this is one of those Texas dishes that we had once a week.  The other dish was SOS (s**t on the shingle).  I am not sure if that is a Texas dish but he thought it was.

I make these steak fingers instead of the whole steak for several reasons.  The primary reason is because I find that the breading stays on the fingers much better than the whole steak.  I don't really like it when the breading falls off.  I feel like I am constantly stabbing my food trying to get a bit of breading with a piece of meat.  I don't have time for such games.

The other reason I like using the fingers: my kids.  They like them and that is a bonus.  They have turned their noses up at the whole steak but the fingers make them happy.  The are kid friendly and kid approved.

The gravy may sound weird because it is made with coconut milk but honestly I love it.  I have several friends that are dairy free and I like to try and find ingredients they can use too.  You can always replace the coconut milk for regular milk in this recipe.

I would recommend frying them in lard or coconut oil.  These are two of my favorite choices when it comes to frying our food at home.

The only note I should make is that when you reheat them the next day they will lose that crispy bite. I have not tried warming them up in the stove.   This may make them crunchy again but I know that my kids are not going to take the time to do that and they are okay warming them up in the microwave.

Gluten Free Steak Fingers with Gravy

Makes 12-15 fingers, depends on how thick you cut them

4 medium size cube steaks, I used my hand as my guide (from my wrist to my middle finger)

Coconut oil for frying

Wet ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup full fat coconut milk

1/4 cup water

Dry ingredients:

1 cup white rice flour

2 cups fine corn meal

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

(adjust the seasonings to your personal preferences.  Use less or more based on what your family likes)

Gravy

Remaining can of coconut milk

1.  Use a cast iron skillet if you have one.  If you don't then use a heavy duty skillet.  Add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to the pan and heat oil.  Use the picture below to see how much oil I keep in the pan.  You will have to add more oil periodically to the pan.

2.  While oil is heating.  Cut the steak into strips.  You want to cut across the grain. You know you have done this right if you stretch the steak and it stretches.  I tried to make each steak about an inch thick.  They will get a bit wider when the breading is added.  See picture above.

3.  In two shallow dishes, add dry ingredients to one and the wet ingredients to the other.  Dip each strip into the dry and then the wet and then back into the dry.  I like to double dip mine.  Press the breading into the steak.  This helps to keep the breading attached to the steak finger.

4.  Fry each finger until golden brown and crispy on each side. Preheat your oven to 200 and keep fingers warm until the whole batch is fried up.  Do not over crowd the pan when frying.  Also let the oil get hot again before you add a new batch of fingers.

5.  When all of the fingers are cooked, you will be left with a pan full of flour/corn grains sitting on the bottom of the pan and a little bit of oil.  To make the gravy I added the coconut milk that was left in the can.  Add more if you need more gravy.  If the gravy is not thick enough, sift any left over breading that you have (to remove the chunks) and slowly add a bit at a time.  Bring gravy to the point of right before a boil.  It should be thick.  Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning according to your families taste preferences: more salt, more pepper, etc....

Written by Sherron Watson

Bacon and Corn Griddle Cakes, gluten free

Bacon and corn, enough said!

I am pretty sure you already know my love and passion for this combination.  If you need a gentle reminder, check out this recipe I make with corn and bacon.

The two flavors just work and make my belly super happy.

I saw this recipe from Recipe Girl for her bacon and corn griddle cakes and fell in love.  

As is usually the case with most recipes, I have to convert them to a gluten free version and so for the original please visit her site.  To get to the original recipe go HERE.  The pictures that she has shared with this recipe are enough to make you lick your screen, or maybe that was just me…LOL

Do you remember as a kid having a glass jar under the sink that was layered with all different colors and layers of grease?

No? Yes?

I sure did.  It was bacon grease. My grandmother and Mom both saved the grease after every batch of bacon they made.  They would use it for everything.  I don't remember when my Mom stopped doing this but one day the jar was gone.

I have read recently where this is coming back into fashion.  I don't know how I feel about storing bacon grease for weeks and using it often BUT I do know that for this recipe having the bacon grease readily available to cook these cakes in, makes them that much better.

I don't mind using bacon grease in moderation.  

Oh the things we remember from our childhood.  I love the memories I have with my kitchen and the food I ate way back then and the memories I am making for my kids today.  

It makes me smile. 

I cannot wait to make these again nor can my family. ENJOY

Recipe:  Bacon and Corn Griddle Cakes, gluten free

Adapted from Recipe Girl

4 slices of bacon, cooked crispy and cut into small squares

1 cup of corn kernels, drained

2 tablespoons of green onion, diced

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 cup of  brown rice flour

1/4 cup of corn meal

1/4 cup of tapioca starch

1/4 cup of almond meal

1/4 cup of milk

Bacon grease or oil to fry cakes 

In a medium fry pan with heat set to medium high, heat oil or bacon grease until hot.  

In a large bowl, combine all of the above ingredients and stir to combine.

I used a cookie scoop and placed 6 scoops in my pan.  Fry on both sides until golden brown.  (3-5 minutes).

Remove to a wire rack and let cool slightly.  Serve with your favorite sauce or eat as is.

See pictures below for steps to frying griddle cakes.

Written by Sherron Watson