Tex Mex Cheesecake

Recently, our good friends V and L invited my husband and I over for a movie night. L (the wife) e-mailed me a few days before we came over with a new recipe she'd tried, loved, and thought was gluten free but wanted to make sure. I figured that if she - a knowledgeable foodie - had questions, other people probably do as well.

The recipe in question is a Tex Mex Cheesecake and it can be found online here.

So, here's the ingredient list and gluten free breakdown. You may have additional brands, etc. that you know of, please feel free to comment!

Here is the ingredient list:

• Butter - naturally gluten free.
  
• Tortilla Chips - typically made from corn, and most are GF. If you're nervous and looking for a brand recommendation, we usually purchase Tostitos or the Santitas chips at the grocery store.
  
• Cream Cheese - Price Chopper brand is on their list of gluten free items. Kraft is also fine as their policy is to label gluten. I can't imagine others being a problem, either.
  
• Ricotta Cheese - I've never had an issue with ricotta. I usually buy Price Chopper brand.
  
• Envelope taco seasoning - Old El Paso is owned by General Mills, and they have a similar policy to Kraft when it comes to ingredient labelling. As long as the label doesn't contain wheat it should be OK. Ortega has recently begun labelling some of their foods GF as well.
  
• Adobo sauce - I've never had an issue.
  
• Salsa - I've never had an issue. When in doubt make your own.
  
• Monterey Jack w/ Peppers cheese - I've never had an issue; furthermore Price Chopper lists their brand cheese on their gluten free list.
  
• Eggs - Naturally gluten free.
  
• Chipotle Chiles in Adobo - I've never had an issue.
  
• Scallion - Naturally gluten free.
  
• Sour cream - Many are fine. Price Chopper brand lists their regular and light sour cream on their GF list, but not their fat free. Be warned.
  
• Cheddar Cheese - I've never had an issue; furthermore Price Chopper lists their brand cheese on their gluten free list.
• Black olives - Naturally gluten free.

The savory cheesecake (pictured above) came out beautifully and was absolutely delicious!

GEGGF - Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? Supposedly, if you eat breakfast every day it aids in weight loss (I obviously haven't seen this yet). Something to do with the whole "you won't be absolutely starving and pig out on everything under the sun at lunch time" strategy. All I know is I'm a bit of a bear to deal with before noon without coffee and something in my belly.

Unfortunately, traditional breakfast foods are absolutely riddled with gluten. Would you like your toast white, wheat, or French? How about English muffins, bagels, croissants, scones, pancakes, waffles... and that's before getting into the whole additives discussion.

But, you're reading this blog entry and I assume that you meet one of the following criteria (maybe more):

• You're meeting someone gluten free (SGF) out for breakfast.
• SGF is a houseguest of yours (Or Valentine's Day went really, really well) and you want to make sure they break their fast without straining your bathroom plumbingdistress.
  

Now I'm going to start off with the fact that, some of you crazy people might think leftover sushi is breakfast food -- good for you (it actually does sound a bit yummy). However, I'm going to stick with some more traditional breakfast foods for the sake of this post. You can use your imagination beyond that! Let's start with the easy one first:

Breakfast at Home.
Luckily, there are a ton of traditional breakfast foods that are cheap, easily accessible, and naturally gluten free with no effort required. They are included but not limited to:

• Eggs (I'm talking in the carton here, not fancy egg-substitute things)
  
• Most yogurts (I waffle back and forth - to me, nothing beats the taste of Yoplait - which is marked gluten free - but concerns for animal wildlife and the knowledge that it's better for you make me try to gravitate toward greek yogurt like Chobani - also gluten free).
  
• Fresh fruits and vegetables (But veggies aren't breakfast food, you say? I present you with a Spanish omelet. Lawyered).
  
• Most cheeses you'd want to use for breakfast - read the label to be on the safe side, but you're probably good.
  
• Potatoes. Again, I'm talking raw, in the bag, unprocessed here.
  
• But, if you're in the mood for quick and tasty, check out Ore Ida's gluten free list for hash browns and tater tots.
• Many brands of bacon. I usually buy Oscar Meyer, but I know that Bar-S is marked gluten free.
  
• Many brands of breakfast sausage. I used to buy Johnsonville, but their site doesn't explicitly state their products are gluten free anymore. This may have changed - double check first or pick a different meat.
  
• Many brands of ham and canadian bacon. I'm partial to Boar's Head because all of their meats, cheeses and condiments are gluten free - no reading labels for me!
  
• Many cereals are gluten free. Start with Chex - Corn, Rice, Honey Nut, Cinnamon, Strawberry and Chocolate Chex are all marked gluten free.
• Milk is naturally gluten free, as is butter.
• Heinz ketchup is also gluten free.
  

So with that list - eggs and bacon, omelets, fruit and yogurt, cereal and milk... all good depending on how fancy you want to make breakfast. They do make gluten free pancake mixes (such as gluten free Bisquick) that you could try if you wanted to impress someone, but if you're just having someone over for one day chances are you have a lot of gluten free foods right in your pantry.

That said - some gotchas:

• Use tubs of butter? Double dipping the knife can cause cross-contamination. When in doubt open a new tub. Same goes for peanut butter, jelly, and anything else that you dip a knife into and spread onto bread products.
  
• Some cooking sprays like Pam for baking can contain gluten. Make sure to read the label or just use un-cross-contaminated butter this time.
  
• Using gluten free toast? Toasters are the enemy. You probably don't have a virgin toaster handy, so use a toaster bag or just don't use it.
  
• Don't use the same serving utensils for gluten and gluten-free foods.
  

OK -- so this sounds too complicated? Here are some tips for eating out:

• Choose the place wisely. A lot of diners can accommodate you, but make sure to call ahead and ask. If the manager asks "What's gluten?" it might be a hint to try a different place.
• Always make sure to ask for "no toast." Even if you say the meal has to be gluten free - trust me, I waitressed during my college years and sometimes you get on autopilot - and just one crumb is enough.
  

Looking for a place you know is OK? Here are some suggestions:

• Locally, try Sherry Lynn's Gluten Free Cafe. She has a wide variety of items, and yes, non gluten free people are allowed to eat there too. :) As a bonus, she has a storefront with gluten free items. Some of them (think Chex) are cheaper at the grocery store, but she does have some items that are hard to find elsewhere.
  
• Fifty South Diner in Ballston Spa is willing to accommodate a gluten free diet and has wonderful food.
  
• If you are lucky enough to be in close proximity to an Original Pancake House, they serve gluten free pancakes at many locations!
  

Where are your favorite local breakfast joints, and what have your experiences been with breakfast out? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

GEGGF - Valentine's Day

Author's note: This post is geared toward someone who doesn't really know that much about gluten or the gluten free diet, but wants to accommodate for someone gluten free (SGF). It's mostly written for people like me -- I try to be as accommodating a hostess as possible and try to make sure that everyone has something to eat and isn't going to be stuck on the toilet for the next three days. This series of posts is meant to be pretty tongue-in-cheek, and there are a ton of other great options -- these are just some suggestions for that gluten newbie out there.

To see previous posts on GEGGF, click here for the Introduction, or see my Superbowl party post.

Now - A little disclaimer before I get started on the whole Valentine's Day thing. See, I'm not really that big of a fan. It's just unbelievably commercial, and well... what are the typical, stereotypical gifts?

1. Flowers. Florists will sell red and pink flowers at a premium this time of year and in my experience they tend to die much more quickly. And personally, I despise carnations and can take or leave red roses. I'd just as soon save the money now and be surprised by a bunch of seasonal spring flowers in a few months - hyacinth, tulips, and daisies are much more interesting flowers. To each their own, I guess.
   
2. Candy. Usually sub-par, overpriced chocolate in those garish red heart boxes. If you really must have a heart box, it's half price the next day -- but by that point, who cares? I'm much more excited about the (overpriced, but worth it) Easter candy that comes out that day.
   
3. Restaurant dates. Crowded restaurants with overworked kitchens and servers, usually serving prix-fixe menus without a whole lot of customization allowed. Some of them are super-yummy, but still.

So, you want suggestions on which heart-shaped box is good to give? Sorry, you've come to the wrong place. However, hopefully some these suggestions will start you thinking about something that you can do with your SGF sweetheart. :)

It Doesn't Have to Be About Food
First off -- the easiest way to navigate Valentine's Day with SGF? Don't make it about food! (Yes, I know that's a sin for a food blog to say, but hey, it's the truth). For example... when my hubby and I were dating, I had just read Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella about five years later than everyone else in the world had read it. I loved it -- so instead of the flowers-and-candy thing he surprised me with a whole bunch of the sequels in paperback. Best. Gift. Ever. (At least for someone who likes to read as much as I do).

So, looking for something personal? I'm always a fan of experiences over activities for this sort of thing, so here are a couple of ideas for us stuck in the Northeast for winter:

• Take advantage of the snow! Try skiing, cross-country skiing, sledding, snow shoeing, etc.
  
• Dog Lovers? Take Fido to Capital Hills Golf Course, where dogs are allowed to go off-leash in the winter. (Be romantic and take care of bag duty for your sweetie).
• Stay in and have movie night. Rent a couple of movies, and stock up on popcorn and candies. Our favorite gluten free treats include Jelly Belly jelly beans, Starburst, Skittles, and Tootsie Roll midgies. (You could also go to the movies, but a) there are tons of people there for Valentine's Day dates, and b) the studios like to put out vapid chick flicks this time of year. Sorry Hollywood, but I do have a brain).
  

But, Everyone Gets Hungry, Right?
Still, everyone's gotta eat, and that's why you're reading the blog. And trust me -- nothing kills the mood like the gastrointestinal distress of a glutened SGF. :(

So here are some suggestions:

Try: Cooking dinner in. That's what we'll be doing!

Add a bottle of bubbly (sparkling apple cider for those who don't drink) if you want to make an event out of it. Some ideas that are easy and impressive sounding?

• Steak. Baked Potato. Green beans sauteed in olive oil and fresh garlic. All gluten free, just double check the rub you use for the steak and any low-fat sour cream. Also, if you're a fan of A-1 it's made by Kraft - unless it says "contains wheat" (or rye, barley or oats) it's safe.
  
• Crab legs or Lobster Tail. Expensive, but if you steam them up they're naturally gluten free and you can get some pretty good deals for lobster around $6/lb sometimes. Serve with melted butter, and also works well with baked potato and steamed broccoli. See note above RE: low-fat sour cream.
  
• Fondue. We're a fan of this on nights when we have four hours to kill for dinner. Heat up oil and broth in a cast iron fondue pot, and have plenty of mushrooms (I like both baby portabellas and white buttons), snow peas, broccoli, and any other veggies you want. You can also get shrimp or cut up chicken or flank steak, but I'll be honest, this meal is all about the mushrooms for me. My favorite dipping sauce is Frank's Sweet Chili sauce. The thing to watch out for here is broth - some of it contains wheat. I try to be safe and go with the organic broths that are marked gluten free.
  
• Salmon. I like to sautee filets in a bit of olive oil and white wine with fresh garlic, flat-leaf parsley and Old Bay. Serve with steamed broccolini or asparagus and mashed red potatoes. (Tip: Add garlic salt to the mashed potatoes). Just double check that the spices don't contain gluten fillers.
  
• For dessert: Try chocolate dipped strawberries. (This is the one V-day indulgence I get every year at Price Chopper). If your SGF isn't a chocolate fan? Try buying a big tub of Kozy Shack rice or tapioca pudding, scooping it out into decorative dishes, and topping with whipped cream. I won't tell that it's not homemade. :)
  

Or: Go out to eat.

Some local restaurant options:

• New World Bar and Bistro. MAKE RESERVATIONS!!! They have a wonderful gluten free menu and they're one of my favorite places. Just don't be surprised if your SGF gets very excited and wants a burger or fried calamari po'boy with fries. That's a special treat for SGF.
• 677 Prime or any of the other Angelo Mazzone restaurants. Speak to your server and the chef will be able to accommodate you.
• Delmonico's. They have a gluten free menu with pasta choices on it. Whenever we go my husband requests veal parm, which isn't on the menu but they make for him anyway. It's absolutely delicious.
• Wheat Fields in Saratoga or Clifton Park also has a gluten free menu. Of special note: save room for dessert! Their ricotta cheesecake is to die for.
  
• In the mood for Mexican? El Loco has a gluten free menu.
  
• How about Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, etc? It's pretty easy to eat at most of these places if you speak with the server about what's safe and what isn't. We've had good experiences at Bangkok Thai Bistro.

In the mood for a chain?

• Carrabba's has a limited gluten free menu. Unfortunately they don't have gluten free bread or pasta.
• Outback Steakhouse has a gluten free menu. When we eat there, we usually go to the Wolf Road one, and you can request a loaf of gluten free bread when you're seated.
  
• PF Chang's has a gluten free menu.
• Cheesecake Factory does not have a gluten free menu, but they do have knowledgeable managers who will come over to your table and discuss the menu with you. Unfortunately, if you read the comments on my blog entry for the Cheesecake Factory, there seems to be an ongoing debate RE: the safety of their desserts. It's probably best to avoid them to be on the safe side.
  

Is your favorite restaurant not listed? Please comment and let us know what your gluten free dining experience was like there!

GEGGF: The Superbowl Party

Author's note: This post is geared toward someone who doesn't really know that much about gluten or the gluten free diet, but wants to accommodate for someone gluten free (SGF). It's mostly written for people like me -- I try to be as accommodating a hostess as possible and try to make sure that everyone has something to eat and isn't going to be stuck on the toilet for the next three days. This series of posts is meant to be pretty tongue-in-cheek, and there are a ton of other great options -- these are just some suggestions for that gluten newbie out there.

So, you're having a Superbowl party! (Go Green Bay -- at least, this year!) In between throwing around the pigskin, cheering for your favorite team and making sure to tune in to the Budweiser ads (usually my favorite), the Great American Superbowl Tradition is to eat yummy, high-calorie foods.

Now, you've invited Someone Gluten Free (SGF) over, and you want to make sure they have at least a little something. Neither they or the rest of your guests want everything gluten free or this to be a burden, and don't worry about having some non-gluten free items. As long as SGF knows to stay away from them, trust me, SGF won't care.

First Things First
Understandably, you're a little intimidated at the thought of "gluten free food." Otherwise, you wouldn't be reading this blog, right? Now -- before we go on, some things that you should know. These apply to all categories gluten free:

• Cross-contamination is a Big Thing, especially if SGF is celiac. Cross-contamination occurs when something that contains gluten touches a gluten free food, making it no longer gluten free. Cross-contamination can occur in a lot of ways -- to name a few: double dipping a knife in the peanut butter jar while making a PBJ, using wheat bread in the same toaster as gluten free bread, and frying gluten free items in a fryer that previously held wheat. The rule of thumb that I usually use: If I'm serving a dip or something that's gluten free, I'll spoon some out into a separate dish for SGF before letting the rest of the crowd attack it with crackers.
• Please ask questions! Don't know whether something is gluten free? Chances are, SGF either subscribes to gluten free product lists, is pretty adept at Google, or has already called the company/researched the product in the past. Plus, SGF usually is eager to share his/her hard-earned gluten free knowledge and is just thrilled you're asking! Please, it's not a hassle at all!
• Please don't be offended if SGF asks a lot of questions about food you're pretty sure is gluten free. Sometimes it seems like almost everything has gluten in it. I glutened my husband (then-fiance) two weeks after he was diagnosed celiac by buying Rice Krispies. "What? They're just crisped rice! There's no gluten in that!" Ha! Yeah, right.
  
• Most Gluten Free Foods Suck. Sorry, there's really no other way to put it. Some items found on grocery shelves have the consistency of a really thick piece of cardboard (or even plywood) and don't taste much better. You see bread or crackers on the grocery store shelf and want to pick it up? Step back! If you're reading this and don't know a lot about gluten free food, or SGF's preferences, it's better to stay away from specialty products. If you shell out $10 for a loaf of bread that turns out to be the exact material that airplane flotation devices are made of, SGF may feel guilty and choke down a slice, but mostly SGF will feel bad that you dropped money on expensive piece of crap.
• That said: If you do need/want to buy a specialty gluten free product, please do research. The odds are SGF will be able to a) bring over some of his/her own stuff so you don't need to spend the money, or b) point you over to something that's better and cheaper than you were going to get anyway. It goes back to that whole "ask questions" thing.
  

Drinks
Sure, most people at the party will be tossing back Buds all night - unfortunately, since beer is made with barley it's not gluten free. And while they do make gluten free beers (Redbridge is the most common, and can be found almost anywhere even Walmart), I'd advise not buying beer unless you know what SGF likes to drink. Some of the gluten free beers out there are nasty, and I know my husband won't touch Redbridge with a ten foot pole -- and wouldn't want anyone hunting up a whole six-pack of Bard's for him, when he's not that much of a beer drinker to begin with.

So, depending on what you know about tastes, here's a list of "safe" drink options:

• Gluten free beer (if you know SGF likes it/people will drink it!)
  
• Woodchuck (Gluten free, my hubby loves it, but I can't take it -- too sweet)
  
• Wine
• Soft Drinks
• Hard liquor - think rum, etc.

When in doubt though? Either ask SGF or tell him/her to BYOB. That way, everyone's happy and you don't have to stress about accommodating everyone.


Chips and Dip
Chips and Dip are the biggest staple of Superbowl Sunday. So, do you have to buy a speical bag of gluten free pretzels for $5 a pop? No!

Fortunately - a lot of these super-yummy football staples are naturally gluten free without you having to do a thing!

• Heluva Good has a list of their gluten free dips (Their French Onion has been a Superbowl tradition in my family since before we even knew what gluten was!) Served with gluten free potato chips like Lay's, it's a perfect snack.
  
• Chips and Salsa or Chips and Guacamole are another favorite. Wholly Guacamole has some great salsas and guacamoles (their queso dip is NOT GF) that are marked gluten free, with gluten free tortilla chips. I'm a fan of scoops. If you want to be ambitious and make your own, all the typical ingredients are naturally gluten free: Avocados, onions, tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and lime!
  
• Veggies and Dip and Hummus are also good ideas. My favorite veggie dip is from Marzetti, who also conveniently post a list of their gluten free products.
  

*** Just be aware (especially with the hummus here) that if you use pita chips or anything else cracker-like/not gluten free to dip with, make sure SGF knows to avoid that particular item! Alternately, they can take a place of that first before the rest of the crowd starts digging in.

For the Cooking Type
Making a meal yourself? Think about these options which can be made naturally gluten free:

• Buffalo Chicken Dip. This is just about one of the easiest dishes I make, and friends and family rave about it - they call it "Chicken Crack." I don't even measure stuff for it - Mix together one 8 oz. package of cream cheese, Half a bottle to a bottle of Frank's Red Hot Original (just glug it out of the bottle until you're satisfied, I'll admit I usually do the whole bottle), 2 small cans/1 large can of canned white chicken meat, dump some Ranch dressing in and 3/4 of an 8 oz. bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Take it out, stir, add the rest of that bag of cheese to the top, and bake for 10 additional minutes. Serve with corn tortilla chips (Again, I'm a fan of Tostitos Scoops) and celery sticks.
• Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers. OK, you may start to see a theme here, but buffalo chicken is one of my favorite foods. Ever. I made these for some friends a couple weekends ago, and primarily used this Rachael Ray recipe. The only difference? Hubby hates bleu cheese, so I subbed sharp cheddar cheese. It went very nicely with the monterey jack, and they went pretty quickly!
  
• Nachos. Pile corn tortilla chips high with cheese, ground beef or chicken, jalapenos, black olives, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, etc. When I make this stuff I like to use the pre-cooked Perdue chicken breast slices, which are labelled gluten free. Just be careful with the sour cream topping -- I haven't seen this but have heard some nonfat varieties may contain gluten. Read the label, and if in doubt, tell SGF to stay away from it.
• Tacos. Ortega taco shells are labeled gluten free, and if their seasoning doesn't say contains wheat, it's fine for SGF. Just see the above note RE: sour cream.
• Chili. When I make chili I use ground beef, veggies, beans (drained), chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (drained) and a bit of cornmeal. I brown the ground beef, put everything else in the crock pot, and let it go for a few hours. The only issue I've ever run into is that Great Value kidney beans contain an allergen warning about wheat - I stick to Goya, they're better beans anyway. Just see the above note RE: sour cream.
  
• Wings. If you bake wings or pan-fry them in new oil, they're fine. Also, Frank's Red Hot is gluten free, and what better topping is there for buffalo wings??

Getting it Catered?
Catered food is both easier and harder than cooking your own. If you're catering a typical pizza-and-subs Superbowl party, you may want to take advantage of one of the following local restaurants -- otherwise, ask the company who's catering your event, and if necessary notify SGF to make his or her own meal arrangements. As usual, since the Superbowl is the busiest day of the year, it pays to make all arrangements a few days before the Big Game if you want to ensure your order goes through (that goes double for gluten free orders, I'm sure).

Anyway, here goes:

• Benevento Pizza in Glenville carries gluten free pizza and gluten free sub rolls. (We haven't tried them yet, but their menu is on our fridge).
• 5th and 50 in Scotia also carries gluten free pizza crust. We've tried it, and it's decent.
  
• Wheat Fields in Clifton Park (and, I'm assuming Saratoga?) has a gluten free menu that includes pizza.
• Just Me! Pizza carries gluten free pizza with crusts from Laurie's Gluten Free Goodness. Their menu states their policy about switching out pizza pans. I just heard about them and haven't tried them yet, but I'm looking forward to trying them out!
  
• Nunzio's in Saratoga carries gluten free pizza (Just be forewarned that every time we've tried to get GF pizza there, it's over an hour wait. Definitely make plans to order ahead).
  

Not in the Capital District/Feel like a chain? Here are some more options (filtered to those that sound good for Superbowl Sunday):

• Pizzeria Uno has a gluten free menu that includes pizza.
  
• Outback Steakhouse has a gluten free menu that includes ribs.
  
• Smokey Bones has a gluten free menu that includes ribs.

These lists are not complete by far, so if your favorite gluten free takeout joint isn't included, please feel free to let me know about it in the comments!

I hope that helps you put together a great Superbowl party - fun for you, and all your guests including your SGF! And again, Go Green Bay!!! :)

Gluten Eater's Guide to Gluten Free (GEGGF) - Introduction

So, my last post where I snarked (yes, I just made that a verb, deal with it) about crap gluten free food raised some really good comments. It seems like there's almost no high-quality, processed/packaged gluten free products there are out there. (OK, there's not that much high-quality, processed/packaged non-gluten free stuff out there either, depending on your opinion, but... bear with me here).

This blog is dedicated to the group of friends and family who may have never heard of, or thought of, gluten until someone important in their lives has been diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance -- making them Someone Gluten Free (SGF). Now, unless they're like my circle of friends that includes med students and foodies, they're probably not interested in medical trials involving hookworms or the baking properties of amaranth. And while some of my dear friends keep dedicated jars of peanut butter marked GF in their pantry (love them!), that's certainly not expected of most people. Let's be honest, the question on most peoples' minds is:

"How can I go out with/have a party/go on a date without poisoning SGF?"

Well, you've come to the right place.

Going Out

How easy is it to decide to meet up for drinks, dinner or dessert? Usually, not much thought is involved other than "Let's make sure to avoid the place where the ex is bartending" or "Hey, this place has a-mazing drink specials." If you're organizing an outing and one or more of your friends is GF, this can sometimes mean spending top dollar for a dried out piece of plain grilled chicken because the cook didn't know if the marinade contained gluten. Yuck and no thanks. Fortunately, with a bit of flexibility, everyone can enjoy a night -- or day -- out.

Staying In

So you know there are some off-the-shelf things you can buy that everyone can eat. It's so sweet that you want to make sure SGF has something to eat at your event, but non-GF people sometimes don't think of all the gotcha's when it comes to gluten free. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind -- mostly because, I've gotten these questions from a lot of my friends, so I know they're common.

Over the next few days I'll be detailing suggestions for non-gluten free people on:

• Inviting SGF to your Superbowl Party (Or: What to bring to SGF's Superbowl Party)
• Valentine's Gifts for your SGF that won't poison them.
• How to pick a place for drinks with SGF
• How to pick a place for breakfast/lunch/dinner with SGF
• How to have SGF over for lunch/cocktails/dinner/dessert

Have a suggestion that absolutely must be on these posts, or another suggestion for a post category? Comment or e-mail me: katsgfkitchen at gmail dot com.