Best Gluten Free Biscuits

 These are my favorite gluten free biscuits.  From King Arthur Flour

These gluten-free biscuits are flaky, buttery, and just plain good. Biscuits are particularly well suited to being frozen before baking. If you have a stash on hand in your freezer, you can pop them straight into the oven and enjoy fresh gluten-free biscuits with any meal; just be sure to allow for an additional 5 minutes of baking time.

Prep: 15 mins, Bake: 15 to 18 mins.  Yield: nine 2 1/2" biscuits

 

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups (259g) King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pats

1/2 cup (113g) buttermilk

2 tablespoons (35g) honey

INSTRUCTIONS

Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda.  Cut in the butter until it's in chunks about the size of a nickel using a biscuit cutter.

In a separate bowl stir together the buttermilk and honey and add, all at once, to the dry ingredients. Stir until the dough comes together with only a few dry crumbs remaining.  You may need to add another 1-2 tablespoons of buttermilk.  Take care not to overwork the dough.Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper that's been dusted with a little cornstarch.

Use the paper to fold the dough over on itself eight times, patting it to a thickness of 1/2" between folds.

After the last fold, pat the dough 1/2" to 3/4" thick, and cut with a 2 1/2" biscuit cutter. Stack the scraps on top of each other and pat down again, repeating the cutting process until all of the dough is used.  (Or make square shaped biscuits and cut into equal pieces with a knife).

Place the biscuits on a prepared baking sheet.  Brush the tops with some milk or buttermilk, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

TO FREEZE:

To freeze for later:  place the cut biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, and place them in the freezer for 15-45 minutes.  Then wrap any extra biscuits once they're frozen, and bake them as you need them later on.  Remove the biscuits from the freezer while the oven preheats.  Brush the tops with milk or buttermilk and bake until golden brown abour 15 minutes.

Variation:

For gluten-free cheese biscuits, reduce the butter in the recipe to 1/4 cup; and add 1 cup of any grated cheese you like: cheddar, Parmesan, and pepper jack are all good choices.

Gluten Free Challah Bread

 Gluten Free Challah Bread

Delicious gluten free challah bread: soft and fluffy, delicious flavor, and a dough that handles beautifully so you can braid it!   Adapted from The Loopy Whisk.

Prep Time:1hour hour, Chill Time: 1 hour, Bake Time: 30 minutes, Proof Time: 1hour.  Total Time 3hours hours and 30minutes minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Gluten free challah dough:

▢20 g (4 tbsp) whole/rough psyllium husk (If using psyllium husk powder, use only 17g.)

▢345 g (1¼ cups + 3 tbsp) lukewarm water

▢215 g (1¾ cups + 2 tbsp) tapioca starch (You can use an equal weight of cornstarch (US)/cornflour (UK), potato starch or arrowroot starch instead.)

▢135 g (1 cup) millet flour, plus extra for flouring the surface (You can use an equal weight of finely milled/ground brown rice flour instead.)

▢80 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) oat flour (You can use an equal weight of sorghum flour, light buckwheat flour or white teff flour instead.)

▢50 g (¼ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar

▢8 g (2½ tsp) instant yeast (If using active dry yeast, use 10g.)

▢8 g (2 tsp) baking powder

▢7 g (2½ tsp) xanthan gum

▢7 g (1¼ tsp) salt

▢1 US large/UK medium egg, room temperature

▢2 US large/UK medium egg yolks, room temperature

▢40 g (3 tbsp) sunflower oil, or other neutral-tasting oil of choice

Later you will also need:

▢1 US large/UK medium egg, whisked, for egg wash

▢1-2 tbsp poppy seeds, for sprinkling the challah before baking (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Making the dough:

In a separate bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and lukewarm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (if using), whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, oat flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.

Tip: If using active dry yeast instead, you need to activate it first. Mix it together with a tablespoon of the sugar and 120g (½ cup) of the water listed in the recipe (note that that means you'll use less water to make the psyllium gel). Set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture starts frothing. Then, add it to the dry ingredients along with the rest of the wet ingredients.

Add the egg, two egg yolks and oil to the psyllium gel and mix well to combine.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel-egg mixture.

Knead the dough using the dough hook of a stand mixer until smooth and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for a further 4-5 minutes (if using a stand mixer) or 6-8 minutes (if kneading it by hand). Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour. Tip: This extra kneading time will make the dough EXTRA smooth, which is the key to a beautiful gluten free challah.

The final dough will be slightly sticky to the touch – that’s okay, you’ll be working on a lightly floured surface so it shouldn’t be a problem. Ideally, chill the dough in the fridge for about 1 hour before proceeding to the next step. This will make the dough firmer, less sticky, and therefore easier to handle.

Shaping & braiding:

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball, then divide it into four equal portions, each should weigh about 250g.  (NOTE: I like the 4 strand braid as posted in the original recipe, go to her post to see directions.  But I want to try the 5 strand braid next time I used to do with my regular glutenous challah bread).

Take one portion of the dough and shape it into a ball (keep the others covered with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film or a clean dish towel to prevent them from drying out).

Roll it out into a rough rectangle – the exact dimensions don’t really matter, aim for a size of about 8x5 inches (20x12cm).

Working along the wider end, fold the dough over itself and press down gently to seal. Continue folding the dough over itself (and pressing down to seal), you’re essentially rolling it up into an approximately 8-inch (20cm) log. Pinch the seam together to seal it.

Use the palms of your hands to roll the dough back and forth until you reach a length of about 15-16 inches (38-40cm). While you’re rolling it, make sure that you also create a slightly tapered shape, with the ends of the rope/strand slightly narrower than the middle.

Repeat with the other three portions of dough, until you get four 15-16-inch (38-40cm) ropes or strands. Transfer them to a large sheet of parchment/baking paper – you’ll braid the challah on the paper, it’ll make it easier to transfer it to the baking sheet.

Braid the four-strand challah loaf. Always start with the strand farthest to the right and and weave it towards the left through the other strands using the pattern: over-under-over. Repeat this pattern, always starting with the strand farthest to the right, until you have a fully braided loaf.

Note that gluten free dough is a bit more fragile than regular dough made from wheat flour, so you do have to be a bit more gentleb with it. I usually start braiding at the top third of the braid, braid towards the bottom, then rotate the challah by 180 degrees and finish off the other end – this tends to give me the prettiest end result. (See the blog post for detailed step-by-step photos of the braiding process.)

Once you’ve finished the braid, tuck the ends underneath the braided loaf for a more polished final look.

Proofing:

Use the parchment/baking paper underneath to transfer the challah onto a large baking sheet (trim the paper as needed to make it fit the baking sheet).

Lightly cover the challah with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film (to prevent it from drying out) and proof in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

Tip: If your kitchen is on the cold side, put a cup of boiling hot water into your (turned-off) oven – that will create the perfect warm, slightly humid proofing environment.

Baking the challah:

Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

Once the challah has doubled in size, brush it gently with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).

Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 28-30 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown. If the loaf starts browning too much or too quickly, you can cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil, shiny side up.

I like to check the doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf, much like you would with a cake: if your toothpick comes out with raw dough on it, the challah needs a bit longer in the oven.

Immediately transfer the baked gluten free challah to a wire rack to cool – this prevents any condensation from forming underneath.

Enjoy warm or cooled completely to room temperature.

Storage:

This gluten free challah is definitely at its best fresh, on the day of baking, but it also keeps well for 3-4 days at room temperature in a closed container or well wrapped (to prevent it from drying out). I recommend toasting or reheating it on days 3 and 4.

Softest Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

The Softest Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls adapted from The Loopy Whisk recipe.

These are the softest, squishiest, gooiest gluten free cinnamon rolls you’ll ever make – in fact, they’re so ridiculously good that even non-gluten-free folks will love them. The dough handles beautifully: you can knead it and roll it out without any problems whatsoever. And there’s also an overnight, make-ahead option, so you can prepare them the night before and have them for breakfast the next day!  You can double the recipe to make 12 cinnamon rolls that fit perfectly into a 9x13-inch baking pan.

Prep Time 45minutes mins plus 30-60 minutes of chill time, Cook/Bake Time 35minutes minutes, Proof Time 1hour hr 15minutes minutes, Total Time 3hours hours 35minutes mins

INGREDIENTS:

Gluten free enriched dough:

▢15 g (3 tbsp) whole/rough psyllium husk (If using psyllium husk powder, use only 13g.)

▢180 g (¾ cup) warm water

▢160 g (1⅓ cups + 1 tbsp) tapioca starch (You can use an equal weight of arrowroot starch, cornstarch or potato starch instead.)

▢135 g (1 cup) millet flour, plus extra for flouring the surface (You can use an equal weight of finely milled/ground brown rice flour instead, but your rolls might be slightly less fluffy.)

▢25 g (3 tbsp) sorghum flour (You can use an equal weight of light buckwheat flour, white teff flour or oat flour instead. Use the latter only if you're not sensitive to oats.)

▢50 g (¼ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar

▢6 g (2 tsp) instant yeast (If using active dry yeast, use 8g.)

▢6 g (1½ tsp) baking powder

▢5 g (2 tsp) xanthan gum

▢5 g (1 tsp) salt

▢100 g (⅓ cup + 1½ tbsp) whole milk, warm

▢1 large egg, room temperature

▢35 g (2½ tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Cinnamon Filling:

▢85 g (¾ stick) very soft unsalted butter (The ideal butter texture is somewhere in between softened and melted butter – it should be quite soft and easily spreadable, but not completely liquid.)

▢100 g (½ cup) light brown sugar

▢1 tbsp ground cinnamon

For baking the cinnamon rolls:

▢½ tbsp unsalted butter, softened, for buttering the skillet or baking pan

▢100 g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) heavy/double cream, warm

Icing:

▢3 tablespoons (43 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature

▢6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, softened to room temperature

▢1 ¼ cups (143 g) powdered sugar

▢¼ to ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or I like mix 1/4 teaspoon maple extract and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla).

▢pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Gluten free enriched dough:

Make the psyllium gel: In a small bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and warm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.  Set aside.

In the bowl of the stand mixer, whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.  

Tip: If using active dry yeast instead, you need to activate it first. Mix together the active dry yeast, 1-2 tbsp of the sugar and the warm milk. Set aside for 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture starts frothing. Then, add it to the dry ingredients along with the psyllium gel, egg and melted butter.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel, warm milk, egg and melted butter.

Knead the dough until smooth using the dough hook and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for a further 5 minutes (if using a stand mixer) or 8-10 minutes (if kneading it by hand). Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour. This extra kneading time will make the dough EXTRA smooth, which is the key to beautiful gluten free cinnamon rolls.

The final dough will be slightly sticky to the touch – that’s okay, you’ll be working on a lightly floured surface so it shouldn’t be a problem. Resist the temptation to add more flour to the dough, as that can make the final rolls too dense and dry.  Ideally you will chill the dough for 1 hour in the fridge to make it easier to handle.  This will give the flours in the dough time to properly hydrate and also firm up the butter in the dough – both of these factors will make the dough firmer, less sticky, and therefore easier to handle.

Cinnamon filling:

In a bowl, mix together the very soft butter, light brown sugar and ground cinnamon until you get a soft, spreadable paste.  (If it's too thick to spread easily, you can soften it slightly in the microwave (in 2-3 second bursts, mix in between). If it's too runny, you can chill it briefly in the fridge until it thickens to the right consistency. Set aside until needed.

Assembling the cinnamon rolls:

Lightly butter a 10-inch round baking pan, and set aside until needed.  (If doubling the recipe use a 9x13 inch pan). Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Roll it out into a roughly 11×15-inch (28x38cm) rectangle.Spread the cinnamon filling out into an even layer across the rolled-out dough, all the way to the edges.

Cut the rectangle lengthways into seven 1½-inch (4cm) wide strips, so that they’re 15 inches (38cm) long.  (If doubling the recipe you will make 12-14 rolls). I like to use a pizza cutter for this, but a sharp knife will also work well. Roll up each individual strip into a roll – this will give you the perfect swirl. Arrange the cinnamon rolls in the buttered skillet or baking pan, they should only just touch each other.  Then proof the cinnamon rolls: Proof the cinnamon rolls in a warm place for about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until about doubled in volume. Lightly cover them with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film to prevent them from drying out during proofing.  You can proof them in a warm oven, or even add a cup of hot water inside the oven.

While the rolls are proofing, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).  Once the cinnamon rolls have doubled in volume, pour warm heavy/double cream evenly all over them.  The addition of cream makes these gluten free cinnamon rolls extra rich and soft. It’s important that you use warm cream (not cold from the fridge). Cover the skillet or baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake the cinnamon rolls at 350ºF (180ºC) covered with the aluminum foil for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and continue baking until the cinnamon rolls get golden on top – about 15 minutes more. Allow the baked cinnamon rolls to cool for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the cream cheese icing.

Icing

To make the icing, beat the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl, whip until creamy. Add the milk or cream and vanilla (and maple extract). Mix again. Add about half of the powdered sugar mix.  Scrape down the sides.  Add the rest of the powdered sugar and whip until light and creamy.  Spread the warm rolls with icing.

OVERNIGHT, MAKE AHEAD OPTIONS:

Option 1: You can prepare the dough and then keep it in the fridge overnight (in a closed container or in a covered bowl). You can then roll, shape, proof and bake the cinnamon rolls the next day.

Option 2: You can make the dough and shape the cinnamon rolls, and then keep the tightly covered skillet or baking pan in the fridge overnight. The next day, bring the rolls to room temperature. If they haven’t doubled in size by the time they’ve reached room temperature, proof them for a while longer –this took almost 3 hours for me.  Once double in size, pour over the heavy/double cream and bake according to the recipe.  

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

This tastes just like the classic.  Best served the same day or freeze any leftovers.  Recipe is easily double.  Makes 2 dozen.

 INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (I use Jiff for this recipe)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 cup gluten-free 1:1 all purpose flour blend (I have used King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill Baking Blend successfully with this recipe, if your gluten free flour blend does not have xanthum gum, add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthum gum.
• 3 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, reserved
• 24-30 Hershey Kisses

Mix shortening, softened butter, and peanut butter.  Add the sugars, eggs, and vanilla and mix until well blended and lighter in color.  Add baking soda, salt, and baking powder.  Mix.  Then mix in the flour.

Put the 3 T of granulated sugar in a small bowl.  Scoop the dough and roll into small balls (1/2-3/4 T each).  Roll each dough ball in the sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment of a silpat.  Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes.  Don't over bake.  Right as the cookies come out of the oven add a Hershey's kiss on top.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

 Adapted from the America's Test Kitchen How Can it Be Gluten Free Cookbook.  

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 

2 oz (2/3 cup) cocoa powder

7 oz ATK all-purpose gluten free flour blend*

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

10.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) sugar

1 cup whole milk

4 cups frosting/filling

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, making sure oven rack is in the middle.  Line four 6-inch rounds with parchment and spray with nonstick spray.  (Note you can also use 2 nine-inch round pans).

2.  Microwave the oil, chopped chocolate, and cocoa powder on 50% power in 1-minute intervals stirring in-between until melted.  Whisk together until smooth.  Set aside.

3.  In a separate bowl combine the flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt with a clean whisk.

4.  In the mixer whisk the eggs and vanilla together and then add the sugar until well combined.  Pour the chocolate mixture and the whole milk and combine.  Then slowly add the flour blend mixture until the batter is smooth.  

5.  Divide batter evenly between pans (I use my kitchen scale for this).  Then bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  For the 9-inch size increase baking time to 28-32 minutes.

6.  Let cakes cook on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Loosen the sides with a knife and then turn out to finish cooling completely.  Level, frost, and fill as desired.

*Can also sub 7oz King Arthur gluten-free multi-purpose flour, but may be more starchy.

Charred Cauliflower Quesadillas with Taco Slaw

So flavorful and filling.  Yield: 6 quesadillas, serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 small or 1 large fresh poblano chiles
1 small head cauliflower, cored and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking quesadillas
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely grated Monterey jack cheese
12 small (7-inch) flour tortillas (to make gluten-free, use corn or almond tortillas)

1.  Char peppers: Over a gas burner turned to high, hold the poblanos over the flame with tongs and char them until they are black and blistered all over.  (Or you can use the broiler, turning often).  Put the poblano chiles in a bowl and cover tightly with foil. Set aside to steam and let their skins loosen while you cook the cauliflower.

2. Char cauliflower: In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat heavy 12-inch pan over high heat until almost smoking.  Add cauliflower cook until each piece has a few black spots but is not mushy, turning and moving it frequently to ensure even cooking for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

3. Mix filling: When poblanos are cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin (with your fingers or paring knife).   Pull out and discard stems and seed clusters, and slice peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Add to cauliflower on board and give both a rough chop together, reducing the cauliflower to no bigger than 1/2-inch chunks. Return cauliflower and peppers to the large bowl, add scallions, lime juice and salt to taste. You should have about 2 cups of cauliflower filling.

4. Assemble and cook quesadillas: Put a 1/3 cup cauliflower filling and 1/3 cup shredded cheese on each tortilla. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Cook quesadillas until lightly browned about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with your choice of fixings. 

Cumin-Lime Crema

1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
A few gratings fresh lime zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together, adjust seasonings to taste, and serve alongside quesadillas.

Lazy Taco Slaw

1 bag coleslaw mix or (as used here) 3 cups finely shredded red cabbage and 1 coarsely grated carrot
Coarse salt
Juice of half a lime
2 scallions, sliced thin
A dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt
A dash of hot sauce (optional)
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley leaves

Mix cabbage salt and lime together in a large bowl.  Set aside for 5 minutes (it will shrink a bit).Then toss together with scallions, then yogurt and hot sauce. Adjust seasonings/ingredients to taste, add cilantro.  

Citrus and Soy Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

 Super moist, easy, and delicious grilled pork recipe.  Family favorite!  Adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

CITRUS AND SOY-MARINATED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

YIELD:  6 SERVINGS  PREP TIME:  10 MINUTES  COOK TIME:  20 MINUTES ADDITIONAL TIME:  7 HOURS 55 MINUTES  TOTAL TIME:  8 HOURS 25 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

 2-3 pounds pork tenderloin
 3/4 cup olive oil
 1/3 cup soy sauce (to make gluten-free use gluten-free soy sauce)
 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (check brand for gluten-free, French's is gluten-free)
 1 tablespoon dry mustard
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon black pepper
 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all the ingredients except the pork and mix well. Pour the marinade into a ziploc bag or baking dish and add the pork tenderloin, making sure the marinade completely covers the pork. Marinade for 8-10 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill (charcoal or gas). Grill the pork tenderloin about 3-4 minutes on each of its four sides (the exact time will depend on the temperature of your grill) or the internal temperature is about 150 to 155 degrees. Remove from the grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Sheet Pan Chicken Tzatziki Wraps

One (two) pan meal that comes together quickly and is a crowd-pleaser.  The tzatziki sauce is delicious!  Slightly adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

CHICKEN:

 3 tablespoons olive oil
 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
 1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
 1/2 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
 1/4 teaspoon pepper
 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into thin slices (see note)

VEGETABLES:

 2 bell peppers (any color), cored and sliced thinly
 1 medium zucchini, sliced into strips (no need to peel)
 1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
 Salt and pepper

TZATZIKI:

 1/2 to 1 cup grated English cucumber
 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
 1/2 cup crumbled feta (optional, but super tasty)
 Salt and pepper, to taste

EXTRAS:

 Naan, flatbread, or other wrap bread (omit if making gluten-free or try making gluten free naan)
 Diced cucumbers
 Chopped tomatoes
 Spring mix lettuce (or other lettuce or spinach)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the chicken and marinade, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Place the chicken strips in a shallow dish or ziploc bag.

Pour the marinade over the chicken, toss to combine, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).

For the tzatziki sauce, squeeze excess liquid from the grated cucumber (can use a kitchen towel or lightly wring out with hands). Combine the cucumber with the remaining tzatziki ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Lightly grease 2 half sheet pans.  Place the chicken pieces on one pan in a single layer (leave excess marinade in dish or bag).

On a second sheet pan, toss the bell peppers and zucchini with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer.

Place both sheet pans in the oven on separate racks and cook for 5-6 minutes. Rotate sheet pans. (At this point, if there is a lot of liquid on the chicken sheet pan, drain it off). Continue cooking until the chicken and veggies are tender (they may finish cooking at different times so watch closely).

Serve the chicken and veggies on flatbread with tzatziki sauce and other toppings.

NOTES

Vegetables: if you don't have zucchini or want to change up the vegetables, feel free to sub in a favorite roasted veggie combo.

Broiling vs Roasting: for more golden color on the chicken or veggies, you can cook one sheet pan at a time on the broil setting (watch closely!).

Za'atar Chicken Thighs and Roasted Green Beans

Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe this is one of our family's FAVORITE dinners.  Nice enough to serve company, but simple enough to make on a weekday.  The chicken is super moist, and the green beans are delicious.  We don't always do the roasted pita, but that is a nice extra touch!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lemon, quartered
3 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, (about 4-6 thighs)
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Za'atar spice
3 T olive oil
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

1 lb green beans
1 clove of garlic minced or 1/4 t garlic powder
2 T olive oil
1/2 t salt and pepper
3-4 pitas (optional, omit for gluten-free)

1.  Preheat oven to 450 with rack in the upper third of the oven.  Place baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
2.  Quarter lemon.  Pat chicken thighs dry, then transfer to a large bowl.  Toss and coat with 2 1/2 T of za'atar, lemon quarters, 3 T olive oil, 2 t salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
3.  Place lemon quarters and chicken on preheated baking sheet, skin side up.  Roast until chicken is cooked through 18-20 minutes.
4.  While the chicken is cooking, trim ends of green beans.  Toss the green beans with 2 T olive oil, 1/2 t salt and pepper and garlic.  (Optional) cut pitas into 1-inch pieces.
5.  When chicken is cooked through, add green beans to baking sheet around the chicken (remove lemon wedges if more room is needed).  Roast until green beans are barely tender about 5 minutes.  Then switch the oven to broiler.  Broil on the top oven rack until the chicken is crisp and the green beans are cooked about 2-3 more minutes.  Watch closely. Transfer chicken thighs to a plate to rest.
6.  Add pitas to baking sheet if using, stir to coat in the pan juices.  Broil on the top oven rack until lightly toasted with the green beans for 1-2 minutes.  Stir then broil again for 1-2 more minutes.  Watch closely.

*NOTE: In a pinch, I've used a half of an orange instead of lemon and still tasted great.

Puppy Chow (aka Muddy Buddies)

A favorite treat, that's easy to make and naturally gluten free!  Adapted from The Very Best Puppy Chow {Muddy Buddies} - Mel's Kitchen Cafe (melskitchencafe.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips (see note)
• 1 ¼ cups (320 g) peanut butter (see note)
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) salted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 ½ to 11 cups (352 g) rice or corn Chex cereal (a 12-ounce box)
• 2 ½ cups (285 g) powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons (11 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour the cereal into a large bowl.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter and cook for 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until the mixture is smooth and fully melted. Don't overheat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Drizzle the chocolate mixture over the cereal and using a flat rubber spatula gently fold the mixture until the cereal is evenly coated with the warm mixture.
4. Place the powdered sugar* in a large bag and add the chocolate-covered cereal (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your bag). Close the bag and shake like your life depends on it until the cereal is coated with the dry mixture.  
5. Let the cereal rest until it goes from wet and shiny to looking a bit sticky, 5 to 10 minutes (this is an important step – If it is too wet, the powdered sugar soaks into the runny chocolate instead of forming a powdery coating on the outside).
6. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder (see note).
7. Spoon about half of the powdered sugar mixture in the bottom of two 1-gallon ziploc bags or one 2-gallon ziploc bag (I keep these larger bags on hand just for this recipe – makes it so easy to mix!).
8. Add the cereal mixture to the bag(s). This step can be a bit messy. It helps to fold down the top of the bag a few inches and pile the cereal in.
9. Add the remaining powdered sugar mixture. Close the bag and shake, turning the bag over as you go, until the cereal is mostly coated with the powdered sugar mixture and has formed clusters here and there.
10. (You can continue adding powdered sugar a little at a time and shaking to coat if you'd like a thicker powdery coating on the puppy chow, but be warned that this may result in less clusters.)
11. Spread the puppy chow out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. At this point, you can easily sprinkle on a bit more powdered sugar and toss by hand if there are extra gooey spots that need it. Let the puppy chow sit for 20 to 30 minutes to cool and set.
12. Store the puppy chow in the fridge or the freezer and experience how good life can be when munching on chilled clusters of this magnificent stuff.