Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole

With Christmas comes baked ham and green bean casserole.  However, since Cream of Mushroom soup is not gluten free and neither are the French Fried onions, it was beginning to look like green bean casserole was going to be out of the question.  Thank goodness I was able to find a green bean casserole recipe that I could adapt and make a wonderful tasty glueten free option for Bailey.  This one is so good, I will never used the canned soup version again.  It takes a little more effort, but in the end it is definitely worth it.  The only thing you may miss is that crunchy topping, but we were just fine without it.

Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole

1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
8 - 16 ounces sliced mushrooms (we love mushrooms so I used 16 ounces)
2 Tbs. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free baking flour
1 cup milk
2 - 4 ounces shredded Italian 4 Cheese Blend Cheese (amount is based upon preference.  I used 2 oz.)
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans, snapped in 2-3" pieces, cooked and drained
(I don't know how this would equate to canned green beans since we don't used canned veggies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray covered casserole dish with gluten free cooking spray.

Heat oil in skillet. Add onions and saute until tender.  Add sliced mushrooms.  Cook until all moisture has evaporated.  Add flour and cook for one minute.  Add milk.  Stir constantly and cook until mixture begins to thicken.  Add cream cheese, salt and pepper.  Mix until smooth.  If your mixture is too thick, you can add extra milk.  Fold in cheese and green beans.  Pour all into casserole dish.  Cover and bake for 25 minutes.


Enjoy your new recipe.  I think you will find this to be so tasty, you will want to keep making this with all of the fresh ingredients.

Gluten Free Banana Bread

Here it is Christmas Day!  Merry Christmas, everyone!  Today was another busy day of cooking.  As I began to make sure I had every available counter ready for my day long cooking spree, I noticed six medium sized bananas that were now officially past the "mmm, yummy" stage.  So, I decided that I would start the day by making some wonderful banana bread.  This is one thing that Bailey likes, but doesn't necessarily want all the time.  However, I knew she would appreciate it today, so I set out to make a good banana bread that was both gluten free and very tasty.  Success!!!  So, here is my recipe.

Gluten Free Banana Bread

6 ripe bananas, medium sized, mashed
6 Tbs. butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. gluten free baking soda
2 pinches salt
2 1/4 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With a wire whisk, mis together butter and bananas.  Add sugar, egg, vanilla and salt.  Sprinkle the baking soda over mixture and mix well.  Add flour.  Pour mixture into two medium glass loaf pans (spray the pans with gluten free coking spray).  Bake for 55 minutes.  Cool on wire rack. 

You can also add pecans or walnuts to your batter.  Since Bailey doesn't like either, we baked one loaf with and one loaf without.  Everyone here loves it.  We can't even tell it is gluten-free which in my book means it was a success.  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Sausage Balls

One of my daughter's favorite foods is sausage balls. The problem was that substituting gluten free baking mix makes them taste completely different. So I was determined to create a recipe that had the same taste as regular sausage balls while making them gluten free. My first attempt was a complete success and no one could tell they were gluten free. I want to share this recipe with you today.  This makes a double batch and they freeze great.  Just freeze them before baking.

Gluten Free Sausage Balls

1 lb. Jimmy Dean sage sausage
1 lb Jimmy Dean regular sausage
4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 cups Hogdens Mill gluten Free baking flour
1 1/2 Tbs. gluten free baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Let sausage and cheese sit out to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together.  (You can do this by hand, but I use my Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment.). Make into balls. Place sausage balls on baking sheet at least one inch apart.  If you are freezing them, freeze them on the baking sheet, then put frozen sausage balls into freezer bags.

Bake the sausage balls for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown.  Serve hot and enjoy.