Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Classico Gluten Free Pasta Sauces - Alfredo Sauces

Classico has the best tasting Gluten Free Pasta and Alfredo sauces I have had. Their Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo sauce is especially good. Here is how I put it together.

1 lb. Chicken Tenders or Chicken stirfry pieces (make sure it doesn't have any seasonings on it)
1 Jar Classico Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce
1/4 C Frozen Peas
1 C Frozen Fajita Vegetable Mix of Red, Yellow, Green and Orange Peppers and Sliced Onions (Make sure it has NO seasonings in it.)
1/4 C Cooked and Chopped Prosciutto or Bacon
2T Oil Split into 1 T increments
4 T Water or Chicken Broth Split into 2 T increments
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat Oil in a skillet on Medium High. Meanwhile rinse chicken and pat to dry. Salt and Pepper and place in oil, don't over crowd you want to get a nice sear and brown. Once it is browned pour 2 T of water into pan and cover immediately. Turn heat down to Medium Low and Let it steam.After about 3-5 min. uncover and remove meat to rest. Mean while add additional oil and turn heat up to Med High. Once hot add in Fajita Vegetable mix. Once vegetables are soften add peas and prosciutto and then add 2 T water. Use whisk to stir up yummy chicken bits. Then add Alfredo sauce and turn Heat to low to warm sauce. Add chicken back in and once sauce is bubbling serve over pasta. Tinkyada brand pasta is the best.

Gluten Free Flours

GF Flour:
This comes from a recipe in Bette Hagman's Cook Book for GF Flour. I use this flour in combination with brown rice flour and/or cornstarch for most things.
I buy 25lb bags in bulk through the Good Earth and store the flours separately in 5 gal. food storage buckets. I mix the flour up in a large batch and keep a smaller tupperware bucket in my kitchen with all my other baking supplies for ease of use. I would avoid buying flours out of the bulk section since there is so much cross contamination. My brown rice flour I bought in the bulk section at the Good Earth always makes me sick so I need to give in and order a whole 25lb bag.
UnFlour:
This comes from a cook book I found at the GF Expo and love. Its called "Irresistibly Gluten Free".  The waffles are divine. The flour combines cornstarch with two other flours. I highly recommend buying this book.
All Purpose Flour by Authentic Foods:
My mom uses this one the most. I haven't really experimented with it much since the recipes I make the most call for GF flour but it is great for quick on the hand ready to go for any recipe. It may need more flour than what is called for in the recipe.
Thickening Soups and Gravies:
Before being diagnosed with celiac I didn't have to do to much to make gravy since there are gravy packets and cream of chicken soup, but now you'll have to make it from scratch so here are my recommendations.
- For making a bechamel sauce (buttter, flour, milk) I use rice flour, this makes a great soup base. If you need some tips on how to make this Alton Brown has a video of chicken curry pot pie and he makes his own cream sauce. I use the same technique and use different seasoning depending on what I am making.
- For thickening gravies or sauces I mix a Tablespoon or so with a Tablespoon or more of water to make a slurry and then add it in to the sauce. You have to boil it in order to activate the thickening process so if you are thickening something with milk in it be careful because boiling can cause your milk to curdle.