Rich Beef With Olives in the Crock Pot

Since over that side of the world you’re getting into Fall or Autumn as we Aussies call it, I thought I’d start sharing some of the increasing collection of great crock pot meals I’ve been trying lately. Many are adoptions form Slow Cooker by Sally Wise. I’ve just added my own bits and deices, mainly because I can’t seem to follow a recipe without fiddling and experimenting. Of course, I have also been known to make them up from scratch, but that will be the next recipe. This time here’s a rich beef casserole adapted from that Slow Cooker cook … Continue reading →

Exciting News – From My Kitchen to Yours

I’m very excited to share with you a new gluten free cookery book that has just come on the market. Since getting Slow Cooker by Sally Wise, which has become my favorite and one I turn to often, I was really looking forward to this new one especially for those on a gluten free diet. From My Kitchen to Yours by Sally Wise does not disappoint. It starts with a list of useful gluten free products for the pantry and helpful hints such as this one about using homemade pancakes instead of gluten free lasagna sheets as they do not … Continue reading →

Food and Allergies- A Solution

For years we’ve been hearing the benefits of honey. When I was a child, my mother used honey and lemon juice for sore throats. Honey for many people is a great addition to a recipe and can be substituted for sugar. But some of us are allergic to honey. In my case it causes tinnitus. Sounds bizarre but I have proved it over time to be true. Tinnitus is that constant ringing noise in your ears. In my case it sounded like I had a steam train in my head. It gets worse when it is quiet and makes it … Continue reading →

Quick and Easy Chicken

You know what it’s like you’ve come home from work or you’ve been busy all day with a million chores, come dinner time you just want something that is quick and easy. Too often we forget that sometimes those quick and easy meals can be just as tasty as the ones we spend ages over. Yesterday was one of those days for me, by the time I’d finally finished with doctors and x-rays but that’s another blog for another time. The last thing I wanted was an elaborate meal to cook. So here is a really quick chicken meal. Although … Continue reading →

Dairy Free Crock Pot Meal

As it’s getting colder here in Australia now that we’re into winter, the crock pot is going to get a lot more use. This is one that I made the other night which is warming, simple to make and tasty. It is both gluten free and dairy free. HINT The type of meat I use depends largely on what is on special. Sometimes it is just as cheap to buy rump steak or blade, than it is to buy chuck steak or gravy beef. So look for what is on special to get the best buy. Often buying in bulk … Continue reading →

Veal Paprika

Veal is one of those meats people either love or they can’t stand. My mother couldn’t eat veal. It made her sick. I love it. I used to buy a side of veal for the freezer. That was back in the days before veal prices got ridiculously expense. These days I mostly buy a shoulder to roast in the barbecue. I might cut some of the shoulder to use in this dish before cooking the roast. Otherwise if I see veal steak cheap I buy it. You can also use veal chops if you find them on special. But instead … Continue reading →

More About Gluten Free Flours

Rice flour is probably the most commonly used flour for the person on a gluten free diet. However, white rice flour is not particularly nutritious. So if you’re looking for a more nutritious alternative try brown rice flour, which as its name suggests is made from brown rice. I always use brown rice instead of white rice for meals, so it makes sense to use brown rice flour as well as it has higher fiber content because it includes the bran of the rice and hit has not been over processed. It is however heaver than white rice flour so … Continue reading →

Experiment with Different Flours

For the person who is gluten free, you can tend initially to stick to using either rice flour or a general all purpose gluten free flour. For self raising flour this is usually a combination of rice flour, soy flour, maize starch and tapioca starch. Gluten free flours don’t rise as well in cakes and bread as wheat flours so I often add a little baking powder as well. Recently though while shopping, instead of just reaching for the rice flour and the self raising flour, I had a little more of a browse. I ended up coming home with … Continue reading →

Vegetable Rolls

Here’s another recipe using gluten free frozen pastry. It’s a good way to get children to eat vegetables. HINT You can prepare much of this ahead as the filling for this dish can be made several hours before it is needed. Keep the filling mix covered in the fridge till you are ready, but the rolls themselves are best cooked as close as possible to the time require. Because of the cabbage content this recipe is unsuitable to freeze. It is also not suitable for the microwave. Of course, as any of you who have been reading my home blog … Continue reading →

Beef and Pasta Bake

This beef and gluten free pasta dish is so simple and yet it tastes great. Our family prefers this to traditional lasagna made with lasagna sheets. Sorry, but because of the cheese content, this is not suitable for those unable to eat dairy products. HINT Any dish that uses ground beef should always include grated carrot or apple. It adds to the flavor. It’s all a matter of taste but in the efforts of cutting down salt intake I rarely add salt to most recipes, especially if using tomato paste. It is usually salty enough. No-one’s ever noticed or complained. … Continue reading →