Gluten-free Cheesy Garlic Butternut Squash

Christmas Menu - Are you including healthy, gluten-free recipes?

The holidays are just around the corner! I bet, like me, you are thinking about your Christmas menu. We'll have traditional turkey, of course, but the side dishes are where you can get a bit creative. I look for sides that can be prepared ahead of time and then just thrown in the oven when the turkey is pulled out of the oven.

Are you or any of your guests following a gluten-free diet? If so, you may have to think a bit harder and scrutinize labels for gluten in the ingredients. Of course, sensitivity to gluten means things like wheat, rye and barley are off limits. Avoiding it can be tricky as wheat is often used in many processed foods and items you may not think of as containing gluten such as most soy sauces!

Gluten-free foods include:

• meats
• eggs
• most dairy products
• beans
• fish
• veggies
• fruits
• natural seeds, nuts 

Luckily, gluten-free products are getting easier to find on grocery store shelves. A great gluten-free product is Hidden Valley Ranch dressings - original, spicy and cheese are all gluten-free!

I created this gluten-free, cheesy, garlicky and delicious side dish using gluten-free ingredients including Hidden Valley Ranch Cheese dressing. Not only does it add great flavour and some zip to salads and dips, it is also an easy way to add quick and easy flavor to this creamy vegetable side dish.

I love this dish pureed but you could mash it for a chunkier consistency. Be careful with how much sage you use -it's powerful stuff that can easily take over the flavor. Roasted garlic on the other hand is quite mellow so you can use a whole head of it without fear!

Pick butternut squashes that are heavy for their size.

Cut in half and scoop out seeds.

Lightly coat with olive oil, and sprinkle with spices & herbs.

Roast squash for about 40-45 minutes.

Puree squash with butter, gluten-free Hidden Valley Ranch cheese dressing,
garlic, ginger, salt and pepper.

Place your puree in a baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan and pumpkin seeds.

Bake until heated through.

Broil for a minute or two until cheese bubbles.

Your guests will love it!

Ingredients

2 medium to large butternut squash (about 6-7 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 head garlic, separated and peeled
1 tsp salt, divided in half
pepper
4 fresh sage leaves
8 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup Parmesan-reggiano, shredded, divided (2 tbsp for the puree and the rest sprinkled on top)
1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch Cheese dressing
1/3 cup unsalted and toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cut two butternut squashes in half lengthwise.
3. Scoop out seeds and discard.
4. Rub the olive oil over the cut flesh and skin of squash. 
5. Sprinkle cut flesh with salt and pepper. In the scooped out hole of the squash place a sage leaf, 2 twigs of thyme, and equally distribute the peeled garlic cloves.
6. Carefully, place the squash cut side down on a large baking sheet.
7. Roast in oven for approximately 45 minutes, until the thickest part of squashes are tender.
8. Let rest for 15 minutes to cool slightly.
9. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
10. Remove thyme but place sage, and garlic in blender or large bowl.
11. Scoop out squash and place in blender.
12. Add butter, Cheese Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, 2 tbsp Parmesan and 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp salt.
13. Puree mixture until smooth.
14. Place mixture in 9 or 10 inch baking dish with low sides.
15. Smooth squash and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and remaining Parmesan.
16. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and squash is warmed through.
17. Serve.

Hidden Valley Ranch products and other promotional consideration were received in exchange for providing the above recipe as part of a submission in a contest sponsored by Hidden Valley Ranch.

Hidden Valley Ranch Dressings are gluten-free.

Scalloped Potatoes with Boursin and Fontina Cheeses

So pretty! These are quite thin, thanks to the use of a mandoline.
A bit thicker would work too.

Warning: this is a dangerous recipe so continue only if you are willing to take the risk!

Or maybe just be smarter than me and use oven mitts and not a dish cloth - especially one not completely covering the ENTIRE handle of a cast iron pan! Who needs finger prints? It's not like I'm gonna break the law and need to be booked (is that even the right terminology??) and fingerprinted any time soon, right? 

This recipe is not one you want to make while on a diet...which means you'll probably be craving it when you are trying to count calories! It's creamy, delicious and contains mountains of potatoes and cheese - 'nough said.

Let it sit 15 or 20 minutes, if you can, before serving so it can set a bit. It is great the next day too.

If you don't have Boursin cheese, you can use cream cheese (one with garlic or chives would be good). 

Use a 10 inch cast iron pan that is about 2 inches high. If you use another type of baking dish keep it no deeper than 2 inches to ensure potatoes cook properly.

Ingredients

2 lbs small red potatoes
1 package boursin (or cream cheese)
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
1 small onion, chopped small
1 cup milk (not cream)
3 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Wash potatoes and thinly slice (1/8 inch) potatoes.
3. Place in cold water so they don't brown.
4. Saute onion in 10 inch cast iron pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp butter until translucent and just starting to brown.
5. Remove from pan.
6. Grease a baking dish (or if you are using a cast iron pan, just add butter to pan) with 1 tbsp of butter.
7. Drain your potatoes and dry them with paper towel.
8. Spread half of potatoes over bottom of baking dish.
9. Sprinkle 1/2 of onions, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese, and 1/2 tbsp of butter.
10. Layer the remaining potatoes over the first layer.
11. Add remaining salt, pepper, fontina, onions and butter.
12. In a small pot, bring milk to a simmer and add boursin.
13. Stir until melted.
14. Pour simmering milk mixture over potatoes.
15. Over medium heat, bring potatoes to a simmer.
16. Carefully place potatoes into preheated oven.
17. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. - milk will be absorbed, potatoes soft when pierced with a fork, and cheese browned. Remove carefully!! It will be HOT.

Pastry wrapped Brie stuffed with caramelized onions

This appetizer gets me more compliments than anything I have ever made. EVER. It's that good. But more importantly, it's easy. Well, ok, caramelizing the onions taking a bit of time but it's not complicated. Check out how to caramelize onions here. The great thing about brie and puff pastry is that you can add pretty much anything and it will be delicious. Jams, sauces, nuts, fruit will all work. You can serve it with bread, like I did here, or use crackers - heck a spoon will work too! In the pictures I added more onions and I love baking it in a cast iron pan because I can serve it in the pan. Let the cheese sit once once you take it out of the oven so it gets ooey and gooey.

Ingredients

1 egg

1 tbsp water 

All-purpose flour to cover work surface

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package puff pastry, thawed 

1 cup carmelized onions

1 (13- to 16-ounce) Brie cheese round

1 crusty baguette
clove of garlic, peeled (optional)
olive oil spray (optional)

Instructions

1. Defrost the puff pastry according to directions.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl.
4. Sprinkle the flour on the work surface. 
5. Roll the pastry sheet into an approximately 14-inch square. 
6. Gently take the brie and place in centre of pastry. Push gently and remove brie– you just want to see the indentation of the brie.
7. Spread the onions on the pastry within the impression you just made. 
8. Place brie on top of onions.
9. Spread more onions on top.
10. Fold the pastry up and over the cheese to cover. Trim the excess pastry and press to seal. 
11. Brush the seam with some of the egg mixture.
12. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet.
13. Brush all of pastry with the egg mixture.
14. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes (yes, 45 minutes).
15. Serve with thinly cut bread. To take it up a notch, cut the bread into 1 cm slices, rub with a clove of garlic, spray with a bit of olive oil and grill on medium heat until slightly charred. 

Corn Tortilla Casserole

Layers of deliciousness!

I love this casserole dish. It works with well with chicken or pork and you can use whatever veggies and cheeses you have on hand. I love using little dollops of cream cheese in the layers as it adds a great creamy texture. Of course depending on your spice tolerance level you can add or remove the jalapeños. 

If possible, I think this recipe tastes best if you can use home-made corn tortillas. They are infinitely better than store bought (at least the ones in shops near me!) and their texture stands up better if freezing or making ahead!

Adapted from a recipe by Cookin' Canuck.

Ingredients

2 large onion, diced

1 red bell peppers, diced

1 head of garlic, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups enchilada sauce

12 corn tortillas

2 cups cooked chicken meat or pulled pork, shredded or chopped

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1-2 jalapenos, finely diced

1 can (14 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

4 oz. cream cheese

2 cups shredded cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Using a non-stick pan, add cumin, paprika, garam masala, and salt.
3. Mix together and cook for 1 minute to release aromas.
4. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes (until translucent). Stir often so garlic does not burn.
5. Add cooked chicken, olives and beans and combine well.
6. Coat a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the dish.
7. Cover the bottom with 4 tortillas, tearing the tortillas as necessary to make them fit properly.
8. Spread 1/2 chicken mixture over the tortillas.
9. Sprinkle 1/3 of shredded cheese and dollop 1/3 of cream cheese over mixture
10. Top with 1/2 of the remaining enchilada sauce.
11. Add another layer of tortillas, chicken mixture and cheese.
12. Top with tortillas again and remaining sauce
13. Add remaining cheeses
14. Bake until sauce is bubbling around the sides of the dish about 40 to 45 minutes.
15. If cheese browns too quickly cover with foil
16. Remove from oven and cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Sauté your veggies, spices and meat.

Tear your tortillas to make them fit without a lot of overlapping.

You can make big family style portions or individual ones.

How to Make Ricotta Cheese

I love ricotta cheese - on bread, mixed with chocolate, sprinkled with herbs, in lasagna, in a lemon tart...ricotta is so versatile and delicious. But for most of us ricotta comes from a tub that we buy in our local grocery store. Some of us are lucky enough to buy fresh ricotta from specialty stores. But have you ever thought to make your own fresh ricotta at home? Why not? It's easy, fast and your taste buds will thank you.

You will need cheesecloth and colander.

Ingredients
4 cups 1% milk (or 2% or whole)
2 cups whipping or heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp white wine vinegar

What to do

1. Dampen cheesecloth and line a colander with it.
2. Place colander over a large bowl.
3. In a large sauce pan, bring the milk, cream and salt to a boil over medium heat. Stirring often to prevent burning.
4. Take off heat and add vinegar.
5. Let rest 2 minutes while mixture separates.
6. Pour mixture into colander.
7. Wait 30 minutes while liquid drains into bowl. You may want to run a spoon through it a couple of times to let the liquid escape.
8. Use immediately or place in air tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.