Restaurant Review: P.F. Chang's

Oh.My.God. For nearly a year I've been craving Chinese food....I'd made some at home with store-bought sauces....but nothing tastes as good as take-out (where there is no effort on my part).

The P.F. Chang's GF menu has several options. We sampled three things: The chicken lettuce wraps, beef with broccoli and spicy chicken.

 Everything was delicious. For one appetizer and two entrees (all gluten-free) our bill was around $40. We got two LARGE meals out of this....so overall, it's not a bad deal. I highly recommend trying out the GF P.F. Chang's options!

Delicious corn cakes with steak and pan-roasted tomatoes

This recipe for corn cakes is from Real Simple (July 2011). These were FANTASTIC! Exactly what I'd been craving - carbs, hearty - yet light, great texture and flavor and something different. I had been feeling in a cooking rut. I was really tired of the same old meals, the same old flavors.

This recipe can be simple (just the corn cakes with  a jarred salsa for topping) or more labor intensive (like I made it, with all the above pictured toppings).

Ingredients for the cakes:
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
s/p
3/4 cup GF all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 large egg
1 cup corn kernels (plus more for serving, if desired)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the milk, egg and 1 Tbsp. of oil.

 

Whisk together the wet ingredients, then incorporate the dry ingredients. Stir in the corn.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a large skillet, working in batches, drop heaping 1/4 cup portions of batter into the skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through. 

 

Serve the corn cakes with corn, sour cream, salsa, cheese, avocado, lime, cilantro, etc. 

For this meal, I served them as a side dish to skirt steak with pan-roasted tomatoes.

 

Enchilada hotdish

Luke refers to this dish as Mexican Lasagna....because it has layers, sauce, meat, cheese.....he has a point.

Ingredients:

24 small corn tortillas
1 pound ground beef
1 package Old El Paso taco seasoning
1/2 large white onion, diced
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 small jar of salsa verde or green enchilada sauce
4 cups of cheese (I used 2 cups pepper jack and 2 cups of colby jack)
1 can refried beans

Directions:
Brown hamburger and mix in taco seasoning according to package directions. Set aside.

In a 9x13 baking dish, layer tortillas to cover the bottom. Spread with refried beans (as thick as you'd like) and sprinkle with 1 cup of pepper jack cheese. Layer with more tortillas. Spread out the diced tomatoes and diced onion and sprinkle with cheese. Layer with more tortillas. Spread on the taco beef and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Layer with more tortillas. Pour salsa verde or enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle on the last cup of cheese.

Bake until edges of tortillas are crispy and cheese is all melted.

Product review: Udi's Hamburger Buns

 

I waited (somewhat patiently) for months for these! They were worth the wait. I had been craving a burger (a REAL burger - on a bun) for so long. These made me so happy. I hope they are around for the long run....and not a seasonal thing.....I might cry if they disappear.

Angus O'brien

Yum. Hotdish. Hotdish time of year is nearing a close...as the weather gets warmer we need less comfort foods....well....maybe not.

This is a simple one, and I've found awesome GF replacements for all ingredients.

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (or box of Pacific Brands GF) cream of chicken soup
1 can (or box of Pacific Brands GF) cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 bag of shredded hash browns (1 1/2 pound)
2 cups shredded colby jack or cheddar jack cheese
1 small can of French fried onions (or a small bag of Funyuns - which are GF)

Directions:
Brown hamburger, season with salt and pepper, drain. Add cream soups and milk. Grease the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Spread the hash browns in the bottom and then top with the meat and soup mixture. Top with the shredded cheese and the fried onions. Cover with foil and back for one hour at 375 degrees.

GF Lasagna

Yummmmmmmm. I must say, this was awesome. Probably the best lasagna ever. I had been anxious to try GF lasagna but had a really difficult time finding GF noodles. Whole Foods, Lunds, Trader Joe's and Rainbow were out of the one or two brands they carried for weeks and weeks. I looked weekly for 2 months before I found a box at Whole Foods. I bought several. I used DeBoles for this recipe - which was super easy, as they are the kind you don't have to boil first. I will be making this again - yay!

Ingredients:
1 box DeBoles lasagna noodles
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 package of Hormel (GF) pepperoni (quartered)
1 green pepper, diced
1 small jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I used Newman's Own tomato basil marinara)
1 (15 oz) container of ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 cups Italian cheese blend (shredded)
s/p

Directions:
Brown the ground beef, season with salt and pepper (LOTS of freshly ground pepper), drain. Add diced onion, green pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Saute a few minutes until green peppers get a little soft. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and pepperoni. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese and egg. Add some salt and parsley (or any other seasoning you like).

In a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, begin building the layers. Start with some of the meat mixture, then top with noodles. Top noodles with half the ricotta mixture, layer more noodles, then more meat mixture (sprinkle some of the shredded cheese atop the meat) and layer until meat and cheese mixtures are all used.

Top with more shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until noodles are cooked through - according to package directions.

Enjoy!

Tater tot hotdish

Yummm! I love this hotdish in the winter.....it is so warm, filling and satisfying. Nummy. I have really been wanting hotdishes since going gluten-free....but they are a little tricky. Most Midwestern hotdishes involve condensed soup....which can be hard to find. I found a great brand that I like, and it isn't too expensive.  For this hotdish I used Pacific brand soup. When purchasing tater tots, be sure to check the ingredients - even though the primary ingredient is potato, some brands will be coated in flour for a crispy coating when they bake. I used Trader Joe's brand, but Ore Ida are GF as well, here is a list of all the GF products from Heinz.

Ingredients:
1 pound of lean ground beef
1/2 package frozen mixed vegetables
1 box/can of condensed cream of chicken or mushroom soup
1 package frozen tater tots
1 can/jar of mushrooms

Directions:
Brown hamburger, season with salt and pepper, drain. Mix in soup, frozen veggies and mushrooms. Heat through. Transfer to a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Top with frozen tater tots and bake at 375 degrees until tater tots are crispy brown (30-40 minutes).

 

Namaste GF Pizza

I wasn't super impressed with this crust, there were herbs mixed in and the flavor just didn't do it for me. The texture wasn't great, but not awful either. Pizza is mostly about the cheese and toppings (for me)anyway, but I'd like the crust to be a little better tasting. I am anxious to try another brand soon.  This dough might make great foccacia, though, with the herbs already mixed in...just bake and baste with butter and dip in marinara.....there's a thought!

This mix is really easy, you just add water, eggs and then spread on the pan and bake.

Taco night

Luke and I used to have taco night all the time, we would use the packets of taco seasoning and either ground beef or canned chicken. This time I decided to make my own taco seasoning. It tasted good, but the aroma was to die for. I love the smell of spicy seasonings and onion sizzling. So yummy.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 small white onion, diced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chilli powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. onion powder
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of tabasco
1/2 tsp. corriander
assorted taco toppings and either hard or soft gluten-free shells

Directions:
Brown ground beef in a large skillet, drain. Add diced onion, cilantro and other seasonings.  Add a Tbsp of water if needed to keep it from drying out.

Review: The Blue Door Pub

Oh my gosh. I love burgers so much, and this place served me the best burger of my life! I highly recommend checking out the Blue Door, if you like burgers - you'll love it.

Here is their website: http://www.thebluedoorpubmn.com/

They specialize in a MN favorite - the stuffed burger (the cheese is INSIDE the burger) - Genius. Luke sampled the "Blucy" which is a bleu cheese stuffed burger and I had the Luau - which was stuffed with mozzarella and Canadian bacon and topped with pineapple. Again, genius.

We had really good service, though we did have to wait for awhile to get a table. It was a Friday night and the restaurant is small - so be prepared to wait.  However, the food was served pretty quickly for the amount of customers they had in the queue. 

The only "disappointment" (and I can't even really call it a disappointment) was the fried pickles.  They were still good.....just not up to the standard set by the Chatterbox Pub. You really can't go wrong with pickles. 

Here are some fabulous pics of the food:
Fried pickles

Luau burger:

The blucy

Hamburger Stroganoff

I loved this meal growing up, and now frequently make it. This is my mom's recipe, it's so creamy and rich....and heavy! One helping of this and you'll be full and happy.

 Beef Stroganoff

1 pound ground beef
1 small can of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 package wide egg noodles
s/p

Prepare egg noodles according to package instructions. Brown beef, drain.  Add the can of soup and 1/2 can of water, mix. Stir in the can of mushrooms. Heat thru. Stir in sour cream, heat for an additional minute or two and serve on top of noodles.

Enchiladas

I've made this recipe with both ground beef and chicken and it's delicious either way.  You can buy red or green enchilada sauce at the grocery store making this a super easy recipe. I've never tried making homemade sauce, but have been told it's also quite simple.  I usually serve this with Spanish rice or chips and salsa.

Here is my basic recipe:

Enchiladas
1 lb. ground beef
1 can (16 oz.) enchilada sauce - be sure to check if it's hot or mild (La Victoria brand red enchilada sauce is gluten-free: http://www.lavictoria.com/products/enchilada-sauce/)
2-3 cups shredded cheese - any blend you like
1 small can diced green chilies - drained
12 large gluten-free tortilla shells



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown beef, season with salt and pepper, drain. Pour 2/3 the enchilada sauce over the meat and add half the cheese.  When cheese is melted, stir in the chilies.  Lay out the tortillas. Place 3-4 tablespoons of mixture in the middle, roll up the tortilla, lay in a lightly greased 9x11 pan, seam side down. When all tortillas are in pan, pour remaining sauce on top and sprinkle the leftover cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes until all cheese is melted and tortillas start to crisp up. 

Meatball sammies

This recipe originally came from Rachael Ray, but we modified it a little bit.  My mom and I made them this past weekend.....We didn't toast the bread, which was an error on our part....I would recommend toasting it, as the un-toasted bread got soggy really fast. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, pork and veal mix (we just used beef, would also be good with sausage)
• 2/3 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (we used Parmesan)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons grated onion
• A splash whole milk
• 1/2 tablespoon rubbed or ground sage
• Fresh nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for generous drizzling
• 8 deli slices mild or sharp provolone cheese
• 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• A few leaves fresh basil, torn
• A pinch dried oregano or marjoram
• 4 gluten-free rolls or 1/4 large gf loaf, split and warmed or toasted 

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, combine the meat mixture, breadcrumbs, parsley, Pecorino Romano, egg, garlic, onion, milk and sage; season with nutmeg, salt and lots of pepper. Form the mixture into 4 patties (thinner at the center and thicker at the edges for even cooking).

Drizzle the burgers all over with a liberal amount of EVOO. Place in the hot skillet and cook, turning once, for 10 minutes. Top each burger with 2 slices of provolone and tent with foil to melt.

While the burgers are working, in a medium saucepan, heat the tomatoes. Stir in the basil and oregano; season with salt and pepper.

Place the burgers on the roll bottom, then top with the sauce and roll tops.

mini-meatloaves

Luke and I bought a 1/4 cow from our friend Christa's family farm.....I have been making a lot of beef dishes since then - we have a freezer full of ground beef and steaks.  I love it.  We always have meat on hand and there are so many things you can do with ground beef.  This was my first time ever making meatloaf and it was awesome.  I added grated onion (as the juices enhance the onion flavor better than chopping), worchestershire, A1 sauce, ground pepper, egg and salt.  I made brown gravy (omit or use gluten-free gravy mix) to go over the meatloaf and roasted parsnips and green beans for sides.  So good!

Spiced beef empanadas

This is one of my new favorites.

I got this recipe from Real Simple magazine a few months ago.  I've already made it several times. It is easy (although a little time consuming) and so delicious.  

Spiced Beef Empanadas:

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
s/p
2 store-bought refrigerated rolled piecrusts (I get GF ones from BitterSweet Bakery)
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. lime zest

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium head. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 6 minutes.  Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the raisins, ketchup, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

Using a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter (or biscut cutter) to cut out circles from the piecrusts. Divide the beef mixture among the circles, brush the edges with water, fold in half, and press with a fork to seal.  Transfer to a baking sheet and brush with the egg. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Put the sour cream in a small bowl and sprinkle with the lime zest. Serve with the empanadas.