Celiac.com 11/22/2012 - Thanksgiving is upon us once again, and celiac.com is again offering gluten-free information, tips and recipes to help make your gluten-free Thanksgiving and holiday celebrations a smooth and delicious success!

If you are planning a gluten-free turkey dinner at home, these helpful tips will make your work easier:

• First, always make sure you buy a 100% gluten-free turkey for your holiday dinner. Don't assume your turkey is gluten-free. Numerous brands use gluten when processing their turkeys, so be sure to read the label, and to make sure there is no hidden gluten in any of the ingredients.
• Check our extensive list of safe gluten-free foods and ingredients, along with gluten-free shopping guides to make gluten-free shopping easier.
• Brining is a great way to prepare your gluten-free turkey that will leave your guests quizzing you about your secrets to such a moist, savory bird.
• For those of you who plan a smaller Thanksgiving, consider this recipe for stuffed Cornish Game Hens. Remember, you can also brine the game hens for a extra-moist, flavorful birds.
• Next, make sure to prepare a gluten-free stuffing! Don't risk cross-contamination by putting gluten-based bread or stuffing ingredients in your turkey. Gluten-free stuffing is a holiday staple that keeps them coming back for more. Be sure to check out Celiac.com's recipe for our tried and true gluten-free holiday stuffing that will keep your guests happily coming back for seconds.
• You can find some alternative stuffing recipes on celiac.com's forum.
• Be sure to prepare gluten-free gravy. If you don't want to prepare your own, be sure to use a gluten-free gravy mix.
• Thicken homemade gravy with either corn starch, tapioca or arrowroot flour. Be careful: Bouillon cubes often contain wheat or gluten, so make sure to use only gluten-free bouillon cubes.
• Lastly, ordering gluten-free baking ingredients and other hard-to-find items, like prepared gluten-free pies, ahead of time will help you to spend less time cooking and more time with friends and family. Many excellent prepared gluten-free products can be ordered online and delivered directly to your door from places like the Gluten-Free Mall. Your purchases there will directly support the celiac awareness and support mission of Celiac.com.

Here's a recipe for a delicious variation on traditional mashed potatoes:

Roasted Garlic Chive Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
5 large russet potatoes (about 4½ pounds), peeled and cut into chunks
1 head of garlic (8-10 cloves), roasted
1 cup fresh cream, warmed
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Use a knife to cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, and wrap in foil. Place in oven at 400 degrees F, and roast for about 30 minutes, until cloves are soft.

While garlic is roasting, wash and peel potatoes and cut into 6 chunks each.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt to a large pot of water, add potatoes and boil until the potatoes are soft (about 25-30 minutes).

When garlic is soft, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Once cool, place garlic on a plate and use a wooden spoon to squeeze roasted garlic out of the clove.

When potatoes are done, strain them into a colander and let stand for 5 minutes to allow them to steam dry over the pot they were cooked in.

Mash the potatoes.

Stir in the cream, butter, roasted garlic, thyme and chives, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

For a sure-fire dessert hit, serve up some Classic Gluten-free Holiday Pumpkin Pie.

Round out your gluten-free dinner with gluten-free side dishes from Celiac.com's extensive listing of gluten-free recipes. Meanwhile, be sure to check out these other gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes that will help make your holiday dinner a success:

• Spiced Pumpkin Soup
• Red Pepper Pumpkin Seeds
• Cranberry Sauce with Ginger and Raisins (Gluten-Free)
• Roasted Acorn Squash (Gluten-Free)
• Butternut Squash Soup with Apples (Gluten-Free)
• Baked Apples (Gluten-Free)

In addition to our ever-popular recipe for Classic Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie, we offer this delicious recipe for gluten-free Ginger Crust Pumpkin Pie.

Whether you plan on dining at home, dining out, or dining at a friend or relative's house, check these web sites for helpful gluten-free tips and information:

• Ali Demeritte's blog entry: The Dinner Party Drama—Two Guidelines to Assure a Pleasant Gluten-Free Experience.
• Danna Korn's article: Venturing Out of the House: Restaurant Realities.
• Aimee Eiguren's blog entry: Eating Out Gluten-Free and Without Fear.
• Chef Daniel Moran's article: Traveling and Eating Gluten-Free at Restaurants.
• Chef Daniel Moran's article: Traveling and Eating Gluten-Free Meals at Small or Moving Restaurants.
• HuffingtonPost
• Gluten-free Goddess
• Pinterest
• PNW Local News