Thanksgiving Issue

[Carriefaith]

Cooking gluten stuffing in the turkey could make you quick sick. The turkey will be contaminated. I've been making variations of the gluten free stuffing recipe below ever since I was diagnosed and everyone always loves it. At Thanksgiving dinner this year, everyone loved it and said that they couldn't tell the difference between my stuffing and gluten stuffing.

Stuffing

* 4 shallots, minced

* 2 onions, diced

* 5 celery ribs, diced

* 5 carrots, diced

* 2-3 TB butter (I use soybean butter)

* 2 tbl dry sage

* 2 tbl dry thyme

* 2 tbl dry summer savory

* dash of pepper

* 1 cup white wine

* 1 loaf gluten-free bread, cubed (I use Kinnikinnick Italian white tapioca, thawed)

* 1 cup gluten-free chicken stock (I use 1 cup of Imagine chicken broth, or 2

cubes of McCormick chicken bouillon and 1 cup of water).

I put all vegetables in a food processor and I blend them until they are smooth.

Sauté the vegetables in the butter until they are soft. Add the seasonings and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the white wine, and continue cooking over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half. In a large bowl, mix the sautéed vegetables with the bread cubes, chicken stock, and parsley. Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes at 325̊ F.

Variations:

Add finely diced sausage or bacon bits to the sauté, or toss in diced chestnuts, apples, or raisins. For cornbread stuffing, try adding dried cranberries or toasted pecans.

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[Guest mlwaller]

Kate, how were you tested for all the intolerances? I was skin prick allergy tested in 1998 and allergic to nearly everything inhaled, eaten, etc. Skin biopsy for DH was not positive, then tested for celiac in 2000 (negative bloodwork). My daughter was biopsy proven celiac 1/2005 and I had gene testing and have 2 alleles for celiac. I went gluten-free with my daughter 1/2005 and skin has improved greatly but not completely. I don't know if I should go further with testing. Thanks for any input.

[cindyann]

Hi, I'm sorry, I didn't log out as my daughter, Megan, and replied to the previous message.

Cindy

[skbird]

This is interesting, I just went through this with my mom. She was trying to make it be ok to stuff the bird with regular stuff (for my brother) and I could just eat the breast, right? Outside of the bird? I couldn't get her to see the risk there so I took it up a notch - in my family I'm the one who makes the gravy, mainly because no one else wants to try for some silly reason. I said I couldn't have the gravy if the drippings came from a gluten-stuffed bird, which is not fair to me, so I wouldn't make it if that was the case. Suddenly, my mom has heard of this new recipe where the turkey is cooked at a higher temp, and no stuffing. There will be a dish of stuffing made for my brother, drizzled with some of the drippings, and a dish of wild rice stuffing made by me, ready for a good dipper-full of gravy... Mmmmmm...

Anyway, I'm glad it all worked out for you and your husband. I know what a cost it is to not have stuffing from inside the bird - my favorite, but these are the breaks...

Stephanie

[debmidge]

Glad it worked out, have a nice Thanksgiving.

[jnclelland]

This is interesting, I just went through this with my mom. She was trying to make it be ok to stuff the bird with regular stuff (for my brother) and I could just eat the breast, right? Outside of the bird? I couldn't get her to see the risk there so I took it up a notch - in my family I'm the one who makes the gravy, mainly because no one else wants to try for some silly reason. I said I couldn't have the gravy if the drippings came from a gluten-stuffed bird, which is not fair to me, so I wouldn't make it if that was the case. Suddenly, my mom has heard of this new recipe where the turkey is cooked at a higher temp, and no stuffing. There will be a dish of stuffing made for my brother, drizzled with some of the drippings, and a dish of wild rice stuffing made by me, ready for a good dipper-full of gravy... Mmmmmm...

Anyway, I'm glad it all worked out for you and your husband. I know what a cost it is to not have stuffing from inside the bird - my favorite, but these are the breaks...

Stephanie

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, the gravy thing was going to be my next argument! Wild rice stuffing sounds yummy; would you be willing to share your recipe?

Jeanne

[christianne]

This is my first posting so please bear with me. I completely understand and sympathize with anyone with celiac disease during the holidays. I am blessed with an amazing step-mother who is not only a fabulous cook but very supportive. My biological mother will barely acknowledge the disease (but that's neither here nor there, it's an old complaint on this board).

My two cents. I, because I am somewhat stubborn, always search out recipes that are "naturally" gluten-free. Thanksgiving is now fairly simple for me. Cook's Illustrated has a fantastic cornbread recipe (in "The Best Recipe") that has been my life saver:

Southern Cornbread

4 tsps bacon drippings or 1 tsp veggie oil plus 1 tbsp butter

1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

2 tsps sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup rapidly boiling water

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 large egg, beaten lightly

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and eat oven to 450 degrees. Set 8-inch cast-iron skillet with bacon fat ot veggie oil in heating oven.

2. Measure 1/3 cup cornmeal into medium bowl. Whisk remaining cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in small bowl; set aside.

3. Pour boiling water all at once into the 1/3 cup cornmeal; stir to make a stiff mash. Whisk in buttermilk gradually, then whisk in egg. When oven is preheated and skillet very hot, stir dry ingredients into mush mixture until just moistened. Carefully remove skillet from oven. Pour hot bacon fat from pan into batter and stir to incorporate, then quickly pour batter into heated skillet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 mins. Remove from oven and instantly turn cornbread onto wire rack; cool for 5 mins, then serve immediately.

I believe this could be substituted in most recipes for bread. Cook's Illustrated has an amazing Cornbread and Sausage stuffing recipe that we make every year. Just make sure you break the bread into pieces and heat the pieces to dry them out a bit.

A few more tips:

1) To get around stuffing the turkey but getting the benefit of the juices in the stuffing, take a pair of food scissors and cut the back bone out of the turkey. That will allow you to lay the entire breast on a SLOTTED pan top that is on top of the stuffing pan. (Another Cook's Illustrated idea). This also ensures that the turkey is completely cooked as well as the stuffing and noone gets ill.

2) Good cornmeal is key to good cornbread. My rec is: Logan Turnpike Mills. They have a website and will ship. Their number is: 1-800-84-GRITS. The yellow cornmeal is what you want. Do NOT get the "mixes" - those will not be gluten-free.

3) Lodge makes cast iron skillets and Ace Hardware sells them. They are very cheap but you must season the skillet before use. the directions are on the label, but essentially you will smear the skillet with crisco and cook the pan for about 30 mins. I love my cast iron skillet - not just cause I am Southern

I hope this is helpful. The holidays should be enjoyable for EVERYONE and no one should have to eat a less than stellar dinner.

Christianne

[jknnej]

Thanks for that recipe! I LOVE cornbread and haven't had any in a year since I went gluten-free. I really appreciate it and will try it for Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day to all!

[jerseyangel]

Christianne--Thanks for the great ideas, and welcome to the board!

[blueshift]

For a gluten free, flour free carrot cake, do as they do in India.

1.) One pound of carrots

2.) One quart of milk

3.) Raisins (any amount)

4.) Chopped walnuts

5.) Honey

Use a food processor and turn the carrots into as fine a mesh as possible. Place it into a deep stir-fry pan and add the milk.... Mix....

Cook on the stove until the milk all boils away....an hour or so. Sir frequently throughout the cooking process.

Mix in the honey at the end..

Then add the walnuts and raisins and organize the remains into cup cake shapes if you like or simply throw everything into a casserole dish.

Bake at 350* for about 20 minutes

Allow to cool and put in the fridge overnight.

I plan on bringing a lot of my own food to Thanksgiving dinner. If someone in my family fails to realize my condition, I cut ties with that person and I come close to decking whoever doesn't realize it. They know I have had 2 surgeries and we have others in the family that are wheat/gluten intolerant.

[jerseyangel]

The cake sounds really good. Would rice milk work as a sub. for the milk?

[melisadki]

I am having this same issue with my MIL she just has to have the stuffing in the turkey. It really pisses me off that she cant make it on the side. She did agree to cut some breast off and cook it seperatly......Gee thanks. I really dont even feel like eating Thursday. I already havent been able to eat much the past few days cause of nausea and was really looking forward to some turkey.

Well I got two places to go and I am sure my brother doesnt stuff the turkey so I will eat there.

Have a nice holiday everyone. Now if I can find a gluten free pumpkin pie recipe I will be all set.

[blueshift]

The cake sounds really good. Would rice milk work as a sub. for the milk?

Rice milk should do fine. I have done it with cow's milk, soy milk and, if memory serves right, rice milk as well..