Two Questions...

[Guest spruette]

I need help with a couple of things. While shopping for nacho cheese, I have learned there is very little without "modified food starch". I saw in my dietician's paperwork to use velveta. My husband and I melted the cheese with some salsa (gluten-free) and it tasted HORRIBLE. Sorry, but it had such a thick consistancy and a terrible after taste. I don't really know how to cook velveta. If this is my only choice, then how do I make it taste good and not be so "gluey".

Also, about sweet rice flour. Is there much difference between that and white rice flour? I have a cookbook by Bette Hagman and she keeps mentioning sweet rice flour. I can't find this anywhere, and wonder if my white rice flour may do the trick?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[lovegrov]

Even if "nacho cheese" (not sure exactly what you're talking about) has MFS in the ingredients, all you have to do is check with the manufacturer. The vast majority of MFS does not have gluten. I personally like the melted Velveeta, esecially when you toss in some hot sausage or other things.

Sweet rice flour is not nearly as gritty as white rice flour. I highly prefer it. You can find it at an Asian store and perhaps even in the Asian section of a regular grocery store.

richard

[KaitiUSA]

Yes not everything with MFS had gluten. Just call the manufacturer. Kraft products as you alreayd know by not list wheat,rye,barley,oats right on the label if they contain it. I bring my cell in the store and call about products all the time that I don't know about. I'm sure there are alot of options for you that are gluten-free.

[brdbntL]

If you add a can of Ro-tel it cuts down on glueness and adds a nice zing. You could use salsa if you don't like Ro-tel. Also you can cut hte thickness with milk.

[lotusgem]

Hi, Spruette. Sweet rice flour, as mentioned above is a much more finely ground product as well as being made from a different kind of rice than the normal rice flour. It has a higher starch content. For use as a thickening agent it is excellent. Be sure to mix it with a little cold water in a separate bowl before adding it to whatever it is that you want to thicken. Ener-G is a company that makes sweet rice flour which is usually found in health food stores. My source of sweet rice flour comes from the Oriental section of one of the grocery stores in my area. It is used by Japanese cooks and is called Mochiko, which I believe is actually the Japanese term for sweet rice flour. You might request it at any market in your town that has a particularly good Oriental section.

[cdford]

We use Pace salsa and add grated cheese and a tablespoon or so of milk. It comes out well enough that I can't keep the ingredients in stock around here. Be sure to cover the bowl in the microwave or you can get a mess really quickly. We usually nuke it for a minute, stir, then cook for another minute.

[Guest spruette]

Wow!! What awesome suggestions, everyone! Thank you so much. My husband loves pace picante sauce, so that one will do over well in here. I was wondering while eating it. "Should I have added milk to this?" It just seemed like it was supposed to have some. Cooking is new to me. With being gluten free, it is (i'm finding) a neccessity to avoid high grocery bills to cook some of the stuff myself.

The sweet rice flour sounds great. I had cooked a chicken casserole that she had in her book with white rice flour as a substitute. I didn't care for it and now I think I understand why. I will have to try it again soon.

We live in a country setting where there aren't a whole lot of special food stores. We drive in about 40 miles to the nearest "regular" grocery store that has ANYTHING gluten free. The gluten free flours and such. The nearest health foods and organic stores are further. Thinking about some "mail order" stuff? Not sure.

Thanks so much everyone! ALL, and I mean ALL of your responses were incredibly helpful!!! I appreciate it completely. I hope you don't mind me coming here and asking many more obvious questions. I never was a cook before, but I am really enjoying this new hobby. Thanks!

[lovegrov]

Great reminder on the Ro-tel. And it's gluten-free!!

richard

[cdford]

I live fairly close to a grocery store with a good specialty section containing gluten-free items. It is most often still cheaper to mail order unless I need something right now.

Your cooking skills will increase rapidly with experience. You will probably find that you actually enjoy it more and are able to maintain the diet more easily.