Learning How To Cook

[blueeyedmanda]

Hi guys-

I have been starting to cook more made from scratch meals. Its only my husband and I and I do a lot of marinated chickens but I am missing side dish ideas. If you guys would post some of your ideas and recipes that would be great.

I am looking for sauce recipes--like garlic herb, or butter herb, parm sauces.

I would love to hear any great main dishes you might have as well.

I am starting to enjoy it and I am open to all sorts of ideas. We are only gluten-free free if that helps. I know this board is filled with some great cooks and people who are very skilled at converting recipes over--I am sadly not one of those people. So please help me!!!!!

Thanks

[Jestgar]

Manda, are you only gluten-free?

[stolly]

I make a very easy parmesan/alfredo sauce for my daughter. Melt butter in a pan, add parmesan cheese, heavy cream (we're calorie boosting for her, you could sub milk), garlic powder (or fresh minced) and a dash of pepper. I don't measure (which is unlike me) because it's so easy, I just do it to taste. You can pair this with pasta, pour it over chicken, or you could make a fettucine alfredo with chicken and broccoli. I toss the pasta in the pan so it's well coated with the sauce.

I love Open Original Shared Link for crockpot recipes. The author's daughter has celiac so all (except maybe a handful) are gluten free. There are 366 recipes from 2008, and she continues to post some recipes in 2009. We love the maple dijon chicken.

I will try to think of some other ideas. Do you like eggplant?

[babysteps]

check out '30 minute meal' type recipe books, they have a lot of great, easy ideas.

If you can have cream, it's a great sauce builder since it thickens as it heats. Other gluten-free ways to a nice thick sauces include cornstarch or arrowroot powder (definitely for the cornstarch make a 'slurry' first with a little liquid, then mix in with your sauce).

In grad school I started doing mustard chicken with fresh green beans, I would put milk, mustard and some cracked black pepper in a pan, add slightly pounded chicken breast, add the beans when I turned the chicken over, then thicken the sauce at the end (after taking out the chicken & beans) if you like. Can serve with any starch side, I usually did rice.

Have fun exploring!

[blueeyedmanda]

Manda, are you only gluten-free?

Yep

[SunnyDyRain]

I know this is really late, but there is a gluten free cooking course offered TONIGHT at our Wegmans! Maybe they will have it again.

We normally buy marinades and salad dressings to do that sort of stuff.

We really need the cooking class!

Anna

[Wonka]

You can make really easy pan sauces for any sauted meat, in a mix of olive oil and a bit of butter for flavour (I mostly saute thin slices of chicken, or slices of pork tenderloin that I have pounded thin) . Here are a few that I like.

1/2 cup chicken stock (store bought is OK)

lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon

1 Tbsp capers

1 Tbsp cold butter (add to pan, off the heat, once the above ingredients have slightly reduced, about 2-3 minutes tops)

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup masala wine

1/4 cup whipping cream

Add to hot pan, scrape bits off of bottom and reduce until a bit thicker

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 Tbsp mango chutney

1 Tbsp cold butter (as above)

I would serve any of the above with roasted potatoes (toss in olive oil, s&p and roast at 425F for about 20-30 minutes) and a simple steamed vegetable.

You can do some really simple things to liven up vegetables. I like zucchini, sliced thin, and sauted with garlic then at the end (on a few minutes tops) a squeeze of fresh lemon and some torn leaves of fresh basil.

Asparagus is excellent roasted with olive oil, s&p in a hot oven (425F) for about 5 minutes then tossed with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a shaving of parmesan cheese.

Heavenly. Many vegetables are excellent roasted: cauliflower, broccoli (keep an eye on this though as the end can burn), carrots, parsnips, beets, sweet potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, brussels sprouts. Just toss them with some olive oil, salt and pepper and they are simple but very good.

I like to do brussels sprouts by slicing them thin (this can be done in the food processor). I start by toasting chopped hazelnuts, remove them from the pan. Add some oil and throw in the brussels sprouts, with some salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes or till they don't look raw. Toss the nuts on and a bit of maple syrup and they are ready to eat.

Hope you find some of this helpful.

[N.Justine]

Hi guys-

I have been starting to cook more made from scratch meals. Its only my husband and I and I do a lot of marinated chickens but I am missing side dish ideas. If you guys would post some of your ideas and recipes that would be great.

I am looking for sauce recipes--like garlic herb, or butter herb, parm sauces.

I would love to hear any great main dishes you might have as well.

I am starting to enjoy it and I am open to all sorts of ideas. We are only gluten-free free if that helps. I know this board is filled with some great cooks and people who are very skilled at converting recipes over--I am sadly not one of those people. So please help me!!!!!

Thanks

most traditional sauce recipes are already gluten-free (at least the ones not skimping on time by adding thickeners)

as for main dishes, again, vegetable, meat products, dairy products, they are gluten-free

as for things like bread crumbs -- gluten-free flour works well in many cases, so do corn flake (or other flake cereals), also, a great use for gluten-free bread after its even to dry to toast -- gluten-free bread crumbs

[irish daveyboy]

Hi guys-

I have been starting to cook more made from scratch meals. Its only my husband and I and I do a lot of marinated chickens but I am missing side dish ideas. If you guys would post some of your ideas and recipes that would be great.

I am looking for sauce recipes--like garlic herb, or butter herb, parm sauces.

I would love to hear any great main dishes you might have as well.

I am starting to enjoy it and I am open to all sorts of ideas. We are only gluten-free free if that helps. I know this board is filled with some great cooks and people who are very skilled at converting recipes over--I am sadly not one of those people. So please help me!!!!!

Thanks

.

Hi Manda,

If you like seeing what to make (ie. Video) with an ingredients list and printed method,

then go to my profile check out my 'about me section'

you can link to all my Sites there.

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Best Regards,

David

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