Blue Cheese and Carmelized Onion Burgers on a GF Bun

My doctor recently told me I needed to eat more foods that are rich in both iron and vitamin B12...what I chose to hear was "You need to eat more red meat." As you can see by my posts, my love affair with caramelized onions and blue cheese has grown tremendously in recent months. The irony is that until a year ago, I wouldn't even touch blue cheese with my XC ski pole. Moldy, smelly cheese? Isn't that what we are trying to avoid? My mom convinced me that my grown-up tastes would enjoy the flavor, so I gave it a try...and go figure, as is usually the case, mom is right. Regardless, after a long day of XC skiing in Wisconsin, a home-cooked burger topped with savory onions and creamy blue cheese, sweet potato fries and my favorite chopped salad were exactly what the doctor ordered. Enjoy!

A colorful chopped salad is always a welcome (and healthy!) addition to any meal

Caramelized onions and blue cheese are pure heaven on a burger

Burger Ingredients

2 pounds 80/20 Ground Beef

1 teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoons Black Pepper
your choice of hot sauce, to taste

BBQ Sauce
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Red Onion, Sliced
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
¼ cups Real Mayonnaise
Kaiser Rolls/Gluten Free Burger Buns (I used one from Rose’s Bakery, amazing!)
1 cup Crumbled Blue Cheese
lettuce

Preparation Instructions

Place the ground beef into a medium mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. With your hands, mix the meat and seasoning well. Set aside.

Next, for the onions, heat a medium skillet over low heat. Add in 2 tablespoons butter. Dump in the sliced red onions. Now add 2 generous tablespoons brown sugar. Give it a toss to combine the ingredients, and then allow the onions to caramelize over low heat for about twenty minutes, tossing occasionally.

While the onions are caramelizing, make the spicy mayo: Place ¼ cup mayonnaise into a small bowl and simply add dashes of your favorite hot sauce and BBQ sauce. Stir together and test for taste.

Next, slice the Kaiser rolls in half and place them face down on a grill pan, skillet or under a low broiler. Lightly grill the rolls so they’ll be tough enough to hold the spicy mayo. Let the rolls cool on a plate until you need them.

Form the meat into four patties and place on a grill pan or skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Allow each to cook about 4 minutes. Flip the burger and cook it for a couple of minutes.

Now add a large helping of caramelized onions over top of the patty, followed by an equally generous helping of crumbled blue cheese.

As it finishes cooking, spread the spicy mayo on the Kaiser rolls and transfer the burger onto the bottom half of the bun (the spicy may mixture is great for the sweet potato fries as well). Top with a handful of greens and other half of the bun and enjoy!

Apple, Caramelized Onion and Cheddar Cheese GF Pizza

One of my all-time favorite restaurants is Verdi's in Marco Island, Florida. The owners, Lisa and Guy (the chef) Verdi are two of the friendliest and coolest people I've met. Every time I visit Marco Island, I demand we make a stop there. Without consulting me, Lisa and Guy did something very crazy and sold the restaurant a year ago. Luckily for us all, they opened up another restaurant called Guy and Lisa’s Philly Grille. Yesterday, my mom told me about a pizza she had from there that had brie, caramelized onions, garlic and granny smith apples. Ummm, hello divine intervention. In came the inspiration for my next GF pizza creation. And in a nod to the timeless pairing, this pizza is best enjoyed with Green's Gluten Free beer! Enjoy!

My captive audience was especially enraptured with the wonderful smells of this pizza!

Pizza Ingredients (Prep time: 20 minutes)

• GF Pizza Crust (purchased at Rose's Bakery in Evanston) or homemade pizza crust
• 1 Red Onion
• 2 TBSP of Brown Sugar
• 1 cup of shaved "Wisconsin's Finest" Cheddar Cheese (Josh paid me to say that!)
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• Olive Oil
• Salt/Pepper
• 5 slices of regular Bacon, chopped (staying in the spirit of Wisconsin (Go Packers!) try Nueske's Applewood Smoked Bacon)
• 1 Granny Smith Apple, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 500 degrees (My par-baked premade GF crust is baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. I like my crust extra crispy, so I tend to bake it for the full 12 minutes. Regardless, just watch the crust).

Heat two (2) tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and brown sugar and cook until onions are brown and soft. Set aside.

If you are using homemade pizza dough, roll it out to a rectangular shape. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on your dough of choice, sprinkle a little salt and pepper. 

Sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese. Next, arrange caramelized onions over the top of the cheese. Then, sprinkle your bacon over the onions. Randomly lay your apple slices over the top of everything - lightly salt and pepper and sprinkle the pizza with your garlic. Lastly, add the rest of the cheddar cheese over the entire pizza.


Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the lower half of the oven or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven and cut. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Celebrations!

This past weekend, my siblings and I along with a few friends celebrated my second oldest brother's 40th birthday. I've always admired B. He's successful, intelligent, passionate, fun and most importantly, an amazing father to four beautiful children and devoted husband to his equally amazing wife. Somehow, he manages to balance it all (and did I mention he also coaches a gazillion soccer teams?!), which made the surprise party with family and friends that much more fun (he was too busy to even contemplate a party...although he almost caused a catastrophe by 'canceling' the food order!). On a personal level, he's always been there for me and has been a wonderful brother my whole life, despite our age difference.  Needless to say, I was excited to be included in the celebratory plans and wanted to contribute a few appetizers for his big event. Enjoy these French Onion Stuffed Mushrooms and Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip on any occasion!

Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip (Prep time: 15 mins) 

 8 ounces softened cream cheese
2 cups sour cream
5 pieces of regular bacon, chopped into small pieces
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green onion, more for garnish
Chopped bacon for garnish, optional

Preparation Instructions

Bring cream cheese to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a bowl, combine all ingredients.  Place in a 1-quart baking dish.  Cover.  Heat 25-30 minutes or until hot.

**This was definitely tasty, but some changes I would make for next time: Use a chive cream cheese instead of plain. Additionally, I would finely mince up a few cloves of garlic and throw into the mix.

French Onion Stuffed Mushrooms (Prep time: 30 mins)

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Butter
2 whole Large Onions, Halved And Sliced Thin
¼ cups Beef Broth
7 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
Splash Of Red Or White Wine
½ cups Grated Gruyere Cheese (can Use Swiss)
Kosher Salt
24 whole White Or Crimini Mushrooms, Washed And Stems Removed
Minced Parsley

Preparation Instructions

In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft. Splash in wine, broth, and Worcestershire. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until liquid is cooked down. Set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Throw in mushrooms and toss around for 2 minutes, just to start the cooking process. Sprinkle mushrooms with salt.

Place mushroom caps face down in a baking dish. Heap cavity with sauteed mushrooms, then sprinkle Gruyere over the top. Bake at 10 minutes on 325 degrees. Turn on broiler and broil for a couple of minutes, until the top of the Gruyere starts to bubble and slightly turn brown.

Baked Four Cheese GF Mac and Cheese

My boyfriend, who hails from Wisconsin, likes to believe that everything from that wonderful state is better than all the rest. The beer, brats, cheese...Packers...you name it. But in the case of this dish, it's hard to disagree. A wonderful spin on the time-worn favorite, this four-cheese baked Macaroni and Cheese will satisfy your taste-buds on a winter evening (even while watching the Bears!). Incorporating Wisconsin's finest White Cheddar, Blue Cheese, Sartori Merlot, and Fontina and spicing it up a bit with onions and bacon, you won't be disappointed (or even know it's Gluten-Free). To attempt to provide a healthy balance, serve with a salad (hey, we try, right?!).

Ingredients (Prep time: 30 minutes)

4 cups of Gluten Free Elbow Noodles (I use Ancient Harvest Quinoa elbow - they're the best!)

8 TBSPs of Salted Butter

2 Whole Medium Yellow Onions, sliced thin

10 slices of regular Bacon

1 TBSP of Bacon Grease (reserved from bacon slices)

1/4 cup of GF all purpose flour

2 cups of 2% Milk

1/2 cup of Half-and-Half

2 whole egg yolks, beaten

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

1/2 cup of grated Sartori Merlot Cheese

1/2 cup of grated Fontina Cheese

1/2 cup of grated Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup of grated (or crumbled) Blue Cheese
1 cup crushed Glutino Cheddar crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Fry bacon until slightly crispy. Drain on a paper towel. Reserve grease.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet and then saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.

In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon grease. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half and half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Beat egg yolks and pour 1/4 cup of the hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and bacon. Taste for seasoning. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and spread evenly. Top with crumbled crackers and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Mexican Tortilla Soup with Spinach, Mushroom and Onion Quesadillas

I woke up Sunday with a cold and the only thing that has sounded good all week is spicy soup! My mom makes the world's best Mexican Tortilla soup, but in her absence (she's 1,000 miles away snow-birding it in Florida!), I'm going to have to settle for my own creation - a combination of her's and Maria's, my hairdresser. To ensure my man walks away from the dinner table full, I'm adding some Spinach, Mushroom and Onion Quesadillas to the mix! My mission: kicking this cold to the curb. 

Soup Ingredients (Prep time: 20 minutes)

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

2 TBSPs Olive Oil

½ tsp Cayenne
½ tsp Ginger

1 tsp Chili Powder

½ tsp Garlic Powder

½ tsp Salt

1 cup Diced Onion

1 cup Diced Green Bell Pepper

1 cup Diced Red Bell Pepper

3 cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped or Minced

2 cans Rotel (Tomatoes And Green Chilies)

32 ounces, Low Sodium Chicken Stock

3 TBSPs Tomato Paste

4 cups Hot Water

2 cans Black Beans, Drained

3 cups of Corn (I used my Dad's amazing frozen leftovers from the Farmer's Market)

My Garnishes:

Fresh Lime Juice

Sour Cream

Avocado

Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Cilantro

Dice the chicken into very small pieces. Mix cayenne, ginger, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil into a skillet and mix together chicken pieces and spice mixture. Cook chicken until browned. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic and saute until soft. Add chicken and stir.

Pour in chicken stock, tomato paste, water, Rotel, corn and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Check seasonings, adding more if needed— and be sure not to under-salt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

(Start quesadilla process now)

Ladle into bowls, then top with lime juice, sour cream, avocado, grated cheese and cilantro.

Quesadilla Ingredients (made three quesadillas) (Prep time: 5 minutes)

1 bag of baby spinach

1 cup of chopped mushrooms

1 cup of chopped white onion

1 cup of colby jack cheese

Saute mushrooms and onions until soft. Add spinach. Just before spinach wilts, put entire mixture aside. Set burner to medium. In skillet, sprinkle three corn tortillas with 1/4 cup of cheese. Divide veggie mixture over tortillas (spray bottom side down with Pam). On top of mixture, sprinkle each with another 1/4 cup of cheese. Top with another corn tortilla (with Pam on top side of tortilla).  Cook each side for 5 minutes.  Cut into 4 pieces and serve immediately. Garnish to liking (sour cream, cilantro and salsa work great)!

Prosciutto and Carmelized Onion Gluten-Free Pizza

Growing up in the northern suburbs of the greatest pizza city in the world (sorry NYC, but Chicago's pizza is far superior), our family's trips to Barnaby's Pizza in Northbrook was one of the highlights of my younger years. It became one of the things I missed most after being diagnosed with Celiac, especially considering the family trips to Barnaby's didn't stop...and I was forced to smell the wonderful aroma of their thin-crust pizza while watching my family inhale slice after slice. But over the past few years, better and better gluten-free pizza crusts have been made available, and pizza has happily moved back into my regular diet (are pizza and diet allowed to be used together?!). Here is one of my favorites, with a chopped salad to boot...

Salad (Prep time: 20 minutes)

• One (1) bag of Romaine lettuce, finely chopped
• Mini Pearl Grape tomatoes, sliced
• One (1) Yellow pepper, finely chopped
• Three (3) green onions, diced
• 1/3 cup Trader Joe's Wasabi Peas
• 1/4 cup (or to taste) Cindy's Kitchen Vidalia Onion & Cilantro Dressing (found at Whole Foods)
• Bleu cheese crumbles

Mix together and serve.

Pizza Ingredients (Prep time: 15 minutes)

• GF Pizza Crust (purchased at Rose's Bakery in Evanston) or homemade pizza crust
• 1 Red Onion
• 2 TBSP of Brown Sugar
• 3/4 cup of shaved Sartori Bellavitano Merlot Cheese (if you can’t find Merlot Cheese, parmesan works great)
• Fresh Mozzarella ball
• Olive Oil
• Salt/Pepper
• 8 slices of Prosciutto
• 1 Large Tomato (very thinly sliced)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees (My par-baked premade GF crust is baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. I like my crust extra crispy, so I tend to bake it for the full 12 minutes. Regardless, just watch the crust).

Heat two (2) tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and brown sugar and cook until onions are brown and soft. Set aside.

If you are using homemade pizza dough, roll it out to a rectangular shape. Drizzle on the olive oil, sprinkle on salt and pepper, followed by a little freshly shaved Merlot cheese. 

Lay slices of mozzarella evenly over the top of the crust. Arrange caramelized onions over the top of the mozzarella. Lay your slices of prosciutto over the onions. Lastly, randomly lay your tomato slices over the top of everything - lightly salt and pepper each tomato. Sprinkle entire pizza with a little more Merlot cheese.


Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the lower half of the oven or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven and cut. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Inspired

I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease years ago; however, I've always had a passion for food! I've spent many years watching my mom put amazing meals on our family's table. So,with that and a kick in the rear from my supportive (and foodie!) boyfriend, I've decided to pursue my own path of culinary exploration. I will be using this blog to document just that and provide recipes for my "readers" to try out and enjoy themselves!

Stay tuned...