Monday, January 4, 2016

Bisquick Quiche

I've always liked eggs but since going gluten free, I am eating A LOT of eggs so I'm always looking for ways to switch things up.  Some of the ways I enjoy eggs:

- Fried with salsa, sliced avocado and cheese on a corn tortilla
- Scrambled with chopped bacon
- Scrambled with roasted green chilies, cheese and salsa
- Saute onions, peppers, and asparagus then scramble in a couple of eggs.  Add feta cheese and diced tomatoes at the end.

One of my favorite ways to eat eggs is a breakfast casserole so I was happy when my mom told me I could make Bisquick Quiche with Gluten Free Bisquick.

Bisquick Quiche

1 1/2 lbs shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 lb shredded monterey jack cheese (I usually just use the Mexican shredded cheese mix from Costco)
4 oz can of diced green chilies
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup gluten free Bisquick
Salt and Pepper
1-2 cups of cooked bacon, sausage or ham (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 pan.  Put half the cheese in the pan and then spread out half the green chilies and meat on top of the cheese.  Repeat the cheese, chilies, and meat layers.  Mix the milk, Bisquick, salt and pepper in the blender.  Pour the mixture over the cheese layers.  Bake for about 30 minutes until lightly brown.  I think it helps to let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.  Serve with salsa.

We have had this multiple times and my non-gluten free family doesn't seem to notice any difference between the gluten and gluten free versions.

Buttermilk Biscuits

My brother, John, was diagnosed with celiac a couple of years ago and he and his wife, Stephanie, have been a huge help sharing recipes and other tips.  Stephanie shared this recipe for gluten free biscuits and I was excited to try it out.

Kate and I both loved them (and ate way too many of them considering the amount of butter in the recipe).  They were great with honey butter as well as butter and jam.  I only wished I had sausage patties to make a sausage and egg breakfast biscuit.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups gluten free Bisquick
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 stick of butter (the recipe didn't specify the temperature of the butter but I used cold butter and Stephanie used room temperature butter and they seemed to like the texture better on the ones made with cold butter)
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 c buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.  Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or fork.  Once incorporated, the mixture will be crumbly.  Mix in the eggs and then slowly add the milk until soft dough forms.  Sprinkle your work surface with a little more of the GF Bisquick and then flatten out the dough on the floured surface.  Use a glass to cut out the biscuits.  Place them right next to each other in a greased pie dish.  This recipe made 10-12 biscuits.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until light brown.

Cream Cheese Pancakes

My friend, Nancy, is not gluten free but has been a great source for gluten free cooking tips.  She texted me this recipe one morning and it has been a favorite ever since.  My youngest son, Chase, even requested these for his birthday breakfast.  Jeff, my husband, doesn't love them as much as the rest of us but will still eat them.

Cream Cheese Pancakes

2 oz cream cheese
2 eggs
2 tsp sweetener (I use sugar)
1/3 tsp baking powder
Cinnamon
Vanilla

These are easiest to mix up in the blender or with an immersion blender to really incorporate the cream cheese.

The above is a large single serving.  This recipe makes a thinner pancake more similar to a crepe.  They are also hard to turn over for a pretty presentation.  I like them with butter and syrup or raspberry jam.  Kate likes them with butter and powdered sugar.  When the rest of the family has crepes, I've also had these with whipped cream, nutella and raspberries for a treat.

Nancy said she recently tried them with 3 oz of cream cheese and a little extra baking powder and they were more like normal pancakes and easier to turn.  I've always liked my pancakes on the thin side so I've yet to try it.

Gluten Free

I went gluten free after being diagnosed with celiac about 9 months ago.  It was a fairly easy transition made easier by living in California where tons of people are gluten free.  Instead of finding substitutes for my favorite breakfasts and treats, I just ate different foods - more eggs, nuts and fruits/vegetables and a lot less breads, pasta, cakes and cookies.

When my 11 year old daughter, Kate, decided to go gluten free to see if it would help with chronic stomach issues, she missed her old favorites and I finally ventured into finding ways to make some of our favorite foods gluten free.

I love to document and thought a blog would be an easy way to catalog all of our favorites.