Actual Sunday: Chicken fried oyster mushrooms, roasted brussels sprouts with “ethiopian spice”, last of a bag of tater tots
Monday: Lentil rice soup, something with zucchini, tomato salad
Tues: Lamb tongue tacos
Weds: Rehearsal for me- the rest of the fam are on their own
Thurs: One son and me, maybe leftovers or tortellini + salad?
Fri: Going to a play with friends - dinner beforehand TBD
Sat: Depends on what I find at the farmers market and travel plans of other family members
For gf breadcrumbs, I prefer Aleia’s or Gillian’s. I dislike the 4C and Progresso ones as they turn gummy. I know some people use well-crushed Rice Chex or crackers (Lance makes some Ritz wannabe crackers) but I haven’t done that enough to recommend.
For rolls… I took a quick look through recent posts on Gluten Free Massachusetts (the FB group) and there were some recommendations for Whole Foods’ store brand gf dinner rolls, or Canyon Bakehouse frozen brioche rolls, Udi’s classic French dinner rolls, and Against the Grain dinner rolls. I’ve been trying to bake my own rather than buy (they are stupid expensive, and I like to bake) but gf bread baking is a lot more fiddly and not everyone wants to do it. As an example: these crescent rolls from the Loopy Whisk uses a brioche dough, but three flours/starches plus a psyllium gel and xanthan gum… not for everyone. (I made a similar dough for the cheesy garlic bread we had last night, so I think this recipe is probably a good one.)
That is probably more than you wanted to know - but feel free to message me if you have more questions!
No, your answer is perfect which is why I directed my question to you. Thank you. The diners also don’t eat white potatoes so that wouldn’t be an option. I can work with the breadcrumbs for meatballs but the price of gf rolls is ridiculous so they may have to rethink corn tortillas, the old standby, if they want a sandwich. My DS says he is happy plating his meat with lots of veg, no cheese. Sigh.
I could never give up cheese…
I have done the rice Chex as a bread crumb substitute- my sil has celiacs- and I found they worked well if the meatballs are freshly cooked and served. I tried freezing once and I had meatball mush when thawed
A thought that just struck me is that Indian Poha might be an interesting alternative to try sometime — it’s steamed, flattened, and dehydrated rice.
Often used as a binder for veggie cutlets and koftas when one doesn’t want potato or bread in the mix. You pulverize it first. Like breadcrumbs, it absorbs liquid and disappears into the item.
The price of GF anything is ridiculous! Especially when you consider that much of it tastes like cardboard…
Another bread idea is pao de quejio - it’s a Brazilian cheesy bread made with tapioca starch/flour, chewy and delicious. Brazi Bites is one brand, and I think I’ve had the TJ’s version too - different sizes, smaller than rolls, but definitely a viable substitute. If you want to DIY, recipe here but I don’t think I have tried it.
I’ve made the ATK recipe for meatloaf (from How Can It Be Gluten Free): for 2lbs ground meat, 1/2 C milk and 1/3 C instant mashed potato flakes. That should be scalable for meatballs too.
I know you do this bake-off every year but I continue to be amazed at how much baking you do. The recipients must be grateful for the treats you send them.
I am bizarrely envious that you can send the boxes: Canada Post is into its fourth week on strike, and I would usually have sent 4 or 5 boxes of cookies by now. The alternative carriers are just too expensive, so I am only using them for gifts for family…
Are you enjoying your advent calendars? Ours is the refillable type, and with just the two of us, we divide it up between odds and evens and fill for each other. This year - behind my doors - I’m finding Asbach brandy beans and Swedish fish. Thumbs up on both counts! DH is the recipient of Belgian chocolates, Starbrite peppermints, and a few wooden tokens good for ice cream cones at a local shop. With any luck he’ll stash those wooden nickels away until summer, and then treat me to an ice cream cone when the weather is nice. Win-win.
Easy cooking and comfort food all week long, while feeding two adults in the PNW:
FRI: Fish chowder of some variety. Leftover angel biscuits from the freezer.
SAT: Leftover Swedish meatballs. Smashed spuds. Baby peas. Currant jelly.
SUN: Chicken-and-rice soup.
MON: Pan pizza (including leftovers for the freezer). Green salad.
Yes! We actually went out last week on a special night, which I think was the first time in years we had dinner out -in the evening - in an actual sit-down restaurant. We don’t dine out much unless traveling - got out of the habit of doing it when we were saving for retirement. Fast forward a couple of decades, and I’m thinking maybe we can relax a bit and enjoy. Not that I live in a dining mecca (I don’t), but there are options.
