We’ve been seeing a lot about Mardi Gras in the last week and it really gave me a taste for some New Orleans inspired food. We were already planning to make a chicken pot pie this week, so I figured that with a few tweaks it could really warm up the cold weather we’ve been having and take us back to the Big Easy.
Start by heating one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Place about a pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs in the pan and sprinkle with salt and half a teaspoon of poultry seasoning. Cook until browned on both sides and there is no pink. Set aside on a plate.
Meanwhile, chop a large onion, red pepper, two stalks of celery, and half a pound of mushrooms. Someone else in the house finished off the celery, so none for us this time around in the pot pie!
Put the vegetables in the pan and cook until they are softened and reduced in volume. Allow all of the liquids to cook off and scrape up any browned bits.
Dice the chicken into small bite sized pieces and add it to the veggies.
Add three tablespoons of flour (or two tablespoons of gluten-free flour blend) and one and a half teaspoons of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. Stir in and allow the flour to cook for a minute.
Add one cup each of chicken broth and half and half. Bring to a boil and allow the gravy to thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Be careful about adding more Tony’s, it has a lot of salt and it’s easy to overdo it. If you want more spice, add some hot sauce or cayenne pepper.
Pour the whole mixture into a two quart casserole dish. Before you scroll any further, I must say… don’t judge.
Top the filling with a pie crust. There are several options here. I usually make a fresh crust and my favorite recipe is in this post for Praline Pumpkin Pie. Tonight I was trying to get things done a little quicker and used a premade crust. You can use a rollout refrigerator crust but I’ve never found a gluten-free one. Wholly Wholesome makes a really good crust that you can find in the freezer section. Pop the shell out of the pie pan and place it on top of the filling. I dropped ours and it shattered. In that case, piece it back together on top of the filling (I told you already, no judgment)! Once the crust thaws, roll the edges down and crimp them
If you’re eating it now, bake in a 400º oven for thirty minutes. You can also refrigerate it overnight to cook tomorrow. Set the pie out to return to room temperature for at least thirty minutes and bake at 350º for one hour.
We’re eating ours tonight for dinner, check out our Instagram page to see the final results around 7 PM.
Deep Dish Cajun Chicken Pie
1 large onion
8 oz mushrooms
2 stalks celery
1 red sweet pepper
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
3 T flour (or 2 T gluten-free flour blend)
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 t poultry seasoning
1 1/2 t Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
1 c chicken broth
1 c half and half
Heat butter and oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and sprinkle with salt and the poultry seasoning. Cook until browned on both sides and no longer pink in the center. Place aside on a plate. While the chicken is cooking, dice the vegetables.
In the same skillet, cook the vegetables until they are soft and reduced in volume, cooking of all of the liquid. Meanwhile, dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Add the chicken to the vegetables along with the Creole seasoning and flour. Mix together and cook for one more minute. Add the milk and broth and bring to a boil. Allow the mixture to thicken and adjust seasonings if necessary. Pour the filling into a 2 quart casserole dish and cover with a pie crust.
Bake at 400º for 30 minutes. The pie will hold well overnight. Let it come to room temperature and bake at 350º for one hour.
Yep, you read that correctly, the recipe of the week is becoming the recipe of the month so that we can focus on bringing you more content in other areas, such as Camino planning and recaps of some of our best previous adventures.
With all of the cold weather we have been having lately, I’ve been making lots of soup. It not only warms the stomach but also the house! I love this recipe but it’s not ours, we have to thank Laurie (one of Michelle’s colleagues) who found the recipe on Cooks Country. On a side note and a fun fact we learned that Laurie has diligently subscribed to Cooking Light magazine since its inception 40 years ago and was one of their first subscribers! The soup has just enough kick to warm you up on multiple fronts. Of course, you could adjust the spicy heat up or down depending on your preferences.
Begin by bringing six cups of chicken broth to a simmer in a large pot and add about a pound and a half of chicken thighs to poach for 15 minutes.
In a food processor, combine half of a large onion, a can of diced tomatoes (or Ro-tel tomatoes with you like things on the spicy side), half (or more) of a seeded jalapeno pepper, four cloves of garlic, one canned chipotle chili and a tablespoon of the adobo sauce it’s packed in, and a teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and cilantro. Pulse the whole thing until it is smooth and well pureed. If I had any tortilla chips in the house this is probably as far as I would have gone because it looked and tasted like a smooth salsa at this point.
Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Pour the broth into a container to skim the fat off the top.
In the same pot, heat a tablespoon of oil and add the “salsa” to the pot. Let it simmer for five minutes or so to cook the “green-ness” out of it and allow the flavors to combine.
Skim the fat off the broth and add it back into the pot along with two cups of frozen corn and a can of rinsed and drained tri-blend beans (or kidney, pinto, or black beans). Allow the soup to come to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, run a knife through the chicken to cut it into bite-sized pieces. Take the pot off the heat and add the chicken and two tablespoons of lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed (I added a little more salt).
Top the soup with diced avocado, slices of fresh or crispy tortilla, or a little cojita or queso fresco. We served it with pao de queijo, which are amazing gluten-free cheese rolls.
Mexican Cheese Soup
6 c chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs
1/2 of a large onion
1 t each salt, pepper, and cilantro
1 can of diced tomatoes (get the kind with chilis or jalapeno if you like)
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded
4 cloves garlic
1 canned chipotle pepper plus 1 T adobo sauce it’s packed in
1 T oil
2 c frozen corn
1 can beans, any variety, drained and rinsed
2 T lime juice
assorted toppings such as diced avocado, Mexican cheese, or tortilla strips
Bring chicken broth to a boil and add chicken. Simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is done and there is no pink remaining.
In a food processor, combine onion, spices, tomatoes, garlic, and peppers and pulse until smooth.
Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Pour broth into another container to skim fat once cooled. In the same pot, heat the oil and add the tomato mixture. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat to combine flavors.
After skimming fat from broth, add back to the pot along with the corn and beans. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Shred the chicken and add to the pot at the end of cooking along with the lime juice. Adjust seasonings if needed.
Let us know if you try this recipe or any other recipe we have posted! Tag us on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #cruisinwiththecolemans! We’d love to hear from you!
When living a gluten-free lifestyle, whether by choice or necessity, there are many foods that you assume you may never be able to eat again. While restaurants have become more knowledgeable about gluten-free options over the last five years, it is still common to be offered a salad or a burger with no bun as the only option on a “gluten-friendly” menu. Most grocery stores have progressively stocked a variety of manufacturers but the choices are limited. You have to go to a specialty or high-end stores if you want choices.
Some foods are a real rarity in the gluten-free marketplace. Lasagne noodles are one of them. Gluten-free noodles range from “you can’t tell the difference” to “cardboard or sticks” and aside from penne, spaghetti, and elbows, there are virtually no other pasta shapes readily available so we adapt and improvise.
This polenta lasagne came out of one such improvisation. If you don’t know polenta, it is the Italian version of ground cornmeal, fancy grits, if you will. You can find it in several different spots in the store. There is often a fancy imported variety in the Italian aisle that runs about $10 a pound, but if you look in the aisle with breakfast grains like oatmeal you can find both grits and polenta for under $4 a pound. There two different types, a fine white corn or hominy meal often marketed as grits and coarser yellow corn meal which is more commonly marketed as polenta. There is a slight difference in flavor but they are basically interchangeable (as long as you’re not cooking for food snobs). When you chill cooked polenta (or grits) it turns into a solid cake-like mass that can be cut into slices and used in a variety of ways (try it on the grill with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and parmesan). We love Bob’s Red Mill brand.
For the lasagna, cook the grits at least an hour before you plan to assemble the lasagna but the night before is even better. In a saucepan, heat two and a half cups of half and half and two and a half cups of chicken broth to a simmer. Turn down the heat and add half a teaspoon of salt and slowly whisk in one and a quarter cups of polenta. The polenta is likely to lump together, so make sure that the liquid is moving when you add it and keep stirring with the whisk until it is fully incorporated. Cook on low for about fifteen minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed and the polenta is smooth and creamy. Stir frequently to keep it from sticking to the bottom and scorching. Remove from the heat, add half a cup of grated parmesan cheese, and stir well to incorporate. Let the polenta cool slightly while you prepare the pan.
Cut a piece of parchment paper about four inches longer than your 9×9 brownie pan. Fold the edges over so the paper will lay in the bottom of the pan and crease the corners to make a liner. Pour the still hot polenta into the pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Cover with plastic wrap pressed down onto the surface of the polenta, otherwise, it will get a rubbery skin on the top, and place in the refrigerator to cool for at least one hour, but overnight is better.
In a sauté pan, brown one pound of Italian sausage with the casings removed. While it is cooking remove the polenta from the pan. Using a long serrated knife, cut the polenta in half, making what are essentially two large lasagna noodles.
In the same pan the polenta cooled in, pour about half a cup of marinara and place one piece of polenta on top.
Add the rest of the marinara sauce to the sausage. Now layer just as you would a traditional lasagna. I don’t use a layer of ricotta because the polenta is already pretty creamy once reheated. Pour half of the meat mixture over polenta and top with a half cup of mozzarella cheese. Top with the second slice of polenta, the rest of the meat mixture and the remaining cup and a half of cheese.
Place the pan on a foil lined cookie sheet because it will bubble over, and place in a 350º oven for one hour. Cut into nine servings and serve with a healthy salad and some Chianti.
Polenta Lasagna
2 1/2 cups half and half
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 cup polenta
1/2 c grated parmesan
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1 jar of marinara sauce (or your favorite spaghetti sauce)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Bring broth and half and half to a simmer. Add salt and whisk in polenta. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to keep from sticking or scorching. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.
Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and spread polenta all the way into the edges. Cover with plastic wrap and cool overnight or at least one hour in the refrigerator.
Once cooled and very firm, slice polenta into two sheets with a long serrated knife.
Remove casings from sausage and brown in a sauté pan. Pour 1/2 cup of marinara sauce into the same pan the polenta cooled in and add the remaining sauce to the sausage. In the pan, layer one slice of polenta, half the sausage mixture, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Top with the second slice of polenta, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese.
Place the pan on a lined cookie sheet and bake at 350º for one hour. Makes 9 servings.
One of our goals in the coming year as we travel is to find local specialties and convert them into both gluten-free and when possible, healthier meals. While on the Gulf Coast over Christmas, we got to eat quite a bit of seafood and it was delicious. Almost every restaurant we went to offered a sailor’s platter, captain’s platter, or even an admiral’s platter. The more expensive the restaurant, the higher the rank of the platter!
Unfortunately, finding gluten-free fried fish was not possible in the Fort Myer’s area. If you know of someplace, comment below because we’re going back next year and want to check it out.
After our last fishing misadventure, we decided to try again. Michelle’s requirement was that we spent some of our time fishing and some of our time searching for dolphin and manatee. Captain John at Conway Charters did not disappoint. After meeting him at a local marina, he took us out on his boat to search the canals and creeks for some manatee. With his knowledge, it didn’t take to long and our first goal was checked off with this 6-8 foot long male manatee.
Next goal our list: catch some fish. We didn’t have much luck on this day – the fish just weren’t biting. We did manage to bring in two sheepsheads, and as they say, any day on the water is a good day. We did complete our third goal also, seeing some dolphin on our return to the marina, but enough about that, let’s cook up some fish!
Luckily for me, Captain John filleted the fish we caught. If you’re not lucky enough to have fresh fish, look for a firm fish that has thicker fillets at the store. Cod works well, as would catfish. You will need about a quarter pound per person and about the same amount of peeled, deveined shrimp. You could also look for clams, scallops, or any other seafood that looks good at the store.
Begin by preparing you breading station. In a bowl, combine about one cup of half and half with two teaspoons apple cider vinegar and stir well. The vinegar will curdle the milk and create buttermilk after sitting for about ten minutes. In another bowl, you will need about two cups of cornbread mix such as Krusteaz Honey Cornbread. In the final bowl, combine 1 cup of gluten-free flour blend with 2 teaspoons of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. If you don’t like things too spicy you could use Old Bay instead. If you want some extra kick, add a little hot sauce to the buttermilk. Make sure that the seafood is mostly dry. I put it in the fridge uncovered for about thirty minutes while I was getting everything else ready to go.
Left to right: Cornmeal mix, buttermilk, seasoned flour, seafood
Pour about 3-4 inches of canola or peanut oil into a deep pot and heat over high heat until the oil reaches 265º. You want to keep the oil between 265º-300º while you are cooking. If the oil is too cool the breading will soak up too much oil and get soggy; too hot and things will burn before they cook through. Continuously monitor the oil temperature and adjust the heat accordingly.
Toss several pieces of fish into the flour mixture to coat and set on the edges of the bowl with your right hand (this is your “dry hand” and should only go into the two flour bowls). Using your left hand (the “wet hand” that should only go into the buttermilk bowl), drag the fish one piece at a time through the buttermilk and set them into the cornmeal bowl. Using your right hand, bury the pieces of fish under the cornmeal.
I know, I’m using the wrong hand in the buttermilk in the photo above. Trust me, you will make less of a mess if you keep one hand dry and the other wet, but it can be difficult in the heat of the moment! Carefully place pieces of fish into the hot oil by holding them just into the oil and releasing so that you don’t splash oil. The oil should bubble but not pot. If at any point the oil is smoking, it is too hot. If you get a lot of popping, the fish is too wet.
Once you have about 5-6 pieces of fish in the pot, begin the process again with the next batch. The fish should cook 5-6 minutes until it reaches your desired color. Remove the fish from the oil and place onto a cooling rack placed over a cookie sheet so the excess oil can drain off. Check your oil temperature and continue until you run out of seafood.
BONUS: take the remain cornmeal mixture and add the remaining milk to it along with 1/4 cup of finely diced onion. Stir together and add more half and half until you get a thick spoonable batter. Drop teaspoons of batter into the oil to make hushpuppies!
Once all of the seafood is cooked prepared, make your dipping sauces. For tartar sauce, combine 1 cup of mayo with 2 tablespoons of pickle relish and a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. For the shrimp, I like a sweet chili sauce using 1/2 cup of sweet and sour sauce combined with a tablespoon of hot chili paste (from the Thai aisle at the store). For traditional cocktail sauce, use 1/2 cup of chili sauce (usually near the seafood) combined with 1-2 teaspoons of ground horseradish from the condiment aisle. Be careful with store bought cocktail sauces, some have soy sauce added and are not gluten-free!
We almost never eat fried food, but it is a nice treat from time to time and I was surprised at how little oil was actually absorbed into the food. I used a whole bottle of oil to cook and when I was done and poured the cooled oil back into the bottle to throw away (never reuse oil that you’ve cooked fish in) there was only about an inch missing from the bottle, and part of that was on the bottom of the cookie sheet that I had used as a drip pan.
We served our Cruiser’s Platter with coleslaw and a glass of Pine Island Breeze. What’s your favorite seafood treat or side dish? Leave us a comment below and let us know!
Cruiser’s Platter (Gluten-free Fried Shrimp and Fish) with Hushpuppies and dipping suaces
For the seafood:
1/4 pound per person of assorted seafood such as cod, peeled shrimp, scallops, etc.
1 c half and half
2 t apple cider vinegar
1 box of Krusteaz Gluten-free Honey Cornbread mix
1 c Gluten-free Flour blend
2 t Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning (or similar)
canola or peanut oil
1/4 c finely diced onion
For the dipping sauces
1/2 c mayo
2 T sweet pickle relish
1/2 t lemon juice
1/2 c sweet and sour sauce
1 T hot chili paste
1/2 c chili sauce
1-2 t ground horseradish
Lay out the seafood on plates and refrigerate without covering so that it dries out a bit.
Begin by combining half and half with vinegar to let it curdle. Prepare the remaining breading stations by pouring cornmeal mix in one bowl and combining flour and seasoning in another. Meanwhile heat oil to 365º.
Dip pieces of seafood into flour, shake off, drag through buttermilk, and cover with cornmeal. Carefully lower each piece into the oil without splashing. Cook 5-6 pieces at a time for about 5 minutes or until the desired color has been reached.
Combine remaining cornmeal mix with onion and remaining buttermilk. Add more half and half if needed to create a spoonable batter. Drop by the teaspoonful into the oil to make hushpuppies.
For tartar sauce, combine 1 cup of mayo with 2 tablespoons of pickle relish and a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. For the sweet chili sauce, combine sweet and sour sauce with hot chili paste. For traditional cocktail sauce, add ground horseradish to the chili sauce.
Sometimes after a big day out exploring we just don’t feel like spending a lot of time cooking. That was the case after our day exploring Cape Coral. After visiting the fantastic Cape Coral Farmer’s Market, we did an eight-mile walk around town and found a great little Italian place for lunch that served gluten-free pizza. A visit to Wicked Dolphin Distillery and pool time back at the campground with some newly invented cocktails finished up our day.
By the time we got back to CC we were exhausted and starving. Here’s a quick dinner that you can throw together in no time at all with things that you might even have on hand.
Start out with a variety of potatoes: red, russet, and Yukon gold are my favorites. Dice them up into bite-sized pieces along with a couple of shallots and put into a microwave safe bowl.
Add about a tablespoon of olive oil and a good sprinkle of salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Cook in the microwave for five minutes or so until the potatoes are mostly cooked but still firm.
While the potatoes are cooking, get the grill heated up and add Italian sausages.
When the sausages almost done, add the potatoes and shallot mixture to the grill. BE CAREFUL to not pour the collected oil and water in the bottom of the bowl onto the grill or you will have some major flareup!
Cook the potatoes and sausage until they are nicely charred. Once they’re done, add a few handfuls of spinach and allow it to wilt for a second before removing everything from the grill and dividing between plates. Sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese.
I would highly recommend making sure that you have plenty light on the grill. We had to keep the lights off because of the no-see-ums and I might have burned things a bit! Also, you might notice that I didn’t use spinach… we couldn’t find any at the farmers market that morning so we just went without.
Grilled Sausages with Potatoes, Shallot, and Spinach
1-2 Italian sausages per person
1 lb of assorted potatoes, such as russet, red, and Yukon gold\
2 shallots
1 T olive oil
1/2 t each salt, garlic powder, and pepper
1 cup spinach leaves
1-2 T parmesan cheese
Cut potatoes and shallots into bite-sized pieces and place into a microwave safe bowl. Top with oil and seasonings and stir to mix. Cook for 4-5 minutes in microwave until almost cooked.
Heat grill and add sausages. Cook for 6-8 minutes and turn. Add the potato-shallot mixture and continue to cook until charred to your liking, another 5-10 minutes, making sure that the sausages are cooked through. Add spinach on top and let wilt then remove to plates.
When we’re home for New Year’s Eve, which isn’t often, we love to serve a buffet of appetizers. Gluten-free crab rangoon, chicken wings, a good charcuterie board like this one from Self Proclaimed Foodie, and shrimp coctail will make any occasion a special event. One of our favorites is an old microwave classic, hot beef dip. The quantities below are a doubled version of the recipe so there is plenty for a crowd. The recipe at the bottom is the regular version.
Begin with a large bottle of dried beef. Dice the meat into small pieces about a quarter inch square and place it into a microwave safe bowl. Cover with water and microwave for about two minutes and let it sit until ready to use.
In another microwave safe bowl, combine a half cup each of diced green onion, greek yogurt (or sour cream), and mayonaise. Add one cup of parmesan cheese, two tablespoons of diced parsley, and two 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese (we always use the reduced fat Neufchatel). Mix everything together until well combined and cook in the microwave for about two minutes.
While the cheese mixture is heating, drain the water off of the beef and squeeze off any excess water. Mix the beef into the cheese mixture and cook another one to two minutes until everything is heated through and bubbly. Serve with gluten free crackers.
What are your favorite appetizers to serve for a party or gathering of friends (or maybe just a special treat dinner night)? Leave us a comment below to let us know. Don’t forget to hit subscribe to get notifications sop that you don’t miss a single post!
If you’re following us in Instagram (@cruisinwiththecolemans) you probably already know the we are in Florida right now celebrating Christmas with my parents at Lake Lochloosa. We’re thrilled to get to spend some time with them but we’re even more excited to be heading to the beach later this week.
Before we head out to do some kayaking with (hopefully) manatee and not alligators, I wanted to share one more special holiday recipe – dressing. In the Coleman house, we never stuff the turkey. It’s always roasted with plenty of butter, onion, herbs, and spices, but our dressing is served on the side where the edges can get crispy and I know there is no risk of undercooking. Anyone who is gluten free knows that you can’t run into the grocery store and buy a box of gluten-free dressing mix, so this treat has to be a little more labor intensive than usual, but it’s always made with a secret ingredient, LOVE!
Preheat the oven to 250º. Start out with fourteen slices of bread. We use Kinnikinnick gluten-free bread and for this batch we used half white and half multigrain. Stack the bread up and using a serrated bread knife, cut the pieces into quarter inch cubes and toss them into a large bowl.
Melt a stick of butter and add two teaspoons of poultry seasoning, two teaspoons of parsley, and one teaspoon of garlic powder. Pour the butter mixture over the bread and mix thoroughly to get every piece of bread covered in butter and spices.
Spread the mixture on two cookie sheets so that the bread cubes are not crowded and put them in in the oven. The next step is going to take a while, so I hope you’re not in a hurry. Bake the cubes for one hour, stirring them every 10 to 15 minutes. You want the cubes to dry out but not brown or burn. Think of how Stove-Top looks coming out of the box, and that is your goal. Depending on how fresh the bread is, it may even take an hour and a half.
By the way, at this point , these make excellent croutons for a salad!
Dice two stalks of celery, a medium onion, and two cloves of garlic.
Sauté half of a pound of celery in a skillet and add the vegetables. Cook until the celery and onions are soft.
Add the mixture to the bread cubes in a large bowl. Add two cups of chicken or turkey broth and stir until it is mostly absorbed by the bread. Taste the mixrture to adjust seasoning. Add salt is needed. Stir in two eggs and if the mixture is dry, a little more broth.
Pour the entire mixture into a greased casserole dish and bake at 350º for an hour.
Our Thanksgiving menu included Roasted Turkey, Holiday Mashed Potatoes, Brussel’s Sprouts, Dressing, and of course canned cranberry sauce. For dessert, everyone enjoyed Gluten Free Praline Pumpkin Pie.
Holiday Dressing
14 slices of gluten free bread
1/2 c (1 stick) melted butter
2 t poultry seasing
2 t dried parsley
1 t garlic powder
2 stalks celery
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 pound breakfast sausage
2-3 cups of turkey or chicken broth
2 eggs
Preheat the oven to 250º. Using a serrated knife, cut the bread into 1/4 inch cubes. Melt the butter and add the poultry seasoning, parsley, and garlic powder. Stir the seasoned butter into the bread cubes and make sure they are well coated. Spread onto 2 cookie sheets and bake for an hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes until the cubes are dry but not browned.
Dice the celery, onion and garlic. Sauté the sausage in a pan and add the vegetables. Cook until soft.
Mix the sausage mixture into the bread crumbs. Add the broth and taste to adjust seasonings. Add salt if needed. Stir in the eggs and add more broth if the mixture seems too dry. Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake at 350º for an hour.
Welcome to the new and improved Cruisin’ with the Colemans website. Here’s a huge shout out to our web designer Elizabeth Kimmel for a fantastic job! Make sure that you click around and explore everything that we have to offer and stay tuned for new features that will be coming soon, including an Etsy store selling prints of some of our favorite travel photos.
As promised before our hiatus, here is my recipe for Gluten Free Praline Pumpkin Pie! When Michelle had to go gluten-free six years ago due to a diagnosis of lifelong heath issues we were concerned many favorite special treats would have to disappear from her diet. Surely we both had to make major adjustments to our cooking, but over the years we have found and developed our own recipes to include most of our favorite menu items into a gluten-free diet. Pie crust is one of those items. I have found two different pie crusts that work well with non-wheat based flour, a pat-in-the-pan crust that involves no rolling and the one that I have here. I have used them both for sweet and savory pies with great success, but this roll out dough is my favorite because it turns out both crispy and flaky. At Thanksgiving dinner this year with some of our neighbors, the ladies asked how I got the crust so flaky and were shocked to discover it was wheat free! With more than a hundred years of pie making experience at the table, I took it as a great compliment!
Let’s start with the crust. Cut a stick of butter into eight slices and put in the freezer while you gather the rest of the ingredients. You’ll need all purpose gluten free flour (such as Pamela’s Artisan Blend), salt, white and dark brown sugar, pecans, more butter, pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, an egg, and almost every spice in your rack. Finally get a measuring cup of water and add several ice cubes.
Preheat the oven to 450º. In the bowl of a food processor (I love my Ninja) place one and a quarter cups of all purpose gluten free flour blend, a teaspoon of salt, and two tablespoons of sugar (we always use Whey Low sugar substitute) and give it a quick pulse to mix the ingredients. Add the butter directly from the freezer and pulse eight to ten more times to combine into a crumbly texture with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Add four tablespoons of ice cold water to the processor and mix together. The dough should mostly clump together and but still appear dry. If the humidity is dry, you may need one to two more tablespoons of water. Be careful not to end up with a sticky mess or you will not be able to roll it out.
Pour the mixture onto a large piece of parchment paper and press together into a mound. Using as little additional flour as possible and a rolling pin, roll into a thin round circle about an inch bigger than the top of your pie pan.
Don’t worry if the edges crack like mine, you’ll be able to press them back together once you line the pan. If the dough is a little too wet, a second piece of parchment on top may be helpful. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan. If things totally fall apart here, don’t panic. I’ve always found that the worse the crust looks, the easier time you will have convincing everyone that it’s totally home-made. Break off any pieces that are overhanging the edge of the pan and use them to fill in any gaps or cracks that you have. Tuck the edges down and crimp around the pan to create as decorative and edge as you wish.
In a small bowl soften two tablespoons of butter and add a third of a cup of brown sugar (such as Whey Low Gold) and about half a cup of chopped pecan pieces.
Mix together with your fingers to create a chunky paste and crumble it into the bottom of the pie pan. Bake for ten minutes until the sugar is bubbly and the crust is set.
You do not want the crust to brown at this point. If the crust gets air bubbles, prick it with a fork. If it begins to slide down into the pan, press it back up with the back of a fork. Once the crust is prebaked, set it aside while you make the filling. Lower the oven to 400º.
Melt one tablespoon of butter in a saute pan and add a 15-oz can of pumpkin puree. This will not only give a toasty flavor to the pie but remove excess liquid from the pumpkin. Let it cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine a quarter cup of sugar (or Whey Low sugar substitute) a quarter cup of brown sugar (again, Whey Low Gold), two teaspoons of gluten-free all purpose flour blend, one teaspoon of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of ginger, a quarter teaspoon each of salt, nutmeg, and clove, and a dash of allspice. Mix together well to ensure that all of the spices are well combined.
Add one egg and the entire can of evaporated milk and mix thoroughly then stir in the pumpkin. The mixture will be very wet.
Unfortunately this is were things begin to fall apart for me. Because I was cooking several other items at the same time (it was Thanksgiving dinner after all, I forgot to continue taking pictures so you will just have to use your imagination!
Pour the filling into the pie crust. There may be more than you can use, if so, pour the extra into lined muffin cups. Bake the pie for one hour and check that it is set. If the crust is beginning to brown too much, cover the edges with foil to prevent burning. The pie is done when the center is set and no longer jiggles. Don’t worry if the filling cracks in places, you’re going to cover that up with whipped cream anyway, right?
By the way, the secret to the flaky crust? It’s the praline! The caramel layer in the bottom of the crust keeps the pie filling from getting the crust soggy. We hope you enjoy our favorite pumpkin pie, leave a comment below to tell us about your favorite Thankgiving dessert.
Gluten Free Praline Pumpkin Pie
For the crust
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/4 cup all ourpose gluten free flour blend
1 t salt
2 T sugar (may omit if making a savory pie)
4 T (or more) ice cold water
For the praline
2 T butter, softened
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 c chopped pecan pieces
For the filling
1 T butter
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1/4 sugar
1/4 brown sugar
2 t gluten free flour blend
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t clove
dash allspice
1 egg
1 12-oz can evaporated milk
Begin by cutting the butter into 1 T size pieces and and freeze while you gather the remaining ingredients. Pre-heat the oven to 450º.
Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor bowl. Pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 8-10 times until the butter is mixed but some pea sized pieces remain. Add 4 T ice cold water and pulse again until the dough begins to hold together. You may need to add additional water but be careful that it doesn’t gett too sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a large piece of parchment paper and press together into a flat disk. Useing as little extra flour as possible, roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a circle about 1 inch parger than your pie pan.
Carefully, transfer the crust to a 9-inch pie pan. Press cracks together and pinch the edges to make a decorative crust. Prick the sides of the crust with a fork to keep it from bubbling up. Put the dough in the refridgerator until you are ready to add the praline and bake.
To make the praline, soften the butter and add the brown sugar and pecans. Mix together with your fingers and crumble into the bottom of the pie crust. Bake at 450º for about 10 minutes. Do not the the sides brown and use the back of a fork to press them back up if they start to slouch. When the praline is bubbly, it’s done. Lower the oven to 400º to bake the pie.
Melt another tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan and add the pumpkin. Stir together and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, and spices and mix thoroughly. Add the egg and evaporated milk and whisk until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin. The mixture will be runny. Pour into the pie crust. If there is extra, pour it into lined muffin tins. Bake the pie for approximately 1 hour until the center is set. If the crust begins to get too brown, cover the edges with foil.
We love soup and we also try to eat healthy meals as often as possible. Any opportunity to lighten up a favorite meal and still feel like we’re having a “cheat” meal is appreciated. This potato soup is bulked up with some flavorful vegetables and lightened up by using mostly broth instead of cream. Use good quality cheese to get the most flavor. Mild and sharp cheddar both have roughly the same calories but because sharp has a stronger flavor, you can use less and get maximum flavor for fewer calories. The same goes for using pecorino instead of parmesan. Also, I prefer to NOT use low-fat cheese in recipes. It doesn’t melt well, and the little bit of fat that is lost in reduced fat cheeses means that the cheese has less mouth feel which not only affects the overall taste, but will make the food less satisfying. You might be more likely to eat more food, meaning more calories! That said, for all the tricks that this soup uses, everyone will love it and no one will feel like they’re missing out.
Begin by dicing four ounces of Canadian bacon and cook in a large pot with one tablespoon of oil until the meat begins to get crispy.
Meanwhile finely dice a large red onion, three pealed carrots, and 3 stalks of celery.
Add the vegetables to the pot and cook until soft and lightly browned. Add one teaspoon each of dry mustard (Colman brand, of course) and garlic powder and half a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Cook for an additional minute.
Add three cups of chicken broth, one and a half pounds of diced Yukon gold potatoes (about 3 medium-sized), half a teaspoon of salt, and Cayenne pepper to taste (maybe a 1/4 teaspoon or so). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
Remove the pot from heat. Using a spoon or wooden spatula mash about half of the vegetables and potatoes against the side of the pot to smash them and thicken the soup. Stir in 1 cup of half and half, 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and a quarter cup of pecorino Romano cheese. Pecorino is a sheep’s milk cheese that has a sharper flavor than parmesan. Stir until well combined and the cheeses are melted. Top the soup with some diced scallion as a garnish and enjoy! If this soup sounds good, click like and we’ll post more of our favorite soup recipes and don’t forget to sign up to get email notifications of all of our new posts.
Creamy Cheese Soup
1 T olive oil
4 oz Canadian bacon, diced
1 large red onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 t dry mustard powder
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t smoked paprika
3 c chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t Cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
1 c half and half
1 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 c scallion, diced
Heat oil in a large soup pot and cook bacon until the edges start to get crispy. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft and begin to brown.
Add spices and cook 1 additional minute.
Add broth, potatoes, salt, and Cayenne to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
Remove the pot from the heat. Smash about half of the vegetables and potatoes against the side of the pot with a fork or spatula to slightly thicken the soup. Add half and half and cheeses. Stir until combined and cheese is melted. Divide into bowls and garnish with diced scallion.
We love flavors inspired by Mexican food and while this tamale pie is far from an authentic dish, it is quick and easy, perfect for RV cooking on a day you need to cook inside and don’t mind firing up the oven.
Start by preparing the cornbread base: mix half of a gluten-free cornbread mix with half a cup of frozen or canned corn (drained), half a cup of Greek yogurt, and on egg. The mixture will be dry and sticky. If it is too dry, add a little milk or half and half. Spread the mixture into a baking pan. Place into a 400º oven and bake for 15 minutes. It will not be golden and crispy and it should be set in the center, but not “done.”
While the cornbread mixture is in the oven, prepare the topping. On the stove top, sauté one large diced onion in olive oil until tender then add 2 cloves of minced garlic for another minute. Add one tablespoon (about half a packet) of taco seasoning, two cups of diced cooked chicken, and about half a cup of enchilada sauce. The chicken can be poached, grilled leftover from a previous meal, or a rotisserie chicken that has been shredded. It doesn’t even have to be chicken. We grilled pork chops the night before and made a couple of extras for this meal.
Take the cornbread out of the oven and poke holes in it with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour about half a cup of enchilada sauce over the mixture, allowing the sauce to fill in the holes.
Top with the chicken mixture.
Cover the whole thing with a layer of shredded cheddar or Mexi-blend. If yours is as full as mine, place it on a cookie sheet or you will end up with a huge mess (I may speak from experience here)!
Bake for another twenty minutes, until bubbly and the cheese has toasted. Bubbly and toasted are two of my favorite cooking techniques!
Serve with guacamole, green salad, or eat it all by itself. Stay tuned in future weeks for more traditional recipes turned into casseroles for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Leave a comment below with your favorite dinner casserole recipe, maybe we will feature it as one of our recipes of the week.
Chicken Tamale Pie
1/2 package of gluten-free corn bread mix (we like Krusteaz brand)
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt (sub sour cream if you prefer)
1/2 corn kernels (frozen or drained canned)
1 egg
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T taco seasoning (about 1/2 a packet)
2 c diced chicken or pork, already cooked
1 c enchilada sauce, divided (I buy the small-sized can and use the whole thing)
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexi-cheese, or pepper jack, or whatever you have on hand)
Preheat the oven to 400º. Prepare the base by mixing cornbread mix, yogurt, corn, and egg in a bowl. The mixture will be dry but if it doesn’t come together, add a little milk or half and half. Spread the mixture into a 9×9 pan and bake for 15 minutes while you prepare the topping.
In a large skillet, heat oil and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add garlic and cook one more minute. Add taco seasoning, 1/2 c sauce, and chicken. Cook until heated through.
Remove the cornbread from the oven. It will not be done but should be mostly set in the center. Poke holes throughout with the handle of a wooden spoon and top with the remaining enchilada sauce. Top with the chicken mixture and finally, the cheese.
Bake for another 20 minutes until bubbly and the cheese has melted and toasted.
★ 25 years guiding★ 48 U.S. states★ 10 countries★ 3,000+ Camino miles
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Know before you go
Activity Level.
Every Cruisin' with the Colemans trip comes with an activity level so you know, before you lace up, roughly how hard the walking will be. Think of it as the overall rhythm of the trip — a few days might push a little past it and a few will feel gentler, but it's an honest read on what your legs are signing up for.
Nobody knows your body better than you do. We're all for a good challenge, but pick a level that matches your current fitness and trail experience and the whole walk gets more fun. Not sure where you land? Reach out — we've walked every one of these ourselves and we're always happy to talk it through.
Grades
EasyEasy0–8 km (0–5 miles)
Gentle, mostly flat days on well-kept, easy-to-follow paths. Ideal if you're new to multi-day walking or simply want a relaxed pace with plenty of time to soak it all in.
Easy – ModerateEasy–Moderate8–16 km (5–10 miles)
A little more distance over mixed ground — mostly maintained trails, quiet lanes, and the occasional gentle climb. A good fit if you're reasonably active and ready for a few longer stretches.
ModerateModerate16–20 km (10–12 miles)
Fuller days on varied, sometimes rugged terrain with regular ups and downs. Great for steady hikers in good shape, or determined first-timers chasing a real sense of accomplishment.
Moderate – StrenuousModerate–Strenuous20–24 km (12–15 miles)
Long days with sustained, often steep climbs and descents on rough trail. You'll want solid fitness; a few exposed spots call for a head for heights, and navigation can get trickier when the weather turns.
StrenuousStrenuous24–28 km (15–17 miles)
Big days on demanding, often remote mountain terrain — serious distance and elevation for experienced, fit hikers. Expect rough footing, the odd exposed or aided section, and higher altitude on some routes.
ExtremeExtreme+28 km (+17 miles)
Our toughest walking, built for very fit, very experienced hikers. Rugged, sometimes remote mountain terrain with scrambling, exposure, and aided sections — plus altitude, weather, and navigation that all add to the challenge.
Where you rest
Accommodations Levels.
Where you sleep is part of the story, so we hand-pick locally run places that welcome you like an old friend. The level shifts a little from trip to trip depending on the route, but the goal never does: a clean, comfortable, genuinely local stay at the end of every walking day.
Most nights you'll land in friendly, independent or family-run hotels, guest houses, and B&Bs chosen for their charm and the little touches that feel like home. Some trips lean a touch more luxurious; others, especially in the remote stretches, mean simpler refuges or huts. Either way, we've picked each one to help you rest up and wake ready for the trail.
Basic – A Place to Rest Your HeadBasic
Mountain huts, refuges, and simple B&Bs. Ensuite rooms aren't a given, and you may share a dorm with fellow walkers — but what you trade in polish you more than gain back in camaraderie and a big, rustic welcome.
Classic – Charming Without the FrillsClassic
Locally owned B&Bs, guest houses, and small inns that feel like a home away from home — usually family-run, cozy or freshly kept, and well placed for the next day's walk. A warm welcome comes as standard.
Comfort – A Little More...ComfortableComfort
Characterful, locally owned hotels and B&Bs with the little extras that make a stay feel special — décor rooted in the region, the occasional spot to unwind, and sometimes a kitchen worth lingering over.
In Style – For Those who Want to Treat ThemselvesIn Style
First-class stays in boutique hotels, vineyards, and country manors — often in the best seats in the house, from hilltop towns to the water's edge, with standout service and, now and then, a truly memorable table.
Mixed – Boutique Hotels to Mountain Huts, all in One TripMixed
One trip, a bit of everything. You might bed down in Classic or Comfort rooms through the towns and villages, then a refuge or other Basic spot up in the mountains where that's all there is — an honest, memorable mix that matches the journey.
