Gluten Free Harvest-Time Chili

I've been all about stews and chili's lately.  The fall colors are starting to arrive, early morning air is crisp with hints of the winter ahead, and I have a growing urge to fatten up and get ready for hibernation.

In just one week my partner and I will embark on an amazing overseas adventure.  For three weeks we'll be exploring and experiencing new and familiar cultures, while Mindy visits all the study-abroad programs affiliated with the university she works for.  While she's taking care of business, I'll continue to work on my dissertation and the presentation I'll be giving at Moravian College when I return.  I can't wait! Especially for the 8-10 hour drive we'll be making from Switzerland to Rome, Italy!!  A dream come true:)

I digress...  back to the food! I whipped this chili up last night and it was killer!  It's cheap, easy,  produces lots of yummy leftovers... perfect for the student on the go.  The only ingredients not in a can are the onions, green pepper and chili powder.  Try this one out as soon as possible. You'll love it!


Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup green pepper (chopped)
• 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
• 2 cans Pinto Beans (un-drained)
• 1 can ( 14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (un-drained)
• 1 can (11 oz.) sweet corn (drained)
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tblsp chili powder
• Salt (to taste)

Cooking Directions

1. In a large pot, cook the beef, onion and green pepper until the beef is browned.  Drain.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.

Gluten Free Leek, Potato and Bean Stew

We just had a string of cold, wet and dreary days here in Philadelphia.  For me it was a little taste of home... Home as in Syracuse, NY that is, where sunny days only come about about 60 times a year.  For me, although it's a bit strange, there is something comforting about miserable weather.  I think it's because when the weather is at its worst, I tend to appreciate the little pleasures in life even more.  Like cuddling with a partner or a loved one... enjoying a hot mug of cocoa. Or, a steaming bowl of stew.  It was on one of these atypically dreary days in Philadelphia that I decided to whip up a big batch of this stew.  It's inexpensive, and super easy!

The spices make this stew pop for sure, but the combination of leek, potatoes, onions and beans always create a sense of homecoming for me.  There's nothing like the power of food to warm not just one's palate, but one's soul as well.  Everyone who tried this stew absolutely loved it, and I'm sure you will too:)

Total prep and cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
Feeds: About 4 - Want more?, double it up!



















Ingredients

• 1 can cannellini or navy beans (drained)
• 1lb potatoes, skinned, rinsed and diced up
• 3 tblsp vegetable or olive oil
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 2 leeks (sliced)
• 8 oz. can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tblsp tomato paste
• 4 cups gluten free vegetable broth
• 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tblsp fresh cilantro (rinsed and chopped)
• Salt and Pepper as desired

Cooking Directions

1. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot (or dutch oven).  Add the potatoes, onion and leeks and cook for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are pale golden (stirring occasionally).
2. Stir in the garlic, cumin and paprika and cook for a couple more minutes.
3. Then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth and bring to a boil.
4. Add the beans, cover, and lower the heat to simmer for about 1 hour.
5. Before serving, stir in the cilantro and as much salt and pepper as desired.
6. Be prepared to be comforted and enjoy!

Gluten Free Pizza at Carmen's!

About a week ago a fellow graduate assistant, Maria, told me about a small pizza place around the corner from me that sold Gluten Fee Pizza.  I asked her if it was any good, and she gave rave reviews.  Since I usually have to drive into Philadelphia to order gluten free pizza, the discovery of a local venue was exciting. Less than a week later I took my partner Mindy on a pizza date.

Carmen's is a nice little BYOB tucked between Ridley Park and Chester on Macdade Blvd. We ordered a gluten free pepperoni  pizza.  It cost about $10, and was 10 inches round. Both Mindy and I were very impressed, not only by how good it was, but also by the kindness and attentiveness of the staff.  The pizza crust was both crispy around the edges and soft beneath the cheese... just how I like it!

Here's a direct quote from Carmen's website: "Carmen's now offers a 10" gluten free pizza, available in red, white, or tomato pie. Since we make our own dough fresh every morning, we could never guarantee our equipment to be sufficiently flour free to make our own gluten free products. Therefore we purchase this dough from and outside vendor, and it contains both dairy and egg. We use separate and sterile smallwares for baking and slicing the gluten free pizzas. Please don't order meatballs as a topping, since we use our own breadcrumbs when we bake our meatballs and they are not gluten free."

Biting into a hot slice of gluten free pizza, located just minutes from where I live was a blissful experience I didn't think would be possible anytime in the near future.  Another good day in the life of a celiac sufferer:)

Carmen's is located at the corner of Mac Dade Blvd. and Milmont Ave. in Milmont Park, PA, a Delaware county suburb just ten minutes southwest of the Philadelphia International Airport. They are centrally located on Mac Dade Blvd. between Rte 476 (the Blue Rte) and Rte 420, within easy reach of I-95, Chester Pike (Rte 13, the Industrial Highway (Rte 291) and Baltimore Pike.