Holly Jolly Gluten-Free Holiday

Foodie Mom KELLEY says:  In this season of baked goods and breads, what's a gluten-free household to do? Ever since my daughter started school, I have been astounded at the number of gluten-intolerant kids (and parents) and folks who just prefer to eat food without gluten. Our household is not gluten-free but we sometimes have people over who can't have gluten and I have tried experimenting with our cooking to provide food for them. 
 
Ingredients 
The easiest gluten-free meal for me to make is pasta. The few brands I tried from a local supermarket tasted absolutely gross, and then I discovered that my favorite maker of wheat pastas, Rustichella d'Abruzzo, also produces a gluten-free line that is so tasty my wheat-tolerant family eats them, too. Gluten-free noodles can swing in an Asian direction, and used in these tasty rice stick Recipes for Health. 

 A true gluten-free household may want to make their own flour blend or purchase a ready made one from a trusted source. A highly regarded flour blend for gluten-free baking can be found under the French Laundry label. Zocalo Gourmet makes unusual flours from nutritious Andean grains like amaranth, quinoa, and kañiwa. South Carolina's Anson Mills, famous for their grits, also produce gourmet buckwheat flours, a must for Susan Herrmann Loomis' French Farmhouse buckwheat crêpes.

(My family has crepe night at least once a month and this is our very favorite recipe!) 
 
Recipes 
Find beautiful photography and holiday recipes at La Tartine Gourmande and then cruise the yummy-looking ideas for the holidays in these slideshows at The New York Times and Food & Wine. Try making this highly-rated Gluten-Free Pizza (or use this GalloLea kit) on days when the kids are on winter break so they can help. Then pour yourself a gluten-free cocktail and start baking for the kids. Gluten-Free Girl covers holiday baking and also shows how to make fun gingerbread men and cake pops (gluten-free of course). The adults may prefer her addictive Kabocha Squash Cake or David Lebovitz's Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies. Or make your own French Macarons, the decadent and naturally gluten-free cookies! 
 
Cookbooks 
The following gluten-free cookbooks will take you from holiday dinner to dessert with plenty of options for the cookie jar:

• Babycakes Covers the Classics and Babycakes

• Gluten-Free Baking Classics

• Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies

• Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef

• Gluten-Free and Vegan Holidays

 
Order Food Online 
For hard-to-find ingredients and ready-made goods try these sites:

• Gluten-Free Mall is a comprehensive gluten-free list with links to purveyors.

• Bob's Red Mill

• Extensive gluten-free selection founded by a chef

• Find out about gluten-free chex mix here: mainstream, ready-made and gluten-free

• Tasty gluten-free lentil crackers

• Pretty boxes of gluten-free MadMac macarons

 
Here's hoping you will have plenty of time for baking fun holiday treats (gluten-free or no) with your kids this holiday season!

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