Can we talk GF holiday dinners?

[Satori]

I have no idea what to make this year! I haven't had a chance to get to WF and pick up a ham and no one had good deals on turkey when I was shopping and honestly after last time I tried making a turkey I'm not sure I want a repeat! (first time trying to cook a turkey and got a 21lb one, yeah, dumb move, I could barely lift the thing and then found out it wouldn't fit in my oven!). Xmas dinner we'll do a ham since I'll get to go to WF next month (its a 3 hour drive, we go when we head up to the childrens hospital) but this year I need something simple to take with us when we visit gluten eating family and I don't trust them not to gluten the turkey and most people seem to stuff the turkey which is going to contaminate it anyway.

So! Suggestions for portable TG foods?

Thinking maybe roasted chicken meat? Stuffing should travel well too. No clue on dessert really.

[kjbrown92]

what about getting just a turkey breast and roasting that?
And gravy to go with it
Some easily steamed veggies like broccoli or cauliflower (could even do them in someone's microwave)
some kind of potato (or would all of them be safe anyway? I'm worrying about more than just gluten, so I scratch almost anything off the list that has multiple ingredients)
dessert: pumpkin creme brulee (like pumpkin pie but no crust) - everyone will be jealous

[Satori]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

what about getting just a turkey breast and roasting that?
And gravy to go with it
Some easily steamed veggies like broccoli or cauliflower (could even do them in someone's microwave)
some kind of potato (or would all of them be safe anyway? I'm worrying about more than just gluten, so I scratch almost anything off the list that has multiple ingredients)
dessert: pumpkin creme brulee (like pumpkin pie but no crust) - everyone will be jealous

Where in the world do you even find turkey breast? I went looking for it when I was shopping and couldn't find anything. For some reason I didn't think to ask someone who works there, usually that's the 1st thing I think of is asking for help.

[kjbrown92]

They're usually near the whole turkeys. My aunt always gets them at other times of the year than Thanksgiving, because they're smaller. But they roast up nice with the skin and drippings and all, for making gravy. Just look for additives.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

They're usually near the whole turkeys. My aunt always gets them at other times of the year than Thanksgiving, because they're smaller. But they roast up nice with the skin and drippings and all, for making gravy. Just look for additives.

I actually looked at 3 different stores that day and all 3 just had the big freezer things in the middle of the isle with whole turkeys. I'll look again next time I get out which just might be today.

[cristeen]

Honestly, GFing the meal really depends on the dishes, but it doesn't have to be difficult or complex.

Cook the turkey without the stuffing in it (it's not a good idea anyway), make a rice-based stuffing/dressing, skip the biscuits/rolls, make a crustless or nut crust pie, and thicken the gravy with cornstarch or another GF thickener.

Mashed potatoes, sauteed green beans (not that nasty "casserole" stuff), roasted squash, green salad are all naturally GF. Sweet potatoes would depend on how they're made, but there's tons of ways to make them GF.

[fireflies~for~me]

I make an awesome GF PUmpkin Pie...the key is the crust...crushed up GF MiDel GingerSnap cookies...just add melted butter and press into pie crust...use as your crust. Yum!

For stuffing, fairly easy to do GF if you buy a loaf of Food for Life Rice Bread (the Rice Almod is moderatly tasty as rice breads go) cube very smalll....add broth and plenty of plenty of fresh sage Travels easy, because the broth soaks into bread and then bake in the oven when you get there.

HTH

[puffingirl]

I'm going to try the GF stuffing in a crockpot recipe that I found online (just google for it and it will turn up in a blog by a woman who used her crockpot everyday for a year--sorry can't remember it now). And I'll bring a veggie dish that we can all eat and I know DD will like (it will likely be either asparagus or green beans) I also found a really good GF frozen pie crust at Whole Foods (in their freezer section made by the Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakery). We have 2 events and I'll make one pumpkin pie and one chocolate cream pie with those crusts. Everything else is potluck and we've asked my MIL to make the gravy GF and will just stick to the basics that we know are safe.

[kjbrown92]

When I went to the store today (Price Rite, which is a discount grocery), there were the regular big turkeys in a special case (89 cents/lb). In the regular meat section, there were turkey breasts (1.29/lb). It was Shadybrook Farms, which is gluten free. I just need to call and ask what's in the turkey broth and the spices for my family. I got the smallest one they had since it's just for DS, DD2, and me (the rest of the people will be having a regular turkey). I also got some sweet potatoes. I'm going to try to make a sweet potato casserole (without dairy or marshmallows). That should be interesting.

[lil_miss_understood]

haven't read, subbing hope to be back

[blueridgewoman]

Make sure whatever meat you buy doesn't have any additives or anything in it-- lots of turkeys and hams are injected with flavor enhancers that contain gluten. You can usually google brand names that are gluten free though-- I know Smithfield hams are gluten free, but some of the glaze packets aren't, for instance.

[Mylie]

Subbing

Be back later...

[krankedyann]

For our GFCF Thanksgiving we do
Roast Turkey
Cornbread Dressing
Baked 'Candied' Sweet Potatoes and Mashed Potatoes for the picky family member who won't eat sweet potatoes
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Veggie Tray with dip
Sauteed Kale
Green Beans
Crustless Pumpkin Pie