Easy Gluten-Free Last Minute Holiday Dishes

Happy Thanksgiving!! Not much has changed on our Thanksgiving menu, so I'm sharing this post from a couple of years ago. With just our family of 5 this year, a sweet friend is sharing turkey and ham with us (and yes, I asked how for ingredients and how both are prepared). My husband will make mashed potatoes, while I make a pumpkin pie. I'll make cornbread as well, and we'll add green beans to the mix. 

This Thanksgiving, I am more AWAKE to the reality of what being TRULY THANKFUL MEANS. 

From our health, to the roof over our heads, to having clean water to drink and wash with, to my husband's employment, to our teachers, God Bless our teachers, school staff, bus drivers and so on. I am thankful for ALL our medical workers - THANK YOU. I am thankful for LIFE.

We've heard "We're ALL in this Together" - and, I find that phrase a bit tiresome BECAUSE, we AREN'T ALL dealing with the SAME circumstances during this pandemic. Those who have lost jobs, have lost loved ones due to COVID, who have dealt with endless amounts of stress due to lack of work, childcare and so much more...

So, I have a NEW phrase "We WILL GET THROUGH this ONE WAY or the OTHER." For those who have been through a tremendous amount of stress these past 8 months, I am praying for YOU today. NEVER GIVE UP. Find the small blessings. This TOO shall pass.

Now, I do know ONE THING, "We're all in this Together" - because if you are reading this, then you are wanting a special Thanksgiving for yourself, or your child, or a loved one who has been diagnosed with celiac disease and must live a gluten-free lifestyle.  

I PROMISE YOU, you can HAVE A WONDERFUL GLUTEN-FREE Thanksgiving. Last minute store run to Kroger or Publix to get Pamela's Cornbread Mix, Wholly Gluten-Free Pre-Made Pie Crust (in frozen pie section) and then run over to ALDI grocery store for some GF stuffing!

Happy Thanksgiving fellow gluten-free friends. 

Green Bean Casserole

Gluten-Free Alternative:  This turned out fabulous, actually better than I thought it would. Thanks to ALDI liveGFree French Fried Onions (pic at bottom of post) and Pacific Cream of Mushroom Soup! I was so excited to find GLUTEN-FREE FRENCH FRIED ONIONS!! They taste just like the, you know, THAT "GLUTEN" brand, if not better. Make sure to check out your local ALDI store - it's a seasonal item.

Ingredients:

2 Boxes of Pacific Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 Cans of Green beans (drained)

2 C. of LiveGFree French Fried Onions

Pepper

Mix together cream of mushroom soup, green beans and 3/4 cup of french fried onions. Pour into 8" x 11" casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Then add remaining fried onions on top and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Stuffing

Gluten-Free Alternative: ALDI liveGfree stuffing! It tastes AWESOME!                     It reminds of Stove Top Stuffing.  

Note: I used Chicken broth and added celery and onion for more flavor.  

If you're unable to find ALDI stuffing, I would suggest following one of Pamela's recipes. If don't know already, I'm a HUGE fan of Pamela's products and her recipes, so I think you will be pleased as well. A couple of options - use Pamela's Cornbread Mix to make Cornbread Stuffing or you can you use Canyon Bakehouse bread (or whatever bread you prefer) for Pamela's Traditional Stuffing.

Corn Pudding (Casserole)

Gluten-Free Alternative: My "go-to" for gluten-free cornbread has always been Pamela's Cornbread Mix. I've used it many, many times, so I wanted to see if I could create a corn pudding casserole. And I did!

Ingredients:

Pamela's Cornbread Mix

2 Eggs

1/2 C. Sugar

3/4 C. Sour Cream

1/2 Milk

1 Can Cream Style Corn

1 Can of Corn (Drained) 

1 small can of Corn (optional, my husband wanted more corn in it)

1 C. of Butter (Softened)

Beat Eggs. Add butter and sugar - stir well. Add all corn and sour cream - stir well. Add a little cornbread mix at a time along with some milk and continue to mix well. Stir into all ingredients are incorporated. Pour into nonstick sprayed 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes - insert toothpick at 40 minutes and watch for edges to brown.

Pecan and Pumpkin Pies

Gluten-Free Alternative: I have to say, this is the best tasting pumpkin pie I've ever had...and I made it!! It was so good. This year, I tried a new crust by Wholly Gluten-Free. Two pre-made pie crusts come in each package - I found it in the organic/gluten-free freezer section. It's AWESOME! It tasted great and saved soooo much time! It's GF certified and free from many of the top allergens. I was very pleased. I mean, look at my pumpkin pie!! It tasted just as good as it looks! 

          

YUM! I followed Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe below. It calls for a "DEEP DISH" pie crust and pan. 

These ARE NOT deep dish pie crusts, so I poured in the mixture and had some left over. I mean, what do you do?? These pie crusts are awesome and I don't think I want my pie any "DEEPER", so I will definitely use them again.

Pumpkin Pie Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell

Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.
BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Pecan Pie Ingredients: 

This is the first time I had ever made a pecan pie! It turned out AWESOME!! I used this recipe: Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie

See y'all, you got this! SUPER EASY DISHES! You can find the pie shells in the organic/health freezer section at most popular grocery stores. Libby's as well. Do you have an ALDI near you? Pamela's Cornbread can be found at most grocery stores or online.