Cornbread Topped Beef Casserole, Gluten Free

Cornbread Topped Beef Casserole, Gluten Free
This would be good with cheese, sour cream and salsa, if those are on your food plan.
Serves 6

Cook covered over medium heat in a medium to large frying pan

1 medium sized sweet onion, cut up
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/4 pounds ground beef

Add, stirring in well

1/2 - 16 ounce package of frozen corn or 1 - 15 ounce can corn drained
1 cup pinto beans, drained
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Adobo seasoning

Put beef mixture into the bottom of a 9"x13"x2" baking pan.  Pre-heat oven to 350F

In a mixing bowl, combine

2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour mix
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 packets Truvia sweetener

Add all at once and mix until combined

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 1/3 cup warm water
1 cup water
1/2 cup goat milk* (or whatever milk you tolerate) plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/4 cup oil (coconut, olive, etc.)

*This recipe can be made with just water or apple juice instead of the milk, as well.

Drop the cornbread topping by spoonfuls over the top of the beef mixture so that it is evenly distributed across the top of the casserole.  Use the back of a spoon to smooth the top.

Sprinkle the top with

1 1/2 teaspoons parsley flakes

Bake at 425F for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.  Allow the casserole to rest about 5 minutes before serving.

Easy Gluten (Wheat) Free Hamburger "Buns" and the easiest way to cook burgers

Hi!

Here are a couple of  really easy ways to have burgers, that my kids and I like.   They certainly aren't buns in the traditional sense, but they do give ways to enclose a burger, pick it up and eat it.  There's just something about sticking a big, juicy burger in your face that just doesn't get it with a knife and a fork!

Let's start with my preferred method for cooking burgers.  If I have frozen patties, I like to use my grill, however the taste of a burger made with fresh beef is definitely preferable to frozen.  These burgers are tender, juicy and flavorful.

Basic Burgers
Serves 4

1 1/3 pound ground beef
Sea salt

Lemon pepper
Divide the meat into four equal portions.  On a baking sheet, flatten out the patties into the desired size -- adding approximately 1/2" all the way around to the size that is desired in the end.  If a 4" patty is wanted, then flatten the meat to 5".  Also, when making the patties, make the edges a bit thicker than the center of the patty.  This will keep the burgers from shrinking into balls when cooked.  Season as desired with sea salt and lemon pepper.  Bake the burgers for about 10 minutes at 400F, (or 15 to 18 minutes at 350F.)  They will not get all brown and crunchy like they do on the stove top.  Instead, they will just look a medium brown.  Test them with a meat thermometer and ensure they have reached 180F before serving.  Pour off the cooking fat and reserve for later use or discard as desired.



Wheat and Gluten Free Hamburger Buns

Below are two different methods for getting that burger into that mouth.  Yum!

Method 1:
Makes 1 serving

Cook 2 corn tortillas in about 1/2" cooking oil over medium heat until they are just getting crisp, about 4 minutes.  I like mine at the "medium" stage where they are still tender in the center, but crispy all around the edges.

Put a paper towel or sturdy napkin on a plate.  Place one of the tortillas onto the towel.  Then, load it up as any burger -- meat patty, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.  Finish it off with the other tortilla.  Wrap it up around the bottom with the paper towel, and enjoy a burger!

Method 2:
Makes 1 serving

I don't prefer this method because it just seems like too much lettuce to me.  However, that being said, it is a very viable option.

Wash, dry then place 2 large lettuce leaves on a plate.  Load on the burger and toppings.  Wrap up the burger with the lettuce and enjoy.

Salisbury Steak Recipe

Hi,

I wanted to do something different with ground beef and found Salisbury Steak recipe.  I modified it and this is what I came up with.  It is neither gluten free nor low carb.

2 1/2 pounds regular ground beef

8 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped (optional, but not really!)

1/2 cup sweet onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup whole rolled oats 

2 eggs

1 can cream of mushroom soup (you could substitute 1 cup of sour cream or yogurt)

1 tablespoon prepared brown mustard

1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt

3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

3/4 teaspoon basil

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Mix them together by hand or with an electric mixer until the consistency is uniform.  Shape the meat mixture into patties and place them on a large baking sheet and bake them at 350 for about 20 minutes or until they are done.  Alternatively, they can be fried or frozen for later use once made into patties.  Serves 8.

Enjoy!

Sharron S. Long c2009 Adams Media Corporation

Author of Extreme Lo-Carb Cuisine, available where books are sold