Last Minute Easter Food!

Our neighbors invited us over for Easter dinner at the very last minute (I was just going to make Pad Thai so it was nice to do something different!) and I couldn't go over empty-handed.  This sort of situation prompts a Celiac predicament...I know I prefer to be well prepared and researched before eating somewhere new, but what if that place is someone else's home, with only a few hours to prepare?

To be honest, I probably took the easy and dumb way out.  Instead of bringing up my restrictions, I cooked a side and hors d'oeuvres, popped a GlutenEase (I will do a separate post on GlutenEase later.  While it doesn't prevent damage or pain, it does help me "pass" everything faster and easier if there is possible contamination) and hoped for the best.  I was very lucky to have a moment to do a quick label-read on the salad dressing my neighbor used, and was so thankful to not have any gluteny issues later in the evening.

I had marinated cucumbers, ham, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, and stuffed tomatoes.  I almost brought deviled eggs, but decided to be selfish and keep the boiled eggs for myself this week! I could tell Matt was excited to eat all the gluteny food that we never have at our house: he ate dinner rolls and had cookies for dessert!  What a feast!  It was such a treat to have Easter dinner with our neighbors and do something new for a change.

Now on to the food!

Stuffed tomatoes and bacon-wrapped water chestnuts

I didn't want to spend much time at the grocery store (especially on a Sunday, double-especially Easter Sunday!) so I scoured our pantry and tried to think of minimal ingredient foods.  We had parmesean cheese, an onion, and I had about 6 bread ends from Udi's loaves.  I also have a gigantic spice collection, so seeing the basil and oregano, so I decided on stuffed tomatoes.  A tried-and-true favorite, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts are easy and only have three ingredients, so they were an obvious must!

Follow the jump for recipes.

Stuffed Tomatoes
Serves 4-6

6 medium sized tomatoes
1 cup breadcrumbs*
1 onion, chopped
Dried basil, to taste
Dried oregano, to taste
Parmesean cheese

Core the tomatoes and use a small spoon to scoop out the inside, let them drain upside down on a paper towel.

*For the breadcrumbs: this is easiest if you have been hoarding bread ends like I have been for a while.  If not, use regular gluten-free bread slices, like Udi's.  Toast the slices/ends, then throw them in a food processor until they are of crumb consistency.  I like to leave a few bigger chunks in, because gluten-free bread quickly turns to sandy dust in the food processor and will just taste like mush.  Lay all the breadcrumbs out on a baking sheet, sprinkle on your different spices, (sometimes I add garlic powder) salt and pepper, and bake in your oven/toaster oven at 350 for just a few minutes, watch them carefully so they don't burn.  Once they are a bit darker, take out the tray and let them cool.

While those are cooling, sautee your chopped onion in a bit of olive oil until just a bit browned.

Mix the crumbs and onion together, and add bit of cheese to your mixture.  This is all to taste so use as much or little as you want!

Spoon the tomatoes, pushing down the mixture as you go to make more room, and top with parmesean cheese.


Bake for about 20 minutes at 350, and then broil for a minute or two to darken the cheese.


Bacon-wrapped Water Chestnuts (dairy-free)

Serves 4

I call this stupid-good because the recipe is so simple that a really stupid person could cook it and it would still be delicious.  Seriously, it's amazing.

1 can of whole water chestnuts
1 package of bacon
1 cup grape jelly (trust me)

Lay out slices of bacon on a baking sheet and cook in the oven at 375 until half done.  While the bacon is cooking, drain the chestnuts.  Take the bacon out and wrap half a slice around each chestnut, using a toothpick to secure.  Put a baking rack on your baking sheet, then place the wrapped chestnuts on top (this keeps them from sitting in their grease, and makes them crispier) and cook until done.

Warm the jelly in a small saucepan until it is thinned out like a sauce.

Take the chestnuts out, brush on jelly, then put them back in the oven for just a minute or two.  Remove and plate!