Thanksgiving in 2 Days

How many of you out there are scrambling for the big Thanksgiving finish?  Well this year I have been assigned the making of pies and cornbread.  First off, I have never made a gluten free pie crust.  This will be a first.  Even in the best of circumstances my pie crusts haven't always lived up to my expectations.  I have done some research and plan to use the recipe from the King Arthur Flour website.  Cornbread is easy and it is something I have done time and again. 

So how many will be making the famous green bean casserole?  For most people not a problem but for people who are gluten sensitive it could bring up some significant issues.  The basic green bean casserole is:

French's Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can CAMPBELL'S® Cream of Mushroom Soup

3/4 cup milk

1/8 tsp. black pepper

2 (9 oz. each) pkgs. frozen cut green beans, thawed*

1 1/3 cups FRENCH'S® Original French Fried Onions

Directions:

In a 1 1/2 -qt. baking dish, mix together the soup, milk and pepper.   Stir in beans and 2/3 cup French Fried Onions.

BAKE at 350°F for 30 min. or until hot.

Stir casserole and then top with the remaining 2/3 cup onions. Bake 5 min. until onions are golden.

Nothing to it right?  Well for gluten sensitive people the Campbell's soup will need to be substituted for either homemade or something else.  I choose the something else and have purchased Pacific Natural Foods Cream of Mushroom Soup.  I have used many of there products in the past.  They are high quality and a large portion are gluten free.  

Then there comes the FRENCH'S fried onions.  The ingredients are:  Palm Oil, Wheat Flour, Onions, Soy Flour, Salt and Dextrose.  So what is a person to do?  Answer is simple....make your own french friend onions.  I had the pleasure of enjoying a wonderful recipe on Food.com not long ago.  

French Fried Onions by GinnyP 

Ingredients:

3 large onions, sliced into thin rings 

2 cups milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

oil

salt

Directions:

Thinly slice the onions and soak in the milk for 5 minutes.  Heat oil in a large skillet or deep fryer.

Take a handful of onions and run them through the flour with a fork to coat.  Fry in batches in the hot oil, stirring as needed to brown evenly.  Drain on paper towels and season to taste.

When I made these I used white rice flour, 2 onions which was sliced using the mandolin  and added in seasoning salt prior to battering the onions.  The milk and flour were adjusted accordingly.  A cooling rack was placed over a cookie sheet and the onions were placed on top to drain.  They were then stored in a sealed container.  I would say they keep fairly well for about a week.  Since they don't have added preservatives the shelf life isn't as long.  

So what does green bean casserole have to do with making pies?  Nothing, however, I will be making the onion rings again and providing the condensed soup so that everyone can enjoy one of their favorite Thanksgiving dishes.  The pies and there outcome will have to wait until after the holiday. 

Happy Thanksgiving to All!