Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

prep: 20 minutes

bake: 15 to 20 minutes

serves: 8

you’ll need…

5 cups apples peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces (about 4 apples)

2 tablespoons corn starch

1¼ cups non-contaminated gluten free oats (plain, not flavored), uncooked

½ cup brown sugar

1½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup butter, melted

let’s get to it…

Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease a shallow pie plate.

Toss the apples and cornstarch together in a large bowl. Pour into the pie plate.

Mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter together until crumbly.

Sprinkle crumbly mixture on top of the apples and pat down.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until oats are crispy and brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

cooking know how…

Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and peeled and sliced peaches are a great substitute for the apples.

Don’t use frozen fruit or the crumble will be too watery.

Rhubarb Pie with Vodka Crust

prep: 40 minutes, plus 1 hour resting in refrigerator

bake: 35 to 40 minutes

serves 8

for the vodka crust you’ll need…

2½ cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch slices

½ cup cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

¼ cup vodka, cold

¼ cup cold water

for the rhubarb filling you’ll need…

1¼ cups sugar

4 Tablespoons arrowroot (find it in the spice aisle of the grocery store)

¼ teaspoon salt

5 cups rhubarb, cut into ¼-inch pieces

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon demerara sugar (optional)

let’s get to it…


Mix half of the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor for 2-seconds. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 to 15 times or until the dough looks like cottage cheese and there is no loose flour. Scrape the bowl and then add the remaining flour and pulse 5 or 6 times. 

Remove the dough from the food processor and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the vodka and water over the dough and fold until the dough sticks together and all of the liquid is absorbed. Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten into 2 4-inch disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

While the dough is resting, mix the sugar, arrowroot and salt together in a bowl. Add the rhubarb and lemon zest and toss gently to combine. Set aside.

After the dough has rested, move oven rack to the lowest position and place a baking sheet on the rack. Preheat oven to 425°F.

Dust the rolling pin and work surface with flour. Remove one dough disk from refrigerator. Roll dough in a circle to a uniform thickness (about ⅛-to-¼-inch thick), about 1-inch larger than an upside down 9-inch pie plate. (Turn the pie plate upside down on the dough to measure it). Place rolled-out dough into pie plate and press gently into form of plate. Trim excess (but don’t throw it away!), leaving about ½-inch overhang.

Pour the rhubarb mixture into the pie plate.

Dust the rolling pin and work surface with flour one more time. Roll dough in a circle to a uniform thickness (about ⅛-to-¼-inch thick), about 1-inch larger than an upside down 9-inch pie plate. Cut out flowers or shapes with a small cookie cutter. Place second rolled-out dough on top of rhubarb mixture, being careful not to tear the dough where you made cutouts. Roll up and pinch the edges so you have a nice thick fluted edge (use the extra trimmed dough if necessary).

Brush half of the beaten egg on top of crust. Place the little cutout shapes on top of crust. Brush with remaining egg mixture and sprinkle with demerara sugar if using.

Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and the rhubarb is tender (poke a skewer through one of the holes in the crust to check). If crust browns too quickly, cover with a piece of foil. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack at least 1-hour.

Creamy Green Chile Dip

prep: 5 minutes

makes 1½ cups dip

you’ll need…

1 cup non-fat sour cream

1 7-ounce can diced green chilies, drained

½ cup green salsa (or make my tomatillo salsa)

1 teaspoon lime or lemon

¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

let’s get to it…

Mix the sour cream, chilies, salsa and lime or lemon and half of the cilantro (if using) in a medium bowl. Top with remaining cilantro as a garnish.

Crunchy Carrot Dip

prep: 10 minutes

makes 2 cups dip

you’ll need…

½ cup plain Greek nonfat yogurt

½ 8-ounce package light cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons lower sodium soy sauce

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 cup finely shredded carrots

let’s get to it…

Mix the yogurt, cream cheese, soy sauce and garlic together in a medium bowl until smooth.

Stir in the finely shredded carrots.

Summer Veggie Dip

prep: 15 minutes

makes about 3½ cups dip

you’ll need…

1 cup chopped tomato

1 cup peeled, seeded and grated cucumber

½ cup grated onion

½ cup grated green bell pepper

¼ cup peeled and grated carrot

1 cup of your favorite salad dressing (I used low-fat Ranch Dressing)

let’s get to it…

Mix the vegetables together in medium bowl.

Pour the salad dressing on top of the veggies. Stir until thoroughly mixed. If dip seems too thick, add more salad dressing.

Spicy BBQ Honey Dip

prep: 10 minutes

makes about 1¼ cups

you’ll need…

1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

¼ cup honey

1 teaspoon (or more!) of your favorite hot sauce

let’s get to it…

Mix the barbecue sauce, the honey and the hot sauce together in medium bowl.

Chili-Cheese Dip

prep: 10 minutes

makes about 4 cups 

you’ll need…

1 15-ounce can chili (no beans)

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained

1 16-ounce package Velveeta®, cut into cubes

let’s get to it…

Heat the can of chili, the drained can of tomatoes and green chilies and the Velveeta in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 10-minutes, stirring often.

Cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and wonderful.