Cooking for the Non-Gluten Free

Have you ever had to cook for someone who just had a baby or just got out of the hospital and you want to bless them with a meal and they are not gluten free? I'm part of the meals ministry at my church so once in awhile I have to cook for someone else.

I try to keep my kitchen 100% allergy free. My husband has a small cupboard that he keeps his peanut butter, mac n cheese, soups, chili and snack items in that are off limits to the rest of the family. However, when I cook for someone else I don't always want to do the standard meat and vegetable dish, because sometimes that coasts more. Lets face it, pasta and other wheat based items are cheap. In addition, those who are recovering from a surgery or birth need their carbs. They need the energy to make it through 2 a.m feedings and the like. So I like to make homemade mac n cheese, pudding pies, and casseroles. So what do I have on hand to make these easy meals for someone else, while keeping a GF kitchen?

• dried pasta, usually macaroni
• hamburger helper or rice-a-roni (boxed items like these are very covenant and keep the pantry clean)
• graham cracker crusts
• pudding mix
• condensed milk

For Non-Gluten Free mac n cheese it is very simple to make. I just cook the pasta as normal (1lb bag) and drain. Melt 2 cups of cheese into a sauce pan with the condensed milk then pure over the top of the pasta and mix together in a oven safe casserole dish (aluminum if giving it to someone else, that way you don't need to ask for it back). Put more cheese on top and bake in a 350 degree oven till hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted on top. Pretty simple, huh? I usually do this for someone who just had a baby who has other kids, that way I know the kids will eat like it.

I have made my Mexican Lasagna before and that goes over really well too. I also like to make a dessert and I like doing non bake pudding pies. Graham cracker crusts usually come in a two pack or buy-one-get-one deal. To make a non bake pie it is very simple to do with any box of pudding mix. I like to make the crust on the pie golden brown by brushing the crust with egg white that has been beaten. Bake in at 375 degree oven for 5 minutes. You can use any pudding mix, just mix as directed on the box then place into the crust (once cooled if you are going to brown it) then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. I also found this great site that tells you how to make a pudding pie with some fun extra ingredient to jazz up just plain pudding; it's called Sky-is-the-limit pie.

So now you know my secrets to cooking for others while keeping a clean allergy free kitchen.