Procrastination Recipe: Autumn Eats (Gluten Free)

Thanksgiving has come and gone and with it glutenous eating. It was just my sister and I this Thanksgiving and we basically spent the entire day eating on the couch. I made everything in my miniature kitchen (7 dishes, mini oven, 1 square foot of counter space - it's okay to be impressed) and didn't stress about it. And somehow it was all ready at the same time (well, aside from the two apps). 

The two appetizers are below.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

1 small white or yellow onion
6 oz can of crab meat
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cartons Baby Bella mushrooms

 First, clean the mushrooms, pop out the caps, and set the caps aside in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil.

In a saute pan, cook onion, butter and mushrooms stems (which you just want to roughly chop), Season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl combine the crab meat and shredded Parmesan. Add the onion/mushroom mix. 

I found that using a teaspoon was best for filling the caps. Place them in an oven-safe dish and bake for about 20 minutes or until the topping starts to brown.

Serve hot and as always, you could absolutely do this recipe without the crab meat or with a 1/2 cup of panko or breadcrumbs (if you're not gluten intolerant). 

A year ago I had dinner with two girlfriends at The Painted Burro in Davis Square on a chilly December evening. They had a seasonal dish on the menu, Pumpkin Fundido, which we ordered and looooooooved. Since then I have been meaning to try and recreate it. 

Pumpkin Fundido

1/2 white or yellow onion

a block of Monterrey Jack

a block of Queso Fresco

4 oz can of diced green chiles

1 cup veggie broth

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 can of pumpkin

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon gluten free flour

My first question is... why would a can of green chiles ever NOT be gluten free? Weird. 

So saute the diced onion and green chiles in the butter until the onion is translucent. Add the flour and stir for a minute until the flour taste gets cooked out. Then add the veggie broth and stir well. 

Between steps I recommend cooking for a couple minutes so that everything gets to the same temperature. Adding cold broth can bring the temp down so you need to let it rise again. 

Okay, so add in the pumpkin and stir well. Add in the spices. In an oven-safe bowl add the cheeses (note: it will melt quicker if you cut the cheese into small pieces) and the pumpkin mix. Stir and then place in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes (or until cheese is relatively melted). 

Serve hot with tortilla chips. It is also good the day after and the day after that, just reheat it in the microwave. It will be a nice addition to any Fall party. Enjoy!

~Stephanie