A Happily Gluten Free Halloween!

Halloween can be a deliciously fun holiday! The video above is the first ever Halloween Special from LOOK TV 8 that just so happens to be gluten free! Enjoy the recipes! The pasta I used for the Pumpkin Ziti in a pumpkin is Le Venienza Pasta. Simply Delicious!

Tune into WNYT News Channel 13 Albany tomorrow morning at 8am for the Morning Today show to watch just how frightfully feasty Halloween Can be Gluten Free! Dan Bazile, Tim Drawbridge and I will be cooking up a scarily good time!

The cooking segment and recipes from the show will be posted on the WNYT website http://www.wnyt.com/, after the show.

Popular Restaurant 1st to become NFCA GREAT Certified!

Michael Moynihan holding O'toole's
new gluten free menu!

O'toole's Restaurant in Queensbury NY is first in the area to complete the NFCA GREAT Training Course and Certification! What does this mean for you? If you and/or someone you love lives a gluten free lifestyle you now have a new place to enjoy a meal out on the town!

Congratulations to Michael Moynihan and O'toole's Restaurant for taking a proactive approach to serve their gluten free customers. What makes O'toole's different so far than just any other restaurant offering a gluten free menu in the area? They have taken your allergy and needs seriously by completing the NFCA GREAT Program and completed the Glens Falls and Saratoga Springs Regional Celiac Support Groups Restaurant Approval Program.

Michael Moynihan, Manager of O'toole's in Queensbury, is proud to offer an extensive gluten free menu prepared in a gluten free designated area in the restaurant's kitchen. They even offer a seperate deep fryer and toaster! Yes it appears that you can safely enjoy piping hot french fries again! As I can speak from my experiences there the burgers are juicey and delicious served on toasted Saratoga Gluten Free Goods Rolls. Another one of my favorite treats are their loaded potoato skins served up hot and with gluten free Cabot Sour Cream!

When you visit O'toole's please ask the hostess for a gluten free menu and as always  please also inform your waitress that you are dining gluten free.

As always I value your opinion! I would love to hear your feedback on O'toole's Restaurant!

O'toole's is located at 118 Quaker Road, Queensbury, New York 12804.
To make a reservation call: (518)-793-3389

Cooking Show Goes Gluten Free!

Last night was a monumental evening for gluten free lovers! We in the tri-county area of upstate NY are opening up the doors of the first gluten free cooking show. Join me, Amy Rota-Poulin, in the kitchen for "Dinner At 8!" Everything I make is based on my premise that "great meals become great memories!" I am very excited to invite you into the kitchen to create delicious, easy and impressive meals your whole family will love!  My fun twist on the show is that everything I personally make will be gluten free and/or will have a gluten free option. I look forward to cooking with you!

You are invited to Dinner At 8 with Amy
Date & Time: Sat. 10/8 @11:30 an Sun. 10/9 @ 7pm

Place: LOOK TV on Your TV
Warren & Washington County tune into Channel 8 Saratoga County Time Warner Cable tune into Channel 508

Warmest Regards & Happy Cooking,



Amy

Comming Soon.....

 It has certainly been a beautiful summer! There are great new gluten free opportunities that I want to share with you and will do so very soon.

In the mean time I am going to share with you one of my most favorite Japanese restaurants, DUO. DUO is located in downtown Saratoga Springs on South Broadway. When you make your reservation and when you order please tell your waiter/waitress that you must eat gluten free and or say "gluten allergy."

Look at this elegant, healthy, deliciously gluten free food! They also have a wonderful bar.

I am off to our hay field, after all the horses need to eat too! Have a great day!

A Month In Review

The bright beautiful sunny days of summer are here already. Time to open the pool, make sun tea, and fire up the grill.

Life has been a bit busy for me as I am sure it has been for you. During the last month my Mother had her knee replaced. It was a tough surgery and I have been spending much of my time helping her to recover.

Dan, Tim and I also cooked up a storm on News Channel 13 WNYT (NBC Albany). Here is the link to the cooking segment and easy gluten free recipes for entertaining: http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S2111750.shtml?cat=10127

Pierre also had a family event this past month. It was absolutely lovely to meet his Aunt Lise and cousin Andre from California.

My best friend in the whole wide world is coming back from her tour in Djibouti Africa. While Liz has been away serving our country for the past year, Sara her beloved golden retriever has been our guest.

Have you ever heard the saying, "you have to make hay while the sun shines?" Well it is true and we are doing that too. I have been in the gorgeous hay field bailing hay with my Dad and Pierre. My favorite part of "haying" is packing a little something to eat, like: Sweet Bell Pepper Gazpacho, Iced Sun Tea, and perhaps a Roasted Veggie & Goat Cheese Tart.

I am off to the hayfield.....You have to make hay while the sun shines! (and a picnic "to go" too.) I will be in  touch again soon, take care and remember to keep turning your culinary challenges into delicious opportunities!

Amy's Recipe of the Day: Farm Fresh Gazpacho Soup
Amy Rota Poulin All Rights Reserved 2011
2 pounds of vine ripened tomatoes, stems removed
2 cloves of fresh garlic
1 shallot
1 red bell pepper, seeded and stem removed
1 large cucumber, peeled
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of real maple syrup or honey
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small zucchini, diced
5-8 basil leaves, finely chopped

Cut tomatoes (stems removed), garlic cloves (peeled), shallot (peeled), red bell pepper (seeded & stem removed), and cucumber (peeled) into large chunks. This makes them easier to blend. Place all ingredients except for the diced zucchini and basil into a blender and blend until smooth.

Add diced zucchini and chopped basil leaves. Stir to combine. Serve this healthy and refreshing soup straight from the blender or chilled.

This recipe and many more can be found in my cookbook, Cooking Gluten Free With Amy available at the Northshire Bookstore and online!

Happy Mother's Day

My Mom camping, fishing and enjoying her beautiful Lake George! Happy Mother's Day Mom!

"God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made Mothers." ~Rudyard Kipling (English short-story writer, poet, and novelist. Nobel Prize(1907), 1865-1936)

Mothers are a special gift, a light in the world.

In the picture above is my Mother, she is funny, smart, caring, giving, and above all loving. She raised me to be who I am today, and I am forever grateful.

To celebrate Mother's Day we are going out for a lovely dinner. Here are two of my favorite restaurants where you can an enjoy great conversation over a delicious meal (that will just so happen to be gluten free.)

Amy's 5 Star Restaurant Picks: May I suggest the delicious and trendy Duo Modern Japanese Restaurant which is located at 175 South Broadway in Saratoga Springs NY.  They will be serving a special Mother's Day menu! When you call to make your reservation please let them know that you will be dining gluten free you may even tell them that you are one of my friends. Should you stop in, please tell your server immediately that you need to dine gluten free. They have a fabulous menu, with unbelievable cocktails. The service is the best I have experienced in a very long time. 

To make a reservation at DUO Modern Japanese Restaurant please call 518-580-8881

or visit their website: http://duo-japanese.com/ for more information.

The Fair Haven Inn Restaurant is one of my all time favorite restaurants. My family has been enjoying meals at the Fair Haven Inn since I was a newborn. It is a fine Greek restaurant specializing in seafood and fresh fish. Since all of the food is fresh and your order is made to order just for you, please tell your server straight away that you have a gluten allergy and need to eat gluten free. You will be treated with the utmost importance and better yet you will be eating a delectably gluten free meal.

The Fair Haven Inn is located at 5 Adams Street, Fair Haven, VT 05743-1205
To make a reservation at The Fair Haven Inn Restaurant please call (802) 265-4907

Happy Mother's Day!

Enjoy the day!

Gluten Free Royalty!!

A Royal Celebration on a plate! Beef Wellington accompanied
by Roasted Tomatoes and Basil over fresh baby greens!

In less than 7 hours Prince William will marry the beautiful, elegant and soon to be Princess Kate Middleton. Networks have been and will be broadcasting every detail as the information becomes available (including the Royal Menu no doubt!)

Tomorrow you can eat like a King and a Queen too! Here is a delicious, elegant and regal meal inspired by the Royal Wedding (and of course my "Prince" Pierre.)



Beef Wellington

For the pastry:
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
4 tbs butter, room temperature
4oz neufetchel cheese or light cream cheese, room temperature
1/4tsp fresh ground sea salt
1/4tsp fresh ground black pepper

Mix dry ingredients together, then knead in room temperature butter and light cream cheese until the dough is formed. Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator.

For the Filling:

1 pound of beef tenderloin, about 1 inch thick
2 tbs olive oil
1 large vidalia or sweet onion, finely chopped
2 large portabello mushroom caps, finely chopped
8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of cream sherry
Freshly ground sea salt & pepper to taste

Place a large skillet on medium high heat and add the Olive oil. One the oil is hot add the chopped onion, fresh thyme sprigs and chopped portabello mushroom caps. Stir together. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes or until the onions are tender and the edges have started to turn a golden brown. Add minced garlic. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cream sherry. Cook for an additional 5-8 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While the filling is cooking cut the beef into 2 inch chunks. Lightly grease a muffin tin with butter. Remove your dough from the refrigerator and cut into 7 even pieces, set one piece aside (this will be for the tops). Push 1 each of the 6 pieces of dough into one of the muffin cups. Place 1 piece of beef into each dough lined cup. Top beef with 1-2 teaspoons of the onion mushroom filling and cover with reserved dough. Make a small cut in the top of each little Beef Wellington and place in the oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is just golden brown, cook a bit longer if you prefer your meat well done.

To make a delightful gravy, add 1 teaspoon of potato starch to 2 cups of chicken stock or milk. Add the mix to the leftover filling in the skillet. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until the gravy has reached the desired consistency. You may add a bit more cream sherry if you like.



Roasted Tomatoes & Basil straight out of the oven!

 Roasted Tomatoes & Basil over Baby Greens

10 cocktail tomatoes, sliced in half and seeds removed
2 hand fulls of fresh basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs olive oil
Freshly ground sea salt & pepper to taste

5 cups of fresh baby greens

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice tomatoes in half, remove the stems and seeds. Place in a oven safe baking dish. Tear the fresh basil leaves. Add and toss together fresh basil leaves, grated Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes. Toss hot roasted tomatoes over fresh baby greens and serve immediately. Enjoy this brilliantly easy side dish.

Queen Elizabeth's Strawberries & Cream

4 cups of strawberries
2 teaspoons of pure honey
1 teaspoon cream sherry
Premium Vanilla Ice Cream

Slice strawberries and place in a large bowl. Mix the sliced strawberries with pure honey and cream sherry. Serve in a lovely dish on top of 2 generous scoops of premium vanilla ice cream.

Royal Honeymoon

2 parts Moonstone coconut lemongrass sake
1 part Bacardi rock coconut rum 
2 parts lite coconut milk
3 teaspoons freshly shaved coconut meat

Shake all ingredients together with ice, strain and pour into your favorite martini glass. Please enjoy responsibly.

*Always Read the ingredient labels of each individual ingredient you are using to make sure that, that particular brand is completely gluten free. If you are unsure call the manufacturer or visit their web site, they are usually more than happy to answer your questions. *

This recipe was created by Amy Rota-Poulin author of Cooking Gluten Free With Amy.  Enjoy!

Please visit http://www.glutenfreewithamy.com

For more royal recipes, give my cookbook a look, Cooking Gluten Free With Amy available at the Northshire Bookstore and online!

The Beef Wellington Cooking to perfection