These days, everyone knows someone who is following a gluten-free diet.
But before there were gluten-free sections in every grocery store, author Carol Fenster was on the forefront of gluten-free cooking.
Her cookbooks were some of the first on the subject, and she continues to show folks how to adapt their lives to gluten-free cooking and eating.
Now, Fenster is out with a revised version of her book Gluten-Free 101: The Essential Beginner’s Guide to Easy Gluten-Free Cooking ($19.99, softcover, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), which is a good primer for anyone who is new to the free lifestyle.
Try out this recipe for Mexican Casserole, which is just as tasty for folks who can eat gluten.
MEXICAN CASSEROLE
1 cup gluten-free low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup Mexican-style diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. dried sage
¼ tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. salt
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup grated cheddar cheese or cheese alternative
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese or cheese alternative
2 cups lightly crushed corn tortilla chips
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken broth, tomatoes, onion, green chiles, oregano, cumin, sage, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt to form the sauce. Set aside.
Grease a 10-by-14-inch casserole dish with 3-inch sides. Layer half of the chicken, then half of the sauce, half of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and half of the tortilla chips in the dish. Repeat the layers, ending with a final sprinkling of the cheeses.
Bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes so any moisture in the dish absorbs back into the casserole, then serve hot, garnished with the cilantro.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: For a spicier version, increase the chili powder to ½ teaspoon.
Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.