Foodbuzz 24x24: An Italian Thanksgiving Goes Gluten Free

Thanksgiving is a time of . . . well in my family, being very gluttonous. It means eating for 8 hours straight. It means having antipasti plates to feed 40 when we’re only serving 20. It means wine, wine and more wine and of course, a multitude of desserts.

The word glutton reminds me of the word gluten. A thing until very recently I relied on for practically every meal. Gluten intolerance has left me dumbfounded curious with the many GF alternatives. An Italian goes gluten free; the predicament of this very statement. Rice pasta, quinoa flour, flourless anything! And so I explore . . .

My sponsor, Foodbuzz, does a monthly challenge called 24x24. 24 Featured Publishers across the world are chosen to blog about a unique meal and all within 24 hours. Mangia was chosen. November’s challenge: Get creative on a Thanksgiving meal.

The task at hand: turning the most gluten-ous Italian Thanksgiving into GF deliciousness. Oh, and no one can know . . . Italians are very proud of their gluten.

Thanksgiving Menu

Caprese salad

Antipasti plate

GF French Bread

Fruit and Vegetable platters

Malone y Prosciutto

Turkey

Penne Rice Pasta with Chicken Sausage Marinara

Orange Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

Grandma’s Sausage Stuffing with Dessert Lab Gluten Free Bread

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Quinoa Flour Gravy

Brown Sugar Yams

Green Beans with Pancetta

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

Dessert Labs Apple Pie

Fresh Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

  

The De Marco stuffing if I may say so myself, is not only our signature dish, but the best stuffing in all of the world. It’s not your typical dried out mush. Its full of flavor and texture. We decided to have a little test –which stuffing was better? GF or G filled? Let me just say the table was passing around both stuffings and not a word was mentioned.




 

Sides, sides and more sides . . .

Pancetta Green Beans--to die for. Nothing more then beans, olive oil and pancetta.

 Our 26 lb turkey. Perfectly roasted. Cheers to dad for not drying it out.

On to dessert . . . Pumpkin Pie, GF Apple Pie from Dessert Lab and homemade Chocolate Cheesecake with a gluten free hazelnut crust.  Brilliant and delicious.

 Mi Familia . . .

Grandma’s Sausage Stuffing

1lb Italian Sausage (ground)
1 lb pancetta or bacon
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2-3 cloves garlic
2 cups white onion
2 cups chopped celery
3 bags of spinach
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 eggs
1 0-16 oz dried bread crumbs (depending on how bready you like your stuffing)
*We bought gluten free breadcrumbs from a local bakery
1 teas sage
1 teas marjoram
1 teas rosemary

Cook Italian sausage and bacon and put aside. Sauté mushrooms, garlic, onions and celery in ½ cube butter. Once cooked add spices and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Steam or boil spinach and drain. Don’t cook longer than 60 seconds. Transfer cooked vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add sausage and chopped bacon, bread crumbs, spinach, eggs, red wine and chicken broth. Mix the stuffing together until its well coated. Stuff the bird and enjoy!