It’s time for a month filled with lots of food and fantastic treats. However, some of our friends and family are not able to eat the same ole traditional fare that others can enjoy. We’re talking about gluten allergies today and how to make some fantastic gluten free stuffing for your big Thanksgiving meal. You’ll be surprised by how delicious these will taste!

Give them a try and let us know in the comments what you think! For the best Raleigh event catering, call Catering by Design today for a quote!

Classic Gluten Free Stuffing

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 – 10

Ingredients:

Canola spray oil
2 – minced shallots
2 – diced yellow onions
2 – diced celery stalks
2 – diced carrots
4 tablespoons – unsalted butter
2 teaspoons – dried sage
2 teaspoons – dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon – fine sea salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon – ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup – dry white wine
1 cup – gluten-free chicken broth
1/4 cup – chopped fresh parsley
6 cups – gluten-free bread cubes

Directions:

First you’ll need to preheat your oven to 300 F. Next, take your bread cubes and evenly spread them out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until dry and golden brown, while stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool. Increase oven temp to 325 F.

Next, take your medium sized skillet and melt the butter over medium heat. Now add your shallots, onions, celery and carrots and cook until soft and golden brown while frequently stirring. Next add the sage, thyme, salt and pepper and continue cooking over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Now you will add the wine and continue to cook until your liquid has been reduced by roughly half.

Grab your 9×13-inch baking dish and lightly spray it with oil. Now take a large bowl and combine your cooked veggies with the bread cubes, chicken broth and parsley. Transfer all of this into the greased baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes, or until it is hot throughout and golden brown.

Quinoa Stuffing with Apple, Sweet Potato and Hazelnuts

This one takes a little over an hour to fully cook all the components but makes for one delicious meal.

Ingredients:

fine sea salt
1 cup – dry quinoa, cook according to package directions
2 – diced sweet potatoes
2 – large cut apples – Granny Smiths are best
1 tablespoon – lemon juice
1/2 cup – pure maple syrup divided portion in two 1/2 portions
1 cup – chopped hazelnuts
2 tablespoons – melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon – fresh thyme leaves
a few pinches ground cinnamon
a few pinches ground ginger
fresh or dried cranberries for garnish

Directions:

First, coat your apples with lemon juice so they do not turn brown.  Preheat your oven to 400 F with the rack in the middle. Next, cook your quinoa according to the directions on the package. This usually takes about 20 minutes. Then you should toss the sweet potato cubes and apples with 1/4 cup, or one portion of your Maple Syrup, coconut oil and a few pinches cinnamon, ginger and salt. Now roast the apples and sweet potato cubes for about 35-40 minutes, or until everything is tender and fragrant.

Remove this from the oven and grab a large bowl. Combine this with the quinoa and the remainder of the maple syrup in the bowl and then fold in the thyme and hazelnuts. Season to taste and serve!

Affordable Raleigh Event Catering for Thanksgiving

The holidays are almost upon us and Catering by Design is ready to provide your family with the best Raleigh holiday catering. We have a menu to fit any budget. You can also customize your catering menu, truly making your event “catering by your design”. Give us a call soon, our holiday event calendar is filling up quick but we still have some nights and weekends left.

The post Gluten Free Stuffing Recipes appeared first on CateringbyDesign.

Valentine’s Day is this weekend and we’ve got a great heart-shaped dessert recipe for you. This moist, heart-shaped chocolate valentine cake will be a great addition to any Valentine’s Day Party. This recipe serves 16 so take it to work, school, a neighborhood party, or just simply bake one up for your family. If you’re having the biggest and baddest Valentine’s Day Party, let one of the top Raleigh caterers take care of all of the heavy lifting. At, our are budget friendly for both small and large events. today and let us know how we can help you with all your party needs.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hr 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Cake:
3/4 cup – oil
2 1/3 cups – boiling water
2 1/3 cups – granulated sugar
3 – large eggs; room temperature
3/4 cup – unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon – vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups – all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons – baking soda
1 teaspoon – salt

Frosting:
1/2 cup – butter, softened
3 cups – confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cups – heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons – vanilla extract
6 ounces – unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

Chocolate Hearts:
1/2 cup – milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup – white chocolate chips
1/2 cup – semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

First, you’ll need two 8″ x 2″ heart-shaped cake pans. Now preheat your oven to 325F. Coat your pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms of the pans with wax paper. To make the cake, boil the water, remove from heat, and pour it into a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix in the cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Allow to cool and mix in the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat with your mixer on medium speed until good and blended. Now set your blender on low and mix in the flour, baking soda and salt. Beat until the batter is smooth and thin. Divide this mixture into the two pans and bake these for 45 to 55 minutes until a wooden toothpick, or knife, can be inserted into the center of the cake and it comes out clean.

Next, let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then run your knife around the edges of the cake, turn the pans over on the rack and peel off the paper so the cakes can cool down completely.

Now let’s make the frosting. Take your mixer and beat the butter and vanilla on medium in a large bowl until everything is nice and creamy. Reduce the mixer to low and beat in 1/2 cup of sugar, and then the melted chocolate. Now beat in the remaining sugar and 1/2 cup of cream, alternating between the two. Increase the mixer back to medium and beat until this mix is spreadable. You can add a touch more cream if needed.

Now assemble the cakes by turning them right side up and trimming the tops if needed. Place one cake layer top side down on a serving plate and spread the top with 1 cup of your frosting. Add the second layer to the first by placing it top side down. Brush off any excess crumbs and coat with a thin layer of frosting. Then spread and swirl on the remaining frosting and cover any gaps. Now let’s make the chocolate hearts to top the cake off with.

You’ll need a few small heart-shaped metal cookie cutters and maybe some red paste food coloring. Melt 1/2 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips. Follow the instructions on the package. Pour this liquid onto your lined baking sheet and spread with a metal spatula into a thin square. Place in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes, or until it has set. Take a shallow bowl and fill it with hot water and dip your cookie cutter in for about 30 seconds, tap off the water and cut out the chocolate hearts. You’ll repeat this process with the 1⁄2 cup milk chocolate and the 1⁄2 cup of white chocolate chips. Take some of the red food coloring and use it to tint some of the white chocolate chips. Serve these with the cake on the side, or as a cake topper.

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