Pumpkin Stew & Biscuits, Gluten free

This is my favorite season! I love the cooler weather, the leaves turning, my birthday, and the fall holidays. And, it's the season of pumpkins. Yum! This stew is so delicious and even better with biscuits. Great comfort foods.

Pumpkin Stew
1/2 c. brown rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper, divided
2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed
2 T vegetable oil
2 T butter (leave out if dairy intolerant or use gf substitute)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
4 cups of water
1-2 bay leaves
1 to 2 tsp beef bouillon granules (make sure it's gluten free)
1 to 11/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ginger
1 T corn starch mixed with a little water
3 cups cubed peeled pumpkin

Combine flour, salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Add meat, a few pieces at a time to coat. In a dutch oven, cook meat in oil and butter until no longer pink. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in carrots, celery, water, bay leaves, bouillon, thyme and remaining pepper. Add to a crock pot at this point and let it slow cook for at 4-6 hours, adding pumpkin and corn starch half way through. Or if not using a crock pot, then, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover & simmer for 1-1/4 hours.

Stir in pumpkin & corn starch. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 min or until meat and pumpkin are tender. Discard bay leaves. Salt and pepper to taste.

Biscuits
I adapted this recipe from La Leche Leagues, "Whole Foods for the Whole Family", which I love.

2 cups gluten free flour (1/2 c. garbanzo bean flour & 1 1/2 c. brown rice flour)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 c. butter or margarine (gf and/or dairy free)
2/3 c. milk (I use almond milk)

Stir together dry ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add milk until dough forms into a ball. Knead, (if gf stir gently) 5-10 times- do not overwork. Roll or pat out on a floured surface about 1/2 inch thick. (for gf I always wet the counter and then put plastic wrap down, br rice flour or tapioca starch on top of that. This makes it easy to peel off the biscuits.) Cut into rounds with a floured glass. Bake on an uungreased cookie sheet at 400- 450 degreees for about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Drop Biscuits. Use 3/4 c. milk, stir dough just until blended, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.