Q:My aunt has celiac disease, and she’s coming here for Thanksgiving. Do you know of any recipes for gluten-free stuffing?

A I’ll share a recipe for gluten-free stuffing — but before I do, it’s important to also think about how the dish you are preparing can still become contaminated even if you’re using gluten-free foods.

When preparing gluten-free foods, they must not come in contact with food containing gluten (in any form), including: wheat (einkorn, durum, faro, graham, kamut, semolina, spelt), rye, barley and triticale. Also, malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are generally made from barley so it’s important to verify the source.

Allowable grains/flours include: rice, corn (maize), soy, potato, tapioca, beans, garfava, sorghum, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, arrowroot, amaranth, teff, Montina, flax and nut flours.

Remember, contamination can occur if foods are prepared on common surfa

ces, or with utensils that are not thoroughly cleaned after preparing gluten-containing foods. Using a common toaster for gluten-free bread and regular bread is a major source of contamination. Flour sifters should not be shared with gluten-containing flours. Deep fried foods cooked in oil shared with breaded products should not be consumed. Spreadable condiments in shared containers may also be a source of contamination. When a person dips into a condiment a second time, with the knife (used for spreading), the condiment becomes contaminated with crumbs (e.g. mustard, mayonnaise, jam, peanut butter and margarine). Also, keep in mind that wheat flour can stay airborne for many hours and contaminate exposed preparation surfaces and utensils or uncovered gluten-free products.

Here’s a stuffing recipe that was shared by Jo Maseburg, an office professional in the Department of Animal Science and Industry at Kansas State University.

Gluten-Free Sausage and Apple Stuffing1 pound mild bulk breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean All Natural Regular Pork Sausage is gluten-free)

4 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (check ingredients to make sure gluten-free)
1 cup dried cranberries, rehydrated in boiling water for 15 minutes and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
6 cups of fresh gluten-free bread, cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces (it tastes best if you remove the crusts before cutting)
2 to 3 cups chicken stock, gluten-free
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

To prepare the gluten-free bread, spread the 6 cups of cut bread on a cookie sheet (or two) in a single layer and place in a 200-degree oven for about an hour. The pieces should dry and be a little crispy.

To prepare the stuffing, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sauté sausage in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, drain the sausage and move it to a large bowl. Wipe most of the grease out of the pan with paper towels. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, apples and poultry seasoning to the skillet and sauté until the onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Mix in the drained cranberries, sage and rosemary. Add the mixture to the sausage, then mix in the bread crumbs. Add the chicken stock a little at a time until the stuffing is very moist. Be sure not to overdo it; it shouldn’t be mushy. Stir carefully to avoid destroying the gluten-free bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Spray a 9- by 13-inch rectangular casserole dish with gluten-free cooking spray, fill with stuffing, and place, uncovered, in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is crispy and the center piping hot. Remove and serve immediately. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.