grape salad

this is one of my favorite recipes. I get asked for the recipe almost every time i make it. my mom got this recipe years ago and i make it all the time. it can be used as a side, or a dessert. it is great at potlucks.

Grape Salad

3 Lbs. red seedless grapes, washed, plucked from stems and dried

8 oz. cream cheese softened

8 oz. sour cream

1/4- 1/2 C. sifted powdered sugar, i like somewhere in between

2 tsp. vanilla

with a hand mixer cream together all ingredients except grapes until smooth.

fold the cream mixture over the dry grapes. serve. refrigerate.

i am often asked if you can make it the night before. i always eat it the next day but i just think it is better fresh.

my friend calls them frosting grapes, they are so yummy! and as usual my picture does not do it justice!

7 layer bars

So i wanted to start new in the new year but i just couldn't wait for this one. 7 layer bars. everyone makes these but it is an altered GF version. i found almond meal at trader joes and it worked perfectly for the crust, i have people bring it to me from st. louis but you can put almonds in a food processor and pulse until you get a coarse meal.

7 Layer Bars (well really 5 layers)

2 C. (or more) of almond meal

1/2C. butter, melted

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 C. chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1/2 C. shredded coconut

pour the almond meal into a bowl (i think i would add a few tsp. of sugar to make it a little sweeter) and pour melted butter over it, i mix with fingers until it is like a graham cracker crust moist but not wet, you might need to add a little almond meal until you get the right texture to pat into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

press down the almond meal mixture, then pour one can of sweetened condensed milk over the top. sprinkly on the 1 C. or desired amount of chocolate chips, ( i think i use a little more) then shredded coconut and last the chopped pecans.

bake at 350 for 20 min. but watch it when it is really bubbly you don't want it to brown too much.

the traditional recipe calls for butterscotch chips, these have wheat in them. do not use.

otherwise you can add anything you like, there are many versions of chocolate chips, cinnamon, peanut butter, i like it pretty simple with chocolate, coconut and pecans but make it your own.

New Years resolution

i still have no recipes to post , i have neglected this blog but really want to get back up and running in Jan. hopefully improved.

stay tuned...

chicken fajitas

4-6 chicken breasts or about 8 thighs. (depending on how many you are feeding) cut into thin strips

1 Tbs. oil

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 c. lime juice

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper

1 onion sliced

1 red bell pepper sliced

corn tortillas or large romaine lettuce leaves

in a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. add chicken and garlic. saute' until chicken is browned, add red pepper and onion. add lime juice and spices. cook on medium heat until onion and pepper are tender and chicken is cooked through. (i actually like to cook it until it is carmelized on the chicken and a lot of the liquid has cooked off)

put into tortillas or lettuce leaves. top with cheese and sour cream or any favorite toppings.

enchilada pie

enchilada pie -More Mexican:)

unfortunately i forgot to write down where i got this recipe so sorry if it is off of someone's GF blog. my son loved this, it is just like enchiladas only easier.

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 red or green pepper chopped

1 pkg. ground turkey or ground beef, 1 to 1/4 lbs.

2 tsp. cumin

1 1o oz. can rotel diced tomatoes (diced tomatoes with green chilies)

1 4oz. can green chilies

1 can 15 oz. corn drained

1 can 15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed

12 corn tortillas

shredded jack cheese or mexican blend

toppings: sour cream, guacamole, or salsa -optional i didn't use any

heat oil in a large skillet over med. heat. add pepper and saute 4 min. or so. add turkey or beef until no longer pink. drain. stir in cumin, tomatoes,half the enchilada sauce and chilies. bring to a simmer and cook 10 min. to develop flavors. remove from heat and add corn and beans.

heat oven to 350

assemble enchiladas: line bottom of a 9x13 pan with 4 corn tortillas torn into large pieces. top with half the meat mixture and about 1/3 of the cheese. top with 4 more torn tortillas and the other half the meat mixture and another 1/3 of the cheese. top with last 4 tortillas and pour the other half of the enchilada sauce over them. cover with foil and bake for 30 min. uncover sprinkle with remaining cheese bake until cheese melts. cool for 5 min. serve with toppings if desired. this makes a ton, maybe 8 servings.

taco salad

1 or 1 1/2 lbs. of ground beef or turkey (depending on how many you are feeding)

1 packet taco seasoning

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, undrained ( i like black beans too)

1 10 oz. can rotel* tomatoes ( or diced tomatoes with green chilies)

lettuce

shredded cheese

sour cream

salsa

guacamole

tortilla chips

brown ground beef and drain fat. add taco seasoning, beans, and tomatoes. simmer for 10 min. to let flavors blend.

serve over lettuce and garnish with whatever toppings you like.

recipe from killthegluten.blogspot.com one of my favorite salads and sites. can also be used in corn tortillas for burritos

made this last night with turkey it was really good!

thai crockpot chicken

i have determined that all of my dishes look the same! they do taste different! this is an easy crockpot dinner. it has a very peanutty taste but good flavor!

slow cook thai chicken - allrecipes.com

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips

1 large red bell pepper sliced into strips

1 onion coarsely chopped

1/2 c. gluten free chicken broth

1/4 c. gluten free soy sauce

1 tbs. ground cumin

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes ( i just used a little red pepper)

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbs. cornstarch

2/3 creamy peanut butter

1 tbs. soy sauce

1/4c. lime juice

garnishes: chopped green onion, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped roasted peanuts

place chicken strips, bell pepper, and onion into slow cooker. pour in chicken broth and 1/4 c. soy sauce, season with cumin, salt and pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes. stir to blend then cover and cook 4-5 hours on low or 3 hours on high.

remove 1 c. liquid from crockpot and mix in a small bowl with peanut butter, cornstarch, 1 tbs. soy sauce, lime juice. this blends into a thicker sauce. stir this back into the crockpot. cook on high for 30 more min. serve over cooked rice and garnish with whatever you like, peanuts, onion or cilantro. serves 4-6.

salsa verde crockpot enchilada's

my photographs just don't do the food justice!

this is a crockpot enchilada, i thought it was really good and pretty easy.

salsa verde crockpot enchilada's (from LDS living)

2 tbs. cooking oil

5 corn tortillas

1 10oz. can green enchilada sauce or 1 1/4 c. green salsa

1/2 c. sour cream

2 c. fully cooked chicken, shredded or use leftover rotisserie chicken

2c. shredded jack cheese ( i used mexican blend of jack and cheddar)

1 4oz. can green chilies

brush crockpot halfway up with half of oil

brush tortillas with remaining oil

in a med. bowl combine green sauce and sour cream.

place 1/4 c. sour cream mixture in bottom of crockpot, top with tortilla (i have the long wide kind of crockpot so i put 2 on the bottom, if you have the tall kind just put one and you will have more layers) then 1/2 c. chicken, 1/3 c. cheese,1 tbs. green chilies, and 1/4 c. sour cream mixture. repeat layers, i just did it twice dividing everything in 2 for the wide crockpot.cover with remaining sauce and cheese for the last layer.

place in refrigerator. 2 -3 hours before ready to eat plug in crockpot on high. you can put it on all day on low but i would not do it for more than 4 hours. it cooks pretty fast. this just made 4 servings, i would double it if you have a large family.

salsa chicken

tonight was a little crazy so i made an easy dinner.

salsa chicken

chicken breasts or thighs, 1-2 per person

place in 9x13 pan, sprinkle with taco seasoning, cover each chicken with salsa and sprinkle with cheese. bake for about 35 min. yummy with a salad and/or corn.

good news

this summer Betty crocker is coming out with gluten free mixes. they will have yellow cake, devils food cake, chocolate chip cookies and brownies. some of the gluten free bloggers have gotten to try them and say they are really good. i am very excited to have something easy to make and hopefully since they are a bigger company they won't be so expensive. can't wait, i just hope they are coming to hawaii. i haven't been able to find the honey nut chex yet which are now gluten free along with the rice chex. make sure the box says gluten free.(usually on the side)

garlic mashed potatoes

i posted these on my other blog, these are my favorite and a much healthier version of mashed potatoes!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

8 red potatoes quartered ( i just use the 2 lb. bag they usually come in)skins on

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 Tbs. of butter

1/2 C. warmed milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 C. parmesan cheese

place potatoes in water and boil, turn down and simmer for 20-25 min. until fork tender

drain well. add butter, salt, garlic,milk, and mash, i just use the mixer for a few min. stir in parmesan cheese. serve warm.

Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate chip cookies

this recipe is in a ton of cookbooks they are often called ESP cookies for their 3 ingredients.

1 C. chunky or smooth peanut butter

1 C. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. baking soda

i add chocolate chips, maybe 1 C. or more

combine peanut butter and sugar with mixer for 2 min. add egg and baking soda, mix another 2 min. add chocolate chips (or leave out) and stir to combine. roll into small balls and bake for 10 min. at 350 preheated oven.cool when removed. these cookies are a little drier than regular cookies but good and easy!

Fried Rice

i haven't posted anything in so long, the problem is that when i post something i want to have a picture. well when i am making dinner and trying to get it on the table i either forget to take a picture or i just don't get it done, plus my kids roll their eyes when i get out the camera at dinner:) anyway i want to get some recipes down pictures or not.

i love making fried rice, i make it pretty healthy and i love anything i can get lots of veggies into!

Chicken Fried Rice GF

i cook 4 or 5 cups mixed brown and white rice in a rice cooker (about 1c. per person)

1/3 C. gluten free soy sauce, i use san J brand wheat free soy sauce

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or i used 4 boneless,skinless thighs cut in pieces

2 large eggs beaten

1 carrot diced

about a cup of frozen peas, just eyeball it

1 C. of frozen broccoli florets (run under hot water until defrosted)

1 Tbs. sesame oil

small corns, asian section of the grocery store

cook rice in rice cooker. when it is done scoop it out onto a jelly roll pan to cool off. saute chicken in sesame oil or any oil but i love the asian taste of sesame. when pink is gone from chicken toss in carrots, stir fry for a few min. add broccoli, peas and corns until veggies are tender 5-10 min. (at this point i usually get moisture from the chicken but add a little oil if needed). scramble egg in seperate pan. i don't have a wok so i put the chicken /veggie mixture in a dutch oven pan and add the rice and the soy sauce. mix and fold together and add eggs to toss. this makes a ton of fried rice, you can make less rice for smaller portions but we have this as a main dish.YUM!

Delight magazine

i finally received my subscription of delight magazine, dedicated to gluten free and other allergy free food and info. it seems to be wonderfully layed out and have a lot of interesting things and recipes in it. if i make anything i will post it. i did find out that anything that tootsie roll makes is gluten free, good to know. if you are interested in the magazine click on the magazine image to the right.

Acai Bowl

Acai (ah-sigh-ee) is a brazilian berry that is a super food if you haven't heard of it. here in hawaii you can get acai bowls a lot of places including jamba juice. it is topped with bananas, granola and honey and we love it. we found the acai frozen packets at whole foods and decided to start making them ourselves. the brand is sambazon ( i think that is right). we have a vita mix mixer and my husband just really just started playing around with things. we add 2 frozen packets(for 2 of us) of acai, add frozen blueberries, raspberries, 1 tsp. ground flaxseed meal, some crushed ice and some apple, pomegranate or orange juice to thin it out. top with banana, granola with pumpkin seeds and honey. Yummy! and so healthy!
these pictures should have come up the opposite way but the bottom is of the smoothie in the mixer. you can also make a smoothie just thin it out a little more so it is drinkable not spoonable.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff
This is another church cookbook favorite.
1 1/2 lbs (or less) beef tenderloin or sirloin cut into strips. ( i just buy the ready made beef strips in the meat dept. much cheaper, not quite as tender i am sure though)
1 can of mushrooms or fresh mushrooms browned with the meat (more if you like mushrooms, this picture actually has no mushrooms)
8 oz. sour cream or lowfat plain yogurt
1 tsp. spicy brown mustard
1 Tbs. ketchup
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion chopped
2-3 beef buillon cubes (GF)
lemon juice 1/2 lemon
paprika to taste (optional)
brown meat with onions in 2 or less Tbs. butter. add 2 C water and buillon cubes. simmer about a half hour until meat is tender ( i do less time) add mushrooms, ketchup,mustard and other spices.
cook a few minutes. add sour cream mix through. it seems runny but served over rice it will soak it up. Serve over steamed rice or GF noodles.
on a budget i am sure you could use hamburger in place of the beef .
I had been to target and really wanted to try their sweet potato fries, i wouldn't usually serve fries with stroganoff but i couldn't wait. they were good, not spectacular probably homemade is better.

Enchiritos

this was a take off from taco bell. one of my husbands favorites but we only have it occasionally,it is not the healthiest so it is a once in a while dinner. it is very filling!
Enchiritos
Corn tortillas (or flour if you are not eating GF) i usually heat the corn ones in a dry skillet to soften.
enchilada sauce
1 lb. or less cooked and drained lean ground beef cooked in taco seasoning ( you don't have to have the taco seasoning it just give the meat a little more flavor)
mexican blend or cheddar cheese shredded
refried beans, i use black refried beans
take torilla, smear a spoonful of beans on, place a spoonful of hamburger over the beans, roll up seam side down, pour enchilada sauce over rolls, not covering, then sprinkle cheese over (this one was a little heavy on the cheese but however you like it) microwave until the cheese is melted. we love it with steamed rice to eat with the cheese and sauce. we usually have 2 rolls each but i am starting to do only one it is so filling, then i could put a salad or something on the side.

white chicken chili

this is a family favorite from a church cookbook
White Chicken Chili
4 Cans Northern Beans ( or 1 lb. dry white beans soaked overnight and drained)
4C chicken broth (make sure it is Gluten free)
1 clove garlic minced
1 onion diced
1 small can chopped green chilies
scant tsp. ground cumin
scant tsp. dried oregano
dash of ground cloves
dash of cayenne pepper
4C. cooked chicken diced (can just boil and cut into small bite size pieces)
3C. shredded monterey jack cheese (the 2 C. shredded pack is fine but the cheese adds a lot to the soup)
Combine beans, broth,garlic and onions in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer 2-3 hours. add remaining ingredients except the cheese, simmer an additional hour. garnish with cheese. sometimes i boil the soup then throw it in the crockpot on low and add the additional ing. and turn to high and then serve.serves 8-10. this is a very comforting ,yummy soup!

tostadas

most of our meals are really pretty simple. this is one of my favorites! tostadas! just buy the corn tostadas. i make it with black refried beans, lettuce, tomato, corn, cheese, onion and a dab of sour cream. so easy and good!

simple breakfast

one of the things i miss most about eating gluten is cereal. a good bowl of honey bunches of oats is/WAS the best. fortunately they are making many more cereals gluten free even Rice Chex is gluten free now. i eat a lot of granola, i can get my whole grains in with oats(this one has about 41 grams per serving) and i love it. this was just a simple Back to Nature brand granola, with no wheat. you have to make sure to read each granola label many of them contain wheat, most as a matter of fact. i loaded the bowl with fresh strawberries and since it was a really simple granola i added a drizzle of honey, i LOVE honey on granola! this was super yummy. another favorite breakfast is vanilla yogurt sprinkled with granola and berries and drizzled with honey!

Energy Bars

I found this recipe in family fun magazine, it is really easy to make and so good and good for you.

1 80z. bag of almonds ( i use a cup of almond meal from trader Joe's)

1/4 c. sesame seeds

1 1/2 c. of oats, quick cooking (i have used regular too)

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1 c. dried blueberries

2/3 c. maple syrup (real ,not pancake syrup)

1 tsp. cinnnamon

heat the oven to 275 degrees. lightly grease a 9 inch pan ( i have used 8x8 and 8x11 shown here a 9x13 is too big)grind the almonds in a food processor until they resemble course meal. combine ground almonds and remaining ing. in a large bowl and mix well, using wet fingers press mixture firmly into the pan and bake for 1 hour, watch toward the end, you want it nice and golden not burt. allow bars to cool completely before cutting- be patient. slice and eat!

i don't like maple syrup so i use agave nectar and a little squirt of honey. i have also used different things like green pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds or any dried fruit you have. it is very hard to eat just one!! this is a little pricey to get all the ingredients but you will be able to use them several times. i forgot that i also added a few tps. of flax meal. this is very healthy and easy to add to things you bake or oatmeal. anything i can get in there to make it healthier!

spinach, onion scramble

this is one of my favorite things to eat, not just for breakfast. scrambles are easy to make and very versatile. my favorite is eggs, spinach and onions but you could add ham or tomatoes or anything you want. i just whisk 2 eggs with a little milk, add in chopped baby leaf spinach and a little chopped onion. scramble in a greased skillet. sprinkle a little cheese on top.serve.

eggs are a good gluten free option, when i can't find anything else to eat i make an egg sandwich or make a scramble. they are a good source of protein but need to be eaten in moderation. omelets are also good but this is much easier.

gluten free bread

I order most of my bread from kinnikinnick.com you pay 10$ shipping for your whole order. i usually order the white sandwich bread,  sesame or plain bagels and some hamburger buns. i have ordered the pizza crust from them before. they changed the recipe a little and made them square so i am excited to try it again. they are very conveinent single serving pizza  that you can add any toppings you want to. this brand is available in many health food stores or  possible your grocery store. i can only get it at whole foods but i still just make a large order once a month or every other. the taste is good i just toast it all which makes it better as with most gluten free breads.

This is Whole Foods brand gluten free Prairie Bread, the package and the bread pictured above. i hadn't had this bread before. it is a little pricey, which most specialty food is but i really liked it. it has a lot of seeds and grains in it and toasts very nicely without getting crumbly. i don't eat a lot of sandwich bread but it is nice to be able to make a tuna sandwich or grilled cheese or a piece of toast when you want it. i just keep it in the freezer to have on hand.

chocolate chip cookies

i am on a constant search for a good chocolate chip cookie. can you tell which one is the gluten free cookie and which one is the slice and bake cookie i made for my son? the GF one is on the left. i bought a whole foods chocolate chip cookie mix , pictured above. i thought it was so great, they came out of the oven perfectly! crisp on the outside, soft on the inside.But, after they cooled they became very hard. i froze them and eat them dipped in milk because you can't waste cookies! i wouldn't buy this again though. i would rather make things from scratch but sometimes i try the package mixes for convenience and to try them. i am still searching...

Chili

i am going to have to learn food photography! Well this is a really easy and simple chili recipe. there are many many chili recipes out there, this has few ingredients and is easy to make especially when you don't have a lot of time. When i first started cooking i used a lot of those packets of seasoning but a lot of them have unknown ingredients and it is much healthier to just use spices then you don't have all the preservatives. of course in Hawaii chili is served over sticky rice so the top picture is the finished product. i showed kiley this on skype today and she was so sad she couldn't eat it!

Chili

1 pound lean ground beef. i really find costco frozen hamburger to be the leanest

1 small chopped onion

1 clove garlic minced

1 28 oz. can of tomatoes (diced, petite diced, or crushed whatever you like. this is petite diced)

1 15 oz. can red beans with liquid ( i don't use all the liquid)

1/2 tsp. of cumin

1-2 tsp. of chili powder (to taste i would use 2)

salt and pepper

i also do a few shakes of garlic salt

and a few spoonfuls of tomato paste for thickness and color

brown ground beef and onions. add garlic. drain fat. add remaining ing. and simmer you can simmer for as long as you want but you can do it for 20-30 min. and it is good. taste even better the next day. we serve over rice and sprinkle shredded cheese on top-yum!