gluten free products

i am not a coffee drinker but saw on someone's blog that starbucks had a new line of food in their shops. i had been given a gift card from someone so i went to see what they had. i was shocked when i went in, this big table of healthy snacks. they have gluten free cookies. i bought chocolate chip and cinnamon thins. i got a hot chocolate and ate the cinnamon thins with it which was very good. i am not a big fan of cinnamon but they are very light crispy cookies. i haven't tried the others yet. they have dried fruit and bars and even apple sauce in squeeze containers. i think it is worth checking out!

green bean casserole

i am always looking for recipes to replace traditional ones that i cannot eat. for a while i have been trying to recreate green bean casserole. i made one this thanksgiving with gluten free cream of mushroom soup which is very hard to find and very runny and funyuns as the fried onions. it was fine but i was not going to stop looking for a good recipe. i saw one in my delight magazine that i wanted to try and since it is not thanksgiving no one is dissapointed if it doesn't turn out.

this was also the night we had chicken cordon bleu sandwiches which is a chicken breast or thigh baked for about 35 min. at 350. then put a piece of deli ham and a piece of swiss cheese on top and back into the oven until it melts then place on a bun. i like it with dijon mustard. easy.

this bun is a kinnikinnick gluten free hamburger bun which you can find here.

i liked this casserole, it had a good flavor and a crunch from the almonds, i liked it even better the next day. i think it is much healthier than those fried onions too.

green bean casserole- delight magazine

3 Tbs. butter (i always cut butter down)

1/2 C. diced yellow onion

1 Tbs. diced garlic

1 14oz. cans cut green beans, drained

8 oz. button mushrooms sliced thinly

1/2 C. vegetable stock

1/4 C. milk or cream

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1 C. sliced almonds

1. preheat oven to 350

2. in a large saute' pan heat butter over med. high heat. add onions and garlic stirring frequently until onions are translucent. add in green beans and mushrooms and cook stirring often for about 5 min.

3. pour vegetable stock and milk over green bean mixture and stir well.

4. in a small dish mix cornstarch with water just enough to make a smooth paste. pour paste into pan and stir until mixture thickens (i couldn't get it thick but it was fine)

5 . pour green bean mixture into a glass baking dish. sprinkle almonds over the top (which i think i would toast quickly next time). bake for 30 min. remove. cool for 5 min. (important to let it set up) and serve.

Menu

i might try something new. listing my menu for the week. i thought it might be helpful to any readers i might have (please leave a comment if you visit) and might be helpful to me when i am looking for something to make for dinner. not listed by certain days i see what i feel like in the morning or how much time i have that night.

Posse Stew

chicken cordon bleu sandwiches/green bean casserole

Pad Thai

tuscan tomato soup/ grilled cheese sandwiches

layered enchiladas

i usually just do 5 meals for the week and we eat easy stuff on the weekends except sunday when it is a toss up what i make. this week is just roast, carrots and potatoes.

i will post pictures and recipes as i make them. we'll see how this goes!

Posse stew

We eat this all the time! we had it for dinner last night and i thought for sure i had it on my blog but when i went through all the recipes i didn't see it. this is a must in your rotation especially in the winter, it is my GO TO meal. easy and yummy. i got this recipe from a church activity, i don't love the name but that's what it was called, basically another version of taco soup.

Posse Stew

1 Lb. of hamburger browned and drained

1 15 oz.can of corn, drained

1 15 oz. can of golden hominy (this is located near the corn and adds a great taste)

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

(it should be called can soup!)

1 sm. can diced green chilies

1 can Rotel (this is a brand name if you can't find it with the diced tomatoes just get a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies)

1 bottle of tomato juice -the kind in the juice isle. it calls for 46 oz. but i find most of the bottles are more, the can is 46 oz. i think but i just use it all if i buy the bottle. buy a quality one it makes a difference. this makes a huge amount of soup!

salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste.

dump all into a pot and bring to a simmer for about 20 min.

serve with shredded mexican or cheddar cheese, crushed torilla chips and cilantro if you have it, it is optional but i love it so i add it if i have it.

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...