Chicken Potato Gumbo

Crawfish Potato Soup
6 slices bacon (brown & crumble)
1 med. onion chopped
2 med. bellpeppers chopped
2 stalks celery finely chopped
2 tablespoons diced garlic
8 cups diced red potatoes (about 1" - 2" cubes)
1 cup grated carrots
1# - 1 1/2 # crawfish tails (Louisiana)
3 cups swanson chicken broth
1 & 1/4 quarts 1/2 & 1/2 cream
tony cachere to season
cheddar cheese to garnish

brown bacon, crumble return bacon to pot and add all veggies EXCEPT potatoes & carrots cook until soft
add crawfish cook until water is all out and crawfish are starting to brown remove everything from pot and hold until later put HALF of the potatoes in with chicken broth and one can of water cook until potatoes are soft add carrots cook 10 minutes on med-high add other half of potatoes and cook about 4 minutes turn heat to low return all other ingredients back to pot add cream DO NOT BOIL add seasoning and cook on low heat until potatoes are soft
Note: I like to add some crab meat and a small amount of liquid crab boil in after all the ingredients are added.

(I substituted chicken for the seafood)

Nutrition Facts

  20 Servings

Amount Per Serving

  Calories447.2  Total Fat4.7 g     Saturated Fat2.2 g     Polyunsaturated Fat0.6 g     Monounsaturated Fat1.4 g  Cholesterol11.8 mg  Sodium189.3 mg  Potassium2,525.3 mg  Total Carbohydrate88.8 g     Dietary Fiber9.4 g     Sugars7.3 g  Protein13.3 g

Brown Rice, Broccoli, Cheese and Walnut Surprise with Chicken; baked apples

The walnuts definitely made this dish good. I guess that's why it's called "Walnut Surprise". I liked it with the chicken, too. If you want chicken in this recipe, just saute cut up chicken breasts with the onions and garlic.

The recipe is from allrecipes. http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/brown-rice-broccoli-cheese-and-walnut-surprise/Detail.aspx

Ingredients
■1/2 cup chopped walnuts
■1 tablespoon butter
■1 onion, chopped
■1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
■1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
■1 cup vegetable broth
■1 pound fresh broccoli florets
■1/2 teaspoon salt
■1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
■1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place walnuts on small baking sheet, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted.
2.Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in melted butter for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the rice, add the broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 7 to 8 minutes.
3.Place broccoli in a microwave-safe casserole dish, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover, and microwave until tender.
4.Spoon rice onto a serving platter, and top with broccoli. Sprinkle walnuts and cheese on top.

Baked Apples:
Just slice the apples, top with some brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts and butter to taste, and microwave them, covered, with a little water in the bottom for about 5 minutes.

Penne Pasta Casserole, salad

This is a staple for my family, mainly b/c the boys like it and it's easy. For some reason, the noodles fell apart when I made it this time, but I think it was still good.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey, or you can also use Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic, basil, & oregano
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
12 oz. (about 3 1/2 cups) uncooked penne pasta, prepare
according to package directions
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided

Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet until beef is crumbled and no longer pink; drain. Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato paste and 1/2 cup water. Season to taste; heat through.

Coat 13X9 in. baking dish with cooking spray. Combine cooked pasta with meat-tomato mixture and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Pour into baking dish; top evenly with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 min. or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Everyone needs to make this tonight for dinner!

I made some alterations to this recipe... I don't really like goat cheese, so I used a combination of feta (for the sharp flavor) and mozzerella.  I also added a can of tomato paste in with the tomato sauce to give it more of a kick, and about triple the garlic it calls for.  Next time I will not cook the tortillas individually because it takes forever, but I think I'll just use tortilla chips.    Overall, I thought this was sooooooooooo good!

Mexican Poblano, Spinach, and Black Bean "Lasagne" with Goat Cheese

Gourmet  | December 2002

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user rating

74% would make it again

user rating:
Mexican Poblano, Spinach, and Black Bean "Lasagne" with Goat Cheese3½ forks3.09859164

at a glance

main ingredientsCheese,  Goat Cheese, Pepper,  Tomato, Spinach,  Leafy Green, Bean

cuisineAmerican,  Mexican, Central/South American

dietary considerationsVegetarian

see all about:

• Vegetarian Cooking

more resources

food dictionarycooking videos

enlarge image

yield: Makes 6 servings

active time: 1 1/2 hr

total time: 2 1/4 hr

ingredients

For chiles

• 12 medium to large fresh poblano chiles (2 1/4 lb)

For tomato sauce

• 1 (14- to 16-oz) can whole tomatoes including juice
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For goat cheese sauce

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons dried epazote* (optional)
• 8 oz soft mild goat cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

For spinach filling

• 4 (3/4-lb) bunches spinach, coarse stems discarded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

To assemble dish

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, halved
• 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained if canned

• Special equipment: a 2- to 2 1/2-quart shallow flameproof casserole dish (about 2 inches deep; not glass)
• Garnish: toasted pine nuts

print a shopping list for this recipe

preparation

Prepare chiles:
Lay 4 chiles on their sides on racks of gas burners and turn flames on high. Roast chiles, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened and chiles are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. (Or broil all 12 chiles on rack of a broiler pan about 2 inches from heat, turning, until skins are blackened, 8 to 10 minutes.) Transfer immediately to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Roast remaining 8 chiles in same manner, then let stand 20 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, peel chiles, then open flat and discard seeds and stems, wiping with paper towels or dunking in a bowl of water briefly, if necessary, to remove seeds. If chiles taste very spicy, cut out ribs with scissors to make them milder.

Make tomato sauce:
Purée tomatoes with juice, garlic, cilantro, sugar, and salt in a blender. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then add sauce (be careful of splattering) and simmer, stirring, until thickened and reduced to about 1 cup, about 6 minutes.

Make goat cheese sauce:
Gently simmer cream, with epazote if using, in a small heavy saucepan, covered, 10 minutes. If using epazote, pour cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and discarding epazote. Return cream to pan. Whisk in goat cheese and salt and heat over low heat, whisking until smooth.

Make spinach filling:
Blanch spinach in batches in a large pot of boiling salted water 1 minute, transferring with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of cold water to cool. Drain in a colander, pressing on spinach with back of a spoon to remove excess water, then coarsely chop.

Heat oil in cleaned nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté spinach and raisins, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in salt and transfer filling to a plate.

Fry tortillas and assemble dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in cleaned nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry tortillas 2 halves at a time, turning over once, until just crisp, about 1 minute total. Transfer tortillas to paper towels to drain.

Spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce over bottom of casserole dish. Arrange half of tortillas on top, then spread another 1/4 cup tomato sauce on top and sprinkle evenly with black beans. Arrange 4 poblanos flat over black beans to cover, then spread half of spinach filling evenly over chiles and drizzle with 1/4 cup goat cheese sauce. Make another layer with 4 chiles, remaining spinach filling, and another 1/4 cup of goat cheese sauce, then cover with remaining 4 chiles.

Cover chiles with remaining tomato sauce, spreading evenly, then top with remaining tortillas. Cover tortillas with remaining goat cheese sauce, spreading evenly.

Bake lasagne, covered with foil, in middle of oven until bubbling and heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Remove foil and broil about 3 inches from heat until top is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.

* Available at Latino markets and Kitchen/Market (888-468-4433)

Cooks' notes:• Chiles can be roasted and peeled 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

• Tomato sauce, goat cheese sauce, and spinach filling can be made 1 day ahead and chilled separately, covered. Reheat goat cheese sauce before proceeding.

• Lasagne can be assembled (but not baked) 1 hour ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Poblano-Spinach-and-Black-Bean-Lasagne-with-Goat-Cheese-107413#ixzz14FCX6IYs

Healthy Mac & Cheese, Ham, Peas

I used a recipe from my "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook and added pureed cauliflower and pureed navy beans for some extra nutrition. I thought it was pretty good, and the boys loved it. I like that they were eating veggies without knowing it! Here's the recipe:

1. Cook gf pasta according to directions. I used the new HEB brand gluten free pasta! It's good and cheap...about $1.80 for 12 oz.!

2. While macaroni is cooking, combine 1 cup milk and one can beans in a food processor and process until pureed.

3. Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and set it over med. heat. Add bean mixture to pan and cook, stirring until smooth, 1-2 min. Add 1 1/2 cups shred. cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup cauliflower puree* and cook until melted and creamy, 1-2 min. longer. Stir in salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Stir in macaroni and serve warm.

*for cauliflower puree, I just steamed one bunch of cauliflower in the microwave for a few min. and then threw it in the food processor

Mexican Lasagna

I think this should be called Taco Lasagna b/c of the toppings you put on after it's cooked. I left out the olives because I don't like them.

I realize now that it's better to put the lettuce topping on right before you eat it, otherwise it gets wilted. And, if you want to heat it up later, wilted, warm lettuce is just not okay. Sorry about that! I hope you liked it anyhow!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 can (14.5 oz) tomatoes, diced, undrained
10 corn tortillas
2 cups ricotta cheese or small curd cottage cheese, drained
1 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese with chile peppers
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded lettuce
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
4 green onions, chopped (including green)
1 small can (4 oz) sliced olives, drained

Brown ground beef; drain well. Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, pepper, and canned diced tomatoes; cook until thoroughly heated. Cover bottom and sides of a 13X9 in. baking dish with the corn tortillas. Pour beef mixture over tortillas; place a layer of tortillas over meat mixture and set aside. Combine ricotta cheese with Monterrey Jack cheese and egg; pour over tortillas. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. Remove from oven; garnish the top with Cheddar cheese, lettuce, fresh tomatoes, green onions, and olives.

Hushpuppies!

I haven't posted any gluten free recipes in a while because, well, honestly, my cooking recently has been pretty uncreative and really un-blog worthy.  Last week I made a recipe from the Pioneer Woman, Braised short ribs and  creamy polenta (except I used feta in the place of goat cheese...)that was pretty good, although the cuts of meat I used (I went cheap instead of short ribs like she called for) were so fatty that I actually didn't eat any of the meal.  Well, I took a couple of bites a couple of times but felt pretty sick afterward (sorry fellow dinner sharers, I'm really not TRYING to give everyone coronary diseases, it is just that when I look through cookbooks the ones with cheese and bacon always look the best to me! : ) 

Anyhow, this week we are going lighter, and vegetarian.  I am turning a new leaf, and going to use WAY fewer animal fats.  I know they are the healthiest kind to use, but I just feel heavy.  Sooo back to this week;

Black Bean Soup:

2 red onions, halved

2 Tbsp EVOO

4 cloves of garlic ( I used about 10, I love garlic!)

1 Tbsp flour (I used Pamela's GF baking mix)

1 lb dried black beans, rinsed and soaked (next time I'll let the sprout to add some greater health benefits)

3/4 tsp red pepper flakes

I chopped up all of the veggies and sauteed them in the oil, then sprinkled them with the flour and cooked until they slightly browned.  Add the cooked veggies, beans, pepper flakes and 8 cups of water into a slow cooker, cover and cook on low 6 hours.  Using an emersion blender, partially blend up some of the beans.  (notes:  this recipie also calls for one turkey drumstick to be cooked with the beans and later shredded, but again I was going vegetarian.  I also added some salt and cumin into the cooking beans because I like them.)

Top soup with diced onion and peppers, cilantro, cheese and or sour cream and enjoy!

and la la la!  Hushpuppies!  Man I love hushpuppies, and these are baked and not fried!

2/3 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup flour ( I used Pamela's GF baking mix)

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup milk

2 large eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp butter, melted 

 (Ok, I ran out of cornmeal because I was doubling this recipe, so I used 1/3 cup GF breadcrumbs (which is corn... I was also out of milk so I used a little bit of dry milk and the rest was just water, oh and I only used 2 eggs instead of 4 since I am really bad at doubling recipes, but they turned out just slightly crumblier, but still awesome!)

Preheat overn to 450, spray or butter mini muffin tins

combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder salt and pepper

in seperate bowl combine onion, milk, eggs and butter

Fold egg mixture into flour mixture, and drop into mini muffin tins.  Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Yum!

Cinnamon Rice Meatballs

These meatballs were a hit with the kids! It's definitely one worth repeating. I used ground turkey for these, and it turned out great! I served the meatballs with brown rice and steamed broccoli. Yum!

This recipe is from the book: "Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults" by Connie Sarros

1 small onion, chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried mint flakes
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a med. bowl, mix 1/2 cup water, plus all ingredients except cinnamon and tomato sauce.
3. Shape mixture into balls.
4. Spray 8X12 baking pan w/ non-stick spray. Place meatballs in pan.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon, 1/4 cup water, and the tomato sauce. Spoon this sauce over the meatballs.
6. Cover the baking pan with foil. Bake 45 min. Uncover, bake 15 min. longer.

Turkey-Sweet Potato Enchiladas

I got this from Gluten Free Goddess:

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2008/11/turkey-sweet-potato-enchiladas.html

But instead of salsa I used green enchilada sauce; instead of leftover turkey, I used ground turkey; and I used a lot less cheese than called for.

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup and Tunisian Carrot Sald

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

5 c. water
1 c. dried red lentils
2 c. chopped onion
2 c. chopped potatoes
8 large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 T oil
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground turmeric
1 t salt
3 T lemon juice

Combine water though garlic in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until everything is tender.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the cumin, turmeric and salt 2 to 3 minutes. Cool and add to the soup.

Blend soup until smooth.

Tunisian Carrot Salad

2 c. peeled and grated carrots
2 T currants
1 T olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground caraway
1/4 t salt
3 T orange juice

Put carrots and currants in a bowl. Warm oil in a skillet. Add garlic, coriander, and caraway and cook two minutes.

Remove from heat and add salt and orange juice. Toss well.

King Ranch Chicken, salad

For 1 8x8 pan, layered thick, or a 13x9 layered thin:

Mix 2C. cooked chicken w/ a can of cream of chicken (gf!) and a can of rotel.

Layer tortillas, chicken mix, chopped onion, and cheese a few times. End with a layer of crushed tortilla chips or spicy nacho doritos with cheese on top.

Bake around 30 minutes at 350 until bubbly. Or you can speed it up and do 20 min at 400.

Mediterranean Penne with Sausage

This recipe had the slight hint of autumn that I was looking for.

Chop:
3 onions
3 cloves garlic
3 bulbs fennel
3 peeled eggplants
3 red peppers (or other colors)

3 lb Italian sausage
3 jars of marinara sauce
6 cups of water
fennel seeds
24 oz. of penne

1. Brown the sausage and drain off fat.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and garlic. When the onions are soft add the bell peppers, fennel, and eggplant. Cook stirring often until the fennel begins to soften.
3. Add pasta sauce, water, and fennel seeds. Cook for 25 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

I am doing a food tree this week, and this cooked enough sauce for five families with leftovers.

Chicken and Spinach Florentine, fruit

I got this recipe from the back of a brown rice package. I made it for my family and they loved it. The boys even ate the spinach!

Ingredients:
1 T oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
6 C baby spinach leaves, washed, dried
2C brown rice, uncooked (I used minute brown rice)
1 1/2 C grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) chicken broth
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Heat oil in large deep skillet on med. heat. Add chicken, cook 10 min. or unitl chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently.
2. Add spinach, rice, tomatoes and broth; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 10 min.
3. Stir in cheese. Let stand 5 min.
(Makes 4 servings)

Spring Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto, salad

Another repeat recipe of mine!
This is one of our favorite pasta dishes, and it's easy too, of course!

2 T olive oil
2 oz. sliced prosciutto
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 shallot, sliced
1/2 C chicken broth
16 oz. GF pasta, cooked
1/3 C frozen peas
3 C baby spinach
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 oz. Feta cheese
1/4 C fresh basil, torn

In a large skillet, over med heat, heat the oil. Tear prosciutto into large pieces and cook until crispy, about 2 min. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel. Add the garlic and shallot to the pan and cook until softened, about 2 min. Add the broth, cooked pasta, peas, spinach, salt and pepper and cook until pasta is heated and almost all the chicken broth is absorbed, about 5 min. Remove from heat, add the feta, basil, and crispy prosciutto, and toss.

Pesto Pasta and Zucchini Salad, melon

A great summer recipe that can be eaten cool or hot!

GF Pasta
2 tsp minced garlic
4 C Zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
2 C chopped plum tomato
3 T prepared pesto
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 T shredded Parmesan
Feta cheese
chopped chicken (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Reserve 1/4 C cooking liquid.
2. While pasta cooks, heat skillet over med-high heat. Coat pan w/ cooking spray. Add garlic and zucchini, and saute 5 min. or until zucchini is tender. Combine pasta, zucchini mixture, and tomato in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat.
3. Combine reserved 1/4 C cooking liquid, pesto, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over pasta, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheeses. You can also add chicken, too.

Ratatouille

I'm not sure what makes this ratatoullie and not vegetable spagetti, but the recipe said that was its name, so there ya go!

I sliced 4 yellow squash and 4 zuchinni in my handy dandy stand mixer slicer. Man I love that thing. I also cut up 5 red peppers in to bite sized pieces. Roast squashes and peppers in olive oil and a bit of salt for about 30 minutes, or until peppers are tender. There were supposed to be 4 onions cut up in the roasted vegetables, but I forgot them : ). The recipe called for cut up whole tomatoes, but I don't like tomatoes very much, so I used 5 cans of tomato sauce, and two whole heads of garlic, minced. Add these things, plus some salt and 2 tsp of thyme to a sauce pan and simmer until it thickens. I think i needed to cook mine a little longer... maybe that would have been the difference between it tasting like spagetti sauce and being a different dish. Anyhow, once the sauce cooked a while I added it in with the veggies and that was it!

I grilled the chicken after I sprinkled it with salt, pepper, cumin and rosemary, then layered it with the rice and veggies and topped with some fresh basil.

Verdict: not the best dish in the whole world, but all in all pretty tasty and healthy.

Curried Quinoa with Broccoli and Feta, Baked Apples

I made this awhile back. This time, I'll put the cashews on the side. It's one of my favorites and a good summer recipe.

This recipe calls for couscous, but I thought quinoa would be a good substitute.

Using bagged broccoli florets and preshredded carrots all but eliminates the prep with this vegetarian entrée. If you want to add meat, use chopped chicken or thin strips of flank steak.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dry-roasted cashews, chopped *I'll put these on the side!
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon bottled minced fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation
Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in quinoa. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

While quinoa stands, steam broccoli florets, covered, for 3 minutes or until tender.

Combine quinoa, broccoli, onion, and next 10 ingredients (onion through chickpeas), tossing gently. Sprinkle with cheese.

(from Cooking Light)

Baked Apples:
Just slice the apples, top with some brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts and butter to taste, and microwave them, covered, with a little water in the bottom for about 5 minutes.

Foil Packet Tilapia (in crockpot), rice pilaf, cooked carrots

I have been trying several recipes in the crock pot. I thought fish in the crock pot sounded interesting and worth a try. I think this was okay, but not my favorite. It didn't look very appetizing either. Here's the recipe nonetheless. It's also from www.crockpot365.com

-- 3 or 4 fillets of Tilapia (or other favorite white fish)
--1/4 cup mayonnaise
--1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
--juice of 2 lemons
--4 chopped garlic cloves
--pinch each of salt and black pepper

The Directions:
--mix all ingredients (except for the fish) in a bowl
--lay out a piece of foil
--rub sauce mixture on both sides of fish
--fold foil over and make a little packet for the fish
--put all the packets into the crockpot
--cook on LOW for 2-4 hours; fish should flake easily with a fork

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Chicken, brown rice, broccoli

From http://crockpot365.blogspot.com

This wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be. The chicken was too chewy and not very flavorful. However my boys liked it, so it may be worth making again so they'll get some protein (they never like to eat chicken!).

--12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 6 boneless, skinless breast halves --1 cup brown sugar --1/4 cup lemon-lime soda --2/3 cup vinegar (I used white wine, but think regular white would be fine) --3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic --2 T soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat free are GF) --1 tsp ground black pepper

The Directions.

Use a 4 quart crockpot for this recipe.

Plop the chicken into your crockpot. Cover with the brown sugar, pepper, chopped garlic, and soy sauce. Add the vinegar, and pour in the soda. It will bubble!

Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The chicken is done when it is cooked through and has reached desired consistency. The longer you cook it, the more tender it will be.

Serve over a bowl of white rice with a ladle full of the broth.

Plum Bars

These are delicious! Think Fig Newton, but lots more fruit and a WAY more delicious crust, and best of all, totally gluten free! I got this recipe out of "Nourishing Traditions" cookbook:

3 cups dried apricots (I used dried plums, yes you got it, prunes, because I just bought some at Costco and they are sooooooo good! I think you could use any dried fruit.)

1/2 cup sugar (I use the evaporated cane juice)

2 cups almonds

5/8 cup softened butter, or coconut oil

1 1/2 cups flour (I used oat flour: 2 cups oats in the food processor until it becomes a powder)

1/2-3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp almond extract (I used vanilla, because I had it!)

Cook dried plums in water until tender.

Meanwhile, process almonds to a powder in a food processor. add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Press 2/3 of the almond mixture into a buttered 9 x 13 pyrex pan, making a thin crust. Bake about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

While the crust is baking, remove the cooked fruit with a slotted spoon to food processor and process with 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside and let cool.

Spread the fruit mixture over the crust and crumble the remaining 1/3 almond mixture over the top. Bake at 325 for about 45 minutes. Let cool before cutting into bars. ( I found that the crust was much too crumbly even after it cooled, so I stuck it in the fridge for a bit and they stuck together nicely and the coolness was oh oh so good!)

This makes 24 bars.

Nutrition Facts

Plum Bars

24 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories196.2 Total Fat9.0 g Saturated Fat3.3 g Polyunsaturated Fat1.3 g Monounsaturated Fat3.9 g Cholesterol12.2 mg Sodium83.6 mg Potassium232.3 mg Total Carbohydrate28.7 g Dietary Fiber3.0 g Sugars18.9 g Protein3.0 g

Garlic Chicken Fried Brown Rice, orange slices

From my friend's gf blog: http://solfoods.blogspot.com

Garlic Chicken Fried Brown Rice

3 cups cooked rice
1 lb chicken, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup peas
2-3 tbsp soy sauce (check the ingredients to make sure it doesn't contain wheat!)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp sugar

Throw the chicken, pepper, onion and garlic into a pan with some canola oil and cook on medium/low. When the chicken mixture is done, put aside. Heat the pan to medium/high and pour in about a tablespoon of canola oil. When the pan is hot, add the rice and stir around until it is heated through. Add the peas, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. Toss the chicken mixture in and give it a good stir. This is a pretty large recipe and should serve about 6 people.

Crock Pot Ziti, salad

Another recipe from www.crockpot365.blogspot.com
This was a little dry to me. I think I cooked it too long. Maybe I should've checked it after four hours. Also, I added some zucchini, and I didn't have fresh mozzarella so I used some string cheese cut up.

2 16 oz. packages of ziti
1 - 2 jars of pasta sauce
48 oz. of ricotta
16 ounces of mozzarella, shredded
about 1 cup of fresh mozzarella, cubed
about 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, shreeded

Spray inside of crock with cooking spray. Dump ziti into crock. Add pasta sauce and mix with ziti. Save jar and lid. Mix in ricotta, fresh mozzarella cubes, and about 3/4 or the shredded mozzarella. Combine well. Top with remaining shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Add about 1/4 of a cup of water to jar, screw lid on, and shake. Pour over the ziti mixture. Cook on low for 5 - 6 hours or until it starts to brown on top. I push the noodles down 2 to 3 times while cooking with the back of a large, cooking spray-covered spoon, but I'm not sure this is even necessary. None of the noodles are crispy, ever.

Crock Pot Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas

I am loving the crock pot this summer!
This is from www.crockpot365.blogspot.com

--1 lb lean ground turkey
--1/2 lb lean ground beef
--1 chopped red bell pepper
--1/4 cup uncooked brown rice
--1 14.5 oz can of tomatoes with Italian seasoning (the whole can, juice too!)
--1 T A-1 sauce
--packet of onion soup mix
--1 egg
--1/4 cup (or so) of ketchup

The Directions.

--in a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the ketchup and mix.
--squirt the ketchup all over the top.

You can put the entire meat mixture directly into your crockpot, or you can put it into a heat-resistant dish inserted into your crock. It is your choice. I used my 6qt Smart Pot, and put a loaf pan into it. What I like about using the loaf pan is that the fat kind of bubbles up and out over the top of the pan and then collects in the crock.

If your crock is only 4 qts, just plop the meat into the crock. You can suck away some of the fat that collects on the top with paper towels a few hours into cooking time if it grosses you out.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-8. The meat is done when it is brown and fully cooked when you cut into it.

Let the meat sit for about 30 minutes before you slice and serve.

Squash Fritters, Summer Millet Salad, and Marinated Chickpeas

I have resolved not to turn my oven on again until October, so I went in search of summer recipes. I dug out a classic that I got from my pre-co-op days when I got my organic veggies from Greenling. I had to make a minor adaptation to make it GF.

Squash Fritters

1 lb summer squash
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
10 sprigs parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 c. GF flour (I improvised from what I had in my freezer, which was 3 parts white rice flour, 1 part potato starch, and a smattering of xanthan gum)

I'll abbreviate the instructions to say that you mix all these things together and fry 'em up real good in some vegetable oil. Be sure to get the oil nice and hot before putting anything in.

Summer Millet Salad

Apparently, millet's most common use is as birdseed, but I think it is worth incorporating into the gluten free diet. Eaten plain, I prefer it to quinoa, and it substitutes nicely for couscous. I tried making a baby cereal out of it, too, because it is a very digestible grain, but I didn't grind it well enough and it was a little too chunky.

1 c. hulled millet
2 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1/4 c. red onions, chopped
1 c. green peas
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
salt and pepper

In a pot, stir together millet, water and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Fluff and set aside uncovered for 10 minutes.

Blanch the peas. Stir together ingredients basil through salt and pepper. Mix with millet.

Marinated Chickpeas

1 1/2 c. cooked chickpeas
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp. fresh dill, minced
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds
black pepper

Combine ingredients and let it sit in the fridge for a bit.

Garden Veggie Enchiladas, rice, beans

I got these recipes from my friend's gf blog: www.solfoods.blogspot.com I just convinced her and some other friends of mine to start their own dinner co-op and they love it!

Garden Vegetable Enchiladas

1 cup eggplant, peeled and diced
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup yellow squash or zucchini, diced
1-2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
25 corn tortillas

2 medium tomatoes
1 jalapeno, seeded
1 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Toss together first five ingredients and roll into steamed tortillas. Approximately 1 spoonful of filling per tortilla. Place rolls closely together in a casserole dish, set aside.
Blend tomato, jalapeno, garlic and seasoning in a food processor until smooth. Pour over filled tortillas. Optional - top with cheese
Bake in 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes.

Spanish Brown Rice

1 cup brown rice
2 cups broth
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (or 2-3 medium fresh tomatoes, diced)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil, stir once and cover. Turn down heat to low and cook for about 45 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve!

Hoisin Broccoli Stir Fry, brown rice, watermelon

I think this is from Cooking Light. It turned out okay, but when I've made it in the past, it was richer in flavor. I think I may have added too much chicken broth or something.

1 T vegetable oil
cooking spray
1/3 C chicken broth
3 T hoisin sauce
2 T orange juice
1 t cornstarch
2t minced garlic
2t minced ginger
1/2 t sesame oil
1 lb. chicken breast tenders
3 C broccoli florets
more veggies you have on hand

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over med high heat. Combine broth and next 7 ingredients (through sesame oil). Add chicken to pan, and saute 2 min. Add broccoli, and saute 5 min. Add any other veggies, and saute 2 min. Add broth mixture, and cook 1 1/2 min or until sauce is slightly thick, stirring constantly.

Curried Salmon Cakes, Coconut Rice with Fresh Ginger and Cilantro

Curried Salmon Cakes:

1 lb salmon
2 tsp curry powder
8 Tbsp store bought tartar sauce (I made my own with mayo and dill relish)
1/4 cup cracker meal ( I used GF corn flake crumbs)
2 Tbsp grated ginger
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 mango peeled, pitted and diced
juice of one lime
vegetable oil, for frying

(recipe calls for first cooking salmon in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes until it cooked and flakey. I used the canned, skinless, boneless kind that is already cooked.)
Stir into salmon: 1 Tbsp tartar sauce, cracker meal, ginger, 1/2 the scallions and the egg. Form into patties and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 7 Tbsp tartar sauce and 1/2 tsp curry powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix 1 Tbsp curried tartar sauce with the bell pepper, celery, mango, remaining scallions, lime juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper to taste.

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the patties with cracker meal on both sides and fry until golden, 2-3 minutes per side. (Note, it is important to get your oil up to 375 degrees so that the outsides will fry and the oil won't soak into your patties. It is difficult I found, to keep the oil that hot, so watch it and be careful!) Drain on paper towels, serve with mango salad and curried tartar sauce.

Coconut Rice with Fresh Ginger and Cilantro:

Stir together 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in 1 cup uncooked rice, bring back to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low, cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in about 3 Tbsp of fresh cilantro.

I actually doubled both of the recipes and served the salmon over a mixed greens salad with corn tortillas on the side. Enjoy! (We ended up making these into a fish taco type thing and it was super yummy!)

Breakfast for Dinner: GF Pancakes, Egg Casserole, Sausage, Blackberries

I used Pamela's Baking and Pankcake Mix, the best mix out there, in my opinion! There's no bean flavor b/c I think it's mainly almond flour. It's the best pancake mix, and also makes good waffles, banana bread, and muffins...all recipes are on the bag.
For the sausage, I just cooked some Jimmy Dean sausage links in a skillet.
I also made an egg casserole, but I accidentally over-cooked them when I tried to keep them warm in the oven. Hopefully it was still good! This recipe is from the Living Gluten Free for Dummies book:

Chile Rellenos Casserole
6 eggs
salt and pepper
non stick spray
1 lb. colby cheese, grated
1 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
2 8 oz. cans diced green chiles

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13 in. casserole dish w/ cooking spray.
2. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. With an electric mixer on med. speed, whip the whites in a med. bowl until they're stiff. In a small bowl, beat the yolks with a fork or whisk until they're smooth. Fold the yolks into the whites. Add salt and pepper.
3. Combine the cheeses.
4. Spread 1/2 of the egg mixture in the bottom of dish.
5. Layer the chiles on top of the egg mixture. Spread a layer of cheese on top. Continue layering-egg, chilis, cheese-until you've used all the ingredients. You should end up with about 3 layers of each, finishing with the egg mixture.
6. Bake chile rellenos for 25 min. or until golden brown.