Yummy Cranberry Kale Recipe

Quick and simple.  Easy and delicious.  Gluten free and oh so healthy for you!

Ironically, in a summer of record-setting heat, my kale has grown better than anything else I planted in my garden.  Kale prefers things on the cooler side, so if anyone can tell me why THIS would be the ultimate kale-growing year at the Suburban Prairie Home, that would be really nice.

Typically, we grow kale to help feed our rabbits.  It's one of their favorites, and in return, as their way of thanking us, they make lots and lots of "fertilizer pellets".  Aka "bunny beans".  You get the idea.  One packet of seeds usually lasts us a few years, so I literally get a good amount of organic kale for pennies.  I just need to keep it weeded, watered, and plant zinnias nearby to help keep the cabbage loopers away.

This year, I decided to try to cook some for us.  Princess had found a recipe she thought sounded good, and I had also seen a brief description of one by an online friend at Mary Jane's Famgirl site.  And believe me, these are not hard.  Or time consuming.  Nothing but delicious.

Most sauteed greens recipes follow a very similar method.  Once you learn the method, you can switch up the ingredients as you want, based on your own tastes and what you have on hand.  Start by heating some oil in a pan.  Add some diced onions and garlic, and a little bit of liquid.  Then, add your greens, cover with a lid, turn off the heat, and allow the greens to wilt down.  Be sure they stay a bright green for maximum nutrition.

So let's make some kale!

SPH Yummy Cranberry Kale Recipe
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced fine
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use the kind from the jar), to taste
1 cup chicken stock (I use Pacific Brand organic free range chicken broth)
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries (aka "Craisins")
Kale - enough to make about 4 cups sliced into @1/2" strips
Chopped walnuts

Heat oil over medium heat in large saute pan.  Add diced onion, and heat through til nearly translucent.  Add garlic and stir.  Add chicken stock and cranberries.  Cover, and allow cranberries to plump up - about 5 minutes.  Add sliced kale, cover, and turn off heat.  Allow to stand about 5-7 minutes - til kale has wilted down and is still a very vibrant green.  Remove lid.  Stir well to combine kale with cranberries and flavored oil.  Toss with walnuts and serve warm.

So let's talk method again.  Use currants and chard instead of cranberries and kale.  I make something very similar to this with those two ingredients, and I start with browning up some bacon pieces for extra flavor in the oil.  No walnuts?  Use almonds or pecans.  Use bok choy and collards, and omit the fruit and nuts entirely.  These are especially good with a squeeze of lemon juice and a splash of Bragg's Liquid Aminos.

This would be a delicious side to some sunny-side-up eggs and toast.  I have also received requests to make this as a side for Thanksgiving.  No matter how you try it, you really can't go wrong.  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Dutch Apple Pancake Recipe

When you want something easy, fast and WARM on a chilly morning...

Bubba and I were in Gatlinburg, TN, one time, and we had the BEST Dutch apple pancake I'd ever eaten.  It was so big, the two of us shared it.  It was light and fluffy and ooooooh soooooo good!  Thankfully, when I asked for the recipe, the server was gracious enough to provide it for me.

Then, in a moment of pure stupidity, it was recycled.  I know.

I have had such a taste for this lately.  A craving.  That feeling of  "I would chew through drywall to get one".  So I did some web searching, and found this recipe for Apple Puff Pancake.  It seemed pretty familiar, and of course, I made my own little tweaks.

SPH Dutch Apple Pancake
inspired by Apple Puff Pancake on allrecipes.com
3 T. butter
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into roughly 1/4" slices
1/4 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon

Put butter into a 9x9 baking pan.  Set it in the oven, and turn the oven on to 425 to preheat.

While butter is melting and oven is preheating, whisk together pancake mix, sugar and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, milk and vanilla.  Pour into dry mixture, and whisk until well combined and smooth.

Remove pan from oven when butter has fully melted.  Spread the butter around the pan CAREFULLY with a brush or paper towel, then lay apple slices in the butter.  I put mine in the pan in a pattern.  They will float to the top during baking, and it looks nice when your finished product comes out of the oven.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.  Pour batter over top of the apples and sugar.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or til tester comes out clean when inserted in center.  Serve warm with powdered sugar, or as Princess suggests, whipped cream.

This looks like a dense cake, but it is really just so light and fluffy.  You'll be really surprised.  Also, it's not too sweet, so if you have someone in your house who prefers thinks on the more plain Jane side, this will suit them just fine.

When I made these, I did not use the cinnamon.  We have people in my house who can't eat it.  However, I LOOOOOOVE it, so if I made this just for me, I would throw it in.  No cinnamon in your house?  Substitute nutmeg (or do half and half cinnamon and nutmeg), apple pie spice, or even pumpkin pie spice.  No apples in the house?  Substitute a can of apple pie filling, and omit the brown sugar.  Or use pears or peaches.  And canned pears or peaches (drained please) would work equally as well.  Dress this up for a brunch by making it in a deep dish pie pan or round cake pan, and slice into wedges before serving. Or for a family gathering, double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 pan.  Remember to add extra baking time for this, and test the center for doneness.

Fill your home with warm apple-y goodness, and enjoy!

Gluten Free Spicy Black Bean Fritters Recipe

This recipe was originally a question from a friend that turned into an amazing lunch...

So this morning one of my dear friends sent me a message on Facebook asking how to make this recipe for Crispy Black Bean Fritters gluten free.  Here's what I came up with...

SPH Gluten Free Spicy Black Bean Fritters
inspired by a recipe on Mia's Domain

1 1/2 c. Pamela's Baking Mix
1/2 c. cornmeal
2 T. dried minced onion
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. chili powder
Salt and/or pepper to taste
2 eggs, well beaten

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, well rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 roasted red bell pepper (from a jar), patted dry with a paper towel and diced pretty small
A good size frying pan and enough oil to fill it up about 1"
2 soup spoons

In a large mixing bowl, combine baking mix, cornmeal, onion, garlic powder and chili powder.  Add eggs and stir until thoroughly combined.  Stir in beans, tomatoes and bell pepper pieces.

Heat oil in pan til a small drop of batter sizzles and start to brown.  Using one soup spoon, scoop some of the batter mixture from the mixing bowl.  Slide the batter into the hot oil with the other spoon.  Flatten the batter with a spatula.  Repeat.  In my pan, I was able to fit 4 fritters.  Do not overcrowd your pan.  The oil needs to be able to maintain a consistent temperature, and you need to be able to get a spatula in here and flip these babies.  So let them fry away for 2 minutes, then flip them.  They should be a nice even brown.  Cook side B for about 2 minutes, too.  Remove from oil, and place on a plate or platter that's been covered with paper towels or a cut-up brown paper grocery sack.  Continue this procedure until all the batter has been used.  Sprinkle with more salt if desired, and serve hot.  And if you're interested, the original recipe has a creamy sauce that goes with the fritters.  None of the food critics in my house felt they needed a sauce.  The food critics in your house might like the sauce.

So let me add all the fun little side notes.  When I made these for lunch today, I made them with bacon.  I cooked the bacon first, drained off all but a tablespoon or two of the grease, then added enough olive oil to actually deep fry the fritters.  The original recipe used fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, and bell pepper.  Since I had no fresh tomatoes or pepper in the house, the stuff on the pantry shelf had to do.  Also, I find that the more wet stuff you add to a fritter (and fresh chopped vegies have a LOT of water in them), the more likely your fritters will fall apart when they meet the hot oil.  Call me picky, but I like my fritters whole.  So, I used dried minced onion and also garlic powder.  I patted my bell pepper from a jar dry before dicing it, and drained my tomatoes really well.  While I was cooking up the bacon, I let the beans and tomatoes continue to drain and dry up a bit in the colander in the sink.

Here's a little water saving tip, too - when you rinse your beans and tomatoes, use the water to rinse the cans they came in first, then dump that water over top of the beans and tomatoes.  And shut the water off between filling the cans.  Then, recycle the cans.  And their lids.  Every little bit helps.

These are very filling and delicious!  A great way to have something fast, hot and yummy in a hurry using what you have on hand in your pantry - perfect for a weeknight vegetarian meal or appetizers for a party.  Enjoy!

Tea for Tuesday - Gluten Free Coffee Floats Recipe

A grown-up treat for a hot summer day...

Ok, the whipped cream got a little tipped, but doesn't it look ooooooh. soooooo. goooood.

Quick and easy.  Simple and delicious.  And gluten free.

SPH Coffee Floats
Ice cream
Coffee
Cream/milk/non-dairy creamer
Whipped cream

Put a couple scoops of ice cream into good sized mugs.  Fill mug 1/2 way with HOT coffee, and add creamy stuff til mug is almost completely full.  Top with whipped cream and serve.

Just a quick note about the ice cream here.  Most flavors of most brands of ice cream, by my own research, are generally gluten free.  That being said, I know for a fact that Edy's and Great Value brands are safe for every flavor that doesn't involve a baked item (like brownies, cookies, etc.) stirred in.  For the photo above, I used Edy's Chocolate-Vanilla.

Make these for the grown-ups with a shot of Kahlua, or for the kiddos with hot chocolate instead of the coffee.

What a fun and unusual dessert to trot out after a cook out this summer!  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe

Sloppy Joes are always a huge favorite for large gatherings.  They are easy to make, and you can whip up a bunch in no time flat!  Here's a recipe that's just as easy, just as fast, AND it's gluten free!

Yes, that is actually a bun!  So you can have your Sloppy Joe and a bun, too!  I buy Udi's brand because it is not only tasty, but the buns themselves hold up well to a wet sandwich, like a Sloppy Joe, or a cheeseburger fresh from the grill, or tuna salad - you get the picture.  They come in 4 packs, which is also very convenient for our family of 4.

So on to the recipe!

SPH Easy Gluten Free Sloppy Joes
2 pounds lean ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
2 medium bell peppers, diced very fine
1 12-oz. bottle Annie's Naturals Sweet & Spicy Barbecue Sauce
1/2 cup Organicville ketchup
1/2 cup Pacific Organic Beef Broth
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drizzle in a tablespoon or two of olive oil.  Add ground beef, and break it up with a spoon.  Season with salt and pepper.  Continue to brown and stir.  When beef is almost completely browned, drain all but a tablespoon or two of the grease/oil from the pan, and add garlic, onion, and bell pepper.  Stir for a few minutes, til the peppers become a brilliant green color.  Add the barbecue sauce and ketchup.  Pour the beef broth into the barbecue sauce bottle (use a funnel), swirl around to get all the savory goodness loosened from the inside of the bottle, then pour into the pan.  Add the mustard and stir.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Or, pour the contents into a crock pot and let them cook on low for a few hours.  Serve hot.

No minced garlic or dried minced onion?  No problem!  You can use either fresh or dried for both of these ingredients.  I made this recipe with what I had on hand.  Want more kick?  Add some diced fresh jalapeno pepper.

So another great thing about Sloppy Joes is that the recipe is easily doubled or tripled or then-some.  If you are hosting a graduation party or other large family gathering, you can upsize as needed.  Again, the crock pot will be a big help here, keeping everything cooking and hot while you tie up all those last minute loose ends.

Have a great weekend, and enjoy!

Gluten Free Applesauce Spice Coffee Cake Recipe

Some cake to go with our tea today...

Yesterday was Applesauce Cake Day, so I thought it would be a nice treat for Tea for Tuesday to have some applesauce coffee cake.  Quick and simple, easy and delicious.  So wonderfully soft and moist!

SPH Gluten Free Applesauce Spice Coffee Cake
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix (reserve 1/2 cup on the side)
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter + another 1/4 cup, both melted
1 tablespoon homemade vanilla
1 cup applesauce (use whatever you have in the house - sweetened, unsweetened, mixed with other fruits, etc.)
1 teaspoon apple or pumpkin pie spice (I used pumpkin)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Add cake mix to mixing bowl.  Beat in eggs, butter, vanilla and applesauce until batter is smooth.  In a separate bowl, combine reserved cake mix, 1/4 cup melted butter, and spices.  Mixture will be somewhat thin.  Pour cake batter into a greased 9" square baking pan.  Drizzle on the spice mixture and swirl into cake batter with a knife.  Bake for about 40 minutes, or til tester comes out clean.  Allow to cool, then cut into squares and serve.

This is delicious as is, or would be wonderful with a little whipped cream on top.  Make and take for a Sunday brunch, surprise your kids some cool morning, or have it for dessert one evening with the neighbors. It's sure to be a favorite in your house!

Enjoy!

Not Your Mama's Deviled Eggs Recipe

Get ready to stand tradition on its ear and then some!  This will be your new dish-to-pass at any picnics or parties this summer - I PROMISE!

I am not a spicy hot foods person.  I like many things, and generally will try almost anything once.  Well, maybe I'm not that brave, but the day I saw this recipe in a hand-me-down stack of old magazines, it sounded too good not to try.

SPH Totally Untraditional Deviled Eggs Recipe
inspired by a recipe by Patricia Harmon
from Taste of Home Magazine, February/March 2009

6 eggs, hard boiled and sliced in half
(wipe your knife in between eggs to avoid getting yolk all over the other eggs)
1 ounce cream cheese (more if needed to thicken yolk mixture that is too thin)
1/3-1/2 cup mayonnaise (start with 1/3 cup, then add more if needed to thin the mixture)
1 ounce diced chilies from a can (roughly 1/4 can - more or less to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (more or less to your taste)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I get mine from a jar - you can use more or less to your taste)

Optional Toppings:
Salsa
Sliced ripe olives (shown)
Shredded cheese (shown - I used Mexican cheese mix, but you can use what you like or have on hand)
Sliced green onions
Sour cream

Remove cooked egg yolks from eggs, and place in blender with cream cheese, mayonnaise, chilis, chili powder, and garlic.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  Yep, that's the trick for a no-lump filling.  If your filling is too thin, add more cream cheese - too thick, add more mayo.  Simple.  Pour contents into a zip top bag.  Ask a kid or husband to hold it open for you, or place in a glass or jar.  Fold the edges over the edge of the jar.  This will keep the zipper part from getting goopy when you pour stuff into it from the blender.  Seal the bag, and snip off one of the bottom corners of the bag.  Not too much - just enough to let the filling come out easily.  Squeeze filling into eggs, then top as desired.  Use any leftover filling as a dip for celery, cucumbers, carrots and jicama.

I will never eat regular deviled eggs again.  Seriously!  As a not-liker of spicy foods, this actually has what I'd call good heat.  It doesn't fry your mouth or tongue, but you'll definitely feel warm at the back of your tongue, where it's much less painful.  And it's a pleasant warm, not "I need a fire extinguisher!".  These are definitely a more modern, grown-up take on a traditional favorite.

And as for the toppings...

Take them in small separate containers, and let folks make their own deviled egg creations.  Kind of like a taco bar, but yours will be a spicy deviled egg bar.    How fun and different would that be?!

Just remember that these eggs are made with mayonnaise.  Mayonnaise and warm weather do not always play nicely with each other, so be sure when you bring them somewhere you have them adequately cooled, and kept cool throughout the day.  Think ice, and think lots and lots of it, unless you will be in an air-conditioned location.  These eggs are amazing, and you'll want to be remembered for their flavor, not for food poisoning.

Try a new twist on an old favorite, and ENJOY!!!

Dining Gluten Free for Easter

 A recent "incident" brought this screaming back to our attention.  Hubby got sideswiped by gluten this weekend at a church brunch by some well-meaning, but misinformed, church ladies.  They were "sure" everything was safe, but after eating it, Hubby checked the label.  It states right on it "Contains: WHEAT".

If Easter dinner will be your first big food event after finding out about gluten issues, you want to avoid the same fate...

For some of you this is nothing new and exciting, but I wanted to give our new friends a chance at some information that could be very helpful to them. 

If you are traveling to someone else's house for the big meal, start talking menu NOW.  Like today.  Call them on your lunch hour or right after work.  Make sure they fully understand what gluten free really means.  And make sure that the ham (which is the centerpiece of the meal) is gluten free.  We get ours from a local farmer to be sure.  Also, offer to bring your own side dishes to contribute to the dinner (some good links below). 

When you take your contributions to the meal, make sure they are well-marked.  I use red dishes and red handled serving spoons.  Red is an international symbol for "stop" so it's pretty obvious which items are gluten free.  Be sure that all the guests understand that the red spoons CANNOT be used for anything other than the red dishes.  If you need to, attach a little tag that says "Do Not Remove" to the spoon with a red ribbon.  The concept of cross-contamination is very foreign to most folks, so just be ready to do a lot of explaining, and bring your patience.  The last big family gathering I went to, I spent over an hour describing how we got to where we are, what we can eat, what we can't eat, and so on, and so on, and so on.  And it wasn't because people were trying to be rude.  These are folks we only see once or twice a year, and they were genuinely concerned.

At the party, consider options that are inherently safe - plain hard-boiled Easter eggs are safe, lettuce/greens for salads and plain vegies are safe.  If you aren't sure about something - DON'T EAT IT!

If all else fails, offer to host the big event yourself.  I know it's kind of short notice at this point, but if your family hasn't made the final plans yet, speak up and claim it.  This way, you know the ham is safe (fantastic recipe below), the rolls are gluten free (use a mix to make your own, or serve Udi's bread), and even though you'll have the hustle and bustle of getting everything on the table, you can at least relax knowing that your meal is safe for you.

So here is what the Easter meal will look like at the Suburban Prairie Home...

This was my plan of attack for Christmas.  You can use it for Easter as well.  This link also has some side dish recipes in it.

This is the recipe for The Most Amazing Crockpot Ham EVER

Potatoes au gratin (More Make it Fast, Cook It Slow by Stephanie O'Dea)

Potato Rolls - Boil some potatoes early in the week.  Save the water.  Use the water to make Gluten Free Pantry (brand) Favorite Sandwich Bread Mix.  Divide the dough equally among the cups of a well-greased muffin tin, and bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes.

Deviled Eggs - these are safe if you use gluten free ingredients.

Then, we're still on the fence about some vegies.  I'm leaning toward either fresh asparagus or Brussels sprouts.  Maybe some baby carrots.  I still have a few days to figure it out.  Still not sure what to do about dessert either.

And we all know it wouldn't be Easter without all that CANDY...

If you aren't sure about a candy product, look it up online by manufacturer.  I can give you a few that will be safe - Butterfingers, M-n-M's (all but the pretzel ones), and of course the perennial favorite, Peeps.  Peeps make a wicked good s'more, by the way.  Use a plain Hershey bar, a Peep, and Smoreables (brand) graham crackers.  Mmmmmm.

With a little advanced planning, you'll be ready to enjoy the big day.  Then, you can kick back and relax, and enjoy time with family and friends.

Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns Recipe

With our tea today, a traditional spring treat!

SPH Hot Cross Buns
1 recipe SPH Gluten Free Houska Bread
(omit the almonds)
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting

Make houska bread dough.  Drop by large spoonfuls (I used heaping scoops with my cookie scooper) into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  It's ok if they are touching each other.  I was able to get 5 across easily.  I also left an empty row between my rows of dough.  Don't do that.  Get them all in the pan.  I had enough leftover to make a small extra loaf of houska bread.  Which isn't a bad thing.  BUT, I would rather have made all hot cross buns.  That was the intent, after all.  They may not be the prettiest things, but I promise they will taste pretty darn good!

Once your pan is full of little dough blobs, cover it with clear plastic wrap, and set it in a warm place.  I put mine on top of my oven while it preheats (set your oven to 375).  Let the little blobs rest and rise for 30 minutes.  They should puff up some, depending on the yeast and the temperature of your warm cream.  They may even double in size.

In a separate bowl, combine egg yolk and a little water to make an egg wash.  Spread the egg wash over the buns-to-be, and bake them for about 30 minutes.  When they are done, remove them from the oven, and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Then, drop little bits of frosting on them and allow the frosting to make a nice, sweet glaze.  As glaze melts, spread it gently.  Allow the hot cross buns to cool completely, then if desired, pipe the frosting into a cross shape on the top of them.  You can either pipe on the Betty Crocker frosting using cake decorating tools, or just spoon some frosting into a zip top bag, snip a little bit off one corner, and pipe it on that way.  That's what I did.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Coconut Cookies Recipe - 4 Ways

Quick and simple.  Easy and delicious.  Using up leftovers!

You've seen the Irish Coffee Blondies and the Coconut Brownies.  Here's what to do if you have any leftovers.

SPH Gluten Free Coconut Cookies
1 box Betty Crocker Yellow Cake mix
2 sticks butter, softened
1 egg
not quite 1 cup shredded, tinted coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract (to taste)
Leftover vanilla frosting/glaze
Leftover mocha frosting/glaze

Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Add cake mix to a mixer bowl, and combine with butter til it resembles coarse crumbs.  Beat in egg.  Stir in coconut.  Drop by teaspoonsful (I use a cookie scooper) onto cookie sheets and bake for about 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.  And warning - they SPREAD, so be extra careful how closely you place these.  Just sayin'.

So now the really fun and creative part - the four ways to fancy up these cookies:

1. You can leave them plain.  The leftover food color from the tint, plus the coconut, plus the extract of your choice will make these really good cookies.  And they will seem oh-so-fancy to whoever happens to lay eyes on them.
2. You can glaze them once, with either the vanilla or the mocha.  That's the cookie on the bottom right.  It was glazed with the vanilla.  See how the glaze sets up differently than regular frosting on a cooled cookie (the white one in the upper left)?  Put a small teaspoonful of frosting on while the cookies are still warm.  Let it get soft, then spread GENTLY.  A small offset spatula or the back of a spoon are your best choices for tools to get this job done.
3. Frost'em.  Let'em cool, then spread them with frosting.
4. Double glazed.  That's the one with the brown zigzags.  You can frost or glaze, then  drizzle with the mocha glaze.  Be sure the mocha is pretty thin so it drizzles well.  Also - another great tip:  be sure when you drizzle that you start a little ways off the cookie.  That way, you won't end up with those big blops.  And yes, that's a technical term...

This is a basic recipe that you can tweak how you want.  Use up whatever goodies you have leftover, like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, different flavors of extract or throw in some Jell-o.  If these aren't green enough for you, add some more food coloring.  After they are frosted or glazed, you could sprinkle them with more coconut or leftover colored sugars, too.  Let your imagination and your leftovers be your guide!

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Coconut Brownie Bars Recipe

Another fun recipe from Fox Valley Today!  These will look great on a platter of St. Patrick's Day treats!

These are the bars in the middle with the green coconut.  Don't they look festive?!

SPH Gluten Free Coconut Brownie Bars
1 box Betty Crocker brownie mix, made according to package directions
EXCEPT
Use coconut extract instead of vanilla.  I used up the last of my homemade, which was about 1 1/2 tablespoons.  You can make your own, too, with this recipe from Alton Brown.

1 can Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract

1 cup coconut, tinted green (sweetened or not won't matter - use what you have on hand)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease/spray a 9x13 pan.  By using such a large pan, this is what makes them into cookie bars, instead of brownies.  Spread batter evenly across bottom of the pan, and bake for about 12-15 minutes.  Check with a skewer - if it comes out clean, they're done.  Allow to cool completely

Meanwhile, beat extract into frosting.  Spread over cooled brownies.  Top with tinted coconut.  Cut into squares, and enjoy!

To tint coconut (and you can do this with any color you want - I just used green for St. Patrick's Day):  In a small glass jar, mix together 1 teaspoon of water and a scant 1/4 teaspoon liquid food color.  You can add more or less, depending on how deep you want the color.  And yes, use the liquid not the paste color if possible.  Way easier!  Put your coconut in a mixing bowl (either choose a metal bowl or a bowl that you don't mind getting stained), then pour water-color mixture in and stir til color is uniformly distributed.  While you are mixing, you can add more color a drop or two at a time, if needed.  Just keep in mind that you can always add color, you can't take it away, so start light and work your way up.  Also, over time the color gets darker as it absorbs and dries.

Tinted coconut is also a great decoration for the top of an Easter cake.  Use it to represent grass, add candy eggs, and maybe even a chocolate bunny!


Recipe linked to Very Good Recipes

Gluten Free Corned Beef for St. Patrick's Day

Found these two recipes on Food Network:
Corned Beef
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
and wanted to share them.  I have not tried them myself, but I know many of you will be in the market for something like this soon.  By the way, if you want to make your own corned beef, you better get one TODAY to start the "corning" process!

Give'em a try, and enjoy!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Not Cheese Spread Recipe

Very simple. Quick. Delicious. Oh, and did I mention really healthy for you, too?  Need I say more?

We all know that raw fruits and vegetables are nutrition powerhouses.  So are almonds.  If you look up the nutritional information for almonds, you may be surprised by how great they really are.  They are such a blessing to those of us who have to eat gluten free because they are a great source of fiber and B vitamins - something we tend to lose out on when we switch away from a more grain-based diet.  They also have loads of other vitamins and minerals, too.

This recipe is my variation on a recipe from the book Rawesome by Brigitte Mars.  Brigitte's book has tons of really healthy recipes that are not only gluten free, but also incredibly healthy for you.  You should get your hands on a copy!

So here's my variation of her "Easy Cheese Dip" that's featured on page 44 in the book.

SPH Not Cheese Spread
2 cups almond flour or ground almonds
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
sea salt to taste (I use about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 small fresh tomato (or a few cherry tomatoes - whatever is fresh and on hand)

Put everything in a food processor and puree.  This will keep a few days in the fridge, but I doubt it will make it that long.

I LOVE this in celery sticks.  You can also spread this on some Glutino crackers.  And, listen - I'm no tomato fan.  If it's not spaghetti or pasta sauce, I generally won't eat it.  It's true!  BUT, in the summer, when the tomatoes are at their peak, this is a great way to help use them up.

And the almond flour isn't nearly as hard to come by as you may think - if you can't find it at your local store (Bob's Red Mill Brand) or you don't have a Whole Foods in your neck of the woods, Amazon.com carries it.  They have lots of other gluten free staples at very reasonable prices and most are eligible for free shipping.  Low price plus free shipping is just a variation of our motto "on sale and with a coupon".

So check out Brigitte's book, and see what else you can discover!

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Cherry Pie Recipe

Today is National Cherry Pie Day - probably in honor of that age-old myth about the father of our country, George Washington, and a cherry tree that met its demise...

So the recipe we're making today is based somewhat on this one.

Back in January, for National Pie Day, we did gluten free pie crusts from scratch.  And, as much as I like using the "plain" pie dough for a whole host of yummy goodies, I don't like to use it that much for pie dough. It's true!  It makes wonderful rolled-out sugar cookies, among other things, but since going gluten free, I really REALLY like the premade crusts I can get at Whole Foods.

They look like "real" pie crust.  They taste like "real" pie crust.  They act like "real" pie crust.  Every time, no matter what!

The secret I've discovered with them is prebaking.  And prebaking them on a preheated cookie sheet, which acts like one of those fancy baking stones.  This process eliminates that soggy, gummy, rice flour mess in the center bottom of the crust.  And yes, I even prebake my pie crusts for EVERY pie.  EVERY pie.  EVERY time.  Seriously.

Today, we're going to do a cherry cobbler, and here we go...

SPH Gluten Free Cherry Cobbler
1 package of two premade frozen gluten free pie crusts from Whole Foods, defrosted and at room temperature (or you can use the kind that The Doughboy makes if you are not gluten free)
3 10-oz. packages frozen cherries, defrosted (be sure to keep the juice)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons cornstarch

For the cobbler topping
1 of the two pie crusts
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (more or less to taste)

Preheat the oven to 325.  Place a cookie sheet, covered with foil, in the oven when you turn it on.  When the oven has preheated, separate the two crusts, and place beans or baking weights on parchment paper inside one of them.  This is the one that will go on the cookie sheet.  Bake for about 30 minutes.

While your base crust is prebaking, in a large mixing bowl, combine cherries (with their juice), sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch.  Stir well to combine.  In a separate mixing bowl, take the other pie crust and crumble it in.  I used a fork to pull bits and pieces from the pan, then just crumbled it with my fingers.  Stir in cinnamon and sugar to combine well.  I used the same fork, and it worked pretty well.

When the pie crust is done, remove it from the oven.  Turn the oven temperature up to 350.  Remove parchment and beans/weights from pie crust.  CAREFULLY add the cherry filling.  Crumble the cobbler topping over the cherries, and place the whole thing (cookie sheet and all) into your oven.  Bake again for another 30 minutes, then turn off the oven.  Allow cobbler to cool.

Serve with whipped cream, non-dairy whipped topping, or ice cream as desired, and enjoy!

Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe

A quick, simple, healthy, delicious and economical dinner...


Tonight's dinner is inspired by a recipe by Melissa D'Arabian.

SPH Gluten Free Orange-Honey Chicken
olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup honey
salt & pepper

I love the fact that this is basically a 2-pot dish, and it whips up in no time flat!

Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Add enough oil to cover bottom of pan, and add chicken.  Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Cover.  Allow to brown, 5-7 minutes.  While chicken is browning, in a saucepan (aka pot #2), melt orange juice concentrate and honey together.  Add salt and pepper - just whatever you think will be proper seasoning.  Allow to cook down for a few minutes while chicken finishes browning on side A.

So now it's time to turn your chicken.  Turn your chicken.  Add about half the orange sauce.  Turn chicken to coat in the orangey yumminess, then place the unbrowned side back down in the pan.  Allow to simmer for a few more minutes, til orange sauce gets more syrupy.  Then, cover, reduce heat, and allow to finish cooking, about 5-7 more minutes.  Keep an eye out - you don't want your sauce to burn.

Your cooking times will depend on how thick your chicken pieces are.  Be sure to cook your chicken THOROUGHLY!

I said that I love the fact that this is a 2-pot dish.  When I make it in our house, it's a full 4-burner!  I serve it with Not Fried Rice and steamed California mix vegies, both of which can be cooking simultaneously.  I usually plate it with rice on the bottom, then a layer of vegies and the chicken on top.  Pour the glaze over all, and serve extra sauce in a bowl with a ladle or a gravy boat.  Some of us like a LOT of the sauce!

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Sweet Dip Recipes

So I've seen several of these around, and wanted to share them with you...


It starts with an 8-oz. block of cream cheese and a can of Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy frosting.  Choose whichever flavor you desire.

So let's start with just a basic sweet dip.  Add the softened cream cheese to your frosting, beat til smooth and serve.  It's great with apples and pears, and also pretzels and plain cookies.  Of course, because it's nothing more than cream cheese frosting!  This is a great way to use up that extra frosting, too, by the way.

Want it fluffier?  Add in some non-diary whipped topping.  You can switch up amounts of cream cheese and frosting here, to change out sweetness and thickness of your dip.

From your basic cream cheese frosting, you can make any number of dips.

Red Velvet Cake:  Add a tablespoon or 2 of cocoa and red food coloring to desired shade of red.

Brownie/Chocolate Cake Batter Dip:  Use chocolate frosting with your cream cheese OR add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder (to taste) to existing cream cheese frosting.  Want to turn this into Thin Mint Dip?  Add mint extract - just a quarter teaspoon (mint is really strong).

Funfetti Cake:  Add sprinkles and a teaspoon or 2 of vanilla extract

Try adding half of a  3-oz. package of Jell-o for a fruity flavor.

What to dip with?  Pretzels (Glutino), graham crackers (S'Moreables brand), plain sugar cookies (think homemade for gluten free) or chocolate wafers (again, think homemade or Glutino for gluten free).  Apples and pears are excellent in the plain and Jell-o dips.  You can try other fruits, cookies and crackers, too.

You do need to keep this dip cool because it contains a dairy product, but because of that same dairy product, it still needs to be softened or it's like concrete.

But definitely more delicious...

Enjoy!



 http://verygoodrecipes.com/chocolate