Snicker doodles

Today is one of those days when I want to shout from the rooftop...HOORAY!! I have tried a couple different versions of snicker doodle recipes and failed. Today I was craving a cookie really bad. So I whipped out the cookbook to make a batch of Oreo Cookies when the thought occurred to me to make vanilla Oreo's instead of chocolate. Well, when I finished the batter, I thought to myself, this would make a good snicker doodle cookie. It sure did! The best part for me is that the cookies are not flat and greasy. They are fluffy and chewy.

The original Oreo recipe comes from Eating Gluten Free

The recipe below has the changes to make the Snicker doodles.

1 ¾ c. margarine
1 large pkg. instant Vanilla pudding mix
1 ½ c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

4 c. featherlight mix
1 ¾ tsp. xanthan gum
¾ tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp. salt

Cream margarine, pudding mix, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture.

Chill about 1 hour. Roll cookies into 1 inch balls and cover with cinnamon and sugar blend. Place on greased baking sheet (I use parchment paper). Bake at 350° for about 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool. Store in air tight container.

Fruit and Jell-O Jam

This has to be one of the easiest recipes ever. In years past I have always done the same flavor...fresh peaches and strawberry Jell-O. We have been on a serious blueberry kick the past few weeks, so I decided to try making it with a few berries mixed. SO YUMMY! That's right, we had pancakes tonight just to taste test the end results. So for this batch, I used fresh blueberries, raspberries and a few blackberries to make the 5 cups and strawberry Jell-O.

1 Small (3 oz.) package Strawberry Jello
5 cups peeled, pitted & chopped peaches (into 1/4 -1/2 ” thick chunks)
4 cups Sugar

Yield: 5-7 Half pint jars

To peel peaches, blanch them by placing in boiling water for 30-60 sec. or until skin is loosened. Remove from water & peel. Pit peach, and chop. Combine chopped peaches and sugar in a 6 qt. pot, put on medium heat & stir constantly until sugar is dissolved… gradually raise heat. Bring to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling even when stirred), and boil hard for 7 min. Add Jello in last min or so and mix until completely dissolved! Ladle into hot sterilized jars, and put on hot sterilized lid, and then place on band ring. Process in hot water bath for 10 min. Jam will set up gradually as it cools, but it is generally a softer set than jam recipes from the Sure Jell box! Yummers!
Note: This recipe can also be changed to suit the fruit you have, so if you have only strawberries, or raspberries, or whatever, use 5 cups of them, any flavor jello you desire & the amount of sugar listed.

Betty Crocker Cookies

Nothing is more exciting in the Gluten Free world than when you hear that a company has come out with a new product. Well, Little Ms. Betty Corcker has done just that. The first time I sent Jon to the store to pick one up, I learned that it is just shy of $5 a box! "No way!" I said. Curiousity got to me and I broke down and bought one. I would have to say that I am really disappointed. They are flat, greasy and very grainy. I have made others from scratch that have tasted better. It was absolutely nice to just open a box, add an egg and butter and be done, but for the price, I dont' think I will be buying the cookie mix again. Betty Crocker does have two cake mixes out that I might give a try, I just need a few days to forget how disappointed I am right now...

Down Home Berry Cobbler

I found this recipe in an old box of recipe cards I have stored in the cupboard. It looked good, sounded good and guess what? It tastes really good too! I did make a few changes to use what I had on hand...2 C strawberries, 1 1/2 C blueberries and 1 C blackberries. I also used frozen orange juice instead of apple juice.

Down Home Berry Cobbler

2 ½ C Fresh raspberries
2 ½ C fresh strawberries or blueberries
2 TBS cornstarch
½ - ¾ C sugar
1 C GF flour mix
½ tsp xanthan gum
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1/3 C butter
1/3 C milk
2 TBS frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix berries and cornstarch in medium bowl. Add sugar (more or less depending on sweetness of the berries). Spoon into sprayed 8 inch square baking dish.
Combine flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Melt butter and combine with milk and apple juice. Mix well.

Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until dry ingredients are moistened. Evenly drop 6 heaping tablespoons of dough over berries in baking dish and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until topping is golden and fruit is bubbly. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Zucchini Bars

One of the things I have missed the most during summer is the taste and smell of zucchini bread. I have tried several recipes and still have not found one. Then the thought occurred to me to try it using the Sour Cream Banana Bar recipe and just subbing out the banana's for the zucchini and adding a little cinnamon. Very happy with the outcome!!

1 ½ c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
½ c. butter, softened (or substitute ¼ c. butter and ¼ c. applesauce)
2 eggs
2 ½ c. Shredded zucchini
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. GF flour (featherlight or sorghum/cornstarch mix)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Add zucchini, sugar, butter, sour cream, and eggs. Cream together. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Grease and flour 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1” pan (deep cookie sheet). Spread batter in pan. Bake at 375 degrees until light brown (20-25 minutes). Mine takes closer to 30-35 minutes. Cool slightly. Frost with Browned Butter Frosting.

Browned Butter Frosting
¼ c. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. milk

Heat butter over medium heat until delicate brown. Mix in sugar, vanilla, and milk. Beat until smooth.

**UPDATE:  I now use this really cool pan to make my Zucchini and Banana Bars and I just melt some cream cheese frosting over the top.

Stuffed and Wrapped Green Chilies

This is a recipe I got from my mother-in-law several years ago. I was very nervous to try it because I am not a huge green chili fan, but you know what? They are so yummy. The combination of the hot chili and cool cream cheese go very well together.  When baking them, I use toothpicks to hold them together. You can serve them with or without the toothpicks still in them.

Green chilies (I use mild.  If you like a fiery burn, go with something hotter!)
Cream cheese
Bacon (we use turkey bacon)
Toothpicks
Cut the ends of the chilies and clean out the seeds. If the chilies are long enough, I cut them into two to three sections. Fill each section with cream cheese and wrap a slice of bacon around it. Secure it with a toothpick. Place on baking sheet lined with  tinfoil. (I spray my tinfoil with non-stick spray)  Bake in oven at 350 degrees until bacon is browned and crispy. During the summer, I actually cooked mine out on the grill on a sheet of tinfoil so I don't heat up the house. Turned out great!

Tomato Basil Chicken Bake

This was a fabulous summertime BBQ meal.

(The second time around, I put the tomatoes on first

then the cheese.  It helped keep all the tomatoes in place)

8 Chicken breasts
Zesty Italian Dressing
8 Provolone Cheese slices
4-5 Roma Tomatoes
1 tsp Garlic
1 1/2 tsp Basil
1/8 C vinegar
1/8 C Olive oil
1 tsp mustard
Dash of salt and pepper

I cut the tomatoes into chunks and added the garlic, basil, salt, pepper, vinegar, olive oil and the mustard. Blend thoroughly and refrigerate. I marinated my chicken in the dressing all day. Heat grill and cook chicken until cooked all the way through. Turn heat off and place a slice of cheese per chicken and top with tomato mixture. Close the grill lid and let the cheese melt.