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.

Toad in the Hole

This has always been one of Jon's favorite recipes, and not so much mine. Morgan and Jon read a book together that reminded him of this recipe. He ask me to add the ingredients to my shopping list. Being a good wife, I did just that. So I attempted to convert this to being GF and it worked out really well. Jon says it tastes just like the real thing. It doesn't make very much so we made a side of waffles and muffins and had breakfast for dinner. I actually even really liked it this time.

1 C GF flour mix
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 eggs
1 C milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb small breakfast sausages

Prepare batter and refrigerate for 1 hour. Half cook sausages in pan. Transfer to greased baking dish (8x8). Space sausages 1 inch apart. Pour batter over sausages and bake in preheated oven at 400-425 degrees. for 30-40 minutes.

Scotch-A-Roos

1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo syrup
5 1/2 C GF Rice Chex
1 bag butterscotch chips
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 C Peanut Butter

Put sugar and Karo syrup in pan. Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat. Add in 1 1/2 cups peanut butter. Then add 5 1/2 cups GF Rice Chex. Stir together and pour into cake pan. Spread out into the pan. Melt together one bag butterscotch chips and 1/2 bag chocolate chips. Pour over the cereal mixture and let set.

Sweet and Sour Smokies

This recipe is a 'however much you want' recipe!

Smokies

Barbeque Sauce

Pineapple chunks, tidbits or crushed ( I even use some of the juice)

Place everything in the crockpot. Cook until heated through.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2 cups chicken meat cooked (cubed or shredded)
1/2 c sliced onions
3/4 cup sliced peppers (red, yellow, orange and green)
2 Roma tomatoes diced

Sauce
1/2 Cup water
5 Tb Cornstarch
3/4 Cup Brown sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 20 oz. chunk pineapple (use juice for sauce)
2 Tb GF soy sauce
1/4 c vinegar

Make sauce and cook until thickened. Add veggies and chicken and simmer for 15 minutes. Just before serving add tomatoes. Serve over rice

8-10 Servings

Huli Huli Chicken

Can I just say....Oh my yummy! This was a huge hit. The chicken was so moist and had the best flavor. I think this is a new family favorite. Especially with summer barbeque's coming up.



Huli Huli Chicken

5-8 Large chicken Breasts cut in half
3/4 C GF soy sauce
1/2 C freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 C honey
1/3 C brown sugar
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger root
1 tsp Asian chile paste or sambal oelek ( I used Sambal Chili Paste. Can be bought at Smith's)
1 tsp sesame oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Hawaiian sea salt or other salt to taste

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together all ingredients except chicken. Place the chicken in a Ziplock bag and pour in marinade. Marinate for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. Grill until chicken is done.

Texas Chicken Quesadillas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, sliced into rings (I chop mine very fine)
1 tablespoon honey
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips or chunks
1/2 cup GF barbeque sauce
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
24 (6 inch) corn tortillas

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Slowly cook and stir onion until translucent. Mix in honey. Stir until onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Place remaining oil and chicken in the skillet over medium high heat. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in barbeque sauce and evenly coat chicken.
4. Layer 12 tortillas individually with chicken, onions, Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. Top with remaining tortillas.
5. Place tortillas on a large baking sheet. You may only be able to bake 5-6 at a time. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Do not let tortillas become too crisp. Remove from heat. Cut into quarters to serve

We cooked ours on a griddle and reheated the leftovers in the oven the following day. They were fabulous.

Fruit Pizza

A summertime classic. Full of color and yummy flavor!

For this recipe I cooked mine on a 15 inch round glass pan. If you want to make it in a jelly roll pan, I would use a full cookie recipe and double the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla.

1/2 Soft Batch Cookie recipe

4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 C powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Seasonal fruit of your choice. I used strawberries, blueberries and mandarin oranges.

Glaze:
1/2 C pureed strawberries (or fruit of your choice)
1/2 C water
1/4 C sugar
2 TB cornstarch
Cook until thickened.

Spread cookie dough out on greased pan of your choice. I baked mine at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Let cool. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over cookie crust. Top with your favorite seasonal fruits. Drizzle glaze over the pizza. If not serving immediately, refrigerate.

Honey Nut Chex

Now available in select stores! YEAH!!!

Rice Chex has been out for almost a year now. I picked up the box of

Honey Nut at our local Walmart Neighborhood Grocery store.

Chocolate Covered Cake Pops

I found this awesome website called Bakerella and she makes these really cool cake pops. I followed her directions located on her website only I baked a GF cake and colored it pink. I was looking for a fun new birthday classroom treat for my girls and this hit the spot. They are definitely a very sweet treat. They are supposed to look like cupcakes, but it will just need to work on that!