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I have to thank my sis Michelle for this great recipe. It is a little on the spicy side, so some kids may not like it.

I have boughten El Pato at Walmart and Smith's. It is on the same aisle as the green chillies.

The Queso Fresco comes in a round block. I crumble it after opening the package. I get mine at Walmart only because it is cheaper.


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1/2 uncooked rice
Brown rice in a pan (stock pot) with some oil. (Browning the rice makes it so it won't continue to swell and soak up all the liquids). Once the rice is browned, add the following:

3 cans of tomato sauce
1 can of El Pato (I only use half a can or it is too spicy for my kids.)
4 cans of water
Cooked, shredded chicken (as much as you want)
Chicken bullion to taste
Garlic to taste

Simmer for a bit. Top with queso fresco , fresh lime juice and
tortilla chips.

Santa Fe Chicken Skillet

This was one of Jon and I's favorite dishes at Village Inn. It is called the Santa Fe Chicken Skillet. There aren't really any measurements, it's what ever you need to make enough for your family. This particular time I made it without the chicken...only because I forgot!
For our family of five I used:

1 bag of tator tots (any type of potato...hash browns, diced or tots)
2 Chicken breasts cooked and cubed
2 cans Hormel Chili with beans
Scrambled eggs
Salsa or diced tomatoes
Green chili (optional)
Shredded cheese
Cook potatoes according to the directions. Cook chicken and cut. Heat chili on stovetop. Scramble the eggs.
Layer on serving dish...Potatoes, chili, chicken, salsa, green chilies and cheese.

Celebration Cake

Morgan celebrated her birthday this past week. All of our family is coming in town this weekend to help her celebrate her baptism. This is the cake I make for her. I'm still smiling because it turned out so well. I used the cupcake recipe and doubled it to get a double layer cake. We put vanilla instant pudding in the middle and did a whipped topping frosting.

Whipped topping recipe

1 C Heavy whipping cream
2 TB powdered sugar
2 TB piping gel (I used 1/4 tsp unflavored gelatin
1/2 tsp vanilla
Beat together cream and powdered sugar until you get soft peaks. Add gelatin, vanilla and coloring if you are using it. Beat until stiff peaks form.

The dark pink frosting is just store boughten. (Duncan Hines)

Refridgerate cake.

Homemade Chili

It's cold outside, so that means we are having soup! Tonight I made up some homemade chili. Back in the day I used Bush's Chili Beans, but they have wheat in them, so I have adapted my own version. We like it and hope you will too! I like to make mine in the crockpot, but I'm sure it can be done on the stovetop.



Homemade Chili
1 lb. gound beef, cooked and drained
2 cans pinto beans rinsed and drained
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce plus 2 cans of water
1 medium onion chopped
1 celery stalk sliced
1 tsp (generous) minced garlic
2 tsp salt
1/2 pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
Grated cheddar cheese

Add browned beef, beans, onion and celery to crockpot. Combine tomato sauce, water and seasonings and then pour over meat and beans. I cook mine on low for 6 hours.
Add a handful of grated cheese into chili before serving. Serve with more grated cheese on top. Some of us like cornbread with our chili and the rest of us like tortilla chips.

Creamy Italian Chicken

Italian Chicken Sauce

1. Cook 3 chicken breasts in crock pot on high for 3 hours with ½ bottle of Italian salad dressing. ( I like the Zesty Italian)

2. Shred chicken. Discard juice, and set aside.

3. Heat together on stovestop:

1/3 C dry creamed soup mix plus 1 ¼ C water
1 C of water + 1 tsp chicken bullion (GF)
1 pkg. Cream cheese
When all blended together, add chicken.

4. Serve over hot GF noodles
Our favorite is the Trader Joe's brown rice Penne noodle.

This will feed our family of five with one leftover serving. This recipe can easily be doubled.

Valentine's Chex Mix

This recipe comes from www.chex.com/glutenfree. It tastes so yummy! We made it for Morgan's B-day party tomorrow...that is if I can keep my hands out of the jar!

9 cups Rice Chex® cereal (gluten free)
1 cup white vanilla baking chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup red, white and pink candy-coated chocolate candies
1/4 cup red or pink jimmies sprinkles

1. In large bowl, place cereal. In small microwavable bowl, microwave vanilla chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.
2. Place 1/2 of the cereal mixture in 1-gallon food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, stir candies and sprinkles into remaining cereal mixture. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes.
4. In serving bowl, mix both cereal mixtures. Store in airtight container.

Chewy Granola Bars

I was one of those moms that like to just be able to pull out a box of Quaker Granola Bars for days at the park or on a road trip. Can't do that anymore! I was able to find this recipe online. I thought they tasted pretty good and the kids really liked them. I have made it with and without Xanthan Gum ( 1/2 tsp) and didn't really notice a difference.
• 4 1/2 cups rolled oats (GF)
• 1 cup all-purpose GF flour (I used the Featherlite)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups chocolate chips (raisins or nuts etc.)
I added a handful of miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter or margarine, honey and brown sugar. Stir in the 2 cups assorted chocolate chips, raisins, nuts etc.
3. Lightly press mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.

** After removing them from the oven, I actually took my spatula and pressed on the entire pan of granola bars. It kind of helps 'glue' them together. Let it cool for the ten minutes and then cut them into bars.

Sal Picon

This meal is a great way to use up any leftover roast beef or brisket. It tastes great with either beef or chicken.

Sal Picon

8-10 Chicken Tenders cooked and shredded
(Can be done in the crockpot with chicken bullion (GF) and cumin-just a sprinkle)

OR

2-3 pounds of beef cooked and shredded
(Can be done in crockpot with GF Beef bullion )


Add the following to you cooked meat of choice:

1/2- 3/4 cup Italian dressing
To taste:
Green onions
Tomatoes
Jalapenos
Cilantro
You want a ‘slightly wet’ mixture.

Get a corn tortilla warming on a griddle, sprinkle some cheese on it and then add a spoonful of the meat mixture. Fold in half. Toast both sides and serve with sour cream and avocado’s.

I replaced the jalapenos with green chilies, and used a half a can of petite diced tomatoes and only ½ cup of dressing.

Chili and Rice

This is one of my lazy, can't think of anything else to serve for dinner recipes. It's very quick and easy.

4 C Cooked rice

2 cans GF chili ( I use Hormel chili with beans)

Grated cheese

Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Layer half of the rice, chili and cheese and repeat. Cover with a lid or tinfoil and cook in oven at 350 degrees or until heated through. Serve with a veggie or salad.

White Chicken Chili

I am a huge fan of soup when it is cold outside and yesterday was one of those days. When I googled this recipe, I found many variations. I just went through and picked out the ones that I had the ingredients for and then made up my own. I kept it very simple so the kids would not complain. It worked because they all had seconds!

5-6 chicken tenders cooked and cubed
2 cans Chicken broth
2 cans Northern White Beans rinsed and drained
1/2 can diced Green Chilies
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
Oregano (I just put in a few pinches)
Sour Cream
Grated Cheese
Tortilla Chips

I browned my chicken and then cubed it. Add chicken, green chilies, broth and seasonings to crockpot. Cook on low for three to four hours. This is really just to let everything simmer together. One hour before you want to serve it, add beans. Right before serving add sour cream. I added about 1/2 -3/4 Cup, it's really however much you want. Serve with grated cheese (I used Colbyjack) and tortilla chips. This generously served all five of us and one bowl of leftovers for Jon's lunch.

Sloppy Joes

I guess Jon is getting very tired of nachos and tacos on Saturdays because next thing I know, he is in the kitchen making a loaf of bread and browning up some beef. This boy was in the mood for some man sandwiches...sloppy joes. He did a great job. This recipe is very much a 'to taste, smell and look' kind of recipe.

2lbs browned, rinsed and drained beef
Ketchup and BBQ sauce
Brown sugar
Onion Salt
Lemon juice-just a quirt
Vinegar-just a little
Mustard-just a squirt

Let simmer. Serve on GF bread (recipe located under Breads) or buns with cheese. We like Provolone.

Cheesey Garlic Breadsticks

Oh....my.....goodness! I had forgotten how much we loved the taste of these breadsticks. We made pizza tonight, so I took a chunk of the dough and placed it on a seperate stone. (I spread it out just like I would for the pizza) Cover it with greased wax paper and let it rise until double in size. Cook in oven at 400 degrees until light golden brown(mine took 15 minutes), pull it out and spread the garlic mixture on it and then sprinkle some monzarella cheese on top, then place it back in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. My only complaint is that there wasn't enough!
I used the Pizza dough recipe (Label: Main dish) for the breadsticks. Since I was only making a very small batch of breadsticks, I halved the recipe and still had more than enough garlic mixture.

Mix together:

Butter 1/4 C
Mayonnaise 1/4 C
Parmesan Cheese 1/4 C
Garlic powder 1/4 tsp
Parsley Flakes I just sprinkle in enough to give it some color
Shredded Cheese Your choice, I used monzarella

Bake @ 400 degrees for about 15 minutes
Then again just long enough to melt the cheese

**This amount here generously covers the size of a cookie sheet**

Soft Batch Cookies

This recipe comes from www.eatingglutenfree.com. We really like them and they are moist.

Soft Batch Cookies

1 c. margarine
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. featherlight mix
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
1 c. chocolate/butterscotch chips
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream butter, sugars, and pudding. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the vanilla. Sift together flour, xanthan gum, and soda. Gradually beat into the creamed mixture. Stir in the chips (and nuts if desired) Drop 2" apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes. Let cool. Store in a Ziplock bag for at least 3 hours for best taste.

Chicken Caesar Taco's

This is a recipe that unfortunately my kids don't like near as much as Jon and I do. It is very easy to make and has lots of flavor. It is served cold and can be eaten as a main dish served in a taco shell, or it makes a great salad. This recipe came from my sister, Michelle. Thank you!

Chicken Caesar Taco's

5-6 Chicken tenders cooked and cut into pieces
10 oz of Romaine lettuce chopped up (5-6 leaves, who knows how much 10 oz is?)
2 cups of cheddar cheese (divided into 2 one cup amounts)
1 diced Avocado
1 can of diced green chiles
1/2 cup of can black beans (drained & rinsed)
1/4 frozen corn (thawed)
1/3 C of Caesar salad dressing
¼ C taco sauce (medium, and I use just a drizzle of it or it is too hot for my liking!)
12 Taco shells warmed
2 cups of diced tomato (optional)

Combine chicken, 1 cup of cheese, avocado, chiles, bean & corn in a large bowl.
Combine taco sauce & Caesar dressing into a small bowl, mix well and add chicken mixture and then mix in you salad greens.
Fill each taco with mixture & add additional cheese & tomato to your liking

Sour Cream Banana Bars

I am a huge fan of banana bread. Unfortunately, I have yet to try a recipe that works well. This sour cream banana bar recipe is a great one in the meantime. It is not a loaf, rather a sheet cake treat! It is so moist and tastes yummy.  Let it cool slightly and then spread a browned butter frosting on top. Serve up and enjoy! This recipe came from my cousin, Kristy.

Sour Cream Banana Bars

1 ½ c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
½ c. butter, softened (or substitute ¼ c. butter and ¼ c. applesauce)
2 eggs
1 ½ c. mashed bananas (3 large)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. GF flour (featherlight or sorghum/cornstarch mix)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking soda
½ c. chopped nuts (optional)

Mash bananas in large mixing bowl. Add sugar, butter, applesauce, 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.