Sweet Italian Sausage with Zucchini and Tomatoes

This has been an awesome summer addition to our dinners.  There is just something great about tomatoes and sausage together!  Even my three year old had multiple servings.

6 links Whole Ranch Sweet Italian Sausage (I just used the horseshoe shaped ones I get from Sam's or Costco)

2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4-6 large garlic cloves finely chopped

3 TBS fresh oregano finely chopped (or 1 TBS dried oregano)

1 pound of zucchini cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3/4 pound mixed red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half (I only had red)

1/2 C chopped fresh basil (I used about 1 1/2 tsp dried)

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare sausages according to package directions, either in a sauté pan or on the grill. While they are cooking, heat olive oil in a large heavy sauté pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and oregano, stir for a few seconds, then add zucchini and cook 3 to 5 minutes.

When sausages are cooked, cut into large bite-sized pieces and add to pan along with tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Continue to sauté until tomatoes are just softened, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a large platter and serve.

**The first time I made this I followed the directions as outlined above.  I felt like between the olive oil and the grease from the sausage in was a bit to much.  So the second time I did not use the olive oil.  I just cooked the sliced sausage pieces until heated through and then add the remaining ingredients and followed the remainder of the recipe as above.

Crispy Herb Baked Chicken

Crispy Herb Baked Chicken

2/3 C dry potato flakes
1/3 C grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1 TB Italian seasoning
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
3 lbs of chicken, skin removed, cut into pieces (I used boneless, skinless breasts)
1/3 C olive oil

Heat oven to 375°. Grease or line with foil a baking sheet or a 9 x 13 baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and oil. Stir until well mixed. Dip
chicken into oil and then roll in potato flake mixture to coat. Place in prepared pan.
Bake 45-60 or until chicken is golden brown.

Black Bean Brownies

These brownies are flour less and are made out of black beans.  This recipe came from the Whole Foods Application on our iPod.  I would say they have much more of a fudge texture than a  brownie texture, but not bad at all, just VERY rich. They were easy to make...just put everything in the blender and pour into the pan.

1 15 oz. can of black beans rinsed and drained (no salt added)

3 large eggs

1/3 C melted butter

1/4 C cocoa powder

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C + 2 TB sugar

1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

1/3 C chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place first 6 ingredients into blender.  Process until blended smooth.  Stir in chips and nuts.  Pour into greased or sprayed 8x8 pan.  Bake for 30-40 minutes (until cooked in the center).

Remove and cool.

*I did not have unsalted beans, so I just omitted the 1/8 tsp salt.

Crepes

My brother's wedding is coming up and the gal in charge of making the desserts called and asked me for a GF crepe recipe.  I had made some in the past by just switching out the flour for a GF flour blend.  Knowing that it would be a hassle for her to go and find all the flours she would need, I thought there has to be other versions out there.  Sure enough...thank goodness for Google Search!  This recipe was the most common one I kept finding.  It calls for very few ingredients and tasted awesome!  The great thing about crepes is that they are very versitile.  You can make them with fruit and cream, cheeses, thinly sliced meats or meats and cheeses together.  Since I had some fresh raspberries in the fridge, that is what we used.

2 eggs
¾ cup milk
1 tablespoon oil
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup cornstarch

In a blender, combine eggs, milk, corn oil, salt and cornstarch; blend 30 seconds or until smooth.

I have a crepe maker which works really nice.  If you do not have one you can use the following method.

Spray small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat well over med-high heat. Pour about 2 T batter into center of skillet, rotating quickly to evenly coat pan. Cook about 30 seconds until the edges begin to brown and pull away from pan. Carefully turn crepe; cook 30 seconds longer. Slide out of skillet onto holding dish. Repeat with remaining batter. Makes about 10 six-inch crepes.  Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

Fill crepe with your choice of fruit and cream, meat and or cheese and roll up.

Crockpot Peanut Clusters

2 lbs salted dry roasted peanuts
4oz Bakers German Sweet Choc
1 12 oz pkg semisweet choc chips
2 ½ lbs of white almond bark ( I used white baking chips)
Cupcake or candy liners

Put the peanuts in bottom of a 4 quart crock pot. Layer the chocolate over the peanuts starting with the
German sweet choc, choc chips, and then the almond bark. Cook on low for 3 hours.

DO NOT STIR MIXTURE

After 3 hours stir mixture with wooden spoon until smooth. Drop the candy into cupcake liners (I  used
candy liners)  Allow candy to cool completely before removing liners.
Makes 30 to 40 pieces with cupcake liners.
( I made half a batch and filled small candy liners with 1 TBS of peanuts.  I didn't count, but it was enough to line an entire cookie sheet.)

Marshmallow Popcorn

There is only one problem with this fabulous treat....it is really quite addicting!!  This is a family favorite, especially on a movie night.  I can't believe I haven't posted this until now.  We have two versions of this ooey gooey delight.  Marshmallow (which is a lot like a rice crispy treat) or Caramel Popcorn.

Marshmallow Popcorn

1 bag of mini marshmallows

1 stick of butter

2 bags of microwave popcorn (or 3/4 C of kernels air popped)

I like to sift out all the unpopped kernels so we don't have any broken teeth!  Melt butter and then add marshmallows.  When all is melted together, pour over popped popcorn.  Spread out on a greased cookie pan and let cool.  Try not to eat it all at once!!

For Caramel version, follow as above, just add 3/4 C brown sugar to butter and marshmallows.  Place in oven at 350 degrees and bake for just a few minutes to give it a crispy crunch!

Angel Food Cake

Happy Mother's Day!  This recipe was SOOO yummy!  Let's just say that there are no leftovers.  This recipe comes from Eating Gluten Free.

Angle Food Cake

1 1/2 c. egg whites (10 - 12 large)
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. potato starch
1/2 c. corn starch
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest or almond flavoring (optional)

Let egg whites sit in a large mixing bowl until room temperature. Thoroughly sift together the powdered sugar and starches, sifting 2 or 3 times.

Add cream of tartar and vanilla to egg whites. Beat until soft peaks form, then slowly add sugar (2 - 3 Tbs. at a time) and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold dry ingredients into the egg whites, 1/2 cup at a time. Pour into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Use a knife to gently cut through the batter to release any large air pockets.

Bake on the lowest rack of a 350° oven for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched. Remove cake from oven and turn upside down, in pan, to cool. Cool completely, then loosen cake from the sides of the pan. Remove from pan and serve with Fresh strawberries and whip cream.

Dirty Rice

I can't take credit for this recipe.  My sister Michelle passed this one on to me and it was delicious!

 Thanks Sis.

Dirty Rice

1/4 cup Oil

1/4 cup Flour (rice or sweet rice flour)

2 oz Butter

1 Onion finely chopped

2 Garlic cloves crushed

1 Green Pepper

1 Celery Stalk

6 oz of Chicken breast cubed

8 oz of  Sausage Sliced (I used Hillshire Farms Polska Kielbasa Sausage)

2 tsp Chicken Stock Powder

1 tsp Tabasco Sauce

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Dried Thyme

1/2 tsp White Pepper...I just use Black

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Dried Oregano

2 Cups Long Grain Rice

3 Cups Chicken Stock.

Heat oil in pan, when hot, sprinkle with flour, mix together and whisk for 3 or four minutes, (whisking continuously) until the mixture is nut brown in color, but not burnt. Remove the roux from the pan to stop further cooking.

Heat the butter in a pan and add onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery. Cook stirring often for five minutes, or until the the veggies are soft, but not browned. Transfer to a plate.

Add the chicken and pork to the pan and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Return veggies to the pan and cook another 3 minutes. Stir in the Roux, Stock Powder, Tabasco, the garlic and onion powder and the herbs and spices. Stir well for a minute or two.

Then stir in the rice and chicken stock. Bring slowly to a boil, reduce heat to very low and simmer, stirring often for thirty minutes, or until the rice is tender. Serve immediately.

Dijon Mustard Pasta

The first time I made this recipe, I made the whole thing...way to much for one meal!  The second time I halved it and that was about the perfect amount for our family of five with enough leftovers for Jon's lunch.  It is very rich and creamy.  Shout out to my sister Michelle for sharing this recipe!!  If you are on a diet or counting calories and fat grams, this recipe is not for you!  I feel like meals like this are okay once in a while.  

I have noted the changes I made in red (only because those were the ingredients I had on hand when making this recipe) 

Dijon Mustard Pasta
Sauce (Full recipe listed below, I would recommend halfing it)
7 ½ tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 ¾ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 ¼ cup chicken broth
2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 ¼ cup milk (3 C  1% milk, (more or less depending on desired thickness of sauce) combined with cream cheese)
2 ½ tablespoons dijon mustard
5 tsp. fresh rosemary (oregano)
1 ¼ tsp. salt
1 ¼ tsp. fresh thyme
¾ tsp cayenne pepper
4½ cups of heavy whipping cream (replaced with 8 oz. of lowfat cream cheese)
2 ½ cup parmesan cheese
2 cooked breast cut in bite size pieces
6 slices of bacon cooked cut in 1” pieces
16 oz. of dried GF penne pasta, cooked as directed on package

1. Melt butter and garlic (don’t brown).
2. Dissolve cornstarch in small amount of chicken broth.
3. Add all sauce ingredients EXCEPT FOR PARMESAN CHEESE, stir with a whisk; and simmer about 10 minutes until thickened.
4. Stir in 2 ½ cup parmesan cheese, set aside.
5. Layer cooked pasta with chicken and bacon in a well sprayed casserole dish.
6. Spoon sauce over top.
7. Top with additional 1/4 C parmesan cheese mixed with paprika (to add color).
8. Cook at 475 ̊F for around 10-15 minutes until bubbly.

Cheeseburger Chili Macaroni

Cheeseburger Chili Macaroni

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin ( I just used ground beef)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1 to 2 cups beef stock (depending on how liquid-y you want it)
• 1 16 oz. Pkg. GF noodles
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar (the sharper the better!)

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.
Heat 2TB of Olive oil in pan and brown the beef. (I did not use any oil with the ground beef)

Add the onion and chili powder to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is tender, 4-5 minutes. Add the ketchup, mustard and beef stock to the pot, bring up to a bubble and simmer until slightly thickened, 4-5 minutes.
While the chili is working, salt the boiling water and drop the pasta in. Cook to al dente according to package directions then drain thoroughly and return it to the pot.

Add the chili to the pot with the pasta and give everything a good toss. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with the shredded cheese. Place the casserole under the broiler to melt and brown the cheese. Serve with a simple salad alongside.

Glazed Poppy Seed Cake

I had the opportunity to go to a cooking party the other night and this cake was served.  It was absolutely fabulous.  The recipe can be found on several blogspots (here and here to name a few).  The only conversion I had to make was switch out the cake mix for a Betty Crocker GF yellow cake mix.  This is something I would be proud to bring to any function and know that it tastes great and presents itself very well.

Glazed Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

1 yellow cake mix (Betty Crocker GF)
1 (3.5 oz) box of instant vanilla pudding
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup pineapple or orange juice (I used pineapple)
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs

Mix yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding and poppy seeds. Add juice, oil, and sour cream and mix. Add 4 eggs one at a time, mix well.
Pour batter into a sprayed bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes (don't over bake).

When the cake is about 10 minutes from being done start the glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter (1 cube)

Bring ingredients to a boil and keep bubbling until ready to pour over cake. You can either pour the glaze over the cake while it is in the pan or turn the cake out onto a cooling rack and pour the glaze over the cake that way. It is really like syrup that soaks in.

Better Batter

This has been the best thing to happen to our kitchen in two years!!  It makes the best cookies.  I have had friends that have made bread dough with it and it works out great....that is my goal for next week.

Better Batter
2 C brown rice flour
2 C white rice flour
1 C tapioca flour
¼ C potato flour
¼ C xanthan gum
1/8 C fruit pectin

Mix well and store in an air tight container.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

All right, it is for real this time!  We have made a cooking breakthrough in the GF world.  I have been given a new flour blend that works miracles!  It's a variation of the Better Batter Flour Mix.  I used it in my old cookie recipe that I have grown up with and they turned out fabulous.  Thick, chunky, chewy, soft...need I say more?  No grit, no after taste, no complaints! Yeah!! 

Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cubes butter or 1 C shortening
1 C brown sugar
1 C white sugar
2 eggs
3 C Better Batter Flour Mix
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°. Mix first 4 ingredients really well. Add remaining ingredients. Bake 7-8 minutes (or until golden brown) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Place on cooling rack. Store in air tight container.

This next set of cookies is a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie...This recipe comes from Allrecipes.com.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Better Batter Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until moistened. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Drop by tablespoonfuls on to lightly greased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely

Sweetheart Jell-O Treats

2 pkgs. (6 ounces) Cherry Gelatin

2 C boiling Water

1 C cold Milk

1 pkg (3.4 ounces) Instant Vanilla Pudding

In a bowl dissolve gelatin in the boiling water, then let sit until cooled.  In another bowl, whisk the milk and pudding mix until smooth. Combine with gelatin and mix well.  Pour mixture into a 13 x 9 dish lightly coated with nonstick spray.  Put in the refrigerator until set.  Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make sweet treats for your family and friends.

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies

If you are worried about sugar, fat and calories...this recipe is not for you!  I came across this recipe on a blog called Picky Palate.  Her recipe is NOT GF, but I knew I could convert it to be GF.  They were a hit!

4 C GF flour

1 1/2 C sugar

1 C Shortening

1 C Sour Cream

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla

 2 Eggs

2 tsp Xanthan Gum

Butter

Brown Sugar

Cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream sugar, shortening, sour cream and eggs.  Add remaining ingredients until well blended.  Chill for at least one hour.  Divide dough into three portions.  Roll out first one on a floured surface. 

For the filling:

Lightly spread some butter over dough and then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll the dough and then cut or slice through (I used dental floss).  Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Remove from baking sheet to a cooking rack and frost with cream cheese frosting.