Extraordinary Life

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 30th, 2012

2012-01-30T12:37:00.000-08:00

Monday:

Oatmeal Parmesan Crusted Chicken Cutlets

Tuesday:

Quick and Easy Beef Stroganoff

Wednesday:

Buffalo Chicken Wings, Mac and Cheese, Celery

Thursday:

Fried Chicken Thighs

Friday:

White Chicken Chili, Skillet Cornbread

Kids eat at BK (ours is safe)

Gardening Journal: Week of January 24th 2012

2012-01-25T03:31:00.000-08:00

It is a pretty uneventuful gardening week here at the homestead. Just playing the waiting game really. We are makeing sure the lights are turned on every day, off every night. Making sure they are watered. All I have to share this week is growth progress on our plants. This spring we are growing: Onions, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers.Wanna see the babies? OK here they are.

Gluten Free Fettuccine Alfredo with Mushrooms and Broccoli

2012-01-24T07:52:00.000-08:00

This dish is traditionally pasta, cheese and butter. Any mother of young children will know why the Italians started with a dish like this. Children love spaghetti with butter. Add a tad of parmesan and they will gobble it up. History does not say that kids were the original reason but, as mommy, I am positive kids had SOMETHING to do with it. As we Americanized this dish over the years a touch of cream was added. I'd venture a guess at saying it was to make this dish a tad bit more saucy. Eventually a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Now I am going to warn you. You are going to wrinkle your forehead and cock your eye at me when you see my "surprise" ingredent in this new twist on a traditional recipe. This is the reaction my brother had anyway when he annonced that this was the best Fettuccine Alfredo he ever ate. BUTTERMILK he says?!?!?! I explained to him that I wanted it to be a tad bit more saucy and replaced the lemon with the tang of buttermilk. Why not. It sort of gives you the same tang that cream cheese would. You have seen this cream cheese version before right? I think the buttermilk gives it more depth of flavor.

Try it, you will like it!

14 to 16 ounces Fettucini Noodles
or Thai Kitchen Flat Noodles or Spaghetti

6 tablespoons Butter

16 ounces Sliced Mushrooms

4 cloves fresh Garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

1/4 cup Water

1 pint Heavy Cream

1/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated

1 bunch steamed broccoli (cooked)

In a large pot, add water and boil.
Add noodles and cook until just done.
Remove, rinse with hot water and drain. Meanwhile...
Melt butter over medium heat in skillet.
Add mushrooms and garlic. Lightly sauté until cooked through.
Pour in pint of Heavy Cream and bring to just about simmer. Steam will rise from the mixture but it will not boil.
Add salt, garlic and onion powder. Stir in to fully incorporate.
In a small cup add water and corn starch and water, Mix to dissolve corn starch. Pour into cream.
Add buttermilk and stir until sauce just starts to simmer.
Stir in cheese until melted.
Steam Broccoli in microwave unti fully cooked and stil into dish with cooked noodles.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 23, 2012

2012-01-23T12:31:00.000-08:00

We never did eat the Ham or the Spaghetti dinners. I keep putting them on there and we keep skipping them over. The truth is, we had lots of leftovers so some days had to be for leftovers. You all know I hate throwing stuff away. LOL!

Monday:

Hamburgers served on Fresh Rolls, French Fries

and Fresh Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tuesday:

Fried Ham Steaks, Macaroni and Cheese, Broccoli

Wednesday:

Sauteed Chicken Breasts and Oven Baked Cheesy Broccoli Rice

I am just going to sautee the chicken quick, no real fancy recipe here.

Thursday:

Gluten Free Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni

Friday:

Home Made Pizza and the best home made Pizza Sauce you ever ate

served with a tossed Salad

Saturday:

Salisbury Steaks with Brown Gravy, Fried Onions and Mushrooms

Served with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

Sunday:

Spaghetti, meatballs, Cheese Rolls

Looking for inspiration? I can help in three different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
Visit Heather at Celiac Family, the Gluten Free Menu Swap headquarters!
You can also view my past menu plans here.

Garden Journal: Week of January 16, 2012

2012-01-19T04:04:00.000-08:00

We just started our vegetable garden this past week (indoors). Now why in the world would we do such a thing? Erect an ugly buffet table in our beautiful sunroom with all the trays, and equipment? Well for a few reasons. When the outside soil finally warms up enough to plant the first vegetables we will be planting big established plants. That translates to a head start to harvest. It is also cheaper to start your own garden, especially organic, rather than purchase the established plants. In our tiny neck of the woods you can't even purchase established organic vegetable plants. We re-use the same trays every year and purchase the organic seeds and organic starter soil. Another good reason to start early is how hot it got last summer in our area. Lots of tomato growers in our area told stories of how the tomato plans stopped producing in the hight of the heat of this past summer.

My all time favorite thing to grow is onions. Its the garden gift that keeps on givng. I use onions in everhting. Last years crip of sweet onions I diced and froze in cup sized portions. I have been using them ever since for almost every dinner and pot of soup I have made since last summer. I only recently just ran out and am so sad! This year, double the onions!!!!! I would like to get more tomatoes. Less horn worms attacking them. Going to give the squashes a break this year. Last year those darn squash bugs were too many to battle. I am going to do so reading and share what I learn here our progress as we muddle out way though beginning organic vegetable gardening.

So are we ready for some pictures???

Gluten Free Skillet Cornbread

2012-01-18T05:44:00.000-08:00

The kind of cornbread we like here at our house is sort of cake like and on the sweet side. If you prefer the savory southern version, this is not the recipe for you! Wow! The corn taste really pulls though on this recipe, though. Take a deep breath in when it comes out of the oven. Can you smell all the corny goodness? Simply heaven! Expect your children to say, "that was yummy!" Over. And over. And over again....

How in the world can something that takes such little effort taste so wonderful? It is one of the great mysteries of life. The cornmeal I used here is at the height of purity. I watched the workers mill the corn as a demonstration for the cub scouts at the old plantation we camped at last summer. The whole point was to show the children how folks used to grind the corn way back when. All this contraption was ever used for was corn. I had to stop the process and ask to buy the resulting meal....LOL! ;-) They generously gave it to me and I ran right home and put it in the freezer. Boy oh boy can you ever taste the freshness.

1 cup Cornmeal, Coarse Yellow

1 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend
1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Honey
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Butter, Margarine or Shortening (Melted)
1 1/4 cup Buttermilk
1/4 cup Sour Cream
2 to 3 Tablespoons Shortening for Cast Iron Skillet

Place Cast Iron Skillet in 400 degree oven and preheat.

Add Cornmeal, Flour, Gum, Baking Powder, Soda, Salt and Sugar in large stand mixer bowl.
Mix to combine.
Add Honey, Eggs, Fat of choice, Buttermilk, Sour Cream and whip for about 3 minutes.
Take Cast Iron Skillet out of the oven and add shortening.
Once melted pour in cornbread batter.
Place back into oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 16th, 2012

2012-01-15T06:19:00.000-08:00

I am starting with Friday because my shopping and cooking has been off lately. I have been shopping from Thursday to Thrusday. I find it lazy of myslef not to plan my menu out further but somethines I am allowed to be lazy! LOL. Those days are over because school is back in session and so is our gardening. In our part of the world its time to get this garden started......right! ;-) We puchased Organic seeds this weekend, got out the nursery starter items, and planted the seeds so be on the lookout out for my Gardening Journal. I share our progress on Wednesdays.

Friday:

Chicken Wings, Annie's Boxed Macaroni and Cheese, Celery Sticks.

I usually make everything from scratch, but sometimes its nice to have quick serve opitons.

Saturday:

Baked Chicken, Baked Cheesy Rice and Broccoli.

Baking the Cheesy rice recipe makes the rice incredibly creamy. I just topped it with extra cheese and baked. I'm cooking the chicken half way though and then adding the pan of rice. This way everything is nice and hot at the same time.

Sunday:

Cheese Steaks, French Fries, Corn on the Cob

Udi's Hot Dog Rolls, Walmart Great Value Philly Steak Meat. As born and rasied Philly pholks, this is our all time favorite dinner.

Monday:

Chili and Cornbread

The chili won't go over big with the children, but the cornbread will. Maybe you noted that my Cornbread recipe is a tad bit on the sweet side. Thats becuase its all about the kids at my house! ;-)

Tuesday:

Roast Beef, Baked Potatoes, Broccoli.

Im not using my crock pot this time. It's a Sirloin Roast and I really prefer how it comes out of the oven.

Wednesday:

Spaghetti Alfredo with Chicken, Mushrooms and Broccoli.

Stating with your all purpose cream sauce and flavoring it to your preference. In this case, freshly grated paremsan. I used to enjoy this dish at a litttle Italian Restaurant in Philly as a young lady. I don't think anybody in my hosue enjoys it quite like I do.

Thursday:

Fried Ham Steaks, Stouffers Harvest Apples Copycat Recipe, Cheesy Rice and Broccoli Bake. I doubled the Cheesey Rice and Broccoli recipe and froze half for later. Anytime I bother to make something I double the batch and save some for later. This is a great way to stock your freezer!

Friday:

Chicken Legs, Idahoan Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Saturday:

Home Made Gluten Free Hamburger Helper

My kids love this and can't get enough. Gotta love a dish the kids wont complain about eating. Go ahead and pulverize some veggies and sneak them in there! ;-)

Sunday:

Tinkyada Spaghetti, Classico Spicy Tomato and Basil Sauce, Sausage, Cheese Dinner Rolls

Looking for inspiration? I can help in three different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
Visit Heather at Celiac Family, the Gluten Free Menu Swap headquarters!
You can also view my past menu plans here.

Crock Pot Navy Bean and Ham Soup

2012-01-11T04:44:00.000-08:00

Leftover ham soup bone with hame on it? This is our favorite way to have leftover ham.

1 16 ounce bag of Navy Beans, dry
8 cups of Water

Soaked Beans
1 bag of Mirepoix soup blend of frozen veggies (onions, carrots, celery)
7 cups of Water
2 Boullion
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Thyme
2 pounds of Ham plus Bone or Ham Hocks

Rince and sort though beans to remove any debris.
Add beans and water in a large pot with lid. Allow to sit soak overnight or at least 7 hours.
Drain and rince soaked beans bright and early the next morning.
Add soaked beans, veggies, water, boullion, salt, thyme and ham into crock pot.
Set on high and cook for 10 hours. Soup should thicken as it cooks.
Fish out soup bones and chop up meat that has fallen off the bone.
Add ham back to the pot.
Soup is ready when beans are tender and broth is thickened.
For a nice tough, remove 1/3 cup of beans and puree until smooth. Stir back in.
Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 9th, 2012

2012-01-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

Ahh, started it but never finished it. My son has been sick. Belly Aches. Not Celiac related since he does not get wheat. Doctor thinks he is constipated. Suppose that is a Celiac related thing huh? I have had to come up with new methods of fixing this problem. Taking care of him and running back and forth to the doctor and hospital for tests is very time consuming. My plan is mini as well...LOL. Here is the little plans I do have.

Monday:

Meatloaf, Idahoan Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Tuesday:

Gluten Free Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni

Rice Pudding for Dessert (using brown rice)

Wednesday:

Pizza day at Church Program

Salad and Cake at home

I am actually going to make mini round pizzas

using my large muffin top pan as a guide.

Thursday:

Pan Fried Ham Steak, Macaroni and Cheese, Broccoli & Pineapple

Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Undecided

Looking for inspiration? I can help in three different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
Visit Heather at Celiac Family, the Gluten Free Menu Swap headquarters!
You can also view my past menu plans here.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 2, 2012

2012-01-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I am not one big on New Year's Resolutions that I have no intentions of keeping up with. I have a list of things I would like to prusue that is more appropriate for me. I would like to improve my kindness towards others in the new year. I would like to practice understand and improve my listening skills in the new Year. I would like to practice Humility. I would like to treat others with a calm and gentle attitude (no anger). Banish the tendency we all have for judging others. I ask every year for one thing, my continuted good health.

Monday:

Cheeseburgers on Fresh Baked Rolls. We are on our way to the WWE Raw Supershow.

It's going to be a long night, no sense taking the trip hungry!

Tuesday:

Fried Chicken Thighs, Macaroni and Cheese, Green Beans

I was using Soy Flour because of the nutrition aspects of it

but my husband says it has a funny aftertaste, so this time I'll use

a different blend.

Wesnesday:

Beef Stew with Dumplings.

Everything is better with Dumplings. My mother used to put them in

our Beef Stew so I am going to copy my mohter's recipe.

Recipe to follow.

Thursday:

Spaghetti, Dinner Rolls, Salad

Tinyada Pasta, Home Made Rolls

Friday:

Pizza on Home Made Crust and Pizza Sauce

Saturday & Sunday (TBD)

Looking for inspiration? I can help in three different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
Visit Heather at Celiac Family, the Gluten Free Menu Swap headquarters!
You can also view my past menu plans here.

Gluten Free Honey and Oat Bread

2012-01-01T07:51:00.000-08:00

Brown Bread

I suppose most of my readers know by now that I like to use oats. I put oats in my meatloaf, I use them to bread my chicken. My cholesterol runs high so that is something I have just gotten used to since pre Celiac Diagnosis. Oats are the first thing they tell you to add to your diet for good health. So I guess its no big surprise that I eventually put it in my bread.

The bread I use most of the time is my Udi's copycat recipe. The copycat recipe looks and has the softness of a Wonder bread type product which my children love. It is also a wonderful transition bread for those newly diagnosed because it most closely resembles the bread folks knew while eating gluten. But as timie goes along, some of us may long for that brown bread back. I used to be a whole wheat bread eater. Not the dense coarse type, regular bread only brown. I started with the Udi's copycat recipe I currently use, I toyed with it to create a gluten free Brown Bread. I started with that recipe in its entirety and then halfed it and chaged the half ingredients up. I dare not call it Whole Grain....LOL. It does has some grain and fiber, but it still has plenty of starches.

Want to know a secret? I used only egg whites in the first place becuase the yolk would make the bread look off color. Upon initial diagnosis with my daughter I was looking for "white" bread not yellow, cream or brownish bread. That just reminded her that what she was eating was "diffrerent". Now if you ask her, she will gladly tell you...."Mommy makes the best bread ever". (Awh shucks)! SOoooo........I am using the whole egg in this recipe as well. I switched one of the eggs and replaced it with flax meal. The very first gluten free mommy I spoke to told me once to add flax to everything, it could not hurt. At the time I had no idea what she was talking about nor why she would say this. NOW (of course) I do. ;-)

The taste and texture is so nice and soft. The bread has a bit of chewyness but not too much.The honey gives it a lovely sweetness to offset the oats. This is a very nice and enjoyable bread that gives you a warm comfortable feeling in your belly. You can put your mind is at ease knowing that there is lots of good stuff in this bread.

Pictured here is a dinner roll ripped in half

1-1/4 cup Warm Boiled Water (110 degrees)
1/4 cup Honey
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Yeast
1 Tablespoon Milled Flax Seed
3 Tablespoons Water
1/4 cup Oil
2 Whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Vinegar
2 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend
1 cup Quick Cooking Oats (pureed to a rough flour, see picture)
2 1/2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum
1-1/2 teaspoons Salt
1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

Spray 9 x 5 baking pan with oil
Preheat oven to 170 degrees and turn oven off.

Place water on your stove to Boil.
Take a 2 cup capacity measuring cup and add One and one quarters cup of warm tap water (cooled to almost exactly 110 degrees, you will need your thermometor for this).
Add honey and stir to dissolve. This will help cool the water a bit.
Add yeast, stir to dissolve and set aside to allow the foam to develop on top.
Meanwhile Add Milled Flax and 3 Tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Stir to fully combine and set aside.
Add Oil, vinegar and Eggs to mixing bowl with whip attachment and mix until fully combined.
Add flax/water, yeast/hone/waterr mixture, flour, oats, gum, salt, baking powder in mixer bowl and whip for 3 to 4 minutes.
Place in an oiled 9 x 5 (standard meatloaf sized) baking pan.
Place in oven that was previously preheated to 170 degrees to rise.
Alow to rise for 35 to 45 minutes. Bread when ready to bake will be about 1/2 to 3/4's inch over the top of the of the bread pan.
While pan is still in oven, turn oven on to 350 degrees.
Set timer for 1 hour.
After baking, take bread immediately out of the pan and onto a cooling rack to cool.
Once bread reaches room temperature, slice and enjoy!

Pureed Oats before adding to bread

Baked Lemon Cake with Pudding Sauce

2011-12-29T16:03:00.000-08:00

This dessert is simply incredible! It is light and fluffy just like you would expect from a Souffle. In this case, like a no fail souffle. The cake like top is light and fluffy and the custard bottom is smooth and creamy. Since I love HOT desserts this one tops my favorites list. Serve it right out of the oven and put some fresh cream or powdered sugar on top. Make it in individual sized dishes for when you have company over you want to impress.

3 Eggs, separated
1/4 plus 3/4's cup Sugar
1/3 cup Butter, room temperature
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
1/4 plus 2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Flour Blend
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place your UN-buttered 2 quart round casserole dish or Souffle dish inside a 9 x 13" dish.
Boil some water.

Beat egg whites until they are foamy.
Add in 1/4 cup sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form (When you scrape the sides of the bowl, the egg whites will stay in formation).
Set egg whites aside in a separate bowl.
Add in remaining 3/4's cup sugar and butter to mixer.
Beat until creamy.
Add in Lemon Juice and egg yolks and fully incorporate. (Mine looked broken when the lemon juice was added but the cake still turned out well).
Turn mixer to low and add the flour and salt. Fully incorporate.
Slowly add in milk. Batter will be very loose.
Put egg whites into mixing bowl and mix on very low, just until incorporated.
Add to your dish of choice (the one you placed inside the 9 x 13" dish earlier) and place into oven.
Add water to 9 x 13" dish about 1" up the sides. This helps the pudding bottom.
Cook for 45 to 50 minutes.

Notes:
I noticed that the higher side souffle dish helped the top not brown so much. If you are using a starndard 2 quart casserole keep a look out for the top browning too quick. If this happens cover it with foil whit it reaches the desired color.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of December 26, 2011

2011-12-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

I toyed with not posting my plan this week. All of us are home this week, even the hubs which is nice. I feel like the baking fool with having to make so many meals from scratch...LOL. So busy. My classes do not start back until January 9th tho so I do have some extra time. The boys are going to the Wresteling match this coming Monday and they are very excited!

Monday:

Hot turkey Sandwiches, leftover mashed potatoes and corn. I baked up some fresh Honey & oat bread. Basically cut my Udi's copycat recipe plus another batch cut half and added it to a full batch. Used honey instead of sugar and added pureed oats processed into a rough flour for the half batch. The kids LOVED it! My brother has high cholesterol so he liked the idea of oats.

Tuesday:

Turkey and Dumplings. Currently I am boiling that huge turkey carcas. I split it in half and have one half in one pot, another half in another pot for tomorrow's dinner.

Wednesday:

Turkey Pie Pie. Are we sick of turkey already? You bet your sweet bippy we are....LOL. But my kids love these two dishes and will eat then whenever. When they say, "Whats for dinner that is not turkey or ham," and I saiy Turkey Pot Pie they are ok with that.

Thursday:
Pub Style Ham and Cabbage. Using that extra ham and bone from Christmas Eve to whip this up.

Friday (30th):

Last day to vote for my cookie! Could you please click here and vote for me so I can keep providing gluten free goodies for my daughter. I could really use the prize right now.

Dinner To Be Determined!

Saturday (New Years Eve):
Steak and Seafood Buffet.

Sunday:
Roast pork is a New Years Day tradition at my house.

Looking for inspiration? I can help in three different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
Visit Heather at Celiac Family, the Gluten Free Menu Swap headquarters!
You can also view my past menu plans here.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

2011-12-24T04:33:00.001-08:00

I will never forget the first time I ever ate these. A neighbor who I barely knew showed up at my door Christmas Eve with a box full of wonderful home made cookies. It is something commercials are made of right? I just moved in and had two babies. No way I was getting any baking done of my own. I had honestly never ate a Peanut Butter Blossom before this. What a nice surprise!

If you ever make them, be sure to eat one while the kiss is still melted.

1 1/4 cups Brown Sugar
1 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Butter
2 Eggs
2 cups Flour Blend
1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1 teaspoon Bakin Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Peanutbutter Chips
Chocolate Kisses

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Line baking sheets with Parchment.

Cream together sugar, peanut butter, and butter until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and fully incorporate.
Add in flour blend, gum, soda and salt. Blend on low speed until batter pulls together.
Gently mix in peanutbutter chips.
Scoop out tablespoon sized portions and roll into a ball. Press gently down on cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.
Add a chocolate kiss gently onto the middle and bake fore 2 more minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Enjoy while kiss is still melty.

Molasses Cookies

2011-12-22T05:06:00.000-08:00

The birth of this wonderful new recipe is a result of a Gluten filled recipe I found over at Home Joys. I did not go with my straight home made gluten free flour blend this time. I added some Sorghum flour, which ordinarily we do not prefer. I did this becuase Gina used all whole wheat flour making what I thought would be a more dense cookie. I am not actually sure that what I ended up with was what it was supposed to be copycat wise, but man was it GOOD! VERY GOOD! My son's initial reaction was how in the world can this be good for you if it tastes so good. I told him that that the molasses increased the nutrition in this recipe. Blackstrap molasses is a great source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. All those wolderful things Celiacs and children both could use a little extra of.

I rolled the cookies in a mixture of light and dark brown sugar and placed them on a Silicon Mat. Once cooked the sugar created a wonderful little crunch coating the soft cookie inside. The combination is heavenly!

3/4 cup Butter, softened
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Molasses
1 eggs
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ginger
2-3/4 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend
(I used)
- 1 cup Sorghum
- 1 Brown Rice Flour
- 1/2 cup Tapoica Starch
- 1/4 cup Potato Starch
- 1 teaspoon Zanthan Gum

Preheat oven to 370 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add Molasses and egg and mix until fully incoroprated.
Stir together dry ingredients (soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, flours & gum) until fully mixed.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in mixing blow and mix until fully incorporated.
Chill in refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
Drop by tablespoons full into a bowl of Dark Brown Sugar.
Place on baking sheet about 1-1/2 inches apart.
Bake on 370 for 9 minutes.

Gluten Free Butter Cookies or Cookie Press Butter Cookies

2011-12-21T06:22:00.000-08:00

The children at my daughter's class said these were the best cookies they ever ate. First graders only tell the truth you know! This recipe is basically an enhanced and converted to be Gluten Free version of a timeless classic. I am not re-inventing the wheel here, just converting it to be Glutne Free.
No need for a special gluten free Spritz cookie recipe here. I was in a mad rush the day I created this and did not want to mess every counter in the house so I added 1/4 cup more flour and added the batter to the cookie press. Voila, it worked and it was incredible. Reminds me of the cookies you buy in the blue tin at the holidays.

1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, Room Temperature
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
2 3/4's cup Gluten Free Flour Blend

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg, vanilla, almond extract. Mix until fully incorporated.
Add dry ingredients (salt, tartar, gum, flour) to a small bowl off to the side and mix well.
Add to wet ingredents and mix until dought JUST starts to putt together and looses a bit of its sticky nature. You will want to add one tablespoon of flour at a time at this point to achieve the texture you are looking for. Every climate is different and may need more or less.
Chill batter for 10 minutes either before adding to the press or after the cookes are pressed out into shapes onto the cookie sheet.
Add to cookie press and press cookie shapes DIRECTLY onto baking sheet. A parchment will not work for this type of cookie.
Bake for 8 to 9 minutes.

Gluten Free Gingerbread Men Cookies

2011-12-20T05:30:00.000-08:00

These cookies are a tad soft. Not too soft though, still keeps its crisp bite. I made 75 of these for our Cub Scouts Christmas party this year. I was too exhausted and lacked motivation to put the decorations on it so I picked up a can of spray frosting and set it next to to the tray. Nobody knew they were gluten free and loved the spray frosting idea. The dough is rather sticky still and it is difficult, once the cookie was pressed into shape, to to remove the shaped cookie safely. I ended up cutting a cookie and flipping the oiled parchment over a bit so the cookie would fall onto my hand. Then I safely placed them on the cookie sheet.

Make them up, take some spray cans of frosting with you to decorate them and have a cookie decorating party. The kids will LOVE it! Happy baking!

2 1/2 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend
1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
2 teaspoons Ginger

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter, room temperature

1 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Molasses

1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line baking sheets with Parchment Paper.
Line Counters with Parchment Paper sprayed with Olive Oil.

Mix dry ingredients (flour, gum, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, soda and tartar) in small bowl and set aside.
Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg and beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an hour. Sometimes I skip this step, its harder to work with the dough but still do able.
Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly oiled parchment paper. An oiled marble rolling pin works well here.
Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter.
Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 9 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown.
Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
Decorate cooled cookies as desired.
Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.

Use Royal Icing Recipe here to decorate.

Notes:

Make sure your butter is ROOM temperature. Otherwise the resulting chunks of butter will cause a dimpled surface.
Make sure your dough is mixed throughly to incorporate all ingredients.
Dough is extremely sticky to work with. If you are skipping the refrigeration part (helps with stickiness of dough) you will either have to use lots of flour on your surface and rolling pin or use an oiled piece of wax paper to roll your dough out on.

Gluten Free Christmas Cookie Recipes

2011-12-19T05:30:00.000-08:00

It is Christmas Week. This is the week we take the time to bake our cookies. Christmas Eve we will deliver some to unsuspecting neighbors! Choosing what cookies to bake is so difficult though. There are so many wonderful gluten free cookie recipes out there. Just check out Gluten-Free Cookie Swap on Facebook and see for yourself. Currently my Pink Shortbread cookie is in the lead, but not beucase it is the best receipe on that page. Not by a long stretch. I simply have the very best friends ever who took it upon themselves to help me win this contest. I have had some tough times this year, nothing I can't handle of course, but I could really use the prize and these girls knew that. Thank you ladies, you know who you are!!! Could you click on that link and

In case you are looking for cookie recipe inspiration, here is my cookie recipe line up. The first few cookies I have shared previously. The bottom few I will be posting each day as I make them.

Shortbread Cookies

A Child's Favorite

Could you help me make sure I win?

Click cookie and like. I sure could use the prize for

my baby girl.

Italian Almond Cookies

Wedding Balls

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

(made gluten free from this original recipe)

Cowboy cookies

Chocolate Chip Roll Out Cookies

Gooey Butter Cake Cookies

Go ahead, make them Grinch cookies by adding green

food coloring and mint extract!!! ;-)

Check out this blog for inspiration.

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Make them up and take them to your holiday party

with some spray cans of frosting.

Butter Cookies

Declaired the "Best Cookie Ever" by my daughter's

First Grade Class

Molasses Cookies

This is an old world style cookie,

and may be an adults only favorite,

but it reminds me of Grandmom!

Peanutbutter Blossom Cookies

Menu Plan Monday: Week of December 19th, 2011

2011-12-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

I never did make the Chicken and Dumplings or Pizza or Friday last week. We ended up eating out those days. Saturday we had White Chicken Chili with that chicken earmarked for Chicken and Dumplings instead.

I can hardly beleive that the children are already out for the rest of the year and I have no clue what crafty type things we will do to keep them busy each day. If you are reading this, I would love to hear your ideas. Monday I volunteered to make Gingerbread Men Cookies for our Cub Scout Pack Party so that will keep us busy on Monday.

We have already been busy making mini gingerbread cookies for movie day at School last week. They usually hand out cookies and well last year my daughter "accidently" ate one. This year I wanted to control what cookie was served by sending in the adorable little mini men. I used a batch of dough I had in the freezer so that made it quick and easy to do as well. Next was the party and instead of just sending in what my children will eat I make sure there is enough to share. I sent in Butter Cookies and mini chocolate cupcakes. This lazy girls tip is make your butter cookie recipe thick enough to put in the cookie press! ;-) The resulting recipe was a home run hit! The kids in my daughter's class said it was the best cookie they ever ate! Recipe to follow this week.

Monday:

Meatloaf, Idahoen Mashed Potatoes and Quick Brown Gravy

Tuesday:

Crock Pot Ham, Tinkyada Elbow Macaroni and Cheese

Wednesday

Kielbasa & Sourkraut on Udi's Rolls

Served with Baked Beans and Cole Slaw:

Thursday:

Pizza on home made crust, pizza sauce and Cheese

Friday:

Dinner Out

Saturday (Christmas Eve Dinner):

We are baking a whole Ham served with Pineapple Gravy,

Au Gratin Potatoes (recipe to follow), Sweet Baby Carrots, & Buttermilk Biscuits

Some sort of Pie. Coconut Creme? Lemon Merangue?

Sunday (Christmas Day Dinner):

Roast Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole,

Buttered Corn & Cranberry Sauce,

Pumpkin Pie for Dessert

Looking for more inspiration? I can help in two different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
You can also view my past menu plans here.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of December 12, 2011

2011-12-12T05:33:00.000-08:00

Well I have finals today. Instead of cramming like a good student here I am very incredibly early in the morning planning to tell you all about my menu plan. I have tried really hard and studied this course information all weekend and I am pretty sick of looking at it right now so this is my lovely little break. I planned to tell you all about my fabulous baking day where I made rolls, bread and my decadent home made chocolate cake. The bread products are a lesson for us all. I put too little Gum in the bread mix and none of it rose ;-(. LOL. What happened is I doubled the batch and was wreckless with the gum measurements. The chocolate cake recipe I have posted here I tweaked a bit and it turned out wrong. I tried it with less butter, one stick less to be exact. Sorry low fat cake lovers, you ned that second stick or it is not a happy cake. Okay?!?!? My sister was here, as is is on sunday afternoons after church and she said I was too critical on myslef and my poor cake. That is was a lovely cake that tasted incredible warm (nobody could wait until it was cooled). In fact she said, "I guess being gluten free is not so bad after all". This was after she tried the glutino plain crackers (the whole grain and cheese are gross y'all) with some savory garlic and herb cheese speard and the cake. Last week she tried the bread products and the week before some gooey butter cake cookies.

Over the weekend while I studied, the men took over the food duties. They served sandwiches, green salad, cheese steaks and hot dogs both on Udi' long rolls. Aren't they wonderful?

Monday:

Hamburger Helper Cheese Burger Macaroni

Using Tinkyada Noodles, spices and cheese.

Tuesday:

Cheeseburgers on Fresh baked Rolls

Ore-Ida Steak Fries and a salad.

Wednesday:

Children's Church is taking the children out to dinner.

Chicken Croquettes, Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli

for the rest of us.

Thursday:

Chicken and Dumplings

Friday:

Pizza on Home Made Crust and

only the best pizza sauce ever!

Served with a green salad.

Saturday:

either Chili and cornbread or

a Roast in the Crock Pot

Sunday:

Tinkyada Spaghetti, Meatballs,

Prego three cheese spaghetti sauceand

Garlic Bread using my Cheese Rolls Recipe

Looking for more inspiration? I can help in two different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
You can also view my past menu plans here.

Wordless Wednesday: Snow Day

2011-12-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

It rarely snows here where I live in the south. So when it decided to snow one crazy November afternoon my children took FULL ADVANTAGE. They got on their snow gear and were armed with flashlights to partake in this rare occurrence.

And of course the next morning they had to wake up at 4am to finish playing before school started.

Menu Plan Monday: Monday, December 5th, 2011

2011-12-06T06:31:00.001-08:00

Please forgive my lateness. I have a plan, it was just never typed up. I have finals this week and next so my face is deeply planted into my books. Once this final exam gig is up, I am free to celebrate Christmas until the new year!

I did manage to get some baking done early Sunday morning. I baked a loaf of my Udi's copycat bread, a batch of rolls, and fed chili cheese nachos for a crowd. I made the mistake of putting some of the Jalapeno's that I had preserved on mine. WOWWIE was that hot. Those buggers are hotter than store bought for sure!

Monday:

I never served this last week so it was made last night

Sauteed Pork Chops in a Brown Gravy Mushrooms Sauce

White Rice, Broccoli

Rice Pudding for Dessert

Tuesday:

Tinkyada Spaghetti, Meatballs,

Prego three cheese spaghetti sauceand

Garlic Bread using my Cheese Rolls Recipe

Wednesday:

Nacho's with chili and cheese at Church,

Kielbasa for the men

Thursday:
Going to figure something out with that leftover Ham

Friday:

Pizza made using my home made crust recipe

and the best pizza sauce ever!

Saturday:

TBD

Sunday:

TBD

Looking for more inspiration? I can help in two different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
You can also view my past menu plans here.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls.....so good, you won't believe its not gluten!

2011-11-28T06:47:00.001-08:00

Look at this long list of ingredients. Intimidating right? Its not really. I used my microwave for many steps in this recipe. While you are bothering, why not make a double batch and freeze half?

What inspired me to create such a masterpiece? Well, just the other day my sweet daughter woke up and asked for something special. She stuck her finger in the air and started to draw a swirl pattern. She said, "Mommy, can I have a roll like this?" How could I say no?!?! So I re-invented the wheel and created a new recipe just for her. I have a recipe for pumpkin cinnamon rolls on my blog but that is not what I was after this time. My goal was for it to resemble the rolls you purchase at Cinnabon. My sister and brother were over at lunch and they tried some rolls too. For some odd reason my brother kept asking if they were store bought and wanted to know what store sells these. Umm, no you can not buy gluten free in this town. Especially not baked goods. "WHAT," he says, "THIS IS GLUTEN FREE". I can't believe it's not Gluten! Famous last words.

This is my pumpkin roll picture!
I forgot to snap a pic of this recipe, I will next time.

Bottom:
2 Tablespoons butter or Margarine (I use margarine)
1 Tablespoon Corn Syrup
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Pecans, finely chopped

Cinnamon Roll:
1 Tablespoon Yeast
3/4's Warm Buttermilk (Water or Yogurt can be used successfully)
1/4 cup White Sugar
4 Tablespoons butter or Margarine (I used margarine)
1/4 cup Light Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 Egg
2 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend
1/2 cup Millet Flour (or another heavier type flour like Sorghum)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Zanthan Gum
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons of Vanilla Jell-O Instant Pudding
(because you know I have to put this in everything!!! ;-)

Filling:
4 Tablespoons butter or Margarine (I used Margarine)
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Icing (optional):
1 Stick (8 tablespoons) Butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Cream Cheese
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/8 teaspoon Salt

Combine bottom ingredients into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minutes.
Stir and pur into a 10 x 10 baking dish. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 170 degrees and turn oven off.

Dissolve yeast with 1/2 cup warm buttermilk or water.
Let stand for about 5 minutes until foamy.
With a whisk in a stand mixer, cream room temperature margarine and sugar.
Add the oil, vanilla and egg. Mix to combine on low.
In a small bowl, combine Flour's, baking powder, baking soda, gum, salt and instant pudding.
Add milk or water and yeast mixture to mixer along with dry ingredients.
Lightly flour, sugar or spray oil a sheet of parchment paper.
Place dough on the parchment and flatten dough with your hand roughtly to a rectangle shape.
Sprinkle dough lightly with flour, sugar or oil and cover with second sheet of parchment.
Roll dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch in a rectangle shape approximately 10 to 13 inches long and 8-inches wide. Remove top parchment paper.
To make the filling, add butter, sugar and cinnamon to a microwave safe dish.
Heat for 1 minute. Stir well and spread or distribute filling as evenly as possible with a pastry brush on rolled out dough, leaving no more than a 1/2-inch margin along one long edge.
Starting with the longest edge and using bottom parchment as your assistant, roll dough jelly roll style to form a log .
Use fingertips to pinch edge of dough closed to form a cylinder.
Use a sharp knife to slice log into individual pieces, each about 1-1/2 to 2-inches wide. A serrated knife works best.
Lay pieces on the rolled side inside the previously prepared 10 x 10 pan. (place with the swirls showing upward).
Allow dough to rest for 30 to 40 minutes inside preheated oven until rolls have risen to just about the top of the dish.
Bake in preheated 350° oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Let rest in pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate.
Combine icing ingredients while rolls are resting and frost once rolls are cool.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of November 28th, 2011

2011-11-28T04:27:00.001-08:00

Just yesterday my sweet daughter woke up and asked for something special. She stuck her finger in the air and started to draw a swirl pattern. She said, "Mommy, can I have a roll like this?" How could I say no?!?! So I re-invented the wheel and created a new recipe just for her. I have a recipe for pumpkin cinnamon rolls on my blog but that is not what I was after this time. My goal was for it to resemble the rolls you purchase at Cinnabon. My sister and brother were over at lunch and they tried some rolls too. For some odd reason my brother kept asking if they were store bought and wanted to know what store sells these. Umm, no you can not buy gluten free in this town. Especially not baked goods. "WHAT," he says, "THIS IS GLUTEN FREE". I can't believe it's not Gluten! Famous last words.

I was a baking fool yesterday in fact, made the cinnamon rolls, some hamburger buns for a lunchtime crowd, home made turkey pot pies. My son commented on the pot pies. He said he just can not believe how I make gluten free taste better than the "real thing". LOL! The moral of my story? Anything made home made is bound to taste better than store bought. You can almost taste the love in it. After a while you will get so good at it, it won't even be a big deal to get it all done. And my sister can tell you, I was not cooking in the kitchen all day yesterday with the above dishes. If I can do it, you can too!

Okay, on to the menu plan....

Monday:

Going to take that half of that big old ham work gave hubby and put it in the crock pot with a can of pineapple. I am going to serve it with skillet Tinkyada Macaroni and Cheese.

Tuesday:

Oatmeal Parmesan Crusted Chicken Cutlets,

Idahoan Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli

Harvest Apples

Wednesday:

Church Dinner for the kids

The men will have Sausage, Peppers and Onions

Served with Udi's Hotdog Rolls.

Thursday:

Sauteed Pork Chops in a Brown Gravy Mushrooms Sauce

White Rice, Broccoli

Rice Pudding for Dessert

Friday:

Pizza and a Movie

Saturday:

Dinner Out

Going on a trip to the Nature Center

with out Cub Scouts

Sunday:

Tinkyada Spaghetti, Meatballs,
Prego three cheese spaghetti sauce
and Garlic Bread using my Cheese Rolls Recipe

Looking for more inspiration? I can help in two different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
You can also view my past menu plans here.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of November 21st, 2011

2011-11-21T04:40:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Week

Well, Thanksgiving Week is here. Time is going way too fast!!! I had a crazy busy weekend to top it all off. Black Friday is on Thursday this year so I'll be cooking all day and shopping all night. We decorate Friday after Thanksgiving so looks like another busy weekend ahead. Are you still looking for Thanksgiving ideas? Click "here" and you will find all of my recipes with the Thanksgiving tag on them. According to my Week before Thanksgiving Dinner Planner I am supposed to make the bread for stuffing today along with the mashed potatoes and pie crusts. Unfortunately I will not be doing that today because I will be at school until 3 and then Karate and Cub Scouts in the evening. Tomorrow I will have off for the holiday so that is when I will make the bread and turn it into croutons. I purchased Whole Foods pie crusts this year so that saves the that trouble. The potatoes I will make in its alternate slot on Wednesday. That way I wont have to freeze it. Ok, on to the plan....

Monday:

Pot Roast, Idahoan Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Tuesday:

Chili, Brown Rice

Wednesday:

Hamburgers on Fresh Baked Buns, French Fries

Thursday:

Link to the Thanksgiving Dinner Plan

Friday:

Open Faced Hot Turkey Sandwiches, Leftover Sides

Going to bake a fresh loaf of bread for this

Saturday:

Turkey Noodle Soup, Salad, Fresh Baked Bread

Sunday:

Turkey Pot Pies

Looking for inspiration? I can help in three different ways.

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com and visit Laura's Menu Plan Monday.
Visit Heather at Celiac Family for this weeks Gluten Free Menu Swap.
You can also view my past menu plans here.