Suburban Prairie Homemaker

Easy Gluten Free Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 22:24:00 +0000

Not quite a cinnamon roll, but probably the next best thing...

****NOT AN ENDORSED ARTICLE - NO PAYMENT OF ANY KIND RECEIVED****

This past fall, in an effort to tighten our budget even further, I started couponing for our non-food items. And yes, we've managed to save quite a bit in the process, which is good. In the process, All*You magazine was recommended to me by a friend as a source of other coupons. While for my own use it's been really hit or miss, I did find a recipe here and there to try. This recipe is one. And of course, I tweaked it to be gluten free, and super duper easy, too.

SPH Gluten Free Buttermilk Cupcakes
inspired by a recipe in the January 17, 2014 issue of All*You magazine

1 box gluten free yellow cake mix of your choice (I used Betty Crocker)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup melted butter (that's one stick - and don't wash the pan right away - you'll see why below!)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Glaze
1/2 container pre-made vanilla frosting (I used store brand)
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Preheat your oven to 325. Put cupcake liners in 2 12-cup muffin tins. When I tested this, I came out with 18 muffins, the package says it makes 24. Be prepared, just in case. Mix cake mix according to package directions, adding pumpkin pie spice to dry ingredients first, then beating in the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. No need to add any additional liquid. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full with batter. Now here's the deal with that 2nd pan. You may not have enough batter to fill all those cups. And that's ok. Fill the cupcake papers that are nearest to the center of the pan. Remove any you're not going to use. Put the pans on the racks in the oven. Whichever one isn't quite full, add water to those empty spaces. This ensures even baking as well as protects your pan. And let's face it - those are an investment, and you'd like to see them last a really long time.

But I digress...

Slide the racks back in the oven, and set the timer for 25 minutes. And let them bake. And fill your home with yummy smells.

Ok, it's been 25 minutes. Test your muffins (skewer inserted in center comes out clean). If you need to give them another minute or so, that's ok. If not, take them out of the oven (still in the muffin tin!), and let them cool.

While the muffins are cooling, in the same pan where you melted the butter the first time, melt those 2 tablespoons of butter, the 1/2 can of frosting and the cream cheese. I found it works best if you start the melting with a spoon and squishing the pieces of cream cheese smaller and smaller, then ending with several good turns with a whisk to make the glaze as smooth as possible. Just do your best.

Drizzle or spread the glaze on top of your cupcakes, and enjoy.

These would be a lovely addition to any brunch table - same great flavors as a cinnamon roll, but not so heavy. Also great for small groups and potlucks, and mine even went with me to an art class. They'd also be pretty tasty with a little grated orange zest added, or substitute rum for the vanilla and they'd have more of an "eggnog" vibe.

Enjoy!

Tinkering and Getting Your Kids to Do It

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 17:24:00 +0000

How many times have we all heard it - that we'll need more scientists than ever before. That our kids need to do well in science in school. More science. And more science. You know what I'm talking about. Well, here's a great way to get your own kids active and engaged in science, whether you home school or not.

SOURCE

Kids learn best by doing. And playing. And putzing. And, well, tinkering.

Nobody knows this better than my dear friend, Curt Gabrielson. He's not only a really great guy, he's super smart, too, with a degree from MIT to prove it.

Curt has taught science to kids all over the world, in the more-poor-than-you-can-imagine places, like East Timor, and here in the states in the San Francisco Bay Area. He knows that if you just give kids a chance "to do", they'll learn. They just need the chance.

Now, he's compiled more of his wonderful techniques into his third book, Tinkering: Kids Learn by Making Stuff. This book is chock full of great projects to get your kids away from a video screen and making great projects that teach concepts like sound, circuits, magnetism, and motors. Each project has easy-to-follow instructions, and is made from easily accessible materials, like recyclables and scrap wood. Many projects can be made by older children with no adult supervision, but younger kiddos can get in on the act with a little help from a grown-up. And think what a memory that would be - making a hovercraft together!

There are also several wonderful chapters for the kids-at-heart, too. Safety concerns, setting up your workspace, and how to answer the questions that may arise are all covered here.

You really need this book if you have kids. Get them away from the electronics and building their own electric circuits. Give them a chance to learn, and let them shine!

In case you'd like to get all three books, here are the links to Curt's other two, just as awesome, books:

Stomp Rockets, Catapults, and Kaleidoscopes: 30 Amazing Science Projects You Can Build for LESS THAN $1

Kinetic Contraptions: Build a Hovercraft, Airboat, and More with a Hobby Motor

And for the record, I received a copy of the book in exchange for a review. I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Grab your copy today so you can have it wrapped and under the tree in time for Christmas!

Enjoy!

Waste Not Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 15:39:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! Hope you are all enjoying a day with loved ones and a great meal. So what happens when dinner's over?

GOBBLE - Source

You really need to click the link under the photo. Read that article. Then here are some additions I would include:

Have guests scrape plates into a bokashi bucket. Turn those last Thanksgiving tidbits into a springtime supplement for your soil.
Use the carcass and extra celery, carrots and onions to make a wonderful turkey broth. After straining your broth, put the solids in the bokashi bucket, too.
Freeze the leftover meat. I don't know about you, but after doing all the cooking, I can't STAND to look at that turkey for a while. Defrost at a later date to make turkey hash, turkey tacos, or even a turkey tetrazzini with gluten free noodles.
Eggshells from your holiday baking are compostable. So are the tops and tips of carrots, the bottoms of celery, the outsides of onions, the coffee grounds from that delicious cuppa you made for your company, and, if you baked your own pumpkin for the pie, the shell of the pumpkin.
Better yet, try growing the carrots from the tops and the celery from the bottoms. There are lots of articles online about how to do this, and what a great way to keep your kids engaged in gardening through the winter months!
The article mentions appropriate sized portions. This is especially important for the littles. An adult should definitely help put items on their plates, and remember, they are children, not linebackers.
And speaking of your kids, don't pull out that trusty "there are children starving in Africa" speech. We've all heard it. We all hated it. Don't do that to your kids. If you really want to influence them on how much to eat and avoiding waste, take them to work at a food pantry or soup kitchen in the weeks ahead (or really anytime of year). Let them see the face of hunger, and watch what happens.

Enjoy your holiday today! Many blessings to all!

Easy Gluten Free Side Dishes for the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 23:12:00 +0000

I promise to have photos soon! Keep reading for recipes and info!

So today, my dear friend, Barb, invited me to come back on her lovely TV show and talk about navigating the holidays when you are gluten free. There's lots of info about this in my cookbook (click the tab up above to order your copy). We also had a table full of holiday goodness, and I think you'll want the recipes and ideas we chatted about.

So here's the list of yummy goodies I brought to the show today, starting with the side dishes:

Green Bean Casserole
2 15-oz. cans French style green beans, 1 drained and the other one just half-drained
1 12 oz. container Pacific Natural Foods (brand) Organic Cream of Chicken condensed soup
Ree Drummond's Onion Strings recipe (I subbed out Pamela's Baking and Pancake mix for the flour)

Preheat oven to 375. In a mixing bowl, combine green beans, their juice, and soup. Stir til well combined. Pour into a 8" square baking dish or smaller casserole dish. Top with those amazingly delicious and highly addictive onion strings. And yes, they are highly addictive. Like I think I ate nearly half before I even realized it. Bake for about half an hour, just til everything is hot through and bubbly. Serve warm.

Broccoli Casserole
Very similar to the above recipe but swap in
1 16-oz. package frozen broccoli, defrosted but UNDRAINED, for the beans
and add in
dash pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup milk
1-2 cups (depending how cheesy you want it) shredded cheddar cheese (I used Sargento 4 State Cheddar)

Stir all together, and pour into your casserole as above. Top with homemade bread cubes (see below), and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes, til hot through and bubbly and bread cubes are toasty. Serve warm.

If you are travelling with these dishes over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house, feel free to make them the day before and keep them in the fridge. Be sure to bring any cold casseroles up to room temperature before sticking in an oven, and I'd highly suggest starting them in a cold oven and bring up to temperature while the oven preheats. Also, wait to add the crunchy stuff til you are ready to serve. Otherwise, sogginess ensues. And that is bad. And gross. Ewww.

As for those bread cubes, take a loaf of Udi's Gluten Free bread (I use their Millet Chia). Cut it into cubes. Need it in a hurry? Stack several slices on top of each other. Cut them into quarters lengthwise, then cut them into quarters width-wise. Want your cubes smaller? Just cut them smaller. Or remove the crusts if that's what suits you. To toast them, put them on a cookie sheet. I set the sheet in the preheating oven, then let them sit for about 5-10 minutes more, depending how toasty I want them. You can toast them most of the way, toss them with some olive oil or butter and herbs if you'd like, and use them for croutons. Or use the plain cubes to make stuffing or dressing.

The cranberry salad recipe can be found here and in the cookbook.

A quick note about the veggie tray - I bought my vegetables pre-cut at the store, but I did NOT buy a vegetable tray. I bought 2 containers, and both were being marked out because they were due to expire the following day. For less than $5, I got just as many vegetables as I would have with a tray. All I had to do was sort them and place them on my own tray. I saved more than $7. If you are bringing the vegetable tray, and you will be bringing it within 24 hours, this will help save you both time AND money. Just be sure to use it up right away.

Now all those wonderful sweets!

The Walnut Saltine Toffee is in an ad for Diamond Walnuts in this month's issue of Family Circle magazine. I used Glutino (brand) Gluten Free Table Crackers (Original flavor), and then just followed the recipe as is. Well, I did use a Hershey (brand) bar instead of the chocolate chips. If you are doing any of the "let it sit and melt then spread" action this holiday season, use the Hershey bar. It takes a lot less time to melt, and it spreads like a dream. And use an offset spatula - it will make your spreading easier, like frosting a cake.

The Candy Cane Dessert Minis recipe is in an ad for Jell-o (brand) and Cool-Whip (brand) in this month's issue of All You magazine. The only thing I changed was the container. I have to add here that I would never in my life have dreamed of combining raspberry gelatin and candy canes. It is extremely refreshing. It would be good with or without the frozen non-dairy topping. That being said, it's the topping mixed into the gelatin that settles over time into the pretty layers. I used a larger canning jar on TV so that the layers would be easier to see, but you can use smaller jars, like the 4-ounce jelly jars. Or feel free to repurpose some old jelly jars. Just take the labels off with boiling water and Goo-Gone. Want to make them super fancy? Tie some inexpensive ribbon around them, or make a band with some holiday-themed scrapbooking paper. That would make a neat place card.

And by the way, below that recipe is a coupon for $1 off the combined purchase of a container of Cool-Whip (brand) and a package of Jell-o (brand). My local grocery store had the frozen whipped topping on sale for 99 cents, so basically it was free.

The Rolo Pretzel Turtles recipe came from the back of a package of Rolo's (brand). I just used Glutino (brand) Gluten Free Pretzel Twists. Everything else is gluten free. This is another one to make while that oven is preheating.

The pretty dipped graham crackers are Kinnikinnick S'moreables (brand) Graham Crackers. I used Wilton (brand) Candy Melts white chocolate melting disks. Once the white chocolate was melted, I spread it on half the cracker and dipped it into crushed candy canes. And another way to save a few bucks here is to buy your candy canes during the post-holiday sales. They'll be a fraction of the price, and they store forever. Last year I made these with dark chocolate on half, and white chocolate on the other. Whichever end you are NOT going to put in the candy canes is the side you need to do first.

The chocolate crinkles are in the cookbook, as are the MnM (brand) cookies.

Red Velvet Chip Cookies
1 package your choice of brand gluten free chocolate chip cookie mix (I've used Betty Crocker and King Arthur brands - they are both good), made per package directions
1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon-ish liquid red food color (I used the whole little "bottle", which I think is about a tablespoon)
1/2 of a 12-ounce package of white chocolate baking chips

Add cocoa powder, food color and white chocolate chips to existing batter. Bake per package directions.

Be sure to check out the Christmas Dinner Menu and Plan of Attack in the book. Get your copy by clicking on the tab at the top of the page - it'll be a great holiday gift for yourself, your family and friends!

A blessed, Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Gluten Free Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Macaroni Salad

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Looking for a last minute dish to pass for a family picnic? Something big enough to feed a whole crowd?

This was my mom's go-to recipe for family gatherings in the summertime. It's a salad that you really can eat for a meal. It has become a family favorite, and it will be for your family, too!

Here's the recipe:
2 boxes Annie's Rice Pasta & Cheddar, pasta only (save the cheese powder to make cheese popcorn)
1 pound Colby-Jack cheese, cut into cubes
1 pound green grapes, cut in half
1 pound red grapes, cut in half
2-3 red apples, skin on and diced
2-3 Granny Smith apples, skin on and diced
2 small cans tuna, drained
1 15-oz. can peas, drained
Mayonnaise or salad dressing to taste

Make the pasta according to package directions, without all the parts about adding the cheese. Drain, and cool. Put in a REALLY large bowl. I use the lid of a cake-taking container. Yeah, that big. Add all ingredients except mayo/salad dressing. Stir GENTLY to combine. REALLY GENTLY! Regular pasta breaks pretty easily, and gluten free pasta is even more fragile. Add mayo/salad dressing to taste. I use an entire 12-oz. jar of mayo. Use more or less to suit your taste. Also, taste it, and add salt if you need to. I don't, and I'm a salt junkie.

This year, I made this for Hubby for Father's Day. This was one of his favorites that my mom made. Since her passing, I think I've only made it twice. Then that whole gluten-free thing happened. And that was the end of that. Til this summer. Hubby was thrilled.

Make a big batch for your crew, and enjoy!

Red White and Blue Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 17:30:00 +0000

Pretty enough for a party platter. And very tasty, too! So tasty, in fact, they disappeared before I could get a photo!

I was blessed to receive a good quantity of rhubarb. And the family requested strawberry rhubarb coffeecake. Ok.

Except I was out of strawberries.

So, I went to our local store, and they had organic strawberries on sale for a fairly decent price. AND THEY WERE HUGE! So, I bought the whole case. Actually, I bought one case in the morning, and sent Hubby back that afternoon to buy the rest. Yes, all four flats.

What does a girl do with all those GIANT strawberries? You dip them in chocolate, of course.

Usually, strawberries that are really big AND perfect aren't available except around St. Valentine's Day. And they are only out for the express purpose of making chocolate dipped strawberries for your sweetheart. To find them at the store at the beginning of June was nothing short of a miracle.

Here's what you'll need:
Strawberries - no blemishes, fairly good size, have green tops to use for "handles" when dipping
Wilton white chocolate melting disks
Wilton blue chocolate melting disks
Wilton dark chocolate melting disks (as few as one or as many as 3)
Wilton light cocoa chocolate melting disks (see what it says with the dark chocolate)
Wilton Violet Icing Color
Wilton Royal Blue Icing Color

Rinse and VERY CAREFULLY pat dry your strawberries. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. If you are doing a lot of strawberries, you'll need more than one lined cookie sheet, so be ready. Melted chocolate waits for no one.

Melt white chocolate disks. The amount you need will depend on how many strawberries you are dipping. You can either melt these in the microwave, in a double boiler, or use a chocolate melting pot.

Dip the strawberries into the melted white chocolate by holding them oh so gently at the top. Tilt the strawberry at an angle as you are dipping it. Let the excess to drizzle off the bottom, then place the strawberry onto the waxed paper. Repeat for all strawberries. Allow the chocolate to set.

While the white chocolate is setting, make your navy blue chocolate. It's really easy. Start with the light blue melting disks. They are already blue, which gives you a head start. Add a few dark chocolate and regular chocolate disks to the mixture. This will add depth to your color. Then, add just a little tiny touch of the violet. This will take your blue to the dark side (and yes, I heard you do your impression of Darth Vadar's respirator - that's ok, I did it too!). Now add some royal blue, until your navy blue is your desired shade. If you need it darker, add either more dark chocolate or a little more violet.

Once your blue chocolate is melted and colored, repeat the dipping procedure with your strawberries, but this time hold them at the opposite angle. Set on the waxed paper and allow to set.

Be sure to store your strawberries in the fridge.

So let's have some fun with this idea. Use different colors for different occasions. Maybe a pink/white or light blue (no extra coloring needed)/white combo for a baby shower. Maybe school colors for a graduation party. Orange and black (use dark chocolate then add black icing color) for Halloween. Surprise your significant other with some that are different types of chocolate (white, regular and dark) and some that are his/her favorite color. Dip some apples, pears, pineapples, melon pieces. Or make chocolate covered raisins, peanuts, pretzels. By the way, that's what you do with your excess chocolate, so you get two products from one recipe and stretch your dollar a bit farther.

Regardless which colors you choose, or what you're dipping, this is just sinfully delicious. Have some fun, and enjoy!

Gluten Free Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 14:46:00 +0000

Sorry, no photo - it all got EATEN!

Princess mentioned yesterday morning that she had a taste for coconut cream pie. And of course, as soon as she said that, so did I.

So I decided to take a look through our pantry, and see what I could come up with to fix this sudden craving. And wow - talk about easy and delicious!

SPH Gluten Free Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
2 premade gluten free pie crusts from Whole Foods, defrosted and at room temperature
1/2 of a 7-oz. package shredded coconut (mine was sweetened, but use what you have on hand)
2 3-oz. packages vanilla instant pudding (I used store brand)
2 13.5-oz. cans full fat coconut milk
1 16-oz. container non-dairy whipped topping (I used store brand)

Preheat oven to 325. Put 2 cookie sheets in your oven when you turn it on. Put parchment paper in each crust (I cheat and use the paper that already comes with the crusts in one of mine), and fill with a handful or 2 of dried beans. When the oven has preheated, place each pie crust on its own cookie sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes. Don't let them get too browned. Remove from oven, and allow to start cooling. I set mine on some hot pads.

Use one of these warm cookie sheets for toasting your coconut. Sprinkle the shreds over the warmed cookie sheet, place right into the hot oven, and turn the temperature up to 350. About the time your oven has reached full temperature, your coconut will be almost toasted. Keep a very close eye on it. As soon as you think you can smell coconut, take them out. Mine was done about 5-ish minutes later. For those pieces that stayed white, stir them around on the hot pan after removing them from oven. Pour coconut into a bowl and allow to cool.

To make the filling, mix together both packages of instant pudding, both cans of coconut milk (be sure to shake the cans really well before adding it to the pudding), and about 2/3 of the toasted coconut. Add about 1/2 of the whipped topping.

Divide filling roughly equally between the two pie crusts. Top each with remaining whipped topping, and sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut. Set in the fridge, and allow to chill until set.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Coffeecake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:52:00 +0000

A recipe using the first cutting from our own rhubarb!

One of the best things about late spring is the arrival of fresh strawberries and fresh rhubarb. These two were made for each other, the sweetness of the strawberries complementing the tartness of the rhubarb.

And since the kids and I are total rhubarb addicts, we finally planted our own plants in one of our perennial beds a few years ago. Rhubarb is one of those plants that needs some time to really develop and grow before you can harvest it, usually about 3 years. We started with 2-year-old root stock, but with the horrible drought last summer, I waited until this year to harvest it. If you decide to grow your own, be sure to dig a large enough hole to accommodate a healthy portion of composted manure. My farmer grandma said you can't grow good rhubarb without cow manure in the hole. Since we don't have a cow, we used bunny beans from one of our rabbits. It did the trick just fine. In fact, I once met a woman from Alaska who used moose manure when she planted rhubarb. The point is to just use some type of composted manure.

Also, when you are ready to harvest your rhubarb, never cut more than 1/3 of the stalks. If you hack the plant half to death, it won't grow well in the future.

If your plant should bolt (aka go to seed), just cut out the stalk with the seed head on the top. The plant is still good to eat, and will focus its energy into growing the stalks rather than making baby rhubarbs.

So I'm sure you're ready for the recipe, right?!

SPH Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Coffeecake
Inspired by Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake, Taste of Home website

Filling
1 cup fresh rhubarb, sliced into 1" pieces
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup sugar (divided into two 1/2-cup portions)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cake
1 box Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix (reserve 1/2 cup for topping)
1 cup of "flour" from Breads from Anna Pie Crust Mix (save an additional 1/4 cup of mix for topping)
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups milk, buttermilk, or water (I used 1 can of evaporated milk)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
1/4 cup butter melted
1/2 cup of reserved cake mix
1/4 cup of pie crust mix
1/2 cup sugar (use whatever type of sugar you have on hand)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine sliced strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar. Let the strawberries macerate (which is a fancy word for sitting in a bowl and letting the sugar pull out all those yummy juices) for about half an hour. Preheat your oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 13 pan.

In a large saucepan, combine rhubarb, macerated strawberries, and lemon juice. Cover and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on your pan - it has a tendency to boil over. This is one sticky mess you don't want to have to clean off your burners. Trust me on this one. In a small bowl, combine remaining sugar and cornstarch. Stir into mixture in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for about 2 minutes, or just until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and 1 cup of pie crust mix. Beat in milk, eggs and vanilla. Carefully pour about 2/3 of the batter into the 9 x 13 pan. Now, here's my trick for adding the strawberry filling. Use a large spoon or spoon-type rubber spatula. Scoop up a spoonful of filling, and finesse it into place on the cake batter by gently GENTLY shaking the spoon so the filling slides onto the batter. Some places may have a little more filling than others, but that's ok. When your mouth is full of delicious coffeecake, you won't care. Use this technique until the top of the cake batter is pretty evenly covered. Then pour on the rest of the cake batter.

For the topping, combine the 1/4 cup of melted butter, reserved cake mix, and reserved pie crust mix. Crumble the mixture over top of the batter.

Place the pan on the middle rack in your oven, and wait patiently for about 40-45 minutes while it bakes. Ok, maybe not so patiently because it's really good, but you get the idea. Test with a skewer to be sure the center is baked. You'll get strawberry filling, but you should not get anything else. Once it's done, remove it from the oven and allow to cool. Cut into squares, and serve. Feel free to top with whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Why the pie crust? I happened to be out of gluten free all purpose flour. Think about what a pie crust is made out of - all purpose flour and some type of fat (butter, lard, margarine, etc.). This is why I say over and over again - know your ingredients. It's not just about searching for hidden gluten, it's about knowing how things are made in case you get in a bind like I did. So yeah, that pie crust mix was an easy substitute that came straight from the pantry. If you don't have pie crust mix on hand (and you should - Breads from Anna mixes are AMAZING!), use a good gluten free all purpose flour.

And I'm sure you're ready for some other ideas, right?

No cornstarch? No worries - cook your strawberry and rhubarb mixture until it releases the juices, then add strawberry jam. Just be sure to only use the 1/2 cup of sugar you used for macerating the strawberries. This would be especially good with an all fruit jam. No rhubarb - no problem. Use other berries. No strawberries? No sweat - use raspberries. Strawberries and rhubarb out of season? Make it with cherry pie filling. Or use apple pie filling, and add either cinnamon, apple pie spice, or pumpkin pie spice to the topping mixture.

Enjoy!

This recipe linked up at i should be mopping the floor and Little House Living

Gluten Free Veggie Pizza Appetizer Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

It's bridal shower season. And graduation party season. And soon it will be family reunion season. And that means dish-to-pass season. Here's a great appetizer that will be a hit at any party!

This is always a crowd favorite at any party. It's a great way to sneak in some healthy veggies, too!

Typically, you'd open a tube of crescent rolls, pat them into a pan, bake and top with seasoned cream cheese, chopped veggies, and some shredded cheese. Pretty simple, right?

Until you can't have those rolls from a tube.

Not to worry. This tastes just as good, and it's gluten free!

SPH Gluten Free Veggie Pizza Appetizer Recipe
1 9.35 oz. package Breads from Anna Pie Crust Mix
1/4 cup milk (use what you have on hand - milk, cream, or even water - I used part of a can of evaporated milk because I had one open in the fridge)
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled (that's a stick and a half)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon garlic powder (more or less to taste)
Finely chopped veggies (I used broccoli, red and green bell pepper, and grated carrots)
Shredded cheese (I had shredded cheddar in the fridge, so that's what I used)

Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. You'll thank me for that later. In a medium bowl, combine pie crust mix, milk and butter. Press evenly onto foil. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or til just starting to brown a bit at the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

While the crust is baking, beat cream cheese, sour cream and seasonings together until smooth. Spread evenly across baked crust. Sprinkle with finely chopped vegetables and shredded cheese. Cut into squares.

You know how that first piece of baked goods gets a little mangled when you try to remove it from the pan? Use the foil to lift up that first piece, and remove it with a spatula to a platter. It doesn't get all beat up that way, and it makes it easier for you to get that spatula under the next piece. Told ya you'd thank me.

As for chopping the vegetables. Yes, it's tedious. Yes, it can be a bit time consuming. I saved myself a few minutes by buying cut up broccoli in the produce aisle. Maybe it was only a few minutes in the end, but I'll take any help I can get. And so should you.

Now, if you'd like it more savory, add chopped, cooked bacon. I tried some this way after taking the photo. Yum. Or change up the seasonings you put in the cream cheese mixture - make it ranch, onion, Mexican. Whatever sounds good and is in the pantry.

Want it sweet? Add 1/2 cup of sugar to the pie crust mixture. Bake as above. Instead of sour cream, add 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Spread on the cooled crust, and top with berries of your choice. I made a batch with sliced fresh organic strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Then I drizzled some melted strawberry jam over top for a glaze. I'm thinking this would also be pretty good with peanut butter mixed into the cream cheese mixture, then topped with apple slices and melted caramel sauce. Or the peanut butter thing with bananas and drizzled with the strawberry jam - kind of like a peanut butter and banana jelly sandwich.

Play around with it. Get creative. Enjoy!

This recipe is linked up at White Wolf Summit Farmgirl, The Self Sufficient HomeAcre, and Craftionary

Gluten Free Chocolate Dipped Coconut Milk Popsicles

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:37:00 +0000

Sorry - no photo. But trust me - these are AMAZING!!!

So my camera died. Like really died. And of course on the day of Bubba's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Yeah. Because that's how things roll in my life.

Anyway, supposed to be hotter than you-know-where here today. Which means popsicle weather.

If you follow me on Facebook (hint, hint, HINT), yesterday I posted a link for 36 Homemade Popsicle recipes. Which got me thinking...

We absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE So Delicious (brand) non-dairy frozen treats. Our favorites are the chocolate dipped bars, which taste like Dove Bars. Oh they are so good! BUT, they only come 4/package, and aren't exactly cheap.

I knew I had to figure out how to make our own.

So here goes:

SPH Chocolate Dipped Coconut Milk Popsicles
1 15-oz. can full fat coconut milk
1 1/4 cups simple syrup (directions to follow)
1-2 T vanilla (or to taste)

In small saucepan, warm coconut milk. When the "cream" has melted, add the simple syrup. Bring to just a bubble (little bubbles around the edge of the pan), and add vanilla. Stir for just another minute or 2, then remove from heat. Pour into popsicle molds, add sticks, and put in the freezer until frozen solid. I've found that using a small funnel helps me get the liquid into the mold easier, and less messier.

We are going to be dipping ours in a MagicShell-type coating. This recipe calls for coconut oil, which would be the best choice, but I'm out at the moment, so I'll be using butter.

Feel free to add shredded coconut to the popsicles, or even roll them in chopped nuts while the coating is still somewhat liquid.

So here's the simple syrup...
Equal parts sugar and water.

Put them in a saucepan, heat and stir til sugar is dissolved. Boil for a minute or 2, and you're done.

Yep. That's it. That's why it's called Simple Syrup. Use it as a base for lemonade or sweet tea. Add some citrus peels and let them boil for a minute or 2. Now you have citrus simple syrup. Blend it with some frozen berries in a blender, then freeze as popsicles. I keep a large batch in a half-gallon jar. You'll want to do that, too, because when you figure out all the amazing uses for simple syrup, you'll be using it all the time.

Enjoy!

Easy Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:13:00 +0000

A classic from one of my mom's old cookbooks - now quicker, easier, and gluten free!

Sorry, no photo today. My camera actually died. Like the battery is toast. And they don't make replacements for it anymore. It was a sad day in our house. That camera captured memories at over a dozen national parks and monuments, and so many precious life events. But I digress.

You came here for banana nut bread, right?

My favorite recipe of all time is in one of my mom's old cookbooks. It is just perfect, every time. And, I found an easy way to make it gluten free.

SPH Easy Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread
inspired by "Banana Bread", p. 250, Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking, Volume 1, (c) 1957

1/3 cup melted butter or oil (I used Crisco(r) butter flavored sticks because that's what was handy)
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 bananas)
1 3/4 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1/4 cup pecan chips (the tiny ones you'd use in cookies - these are optional, of course)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Grease it really well. In mixer bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each egg. Stir in bananas, and mix well. Add baking mix in 4 portions (I do 3 separate 1/2-cup portions, then a 1/4-cup portion). Beat until smooth after each addition. Gently stir in pecan chips. Pour batter into loaf pan, and bake for 50 minutes, or til skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.

So some helpful tips...

Be sure to spread the batter evenly in your pan before baking. Always allow any gluten free baked goods to cool completely before slicing. They will crumble. And crumble badly. Also, when you make quick breads, set them to cool on a cake rack or something similar. I use one of the burners on my stove. After about 10-15 minutes, set the pan on its side. This will allow air to circulate more freely around the underside of the pan. This will not only cool your pan more quickly, but by cooling evenly, you don't get those "damp spots" where moisture may have been trapped in a corner of a pan. And, if you want to make these look a little prettier, feel free to sprinkle some nut pieces on the top. Or, use walnuts if you prefer. Or chocolate chips. Or, be a purist - don't add anything at all. Bake these in smaller pans as gifts for friends, neighbors, etc. Just be sure to adjust your baking time accordingly. I'd start with 30 minutes, and check every 8-10 after that.

Try it today, and enjoy!

Earth Hour

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:23:00 +0000

Looking for something new to do with family and friends this weekend?

Watch this video. Call your neighbors. Your friends. Grab a deck of cards and some candles. And turn out your lights for an hour. Show the world that together we can make a difference to save our planet.

Remember, we only have one Earth. Have some fun with Earth Hour tonight!

Making Gluten Free Easy

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:11:00 +0000

I told you it was coming - and now it's here!

Surprised? Amazed? Impressed?

I think the subtitle tells it all. All the tips and tricks I've shared with you over the last year and a half. Lots of recipes we've made together, plus several more that I've saved just for the book. All in one place. With a most-wicked-awesome index to help you locate what you want to make in a snap. And then some.

Want a copy for yourself? Click here to order yours!

Easy Gluten Free Grasshopper Cheesecake Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 14:35:00 +0000

Happy St. Patrick's Day to one and all! Looking for a quick, easy and delicious dessert to whip up while your corned beef is cooking?

Quick and easy. Simple and delicious. Just a pretty shade of green to accent your holiday table.

But before we get started, I have some really big news to share!

You've probably been wondering what I've been up to these days - haven't been on here much lately, and thought you'd like to know why.

It's coming. In about 6-8 weeks. A tiny little bundle of joy.

No, not a baby - the COOKBOOK!

Gotcha on that one, didn't I?!

Making Gluten Free Easy should be hitting bookstore shelves sometime in May. It contains many of the recipes here on the blog, and some new ones. Also, all the references I rely on and the how-to's for actually walking a gluten free walk. This will be a great gift for anyone new to being gluten free. And for those of you who are totally digital, the book will be available in ebook format as well.

You'll also notice that the blog may not look quite right this morning. To go along with the new book, I'm doing a new look for the blog. It needs a little sprucing up. Some spring cleaning, if you will. Don't worry - all the content is still available.

So let's get to those yummy brownies before it's dinner time, shall we?

SPH Easy Gluten Free Grasshopper Cheesecake Brownies
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix, made per package directions, baked in a 9" square pan and cooled completely
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1/2 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
3 tablespoons creme de menthe

Cut cream cheese into tiny pieces and drop them into the bowl of your mixer. Add frosting and creme de menthe. Beat until well combined and fluffy. Spread over top of your brownies. Chill for at least 30 minutes, to allow the frosting to set before cutting.

To make these even fancier, bake the brownies in small canning jars - fill the jar about 1/4 full of batter, and place jars on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely. After making the frosting, spoon it into a zip top bag, then snip off one corner and pipe it into the jars on top of your brownies.

And of course, you can always add some type of sprinkles. I used mini chocolate chips. You could use a holiday shaped sprinkle or a light dusting of cocoa powder as well.

Oh, and if your worried about the alcohol content, for the amount that you are using, it really is a flavoring ingredient. It's no different than using 3 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract.

Some other ideas: add the creme de menthe to the brownies as well for more minty goodness. Use Grand Marnier. Glaze the brownies with melted strawberry or raspberry jam/jelly, then make the frosting plain (no booze) and spread it over the glaze. Use any or all on top of chocolate cupcakes. Or yellow cake cupcakes. Make chocolate cheesecake frosting by adding cocoa powder. Start with a tablespoon or 2, then work your way up to your desired about of chocolatey-ness.

Anyway, make up a quick batch this morning to surprise your little leprechauns after their St. Patty's Day dinner. Enjoy!

Scouting's Highest Honor

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 21:25:00 +0000

From Wikipedia:
"The first Eagle Scout medal was awarded in 1912 to Arthur Rose Eldred, a 17-year-old member of Troop 1 of Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York. Eldred was notified that he was to be awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in a letter from Chief Scout Executive James West, dated August 21, 1912. The design of the Eagle Scout medal had not been finalized by the National Council, so the medal was not awarded until Labor Day, September 2, 1912. Eldred was the first of three generations of Eagle Scouts; his son and grandson hold the rank as well.^[5]^[6] Since then, more than two million Scouts have earned the rank. In 1982, 13-year-old Alexander Holsinger, of Normal, Illinois, was recognized as the one-millionth Eagle Scout,^[4]^[7] and Anthony Thomas of Lakeville, Minnesota was the two-millionth in 2009.^[8]^[9]"

Mr. Eldred was the first of three generations of Eagle Scout in his family. Last night, Bubba became the third generation of Eagle Scout in ours.

This was a day 13 years, 8 months and three weeks (exactly, by the way) in the making.

We have often laughed about the day that our little man was born. He was the first grandson on my husband's side, my husband being one of three boys. It was a big deal to the in-laws.

So while everyone was taking turns holding our sweet little newborn, Hubby and Father-in-Law were taking bets on when Bubba would Eagle. Seriously. They were both so excited to get to share their wonderful scouting experiences with a brand new scout.

I, of course, was the party pooper. "Can we at least get through teething and potty training before we send him on a five-mile hike?"

My child, who never played a game to win, who never really set any goals, suddenly decided that he wanted to Eagle younger than his dad, earn more badges than his dad, and earn more palms than his dad. Oh, and he wants to earn ALL the merit badges, too - all 130+. There was a sudden change in this sweet boy when he crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts almost 3 years ago. He had a mission. And big shoes to fill - Hubby reached Eagle scout around the age of 15. Hubby earned 57 merit badges, and a LOT of palms.

Well, the junior rock star in our family recently earned badge #66 - 9 more than his dad. That puts him half way to his goal of earning all the merit badges. And, with so many more badges available, he will definitely earn more palms. And, now he reached the rank of Eagle Scout, roughly 2 years younger than his dad.

To say I am proud of him is an understatement. I have watched my little boy grow into a mature, self-confident young man. It's that feeling of when your heart is so full of love for your child that it flows out your eyes.

Have a great rest of the week!

Great Bokashi Experiment - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:20:00 +0000

If you had told me that I could be out working in my garden, in December, with no winter coat on, I would have laughed. Until I was out there yesterday...

Looks fantastic, doesn't it?!

Ok, just kidding.

Yesterday, it was about 60 degrees here. No kidding. So I decided to take advantage of the relatively warm weather and repair my garden bed that had been tilled by mysterious creatures in the night.

In case you are new to this story, you can read this post about how I started my Great Bokashi Experiment.

I had buried 3 buckets so far, all of which were apparently not dug deep enough. Even though I dug down to the bottom of this bed, and piled all the dirt back on the contents of the buckets. Many articles and blog posts I had seen online recommended covering the area in which a bokashi bucket's contents were buried with metal mesh of some kind. I guess I was a bit naive or lazy maybe and thought I could get away with just dirt. Nope.

So I used what I had on hand, and followed the lasagna gardening method I use in my other garden bed. Here's how it went...

I raked out all the chewed up leftovers into a pile near the original holes. I then dug out all the holes deeper and wider. I also added a fourth hole because Bucket #4 was ready to hit the dirt. Into these holes, I returned the fermented contents to their garden graves, and covered them back up with the existing soil. Now, because Bunny #1 is paper trained due to a disability, we had "pre-fertilized" newspapers because Princess and I just happened to have cleaned out his cage yesterday. Those went on top of the newly re-replaced soil. I had one bag of organic garden soil left, which then went on top of the newspapers. The giant former canning kettle, which holds the contents of Bunny #2's litter box (aka bunny beans), was emptied onto this soil and its contents were gently raked to mix it into the soil on top of the papers. I raked up a bunch of leaves from our yard (3 wheelbarrows full) and spread these in another layer on top of the rabbit manure/soil mixture. I am sincerely hoping all that rabbit urine smell will deter our mystery tiller. If I had coffee grounds on hand, I would gladly have added those as well.

Also, I rounded up all the bigger sticks and branches from our yard and our next door neighbor's yard (yes, I have permission). I put these on top of the leaves, mostly to hold them down, but with their spiky branches and twigs pointing up, they also make great faux barbed wire.

So far, as of this morning, nobody found their way into our little garden fortress.

So that's the first half of this story...

Because I've been using newspapers from Bunny #1's cage in the buckets, the newspaper has actually been soaking up too much moisture in the bokashi bucket. I don't think my microbes have enough water to survive and thrive. And you can tell when they are thriving - you'll notice the lid on the bucket expanding upward. I actually have to "burp" my buckets about every other day while they are active.

Which brings me to this tip:
If you use newspaper, like I use newspaper, add non-chlorinated water when you add your pre-made bran that you've either purchased or made yourself. I'm going to play with a yeast/water/molasses combo that I think may work easily and cheaper than the pre-made stuff you can buy. When I get this figured out, I'll be sure to post my results for others to try.

And here's some of what was going into them:

used pizza boxes that I cut up
used paper napkins and paper towels (NOT the ones I used to clean anything with, just ones that were used for wiping mouths and hands and greasing baking pans)
vegetable scraps, including the outer layer of onions
cold morning coffee, complete with sugar and cream
coffee grounds, filters
tea bags
fruit peels and cores
the bottom crumbs from chip bags, pretzel bags, etc.
and of course, "used" newspapers from Bunny #1's cage

One bucket inherited some extra worm compost I had no home for at the moment, and another one inherited the contents of the bunny bean kettle.

And as for the weight?

I ended up with 2 buckets per month, and while I did not actually weigh the buckets with a scale, I can tell you that they each weigh about as much as a larger bag of soil. These usually run in the 25 pound range.

And the numbers would then add up like this:

50 pounds food/newspaper/etc. TIMES 10,154 homes in my home town TIMES 12 months/year

EQUALS

6,092,400 pounds of waste NOT in a landfill

When you divide that 6-million-ish number by 22,000 pounds/garbage truck, that's a LOT of garbage trucks NOT on our roads, using huge quantities of fuel, polluting our air and causing wear and tear on our streets. Try 279 trucks. I told you it was a lot!

So I hope that if you haven't given this any thought yet, or are just beginning to try, you'll find these numbers and my processes so far encouraging and inspiring. I realize that not everyone can actually do this in their own backyard, but if enough folks did, we could really start making a huge difference in the amount of trash needing to be hauled away every week and the amount of fuel needed to do so.

Think about it, and give it a try!

Holiday Helpers

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Wanted to bring back some oldies but goodies that you might find useful this time of year...

If you are baking or making other goodies for the holidays, check out Creative Ways to Use Sugar Cookie Dough and Creative Ways to Use Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough from last year's Twenty Five Days of Treats. The base dough for these recipes is NOT gluten free; however, if you are baking for lots of folks who don't have gluten issues, using a tube of regular dough from the store can be a real budget saver. A friend of mine, who was moving into a new house this time last year, told me that her family would not have had Christmas cookies at all without these ideas so be sure to check them out!

PS - there are also TONS of recipes here on the site! Go to the "Looking for something?" box in the right side column, and browse to your heart's content!

Also, are you following me on Facebook? If not, click the little icon in the right side column. You'll get to see what I find inspiring posted there, including lots of craft projects and recipe ideas. Trust me, you'll want to see these!

And finally, be sure to do some crafting for charity this holiday season. Remember our January Craftivism Challenge where we made pillowcases for the American Patchwork and Quilting Million Pillowcase Challenge? I'm making pillowcases this time around to send to victims of Hurricane Sandy who are in homeless shelters. If you're going to be stuck in one for a long time, I think having a little something - ANYTHING - that makes it feel more like a home has to be at least a little morale booster. Something to let them know we are all thinking about and praying for them. I've got 4 done so far waiting to be shipped, with more planned. If you'd like to know where I'm sending mine, please email me or message me on Facebook.

I also took advantage of the Black Friday sale at JoAnn's and bought several pairs of $1 gloves and mittens, and a bunch of fleece, which I made into scarves. These will be on their way to New York with the pillowcases. Want to make the easiest scarf ever? Take a yard of fleece, cut it into 12" wide strips across the width of the fabric. Remove selvedges, and cut slits every 1/2" along that short edge. I made mine about 3" deep. This is project that kids can help with - a great way to practice scissor skills and measuring!

And, in case you don't hear from me for a while...

I'm in the work room, creating a REALLY REALLY REALLY BIG project. I'll share more later, as soon as I have more details. You will absolutely LOOOOOOVE it!

So see you soon!

(did I mention that you can take a stroll through some of the really awesome recipes just by using the search box?)

HACKED!!!

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:08:00 +0000

My email for Suburban Prairie Homemaker has been hacked! If anyone receives an email from me, please delete it - DO NOT OPEN IT! It could contain viruses! Please be safe and careful, and I apologize for any inconvenience!

Easy Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:28:00 +0000

How to make a silk purse from a sow's ear...

So I realized that I was out of gluten free cornbread mix, and I got to looking through some of my mom's old cookbooks. Basically, cornbread is just yellow cake with cornbread. Well, maybe a little bit more than that, but you get the gist of it. This is when it pays to KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS! That way, when you see a recipe, you can find ways to make it with something on your pantry shelf.

SPH Gluten Free Cornbread
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan. Grease it WELL! Combine cake mix and cornmeal in a mixer bowl. Add melted butter, and mix well to combine. Beat in eggs and buttermilk until batter is smooth. Pour into pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes, til tester inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely, and serve.

Want to serve it warm? You'll want to let it cool completely, then reheat it. I know that seems redundant, but gluten free products need that extra time out of the oven to finish doing what they are supposed to do.

Out of buttermilk? Use yogurt or a combo of milk and sour cream. You can also culture your own soured milk by placing 1 tablespoon of vinegar into 1 cup of milk. To speed this process, I put mine in a glass measuring cup near the back of the stove when I'm preheating my oven. I also made this recently for a potluck with Blue Bonnet Light (brand) margarine and water because one of the guests had dairy issues. It still came out really yummy.

With Thanksgiving coming up, this would be great for cornbread stuffing. It's also fantastic with any "down home" type meal.

Enjoy!

Election Day - GO VOTE!

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Today is Election Day!

Go vote!

If the line is long, wait.

Think of the folks who sat and waited at the lunch counters down south.

If it's raining and cold, wear extra layers and take an umbrella.

Think of the folks who had fire hoses turned on them.

If it seems inconvenient, do it anyway.

Think of the women in Afghanistan who were tortured for voting.

If you feel intimidated by how complicated the ballot can be,

imagine staring down a tank in Egypt.

Get to the polls.

Find a way.

Call a neighbor or a friend and take them with you.

No excuses, people!

Puppy Rescue Mission Auction

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Princess and I made some items to donate to this wonderful charity. Go check it out! Here are the deets from my friend, Kaydee:

The Auction is NOW OPEN!!!! Click this link to take you directly to the auction!

How to bid:

1. "Like" Help Bring Leonidas Home From Afghanistan's Facebook Page
2. Click Photos
3. Click Photo Albums
4. Click Double Double Toil Trouble PRM Auction Album
5. Read over the rules on picture number 2 and agree to them

6. Bid Bid Bid!
*please note that 100% of proceeds go DIRECTLY to The Puppy Rescue Mission*

Thank you all for either donating or showing interest to donate! If you were not able to donate for this auction we still ask if you can please help us spread the word on this auction and help up surpass the last auction!!! (Our goal is$6,500) We can do it, but only with your help!!!!

PAW SALUTE!

And while you're on Facebook, be sure to like the Suburban Prairie Homemaker page!

Happy Monday, all!

Gluten Free French Onion Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I'll admit - this is one that I really hated giving up when we all went gluten free.

This past weekend, our neighbor traded me some chard and leeks from his garden for some kale from ours. I immediately thought "French onion soup" because leeks are one of the main ingredients, and this would be a chance to try my hand at a gluten free version of one of my all-time favorite soups. French onion soup is always so hearty and rich. It really warms you up from the inside out, and keeps you warm on blustery days like we've had this week from the leftovers of Sandy. And even though it's a bit time consuming, it's really rather simple to make, especially with some staples from your pantry.

SPH Gluten Free French Onion Soup
A few tablespoons of olive oil
A few tablespoons of butter
2 small-ish leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced into fairly narrow slices
5 medium onions, sliced into narrow half-moons
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use the kind from the jar)
1-2 teaspoons dried thyme - to taste
1 quart beef stock (I use Pacific brand Organic Beef Broth)
Gluten free bread slices, either toast on the side like the photo or use slices of a gluten free baguette
Melty cheese of your choice - I used mozzarella because that's what I had on hand, but traditionally gruyere or Swiss is used - figure on a generous handful of shredded cheese per bowl

In a large soup pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the butter, and allow it to melt. Lower the heat, add the leeks and onions, and stir. Continue stirring occasionally, every few minutes, until leeks and onions are completely wilted down. To like a third of their original size. By cooking these low and slow you release the starches from the vegetables, which will help thicken the soup a little bit. Now add the garlic and thyme. Stir for a minute or two to warm the garlic and thyme through. Add the stock and stir well. Simmer just until the stock starts to reduce. Sorry, I don't have a time for this. It's an eyeball-it kind of thing. Serve in individual bowls with melted cheese and crusty bread. If you really want to get fancy, put the bowls of soup on a cookie sheet. Top each with a baguette and cheese, and stick under your broiler for just a few minutes, until cheese is melted.

This one is definitely worth the time - enjoy!

Hurricane Sandy

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:15:00 +0000

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone on the East Coast today, and we're hoping for everyone's safety. God bless our first responders and keep them safe.

Yummy Cranberry Kale Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:47:00 +0000

Quick and simple. Easy and delicious. Gluten free and oh so healthy for you!

Ironically, in a summer of record-setting heat, my kale has grown better than anything else I planted in my garden. Kale prefers things on the cooler side, so if anyone can tell me why THIS would be the ultimate kale-growing year at the Suburban Prairie Home, that would be really nice.

Typically, we grow kale to help feed our rabbits. It's one of their favorites, and in return, as their way of thanking us, they make lots and lots of "fertilizer pellets". Aka "bunny beans". You get the idea. One packet of seeds usually lasts us a few years, so I literally get a good amount of organic kale for pennies. I just need to keep it weeded, watered, and plant zinnias nearby to help keep the cabbage loopers away.

This year, I decided to try to cook some for us. Princess had found a recipe she thought sounded good, and I had also seen a brief description of one by an online friend at Mary Jane's Famgirl site. And believe me, these are not hard. Or time consuming. Nothing but delicious.

Most sauteed greens recipes follow a very similar method. Once you learn the method, you can switch up the ingredients as you want, based on your own tastes and what you have on hand. Start by heating some oil in a pan. Add some diced onions and garlic, and a little bit of liquid. Then, add your greens, cover with a lid, turn off the heat, and allow the greens to wilt down. Be sure they stay a bright green for maximum nutrition.

So let's make some kale!

SPH Yummy Cranberry Kale Recipe
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced fine
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use the kind from the jar), to taste
1 cup chicken stock (I use Pacific Brand organic free range chicken broth)
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries (aka "Craisins")
Kale - enough to make about 4 cups sliced into @1/2" strips
Chopped walnuts

Heat oil over medium heat in large saute pan. Add diced onion, and heat through til nearly translucent. Add garlic and stir. Add chicken stock and cranberries. Cover, and allow cranberries to plump up - about 5 minutes. Add sliced kale, cover, and turn off heat. Allow to stand about 5-7 minutes - til kale has wilted down and is still a very vibrant green. Remove lid. Stir well to combine kale with cranberries and flavored oil. Toss with walnuts and serve warm.

So let's talk method again. Use currants and chard instead of cranberries and kale. I make something very similar to this with those two ingredients, and I start with browning up some bacon pieces for extra flavor in the oil. No walnuts? Use almonds or pecans. Use bok choy and collards, and omit the fruit and nuts entirely. These are especially good with a squeeze of lemon juice and a splash of Bragg's Liquid Aminos.

This would be a delicious side to some sunny-side-up eggs and toast. I have also received requests to make this as a side for Thanksgiving. No matter how you try it, you really can't go wrong. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (SPH) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:29:00 +0000

Another pumpkin craving...

I love pumpkin cheesecake in a chocolate cookie crumb crust. Like looooooooooove it! Something about the darkness of the chocolate always brings out the best in the cheesecake.

So I decided to try my hand at combining brownies with the pumpkin cheesecake for a deeper chocolate layer. And it had to be pumpkin. And of course it had to be gluten free.

Here's what I came up with:

SPH Gluten FreePumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
1 Gluten Free Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1 stick melted butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
8 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 cake pan. Grease it really well.

Make brownies according to package directions with 2 eggs and butter. Spread batter in cake pan.

In your blender, combine pumpkin, cream cheese, 1 egg, and sugar. Blend til creamy and smooth. I tried doing this in the mixer, and no matter how hard I tried, I always ended up with lumps of cream cheese. Trust me - use the blender.

Carefully pour the cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter. Swirl with a knife. I did circles across, back and forth, all the way down the length of the pan. Then, I pulled the knife in a straight line, up and down, along the length of the pan. Like cutting brownies, but mixing the batter. This process will give you your swirls.

Bake this baby for about 40-45 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely, then cut into bars or squares, and serve.

These are rich and decadent, but also quick and simple, easy and delicious. Make some for your family (or Bible study or a neighbor) today!

Enjoy!

This recipe linked to Very Good Recipes.