Besides Katie (& her gorgeous daughter Chloe, who has won over my heart through the pictures she posts) has a fabulous GF blog. Katie doesn’t know it but she inspires me to bring out my GlutenFree-nista. I have struggled to create family meals that everyone will like- celiac or not. I have gotten into the trap of separating my food from the families, for the most part, because its easier. While we have no official diagnosis (yet) as to the cause of my sons Gastrointestinal problems, we do know that him being 80%+ GF definitely helps him. So Drs. can continue in their direction & I’ll do the same thus = Happy Campers. With this recipe all of those issues above were avoided & everyone enjoyed this meal.

Btw, don’t hate on my assembly, much like life, I had planned this awesome meal when things came up & last min I was rushing to get it in the oven,….

1 lb ground Turkey (or beef)

1/2 a medium onion, diced

2 c. Mexican Cheese (mozzarella or cheddar cheese)

1/2 can Kidney Beans

1/2 can Pinto Beans

1/2 c. Corn

1/4 c. Red Bell Pepper (diced)

1/4 c. Green Bell Pepper (diced)

1/2 Jar Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime

1/4  c. of water

1/2 c. Salsa (GF)

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

Corn Tortillas (GF)

Preheat Oven to 375

1. Dice your Onions, Peppers, set aside.
2. Drain & Rinse your Beans, set aside.
3. Saute your veggies w/ Salt & Pepper, set aside.
4. Cook your beef ( tip, I do NOT cook all the way, until outside is browned- keeping it from drying out)
5. Mix together 1/2 Jar of Fiesta Lime + 1/4 c. of Water; stir ’til combined (scrapping the bottom)
6. Add Mrs. Dash to the ground turkey, bringing to a boil, stir ’til well combined.
7. Add Sauteed Veggies + 1/2 c. of Salsa to your Beans, combine & drop into the ground turkey mixture.
8. In the bottom of an 8×11 baking dish, spray with canola oil, layer your tortillas, overlapping, placing turkey/veggie/bean mixture on top, layer with cheese & repeating until all the meat is gone; before topping it all with cheese, using a pastry brush I ‘painted’ the top layer lightly with taco sauce & topped with more cheese.

Most of all: ENJOY!!! 

Apple Butter is synonymous with Fall. Perfect combination of apples and cinnamon. I love this combination, its one I remember my mother making for me as a kid. She would spread her homemade apple butter on a warm biscuit or on a fresh piece of toast topped with a ‘lil extra cinnamon because its my favorite spice. Simple moments like these are ones I will never ever forget.

I love introducing my children to things I remember from my childhood but with a twist. Since cinnamon rolls were on the brink one morning, I chose to make half the batch with this ‘lil twist: APPLE BUTTER instead of Cinnamon/Sugar. Super delicious and the great thing was, these froze wonderfully and reheated in no time flat in the toaster oven! Step aside Pillsbury frozen rolls, these beauties are homemade!

1/2 box Cake Mix

1 pkg. Dry Yeast

1 1/4 c. Warm Water

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 tsp. Salt

2.5 c. of AP Flour {OR 2 1/4 c. AP Flour + 1/4 Vanilla Protein Powder}

Cinnamon Filling:

1 c. Brown Sugar (or Splenda Blend)

Cinnamon to taste ( I LIKE ALOT!)

1/4-1/2 c. Butter

Mix Yeast + Warm Water in a bowl until dissolved.

Combine Cake Mix, Salt, Flours, Protein (if using), then add in your Yeast Mixture, Mix WELL & Knead.

Cover tightly and let it rise for 1 hr.

Punch it down, cover again & let it rise for another hour.

Roll out dough onto a well floured surface *note: the protein added, it takes a lil extra elbow grease to work it out…..but it will get there.

Brush with Butter, add your cinnamon/sugar mix

Roll & Slice it, trimming off any excess ends.

Grease your pan & Preheat oven to 350.

Bake at 350 for 18-25 min….

Tip: Mine were on the lighter side however, I did this so that they were done yet I could freeze them & reheat for b’fast!  

Reheating: Toaster oven Bake @ 330 5-7 min Do Not Toast!

In honor of my daughters exceptional interim grades & exemplary student status, her treat was to make Cake Batter Ice cream. Unfortunately its not her favorite, Coffee comes in at #1 for this lil darlin. So, I guess what they say is true, like mother like daughter!

While I love my daughter, we weren’t going that route & cake batter seemed much more appropriate! Ice cream making is an art form in which I make no claims to have mastered. However, I am always trying new recipes since getting my Cuisinart Ice cream Maker from Williams Sonoma this past July. I highly, highly recommend not only this machine, but also buying the machine + the extra bowl. TRUST ME you WILL want it!! I have an extra fridge in the garage & my freezer bowls have a permanent shelf in there. In this house, ice cream is year round!

Playing around with different ingredients/techniques etc is a lot of fun. While I usually attempt to make things on the healthier side, this is definitely not one of them. But, it was so much fun to make & it absolutely without a doubt tastes like cake!

Blue Bunny & Target are two brands I know that both put chunks of cake in their ice cream, along with ribbons of icing throughout. HOW they do this exactly is a mystery to me, but its awesome & I did achieve that a ‘lil. (you’ll notice mine turned more of a festive blue-green though-insert future St. Patty’s Day idea!)

I cut her recipe in half, because  I had well a 1/2 box of Cake Mix left over from something I had made previously & surprisingly enough, even though my rolls were on the smaller side, it made a lot!

1/2 box Cake Mix

1 pkg. Dry Yeast

1 1/4 c. Warm Water

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 tsp. Salt

2.5 c. of AP Flour {OR 2 1/4 c. AP Flour + 1/4 Vanilla Protein Powder}

Cinnamon Filling:

1 c. Brown Sugar (or Splenda Blend)

Cinnamon to taste ( I LIKE ALOT!)

1/4-1/2 c. Butter

Mix Yeast + Warm Water in a bowl until dissolved.

Combine Cake Mix, Salt, Flours, Protein (if using), then add in your Yeast Mixture, Mix WELL & Knead.

Cover tightly and let it rise for 1 hr.

Punch it down, cover again & let it rise for another hour.

Roll out dough onto a well floured surface *note: the protein added, it takes a lil extra elbow grease to work it out…..but it will get there.

Brush with Butter, add your cinnamon/sugar mix

Roll & Slice it, trimming off any excess ends.

Grease your pan & Preheat oven to 350.

Bake at 350 for 18-25 min….

Tip: Mine were on the lighter side however, I did this so that they were done yet I could freeze them & reheat for b’fast!  

So I snapped this picture: 

Meet Bo our almost 2 y/o English Labrador.

Wendy’s Chili has always been a hit when we use to eat fast food more often. So, I thought it was perfect timing to whip out this  Copycat Wendy’s Chili recipe I’d been saving for a rainy day; I guess today was my rainy day.

However, like most recipes, I always end up tweaking them just a bit. Below is the recipe that I came up with. When we eat beef, its grass-fed, we purchase most of it from a great local farm called Dolce Vita Farms in Dinwiddie, Va & I love their moto, “Food the way God intended,..” Amen to that!

12 oz. Bison

12 oz. Grass-fed Beef

4-6 oz. beef stock

1 can Tomato Juice

¾ of a 28 oz. can Organic Diced Tomato + Juice

¾ of a 15 oz. can Organic Red Kidney Beans

¾ of a 14 oz. can of Pinto Beans rinsed

¾ c diced onion

¼ c green bell pepper

¼ c celery

1 tbsp. Chili Powder (more if you prefer)

1/8-1/4 tsp. Cayenne

1/8-1/4 tsp. Coriander

2 dashes of All Spice

½ tsp. Onion Powder

¼ tsp. Oregano

½ tsp. Garlic Salt

1 tsp. Cumin

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

In a large nonstick skillet, brown your meat, just until brown on the outside. Drain the fat when done & set aside.

Pour all the wet ingredients into your crock-pot.

Add your spices & mix together completely.

Add your meat & set timer.

Cook on Low for 3-4 hrs. or High for 1- 1 ½ hrs. Make sure to stir every hr or so, the more you lift the lid, the more cooking time you will need.

 This is one of my favorite times of year. The changing leaves, mixed with cool, crisp air. Where mums are plentiful & pumpkins too. Its football, hay rides, candy corn & apples to boot.

Around here Saturdays usually evolve into a big breakfast & pancakes are always the number one choice. So, with the scent of Fall in the air, what better way to celebrate than with Apple Pie Pancakes?

These pancakes smelled heavenly & the crowd that gathered around as these were poured onto the griddle was indicative this recipe was a hit.

• 1 ½ c milk
• 12 oz. White AP Flour
• 4 oz. Whole-Wheat
• 2 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar
• 2 tbsp. White Sugar
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 2 shakes of Nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. Apple Pie Spice
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 2 eggs (room temp)
• 4 tbsp. Butter

1. Make Buttermilk by pouring milk & Apple Cider Vinegar together into medium sized bowl & set aside.
2. Melt your butter in a saucepan, set aside to cool.
3. Whisk together flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl.
4. Whisk eggs & vanilla into the milk mixture and incorporate slowly into the flour mixture, working out all large lumps
5. If batter is on the thick side, add more milk this is why you made need the extra 1/4 c of Milk.
6. Heat skillet to medium & use non-stick cooking spray or butter if you prefer. I used my grilled at about 325 & no-cooking spray.
7. Using a large cookie scoop or 1/3 measuring cup, pour your batter onto the heated surface, flip when bubbly on top.

Yes sirree! I feel horrible for those with peanut allergies. Being allergic to strawberries, I feel your pain. However for those who aren’t allergic, I present to you Peanut Butter Snicker Cookies! My kitchen smells absolutely amazing. If only someone could invent smell-a-vision, you would agree!

These cookies are thick, decadent, peanut butter-y & over all delicious. My next project is to make these Gluten Free; they are just that good!

Ingredients:

16 oz of All Purpose Flour (Organic King A.)

16 tbsp of Butter (softened)

8 oz  White Sugar

4 oz Light Brown Sugar

4 oz Dark Brown Sugar

2 large eggs (room temp)

8 oz Natural Chunky Peanut Butter

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 -1/2 tsp of Sea Salt

1-2 tsp of Pure Vanilla Extract

 PB Snickers Bars

Directions:

• Cream together the sugars, butter until smooth
• Add eggs & vanilla until incorporated
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt & baking soda
• Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter at a time, making sure all is incorporated (even the very bottom my KA doesn’t always get it)
• Cover/Refrigerate for 30-40 min.

1. Preheat Oven @ 350
2. Prepare baking sheets during this time
3. If using larger “Bite Size” Snickers, NOT the mini’s then you will need to cut them, I cut mine in 1/4 but you could cut in 1/2 as well.

Take the milkshake.

A milkshake is a sweet, cold beverage which is made from milk, ice cream or iced milk, and flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup orchocolate sauce. Outside the United States, the drink is sometimes called a thickshake or a thick milkshake or in New England, a frappe, to differentiate it from other less-viscous forms of flavored milk.

Full-service restaurants, soda fountains, and diners usually prepare and mix the shake “by hand” from scoops of ice cream and milk in a blenderor drink mixer using a stainless steel cup. Many fast food outlets do not make shakes by hand with ice cream. Instead, they make shakes in automatic milkshake machines which freeze and serve a premade milkshake mixture consisting of milk, a sweetened flavoring agent, and a thickening agent. However, some fast food outlets still follow the traditional method, and some serve milkshakes which are prepared by blending soft-serve ice cream (or ice milk) with flavoring or syrups. A milkshake can also be made by adding powder into fresh milk, and stirring the powder into the milk. Milkshakes made in this way can come in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, strawberry and banana. Taken from Wikipedia.

I use to dream of what it would be like to walk into a Soda Shoppe (imagine poodle skirts, saddle oxfords & bouffant hair) & give my order to the soda jerker. I think being the child of much older parents & listening to what life really was like back then was fascinating. My how the times have changed!

In honor of National Chocolate Milkshake Day, I’ve recreated the Milkshake @ home. This one had a modern twist with coffee ice cream from Trader Joes.

Ingredients:

Chocolate Icecream

Coffee Icecream

Milk of Choice (Van. Almond Milk)

Whip Cream

Chocolate Shavings

Tall glass (put in freezer to chill)

Directions:

• Key to making a nice thick milkshake is the icecream consistency. It needs to be slightly soft. If its too hard, you will end up adding more milk to it, which in the end just makes it soupy. And absolutely NO ice.
• I used my ninja mixer w/ plastic paddle attachment

That being said, not all of those recipes are suitable for our food allergies around here. Plus, momma has a hard time leaving a recipe as is. I think that food should not only taste amazing but also be on the healthier side. Staying fit & healthy however does not mean you should punish yourself with salad & carrot sticks people. Our bodies need fuel, but appropriate fuel at that! In the words of Guy Fieri  it was a “Winner, Winner, Chicken Turkey Dinner.”

Here is my delicious Lean & Clean Recipe Remake

Healthy-BBQ Meatballs

Meatballs: 10 oz Lean Ground Turkey

1 tbsp GF Oats

1 tbsp Milk of choice

1 tbsp Dried Onion

Salt & Pepper to Taste

Preparing the Meatballs:  1/2 c. GF All Purpose Flour

Canola Oil

Low-Sugar BBQ Sauce:

1 c Low- Sugar Ketchup

3 tsp Truvia

3 tbsp Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp Worcestershire

1 tbsp. Onion

1 dash of Hot Sauce (or maybe a couple hehehe)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Combine all your turkey ingredients in one bowl.

Using a good eye or a tbsp scoop portions & gently roll into a ball & sit on a tray (mini muffin tin works great)

Put tray into freezer for about 5 min.

While the meatballs are in the freezer, combine your BBQ Sauce ingredients & set aside.

After 5 min, roll meatballs in flour to lightly coat & brown meatballs in a nonstick pan with a ‘lil bit of Canola Oil.

Once all meatballs are browned, pour over your BBQ sauce, give a quick stir to coat then transfer to a baking dish.

Bake Meatballs in a baking dish @ 350 for 30-40 min. *If doubling recipe, bake for 45min or until done.

Ree’s Comfort BBQ Meatball recipe can be found here.

Between Pinterest and Google there are many recipes out there to choose from & a plethora of different reviews. So, I chose two separate recipes printed them out, then went to Chick fil a. My excuse was to get the kids an ‘icedream’. After all school did just start back so lucky for them a treat was on their horizon.

I thoroughly read their list of ingredients & compared notes to the recipes I had printed. In the end, one recipe I pulled was just too far fetched for me to be convinced. The recipe I based mine off of was found on Six Sisters’ Stuff blog. I of course had to adapt this recipe to suit my sons gluten issues.

I have to say, I was impressed by the flavor so much so that I ate one, two wait maybe three?!  hehehe As for my son, he devoured them & asked for more!

Gluten Free Chick fil a Copycat Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 c. lactose free milk (any would do)
• 3/4 c. GF All Purpose Flour (Arrowhead Mills)
• 1 lb chicken tenderloins cut into chunks
• 1 1/4 tsp Truvia (or  1 tbsp org.powdered sugar/sucanut/reg.)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp. paprika
• splash of pickle juice

You will need: Fryer or deep Skillet

Directions:

1. Whisk egg, 1/2 tsp paprika & milk together in a large bowl.
2. Place your chunks of chicken into the milk bath for 30-45 min
3. Using a dry whisk, mix your flour, sugar, salt, pepper, paprika all together until thoroughly combined
4. Dump your dry ingredients into a paper bag (or plastic)
5. Take your chicken out of the fridge & add a splash of pickle juice
6. Turn on your Fryer & heat Conola Oil to 350 or heat in a deep pan to med/high (its always beneficial to use a thermometer when frying b/c temperatures will change as you add & remove the chicken pcs.
7. 5-7 pcs. at a time & place in your paper bag. Close then shake, making sure they are well coated. (moms kids love this part, just make sure its closed!)
8. Place in the oil & fry until pcs. are just past golden brown.
9. Pull from the oil & drain them on a paper lined plate (paper grocery bags work perfectly for frying)
10. Do the same for the remaining chicken, serve with sauce of your choice. (I whipped up a quick Honey BBQ. Still searching for a GF version of the Polynisian Sauce)

Blessings,