Monday, April 19, 2010

*NEW* G-Free Label

In honor of my sister who has Crohn's and is now living a "G-free" {Gluten-free} lifestyle, I am creating a new label called "G-free". If you know anyone with IBD or Celiac, this is your go-to label for recipes. Maybe you've been there...hosting a dinner party and they say "oh, and I'm gluten-free"...before you panic, try here.

Here are a few great blogs out there to get you started:
http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/
http://www.domestifluff.com/

...and a few friendly restaurant reminders of yummy G-free food:
1. Urban Solace (good for the G-free and "Regular" chowers)
2. Z-Pizza (quick pizza + salads)

Hey, you might even notice you feel better after avoiding Gluten for awhile. Try it, it can't hurt and you'll only feel better.

Southern Chicken Crunch by J.Robinson

This is my friend's "go-to" recipe. I haven't tried it yet, but seems easy and she says it's "yummy!"

3-4 chicken breasts - cubed and sautéed with salt and pepper

1 can cream of chicken {I think cream of mushroom tastes better}

1 cup sour cream

2 T mayo

2 T milk

1 small bag sliced almonds

1 can sliced water chestnuts

2 cans fried onions

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except one can of onions and bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Top with can of onions and bake an extra 5-10 minutes or until onions brown (you could always turn on the broiler if you are in a hurry).

Cake Balls

By no means are these fat-free...but c'mon how *cute* are they AND *so* yummy. Janelle rolled these in 3 different colors of WHITE chocolate for Easter (pastel pink, yellow & green) and used a yellow cake base. SOOOO good!

She found the recipe from bakerella.com (an adorable! and tasty web blog...warning: you will salivate and run to the grocery store.)

Red Velvet Cake Balls
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.

Confetti Cookies by J. McGuckin

If I ever post anything by J.McGuckin, be assured it's yummy! She is a fabulous cook & baker!

She brought these cookies to our Easter Bunny Tea Party (along w/ the Cakeballs, I'll post in a minute)...both a HUGE hit. One dad talked about them for a week!

1 cake mix (I used funfetti for easter but usually do with lemon cake mix)

1 egg

1 stick butter melted

1 cup rice krispes

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes (super easy)

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Spanish Chorizo + Bean Soup by M. Lazaro

Perfect for a COLD day. Filling enough for a whole meal. Serve with fresh rustica bread or a baguette and olive oil (PS- they sell "spanish" olive oil @ TJs now, tastes SO much better than the Italian stuff!).

Time: 5 minutes prep, Cook 15-30 minutes (it's done in 15, but you can let it stew longer).

Ingredients
1. 1 LARGE (1lb, 12oz) can of garbanzo beans, drained
2. Portuguese (only been able to find @ Ralph's) OR Spanish chorizo (NOT mexican-it's different) have to order it; [Also, you can substitute for TJ's Soyrizo however only use 1/2, must remove casing & it's too spicy for kids.]
3. 1 box of chicken broth (or make your own), basically 3to4 Cups
4. 1 small white onion, chopped
5. pinch Tumeric
6. pinch Oregano
7. pinch of Thyme
8. 2 dashes of Paprika (color)
9. 1 dash of Cumin
10. salt/pepper to taste
11. olive oil

Directions
1. On Med Heat, with a dutch oven or large soup pan, add 2T of olive oil (or eye it, enough to slightly coat bottom).
2. Add in chopped onion, stir until translucent
3. Add in chopped chorizo (check to see if you need to remove casing first), stir until cooked or heated through (if pre-cooked)
4. Add in drained garbanzo beans, stir
5. Add in chicken broth & spices, stir
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until ready to serve.

chile-chicken posole soup by J. Massie

1lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, raw, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper
2 Tblsp. veg. oil
1 white onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped, seeds removed for less heat
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can whole green chiles, drained
1 cup fresh cilantro
4 cups chicken broth
2 15 oz. cans hominy, drained

garnishes: sliced avocado and radishes, tortilla chips

1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and 1/2 tsp. thyme, set aside.

2. Heat oil in large saucepan over med heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook 5 minutes until soft. Transfer to a blender, add chiles, celantro and 1/2 tsp thyme and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan and cook over med heat until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

3. Add broth, hominy and chicken to the saucepan. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 10 minutes.

crockpot spinach artichoke dip by J. Massie

1 cup grated smoked mozzerella
1/2 cup parmesan
8 oz. cream cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 box thawed frzn spinach, drained
1 jar artichoke hearts with juice
salt and pepper

Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring now and then. Add jalapenos for a spicy dip!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Polynesian Pork Chops by, M. Lazaro

Super easy. Lots of flavor. Serve with rice & veggies

Ingredients

4 pork chops (or two from Costco, then butterfly)
1 small yellow onion (if you like onion, add the whole thing chopped, if not cut in 1/2)
1 can Golden Mushroom soup (Campbells)
2T olive oil
3T soy (low sodium)
2T honey
3/4 can of pineapple juice (mini Dole cans)...add the whole thing for extra sauce.
optional: chunks of pineapple

Directions

1. Pat pork chop dry w/ paper towel.
2. Season both sides with garlic or onion powder (I added fresh ground pepper too)
3. Add 2T evoo to Pan on med/high heat
4. Cook pork chops for about 3 minutes, each side (until golden and almost cooked)
5. Once you flip the pork chops, add chopped onion (stir so they don't burn)
*While pork chops are cooking, in a small bowl mix: soup, soy, honey and pineapple juice (and pineapple chunks, if desired).]
6. Add in above mixture (aka sauce), cover w/ a lid, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Plate pork then spoon sauce over each serving.

Makes a ton of sauce, so no need to double recipe. Start to finish - 20 minutes.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Sesame Seared Ahi


SO yummy. Took only 10 minutes...prep to finish! Cooked the veggies alongside the Ahi. Used TJ's yummy (3 minute!) organic brown rice and blink...it's done! and YUM. Bella cleaned her plate!

Ingredients

* 1/4 C soy sauce {used 1/8 C}
* 1 T mirin (Japanese sweet wine) {didn't have it, used Portuguese light white wine}
* 1 T honey {used 2T...i love honey}
* 2 Tsesame oil {didn't have it, used garlic oil}
* 1 T rice wine vinegar
* 4 (6 ounce) tuna steaks {used 1 large one from Costco...$10/version...fed 3 adults and 2 kids}
* 1/2 C sesame seeds {didn't measure, just sprinkled for sauce and pressed onto Ahi for covering}
* wasabi paste
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
NOTE: If you're a "saucy" person, double the sauce recipe. Also, I added the wasabi to the sauce and whisked it - yum! It's a light sauce. Might even make a great sesame salad dressing.

Directions
1. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, honey and sesame oil. Add about 5 shakes of sesame seeds (to taste...what you like). Then divide sauce into a 30/70 split.

2. To the smaller sauce portion, coat the tuna steak(s), then press into the sesame seeds to coat. {Seeds will blacken quickly, so if you don't want it burned into the Ahi, then toast the seeds in another pan then add when you plate}

3. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, then reduce to medium high {remember olive oil burns quickly...ventilate your house and don't burn the oil!} Place steaks in the pan, and sear for about 60 seconds on each side {depends on thickness...you'll have to eye it. Mine was about 1-1.5" thick and I let it cook for 3-4min/each side...got burned on outside but was nice on the inside, only some pink/red. I prefer it more raw but some guests don't. So adapt}.

Serve with the dipping sauce and wasabi paste. Rice & Veggies.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 422 | Total Fat: 20.7g | Cholesterol: 77mg

Captain's Chicken by J. Peters Robinson

she says "I used chicken tenderloins because I bought them by mistake and cooked about 8. I sprinkled with season salt and a little pepper while it was cooking. I also cut the onion/celery/pepper in half as well as the ketchup mix. I didn't include bell pepper and it was great!"

8 chicken breasts
oil
1 med. onion chopped
1/3 cup celery chopped
1/3 cup green pepper chopped
1 c. ketchup
1 c. water
2 T worcestershire sauce
2 T brown sugar
salt to taste
garlic salt to taste

1. Cook chicken either by pan frying or broiling. Arrange in casserole dish.
2. Saute onions, celery and green pepper in oil until tender.
3. Mix ketchup, water, sugar, worcestershire sauce, salt and garlic in pan and bring to boil
4. Add onions, celery and green pepper to ketchup mixture and pour over chicken.
5. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour at 350*.

*Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.