Gingerbread Crumble Pie Crust

Gingerbread Crumble Pie Crust

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups crushed gluten free mi-del gingerbread cookies

½ cup crushed pecans

¼ cup brown rice flour

¼ cup vegan shortening

¼ cup smart balance dairy free butter

Crush gingerbread cookies and pecans into powder using blender.  Put crumbs in a large bowl and add, brown rice flour, shortening and butter.  Cut shortening and butter into crumbs until a it hold together in small moist crumbles.

Place in a pie pan and press into pie shell.

Cook at 350 degrees for 5 minutes if adding a filling that needs to be cooked.

Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes if add a cream filling that does not require cooking.

Easy Herb Stuffing

Easy Herb Stuffing

Gluten Free, Dairy free and Egg free

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dairy free butter
1 medium chopped onion
2 stalks chopped celery
1 Tablespoon garlic
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp herb seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 Tablespoon parsley
1 1/2  teaspoon poultry seasoning
4 cups gluten free stale bread
1 1/2 cups chicken broth


Melt butter in skillet and add al ingredients except bread crumbs and chicken broth.  Cook over medium heat until vegetables are cooked and soft.  While cooking the veggies, lay stale bread on a cookie sheet and toast the bread on broil for 3 to 5 minutes.  Just until toasted and browned.

In a large bowl pour the veggie mixture and add the bread crumbs and chicken broth.  Stir together lightly.  Cover with towel and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes.  Fluff and enjoy!

Easy Chicken Stir Fry

Easy Chicken Stir Fry

Gluten and Dairy free

Ingredients:

1-Chicken:
7 or 8 chicken tenders
1/2 cup water
2 tsp garlic
2 tsp ginger

Cook chicken and water in a large skillet cutting meat into small chunks as it cooks.  Add garlic and ginger to meat mixture once it has cooked. Cook together for another 2 or 3 minutes.

2-In Blender mix until smooth and creamy:
2 cups mixed frozen veggies (I use a normandy blend, carrots, broccoli, squash, zucchini and cauliflower.)
1 cup chicken broth
1 slice of a white onion
2 tablespoons Italian Dressing

Add blended veggie mixture to chicken mixture in skillet.   

3-Add to the mixture the following:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp coarse pepper

Cook all together for a couple minutes. 

4-Last:
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Mix together and stir into chicken veggie mixture.  Cook on medium hear until slightly thickened.

Serve over cooked rice.  Can also serve with pineapple, chow mien noodles, peas, etc.

Frozen Fruit Salad

Frozen Fruit Salad

This is a family tradition and has been passed down for several generations.  I have changed it a bit to fit my preferences.  Maybe I'm pickier than I like to admit:)  We make this for Thanksgiving.  It is nice because it can be made ahead of time to make Thanksgiving day that much easier.

8 oz package cream cheese
1 cup whipped cream
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 cans mixed fruit
1 can pineapple
1-2 cans mandarin oranges
2 1/2 cups marshmallows

Soften cream cheese, blend it with a blender to help soften it up and make it smooth.

Whip the cream and the sugar in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form.  Fold the cream and the cream cheese together.  Add the fruit.

There are several ways to shape the salad:

1.  Rinse the cans that you got the fruit out of.  Spoon the fruit/cream mixture into the cans.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze.  You can use a rubber band to hold the plastic wrap in place.

2.  If you have some individual serving dishes that can go into the freezer, you can spoon the filling into the serving dishes, cover with plastic wrap and freeze.

3.  Whatever other way you would like to freeze this salad so that it comes out the shape that you want it.

When ready to serve, take the salad out of the freezer a little ahead of time.  It is easier to get it out of the cans if you let it defrost for a little bit.  You can run hot water on the outside of the can if you need it to soften faster.  Tip the cans upside down and use a can opener to take off the other side of the can.  You can push the salad from one side out the other side of the can.  Slice the salad with a knife into individual servings.

Serve on individual salad plates.  You can dress it up by serving it up on a piece of lettuce or whatever else you can think of to dress it up.

Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie

With Thanksgiving coming next week, I thought it might be helpful to post some recipes that might be useful for making a gluten free, but definitely delicious Thanksgiving dinner.  To start, here is one of my favorite pie recipes.  My children won't actually eat "pie", but they eat this.  Somehow, they don't consider this "pie".

1 baked, crumb crust (see below)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan.  The cocoa stirs in easier if you combine it with the sugar before adding the wet ingredients.  Gradually add the milk.  Stir it until it is smooth.  Cook over medium heat.  Make sure to stir it constantly.  Bring mixture to a boil and boil for one minute.

Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.  Pour into the crumb crust.  Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding filling.  Cool the pie to room temperature, then put it in the refrigerator.  Chill the pie for 6-8 hours.

*You can garnish the top with whipped cream.  I would spread a layer of whipped cream (sweetened) or cool whip over the top.  Then shave Hershey bar (or other chocolate) over it  for added appeal.

Gluten Free Crumb Crust (9" pie)

1 1/2 cups GF Smoreables Graham Style Cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar

Mix crumbs and sugar.  Add the melted butter and combine with a fork.  (I just combine everything right in the pie pan.)  Press the crumbs firmly against the sides and bottom of the pie pan.  Often I will take the bottom of a cup and use that to press the crumbs into place.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Jambalaya

Jambalaya

2 pounds sausage, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
4 celery ribs, diced
1 butter stick
6 cups water
1 1/2 - 2  cups rice
1/2 cup black rice, optional
2 cups tomatoes (you can use fresh or canned)
1-2 tablespoons creole seasoning**

Saute butter, garlic, onions, pepper, celery, and sausage in margarine, in a large crockpot sized pan, until onions and celery are soft.  Add tomatoes, water, rice, and creole seasoning**.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

**Use creole seasoning to taste.  The more you add, the spicier it will be.

NOTE:  I don't use shrimp at my house because I have a daughter who is allergic to shellfish.  Many Jambalaya recipes have shrimp in them.  You can definitely use shrimp in this recipe.  Add it when you add the tomatoes, water, rice, etc.  Just bring it to a boil for 10 minutes and then add the rice.  If you want to add shrimp, you will want to adjust the amount of sausage you put in.  You could do 2 pounds shrimp and 1/2 pound sausage or whatever you like.  You could also experiment with other types of meats.

Also, You can use any kind of rice.  Most of the time I have usually just put brown rice in.  The last time I made it I put 1 1/2 cups brown rice and 1/2 cup black rice.  It made for such an interesting look.  It was fun.  It didn't affect the flavor at all.

Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie

I have been trying to find a really great recipe that I could use to make a protein smoothie that is dairy free and gluten free but also creamy and delicious!  I finally came up with this today.  You need to use the coconut milk in this smoothie, it makes all the difference.  This is so good you will want to make this everyday.

Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie

Gluten Free, Dairy Free

1 cup Vanilla unsweetened Coconut milk (I use Silk)
1 cup water
1 frozen banana
1 handful frozen strawberries
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 Tablespoon Agave
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein powder (I use vegan so it is dairy free)

Put ingredients in blender in order they are listed.  Blend in blender for about two minutes or until creamy.  So good, enjoy!

Banana Streusel Muffins

Banana Streusel Muffins

1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups GF flour blend**
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Streusel topping, see below

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease muffin tins or use baking cups.

In a bowl, combine flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix milk, butter, vanilla, sugar, and egg until well blended.  Add mashed bananas.  Add the flour mixture and mix well.

Spoon batter into the muffin cups.  Spoon some streusel mixture on top of each muffin.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and muffins are golden.  Remove from pan and enjoy.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Streusel Topping

1/4 cup GF flour mixture
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all ingredients with a fork until they are crumbly.  I use a mashing motion to cut the butter and combine it with the dry ingredients.

**The GF flour mixture that I used for this recipe is:

1 cup white rice flour
3/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup tapioca flour

Combine the flours well and measure out what you need for your recipe.