Gluten Free

I just posted on my other blog about my Celiac Disease. So I guess that the ingredients and recipes on this blog will be changing. Hopefully that will be able to help others who are going gluten free also!
I just started yesterday. We have lots of gluten in our house, but I was able to find things that were safe to eat.
Last night I made a quick improvise and it was really good- to me anyway (my husband liked it too). I had planned on making pizza- yum!! But none for me... So I found our corn tortilla chips (which are gluten free) and came up with the following recipe:

Pizza Nachos
corn tortilla chips
mozzarella cheese
bell pepper
pizza sauce (checked the ingredients and it was gluten free)
pepperoni (also was gluten free- the kind I had)
**You can add any topping**

In an oven safe dish- spray with PAM (gluten free). Layer chips on the bottom, pour pizza sauce over the chips, and add other toppings. I baked it on 400 for 5 minutes and it was perfect.

All very easy and I still felt like I had pizza!!!

Mexican Chicken Skillet

I got this recipe from the $5 Dinners Site- that is why there are prices. Go here to see the original post.

Ingredients
1 cup black beans ($.40)- I used canned to save time!
1 cup white rice ($.20)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles ($.50)
2 cups frozen corn ($.44) On sale last week for $.88/bag
1/2 onion, chopped ($.15)
2 cups leftover shredded chicken ($2)
1 tsp ground cumin ($.05)
1 tsp garlic powder ($.03)
Salt/Pepper
2-4 oz shredded cheddar cheese ($.65) On sale for $1.25/8 oz this week!!!
Couple Handfuls of Tortilla chips ($.50)

Directions
1. Soak 1 cup of black beans overnight, or for at least 2 hours in HOT water. Drain and rinse. Add to saucepan with at least 2 inches of water covering the beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for about an hour and a half. (You could substitute 2 cans of black beans, but they are not as healthy nor as frugal as cooking your own!)
2. Cook 1 cup of white rice.
3. In large skillet, add diced tomatoes, 2 cups frozen corn, chopped onion, shredded chicken, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Turn on medium low heat and cook for about 15 minutes while rice is cooking.
4. Once rice and black beans are finished cooking, add to the skillet with the chicken mixture. Cook for about 10 minutes, giving the flavors time to mix and mingle in the skillet!
5. Shred 2-4 oz. of favorite cheddar cheese. Stir into the casserole. (Omit if GFCFSF or casein free!) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve Mexican Chicken Skillet. Scoop with tortilla chips!

Tortilla Pie

This recipe was GREAT! I wish I had taken a picture of it... maybe next time.

Prep: 11 minutes Cook: 25 minutes

1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup chunky salsa
2 (4 or 6 ounce) cartons guacamole
1 (8 ounce) package of shredded Mexican Cheese blend

Garnish: sour cream, additional salsa, or guacamole-- we ate ours with some scoops- for added crunch!

Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well.

Place 1 tortilla in a lightly greased 9 inch round cake pan; spread with half of the bean mixture, and top with another tortilla. Spread with half of the salsa, and top with another tortilla. Spread with half of guacamole, and top with another tortilla. Sprinkle with half of shredded cheese, and top with another tortilla.

Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, except cheese. (Pan will be full.) Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes; uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 3 to 5 more minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.

I think I should have baked it a little longer than the recipe called for- it was still not warm in some areas. I would just leave it covered for a couple more minutes and it should be fine!

A Great Food Blogs

I have two food blogs that I go to often to see what they are making.

One is a friend of mine named Betsy. She has a great food blog that I would love to recommend.
Full Tummies

The other is called $5 Dinners.
She plans meals for a family of four all for under $5. We have tried a few of her recipes and they have been good!

Butterfly Cake

I made this great cake for my daughter's First birthday. It was very easy and so good!

You can go to the Betty Crocker site and watch a step-by-step video if you want to. I watched the video, but then decorated the cake how I wanted to.

Click Here for the recipe and directions as to how to make the cake and enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Pizza with Cheddar

Ingredients:
2 ears of fresh corn- or canned corn
12 ounces skinned, boned chicken breast halves
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce ( I did not measure- just used am much as I thought looked good)
1 12 inch whole wheat pizza crust ( I used a pre-made crust, but you could always make your own)
3/4 cup sliced green onions ( left these off)
1 can black beans ( I added this and they were great!)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese ( I probably used more!)

The directions for this recipe called for you to grill the chicken and the corn (if fresh). What I did for times sake was to use canned corn and I cooked the chicken in a skillet. I browned the chicken cutting it into pieces and added some BBQ sauce after it was no longer pink.
Spread BBQ sauce over the pizza crust; sprinkle with the drained corn, chicken pieces, black beans, and cheese. Bake at 425 on bottom rack for 10 minutes or until crust is brown.

This is very easy and quick.

Texas Caviar

This stuff its so good! I have made it several times for a party and just for us to eat. So healthy and yummy!!I left out the jalapeno chilies and only used a red onion instead of the first two ingredients- try it and add your own things.

NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO TEXAS CAVIAR
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bunch green onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
6 jalapeno chilies, minced
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
8 oz. bottle zesty Italian dressing
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 can corn, drained
2 cans black eyed peas, drained
Combined all ingredients and refrigerate 2 hours.

Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips.

I also make a "Ranch type" dressing that you can add to this. All I do is mix Ranch Dressing and a little Italian Dressing together. The Ranch will get diluted a bit. This adds great flavor or you can eat as is.

Berry Bean Blast

I have needed to up the amount of fiber that I eat, so a friend shared this recipe with me. I actually enjoy it. You can adjust the amount you make. I made only a cup at a time and reworked the amounts.

Makes 4 servings (about 8 ounces each)
1 can (15 ounces) Bush's Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups orange juice ( you can use milk or yogurt instead)
2 cups strawberries (frozen or fresh)
2 to 3 tablespoons honey ( or sugar)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
6 to 8 ice cubes ( no ice needed if you use frozen strawberries)

Process all ingredients in blender until smooth.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole II

This was something new that I tried and really liked it! Very easy to make too!

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup diced onion
1 (8 ounce) can chili beans, drained
6 (12 inch) flour tortillas, cut into strips
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked and shredded
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix sour cream, salsa, cream of chicken soup, onion and chili beans.
3. Layer the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with 1/3 tortilla strips. Top with 1/3 chicken, 1/3 sour cream mixture and 1/3 Cheddar cheese. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Let stand about 10 minutes, or as long as you can stand it!!! You're done!

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 546
Total Fat: 27.7g
Cholesterol: 95mg
Sodium: 1009mg
Total Carbs: 42.4g
Dietary Fiber: 3.5g
Protein: 31.7g

BUSH'S Winter White Bean Chili

I made this the other night. It was good- a little spicy (depending on the Salsa Verde that you get).

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup chopped carrots
1 pound chicken breasts, shredded, boneless, skinless
2 cups chopped zucchini
1/2 cup brown rice (not instant)
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 (4 ounce) cans mild Mexican green chiles, drained
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 (15.8 ounce) cans BUSH’S® Great Northern Beans, with liquid
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste
Shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, to taste
Green salsa verde, to taste

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium saute pan. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Cook until garlic is aromatic, approximately 5 minutes.
2. Place carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Top with chicken, onions, celery and garlic mixture.
3. Add zucchini, rice, chicken stock, chiles, cumin, and beans.
4. Cook in 4-quart slow cooker on high setting for 4 hours or until vegetables and chicken are tender.
5. Add oregano and parsley. Cook for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with desired amount of cheese and green salsa verde on top.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Servings Per Recipe: 9
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 254
Total Fat: 5.9g
Cholesterol: 31mg
Sodium: 852mg
Total Carbs: 29.6g
Dietary Fiber: 7.3g
Protein: 19.7g

White Candy Brownies

White Candy Brownies
I found this recipe here. YUM!!

1 box (1 lb 2.3 oz) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups white vanilla baking chips
1 1/2 teaspoons shortening
24 Hershey®'s Hugs® chocolates, unwrapped

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of 9-inch springform pan with shortening or cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water, eggs and 1 cup of the white baking chips about 50 strokes with spoon or until well blended. Spread in pan.
2. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Immediately place chocolate candies around edge of brownie. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Remove side of pan.
3. In small resealable food-storage plastic bag, place remaining 1/4 cup white vanilla baking chips and the shortening; seal bag. Microwave on High about 30 seconds or until chips are melted. Knead chips until smooth. Cut off small corner of bag. Drizzle melted chips over top of brownie. Arrange chocolate candies around top edge. Cut into wedges.

Confetti Corn

Confetti Corn
Recipe from: FBN Classic Recipe Collection

These were so easy to make and tasted fantastic!

6 medium tomatoes
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/3 cup chopped green onions (I left this out.)
1/3 cup chopped red pepper ( I added more because I did not use onions.)
1 package (10 oz) frozen corn, thawed
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp garlic salt

Cut 1/4 inch off top of tomatoes. Hollow out, reserving the pulp. Chop pulp into chunks; set aside. In medium skillet, heat butter. Add green onions and bell pepper and cook over medium-high heat until tender. Add corn, vinegar, tomato pulp, cilantro, and garlic salt; mix well. Heat 5 minutes or until flavors are blended. Place tomato shells in baking dish and heat on 350 for 5 minutes. Spoon tomato-corn mixture into shells.

Makes 6 servings.

Glazed Pork Chops & Apples

Glazed Pork Chops & Apples
Recipe from Favorite Brand Names Classic Recipe Collection

4 boneless pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup French's Hearty Deli Mustard
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 green or red apple, cut into small chunks ( I used a Granny Smith apple and it added a little kick.)

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork chops for 5 minutes or until browned on both sides.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until pork is not longer pink in the center and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes

Makes 4 servings.

California Baked Potatoes

Here is another easy and interesting potato side.

California Baked Potatoes

3 cold baked Idaho potatoes, cut into spears
1/2 cup Kraft Fat Free Catalina dressing
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp parsley flakes

Heat oven to 375.
Toss potato spears with dressing.
Sprinkle each spear with garlic powder and parsley. Place on cookie sheet.
Bake 20 minutes or until crispy.

Makes 6 servings.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes

Original Ranch Roasted Potatoes

I got a new cookbook for my birthday and am enjoying things I have made from it. It is called Favorite Brand Name Classic Recipe Collection. Here is an easy, good side to try:

Original Ranch Roasted Potatoes

2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 packet (1 oz) Hidden Valley Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix

Place potatoes in a gallon-sized zipper storage bag. Pour oil over the potatoes, seal the bag, and toss to coat. Add salad dressing mix; seal bag and toss again until coated. Bake in ungreased baking pan at 450 for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are brown and crisp.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Taco Soup

This was soooo good! It comes from the Southern Living Slow-cooker Cookbook. I liked it with the sour cream and cheese. It helped with all the flavors.

Taco Soup

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 cup chopped red onion (I left it out- allergies)
1 (1.25oz) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1 oz) envelope Ranch-style dressing mix
2 (15.25 oz) cans whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (16 oz) can pinto beans, undrained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, undrained
2 (10 oz) cans chili-style diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1 (12 oz) can light beer
1 1/2 cups water.
Toppings: shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, cilantro

1. Cook beef and onion in a large skillet over medium high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and in no longer pink; drain.
2. Combine meat mixture, taco seasoning, and next 7 ingredients in a 5 1/2 quart slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours. Serve with toppings.

Makes 16 cups.