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My Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Gluten free chocolate chip oatmeal cookies
The best gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipes on GFG.


It's a cool rainy Sunday here in West Hollywood. I am sipping a hot coconut milk chai to the velvet croon of Chet Baker. And I am thinking about cookies. Not just any cookies. Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. The best of the best. Sifting through my variations like a saxophone player in the groove of a beat. How do I like them best? That is the question. Because cookies will be baked today. And I've got a handful of chocolate chip cookie recipes to choose from. I've got choices.

Maybe I'll go with a classic style, bumpy with heavenly chunks of a vegan dark chocolate bar. Or the slightly chewy-crisp favorites made with gluten-free rolled oats from Bob's Red Mill. Wait. But then I remember my buckwheat flour chocolate chip cookies. Slightly sweet and verging on cakey. Perfect with a glass of cold vanilla rice milk. And then, to make matters even more complicated, I suddenly crave my quinoa flake cookie dough seductively studded with dark chocolate chips.

Decisions. Decisions.


Read more + get the recipe >>
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I'm Feelin' the Love & Something New


First of all, I am excited to have received not one but three Stylish Blog Awards! I'm feelin' the love, friends! Thanks so much to Holly @ Life as a Lofthouse, Desi @ Steak N' Potatoes Kinda Gurl, and Cassandra @ Butter and Oven Mitts. I love doing these and reading these because you get to know more about the bloggers.
Rules...
Thank the person who gave you the award with a link back to them.
Share 7 things about yourself.
Award my favorite bloggers,
Contact those you awarded.
7 Things About Me...(in no certain order)
1. I love Diet Coke. With a passion.
2. I love reading. Especially Joanne Fluke stuff. I am currently reading Catching Fire from The Hunger Games series. Intense.
3. I really really want to go on vacation to Disneyland with my hubby and kids. They are in that stage where everything is magical.
4. I love blogging. I love that I get to "meet" so many awesome people. I could totally hang out with some of the gals I've met. We'd have a food party!
5. I love my night time television. I am hooked on CSI, Teen Mom, Lifetime channel movies, to name a few.
6. I have such an addiction to collecting cookbooks. I love the Pioneer Woman's and I've pre-ordered Our Best Bites and can't wait to get it.
7. I love Reminisce Magazine. I would love a time machine so I could go visit the 1930's to 1950's. So that magazine is as close as I'm gonna get.

Now for some bloggers I love...
 Maria @ Rainy Day Farm
Jen @ How To Simplify
Tina @ Mommy's Kitchen
The Girls @ Eighteen25
Mary @ Deep South Dish
Cindy @ Skip to My Lou

So there you have it.
Now on the the something new...I'm excited to announce Totally Tasty Tuesdays here on Mandy's Recipe Box.
It will start this coming Tuesday. I have loved participating in other blog parties where you can share your recipes and find some great ones from other bloggers as well. So come back each Tuesday to share your recipes or just find some awesome recipes from awesome bloggers.
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Onion Rings

I have never made homemade onions rings until now. I know. Was I crazy? Yes. They are going to be made more often now. I can't even look at the frozen kind you cook in the oven. Nope. Not a glance. These are incredible. I completely ate them all. Well, my husband had a few. Anyone who knows me, knows that I can out eat my 6 foot, two hundred something hubby. It's what I do.


Onion Rings
3/4 c. corn starch
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. water
1 egg
Mix all together and dip onion slices in to coat. Fry in oil in a fryer or a skillet. Drain on paper towels.
*I dip these in Fry Sauce. Just mix some mayo and ketchup together. Or BBQ Sauce and mayo is good, too!


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Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Scones

Gluten free cinnamon raisin scones are lovely with tea
A warm gluten-free scone. Hot tea. Breakfast bliss.

Are you sick of the snow yet? My heart goes out to you. So many of you have been hammered this winter. Spring will arrive this year not a moment too soon. My advice? Bake some scones. Scones are easy to throw together. The oven warms up the kitchen and chases off the chill. And in less than half an hour you have a tender gluten-free morsel to share and savor. Gently spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and studded with sweet bursts of raisins, I predict these cinnamon raisin scones will make you smile.

And speaking of predictions, Punxsutawney Phil better man up and predict an early respite come February 2. My fingers are crossed for all of you shoveling out from under. Not that I'm superstitious, or subscribe to the precognitive powers of double furred rodents, but. I remember the long dreary bouts of cold and gray all too well. I spent almost fifty-five years in the grip of Old Man Winter, praying the illustrious marmot would not see his shadow.

Will we have an early spring?

I hope so, Darlings. I hope so.


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Peanut Butter Cornflakes

My neighbor made these when we went up the canyon one summer and I fell in love. Such a gooey treat! Peanut butter and gooey-ness just say, "Eat me! I'm delicious!" I always double these and they still don't last long enough.


Peanut Butter Cornflakes
1 c. sugar
1 c. corn syrup
1 1/4 c. peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
4 c. corn flakes
Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a large saucepan and let it boil about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Add the cornflakes. Drop onto wax paper and let set up. Break apart and store in an airtight container.


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Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Stew with Sausage

Gluten free stew recipe for the slow cooker - with vegan options
Hearty and tasty gluten-free slow cooker stew.

Here's a bright and delicious slow cooker stew recipe with sausages - and it's tasty using any sausage you choose, from free-range roaming buffalo to furry-friendly vegan. Scrumptious. Seriously. Make it for the Big Game. You know, the one with a pigskin ball and helmeted men in shiny tights. Throw all the ingredients in a Crock Pot and go root for your favorite tight end. Make a hot artichoke dip and grab some gluten-free chips. Game on.

Go Cubs!

Okay I confess. I'm not watching the game. Game fever is something utterly, totally beyond me. Apparently I lack a few mirror neurons. Sports? Yawn. I dare you to make me comprehend football. Go ahead. Try. Many have tread that tortuous path and failed, my friend. Great minds have worked tirelessly to convey the rules, to communicate the strategy. The triumph. The back field in motion and the blitz.

But what they don't realize? Deep down inside my private tiny girl heart- my neurons don't CARE. They really don't. And I know you think that if only I let you explain The Game to me I would finally, miraculously, ecstatically get it! And paint my face red and blue, but. It's never going to happen.

It's a non-conforming neuron issue.

So, the Patriots? Are they the soccer team Mel Gibson coaches? Excuse me while I alphabetize my spice rack.


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Gingerbread with Caramel Sauce - and change....



It's fairly obvious that I have been an absentee blogger lately, but I do have my reasons. Or excuses at least... The holiday season was a busy for hubby & I (like it is for 99.9% of the rest of the world), but then throw into the mix the preparations for a month-long trip through Europe and wrapping up parts of one life so that a new one can begin. You see, a little over a year ago, right
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Cheesy Baked Penne with Ham

I was going through Recipe Girl's site and came across this incredible dish. Cheesy Baked Penne. Cheesy is the word that caught my eye. That's all I needed to know. I make this dish when I have ham to use up. I also buy ham just to make this. It is so creamy and gooey. It is a must make in my kitchen. If you try it, it will be on your "make again" list. I tweaked it a little to suit our taste.


 Cheesy Baked Penne
Sauce:
4 cups 2% milk
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 freshly ground pepper, to taste
 PASTA:
1 pound penne pasta, cooked until tender yet still firm to the bite
1 cup frozen peas
1 ½ cups diced ham
1 cup diced provolone cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Prepare sauce: Heat milk in a medium saucepan until small bubbles form around the edges. In a larger saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir well. Continue to cook, stirring, until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly begin adding hot milk to the large saucepan, whisking constantly while adding. Sauce will start out lumpy and become smooth as milk is incorporated. Stir in freshly ground pepper. Turn heat up to medium and bring sauce to a simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the pasta.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking dish.(I used a 9x13 dish)
3. Assemble the dish: In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta with the sauce. Stir in peas, ham, provolone and ¾ cup of the grated Parmesan. Scrape the mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
4. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until sauce is bubbling around the edges and the center is hot (about 10 minutes more). Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.




I cannot get over that cheesy goodness! It's not exaggerated. At all.


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Warm Coleslaw with Chili-Lime Dressing

Warm winter coleslaw with chili lime dressing
Warm winter coleslaw recipe kicked up with chili sauce, lime and mint.

Need a little kick to warm your chilled winter bones? How about a warm and slightly spicy coleslaw with crunchy cabbage, chili, lime and ginger? It's a healthy vegan side dish your body will love. And the best part is, it's easy to throw together. You can do it in no time flat. Which is why I always keep a cabbage in the fridge (don't you, Darling?). You never know when hunger pangs will strike, what with all this detoxing and sugar shunning and working out with Jane Fonda's Prime Time DVD -- which I must confess, I love to pieces. Jane is gentle and warm and encouraging (I don't respond well to bullying and drill sergeant meanies, do you?).

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Popovers

Ever since seeing Popovers on an episode of $40 a Day with Rachael Ray (which I think Food Network needs to start filming again!) I have wanted to taste them. They just look so good. And they are. I finally made some and I wasn't disappointed. You can eat them so many different ways. I shared some with my neighbor across the street and she asked me how to eat them. She'd never had them either. You can serve them with butter and jam, flavored butters (just whip together butter and jam or flavored syrup like raspberry) sprinkled with powdered sugar, or with a light glaze over the top. Whatever you want to do, try it!


Popovers
4 eggs
2 c. milk
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
Whisk eggs by hand, until light in color but not fluffy. About 1 minute. Add milk and whisk. Add flour and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until moist. Lumps are fine. Pour into greased muffin cups, almost to the top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Don't open the oven while baking or they will fall. Remove and put on a cold burner or wire rack. Immediately poke the sides with a knife to let the steam escape. Let them stand. Makes 12.


Crunchy on the outside...


Amazing on the inside.


I shared these on Mommy's Kitchen Potluck Sunday 
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Spice Creation Winner...


Thanks to all who entered the Create Your Own Spice Set Giveaway sponsored by Spices Inc. The winner is Mom24 who said she would call her set "Mexico--Beyond the Basics" and included the following:
Manzanillo Mexican Seasoning
Achiote Seed
Adobo Seasoning
Adobo Lime Rub
Ancho Powder
New Mexico Chili Powder
Chipotle Honey Rub
Coriander Seed Powder
Southwest Seasoning
Mexican Oregano
"As my family's tastes have evolved, along with my cooking, we find ourselves exploring mexican/tex-mex more and more. I'm very intrigued with southwestern flavors, but a bit limited by our supermarket's selection of spices."
I've sent you an email Mom24. Congrats! 
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Evil Chicken Dinner

Evil because it's got 1 cup of brown sugar in it plus bacon plus you can't stop eating it. It's evil. Evil, evil, evil. Bad dinner. Not really, though. It's delicious.



Ingredients
1 lb. bacon, cut into pieces
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
3 Tbsp. chili powder
1 c. brown sugar
up to 1/2 c. water as needed
cooked rice

Directions
  • Cook the bacon in a large skillet until nearly done; don't drain. 
  • Stir in chicken & chili powder; Cook until cooked through. 
  • Add sugar & cook until dissolved and sauce begins to thicken, about 4-5 minutes. Be careful once the sugar is added not to let it turn to toffee. 
  • Add water to thin the sauce, but keep in mind the sauce is more of a coating.
  •  Serve over hot rice.





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Chocolate-Strawberry Smoothie - Vegan + Dairy-Free

chocolate strawberry smoothie
Chocolate and strawberries - antioxidant power.

On a detox kick but craving something fabulous? Have I got a seductive and sexy smoothie recipe for you. If you love chocolate dipped strawberries, this dairy-free breakfast treat has your name on it. Rich in antioxidants (organic cocoa powder anyone?) and dairy-free to boot, this vegan breakfast tastes more like dessert than the robust boost of protein that it is.

Sip it like the goddess you are. Feel fabulous.

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Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Fries

Baked sweet potto fried, shoestring style
Easy, tasty gluten-free sweet potato fries baked with spices.

Like my pal Kalyn I'm a big fan of sweet potatoes. And sweet potato fries. Kalyn's recipe has a different spice blend than mine but our recipes are quite similar. Check out hers if you don't happen to care for my particular spices. Or get down-and-dirty personal and make up your own signature concoction.

Cooking is all about making recipes your own. Developing your own tastes. Your likes and dislikes. Cooking is flexible. And highly personal. It's not precise like, say, brain surgery. Unless you're baking something fussy. Baking folks swear by precision. But I've never actually been that kind of cook. I'm intuitive. I fly by the seat of my jeans. I look at a glistening picture of pasta and vegetables and I feel inspired. I open my pantry and get juiced to play the What If? Game.

What if I take this ingredient and add it to that ingredient? I wonder. What would that taste like? Then the fun begins.

How do you cook?

Do you wing it like Chet Baker? Or do you prefer a road map, with precise direction?


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Detox Green Soup Recipe with Broccoli, Spinach and Ginger

Detox green soup recipe with broccoli and spinach and ginger
Detoxing from your holiday sugar fest? Try this vegan green soup with ginger.

I'm not perfect. Goddess knows. Especially during the long pale days of Winter. When I am a slug. Motivation is tricky to summon. I loll on the couch with my iPad and expend as few calories as possible, doing nothing more than watching House Hunters International as I read through your ever delightful comments. I scoop guacamole with homemade pecan crackers and conjure recipes for detox green soup as I follow tall young Cincinnatians ducking into tiny Italian kitchens the size of my corner sofa, daunted by the lack of plumbing but in love with the sun baked view of a tangled vineyard through open shutters. I mute the unintentionally absurd commercial for Cialis, trying to imagine why any woman over the age of fifty would even want to deal with 24-hour tumescence before I realize I have eaten a giant avocado.

All by myself.

I don't beat myself up. I know the bottom line. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I am not naive. Perfection is unattainable. No matter what the ad men tell you. And it's not perfection I seek. Though, in full transparency, I used to nurture an inclination toward seeking perfection in my long ago first marriage, but the wrecking ball named irony hit too hard to ignore. Turns out my first husband preferred someone decidedly not perfect. Someone sporting iridescent teal eye shadow and fond of dancing drunk with married men at Chamber of Commerce Christmas parties. That taught me a thing or two. Or three.

The thing about perfection is that no one cares.

And neither does your soul. In fact, your soul loves to throw a monkey headlong into your perfect plan. You know the monkey I'm talking about. The monkey who misses deadlines and loses car keys and eats an entire bowl of guacamole in one sitting (or laying down, as the case may be). So much for resolutions and diet strategies. Monkey WIN!

But just in case you're serious about cleansing those fat little liver cells and whittling away your holiday pie roll, I did make a detox soup. And yes, it was green. And cruciferously abundant in vegan veggie wonderfulness.

It made us feel happy.

And well fed.

Quite virtuous.

But not perfect.

Because perfection, Darling, is not only unattainable.

Perfection is highly overrated.


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Giveaway...Your Own Customized Spices!

This contest is closed. Winner will be notified.
I am teaming up with Spices Inc. to bring you this awesome giveaway. Spices Inc. has generously offered one of you the chance to win your own customized set of spices. How cool is that? Here's what you do: go to Spices Inc. and create your very own 10 jar spice set. These would need to be 10 spices, dried herbs, extracts, salts or chiles that they carry (organic or non organic it doesn’t matter). Then you need to come up with a creative name for that set, mentioning why you chose those spices, herbs, etc. Leave all that in a comment for me (with your email address) and we shall see who wins. Greg Patterson, the founder and CEO of Spices Inc. will choose a winner based on the most unique and creative collection. 










The winner will receive their collection and they will even add it to their web site in the spice set section under limited edition spice sets. They will also give you credit (i.e. this limited edition spice set was created by Jane D. of Menlo Park, California). I'm totally jealous of the one who wins.

This giveaway will end Wed. January 12th at midnight. Good Luck!



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Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas

All right! Something that isn't a sweet! Finally. I've had my share of treats over the holidays and I'm ready to back off. I heard about this recipe from a friend of mine and I'm so happy I did. I believe it is my new favorite enchilada. I think it tastes even better the next day as leftovers. The flavors have settled so good by then. Make these tonight. That's your assignment for the day.


Ingredients
6 Tbsp. honey
4.5 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 lb cooked chicken, shredded (you can also use shredded pork. That's what I did here.)
8-10 flour tortillas
colby or monterey jack cheese, shredded
16oz. green enchilada sauce

Mix first 4 ingredients together and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least a half hour. Pour some green enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in the dish. Pour the rest of the can of green enchilada sauce over enchiladas then sprinkle with more cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (Put it under the broiler at the end to make the cheese brown and crispy on the top.)


Those brown spots on the cheese are what you're going for. 


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