Chocolate Pixies

Chocolate Pixies are chocolate cookies that are rolled in powdered sugar before baked. My Grandma made this recipes for years for Christmas. She always kept them in Christmas cookie tins and had them on the counter whenever we would visit her. They are delicious and Christmastime requires for me to make them and remember my dear Grandmother.

Chocolate Pixies


Photo found here.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups GF flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
------
Powdered sugar

HOW TO PREPARE:
In a medium-sized bowl, blend together oil, 2 cups sugar, and melted chocolate.

Blend in eggs and vanilla. Then mix in flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in walnuts, if desired.

Chill in the fridge for 1 hour, covered. Use a cookie scoop to form cookies and roll them in powdered sugar. Place on a parchment-paper lined cookie pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops crack and the cookies are cooked through. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Buttermilk Pie

Just in time for Thanksgiving, I am sharing this recipe for Buttermilk Pie with you! I found the recipe here. When I tried this pie, my first thought was: Where has this pie been all my life?! It is that good.

Buttermilk Pie

Photo found here.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large (9 inch) GF pie crust

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons of GF flour

3 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Nutmeg – to dash on top

HOW TO PREPARE:

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare pie pan with pie crust.

Cream together butter and sugar. Once fully combined and slightly fluffy, add flour and eggs.

Mix well. You can use a hand mixer for this, or beat with a fork until fully combined and smooth. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated.

Pour into prepared pie crust. Dash nutmeg on top.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 – or until done. A fork or toothpick inserted into the middle should come out cleanly. The pie will still be slightly jiggly after baking.

Allow time to cool and set before serving, usually an hour at the very least.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been getting a bit tired of the regular Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe, so when I saw this recipe then I jumped on it. And I so glad that I made them because they were delicious!









Chocolate Chip Cookies:

24 Servings

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-2/3 cups GF flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions
In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light
and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda
and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in
chocolate chips and walnuts.

Use ice cream scoop to scoop out uniform cookie dough portions onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Press a shallow indentation in the center of each
with your thumb, reshaping sides to smooth any cracks.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-11minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks; cool.
Yield: 2 dozen.

Crockpot Frito Pie

My best friend, Nichole, made a casserole dish of this recipe and I adapted it for in the crockpot. It is simple and delicious.

Crockpot Frito Pie

My photo

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef (can substitute other ground meats)

1 onion, minced

2 cans pork and beans

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

Fritos

Shredded cheese

How to prepare:

In a large skillet, brown beef with onion. When cooked through, stir into a crockpot. Stir in pork and beans, brown sugar, and ketchup. Turn on high for two hours. Serve over Fritos and top with shredded cheese, if desired. 

Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)

Because my husband served his LDS mission in Taiwan, I have been wanting to make more Taiwanese food for dinner. Pinterest makes it so easy! I found this recipe and made it last week. My family LOVED it. The flavors are so wonderful. The only change I would make is to use boneless chicken next time.

Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)
Ingredients
1/4 cup Asian sesame oil
One (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
12-15 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1-2 fresh Thai red chilis, stemmed and halved (I omitted these)
2 pounds skin-on chicken drumsticks, thighs, and/or wings, either chopped into 3-inch, bone-in pieces, or thighs halved along along the bone, wings split at the joint, and drumsticks left whole
1/2 cup white grape juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves (from 1 large bunch)
Steamed white rice, for serving
Procedures

Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add ginger, garlic, and chilis and cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add chicken pieces to the skillet in a single layer and cook, tilting the pan if necessary to submerge all pieces in the oil, for 1 minute. Flip chicken pieces and cook for 1 minute longer.

Add white grape juice, soy sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to a simmer. Partially cover the skillet to prevent splashes of oil and cook, turning the chicken pieces every few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir in Thai basil and remove from heat. Serve immediately with rice. Make sure you spoon some of the sauce over the rice. That's liquid gold!

Note: My kids didn't like eating the garlic cloves or the ginger slices. You might consider removing those before serving. I also might mince the garlic next time for more flavor.

Brazilian Barbacoa Beef

We had company coming to visit, so I whipped this up in my crockpot. We had enough to feed 11 people TWICE! We had it in tortillas and over tortilla chips and then later over fritos. I made refried beans to go with it, and had shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, and sour cream. EVERYONE loved it. This recipe is a keeper. I found the recipe here.

Brazilian Barbacoa Beef
INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs stew beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 small white onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup beef broth or water

HOW TO PREPARE:

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker. Toss gently to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily when shredded with a fork.

Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces inside of the slow cooker. Toss the beef with the juices, then cover and let the barbacoa beef soak up the juices for an extra 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.  Use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to serve the barbacoa beef.

If not using immediately, refrigerate the barbacoa beef with its juices in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Cake

There are so many recipes for Chocolate Cake. This was one that I had clipped from my Taste of Home magazine and since we had company coming over, I thought I would give it a go. I'm so glad I did! It was a HUGE hit. I was in a hurry so I frosted the cake when it was a little bit warm. The result? It was similar to a molten chocolate lava cake at Chili's. Delicious! I found the recipe online here.

3 layers of chocolate bliss.

Chocolate Cake
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour (I used half of my Millet Sorghum flour and half of my Best results flour recipes)
3/4 cup baking cocoa
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups sour cream
1-1/3 cups boiling water (I used Choffy instead)
FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
5 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

HOW TO PREPARE:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Stir in water (or Choffy) until blended.
3. Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For frosting, bring water to a boil in a pot and then top with a double boiler pan. Melt butter and chocolates; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
5. In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 16 servings.

Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple Rice

I made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit with every single member of my family. Tyler was excited he even had some leftover for lunch tomorrow. This is definitely a keeper! I found the recipe here.

Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple Rice
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups white rice
2 cups canned pineapple chunks, undrained (must be juice, not syrup)
2/3 cup chopped chives
6 tablespoons butter or oil
12 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon brown sugar
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

HOW TO PREPARE:
In a rice cooker, pour in 2 cups white rice. Use the pineapple juice from the can as part of the water you put in the rice cooker. Cook rice in rice cooker. When the rice is done cooking, stir in pineapple chunks, chives, and butter. Close the lid and keep it on warm.

In an electric skillet, whisk next 3 ingredients. Add chicken, cover and cook over medium, 8 minutes. Uncover, turn chicken and cook over medium-low, basting, until sauce thickens and chicken is firm and cooked through, about 7 minutes. Serve with rice.

Locrio

After my brother taught me to make La Bandera, I began to seek out other Dominican dishes from the DR. I found this recipe here and I am so glad I made it! I served it with fried plantains. I found the recipe here.

Locrio
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2½ cups rice
1 tsp garlic paste
¼ tsp oregano powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tbsp adobo seasoning
¼ cups Mojo criollo  
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp tomato bouillon with chicken flavor 
1 tbsp tomato paste
2-3 sprigs of cilantro
2 tbsp olives and capers
3 cups water

HOW TO PREPARE:
Wash and dry your chicken. Put in a bowl. Stir in the garlic paste and the oregano. Add the adobo, mojo criollo, and the onion powder. Stir this all well and let it marinate for at least an hour (Overnight is better) in the refrigerator.

Take the chicken out of fridge and bring to room temperature. When ready, heat up your electric skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tbs of oil. Add the tsp of sugar. We want the sugar to caramelize, it gives the chicken a nice golden color and won't leave a sweet taste on the chicken. When the sugar has caramelized immediately add the chicken. Put the chicken in 1 layer and don't move it around. Let the chicken fry and get browned. Flip the chicken over and allow the other side to brown. Add 3 tbsp of water, which will braise the chicken and bring out the flavors. When the water evaporates, add 3 more tbsp of water and wait for it to evaporate. You don't want the chicken to overcook and fall apart.

It is time to season the water. Add 1/2 cup water. Make sure you scrape down those sides. To the water add 1 tbsp of tomato paste and some cilantro. Add the chicken bouillon powder. Mix it in well, but do this gently.

Continue on now by adding the olives and capers. I don't like olives, so I just put in capers. Add the rest of the water (2 1/2 cups) bring the water to a full boil. While the water comes to a boil, take your rice and rinse it a few times under running water. Set the rice aside. When the water is boiling, then add the rice. Add the last tbsp of oil. Now it's the waiting game. We will wait for the rice to absorb all the liquid. Don't stir at all.

Once the water has been absorbed, lower the heat, and take a piece of foil and place it on top of the skillet. Continue by putting the cover. Let it cook slowly about 35-40 minutes. If the rice isn't cooked through, add some more water and repeat the steps. I had to do this once. Serve this arroz con pollo with some beans and a side of fried plantains.

Indiana Fair Corn Dogs

Ever since I switched to eating GF, I have missed just having a hot dog. You know? A hot dog in a bun with some ketchup, maybe a little shredded cheese. Yes! So good. But I haven't mastered a roll dough that would work for hotdogs. But, I now have an alternative: corndogs. And maaaaaaan, are they good! I found the recipe here.

Indiana Fair Corn Dogs
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Cook: 5 min./batch YIELD:12-16 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup GF flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Dash of pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk
Oil for deep-fat frying
12 to 16 wooden skewers
12 to 16 hot dogs

HOW TO PREPARE:
1. In a bowl, whisk the first eight ingredients. Whisk in egg and milk just until blended. I found that I  needed more than just one cup of evaporated milk to get the right consistency - think thinner pancake batter. Transfer batter to a tall drinking glass.
2. In an electric skillet, heat oil to 375°. Insert skewers into hot dogs. Dip hot dogs into batter; allow excess batter to drip off. Fry corn dogs, a few at a time, 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately. Yield: 12 to 16 corn dogs.
Nutritional Facts
1 corn dog equals 260 calories, 19 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 42 mg cholesterol, 704 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 8 g protein.

Millet Sorghum Flour Recipe

This is my current favorite flour recipe. I love the color and the texture that millet provides. I have used it to make cookies, waffles, and corndogs. So fun!

Millet Sorghum Flour Recipe
2 cups sorghum flour
2 cups tapioca flour
1 cup millet flour
4 tsp xanthan gum

Mix together and store in an airtight container.

Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream

My favorite store-bought ice cream is Blue Bell Cherry Vanilla. It is super tasty. But as you may know, Blue Bell has pulled their ice cream off the shelves. And we are rapidly approaching summer, people. SO! I decided to alter my fruit ice cream recipe from my mother-in-law, and make my own Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream. And let me tell you - it is delicious!

Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS:
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 pint whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 jar maraschino cherries, undrained
Whole milk
Rock salt
Ice

HOW TO PREPARE:
Pour the maraschino cherry juice into the ice cream maker. Stir in whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk. Add vanilla. 

On a cutting board, slice cherries in half and stir in the ice cream maker. Fill milk to fill line. 

Put in paddle and put on lid. Put the can inside the bucket. Put motor on top of ice cream and secure in place. Sprinkle rock salt along the bottom of the bucket around the can. Top salt with ice cubes. Repeat layers until the ice is almost the same height as the lid of the bucket. Plug in the freezer and wait around 20-40 minutes or until the motor stops. Take off lid and enjoy.

One of the great things about this recipe - as compared to other ice cream recipes that I have made - is that it is easier to scoop out after you refreeze it in your freezer.

Coconut Tres Leches Cake Trifle

I was looking to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year with some Tres Leches Cake. While perusing Pinterest, I found this recipe. I knew I had to try it out. I was concerned that this would have too much coconut, but it was just right. This recipe is work, but worth it.

Coconut Tres Leches Cake Trifle

These are my own photos.

Coconut Pastry Cream:

1 can (14-ounces) coconut milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoons vanilla extract

pinch salt

3 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons corn starch

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Cake:

1 cup white sugar, divided

5 egg yolks

5 egg whites

1/3 cup coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 cup flour (I used this recipe)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Whipped Cream Ingredients & Extras:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

6 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups toasted coconut for assembly and topping

Tres Leches Mixture:

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup evaporated milk

3/4 cup coconut milk

HOW TO PREPARE:

First up, make the pastry cream so it can chill in the refrigerator. In a medium saucepan combine the coconut milk, sugar, salt and vanilla. Heat the mixture over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch. When the coconut milk mixture comes to a simmer, slowly ladle about 1/2 a cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking vigorously and constantly so the eggs don't scramble and form hard, cooked bits. Add the entire egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and whisk constantly while the mixture cooks over medium heat for 3-4 minutes; it will thicken considerably. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and coconut extract. Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until completely chilled, 3-4 hours (you can speed up this process by placing the bottom of the bowl in an ice water bath and stirring the pastry cream constantly until cool). Once the pastry cream has cooled completely, beat the 1/2 cup whipping cream until thick and creamy. Fold it gently into the pastry cream until combined. Refrigerate the pastry cream until ready to assemble the trifle.

While the pastry cream is chilling (before folding in the whipped cream), make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease two round cake pans. Measure your trifle dish to determine what size is needed. My trifle dish would only fit an 8-inch round cake layer so I baked mine in 8-inch layers but some trifle dishes are larger and could work with 9-inch cake layers.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with the 3/4 cup granulated sugar until they are light and thick, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the coconut milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract, flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl whip the egg whites until foamy. While beating, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 12-14 minutes (watch closely!) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn the cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the whipped cream, combine the cream and sugar together in a medium bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.

To assemble, whisk together the condensed milk, evaporated milk and coconut milk (or be like me and shake it all up in a canning jar with a lid). Place one cake layer in the bottom of the trifle dish, flattest side up. Poke holes all over the cake with a fork. Pour 3/4 cup of the milk mixture over the cake gradually, swirling the trifle dish back and forth to cover the cake with the milk mixture and adding the rest of the milk as the first layer soaks in. You can refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the milk soak in or just keep swirling and poking the cake until the mixture settles in. Top with 1/2 of the coconut pastry cream, 1/3 of the toasted coconut and 1/2 of the whipped cream.

Poke holes all over the flattest side of the 2nd cake layer (before you put it in the trifle dish). Set the cake layer over the whipped cream layer (with the flattest side up; the side you poked all over) and pour 3/4 cup of the milk mixture over the cake, again, pouring it on gradually and swirling to distribute the milk mixture. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes if needed to help the milk mixture absorb into the cake. Top with the rest of the coconut pastry cream, 1/3 of the toasted coconut, the remainder of the whipped cream and sprinkle with the last of the coconut. YIELD: SERVES 10

Refrigerate for at least 12 hours (or up to 24 hours) before serving. Serve chilled.

Ham Loaf

Ham Loaf:
INGREDIENTS:
1lb ground ham
½ lb ground stew beef
½ lb pork sausage
2 eggs
½ cup tomato juice
½ cup milk
1 cup gluten free bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and place in large greased loaf pan.

Sauce:
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup ketchup
½ cup tomato juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp prepared mustard
In a saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Pour half of sauce over loaf. Bake for 2 hours (Yes TWO hours). After 1 hour, I take it out and pour the juice off the loaf and then pour the rest of the sauce over the loaf and bake it another hour.

German Spaghetti

I got this recipe from my college roommate, Kristina. I've never seen another recipe like it since - quite different and quite tasty!

German Spaghetti:
1 pkg brown rice gluten free spaghetti
Bacon (use as much or as little as you like)
Eggs (I use 6-8)
1-2 cups shredded cheese
Parmesan cheese
Soy sauce

Boil the spaghetti, while it’s boiling, fry the bacon. Drain most of the grease. Leave bacon in the pan. Whisk eggs in a bowl and stir in cheese. Add egg/cheese mixture to bacon. Cook until eggs are almost cooked. Drain the spaghetti. Add noodles to the pan with eggs. Fry all together until the eggs are fully cooked. Add some parmesan cheese and soy sauce to taste.

Moroccan Garbanzo Bean Stew

I found this recipe in this book. It was very satisfying! In fact, I have loved every recipe that I have made from this book. I highly recommend it!

Moroccan Garbanzo Bean Stew
2 cups dried garbanzo beans
3 tbsp oil
2 large onions
3 minced garlic cloves
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
Salt
Pepper

HOW TO PREPARE:
Rinse beans in a colander and place them in a mixing bowl covered with cold water. Allow beans to soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Or place beans in to a sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and soak beans for 1 hour. With either soaking method, drain beans, discard soaking water, and begin cooking as soon as possible.

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Scrape mixture into the slow cooker.

Place drained beans in the slow cooker. Add tomatoes and stock, and stir well. Cook on Low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3 1/2-4 hours, or until garbanzo beans are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper for the last hour of cooking time.

Note: the dish can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it, covered, over low heat until hot, stirring occasionally.

Sausage Blinchiki

In my quest to try out more Russian dishes, I decided to try something I ate in Ukraine while I was adopting my twins. Sausage Blinchiki is making Russian crepes with cooked sausage and onions inside. This simple dish is very satisfying and my children quickly scarfed them down! I found the recipe here, but I altered it a bit to my liking. I believe that the difference between crepes and blinchiki is that the Russian version has more eggs in it. 

We ate them with roasted potatoes. And ketchup - because the Russians LOVE ketchup!

Sausage Blinchiki

Ingredients for Filling

2 lb ground sausage

1-2 onions, diced

Salt

Pepper

Ingredients for Blinchiki

2 cups whole milk

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups flour (I used this recipe)

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp powdered sugar

HOW TO PREPARE:

Saute the onions and add the ground sausage. Salt and pepper the meat to your liking.

The blinchiki are extremely easy to make. Beat the milk, eggs, flour, salt, and powdered sugar together until a uniform mixture.

Lightly butter or use some oil spray to grease an electric skillet (medium heat). Ladle in the batter into the center of the pan and spread it out evenly over the bottom to form a very thin layer. Similar to the way you would prepare crepes.

As soon as the batter on top no longer flows, flip the blinchik and cook for an additional 30 seconds. You don’t want to burn the dough, it shouldn’t take longer than 1-2 minutes to prepare one blinchik.

Once you have a stack you can start wrapping the blinchiki. Place one table spoon of the filling slightly off center of the blinchik and wrap it tightly to make sure it doesn't fall apart.

Place them in a pot or a covered bowl and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

Right before serving, lightly fry the blinchiki on some vegetable oil on both sides until golden brown. I fried them in the electric skillet where I browned the sausage and onions. 

Chicken Paprikash

I am venturing out and trying some new meals from around the world. This dish is Hungarian! Now, I didn't make Nokedli, which traditionally goes with Paprikash. Instead, I made mashed potatoes. And it was a sumptuous meal! I found the recipe here. The second day I used the leftovers and pour it over rice. Super tasty - my husband was thrilled to take it in to work for lunch.

My photo.

Over rice. Yummy!

Chicken Paprikash 
(serves 6-8 people)
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs chicken drumsticks
1 onion, diced
2-3 tbsp Hungarian paprika
salt and pepper
6 cups water/chicken broth (I did half water and half chicken broth)
1/4 cup flour (I used this recipe)
1/2 cup sour cream
Mashed potatoes

HOW TO PREPARE:
To make the chicken paprikash, season (generously) the chicken with salt, pepper, and the paprika.

In an electric skillet, brown the chicken over medium heat on all sides, and cover with diced onions.

Allow the onions to soften.

Pour water (you could use half chicken broth if you wanted) over the top until the chicken and onions are covered.  Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low.  Allow the mixture to simmer for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone delicious.  Remove the chicken and allow to cool.  Put the 1/4 C flour in a medium bowl and slowly add small amounts of the broth until you form a thick paste.  Keep mixing and adding more broth until the “roux” (not really a roux, but close) is thin enough to add directly back to the pot.

Once the chicken has cooled a bit, remove the bones and other stuff you don’t want to eat, and return the chicken to the pot.

Once the paprikash is cooled enough, add the sour cream.

Top mashed potatoes with the chicken paprikash.  Sprinkle with paprika and enjoy!

Orange Chicken

I was craving some Chinese food a few months ago and saw this recipe on Pinterest. I tweaked it a bit, to make it my own. I have made this twice and it never looks as pretty as the picture from where I got it, but it tastes fantastic! To go with the chicken, I cook some rice in my rice cooker. I substitute out some of the water with orange juice and I add some orange peel, too. I like to mix frozen peas into the rice, as well.

Picture found here.

Orange Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
2 cup chicken broth
1 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp orange peel
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water

For the chicken:
3 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
1 1/2 c. cornstarch
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 c. vegetable oil

HOW TO PREPARE:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, lightly spray two 9x13 inch glass pans, set aside.

In a medium size mixing bowl (or a 4 c. measuring cup), whisk together the chicken broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, ginger, and black pepper, set aside.

Place the cubes of chicken into a bowl with the whisked eggs, toss the chicken (taking care to let the egg drip off it) into a large ziplock bag full of the cornstarch. Zip and shake until evenly coated.

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Working in batches (3-4), add the chicken and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

Add the fried chicken to the prepared 9x13 pans. Whisk together a slurry of 2 tbsp. of cornstarch and 2 tbsp. of water, add to the sauce and then pour over the chicken. Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Remove and serve immediately.

NOTES
-This dish is best baked to help develop the flavor of the sauce, to thicken it and to make the chicken nice and tender. If you're in a time crunch, you can fry the chicken and heat the sauce (with the cornstarch and water) in a small saucepan until thick, then pour over the chicken and eat immediately.

Chicken Briyani

This was the most tricky recipe I have attempted thus far. One reason is because the original recipe, found here, was most likely written by a native Indian and they left out certain instructions and ingredient amounts, so I had to just wing it and hope that the recipe would turn out. And it was delicious! My children all had seconds AND thirds. We will definitely be making this again. So here is what I did in making this recipe.

My photo. Oh, and this makes great leftovers, too.

Chicken Briyani

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 8

1 cup plain yogurt (I used greek plain yogurt)

1 cup mint leaves, stems removed

1 cup cilantro leaves, stems removed

2 pounds boneless chicken, cut in small pieces

4 tablespoon garlic paste

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 tablespoons garam masala powder

------------------------------------

4 cups basmati white rice

2 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)*

1 large onion, minced

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoon ground coriander seed

2 tablespoon garam masala

1 cup coconut milk

6 cups chicken broth

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Equipment

Electric skillet with lid

Food processor

HOW TO PREPARE: 

1. In a food processor, put in yogurt, mint leaves, and cilantro. Process until mixed well.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together chicken with yogurt mixture. Stir in garlic paste, ground ginger, and 2 tbsp garam masala. Cover with a lid or saran wrap. Let it rest in the refrigerator for for 4-6  hours or overnight. 

3. In a medium bowl, pour in basmati rice and cover with water. Cover bowl with lid or saran wrap. Soak the basmati rice for 2-4 hours. Once done, drain and set aside.

4. Heat ghee / butter in a large electric skillet and cook minced onion until they are brown in color, about 10-12 minutes. 

5. Sprinkle turmeric, chili powder, ground coriander seed and 2 tbsp garam masala and saute for 3-5 minutes until the raw smell disappears.

6. Add the chicken/yogurt mixture and let it cook for 15 minutes with the lid on, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Cook on medium temperature.

7. Once the chicken is almost done cooking, add coconut milk and chicken broth and bring it to a boil.

8. Once you see the sauce bubbling, reduce the flame to low. Add the drained rice and cook covered for 15 minutes. Switch off the flame and let it rest for another 15 minutes - I followed these directions, but my rice still wasn't cooked through, so I added more water and raised the temperature and repeated this step and it worked beautifully. 

9. Using a fork, gently fluff out the rice and transfer to a fresh bowl. Gently mix to combine the rice and chicken. 

*I couldn't find ghee, so I used salted butter and it worked nicely.

Beef Parmigiana

Beef Parmigiana: 

1 ½ lb stew beef

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs (I use leftover GF breadmaker bread that I crumble up and add to some Italian seasoning)

1 large egg, beaten

1/3 cup corn oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (12oz) can tomato paste

1 tsp salt

½ tsp each granulated sugar & ground marjoram

3 cups hot water

8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced

Cooked penne pasta

Cut beef in bite-size pieces. Combine parmesan & bread crumbs in a shallow bowl and mix well. Dip beef in egg. Coat with parmesan mixture. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat corn oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef in hot oil until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer beef to a 13x9 baking dish. Sauté onion and garlic in skillet until tender, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, salt, sugar, marjoram and black pepper to onion mixture and mix well. Stir in hot water gradually. Bring to a boil. Boil, stirring to deglaze skillet, for 5 minutes. Pour ¾ of sauce over beef. Top with mozzarella and the remaining sauce. Bake for 1 hour. Serve with penne pasta, if desired.

Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

My husband grew up on homemade spaghetti sauce. This recipe was a real winner! I stirred the pasta into the crockpot after both were done cooking. I found the recipe here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/slow-cooker-spaghetti---meatballs

Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs 

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 50 min. Cook: 5 hours YIELD:12 servings

Ingredients

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used leftover GF breadmaker bread that I crumbled up with some Italian seasoning)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan and Romano cheese blend

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 pounds ground beef

SAUCE:

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and parsley flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Hot cooked Gluten Free spaghetti

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese, pepper and salt; stir in eggs. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls. In a large skillet, brown meatballs in batches over medium heat; drain.

2. Place the first four sauce ingredients in a 6-qt. slow cooker; stir in garlic and seasonings. Add meatballs, stirring gently to coat. Cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until meatballs are cooked through.

3. Remove bay leaves. Serve with spaghetti. Yield: 12 servings (about 3-1/2 quarts sauce).

Oven Baked Chicken Taquitos

These taquitos are super tasty! I paired them with my crockpot refried beans and they were a BIG hit! My kids cheered and ate the whole pan. I will definitely be making them again. 

Oven Baked Chicken Taquitos

INGREDIENTS:

4 cooked chicken breast, shredded

8 oz cream cheese, softened

4-6 green onions, finely chopped

2 TBSP cilantro, finely chopped

3 garlic gloves, minced

1/2 small anaheim pepper, finely chopped

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp kosher salt

1 tsp oregano

30 corn tortillas

Shredded cheese

olive or vegetable oil, for brushing the taquitos before baking

HOW TO PREPARE:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, add chicken breast, softened cream cheese, green onions, cilantro, garlic, Anaheim pepper, and all seasonings. Mix everything together until combined well.

Next, line a baking sheet with foil.

Heat up your tortillas for about 30 seconds, or until soft and flexible. (I use a tortilla warmer).

Now add about 2 TBSP of chicken filling and spread it in the middle of a tortilla. Sprinkle with a little shredded cheese. 

Tightly wrap the tortilla and place seam side down. Repeat this process until all the chicken filling has been used.

Once all the tortillas are made, spray the tortillas with vegetable or olive oil. I use a Misto Sprayer for this step. You may also brush on the oil as well.

Cook for 25-30 minutes @ 425 degrees.

Serve oven baked chicken taquitos with a your favorite hot sauce, green sauce, sour cream, and/or avocado salad.

Notes:

If you notice the taquitos cracking or splitting as they cook, spray or brush on more oil as needed.

Chicken Burritos

I wasn't sure what I would think of this recipe, but I am so glad I tried it out. Super tasty! I found this recipe and the photo below here. I made some alterations to the recipe to make it my own. And using corn tortillas makes it gluten free if you substitute in some GF flour. 

Chicken Burritos
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 35 min.YIELD:12 servings
INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 can green chilies, undrained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
8 cups cubed cooked chicken
24 corn tortillas, warmed
6 cups (24 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

HOW TO PREPARE:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in seasonings. Cook 5 minutes. Add chili and cream cheese; stir until cream cheese is melted. Stir in chicken.

2. Spoon about 1/2 cup filling across center of each tortilla; sprinkle each with 1/4 cup Colby-Monterey Jack cheese. Fold bottom and sides over filling and roll up. Place in two greased 13x9-in. baking dishes.

3. Bake, covered, 35-40 minutes or until heated through. If desired, serve with salsa. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Nutritional Facts

2 burritos equals 760 calories, 44 g fat (23 g saturated fat), 177 mg cholesterol, 1,608 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 51 g protein.

Longevity Noodles

I found this while looking on Pinterest for a good noodle recipe for Chinese New Year. They were fantastic! I used Thai Flat Rice Noodles. Hen Hao Chi!

Longevity Noodles
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces rice noodles
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil + more if needed
3 small cloves garlic, finely minced
1-2 tablespoons GF soy sauce
Sea salt and ground white pepper; to taste
diced green onions for garnish
sesame seeds for garnish
HOW TO PREPARE:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add the noodles, stir, and cook for about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside in a large serving bowl.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce and salt and white pepper, to taste, until combined well. Pour the mixture over the noodles and toss well to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt/pepper and/or soy sauce if necessary. Garnish with diced green onions and sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Baked pot roast with potatoes and carrots

I modified the recipe I found here to make this delectable gluten free version of a sumptuous baked pot roast. Oh my, this recipe is pure comfort! And I love using my dutch oven, too.

Baked pot roast with potatoes and carrots

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 pounds)
1 ½ cups water
1 envelope gluten free brown gravy mix

¼ cup dried minced onion

2 tbsp beef bouillon granules

1 ¼ tsp onion powder

1 ¼ tsp dried parsley

¼  tsp celery seed

1/8 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp dried minced garlic

¾ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp ground basil

½ tsp salt 

3 pounds potatoes (about 9 medium), peeled and quartered
1 pound carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

HOW TO PREPARE:
Preheat oven to 325°. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Brown roast on all sides. In a small bowl, whisk water, gravy mix, and all seasonings until blended; add to pan. Bring to a boil. Bake, covered, 1-1/2 hours.

Add vegetables; cook 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours longer or until meat and vegetables are tender. Yield: 8 servings.

Best results flour recipe

I found this recipe here and modified it by adding xanthan gum. I like how it has sorghum in it. I tried it making my fabulous pizza crust recipe and it was a real winner! Today I am baking it in a cake and we shall see how that goes. 

Best results flour recipe
2 1/2 cups brown rice flour
2 1/2 cups white rice flour
2 cups tapioca flour
1 cup sweet rice flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1 1/2 tbsp xanthan gum

Mix together and store in an airtight container.

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

I like making these at Halloween time. They are perfect for giving away or making for a Halloween party. I found the recipe here. 

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats
INGREDIENTS
6 cups Cocoa Krispies (I use GF kind)
5-¼ ounces, weight Reese's Pieces
3 Tablespoons Butter
⅓ cups Peanut Butter
10-½ ounces, weight Mini Marshmallows

HOW TO PREPARE:

Grease a 9×13” pan.

Pour the Cocoa Krispies and Reese’s Pieces in a large bowl.

Melt the butter and peanut butter in a saucepan. Add the marshmallows. When almost completely melted, pour over the Cocoa Krispies. Quickly combine the mixture and pour into the prepared pan. Press down (you may need to put a plastic bag over your hand so your fingers don’t stick).

Cut into squares or desired serving pieces.