Hot Chocolate Mix

3 cups powdered milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

dash of salt

Sift together the ingredients.

To serve, add 4 T of mix to 1 cup boiling water.

~V.L.S.

Russian Teacakes

1 C butter, softened
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C flour (I used GLUTEN FREE Mama (GFM) almond blend flour and 2 tsp xanthan gum)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 C finely chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix thoroughly butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Work in flour, salt, and nuts until dough holds together.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but not brown.  While warm, roll in powedered sugar.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

~I like to make these around Christmas every year.  They are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!~

---VLS

Green Bean Casserole

This casserole makes a wonderful addition to Christmas dinner...

2 cans (10 3/4 oz. ea.) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup milk
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
8 cups cooked cut green beans
4 slices cooked crisp bacon
1 can (6 oz.) French Fried Onions

Stir soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans, bacon, and 1 1/3 cups onion in 3 qt. casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 min. or until hot. Stir.
Top with remaining onions. Bake for 5 min. more.

~V.L.S.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
2 C sugar
1 1/2 C salad oil
1 #303 can pumpkin (1 lb.)
2 1/2 C flour (to make this recipe GLUTEN FREE, use GF flour and 2 tsp xanthan gum)
2 tsp soda
2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Pour into 2 well greased 9x13 pans.  Bake about 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

When cool, frost with the following:

3 1/2 C powdered sugar
8 oz. pkg cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C butter

Beat until soft and creamy.  Makes enough for both pans of bars.

Don't have sour cream?

Use plain yogurt instead.  I used it in Spaghetti pie and it worked perfectly!

Balsamic Chicken

5-6 Chicken breasts, cut in 1/2 lengthwise

3 tsp rosemary
3 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

Place chicken in a 9x13 pan.

Mix rosmary, garlic, salt and pepper with olive oil to make a paste.  Rub onto chicken.  Pour desired amount of balsamic vinegar over the chicken.  Cover pan with foil and bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.  Turn and bake 20 more minutes.

Serve with rice and a salad.

VLS

Any recipe requests?

Please leave a comment!

Mac and Cheese

CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE!  :-)
16 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni (I used gluten free corn Fusilli)
2 C grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
3 C milk
1/4 C butter
2 1/2 T flour (I used GFM almond blend flour)
1 tsp. minced garlic
Paprika
Parsley

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain.
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in flour to thicken.  Add milk slowly, stirring constantly.  Stir in cheeses and garlic and cook over low heat until cheese is melted.  Put noodles in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over.  Stir.  Sprinkle paprika and parsley over top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with a salad for a great meatless dinner.
~VLS

Greek Salad

1 head romaine lettuce- rinsed, dried and chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 (6 ounce) can pitted black olives
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lemon, juiced
ground black pepper to taste

1.In a large salad bowl, combine the Romaine, onion, olives, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and cheese.

2.Whisk together the olive oil, oregano, lemon juice and black pepper. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cake

1 3/4 C boiling water
1 C oatmeal
1 C brown sugar
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C butter
2 eggs
1 3/4 C almond blend flour (or all-purpose flour if you don't want it to be GF)
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (don't use if you use all-purpose flour)
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T Hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 C chocolate chips
1 C walnuts (optional)

Mix boiling water and oatmeal and let stand 10 minutes.  Add brown sugar, sugar and butter and stir until melted.  Then add the rest of the indgredients except just add 1/2 the chocolate chips and 1/2 the walnuts.  Pour mixed batter into a greased and floured 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle remaining nuts and chips on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. 

This cake is so rich that it doesn't need to be frosted.  It may be served with whipped cream on top.

~VLS

Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Brownies

5 oz semi-sweet, dark chocolate
1/2 C butter
2 eggs
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C almonds, ground finely in food processor
1 T ground flaxseed meal
1/4 C brown or white rice flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C chopped pecans, optional
1/4 C chocolate chips, not optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 8x8 pan.  Melt the dark chocolate and butter in the microwave.  Beat eggs in mixer until frothy.  Add chocolate mixture and brown sugar to eggs.  In seperate bowl, combine almond meal, flaxseed meal, rice flour, salt and soda.  Slowly add to mixer, adding vanilla at the end.  Stop machine and stir in pecans and chocolate chips.  Pour into pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Cool and eat.

~VLS

Fried Burritos

Serves 5-6

2 chicken breast pieces, boiled and cubed
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
2 C cooked rice
Diced onion
Grated cheese
Cilantro

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Place small amounts of desired ingredients in center of flour tortilla.  Fold in sides, then top and bottom of tortilla forming a square.  Put the folded side down into the pan.  When bottom is brown and crispy, flip over.

Toppings include: sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, and chopped tomatoes.

Variations:

Use beef and taco seasoning instead of chicken.
Use 2 small corn tortillas with ingredients in the middle for a gluten free dinner!

~VLS

Pineapple Dream Delight

1 pkg. Jiffy yellow cake mix (I made gluten free yellow cake from a cookbook)

1 large pkg. Jell-O instant pudding, vanilla flavored

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, soft

1 (1 lb.) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 3/4 C milk

1 lg carton Cool Whip

Bake cake in a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.  Cool.

In a mixing bowl, mix pudding with milk.  When thickened, beat in softened cream cheese, add well drained pineapple and spread over cake.  Spread Cool Whip over top and sprinkle with coconut or nuts, if desired.

Can be kept for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.  Serves 15 or more.

~VLS

Creamy Butter Mints

I just recently got this recipe from a lady who goes to our church. I am planning on making them today with our "Irish" meal. They have become one of my favorite goodies! ~KJV~

Creamy Butter Mints

1 lb pkg. powdered sugar

½ c. butter, softened

2 T. whipping cream

¼ t. peppermint extract

Place powdered sugar and butter in a medium bowl.  Mix on medium speed 2-3 minutes.  Add cream and peppermint, beat 3-4 minutes until well blended (may take much shorter time).  Shape into ½” balls, lightly press balls with thumb to form wafers.  Place on wire racks and allow to dry overnight, uncovered.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes 5 dozen.

(I made the balls half that size and yielded 10 dozen.)

Check out our Patrick's Day recipes, Here!

Enjoy your cooking!

KJV

Gluten free Cranapple Nut Crunch

~3 C apples, peeled and chopped

~2 C cranberries, fresh or frozen
~3 T almond flour
~1 C sugar

TOPPING:

1 C oatmeal

3/4 C nuts

1/2 C almond flour

1/2 C brown sugar, packed

1/2 C butter, melted

Combine first four ingredients and mix well. Place in a 2 quart baking dish.

TOPPING: Combine oatmeal, nuts, flour, brown sugar and butter. Mix well. Spoon evenly over fruit mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

Top with cool whip and serve with vanilla ice cream.  Or choose one or the other. :-)

~VLS

Labels are on the bottom of the sidebar!

Butter Almond Cake

2/3 C. butter-melted

1 C. Sugar

2 C. Flour

2 eggs, mixed with a fork (reserve a small amount)

2 tsp. Almond Extract

1/2 C Brown Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

Combine butter, sugar, eggs (reserve a small amount), almond extract, flour, brown sugar and baking powder; stir well. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans. Flatten with a fork and brush tops with remaining eggs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, Cool. Remove from pans. Cut into wedges.

Serves: 16

ENJOY!

KJV

Great Escape Bars

 ~Great Escape Bars~

 

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips (optional) **

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan. Cream butter, sugar, and honey until light and fluffy. Blend in egg, peanut butter, and vanilla. Mix in oats and chocolate chips. Press into pan. Bake 20-22 minutes or until light golden brown (do not over bake!) Cool completely before removing from pan. Enjoy!

**Another Idea:
Instead of adding chocolate chips, which are expensive, you can make chocolate frosting, and frost the whole pan after completely cool. Let sit until fronting has hardened. Cut and remove from pan.

Banana Bread

Everyone's favorite bread is banana bread! I used this recipe the other day because we had some overly ripe bananas that needed to be used soon. I had to make something for a gathering, so since the resources were available I was asked to make banana bread. And this is the recipe that I found, which turned out to be so delicious!

Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method:

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Enjoy!

K.J.V.

Gluten free Cranberry Bread

You can make this tender gluten-free cranberry bread with or without nuts, and with or without eggs. It's flexible.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. I cut the paper so it rises up the longer sides of the pan. This makes it super easy to grip and remove the whole loaf for complete cooling.

You'll need:

1 cup sorghum flour

1 cup tapioca starch (sometimes called tapioca flour)

1/2 cup almond flour or millet flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup applesauce or plain yogurt

1/3 cup light olive oil or Canola oil

1 free-range organic egg white, or egg replacer (1/8 cup liquid)

2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla

1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed), chopped

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sorghum flour, tapioca starch, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add in the brown sugar.

Add the applesauce (or yogurt), oil, egg white or egg replacer, and vanilla. Beat to combine and continue to beat on medium high until the batter is smooth- about a minute or two.

Add in the chopped cranberries and nuts, and stir by hand to distribute evenly.

Scrape and spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and using a small silicone spatula, even out the top of the loaf.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven until the top is golden and firm, yet feels slightly springy. This may take anywhere from 55 to 60 minutes. It took 60 minutes for my cranberry bread to bake- I think it was because the cranberries were still quite cold. Test with a thin sharp knife or a wooden pick- either should emerge with no crumbs or stickiness.

Place the pan on a wire rack to cool a bit. When the loaf has cooled enough to handle (and not too fragile) loosen both ends from the pan with a thin knife and using the long sides of the parchment paper, grip and lift the loaf up out of the pan and set it on the wire rack to continue cooling. This keeps it from steaming in the hot pan and getting soggy.