Wild Rice & Sausage Stuffing (gluten free)

Since Joe became gluten intolerant, I've searched for breadless stuffing recipes. I found a few of them that I've combined and enhanced. It's now a winner for our family that will stay in my recipe collection. I can contentedly eat it as a meal, and my kids all love it--maybe even more than the turkey. Give it a try.

Here we go...

2 medium onions, diced
6 TBSP butter, separated
1 cup wild rice, uncooked
3/4 cup long-grain brown or white rice, uncooked
5-1/2 cups low-sodium, gluten-free chicken broth
2 cups finely chopped celery
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage (remove casings, if necessary)
1 cup chopped toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts
salt and lots of pepper, to taste
2 TBSP sage (dried)
1-2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 very large or 2 medium sized apples, cored, peeled and diced
1 cup dried cranberries
2-3 TBSP fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a saucepan with a tight fitting lid, add both types of rices and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil then simmer on stove (covered) for 25-30 minutes until mostly done (before wild rice starts to split and curl). If all the stock isn't absorbed after 35 min., drain rice in mesh strainer.

In a large, deep skillet (with lid), break up and brown sausage. Drain fat, remove sausage from pan, and set aside. Melt 3 TBSP butter in the skillet and saute onions until soft. Remove from pan and set aside. Then melt the remaining 3 TBSP butter in pan and sauté celery and diced apple until soft. To the skillet, welcome back the Italian sausage, onions, and add the rice mixture as well. Add the toasted almonds, salt/pepper, sage, poultry seasoning, dried cranberries, and parsley. Mix well. *Check seasoning*, and add more as needed. Heat to serving temperature.

Leave in large covered skillet to keep warm for serving. Or go ahead and be a respectable host and dirty yet another dish by scooping it into a nice baking/casserole dish to serve.

I can't emphasize this enough -- check your seasonings! Everyone has seasoning preferences, so taste it along the way to figure out what makes your taste buddies dance. Make it your own! When you get it just right for your family, don't forget to take notes so you can make it to your liking year after year.

Caramel Puffcorn

If you like caramel corn--and don't mind the addictive quality is has in taking over your brain telling you to have just another handful...until it's gone--you'll really like this version made with kernel-less puffed corn. I like that I don't even have to worry about the thought of cracking a tooth on those little buggers when I pop these caramel puffs in my mouth.

My mother in law sent us home with a bag of puffed corn because she knew that my husband could eat this gluten-free snack, which he would have devoured on our 21-hour roadie back home to Texas from Minnesota if I hadn't seen the caramel corn recipe on the back of the package.

I packed them away in the back of our vehicle so none of the 12 hands looking for snacks would find them and eat'em up before I returned home and had the chance to try this recipe! (Yes, this is probably considered abusive--especially when my entire family is physically restrained for 1200 miles.)

Here's everything you'll need:


Yes, I know it's a HUGE box of baking soda. You'll only need 1+ tsp. for this recipe. You really don't want to know why I have this overabundance of baking soda...and four more boxes just like it at my house. I'll just leave you with two words: mummified chicken. 'Nough said, k? Carrying on...

Here's the recipe for

Caramel Puffcorn

3- 3-1/2 oz. pkgs. puffed corn (found in the snack aisle, butter flavored--not cheese flavored!)
1 cup butter (not margarine)
1-1/4 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 250 degrees
Combine butter, brown sugar, and light corn syrup in a 2 qt. sauce pan, cook on medium heat until mixture has melted. Once mixture has melted add the baking soda.

Note: This will cause the mixture to foam slightly.
Note 2: You may need to add an additional 1/2 tsp. soda if 1 tsp. doesn't cause it to foam or get slightly cloudyish.

Pour puffed corn into a large roasting pan. Pour caramel mixture over the puffed corn and stir until mixed.

Place in oven at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring at least every 10-15 minutes.

Remove from oven, pour on wax paper or parchment and break apart/separate puffs. Allow to cool and...
ENJOY!

*For a naughtier version: drizzle melted chocolate over the mixture after you
remove it from the oven.

Bring it to your neighbors for a Christmas treat.
Just beware they'll be looking for it again every year.

If you don't continue to deliver, they'll look at you with (as my 7 year old son would say) "angry eyebrows"...and you don't want that, do you? Unless they complain about your yard not looking good enough--then it might be okay to occasionally skip a year of caramel corn for them! :}

For all of you living north in the frozen tundra, you're in Old Dutch country--not Chester Cheetah country. Look for Old Dutch brand corn puffs in your grocer's snack aisle.

Potato & Leek Soup

A new recipe for me to make. Ooooh, this one is good. We were going to our church for our weekly Lenten soup supper followed by the Stations of the Cross, so I wanted to try a new recipe for a meat-free soup to share (I left out the bacon, and it was still superb!). This is one that I've been wanting try for a while now.

I will be making it again...soon.

Here's the recipe from Emeril. I doubled the recipe, but I didn't even make modifications--besides using dried thyme instead of fresh thyme (didn't have) in the bouquet garni that I wrapped with cheesecloth. Also, I probably would have garnished the soup with chives, but my little seedlings aren't ready for me to mow and use yet.

Here's Emeril's version--unadulterated...or unLauralterated. I'm posting it on this blog because too many times I've searched again for a scrumptious online recipe I've tried only to realize it disappeared in cyberspace.)

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 small leeks, about 1 pound
2 bay leaves
20 black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
2 strips bacon, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups chicken stock
1 to 1 1/4 pounds russet potatoes, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
2 tablespoons snipped chives

Directions

Trim the green portions of the leek and, using 2 of the largest and longest leaves, make a bouquet garni by folding the 2 leaves around the bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme. Tie into a package-shaped bundle with kitchen twine and set aside. (Alternately, tie 2 leek leaves, bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme together in a piece of cheesecloth.)

Using a sharp knife, halve the white part of the leek lengthwise and rinse well under cold running water to rid the leek of any sand. Slice thinly crosswise and set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the bacon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is very soft and has rendered most of its fat. Add the chopped leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the reserved bouquet garni, chicken stock, potatoes, salt and white pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are falling apart and the soup is very flavorful.

Remove the bouquet garni and, working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender. (Alternately, if you own an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot.) Stir in the creme fraiche and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately, with some of the snipped chives sprinkled over the top of each bowl of soup.

I was planning to go the Austin-laid-back-and-carefree route by not blending the soup at the end. However, when I blended a few ladles and tried it both ways, there was no going back. The extra step is well worth the effort that brings the velvety creaminess that it becomes after it's well whirled. I'm not one for extra steps, so just go with me on this and take my word. It really makes all the difference.

It was so good that we even scored a new babysitter out of it. Really! A college girl who was at church that night said if she can have more of the soup, she'd babysit for us!

P.S. If you're wonderin'...I left the skins on the taters!

And...

I'm not one of those scoop-it-up, thick soup kinda gals. I like it to be thin enough to consider...er, soup! So add more chicken stock if you need to, and don't forget the wine!

Modification:
If you'd like to reduce the amount of lactose in the soup, substitute coconut milk instead of using creme fraiche or heavy cream.

Apple Monster Snack

It's been too darned HOT to cook much these days. As of yesterday, we've had 36 days of triple digits so far this year (Yow!) and it's also what's forecasted for the rest of this week. So, let's all refrain from creating MORE heat. That is, until you can't stand it anymore and your stomach cries out for something baked, or cooked, or heated. But, if possible, wait until that point. It's just too hot!

When most folks here in the South head for the lakes all weekend in the summer, I go cower in the house, close all the shades and try not to move to stir up any body heat. It's not that I have anything against sweat, I just like to chose WHEN I sweat. If I decide to go out for a brisk walk or some other predetermined exercise this time of year, of course I know I'll sweat. But just sitting in the house? No sweat for me, please!

We can still have fun with the kids and food...and not stir up the heat, right? Of course. I even made these funny little guys for Dad. After all, they're gluten free, and if you just use peanut butter, they're also lactose free.

Aren't they kind of cute?
As you can guess, these are just apple wedges, peanut butter, slivered almonds, raisins, and little dabs of cream cheese.

Sometimes, when my cheese girl asks for an even quicker snack I'll hand her one of these. A monsterfied "cream cheese lolly pop".
Or for my almost-non-meat-eating daughter, I may give her this kind of monster instead of a regular peanut butter "lolly pop", as they've always called them.

But the apple guys are our favorite. They're a tasty and complete snack.

So, stay out of the heat! Keep it fun! Keep it silly! Keep it scary cool!

This snack is not my original idea. I was going to give credit to my Cooking for Kids Bible, but after scouring it I couldn't find the little critters. So, I'll have to wait to give credit for the Apple Monsters to the appropriate source after I find it.

Garbanzo Cake (gluten free/dairy free)

In my quest for gluten-free baked goodies, I came across this recipe in a Mexican cookbook. It’s a great alternative to a sweet quick bread we almost never have anymore since we don’t like to torment Daddy with glutenous treats too often…unless it’s Spiced Pumpkin Bread that our kids usually beg me to make at least once a month--and more like once a week around the holidays. Each serving of this “cake” has 2.7 g. fiber and 9.2 g. protein! It's a very dense and moist quick bread-type cake. Our kids thought it was a big treat! They didn't realize it was a gluten-free bread...otherwise they may have been suspicious. With its sweet spiced flavor, you sure wouldn’t know it has a couple of cans of chickpeas stashed away in all its goodness—replacing the flour and adding additional moisture, fiber and protein! All the kids asked for more, but they’ll have to wait because this recipe only makes one loaf!

Ingredients:
2 -10 oz cans Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

(Cans of chickpeas around here are 16 oz., so you can use the leftover chickpeas to make a half-ish recipe of Hummus. Why not? You'll already have your processor out, and it'll make just the right amount to snack on while you're waiting for your cake to finish baking!)

4 eggs, beaten (or 1 cup of egg beaters)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon

If you're concerned about using cinnamon for any reason (like if your tongue goes numb like my friend's!), you could use a mixture of nutmeg, all spice, cloves, and ginger instead.

Grated rind and juice of 1 orange (since I didn't have an orange, I just threw in 1-1/2 TBSP frozen OJ concentrate and 1 tsp. of dried lemon peel)

Cinnamon sugar -- 1/4 cup sugar with 1 tsp ground cinnamon
(or make spiced sugar using alternate spices)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove any noticeable chickpea skins, and put the remaining peas in a food processor (or blender) and process until smooth. (You may need to process the chickpeas in a couple of batches.) This is what it looks like when you're done processing--kind of dry looking but holds together when you press it.

Spoon the processed chickpeas into a bowl and gently stir in the eggs, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, orange rind, and orange juice. Grease a 1-pound loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

Pour the cake mixture into the loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and leave to stand, in the pan, for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, place on a wire rack, and leave to cool completely before serving. Or if you're like us, wait just another 10 minutes or so before diving in!) Serve with sliced fresh strawberries, pineapple or other fruit...or just sprinkle each piece with additional spiced sugar and enjoy.

(12 slices/servings)

The above recipe based on one from: The Complete Mexican, South American & Caribbean Cookbook

Lemony alternative:
Instead of using orange zest and juice, use the zest and juice of one juicy lemon. After the cake is done baking, squeeze more lemon juice over cake, and sprinkle generously with confectioners sugar.

Or try a chocolate version here.

Disclaimer: Please forgive me for the frozen berries in my photo. I went to grab some fresh strawberries from the fridge, and discovered that they mysteriously disappeared. If you know their whereabouts, please fill me in. Hey, what's that red stuff on your cheek, Jimmer? Oooh...and you too, Kathleen. Aha!

(Not Your Average) Nachos

So, what do you do with your extra brisket...or any other tender leftover meat?

We came home with a nice load of cooked and sliced brisket from a luncheon the kids and I attended yesterday, so I thought I'd show you a summer dinner no brainer. Nachos...a more manly version!

I don't know about you, but the taste of those taco seasoning packets don't really do it for me, so I've never been crazy about nachos that use taco flavored ground beef. Nope! I much prefer the pure taste of slow-cooked, smoked brisket. Something you can shred...and taste all the smokey goodness (Let's just SAY it's good for us). Using lots of spices was really only started in ancient times to mask the bad flavor of rotting meat, right? Well, with such modern conveniences as...REFRIGERATION...we don't need to partake in that nonsense anymore. Okay? So toss those silly packets and make your brisket. And don't slather it with all that barbecue sauce either! Down here in these parts we usually only use the sauce as a condiment with sliced brisket.

Mmmmm--just like fajitas, quesadillas, and (in cooler weather) tortilla soup--I could go for these nachos just about any day of the week! I could even do without the meat if I didn't have it handy. I always have the other ingredients at the ready anyway! For the real gift (at least in our house)--it's also gluten free! What's more? If you use CRACKER BARREL or KRAFT "natural" sharp cheddar cheese, it doesn't even have a measureable amount of lactose either!! This is just really making my day!

Ingredients:
Leftover cooked brisket (maybe 1/4 pound for covering one baking sheet), shredded
(You could also use shredded leftover pot roast. Extra fajita chicken would also be fabulous! I'm a reasonable girl--use what you've got!)
Tortilla chips, whatever kind y'all go for
1 to 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I go for MORE!)
1 (2.25 oz.) can sliced black olives, (chopped a bit more), optional
1/4 cup onion (green or red are great!), finely diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 large avocado, finely diced [and tossed with
1 tsp. lime juice]
2 TBSP fresh cilantro, minced
Sour cream, optional
Pico de Gallo, optional

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Spread out the tortilla chips all over a (roughly 12 x 17-inch ever-so-slightly-greased) baking sheet. Lining it with aluminum foil makes for a quick clean up. Make sure you cover most of the pan overlapping the chips a bit as necessary so you don't end up with a bunch of gooey cheese all over the pan instead of all over your nachos! Evenly distribute the shredded meat, onion, olives, and cheese over the chips.

Bake until the cheese is melted, about 7 minutes...but check around 5 minutes (because you care about your nachos, don't you?).

With loving care, sprinkle the rest of the ingredients (tomatoes, avocado, & cilantro) on top of the hot nachos, and serve to your manly (or just hungry) guests with sour cream and pico de gallo, if you like.

Fruit Cobbler (gluten free)

Joe has been lacking in the area of baked desserts. Let's face it, most baked goods that consist mainly of flour just don't taste the same when they're transformed in to their gluten-free counterparts. So let's go the cobbler route. With this gluten-free recipe, you'll be hard-pressed to tell if it contains gluten or not!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:
2-3 cups frozen peaches or other fruit (mixed berries is good too), thawed
(I used a bag of frozen peaches and added a handful of fresh blueberries)
1/3 cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted

Dry Baking Mix...
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

For GLUTEN-FREE: omit the above dry ingredients and use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Mix, or mix your own:
2/3 cup rice flour--finely ground
1/4 cup potato starch flour
2 TBSP tapioca starch
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup additional sugar
1 cup milk (for lactose-free, use Lactaid milk)
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Measure milk and add lemon juice, set aside for 10 minutes (can use buttermilk without the lemon juice instead, but it's got lactose).
In medium bowl, stir in 1/3 cup sugar to the thawed fruit, set aside.
Pour melted butter in 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Or, do what I do and melt the butter right in the glass dish by zapping it in the microwave.
Put baking mix ingredients and 1 cup sugar into a medium bowl and mix.
Add milk mixture, stir briefly just to incorporate all ingredients.
Pour batter on top of the melted butter in the baking dish.

NOTE: If you'd like a wonderfully buttery crust, do NOT stir! If you want more of a cakey batter, feel free to stir the butter into the batter at this point, but I may frown at you if I catch you!

Evenly pour the fruit mixture over the batter. Again, do not stir. The fruit will find its own home of choice within the batter. It's best not to mess with Mother Nature, you know! Here's what mine looked like before I sprinkled it with the spices.

I know, I don't currently have my 8 x 8-inch baking dish--it was broken. So, I had to modify the recipe accordingly. But please, go along with me here!

Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on top.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until crust is browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

When it was done baking, all the fruit was hiding underneath the pretty golden crust!

If you're feeling a little spunky, you can also add 1 tsp. grated lemon peel to the batter. Or if you want to mix things up a bit more, add 1 tsp. almond extract to the fruit...or batter! Live it up and change it up as the spirit moves you!

Easy Charro Beans (crock pot)

I've finally found a Tex-Mex bean recipe our whole family enjoys. Yes, our kids will dive into a bit of the refried sort once in a while, but Joe...errr--NOPE! And those sweet campfire beans--NEVER for him. So, our beans of choice are the charros! They're the ones with a little broth.

My friend, Melissa (a Tex-Mex cooking goddess!), who hosted 20 girls and their mothers at her house for our Little Flowers camp this year, gave me a tip to make this dish easier, faster, and fat free. She adds Goya ham flavoring packets instead of bacon or a ham bone. Genius! This keeps all the fat out! But...the ham packets have MSG. Eeeek! The kids and I don't seem bothered by MSG, but it can trigger Joe's occular migraines...and it isn't all that great for anyone. So you can, instead, add some beef base (like I do).

Here's an easy recipe you don't have to pay attention to but a couple of times before it's done.

1 lb. bag dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed (or your preferred bean combo)
Water
2 cans mild Ro-tel tomatoes
2 packets of Goya ham flavoring, or a TBSP of beef base with water as needed
Large onion, diced
Hot sauce or a diced jalapeño/serano pepper (Ro-tel gives enough kick for us)
1 pkg half-cooked, chopped bacon (optional)
Green pepper, diced (optional)
And if you wanna go all out...
A bottle of gluten-free beer (of course, optional)

Toppers:
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro, stems removed
avocado, diced
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
as alt. to bacon: favorite cooked sausage, halved & sliced

This is a busy-mom-friendly recipe. No need to soak these beans overnight. That would mean you've actually given some thought about your menu the day BEFORE you eat. Huh? That doesn't happen around here! I'm talkin' right around lunchtime (5-6 hours prior thought) is the earliest I think about dinner.

Put the rinsed beans into the crock, add enough water to cover the beans by a few inches. Cover and turn crock pot on high for a few hours.

NOTE: Don't add anything--especially salt--but water to the beans at this point or it'll make the beans tough...and y'all don't want that!

After 3 hours of cooking, add and stir in tomatoes and flavoring packets or beef base, diced onion, green pepper, bacon, beer.

Cook beans for at least 2-3 more hours (to desired doneness), adding water if the beans are peeping out. Beans go full immersion here. Remember, you want a little broth with the beans.

Be traditional and serve with some brisket, Spanish rice, and corn bread.
Be food pyramid savvy and serve with some chicken fajitas and a salad or fruit!
Be a real mom and serve it with whatever else you find in the fridge or pantry that seems like it would round out the meal!

Our usual: served over cooked rice and sausage...and heaped with toppings.

Gotta Go Tex-Mex!

We reeeeeaaalllly like Tex-Mex. I'm convinced I could live on fajitas and a variety of quesadillas. Perhaps you could too! Of course you'd have to have the appropriate toppings for it all--a good guacamole, shredded sharp cheddar (aged cheeses have very little lactose), sour cream, and a little pico de gallo (or diced tomatoes). Yummmmmmmm!

Our children seem to like it all as well--even spicy salsa. Well, not the really hot stuff. However, they provide me with some challenges in the kitchen (and I'm not even talking about additionally catering to Hubby's gluten and lactose intolerances). I have one child who doesn't like meat, except rotisserie chicken. Another doesn't like beans. Two others tolerate most things yet always seem to find SOME ingredient they decided to hunt down and pick out of their entire meal. So...I ended up cooking three different Tex-Mex dishes a few nights ago. Good thing none of them were much bother.

We had Charro Beans, Mexican Rice, and Chili (a mild, kid-friendly version) because then I could cater to EVERYONE's needs! They all enjoy heaping on the toppings: sour cream, guaca(squishy)mole, cheddar, and cilantro. A few raw veggies of their liking on the side made it good and filled them up.

No heirloom recipes here, but I made charro beans in a crock pot for the first time. It was a healthier version without all the bacon and fat. None in our family care for straight refried beans, so it's good to know a more convenient way to make our favored charros so I don't have to watch the stove for hours on end.

If you've got a hankerin' for these savory beans, check out the easy recipe for Charros I'll be posting in the next couple of days.

Quinoa

Have you tried quinoa? If you have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, most likely you have heard of it if not tried it many times. This beautiful whole grain from South America is very nutritious. It's high in protein, has essential amino acids, and is a good source of fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. You can cook and use it like rice or couscous. It can be made in a rice cooker as well--with the same ratio of grain-to-liquid (1:2) as rice. It lends itself very nicely to stuffed peppers and a yummy vegetable pilaf, which is usually how I prepare this complete food. Since it's gluten free, it's also autism spectrum friendly as well! Learn more about quinoa by reading this article.

I wasn't in full cooking mood today. We had some left over chicken fajita meat, a bunch of luscious fruit, and some veggies that I needed to use. I thought I'd make some quinoa since Joe hasn't probably had his fair share of good grains lately since we've been on the road.

Here's how I make quinoa:
1 TBSP olive oil
1 cup quinoa
2 cups gluten-free, low-sodium chicken broth

On med-high, heat saucepan with oil and toast the quinoa until golden brown (3-5 minutes). This gives it such a yummy nutty flavor--it's a step not to miss! Remove from heat to add chicken broth (We like Pacific.)--watch out, it will sizzle! Put heat back on and bring stock to a boil, then lower heat to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until quinoa is soft but still has a bite (like al dente pasta). Fluff with fork and add other vegetables and flavorings as you like.

Tonight's additions:
1/2 cup seriously sweet grape tomatoes, diced
1 green onion
2-3 TBSP homemade basil pesto
1 TBSP chopped pine nuts
1 TBSP olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
I also added some left over diced chicken fajita meat to Joe's bowl
If I had it, I would have thrown in some diced cucumber and maybe even some feta.

My "usual" quinoa side:
I usually add sauteed, diced veggies (zucchini, peppers, carrots, onions) and fresh parsley for my quinoa pilaf, but since I was also serving roasted veggies tonight I didn't bother to add more veggies to the quinoa.

Here's what the kids ended up eating tonight: quinoa, roasted veggies, and fruit--a low-maintenance meal from their low-energy mom on this particular Friday! It's just been a busy week, and I'm going to bed!

Pesto

Why buy pesto when it's so easy to make and about 1/3 the cost of a store-bought jar that's loaded with salt? Okay, besides hasty convenience. Today's food prices, however, get me thinking twice about paying for convenience. So, here's a super easy, super tasty topping, condiment, pasta sauce, and an ingredient for my Pesto Appetizer. Fresh is best!

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil, dry and packed a bit
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3 TBSP pine nuts
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil

Put all ingredients into a food processor; mix on high speed, stopping to scrape if needed, until all ingredients are well blended and a uniform consistency. Presto!

There are all sorts of variations on this pesto theme depending on your taste and what you have peeping out of your fridge. For example, if you don't have quite enough basil, you can make up the difference with flat-leaf parsley. Add whatever you like...try adding pumpkin seed kernels (they're very healthy) instead of pine nuts, add some sun-dried tomatoes, olives, etc. Check here for a variety of pesto recipes. Go for it! All you need is a food processor and you can get to pesto heaven!

Here's my estimated cost, full retail, for what I used:
Pine nuts, $.75
Parmesan cheese, $.75
Olive Oil, $.50
Garlic, $.10
Fresh homegrown sweet basil, nearly free
($1.00 packet of seeds to grow enough basil to last you for years!)

In case you're thinking, 'Yes, but I don't have home-grown basil. How long does that take anyway?'...
We planted our seeds 2 months ago and have 6 plants. Yesterday, I just pinched off the top 1/4 of all the plants and had enough for the pesto. The bottoms of the plants will continue to grow so I can harvest again! An herb that keeps on giving.

Even if you haven't graduated to real plants yet since you can't even keep your fake plants dusted, you can still grow basil...and zucchini for that matter! Believe me on this one! Basil is not a real plant...it's a mercifully generous volunteer!

Now excuse me while I go make a little Insalata Caprese...
using pesto instead of plain basil and olive oil. That's the way my kids like it best!

Hummus

I made this as an appetizer when I was entertaining adults. Our kids, however, ate up the rest of it! So, now I like to have some on hand and use it as a dip for veggies, crackers, flat bread, or corn chips. It's so good and healthy with all its iron, fiber, vitamin C. Sure, you can buy it, but it is so EASY and much more economical to make yourself. You can control the salt and add other flavors as well! I even got our older daughter to start eating her sandwich crusts by dipping them in this hummus!

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, liquid reserved (if possible, prepare your own chickpeas)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup tahini --at the grocery store by the peanut butter
3 TBSP lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
1 TBSP olive oil, water, or liquid from canned/cooked chickpeas
4 dashes hot sauce, optional

Put everything in the food processor and process until it’s smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, serve chilled or at room temperature.

Variation for Longhorn Hummus:
Add two roasted red peppers (drained from a jar).This will give the hummus the Longhorn (as in UT) burnt orange color...and add a yummy flavor dimension!


HEALTH NOTE:
If you buy canned foods, you may want to consider Eden Organic products since they don't line their cans with bisphenol-A (BPA).

Tapioca Pudding

Kathleen makes a treat for Daddy!

Last week Joe saw a bag of tapioca in our pantry and commented that he loves tapioca pudding. Since I just purchased the tapioca for a stew I made, I didn't think much of it at the time. Then I realized that pudding is naturally gluten free (at least if you make it from scratch) and can be made lactose free as well by using Lactaid milk.

Kathleen, so intrigued with the fact that she could make a dessert that Daddy could enjoy, set out to make it for him.

Here's the recipe:

3 TBSP granulated (instant) tapioca
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, well beaten
3 cups milk, lactose-free as necessary
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine tapioca, sugar, milk and egg in medium saucepan; let stand 5 minutes. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil. Cook additional 1-2 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool 15 minutes; stir. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftover pudding.

Serving tip: Nice with fresh raspberries or other fruit on top! Why not go all out--top it off with whipped cream (non-dairy for lactose free).

Makes 6 servings (1/2 cup each)

Sausage & Peppers with Penne

This is one of Joe's favorite meals...and we are so happy to have found good gluten-free pasta that holds up to this hearty dish.

12 oz. penne pasta, cooked according to directions
1 lb. mild or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings & broken into small chunks
2 TBSP olive oil
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
2 large bell peppers (any color you have or prefer), halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

In large pan with lid, brown sausage on med-high heat; then drain drippings and remove meat from pan. To the pan heat the olive oil; then add the onion, peppers and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes until veggies are slightly tender but not overdone.

Add cooked noodles and sausage to the pan with vegetables. On medium heat, add tomatoes and wine (or chicken broth), salt and pepper to taste. With lid on, heat for a few minutes and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Texas Caviar --Jazzed version

This is probably my #1 requested recipe. Well, it's not MY recipe. I filched it off a bunco friend years ago! I've only made minor tweaks. Don't be fooled. This is not your regular "Texas Caviar"--this one is jazzed up and healthier with more fresh veggies and feta. I bring it to parties and pot lucks all the time, and many requests have come from native Texans!

1 can black-eyed peas, drain and rinse
*1 can field peas, drain and rinse (if you don't have these in your area, just use another can of black-eyed peas)
2 small cans sliced black olives, drain and chop a little more
1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped (green peppers are fine, but yellow & red just make it so purty...and a bit sweeter!)
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/3-1/2 cup+ Italian dressing —just enough to hold everything together, I use light
Small bunch fresh cilantro, pull off stems and chop (~1/3-1/2 cup when chopped)
1 large ripe, but still firm, Hass avocado (or 2 small), diced
8 oz. feta cheese (don’t use crumbled--the solid looks neater), small diced

Add all ingredients to medium bowl and stir gently to mix well. I add the dressing and avocado last--shortly before it is served. Serve with family-sized bag of Frito (big) Scoops or sturdy tortilla chips (in a pinch).

* Because many people I've given this recipe to have never heard of field peas, I've added this photo to show you what the can I use looks like. Field peas are smaller than black-eyed peas, and they're reddish in color.

Field peas may not be found in all parts of the country. Mom says they're not in Sacramento, my uncle found them in Dubuque, none in St. Paul or Albuquerque, but they're about everywhere in the South. I can't tell you how many cases of these we've brought with us on our vacations...to leave a stash with friends and family so they can continue making this recipe. Let me know if you can find them in your area.

Napa Salad

(Chinese Cole Slaw)

I snatched up this recipe from a friend after I tried it at her bunco party. Thanks Stephanie!

1 head Chinese Napa cabbage
2 green onions including 2/3 stems, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 pkgs. Ramen noodles, chicken flavored
2 TBSP butter
½ cup slivered almonds
sesame seeds (~1+ TBSP)
**If you’d like to make this a main dish, you can add bite-sized cooked chicken.

Cut bottom from Napa cabbage, separate leaves, wash and pat dry. Cut most of the large white veins from each leaf and slice remainder of leaves into thin strips. Toss cabbage with onions and bell pepper.

Melt butter in large skillet. Break Ramen noodles into small pieces (I start by gently smashing them right in the bag before I open it.) and brown lightly in butter. Add almonds to brown. Add sesame seeds last since they brown quickly. Remove from heat, add one of the noodle seasoning packets to the mixture, and stir to incorporate.

Dressing:
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, seasoned
Salt & pepper
¼+ cup sugar (add more or less to your taste)
1/2 cup oil
sesame oil, ~1 tsp. (optional—but it really makes the salad taste more authentic!)

Mix vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and oil in salad plunger or a jar with lid. Plunge/shake well to mix.

Just before serving salad, toss noodles/nuts/seeds mixture with cabbage then add dressing and toss well to coat. Don’t mix too soon before eating as the noodles will get soggy.

GLUTEN FREE: Omit Ramen noodles and, instead, top salad with toasted almonds and sesame seeds.

Mandarin Almond Salad

Toss together:
1 large head (or 2 hearts) Romaine lettuce
One 11-14 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained (I use more since my kids love them)
2 green onions, chopped up to 1/3 of the green part

Dressing
Mix:
3 TBSP oil
3 TBSP cider vinegar
2 TBSP white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
(You will need to taste to see if the oil/vinegar/sugar balance is to your liking. I like mine with sweet and tangy taste (roughly equal amounts of oil and vinegar. Many dressings call for twice as much oil as vinegar.)

Caramel Almonds
¼ cup slivered almonds
2 TBSP white sugar
(I usually double this amount!)

Heat sugar in small frying pan over medium heat until it starts to melt around the edges, then put the almonds on top of sugar. Stir constantly until sugar and nuts turn a caramel brown color. Make sure all sugar granules are dissolved. Remove from heat continuing to stir, and pour them on a greased, foil-lined pan/cookie sheet to cool. (Try to separate the nuts with a fork as you are able so they break apart better when they are cool). When nuts are cool, break them into small pieces.

When ready to serve: Pour dressing over lettuce and top with caramel almonds.

Substitutions:
--Use caramelized pecan pieces instead of the slivered almonds
--Use the Sugar & Spice Glazed Pecans (see the recipe I use under “nuts”)
--Use dried cranberries and cashews instead of mandarin oranges and almonds
--If you don’t have enough nuts, you can throw in a handful of roasted sunflower seeds.
--Add other sweet veggies as you like (pea pods or snap peas, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrots, etc.)

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

This is one of my veggies-our-kids-will-always-eat recipes. I love it too! With sunflower seed, craisins, golden raisins, a sweet vinegar dressing. Mmmm...qnd good for you. Sheeez, it's just too much! Since I love, love, LOVE the big knife my brother got me a few years ago, it's also a great recipe to get out all of that pent-up chopping energy you might have. If not, of course there's an alternative--get a bag of broccoli cole slaw mix!

1 head cauliflower separated into small flowerets, chopped into little pieces
1 bunch broccoli separated into flowerets, chopped into little pieces
1/3 cup chopped red onion
½ cup carrot, shredded or finely chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup craisins
½ to 1 cup sunflower seeds &/or chopped cashews or toasted pecans
1 pkg. cooked bacon pieces
Chicken-flavored Ramen noodles, optional (don't use for a gluten-free recipe)

Dressing
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
¼-1/3 cup sugar
Ramen noodle flavor packet, optional (I don't use since it has gluten)
1/2 tsp sesame oil (just because I've been making all my dressings with this lately!)
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix first eight ingredients together; pour dressing over and mix to blend 2 hours in advance. Just before serving, break up Ramen noodles into fine pieces and mix into salad. Serves 10-12.

QUICK & EASY ALTERNATIVE: Omit the cauliflower, broccoli and carrot. Use two bags of broccoli slaw mix (with carrots).

Cole Slaw (no mayo)

This is another recipe from my mother-in-law. My husband and I love this recipe because the dressing is not mayo-based. My husband does not like mayo, and I just prefer the tangy zip of the vinegar dressing! An added bonus…it’s good to go for summer outdoor picnics since it doesn’t go bad like those with mayo.

2 cups chopped or finely sliced cabbage (adding some red cabbage makes it colorful)
½ cup chopped parsley
½ cup sliced onions (whatever kind you like--green, red, or sweet onions)

Mix above ingredients. Can do this day before serving and refrigerate.

Dressing:
2-3 TBSP sugar
2-3 TBSP vinegar
2 TBSP oil
1 tsp. salt
(1/2 - ground mustard, my addition)
(ground pepper to taste, my addition)

Shake to blend and combine with cabbage mixture ½ hour before serving.

Salad in a Pinch--Lettuce or Spinach with Fruit and Nuts

I love salad bars with all those varied and wonderful veggies--all fresh, cleaned, sliced, diced, and ready to eat. In our kitchen, I just can't keep up with all the cleaning, chopping, blah, blah, blah! So, I just keep some regular no-prep supplies on hand and make my own dressings. Here are my must-always-have basics.Our kids love to top off their salads with toasted or candied nuts. I keep a container of them on hand most of the time! Here's the recipe for Sugar and Spice Glazed Pecans that I use. I also LOVE to use the dressing (WITH the sesame oil) from my Napa Salad with most of my everyday salads. I keep a plunger of it in my fridge.