Lemon Chicken and Broccoli

This was a great change! :) So glad when I find something new Derek can eat!!!

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup wheat-free flour mixture
salt and pepper

Sauce Ingedients:
1 cup water
1/8 cup lemon juice, plus 3 Tbsp
1/8 cup lime juice
1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt
2 drops yellow food coloring
cornstarch mixed with cold water

Directions:
1. Chicken - In large ziploc bag, combine flour mixture, salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat. Saute chicken in olive oil over medium high heat until fully cooked through.
2. Sauce - In small sauce pan, combine first 7 ingredients for sauce and bring to a low boil.
3. Slowly stir in cornstarch solution, adding as much as you want (based on how thick you want it!)
4. Serve chicken over a bed of rice, with steamed broccoli. Top with lemon sauce.

Copycat Pizza Hut's Romano Cheese Dressing

SO, I have been on the lookout for a copycat recipe for Pizza Hut's Romano Cheese dressing for over a decade! Really, since I worked there back in high school in the mid '90s!

And, unfortunately, I have yet to find one!

So, today I decided to attempt it. I got online and went to Pizza Hut's ingredient info and pulled all the ingredients that they use...or close to it.

And, I just started throwing it together! I looked at a few other recipes to see about what the ratios would need to be for a creamy dressing...

And you know what?! Other than the fact that it's got a bit too much lemon in it, it's otherwise perfect (I decreased the lemon below)! :) SOOOOOOOOOOO excited!!!!!! I can't wait til dinner's ready to toss it on a salad! And of course, it's amazing on breadsticks and pizza crust!

Romano Cheese Dressing

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp shredded Romano cheese
1 Tbsp grated Romano cheese
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. Combine milk and lemon juice in a small bowl or measuring cup. Let sit for about 5 minutes (this will curdle the milk, making buttermilk!)
2. In larger bowl, combine mayonnaise, olive oil, cider vinegar, romano cheese, garlic, and sugar.
3. When milk has set for 5 minutes, pour into other ingredients. Blend in blender or with an immersion blender to fully combine and make creamy!.

Molasses Crinkles

Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
granulated sugar

Directions:
1. Mix brown sugar, margarine, shortening, molasses and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except for sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour until chilled.
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls; roll in sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 11 minutes or until just set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Best Ever Orange Cake

Ingredients:
6 egg whites (3/4 cup)
1 3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 egg yolks
6 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp freshly grated orange peel
powdered sugar

Directions:
1. In large bowl of electric mixer, let egg whites warm to room temperature-about 1 hour. Measure flour; sift about 2 cups flour once on a sheet of waxed paper; fill cups lightly to overflowing; with spatula cut off excess to make 1 3/4 level cups. Sift flour with salt; set aside.
2. With electric mixer at medium speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until stiff peaks form when beaters are slowly raised. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In small bowl of electric mixer, with the same beaters at high speed, beat egg yolks until very thick and lemon-colored-about 3 minutes. DO NOT UNDERBEAT. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup sugar; continue beating until mixture is smooth.
4. At low speed, blend flour mixture and orange juice alternately into egg-yolk mixture, beginning and ending with flour and guiding batter into beaters with scraper. Add orange peel. Wish a whisk or rubber spatula, using under-and-over motion, fold yolk mixture gently into whites.
5. Pour batter into an ungreased 9 3/4-to-10-by4 1/2-inch kugelhopf pan (large bundt pan) or 10-by-4 1/2-inch tube pan without a removable bottom. Bake 50 to 55 minutes in kugelhofp or 35 to 40 minutes in tube pan, until cake springs back when pressed with finger. Invert over bottle; cool completely.
6. Using an up-and-down motion, run spatula around edge of cake and tube. Invert cake and shake to release; place on serving plate. Sift powdered sugar over top of cake.

Spicy Chicken with Broccoli

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 pound broccoli
3 green onions
1 hot green chili or 1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp brown bean sauce
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp finely chopped gingerroot

Directions:
1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss chicken, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2. Pare outer layer from broccoli. Cut broccoli lengthwise into 1-inch-thick stems; remove flowerets. Cut stems diagonally into 1/4-inch pieces. Place broccoli flowerets and stems in boiling water; heat to boiling. Cover and cook 1 minute; drain. Immediately rinse in cold water; drain. Cut green onions diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Remove seeds and membranes from chili. Cut chili into very thin slices.
3. Heat wok until very hot. Add 3 Tbsp oil; tilt wok to coat side. Add chili, brown bean sauce, garlic, sugar and gingerroot; stir-fry mixture 10 seconds. Add chicken; stir-fry 2 minutes or until chicken is white. Add broccoli and green onions; stir-fry 1 minute or until broccoli is hot.

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh asparagus
2 cups fresh broccoli flowerets
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, scraped and diagonally sliced
1 medium-size sweet red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium-size sweet yellow pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz uncooked linguine, broken
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Cut asparagus diagonally into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Place asparagus pieces and broccoli flowerets in a vegetable steamer over boiling water; cover and steam 6-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from heat; set aside.
2. Saute onion and garlic in oil in a large skillet until tender. Add carrot and chopped peppers to onion mixture; saute until crisp-tender. Remove from heat; drain.
3. Combine whipping cream, broth, green onions, basil, and salt in a medium skillet. Cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain well; place in a large serving bowl. Add reserved vegetables, whipping cream mixture, and sliced mushrooms; toss gently. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pepper; toss gently.

Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce

Ingredients:
4 medium, skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground tumeric
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 large red onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
14 oz coconut milk
2 tsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp fresh basil, snipped
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
hot cooked rice

Directions:
1. Place chicken in a medium bowl. In a small bowl stir together the salt, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, cracked pepper, turmeric, and chili powder. Sprinkle spice mixture over chicken, tossing to coat. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or cover and chill for 1-2 hours.
2. In a large nonstick wok or skillet cook and stir the onion, garlic, and jalapeno peppers in hot oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Remove onion mixture from wok or skillet. Add half the chicken to wok or skillet. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove chicken from the wok, (if necessary, add additional oil). Cook and remove the remaining chicken as above.
3. In a small bowl stir together coconut milk and cornstarch. Carefully add to wok or skillet. Cook and stir until bubbly. Return the chicken and onion mixture to wok. Stir in snipped basil and ginger. Cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until heated through. If desired, garnish with more basil leaves.

Burmese Chile Chicken

Ingredients:
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch strips
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 onion, cut into 3/4" pieces
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1"piece ginger, peeled and minced
2 bell peppers (1 green, 1 red), cored and cut into 1" pieces
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 large anaheim or poblano chile, cut diagonally into 1/4" thick pieces
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut diagonally into 1/4" thick slices
1/2 tsp chilli powder
4 cups cooked rice

Directions:
1. Combine chicken, 1 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp cornstarch, salt and pepper in a bowl; let marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Heat a 14" wok over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil. Add onions; cook until softened, 1-2 minutes. Push onions to side; add remaining oil with chicken, arranging it in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. Continue cooking, tossing vigorously, until chicken is opaque, about 30 seconds. Add paprika, cumin, garlic, and ginger; cook, tossing constantly, for 30 seconds. Add peppers; cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Stir in fish sauce and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add chiles and zucchini; cook for 30 seconds. Stir together remaining cornstarch and 1/3 cup cold water in a bowl; pour around edge of wok. Cook until chicken is cooked and sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in chili powder; season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice.

Tian Tian Chao Mian (Everyday Fried Noodles)

Ingredients:
1/2 small seedless cucumber, peeled and julienned
kosher salt, to taste
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium carrot, jullienned
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 lb ground pork
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1" piece ginger, minced
6 scallions, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp rice cooking wine
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 cups bean sprouts
6 oz dried flat noodles, boiled and rinsed under cold water
1 Tbsp asian sesame oil

Directions:
1. Toss cucumbers and a pinch of salt together in a small bowl; let sit 5 minutes. Heat a 14" wok or stainless-steel skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add 1 Tbsp oil around edge of wok; swirl to coat bottom and sides. Add carrots and onions; cook until softened, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
2. Return wok to high heat and add remaining oil. Add pork, garlic, ginger, and half the scallions; cook, breaking pork into small pieces, until browned, 3-4 minutes.
3. Add soy sauce, wine, sugar, bean sprouts, and carrots and onions. Cook, stirring, until hot, about 30 seconds.
4. Add cucumbers, remaining scallions, noodles, and sesame oil; cook, tossing, until hot, about 1 minute. Season with salt.

Artisanal Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
kosher salt, to taste
12 oz hollow pasta
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs, preferably panko
1 oz finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup flour
3 1/2 cups milk
4 oz grated Gruyere
4 oz grated Comte or Cantal
4 oz grated fontina
black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a 4-qt saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until not quite al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta transfer to a bowl; set aside.
2. Melt 3 Tbsp of the butter in a 4-qt saucepan over low heat. Add the bread crumbs and Parmesan, toss to combine, and transfer to a small bowl; set aside. Wipe out the saucepan and set over medium heat. Melt the remaining butter and whisk in the flour until smooth. Whisk in the milk and cook, continuing to whisk often, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Gruyere, 1 cup of the Comte, and 1 cup of the fontina and whisk until the cheese is melted and incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat and stir in the reserved pasta. Pour the mixture into a 2-qt baking dish and top with the remaining Comte and fontina. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over the top and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Southern-Style Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
8 oz hollow pasta
butter, for greasing
7 oz extra-sharp cheddar, cut into 1/2" cubes, plus 6 oz grated
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp flour
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup grated onion
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a 4-quart saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until cooked halfway through. Drain pasta and transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Stir in the cubed cheddar cheese and set aside.
2. Combine 1 1/2 tsp salt, flour, mustard, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl. Add the sour cream and eggs and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, heavy cream, onions, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour egg mixture over the reserved pasta mixture and stir to combine. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the surface. Bake until the pasta mixture is set around the edges but still a bit loose in the center, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Four-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
kosher salt, to taste
8 oz hollow pasta
3 slices crustless white bread
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp paprika
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 shallots, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup flour
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups milk
10 oz grated sharp white cheddar cheese
10 oz grated Gruyere cheese
6 oz velveeta, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 oz blue cheese, cumbled
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a 4-qt saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked halfway through. Drain pasta; set pasta aside. Tear bread into small pieces and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground, set aside. Return pan to medium heat and melt 3 Tbsp butter. Add bread crumbs and stir to combine. Transfer bread crumb mixture to a plate and set aside.
2. Wipe out pan and set over medium heat. Melt the remaining butter and add the paprika, thyme, shallots, and bay leaf; cook, stirring often, until shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cayenne and stir until mixture thickens, 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook, continuing to whisk often, until sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaf and remove pan from heat. Stir in cheddar, half the Gruyere, velveeta, and blue cheese; cintinue stirring until smooth. Stir in pasta and season sauce with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to an 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining Gruyere over the top of pasta and then top with bread crumbs. Transfer baking dish to an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake until macaroli and cheese is golden brown and bubbly, 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Kettle Corn

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup uncooked popcorn kernels (to make about a full layer on bottom of large soup pot)
few shakes salt
~ 3 Tbsp sugar

Directions:
1. Heat over medium high heat, shaking constantly (cover with splatter screen!).
2. Throw in sugar and salt as soon as it starts popping.

Spice Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sauce pan, add raisins and water. Simmer the mixture until 1 cup of water remains. Set raisins aside to cool in liquid. Mix remaining ingredients. Fold in raisins with the liquid into the cookie dough. Spread out evenly onto a greased jelly roll baking dish and bake 20-25 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice. Drizzle over the cookies while hot. Cool and cut into brownie shapes.

Easy-Peasy Cheesy Quiche

I've now made these 2 mornings in a row! They are SO simple and quick...and cheap!

With 2 kids not able to eat eggs, I crave quiche so much but can't really spend the time making it anymore...so this is a GREAT alternative!

I love the crispiness of the shells!

Ingredients:
15 phyllo-dough shells (bought premade)
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp green onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp pre-cooked bacon
dash salt
dash pepper
1 slice cheese (I used muenster, but you could use cheddar, monterey jack, etc).

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together egg and milk. Add green onion, bacon, salt, pepper, and cheese.
3. Fill each cup with about 1-2 tsp of egg mixture.
4. Bake about 10 minutes or until egg is fully set.

WEMPT-Free Pizza...From Scratch!!!

Italian Fried Ham & Cheese (WEMP-Free Version)

Thai Chicken Salad

WEMP-Free Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
8 large potatoes
1/2 cup dairy rich, dairy-free creamer
1 tsp garlic, minced
salt and pepper
4-8 cups water
up to 8 tsp chicken bouillon
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
about 1/4 diced onion (my own addition - really enhances the flavor!)
about 1/4 cup dairy-free sour cream
pre-cooked bacon pieces
dairy-free cheddar cheese, grated
green onions, sliced

Directions:
1. Peel and dice potatoes. Place in large pot, cover with water, and boil for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain.
2. Place potatoes back into large pot. Add creamer, garlic, salt and pepper, and mix with hand mixer until smooth mashed potatoes.
3. Place pot back on stove over high heat, adding 4 cups water. Whisk together until smooth. Add remaining water until it's soup like consistency (sometimes I use all 8 cups, other times I use much less, so watch and pour/whisk about a half cup at a time). Add 1 tsp chicken bouillon for each cup of water used.
4. Add carrots, onions, and celery and cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables are soft.
5. Remove from heat and add dairy-free sour cream. Mix until well blended.
6. Pour into serving bowls. Sprinkle dairy-free cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions on top.

Gnocchi

AMAZING Pork Roast with Apple-Gingersnap Gravy

I started out working with a recipe...then a few recipes...and then ended up coming up with my own version of a bunch of different recipe ideas :)

And, I must admit, this was the absolute TASTIEST, most amazing pork roast ever!

Everyone LOVED it!

I had to leave out the gingersnaps for Derek, but his had everything else! So, super easy to modify!

AMAZING Pork Roast with Apple-Gingersnap Gravy

Ingredients for Pork:
3 lb boneless center cut pork loin roast
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp paprika

Ingredients for Gravy:
all of the liquid from bottom of pan (after cooking pork roast)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced apple, peeled
2 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp butter (or dairy free margarine)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
dash cayenne pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
2-3 Tbsp cream (or dairy rich non-dairy creamer)
1/2 cup water, or as much as needed for consistency
5-6 Gingersnaps (leave out if you can't have wheat!)

Directions for Pork Roast:
1. In small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, cinnamon, thyme, ginger, cayenne, and paprika.
2. Rub all over both sides of pork roast.
3. Place roast in large baking dish and bake at 450 degrees for about an hour, or until center of roast is 160 degrees.

Directions for Gingersnap Gravy:
1. In saucepan, combine liquid from roasting dish, onion, apple, garlic, butter (or margarine), ginger, salt, pepper, cayenne, and cinnamon. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onions and apples are soft.
2. Add cream (or dairy-free creamer) and about 1/2 cup water; stir to combine. Break gingersnaps in half and drop into gravy. Wait until they absorb the liquid, and then stir to combine. If needed, add more water to make it the consistency you desire!
3. Serve gravy over sliced pork.

WEMP Free Caramel Sauce

I'm going to try to make Paula Deen's recipe for Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce wemp-free. We'll see how it goes!

For now, here's what I think will work:

WEMP-Free Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dairy-free butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup Dairy Rich Creamer (dairy-free)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar, and whisk until combined and thickened, about 2 to 5 minutes. Whisk in dairy free creamer, and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Note: Sauce will thicken when refrigerated.

Baked Apple Pie Oatmeal (Wemp-Free)

I'm experimenting in the kitchen this morning!

This was a big success! It was very good and the kids LOVED it!

Baked Apple Pie Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup Coffee Rich Creamer (dairy free!)
dash salt
1 1/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1 small apple, diced
1 small container unsweetened applesauce (individual serving size)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp sugar
caramel sauce (wemp free recipe here!)

Directions:
1. In medium sized pot, combine water and dairy free creamer and bring to boil over medium heat.
2. Stir in oatmeal and set the timer for 5 minutes, reducing heat to medium-low. Stir frequently. When there is about 3 minutes left, stir in diced apple.
3. When finished cooking, stir in applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and sugar.
4. Drizzle with caramel sauce!

WEMP-Free version of the Best Pumpkin Cake Ever

Yey! I decided to make a pumpkin cake today, and really wanted my son to be able to enjoy it too...so, I tried it out with a gluten free cake mix and tweaked it a bit, and it looks amazing! I can't wait to taste it to see how close it is to the regular pumpkin cake! :)

This turned out pretty good...the texture is perfect! Which is awesome, since that's usually the difficult part! BUT, I think 1/2 cup margarine is WAY too much...next time I'm gonna try with just 1/4 cup. It actually overpowers the pumpkin! :( BUT, Derek likes it, so that's all that really matters, right?!

If you look at the picture, you probably can't tell which one is even WEMP-Free, can you?!
It's the one on the left...

WEMP-Free version of the Best Pumpkin Cake Ever

Ingredients:
1 Betty Crocker Gluten-free Yellow Cake Mix
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup soy margarine, melted (cake mix calls for 1/2 cup, but too much for this recipe!)
- 2 tsp gluten-free vanilla
- 4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
- 6 Tbsp water
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
few sprinkles of cinnamon

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 9x9 pan. Flour lightly with wheat-free flour mixture.
2. In large bowl, combine cake mix, baking powder, and baking soda. Add 2/3 cup water, soy margarine, vanilla. In small bowl, whisk together Ener-G egg replacer and 6 Tbsp water. Add to cake mix bowl. Beat together for about a minute to fully combine ingredients.
3. Add pumpkin and cinnamon. Beat for another minute.
4. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake for 33-38 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool and enjoy!

Best Pumpkin Cake Ever!

at least I think it is! :)
Had this last night at a Halloween party and I had to try it this morning! It's almost finished baking!!!!!
It's rediculous how good it is!

Best Pumpkin Cake Ever

Ingredients:
1 Dunkin Hines Yellow Cake Mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
a sprikle of cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sides and bottom of 9x13 pan. Flour it lightly.
2.. In large bowl, add cake mix, eggs, water, and vegetable oil (exactly as you would if you were making a plain yellow cake). Beat together for about a minute to fully combine.
2. Add pumpkin and cinnamon. Beat for another minute or so until fully mixed.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 32-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
4. Cool and enjoy!

WEMP-Free Pot Roast with Sour Cream Gravy

I'm tweaking our Pot Roast recipe today...so we'll see how it turns out :)

WEMP-Free Pot Roast with Sour Cream Gravy

Ingredients:
Large Pot Roast cut of Beef
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 medium onion, diced
8 cups water
2 large wheat-free beef boullion cubes
3/4 lb baby carrots
10 small potatoes
12 oz sliced mushrooms
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup wheat-free flour mix
1 cup dairy-free sour cream
1 tsp dried dill

Directions:
1. In large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes until soft. Add beef, cut into a few pieces if needed, to fit the pot. Brown beef on each side for about 3 minutes.
2. Add water and beef boullion. Bring to a boil, turn heat to medium-low, and cook for about an 60-90 minutes, until meat is tender.
3. Add carrots and cook for about 15 minutes. Add potatoes and mushrooms. Cook for about 20 minutes.
4. Remove meat and veggies from pot. In small bowl, whisk together cold water and wheat-free flour mix. Add to meat stock and whisk together. Bring to a boil and boil for about 1 minute to thicken. Remove pot from heat. Stir in dairy-free sour cream and dill. Serve gravy over meat and veggies.

Lime Chicken Tacos

I've never had a taco that was anything but ground beef. Ever. But for some reason, I just had a vision of a chicken taco in mind for about a week and then I decided I HAD to try to make them.

Anything with a corn tortilla is good for our family because Derek can eat them! And let me tell you...he sure can eat these! He is 2 1/2 and he ate FOUR whole tacos for dinner when I made these! The girls each at THREE! So, needless to say, these will become a staple meal at our house!!!!

I got the recipe from here, and tweaked it just a tiny bit!

Lime Chicken Tacos (WEMP-Free!)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces (with skin and bone)
olive oil
rotisserie seasoning, if desired
1/8 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

dash cumin
10 corn tortillas

cooking oil
1/4 cup shredded lettuce

1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup sour cream (or dairy-free sour cream)


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large baking dish, lay out chicken pieces and coat each one with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle some rotisserie chicken seasoning on them, if desired. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until fully cooked through and no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan and allow to cool enough to touch the chicken with your hands.
2. Pull chicken off of bones (removing skin), and put into a large skillet, over medium heat. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, cumin, green onion, garlic, and oregano. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in small skillet, heat about an inch of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Once it's just under a boil, add corn tortillas, one at a time. Cook for about 20 seconds on one side, flip over, cook for about 15 seconds, fold in half and cook for about 10 seconds on each side.
4. Serve tacos with cheese, lettuce, salsa, and sour cream (dairy-free, if needed), if desired.

WEMP Free Apple Fritters

Yum-o! :)

I bought some apple fritters at a nearby farm this morning, and they are SO good....but I couldn't fully enjoy them knowing my son couldn't touch them! :( So, I searched for an apple fritter recipe, made a few substitutions/additions, and they are GREAT!!!!!

It makes my heart so happy when I can do things like this for my favorite little boy in the whole world! He's worth every second!!!!

WEMP Free Apple Fritters

Ingredients:
1 cup wheat free flour mixture
1 tsp xanthum gum
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
2 Tbsp water
2-3 drops orange extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup + 2-3 Tbsp vanilla soy milk
1 cup diced apples (about 1 large apple)
canola oil
powdered sugar (for dusting)

Directions:
1. Combine flour mix, baking powder, baking soda, xanthum gum, sugar, and salt. Mix well.
2. In small bowl, combine Ener-G egg replacer with water according to package. Whisk together. Add soy milk, vanilla, and orange extract to egg replacer mixture and stir to combine.
3. Add flour mixture to milk mixture. Stir until mostly combined. Add diced apples and continue stirring until well blended.
4. In large saute pan, heat about 1 to 1 1/2 inches canola oil until very hot. (it's hot enough when you drop a tiny drop of batter in and it floats to surface).
5. Using a large scoop, drop batter into hot oil (about 2-3 Tbsp balls). Cook on each side for about 2 minutes, until deep golden brown.
6. When fully cooked, remove to a cooling rack, and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

WEMP Free Warm Delights Dessert!!!!!!

YEY! I'm so excited!

Today I found this at the store:

So, tonight I made Derek his own safe version of a Betty Crocker Warm Delight (you can make these with regular cake mix the same way...as I've posted before)! :)
He LOVED it! And it made Mama so happy!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp cake mix
1 1/2 Tbsp water

Directions:
1. Mix together 3 Tbsp cake mix with 1 1/2 Tbsp water in small bowl.
2. Microwave for 45 seconds.
3. Enjoy!

You can add toppings to this that are safe for you to eat...anything from fake peanut butter (or real if you can have it!), chocolate, sprinkles, marshmallows, etc. The sky is the limit!!!

WEMP Free Creamy Zucchini Pasta

I had a bunch of zucchini in the fridge and wanted to use it up in a pasta dish, but I wanted something a bit different than our regular XXXXXXXXXXXX.

So, with a few additions, I got this. And let me tell ya, it was so delicious that the kids wolfed it down in no time!

OOPS!!!! I meant to take a picture of Derek's WEMP-FREE version...this one clearly is one of the girls' plates b/c it's got parmesan cheese on top! :) A great addition, if you can have dairy!

Ingredients:
1 lb wemp-free pasta of choice
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 small onion, diced
1 red/orange/yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white cooking wine
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1/4 cup pre-cooked bacon
1/4 cup Rich's dairy free creamer

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions on package.
2. In large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until tender. Add white cooking wine, squash, bell pepper, and zucchini. Cook until zucchini is fork-tender.
3. Add bacon and dairy free creamer. Cook until heated through.
4. Serve zucchini and sauce over pasta.

WEMP Free Pie Crust

Adding a bit more water may help it stick together better...or maybe it's missing something else that could help with that. If I ever figure it out, I'll post it here...but until then, this is a great substitute!

Just remember that it falls apart VERY easily, so I usually end up rolling it out but then cutting it up and piecing it back together in the pan.

WEMP Free Pie Crust

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups wheat-free flour mixture
1/2 tsp xanthum gum
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
4 Tbsp cold water

Directions:
1. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until crumbly. For a flaky crust, the crumbly mixture needs to have irregular-size pieces of shortening as small as dried peas and as large as English peas.

2. Sprinkle cold water, 1 Tbsp at a time, evenly over surface; stir with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. Cold water is important; add ice to water before measuring. Add 3 Tbsp water, tossing mixture gently with a fork. To make sure you've added enough water, squeeze the dough between your fingers. If it falls apart, gradually add the remaining 1 Tbsp water (don't over stir because it will toughen dough)

As you stir with your fork, watch for it to look like this. You'll know it's ready to stop stirring and to squeeze dough together to form your disk:

3. Shape dough into a flattened disk; wrap in plastic wrap, and chill 2 hours or freeze 30 minutes. Chilling dough gives the flour time to absorb the water.

4. Roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness on a floured surface.
Before rolling the dough let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to help soften the fat. Using a cloth-covered rolling pin minimizes the amount of flour needed during rolling. Roll dough from the center out to the edges into a 12-inch circle.

5. Place in a 9-inch pie plate; trim off excess pastry along edges. Fold edges under, and crimp.
to transfer pastry to a pie plate, fold dough in half; place in center of pie plate, and unfold. or loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin; then starting at one side of the pie plate, unroll the dough over it. press dough gently, without stretching into the bottom and sides of the pie plate using your fingertips (stretching the dough causes it to shrink during baking) if the pastry tears, dampen the dough, and press on a scrap of rolled-out dough to repair the break.
Trim pastry so that it overhangs the pie plate rim by about 1 inch. Fold edge under to form a ridge; pinch the inner rim of the dough with the thumb and forefinger of one hand while pushing against the outer rim of the dough with the forefinger of the other hand. (to keep from poking holes in the pastry, bend your fingers and press with the knuckles) to help prevent shrinking, use one of these methods: lightly press the outer points of the pastry under the rim of the pie plate; or freeze until rock hard and bake without thawing.

6. Prick bottom and sides of pastry shell generously with a fork for a baked pastry shell (do not prick if the pastry shell is to be filled before baking).
Pricking the bottom and sides keeps the pastry from puffing or bubbling during baking. If it does begin to puff, reprick the crust. (omit this step for pastry that bakes with a filling.)

7. If baking before filling, bake at 450 for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

WEMP

WEMP Free Chicken Pot Pie!!!

This crust does taste a bit different than a regular wheat crust...it's not quite as light and airy, and it's a little crispy...but all in all, it's great! It's not too different tasting that I feel like I need to tweak the recipe to make it more similar to what we are used to.

Best of all, of course, is that we can ALL enjoy it together!!!

Ingredients:
2 large split chicken breasts
1/4-1/2 lb carrots, diced
4 stalks celery
1 cup diced onion
3-4 large potatoes, diced
1 cans (12-16 oz) very young tender sweet peas, drained
salt and pepper
wheat-free flour mix
water
WEMP Free pie crust

Directions:
1. Place chicken breasts into pot and cover with about 8 cups water. Sprinkle with about 1 tsp salt. Cook over high heat for about an hour, until chicken is fully cooked. After the first half hour, add carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes. Cook until chicken is fully cooked through and veggies are tender. Add peas and heat through.
***To save time, go down to step 5 and make pie crust while chicken is finishing cooking****
2. Remove all veggies and chicken from stock (SAVE broth!), and place into large bowl. Shred chicken and add back to veggie bowl.
3. In small bowl, combine 1 cup wheat-free flour mix with 1 cup water. Whisk well; pour into broth and cook over high heat for a few minutes until thickened, whisking often.
4. Add veggies and chicken back into broth.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make pie crust.
6. Roll out pie crust so that it is large enough to cover bottom and sides of 9x13 pan.
7. Transfer pie crust to bottom of baker. Fill with chicken mixture (may have more than you need!). Top with 9-12 pats of butter. Top with second pie crust. Roll over ends.
8. Put 8-10 slits in top of pie crust to let air escape. Cover edges of pie crust with foil. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until crust looks fully cooked and golden brown.

Grilled Chicken Salad

I whipped this together today too...and it was really yummy! It made for an amazingly simple yet satisfying and enjoyable lunch for us today! I will be making it again tomorrow for sure!!! :)

Julie and Derek both inhaled it, and Julie asked for it for dinner too! And neither of them are big salad eaters!!! :)

It would probably be really good with some honey roasted almonds or walnuts or pecans...but since Derek can't have nuts, we avoided them (and his didn't have the tomato either) :(

Grilled Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cooked this way)
1 bag Dole classic salad blend (romaine, carrots, cabbage)
1/2 bag baby spinach leaves
1 apple, diced
1 tomato, if desired
Ken's Lite Raspberry Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing
glazed walnuts

Directions:
1. Grill chicken according to directions from Chili-Glazed Chicken recipe.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine salad mix, spinach, apple, and tomato. Dish out onto 2-3 large dinner plates.
3. When chicken is finished cooking, slice into thin slices, and place on top of salad plates. Top with Raspberry Pomegranate dressing.

WEMP Free Alfredo Pasta!!!!

OK, so I was totally disappointed tonight. I made an AWESOME alfredo-style pasta dish for Derek that is really...REALLY good! And he wouldn't eat it. He did finally break down and enjoy a little of it, so I was slightly relieved! I think it turns out that he really just wanted to play with his trains, and wasn't interested in eating anything.

However, both the girls tried it (I made them regular mac and cheese) and they BOTH loved it and asked me to make it for them next time! :) So, I know it was good! LOL!

So, it's definitely a keeper! I'll be making this one weekly, I'm sure! It was simple and quick...and so tasty! You can't even tell it's WEMP Free!!!!!!

WEMP Free Alfredo Pasta Ingredients:
12 oz rice pasta (elbow/tube shape)
2 Tbsp Earth Balance soy butter
1/4 cup Rich's Coffee Rich
1/4 cup white cooking wine
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 slices dairy-free mozzarella-style "cheese"
3 Tbsp pre-cooked bacon pieces (if desired)
dash salt, to taste
Directions:
1. Cook pasta, according to directions on package.
2. When pasta is finished cooking, pour into collinder and rinse. Put back in pot.
3. Turn heat back to medium, and add soy butter, coffee rich, white cooking wine, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Stir together. Break cheese into small pieces and add to pot, stirring until cheese melts. Toss bacon pieces in and stir. Add salt to taste.

Chili-Glazed Chicken

I made this one over the summer, and it was SO fantastic! The chicken was so flavorful! I will definitely make this again soon...in fact, probably this week!

Of course, to make this safe for Derek I will have to omit the chili sauce for his, because he's also allergic to tomatoes now...so, his list is now...wheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, and tomatoes. And, of course, we are also having to avoid ALL nuts and all shellfish. :( This is becoming increasingly difficult, I must admit. I thought the WEMP free stuff was hard, but at least there are things we CAN substitute...but tomatoes?! There's not much you can substitute for tomato sauce or ketchup or any other tomato based product! :(

So, for now, I'll just have to make his separate and exclude the chili sauce :( Poor little man! I hope he outgrows this stuff soon!!!!

I pulled this recipe from Grilling Magazine (Spring 2010). Although, I used chicken thighs, where it called for drumsticks.


Chili-Glazed Chicken

Ingredients:
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp soy sauce (wemp free of course!)
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp chili sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:
1. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, in a small bowl, combine oil, soy sauce, honey, chili sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Pour marinade over chicken. Seal bag; turn to coat chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours, turning bag occasionally. Drain chicken, reserving marinade.
2. For a gas grill, preheat grill to medium high heat. Place chicken on grill over low flames, and cook until chicken is no longer pink, brushing occasionally with reserved marinade. Turn chicken over after about 10 minutes to cook underside. Discard any remaining marinade.

Creamy Veggie Pasta with Bacon - WEMP FREE!!!!

OK, so I took an older recipe that we like (that my brother created years ago) and changed it up just a bit and gave it a whole new flavor! The kids LOVED it this way!!!

I never think to...because I never think out of the box!...BUT, you could probably add some cooked chicken to this for a well rounded meal! :) Maybe next time!

Ingredients:
1 lb whole wheat OR corn/rice/potato angel hair pasta
2 small yellow squash, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 small zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small bell pepper (red/yellow/orange), cut into 1 inch pieces, optional
1/2 small onion, optional
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cup white cooking wine
1 tsp fresh basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, optional
1/4 cup pre-cooked bacon pieces
about 1/3 cup Rich's Coffee Rich non-dairy creamer (in freezer section at grocery store!)
parmesan cheese, optional (of course, not for WEMP-free!)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta, according to directions on package.
2. In large stir fry pan, heat oil until very hot. Add garlic and onion and saute for a minute or two. Add squash, zucchini, and bell pepper. Add white cooking wine, basil, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper, if desired. Turn heat to medium and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until veggies are a bit tender. Stir in bacon and non-dairy creamer and heat until hot again. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Drain pasta when finished cooking, and put onto plates. Top with veggies and the oil/wine sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Cuban Pork Wraps

I don't have the recipe yet, but Hillary made these for us for dinner the other night and the kids LOVED them!!!!

Tuna Stuffed Avocado

OK, so I have HATED tuna from a can since childhood...but this was actually really good!

This was one of the few meals I was able to eat and enjoy in Guatemala before getting the news about my dad :(

It was SO great though that we ate it the week after we came home! :) Although, I recommend only one half of an avocado per person (as Ana served it) because two is a little too much...well, tuna from a can :)

Ingredients:

3 Avocados

1 can of tuna fish, drained

l lemon

salt

2-3 Tbsp mayonnaise

Directions:
1. Cut each avocado in half, and remove seed.
2. In a bowl pour the tuna fish, add some drops of lemon juice, salt, and mayonnaise. Mix it together.
3. Top each avocado half with a spoonful of tuna salad. On the top you could add some sour cream and a pea in each avocado.

***NOTE: Ana Maria served each avocado half with sour cream and a pea...she didn't miss any opportunity to show her love and appreciation! ***

Pan Seared Scallops & Pasta

This was my birthday lunch today! :) It's become not only my most favorite dish, but also the dish that I crave most often...YUM!!!!

I got the original recipe from recipezaar, but used someone's suggestion that was posted for the sauce & pasta!

Ingredients:
1 lb large scallops
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
parmesan cheese
1-2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup white wine
dash pepper
1/2 cup half and half
2 clove garlic, minced
angel hair pasta

Directions:
1. Cook pasta, according to package.
2. Dip scallops in lemon juice, then roll them in breadcrumbs.
3. Put olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large skillet; stir and heat until hot.
4. Add scallops, turning once, until browned on both sides (3-4 minutes); remove scallops from pan.
5. Sprinkle scallops with parmesan cheese.
6. In pan used to cook scallops, add 1-2 Tbsp butter, white wine, pepper, half and half, and garlic. Heat until boiling and continue boiling for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
7. Serve scallops over pasta, pour sauce on top.

WEMP Free Cinnamon Bread

Here's yet another great recipe from Kelly Rudnicki, that I turned into wheat-free as well as egg, milk, and peanut free!

I just baked it today, and so I don't know yet how well it will keep, but straight from the oven it was awesome!!!!

WEMP-Free Cinnamon Bread

Ingredients:
1/4 cup dairy-free shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp water
2 cups wheat-free flour blend
1 tsp xanthum gum
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup vanilla soy milk

Topping:
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp melted dairy-free margarine

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with dairy-free baking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and 3/4 cup sugar thoroughly, adding the water as the mixer runs. Beat until fluffy.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the shortening mixture, alternating it with the soy milk.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tsp margarine to make the topping.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the batter with the topping mixture. Bake for 45 minutes, or until an inserted cake tester comes out clean and the topping is crusty brown. Cool 10 minutes before slicing.

WEMP Free Thai Tilapia

It's so funny that Annabelle has come SO far in her short little 6 years! :)

Even as recently as 2 years ago, there was not a lot that Belle would eat that wasn't plain, simple, and boring...you could not get her to eat a bell pepper, no matter what. And, that was just the beginning.

But, today, she is an awesome, adventurous eater! And, except for those few and far-between days now that she complains about food, her brother and sister are following her every move and enjoying quite a variety of foods! That's so great! Especially since we're so limited with Derek's allergies, it's nice to have lots of flavor and spice (especially with thai and indian dishes), so we don't feel so deprived all the time!

Anyway, I found this recipe tonight and decided to try it...because not only are we a family of thai-cuisine lovers, but the kids LOVE tilapia! So, why not join the two together?

I did change it quite a bit though, so I'm claiming this as my own recipe! LOL! I've been wanting to perfect a sauce so that it tastes like the Panang Curry dish at a small little restaurant in Winchester, VA...and I think it's pretty darn close! :) Can't wait to try it with chicken!

Of course, the panang curry sauce has peanut in it, so only add those if you can! If not, it's delightful even without!!!

In fact, I made 7 fillets tonight (they are very small), doing 4 in one skillet with NO peanut butter for the kids, and the rest I did for Chris and I with peanut butter, and they are both SO very good! I think this is my new best creation! :)

Note: If doing more than 4 fillets, you'll need to do in 2 skillets, so double the sauce for sure! I doubled it when cooking 7...

WEMP Free Thai Tilapia

Ingredients:
1/2 can coconut milk (about 6-8 oz)
2 Tbsp chopped onion
1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped (I just sliced some off the end of my ginger root & threw in blender)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chopped fresh lemongrass (I used about 1/4 tsp dried lemon grass powder)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp fresh basil
1 tsp fresh garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 tilapia fillets
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste
1-2 Tbsp peanut butter (IF YOU CAN HAVE PEANUTS!) - totally optional here!

Directions:
1. In a blender, combine coconut milk, onion, ginger, turmeric, lemon grass, salt, basil, garlic, and peanut butter (if using). Blend until smooth.
2. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper on both sides, then place them in the skillet. Pour the pureed sauce over the fish. Use a spatula to coat the fish evenly with the sauce. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired.
3. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the puree is thickened and fish flakes easily with a fork.

WEMP Free Chili

This was a Chris creation tonight...I was feeling discouraged about what to cook that was safe for Derek, and my wonderful hubby decided to whip something new up. He's so good at that! :)

It was VERY tasty!!!!

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs ground beef
2 beef cubes
1 chicken cube
1 cup diced carrots
3 medium potatoes, cubed
1 cup wax beans
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 stalk celery
1 squash, cubed
1 cup peas
1 cup green beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
2 cups diced cabbage
Old Bay, to taste

Directions:
1. Brown ground beef over medium high heat.
2. Add 10 cups water.
3. Add beef and chicken boullion cubes.
4. Add carrots, cook until tender.
5. Add potatoes, cook until tender.
6. Add wax beans, bell pepper, celery, squash, peas, and green beans.
7. Sprinkle Old Bay on top.
8. Add cabbage, cook for few minutes, then add kidney beans.
9. Cook until heated through.

Pizza Hut Supreme Sandwich

I used to work at Pizza Hut...a LONG time ago :)

We used to serve this sandwich (I don't even know if they still sell it or not), but it's super good! It's one of our favorite quick lunches!

Pizza Hut Supreme Sandwich

Ingredients:
(for each sandwich)

1 Italian style Roll
4 slices thin sliced ham
4 slices hard salami
1 slice provolone cheese, cut in half
Creamy Italian Dressing

Directions:
1. Place opened roll on baking sheet.
2. Top with ham on one side, salami on the other. Top both meats with 1/2 slice of cheese.
3. Place under the broiler (on high) for about 3-7 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is just barely toasted.
4. Top with Italian Dressing and enjoy!

Caramel Brownies

The other amazing recipe from church this weekend was brought by our friend Jen V...it was caramel brownies! I've seen lots of recipes for these, but have never felt any desire to actually try them out...don't know why, but it just didn't seem like it would be my thing.

Lets just say that Caramel Brownies, it turns out, are TOTALLY my thing! LOL!

Can't wait to try these out, and will even try to do a WEMP-Free version soon too!

The recipe came from allrecipes.com, and you can find the original recipe here. The original recipe calls for a german chocolate cake mix, but Jen used a regular brownie mix...and I would do the same for sure!

Ingredients:
1 box brownie mix
3/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans
13 oz individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/3 cup evaportated milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 inch pan with non-stick coating.
2. Combine the brownie mix, butter, and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Mix well and pour 2/3 of the batter into pan.
3. Press pecans into batter and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
4. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Stir until melted and smooth; pour over cooled brownie mix.
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of caramel and top with spoonfuls of remaining cake mix. Bake for additional 15 to 18 minutes; cool and cut.

Blueberry Gingerbread

This is so AMAZING! Thanks to my friend Annette for passing the recipe on to me! She baked it for us yesterday and it was FABULOUS!

I actually made it WEMP-Free today, so if you are looking for that recipe, it's here!

But, here's the regular wheat, egg, milk infused version! :)

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup plus 3 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
4 Tbsp molasses
1 cup fresh blueberries, washed, stemmed, and dried

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, and salt; set aside.
3. Dissolve baking soda into buttermilk.
4. Cream butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in egg.
6. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, always beginning and ending with flour mixture.
7. Stir in molasses.
8. Gently fold in blueberries.
9. Spoon batter into well greased 9x9x2 baking pan.
10. Sprinkle remaining sugar on top.
11. Bake 50 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached)

WEMP Free Blueberry Gingerbread

Oh. My. Word. My friend Annette made this for our worship team yesterday and it was INCREDIBLE!!!! So I had to ask for the recipe! And, luckily, not only did she send me the recipe already, but I just happened to have fresh blueberries sitting in my fridge! YEY!

So, of course I had to make this today! And, since I wanted Derek to be able to eat it, I went ahead and made it WEMP free!

I'm so glad I'm figuring out all the secrets to cooking and baking allergen-free! It's opening up our food world so much! Although, there's still nothing like REAL cheese and there's not a real substitute for tomato sauce!...but we're managing!

If your child has allergies, please DO NOT feel overwhelmed! The wheat allergy really threw me for a loop, but after experimenting (a BIT, not even a ton!) I've been able to figure out about what I need to use for substitutions, and it's been mostly successful! Please email me if you need any help!

Without further ado...

***OK, weird note about this...the sugar on top did NOT melt into the cake...very weird! So, I broiled it for a few minutes after baking to melt the sugar. Sometimes this WEMP-Free stuff cooks so weird! Who would think that a non-wheat cake mix would not allow the sugar to melt into it?!***

WEMP-Free Blueberry Gingerbread

Ingredients:
2 cups wheat-free flour blend
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthum gum
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dairy free shortening (I use Spectrum since it's NON-Hydrogenated!)
1 1/2 tsp butter flavoring
1 cup plus 3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
2 Tbsp soy milk or water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup soy milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp molasses
1 cup fresh blueberries; washed, stemmed, and dried

Directions:
1. In a liquid measuring cup, pour 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and then fill to the 1 cup measure with soy milk; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour 9x9x2 baking pan (I use Pan Grease to both flour and grease in one easy step! You can make your own or you can buy it at the cake and wedding cottage - it's wemp free!)
3. Combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt, xanthum gum, and baking powder; set aside.
4. Dissolve baking soda into soy milk mixture.
5. Cream shortening, butter flavoring, and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
6. In small bowl, whisk together egg replacer and water or soy milk. Beat into shortening mixture.
7. Alternately add flour mixture and soy milk/lemon juice mixture, always beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
8. Stir in molasses. Gently fold in blueberries.
9. Spoon batter into baking pan; sprinkle remaining sugar on top.
10. Bake 50 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached).


***NOTE: I ended up burning the top just a bit when I had to turn the broiler on to melt the sugar...so next time I think I'll mix a bit of water into the sugar and pour on top...that would give it the moisture it seems to need to melt. Who would think that after an HOUR in a 350 degree oven, that sugar wouldn't melt at all?!

Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Chris made up this recipe tonight (he also made up the WEMP Free Cheesy Chicken Pasta, as well)...and this was pretty awesome! The girls both ate 3 plates of food tonight! They loved it! I only got a bite b/c they ate it all, but it was really good!

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 jar Ragu Marinara Sauce
1/4 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
3 cups cooked ziti

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, lemon zest, and garlic powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is fully cooked through. Add marinara sauce, spinach, pasta, and monterey jack cheese. Stir to combine.

WEMP free "Cheesy" Chicken Pasta

Chris whipped up an original creation tonight for Derek, and he LOVED it!

I tried it, and it wasn't bad...although I'm such a cheese lover, that it still wasn't the same for me, but since he doesn't seem to notice the difference, hopefully he'll never feel like he's missing out! It was a really nice change for him, since he can't generally have mac 'n cheese or anything like it!

The cheese didn't completely melt, but it melted enough to mix together with the pasta! :)

WEMP Free "Cheesy" Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 chicken breast
2 cups Wheat/Egg-free pasta
2 tsp vegan butter
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar

Directions:
1. Cook pasta, according to directions.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. Add lemon zest, pepper, and garlic powder, stirring to combine.
2. In separate small skillet, heat vegan margarine over medium heat. Add spinach and saute until slightly softened. Add spinach to chicken mixture.
3. Drain pasta and add to chicken mixture. Top with shredded cheddar and heat through.

Grilled Pineapple Angel Food Cake with a roasted marshmallow chaser

An Erin Allport Original! :)

OK, when talking about how awesome grilled pineapple is, someone suggested that I try grilling it and adding cinnamon and sugar. That sounded amazing, so I had to try it!

I decided to also grill some angel food cake, add some vanilla ice cream (frozen yogurt this time), whipped cream, and add a side of roasted marshmallows. Not sure how I formed this idea in my head, but it sounded awesome...and let's just say, I could eat this EVERY day, and never tire of it! It was SO good!!!!

Chris doesn't like marshmallow (I Know, crazy, huh?!) And pineapple isn't his most favorite thing, but he enjoyed it...but I think the marshmallows definitely put this over the top! It's just awesome with roasted marshmallows! :)

Sorry that it's not allergy free at all (eggs, milk, wheat...it's got it all) :(

Grilled Pineapple Angel Food Cake with a Roasted Marshmallow Chaser

Ingredients:
Angel food cake slices (one for each serving)
Fresh Pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite size chunks
Cinnamon & Sugar
Vanilla ice cream
Whipped cream
Marshmallows (2 large for each serving)

Directions:
1. Either in grill pan or on skewers, grill pineapple for about 5-10 minutes over medium flame. Once it's fully heated through and starting to get grill marks, remove from heat and add cinnamon and sugar, to taste.
2. While grilling pineapple, roast marshmallows, removing from skewer and putting aside on a plate (I let mine catch fire to quickly char the outside, while not making them super gooey on the inside, so they'd keep their form).
3. Grill slices of angel food cake over high heat, for about 30 seconds or so each side, until it has nice grill marks, but isn't burned!
4. To serve, put angel food cake slice on plate, top with grilled pineapple, whipped cream, a scoop if ice cream, and 2 roasted marshmallows!

The only thing I might try and add to this sometime is some chocolate drizzled on top :) That might be great too!

Summer Squash Pasta - WEMP Free (or not)

This is a recipe that my brother whipped together way back when we were in high school...and I still make it all the time! It's so yummy and uses lots of fresh veggies, so it's very healthy too!

Summer Squash Pasta - WEMP Free (or not)

Ingredients:
1 lb whole wheat OR corn/rice/potato angel hair pasta
2 small yellow squash, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 small zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small bell pepper (red/yellow/orange will be best flavor for this!), cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 small onion, optional
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup white cooking wine
1 tsp fresh basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, optional
parmesan cheese, optional (of course, not for WEMP-free!)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta, according to directions on package.
2. In large stir fry pan, heat oil until very hot. Add garlic and onion and saute for a minute or two. Add squash, zucchini, and bell pepper. Add white cooking wine, basil, and crushed red pepper, if desired. Turn heat to medium and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until veggies are a bit tender.
3. Drain pasta when finished cooking, and put onto plates. Top with veggies and the oil/wine sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired, or just sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.


Here's the WEMP Free version:

BEST WEMP-Free Brownies!!!!

OK, so with all the 4th of July parties this weekend, I knew I needed to bake some kind of yummy treat for Derek, so he could feel included in the festivities! But, I wasn't sure I wanted to make the ones I made several weeks ago. I mean, they were AMAZING for my first attempt, but I didn't think I was satisfied with this recipe for brownies. They tasted like very very dark chocolate, but still with a touch of the apple flavor from the applesauce...which I just don't enjoy much.

So, I decided to tweak another recipe from my Kelly Rudnicki cookbook - The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book. For some reason, I've found that I really LOVE when I make her recipes (making them wheat free, of course!) so much better than the ones that are already wheat free. :)

And, I'm SO glad I tried! These were OUTSTANDING!!!! FAR superior to my last attempt! I would be willing to bet no one would EVER know they are wheat, milk, egg, and nut free! AWESOME! Derek's enjoying some for breakfast! (Hey, I had to do something, his sister got to go out to breakfast with Daddy, and he was devastated! What's a mom to do?! Bake brownies for breakfast, of course!) :)

Now, these brownies use tofu in place of the eggs, and I HIGHLY recommend it! I've never baked with tofu (in fact, I've only used it once in my life, while being a Pampered Chef consultant...for a show for a vegetarian!)...so I was a bit skeptical. But, I'll never worry again! It was great! In fact, I had one package, and didn't want to waste any of it (since this is the only recipe I have at the moment with tofu), so of course I did what any sane woman would do at 9 am...I baked not one, not two, but THREE pans of brownies, just to use the tofu up! I'm telling you, the brownies are THAT good! :) I'll just let them cool, slice them, and place them in the freezer so I can grab them for Derek and Julie whenever we need a special treat out! :)

BEST WEMP-Free Brownies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dairy-free shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup silken tofu
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup wheat-free all-purpose flour mix
about 1/2 tsp xanthum gum
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips
powdered sugar, optional

Directions:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, thoroughly combine the shortening, sugar, tofu, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk. Add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture, and mix until just combined, adding soy milk to help it come together. Stir in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray (or brush with shortening) 8x8 baking pan with dairy-free baking spray. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan, and bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely, and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Kabobs!

In the summer, sometimes the best dinners are the simple fresh off the grill meals!

This is one of our favorites!

And, let me warn you...DO NOT avoid the pineapple, thinking that would ruin the dish! The grilled pineapple is EVERYONE's favorite part of this meal! It's AWESOME!!!!!

Kabobs
Ingredients:
1 chicken breast, cut into large chunks
1/2 lb turkey kielbasa
1 large yellow squash, sliced
1 large green zucchini, sliced
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
8 oz button mushrooms
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks
1 bell pepper, any color

Directions:
1. After slicing all the meat and veggies, start putting them onto skewers, mixing as you go.
2. Heat grill on high for several minutes to get it nice and hot!
3. Cook on medium or high for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally.
4. Remove from skewers and serve!

Variations:
1. Try marinating the chicken in Italian Dressing. SO Yummy!
2. Sometimes I sprinkle with mesquite seasoning and some garlic powder.
3. Could do barbecue on the chicken.
4. Serve with saffron rice.

Really, the sky is the limit!

Fresh Guacamole

So I have made many variations of guacamole...even posted on here that I claimed was simple and tasty!

But you know what? Sometimes the simpler, the better!

Next time you want some guacamole, just try this! You won't be disappointed!

Fresh Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1-2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp garlic salt, if desired

Directions:
1. Slice avocado in half. Remove seed. Using a spoon, remove inside meat of avocado and dump into a glass bowl.
2. Using a fork, mash avocado. Add lime juice and a little garlic salt if desired (it's good either way!)
3. Serve with tortilla chips!