Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last night we had a pool party with our neighborhood.  We all brought dinner and then a dessert to share with everyone else.  There are a few people that are gluten free so I wanted to make something they could all eat along with my son.  I always take something my kids will be able to eat... especially at parties so they don't feel left out.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup Gluten free flour (I use the America's Test Kitchen blend Click here for the recipe)
1/4 tsp guar gum
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat sugars and butter on high until fluffy.  Add egg and egg white and beat until smooth.  Add vanilla and baking soda.  Mix Gluten Free flour and guar gum together and then add to butter mixture.  Add chocolate chips and scoop by spoonful onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 9 minutes.

They turned out really soft and moist but didn't spread... always a plus!  If you bake the whole batch and then freeze the baked cookies they turn out really good and last a long time... especially if you only have 1 a day!  Enjoy!  (makes about 2 dozen)

You can also replace the vanilla with peppermint flavoring to make mint chocolate chip cookies... a favorite at our house.

Menu for the Week

I know it has been awhile since my last post.  Here is our menu for the week.  Enjoy!

Monday
Stuffed Peppers, cooked carrots

Tuesday
Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas, edamame

Wednesday
Spaghetti Green Beans, 

Thursday
Breakfast for dinner, (GF and regular french toast, sausage)

Friday
Black bean and Salsa Chicken- Crockpot, fruit

Stuffed Peppers

Growing up my mom always made amazing stuffed peppers!  They were always moist, never soggy, great flavor... Well I must not be as good of a cook as her because every time I have attempted them, they turn out mushy, dry, and well bland.  It wasn't until shopping the other day when I came across some Anaheim Chili Peppers that were HUGE that I thought, those would make amazing stuffed peppers, Mexican Style!



Anaheim Stuffed Peppers (makes 4)

1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 pound ground beef
1 tomato diced
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 cup cheese
Salt, Pepper, garlic
4 Anaheim Chili Peppers, Seeded and deveined (see picture)

Saute onions in oil or butter.  Add ground beef and season well with Salt, pepper, garlic.  You can also use taco seasoning here if you want. (I noticed that I had to over season just a little bit in order to get the best flavor once it was inside the Chili)  Add diced tomato and black beans and remove from heat.

While the meat mixture is cooking, seed and devein the peppers.  If you want a little extra heat, add some of the seeds back into the meat mixture.  Put some cheese in the bottom of the pepper.

Add meat mixture and then add some grated cheese on the top.  Stick in 400 degree oven for 20  minutes or until the pepper still has a little crunch but not soggy.

A couple of variations that I thought would be wonderful...

Bacon... After stuffing the pepper wrap bacon around and cook until bacon is crunchy on the outside

Tortilla... After taking out of the oven, wrap in a warm tortilla (you can use corn, or homemade) for a burrito

Guacamole... Add a dollop of guacamole and sour cream on top.

Smother... Make a green chili sauce and smother it.