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.

Fish Tacos

When I was little, we ate tacos almost once a week. Now that I am the one fixing the meals, we have tacos almost every week.   OUR FAMILY LOVES MEXICAN FOOD!  About 6 years ago, I traveled to Mexico and first heard of fish tacos.... Just the thought of them sounded awful!  Then about 2 years ago, I decided I would take the plunge and try them.  WOW!  What more can I say, I'm hooked.  It just so happens that they are also Gluten free... perfect way to change up the chicken breast with rice and vegetables.  You can also make them corn free by putting them in a normal tortilla.  Your choice!

Fish Tacos

1 pound fresh tilapia
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
Salt, Pepper, Garlic, onion powder
Dash of ground chili pepper

Cabbage (I usually buy the coleslaw mix)
1/4 cup mayo or miracle whip-- Veganese (for those dairy free)



2-3 tbsp Sriacha  (its in the asian aisle, but has the most amazing flavor!)
Avocado
tomato
1 lime
Tortillas

Season tilapia with salt pepper, garlic and onion powder.  Sprinkle chili pepper on... We like ours spicy so we add more than most people do.  Cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes covered.  Flip over and add lemon or lime juice to get all those wonderful flavors off the bottom of the pan.  Cook for another 4 minutes uncovered.  When fish is cooked through (it will flake) shred with a fork until small chunks remain.

Mix together 1/2 bag of coleslaw cabbage, 1/4 cup may or miracle whip, sriacha, salt pepper.  Again, we like ours spicy so we usually add a little more as you can see by the picture.

Place meat in tortilla top with slaw.  Add avocado, chopped tomato, and squeeze a wedge of lime.  SO TASTY!!

What's a s'more, without the marshmallow?

When we first discovered that my daughter had a corn allergy, we thought, oh thank heavens it isn't as bad as wheat... What we didn't realize is that although she can eat more than if she had wheat, but it is NEVER labeled.  That means double duty every time I go to the grocery store.

The other night we wanted to make s'mores.  My kids were so excited because lets face it, what kid doesn't like marshmallows?  I researched a little bit and found a few recipes.  I combined a couple of them and came up with this...

Homemade Marshmallows

2 packets unflavored gelatin (we used Knox)
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix 1/2 cup water and gelatin in small bowl.  Let set. (this part looks SO gross... its just turns into a goo)

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan add sugar.  Pour water over sugar and turn on the heat.  DO NOT STIR...  (You are making what is called invert sugar, if you stir it, it becomes crystally, and makes stiffer marshmallows)  Bring to a boil until all sugar is dissolved.

When it is dissolved add gelatin mixture and remove from heat.  Add vanilla.  Place in stand mixer and mix.  It usually takes about 10 minutes in a mixer.  At first you may think the brownish colored water will never take shape and then all of a sudden it starts getting bigger and bigger and whiter and whiter.

Once stiff peaks form, turn off mixer and spread marshmallow fluff into a 9x9 pan greased and then coated with Tapioca Starch.

Let cool for an hour in the fridge and then cut marshmallows into shapes.  After cutting each one roll in tapioca starch so they will not stick to each other.

My favorite movie growing up was the Sandlot, so I close with a tribute to the one who made everyone love s'mores.

First you take the Graham... You stick the chocolate on the graham.  Then you roast the mallow.  When the mallow's flaming you place it on the chocolate and cover it with the other end.  Then you STUFF.

As for Graham Crackers we use the Smoreables for the Gluten Free kind and the Keebler or Winco brands for the Corn free.  ENJOY!

Salsa and Black bean Shredded Chicken & Gluten free tortillas

In our house, Mexican food is a staple.  We have it at least twice a week!  We just love it!

I came across a slow cooker recipe for Black bean and Salsa Chicken that I really really liked and have used on many occasions, but wanted to change it a little to fit our pantry a little better.

Salsa and Black bean shredded chicken

1- 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1- 7 oz can chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp ground arbor chili
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic
1/2 onion chopped
1- 14 oz can black beans
2 chicken breasts

Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.  Once cooking is completed, shred chicken with 2 forks.  Serve over rice or in a tortilla with sour cream etc.

For this one I cooked in the crock pot but didn't have enough time for the chicken to finish cooking, so I cooked the last 20 min on the stove top... hence the pictures in a pan. Also the first picture doesn't have the beans in it because my son cannot have them.  I usually take his chicken and sauce out and then add the beans for the rest of us.


Along with this, I made homemade tortillas... something I absolutely love.  Most cookbooks have a regular flour tortilla, so I decided to make non corn tortillas for my little guy to have.  They turned out pretty good!

Corn free Flour Tortillas

1 tbsp shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 tsp soda
1/8 tsp guar gum
1/4 cup gluten free flour blend from America's Test Kitchen-  Recipe Here

Mix shortening, salt, warm water, soda together. Mix flour and guar gum together and add to the water mixture.  Mix until it forms a ball. Separate into 2 sections.  Spread tapioca flour on counter an roll out into a circle.  Place on hot dry skillet (about medium heat) until it starts to brown.  Turn over and then ENJOY!

I noticed that the dough was super soft and would tear easily.  I used a spatula to move it from the counter to the pan and it worked a lot better than picking it up with my hands.

Dinner Menu for the week

I am just getting around to putting this on, but here is our menu for the week!

Friday
Costco hot dogs (gluten and Corn free!!)

Saturday
Homemade Pizza

Monday
Beef and Bean burritos/carrots
(can use corn tortillas for GF, or just eat inside mixture)

Tuesday
Zucchini Boats (Recipe Below)

Wednesday
Homemade French Toast
(Gluten free bread recipe to follow)

Thursday
Crepes with Chicken and peppers