Monthly Archives: January 2014

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Gluten Free EnerG Style Egg Replacer

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So, I found this recipe on Pinterest.  I am always on the lookout for great GF bread.  This recipe shows pictures of the bread bending without breaking!  This I had to try.  I would say it is comparable to my Challah Bread, but with a lot less eggs.  Anyway, it had a ton of ingredients and one of them was this egg replacer.  This stuff is like $7 a box and I had a recipe that calls for it and I was not going to invest that much money into a “give it a try” recipe.  I did a search and made my own.  Huge savings over the box at the store.


1/3 cup potato starch
3 Tablespoons tapioca starch
1 Tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda

Mix all this together and store in a container until ready to use. 

 I don’t have directions on how to use this as an egg replacer per se, because this was just used as a kind of rising booster in the recipe I made it for.  
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Gluten Free Chipotle Maple Beef (crockpot)

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This recipe is inspired by a recipe in Everyday with Rachael Ray.

Low & Slow Chipotle-Maple Beef

1 chile plus 1 Tablespoon sauce from chipotles in adobo sauce (check ingredients for GF)
1/2 cup apple cider (original recipe called for pineapple juice)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 Tablespoons tomato paste*
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Morton’s Season Salt
3 pounds boneless venison roast (original recipe called for boneless chuck roast)

Puree all ingredients except meat.  Pour sauce into crockpot.  Add meat and turn to coat each side with sauce.  If using a chuck roast place the roast fat side up.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours.
Scrape off fat, if necessary, shred meat, take 1 cup of sauce and toss the shredded meat with it and let stand until most of liquid is absorbed – maybe 10 minutes.


I served this with short grain cheesy rice and a salad.  I saved the rest and will made tacos.  

*I opened a can and used what I needed, then I lined a pan with waxed paper and dropped by Tablespoon onto paper.  Put in freezer overnight and then I put them in a container to have this on hand.  Often you only use a Tablespoon or two of tomato paste in a recipe.  I know they now offer tomato paste in a squeeze tube, but I don’t know the cost of this.
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Gluten Free Hawaiian Wedding Cake

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I saw this Pinterest and thought it sounded so good, so I converted it to GF.  It makes a lovely presentation too.  I used the Pampered Chef Brownie Pan and then put the rest in smaller baking pan, but you could do it in a 13X9 inch pan or cupcakes.



2 cups white flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed, brown sugar
1 cup shredded coconut – I used unsweetened shredded
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut flakes, these are big pieces, like in the picture, toasted*
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I did not use nuts, I have never liked nuts in cakes or brownies.  But, I did think that macadamia nuts would be a good compliment to the cake, even just a few chopped on top with the toasted coconut. So your choice in the cake, on top, or not at all.)


Mix all ingredients together and pour into prepared pan (or pans).  Bake until done – according to size – 13 X 9 about 30-40 minutes.  Cupcakes 15-20 minutes.  Brownie pan 12-15.  These times are approximate, you want to cook until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center and/or a toothpick comes out with only tiny crumbs.

Icing
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Cream together butter and cream cheese, add powdered sugar and coconut extract and blend until smooth and creamy.  Use this to ice cooled cake and top with optional toasted coconut and nuts.

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Menu Plan #2 – 2014

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As I write this the sun is shining! Oh, the sun, how I have missed it this past week.  It is still chilly but the sun makes it bearable.  I hope the sun is shining where you are and you are enjoying it as much as I do.


Getting back into the swing of things after the holidays has been a challenge for me.  I’m pressing in though and finding some success.  I’m hoping this week will be a more “normal” week back in the routine of school and household.  I did make my monthly menu plan and even went into February a bit so feeling success in that area….it’s the small things.  I’ll take it where I can get it.

I made some Oatmeal Cookies this past week and some for my mom with raisins, next time I think I will make them with raisins and dark chocolate chunks.  They will be reminiscent of the Kashi Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk cookies that I used to get.  I also made some Maple Nut Granola, I changed that up a bit, I can’t really tolerate nuts now so I used pumpkin seeds instead.  It was a tasty change, that I enjoyed, though I do miss pecans which was my favorite nut.

Menu for the week:

Monday:
Penne Chicken Italiano
Salad

Tuesday:
Chicken Fried Steak
Mashed Potatoes
Peas
Biscuits (maybe)

Wednesday:
Salmon Patties
Roasted Veggies

Thursday:
Teriyaki Beef
Rice
Carrots

Friday:
Enchilada Suizas

Homeschool Meeting

Saturday:
Pizza

Sunday:
Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2nd Edition Cookbook available for purchase!! Click here to purchase!  Get your copy today!


Thanksgiving eBook available for purchase here.
Head over here for more menu ideas.
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Favorite Find Friday – Crackers

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I found these by chance at Walmart and I was delighted, not only at the taste but the price too…$1.48 for 3 ounce bag.  They are very crisp, light and full of flavor, a little spicy.  They also had plain sea salt crackers, I haven’t tried them yet. 


I found them on the aisle with the regular crackers.  Check out your own grocery and see if they have them.


2nd Edition Cookbook available for purchase!! Click here to purchase!  Get your copy today!


Thanksgiving eBook available for purchase here.
Head over here for more menu ideas.
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Happy New Year 2014 – a week late

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Happy New Year – the last couple of months have been so busy.  I am off to a really late start on pretty much everything.  I still have to make my menu plan for the month.  I will work on that this week.  I was out of town for five days and just got back on Monday.  Spent all day today getting everything straightened around… unpacking, cleaning, laundry, packing up Christmas decorations, still not done with that.


I don’t typically do New Year’s Resolutions, but I do have some goals I’d like to reach this year.  Did you make any resolutions or goals?  Do you usually, and if you do, do you usually keep them?

I don’t have a menu planned, exactly.  But, I have a few things in mind for the week.  I saw a recipe in Every Day with Rachael Ray for Low and Slow Chipotle-Maple Beef, I think I will give that a try.  I also pulled a whole chicken out of the oven and will probably roast that in the oven.  I will use the leftovers for these (if there are any) to make another dish each and probably a soup with the chicken bones.