Apple Cranberry Bake gluten-free

Here is a delicious warm apple dessert. Great all by itself warm out of the oven or topped with vanilla ice cream. This recipe makes two large or four small servings.

Ingredients:
8 tart apples
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup almonds chopped
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cinnamon

Topping:
1/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp cinnamon


Peel, core, and slice the apples. In a mixing bowl combine apples, cranberries, almonds, cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix together thoroughly and divid among two large or four small oven-safe ramekins. In food processor combine all topping ingredients and pulse a few times until butter is the size of small peas. Spoon crumbly mixture on the top of the apples in the ramekins. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until hot a bubbly.
Serve as is or with ice cream.
Enjoy!

Beef Stew gluten-free

Beef stew is a great choice when you need a one-pot meal to feed a crowd. It's also warm and filling on a February day. When my family gets together for Sunday dinner, there are usually 7 of us, and this beef stew really hits the spot.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds beef cubes

1 onion diced

3 garlic cloves minced

8-10 small red potatoes diced
3 large carrots diced

1 box unsalted beef stock

1-1/4 C water

1-1/2 C. frozen mixed vegetables

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp corn starch
4 Tbsp olive oil - for browning and sauteing

In dutch oven heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the beef cubes and brown them on all sides. You may need to do this in two batches so you do not overcrowd the pan.

Remove beef when browned and saute onion and garlic until translucent with remaining oil

Return beef to the pan and add 1-1/4 C. water to cover meat. Cover with lid and simmer 1 hour or until tender.

Add frozen vegetables, diced potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper, and cover with beef stock.

Bring back to a boil reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender.

Finish with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch thoroughly mixed with 1/4 C. cold water. Pour into stew while stirring and bring to simmer one or two minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.


Enjoy!

Valentines Day!

Here is the gluten-free goodness we enjoyed this Valentines Day

Brownie Cupcakes with Chocolate Icing

This is an easy gluten free treat. Using a gluten free brownie mix, divide the batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes and top with your favorite chocolate icing and decorate.




Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Dip strawberries into melted bittersweet chocolate, then allow chocolate to harden in the fridge for 30 minutes.


And....

Chocolate Mousse



Ingredients:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
4 large egg whites, preferably at room temperature
Pinch table salt
extra heavy cream for whipping into whip cream topping

Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small saucepan and remove the pan from the heat (don’t just turn off the burner). Stir in the vanilla. Add the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes without stirring. Whisk the chocolate and cream until smooth and then transfer the ganache to a large bowl. Don’t refrigerate.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites and the salt with a hand mixer on high speed just until they form stiff peaks when you lift the beaters.

With a rubber spatula, fold about one-quarter of the beaten whites into the ganache to lighten it. Then gently fold in the remaining whites, taking care not to deflate them. Divide the mousse among the chilled bowls and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but preferably 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Cherry Spinach Salad

If you need more spinach after the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, here is a yummy salad recipe that is great for lunch or dinner. The eggs and bacon make it particularly filling.

Ingredients
1 large bag of baby spinach
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
3 hard boiled eggs
4 pieces of bacon cooked, cooled, and crumbled




Toss these ingredients together and enjoy a yummy satisfying salad with the dressing of your choice. This salad is great with poppy seed dressing.

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

We have had this at every family party for years. There is never any leftover. Everyone loves this spinach dip so much that if I do not make it for a party people ask me "Where is the spinach dip, I don't see it". So here is my top secret recipe. What makes is so delicious is using fresh spinach. Using frozen spinach will not give the same results.

Ingredients:
1 bag fresh baby spinach
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2 15oz cans artichoke hearts
4oz cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup parmesean cheese shredded
1 cup pepper jack cheese shredded
(plus some for topping)

Directions:
In a skillet over medium heat cook the olive oil and minced garlic for 1 minute. Add all of the fresh spinach and cook until wilted and soft. Remove spinach from the pan and press with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Chop the cooked spinach. Drain, rinse, and chop the artichokes. In the same skillet add cream cheese, sour cream, parmesean cheese, and pepper jack cheese. Cook and stir until it starts to melt then add the chopped spinach and artichokes. Stir and cook until melty and delicious.
Serve hot with chips, carrots, and celery. You can top with additional pepper jack.

Alternative Directions:
If you need to make this ahead for a party you can bake this dip as well. In a food processor combine cream cheese, sour cream, parmesean, and pepper jack. Prepare spinach and artichokes the same as directions above. Add cooked spinach and chopped artichokes to the food processor and pulse just a few times to incorporate. Spoon all of the spinach dip into an oven safe corning ware dish and top with additional pepper jack cheese. You can keep this in the fridge for a day or two, then when you are ready bake this dip at 375 for 30 minutes and serve.

Asian Wings gluten-free

These Asian wings are delicious! Making your own sauce is definitely worth the effort and only takes a couple more minutes that using a pre-made jar sauce. Using tamari gives this dish a delicious asian flavor, but keeps the wings gluten-free. These make a great appetizer or snack.


Ingredients:
24 wing segments
3/4 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. minced ginger
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced peppers of various colors
(sweet or hot)
sesame seeds and cilantro for garnish




Place chicken wings in single layer in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 or until cooked through.
While the chicken is baking make the sauce. Combine jam, tamari, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a sauce pan and heat until simmering. Add onion and peppers and continue to simmer until chicken is cooked.
Remove wings from oven and cover with sauce. Return to oven and heat until sauce thickens and coats wings
Remove from baking dish, add cilantro and sesame seeds and enjoy.

Guacamole!

Everyone in the family loves guacamole, and here is my go to recipe that we use over and over again. When choosing avocados they are ripe when they have dark skin, and give a little when you press on them with you thumb. In my experience, avocados are better when purchased unripe then allowed to ripen on the counter a couple of days. They usually have less bruises this way.



Ingredients:
4 ripe avocados
1 lime - juiced
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cilantro chopped
1/4 cup red onion finely diced
1/4 cup tomato finely diced









Directions:
1. Run a knife through the avocado and around the seed, and pull the avocado in half. Remove the seed and scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a mixing bowl. Repeat with all avocados.
2. Add onions, lime juice and salt to the mixing bowl. Mash ingredients together with a fork until creamy.
3. Mix in cilantro and tomato. Enjoy with your favorite chips. For a lower carb treat, you can eat guacamole with carrot sticks.