Reese's Cup Candy - Dairy Free!

1 stick margarine (I used Earth Balance)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 18oz creamy peanut butter
1 lb powdered sugar
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Guittard)

Melt margarine in large bowl, add brown sugar, mix, then peanut butter & vanilla, mix. Add powdered sugar & mix (using spoon.) Mixture will be crumbly. If desired, use hands to compress powdered sugar into peanut butter for more even texture. Press into 9x12 jelly roll pan using rolling pin. Melt chocolate chips and spread on top. Chill until almost set. Cut into squares. Chill further.

Note: this is my moms recipe that we always have during the holidays. My first attempt at the dairy free version of these came out a little crumbly so I will probably try to reduce the amount of powdered sugar a little bit next time.

Green Beans (onion free)

1 lb Green Beans (fresh or frozen)
1 strip of bacon
1/2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 cup chicken broth (or from bouillon or homemade works too)
Salt
Coarse ground black pepper
Garlic salt

Cut bacon into small pieces and cook over medium/medium low heat; add minced garlic and sautee until garlic becomes a little golden. Add green beans (if frozen, steam/defrost first) and turn with tongs for a couple minutes till they are bright green and evenly coated. Add salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste, turning beans to mix. Add broth and simmer until no liquid remains, turning beans periodically.

Simple Gluten-free Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

Simple Gluten-free Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

makes approximately 60 (1 tablespoon) cookies
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons ground flax seed
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons water, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or silpat mats.

In a small bowl, combine flax seed and 3 tablespoons water.  Mix until it is one smooth mixture.

Combine brown sugar and peanut butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or electric mixer).  Beat on medium until well combined.  Add flax seed and mix until combined.  Add vanilla, baking soda and salt.  Beat on medium until combined.

Add remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition, until you achieve a nice cookie texture.  My mixture takes about 3-4 tablespoons of water.

Scoop dough onto prepared cookie sheet with a 1 tablespoon scoop or using with a heaping teaspoon. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Dairy Free Green Goddess Salad Dressing Ingredients

Here are the ingredients:

1/2 Avocado
1/4 cup Soy milk curdled with 1Tbs cider vinegar
Oil
Water
Vinegar
Sugar
Salt
Garlic Salt
Cumin

Add ingredients together into food processor and whip them together until smooth and well incorporated. Tweak until desired thickness and flavor is acquired.

Taco Salad

1 lb ground meat (beef or turkey)
Taco Seasoning
1 can red kidney beans (drained)
1 can corn (drained)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 head iceberg lettuce
2 small or 1 large avocado
crushed tortilla chips
Green Goddess salad dressing (or make your own dressing)

Brown meat and season with taco seasoning (follow instructions on packet). Cool completely. Cut up head of lettuce. Add red beans, corn, black beans, avocado, crushed tortilla chips, and seasoned meat. Add  salad dressing and toss.

Allergen Free Taco Seasoning Ingredients

Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Garlic Salt
Paprika (lots!)

Brown ground turkey or beef (do not use 99% fat free... you want a little fat) and drain. Return meat to pan with  1/2 cup of water. Add seasonings until desired flavor is achieved. And don't be shy with the paprika. Simmer until liquid is gone.

Seasoned Potato Wedges

8 red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large pot bring 8 cups of salted water to boil. Place potatoes in the pot and boil for 2 minutes or until barely soft (they should be firm, not mushy.) Strain and place in a large bowl; toss with oil. Add seasonings and stir to coat. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake 20 min or until golden and crisp.


(From Allergy-proof recipes for kids by Hammond/Rominger)

Oat & Nut Bars

1 1/2 cups oats
1 1/2 cups nuts/dried fruits/seeds of choice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup soy milk
2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp warm water

Soak Flax in water and set aside. Preheat oven to 350F and grease 9x9 pan. Mix oats, nuts, fruits, and seeds. Add cinnamon and salt. Whisk flax mixture until gooey and add brown sugar and soy milk. Whisk well. Add wet mixture to oat mixture, mix well and pat into greased pan. Bake 40-50 min. Cool before slicing.

Raw cookies

2 cups raw oat flour
1/2 cup flax meal
5-6 Tablespoons agave
3 Tablespoons almond butter or peanut butter
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash sea salt

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment paper and chill until set.

Baked Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes
Brown sugar
Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F. Wash sweet potatoes and pierce a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 45-55 min (depending on size of potato.) When done, potato will be soft when squeezed gently. Serve with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Bean Salad

1 can of Black Beans

1 can of Kidney Beans

1 can of Green Beans

1 can of Garbanzo Beans

1 can of whole pitted Black Olives

1/4 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of water

1/4 cup of oil (I prefer olive oil, but any vegetable oil works)

pepper (optional)

Mrs. Dash (optional)

Drain all the cans and then put them in the dish you will be serving it in. Mix the sugar, water, oil and seasoning together then pour it over the beans and olives.  Chill (over night if possible, the flavor is better.)

Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 475°F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12" cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Nestle chicken in skillet, skin side down, and cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high; continue cooking skin side down, occasionally rearranging chicken thighs and rotating pan to evenly distribute heat, until fat renders and skin is golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Transfer skillet to oven and cook 13 more minutes. Flip chicken; continue cooking until skin crisps and meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate; let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Light Refried Black Beans

Refried beans are typically made from pinto beans, but black beans work well, too. 

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Active Time: 15 min
Total Time: 15 min

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon corn oil
1 (19-oz) can black beans, including liquid
1/2 to 1 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook garlic in oil in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans with their liquid and mash with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to make a coarse purée.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot. Stir in enough of water to thin to a creamy consistency. Add pepper to taste.

Serve warm, sprinkled with cilantro.

(Beans can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat, adding water if necessary.)

Grilled Yellow Squash with Oregano

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Serves 2

 

3/4 pound yellow squash, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried orégano, crumbled
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Sprinkle both sides of the squash slices with salt and let the slices drain between paper towels for 10 minutes. Pat the slices dry and brush the top sides with some of the oil. Heat a well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat until it is hot and in it cook the squash slices, in batches if necessary, oiled-side down first and brushing the tops with some of the remaining oil before turning them, for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they are just tender. Transfer the slices with a spatula to a small platter. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, the orégan, the remaining oil, and salt and pepper to taste, drizzle the dressing over the squash, and sprinkle the squash with the parsley.

Foaming Hand Soap

With all the handwashing we have been doing lately due to sickness, I decided to post on my recent "duh!" moment when I got to the bottom of my foaming hand soap. Previously, we had bought a regular hand soap refill jug and were just watering it down to make it the appropriate consistency for the foam pump.

Recently I stumbled across this in my cleaning cabinet that I had purchased for super cheap on sale and with a coupon:

Then it dawned on me... A little dawn dish soap goes a long way. This stuff is actually marketed as hand soap AND dish soap (and this one is also antibacterial, which not everyone enjoys but I happen to like it.) It is like the perfect thing for having at the kitchen sink, especially in an easy foam pump. Need to wash a spoon real quick? Boom. Need to wipe a placemat? Boom. Need to clean your hands? Boom. Why didn't I think of it before? So we just put a bit of dawn dishsoap/handsoap (maybe a tablespoon or two?) and slowly added water to our empty foam pump. Pennies a refill. Boom.

Incidentally, no one else has caught my disease... Thank the Lord!

Herbed Chicken

3-4  Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves (Frozen)
1 large lemon
olive oil
Herbs de Provence
salt
pepper
garlic salt

You can choose how little or how much of the ingredients you want to use based on taste preferences. Preheat your oven to 375 F. Line a 9"x13" baking dish with foil. Lightly coat chicken breasts with olive oil, then salt and pepper on both sides. Place chicken breasts in lined dish. Lightly sprinkle garlic salt evenly on top side of each breast. Then sprinkle on herbs, lemon juice (if you like flavor, don't skimp on the juice!) and add some lemon zest as well. Bake for 40-45 min until breasts are white all the way through and juices run clear. Transfer to serving plate and drizzle pan juices over top.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies - Dairy Free

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is from right inside the Crisco Package.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup Shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk beverage of choice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg (or egg substitute)
• 1 3/4 cups Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use Guittard)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT oven to 375ºF.
2. COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. * If nuts are omitted, add an additional 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
3. DROP by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
4. BAKE 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.
    

Easy Frosted Pumpkin Bites

Easy Frosted Pumpkin Bites

Bars:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour of choice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
(Optional: 1/2 c dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries)

Preheat oven to 350 F
Mix pumpkin, oil, and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. (Optional: Stir in 1/2 cup raisins, cranberries, dates, etc...) Pour into greased 9"x9" pan. Bake 20-25 min or until firm. Cool completely.

Frosting:
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk beverage of choice

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Frost top of cooled cake and cut into squares.
Yield: 16 squares

Crystal's Beef Strogan-esque (dairy-free)

Spiral noodles (egg-free)
1 cup plain soy milk
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 lb. ground beef
1 or 2 minced garlic cloves
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup red wine
Salt, pepper, paprika (to taste)
1 tsp thyme
2 T olive oil (or preferred butter)

Set pot of salted water to boil. In a small dish, combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside to curdle.
Brown meat in a skillet, shaking a moderate coating of salt, pepper, and paprika once meat is broken up and beginning to brown. Drain meat.

Put pasta into pot to boil.

Return meat to skillet, along with garlic, thyme, and more pepper if desired. After a few minutes, add chicken broth, red wine, and milk/cider mixture. Simmer to reduce liquid, and then add flour to thicken to desired consistency.

Drain noodles and toss with olive oil (or preferred type of butter.)

Spoon meat over noodles and enjoy!

Easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dry Stuff

1 1/4 Cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

Wet Stuff

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup (White) Vegan Sugar
1 Stick (1/2 Cup) of Soy Butter (Earth Balance)
2 TBS of ground flax mixed with 3 TBS of Warm Water (allow to sit for 2 minutes)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Other Stuff
1 Cup Vegan Chocolate Chips

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees*

Sift your dry stuff. (A) Get all your wet stuff ingredients together. (B) Whisk or mix your wet stuff thoroughly with a spatula. (Do not beat)**. (C) Mix your wet stuff and dry stuff together; (again with a spatula not an electric mixer)** (D) You should have a nice stiff mousse-like dough. (E) Mix in your vegan chocolate chips. (F) Form your cookie dough with wet hands*** and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 – 23 minutes at 300 degrees until golden brown.

* Lower cooking heat allows the cookie to bake even evenly and stay chewy.
** Electric mixer makes the dough too fluffy, mixing by hand allows for the right consistency to achieve the proper balance in your end result.
*** Forming with your hands ensures a uniform cookie.  

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I used crisco instead of margarine, and added a little applesauce (1/4 c?) as well. Also added pecan pieces. Very yummy! Had them with a tall glass of almond milk.

Thankfully, the EnjoyLife Chocolate Chips haven't seemed to be a big problem for Miss J when I eat them in small doses. Not sure I would give them to her directly yet though.

Pork Chops with Cranberry Sauce

This recipe is an adaptation from Pioneer Woman's Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Sauce. I did tenderloin chops instead, left out the butter, onions, and Red Wine, and added clove.


Ingredients:
6 boneless pork tenderloin chops
salt and pepper to taste
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 Tbsp rosemary
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce (or make your own if you are avoiding corn syrup)
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
Generously season pork with salt and pepper
Heat 4 Tbsp olive oil in large skillet over high heat. Sear pork on all sides.
Transfer pork to pan and bake for 10-15 min.
Add chicken broth and rosemary to skillet, stir together, and then add cranberry sauce and cloves. Heat mixture over medium heat and simmer stirring frequently.
Remove pork from oven, transfer chops to serving dish to rest, and add pan drippings to skillet, incorporating into cranberry sauce. Simmer until desired consistency.
Pour sauce over pork chops and serve.