GLUTEN FREE MAPLE CINNAMON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Still on my quest for the perfect gluten free chocolate chip cookies. I think my recipe that I posted a couple weeks ago is hands down the best standard chocolate chip recipe. I wanted to spice things up a bit, so I tweaked the recipe a little to give it a little kick with some cinnamon and maple syrup. I loved how these turned out. The flavor is yummy and because of the maple syrup, the texture is moise and chewy, just how I like it!

HOMEMADE ENGLISH MUFFINS

We are an english muffin eatin' kind of family. Frankly, I'd rather have muffins over toast any day. My son likes them with melted cheese inside and calls it a "cheese muffin". I use the muffin rings to cook eggs then add them to the muffin with sausage or bacon and cheese for an incredible breakfast sandwich!
I've always loved them and now that I make my own, I can't see why I'd ever buy them again, these taste so much better. 

WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH CHICKEN APPLE SAUSAGE

Fall weather is here and soup is calling!! I've been wanting to make this soup for a long time and finally got around to it the other day. I don't handle salt well and therefore, don't buy soups from the supermarket. I wanted to make a flavorful soup that tasted great, without all the salt. It was a success! I hope you enjoy this yummy soup. What I also love about it is that you can throw it all in the crock pot and when you get home, soups on!

CHICKEN FRIED RICE

I've been making this for nearly 20 years. My whole family and I love fried rice, it's one of the first boxes of take-out to be emptied out when we order chinese food. This is a simple straight-forward recipe and it turns out great every time! You can change the protein to beef, pork or lamb and keep the rest the same. It's a staple for any chinese food night in!

PEANUT BUTTER AND MAPLE CHOCOLATE BALLS

I guess I'm revisiting my childhood lately. I've made Snickerdoodles and now these peanut butter balls. I started making these when I was in middle school in a 7th grade cooking class. I've tweaked it over the years and added a few things. I think now they are absolutely yummy. My husband says they taste just like Reese's peanut butter cups with a little crunch. Dipping in chocolate does take a little time, but you don't have to do all of them at once. Also, they can be frozen after they are done so you can save some for later!

RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

I've been looking for a great raspberry dressing for my spinach salad. Haven't been able to find anything I totally love, so I made up my own. I think it's the best of course, I hope you like it too. It's super simple and will keep for up to a week.

CHEDDAR BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

These biscuits are very versatile. You can serve them with breakfast and with dinner. Well, you can even have them with a hot lunch. I guess anytime will do! Yummy buttermilk biscuit with sharp cheddar cheese. Mmmmmmmm......

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I'm still on a quest to help my girlfriend, who has celiac, get over feeling like she can't have her baked goodies! Today was all about chocolate chip cookies! I think I have the combination of ingredients down so that when you take a bite of this cookie, you won't even know it's gluten free! My husband ate 4 and he said he didn't even know they were gluten free! That's gotta be a good sign. I think these are the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever made, gluten free or not! I hope you enjoy them too!

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Here's a recipe for creamy, delicious garlic mashed potatoes. It's got to be one of my family's favorite things. You can have these with beef, chicken or just by themselves! I always make lots so we have some for leftovers the next day. Simply delicious!

GRAVY - for all kinds of meat

You can make this gravy after cooking any kind of meat, as long as you have some drippings to work with, it's the same process. Turkey, Pork or Beef, let's make some gravy!!

PANTRY PRESSURE COOKER POT ROAST WITH GRAVY

If you're like me, you've got a pantry full of seasonings, boxed pasta and soups that just sit and sit. Here's a way to use up a whole bunch of those seasoning packets and make one of the best pot roasts you've ever had!

PARMESAN ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Looking for a different way to eat those veggies? Well, here's a simple way to ramp up your asparagus. I usually eat  mine steamed, but this is a treat!

SNICKERDOODLES

Sometimes revisiting classics is just plain fun. It feels like I'm reliving my childhood when I make things I used to eat as a kid. These are simple, yet delicious. Everybody seems to love a good snickerdoodle. Here is my take on an old classic.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Who doesn't love brownies? I'm not even a chocolate lover and I love brownies! About 10 years ago, my sister and I decided to put an end to wondering which was the better brownie recipe, a mix, from scratch, etc. So we baked a bunch of brownies and had a taste test. This was hands down the best and chewiest brownies ever! I hope you enjoy them!

BREAKFAST STUFFED BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

It's time for Sunday biscuits again. Today I thought about stuffing all the fixin's inside of a buttermilk biscuit. Turned out yummy. A fun way to eat your sausage and eggs all in one bite!

DRUNKEN CHICKEN BURRICHILADA

What's a drunken Burrichilada? It's a sauced up burrito/enchilada! I couldn't think of a better way to describe it so I made up a name. My husband says, this is the best thing I've ever made, so that might give you an idea of how good this is. I made the enchilada sauce and spanish rice that I've posted separately, but I'm sure you could use other versions. I hope you enjoy this yummy dish!

SPANISH RICE

Spanish rice is a favorite Mexican treat in our house. We serve it as a side dish or put it in a burrito. It's pretty versatile when you think about it. If you have some leftover white rice, I'm including the super fast version that uses already cooked rice an is ready in less than 10 minutes. If you don't have cooked rice, the other version is there too and it only takes about 30 minutes. Either way, it's worth the time. YUM! I made this rice to go inside my Burrichilada. Recipe to follow in another post, you don't want to miss that one.

ENCHILADA SAUCE

Anyone that knows me very well, knows that if I'm going to eat Mexican food, it's probably going to have enchilada sauce on it. It's my favorite thing! I thought that it had to be hard to make so I didn't even attempt it for year. I'm so glad I finally made it one day because we use it to make a number of things.  I will be posting a recipe for my "Burrichilada" soon, so keep your eyes out for it. It's incredible. Here's how to make the sauce.

PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS - GLUTEN FREE / SUGAR FREE

I have a good friend who has some recent health issues that have her on a very restricted diet. No gluten, low fat, no sugar, etc. Sounds pretty boring doesn't it? She is a sweets lover, like me, so I wanted to try to make something that would satisfy her sweet craving, but stay within her diet restrictions. Since it's fall, a pumpkin spice muffin seemed like the right choice. So, off to gluten free land I go, a hopping and a skipping, this is going to be fun. I like discovering new things.

HUMMUS WITH TAHINI

I love Hummus. It's one of my daily snacks. I eat it on pita bread, pita chips or baby carrots. It's great to serve at parties, too. This is a very simple thing to make and can be made in advance as I think it's better the next day.

DISHPAN COOKIES

I really like cookies. They are typically easy to make and easy to store, even in the freezer. My husband can take them to work in his lunch and it's easier to be disciplined as I can have just one cookie and not keep taking bites off that lovely cake that's sitting there! This is such an interesting recipe. I think it originally got it's name because the recipe was so large you had to use your dishpan to make them in, there wasn't a bowl big enough. I've cut the recipe down and added a few extras. I think they are easy and wonderful. I can imagine having them with vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of caramel sauce, the ultimate dessert. Enjoy!

SPINACH SALAD

I've hated spinach my entire life. Up until about three years ago that is. That's when I discovered that fresh baby spinach is amazing!! It's my favorite thing and I eat it almost every single day. So, I thought I'd share my yummy, yummy salad so you can enjoy it too. It's so easy and if you use store bought dressing, it only takes a minute to make. You'll be happy you tried it, believe me.

APPLE COBBLER CAKE

I'm not sure if there is anything that I love more than cake, except cobbler. I saw a Pioneer Woman show where she made a cake that she topped with raspberries, which I know my husband wouldn't eat, so I decided to alter the recipe for apples. I also added a few things to her basic recipe. I had some left over lemon cream cheese frosting that I topped it with in the end, but it's optional. I just love cream cheese frosting! The house still smells yummy while I'm writing this so I may have to take an occasional break to go and sneak a bite! Even though I took a ton of pictures, this is actually a very simple dessert to make. I hope you enjoy it!

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

I love Indian seasonings. They are sweet, yet spicy and taste oh so yummy. When my husband told me today that he's put on a few pounds since I started this blog and cooking like crazy, I thought I could make a lowfat dish for dinner. Here's my lowfat take on Chicken Tikka Masala.

BUTTER BISCUITS

It's Sunday and it just seemed like a day for some biscuits! My family loves biscuits. They are super easy and very versatile. You can make them for breakfast with butter and jam or add some seasonings and make savory biscuits to serve with dinner. Add some sugar and currants and make scones or add some extra milk and make drop biscuits. Sweet or savory, these are sure to please!

MACARONI AND CHEESE

Fall is here and it brings cooler temperatures. It also brings the craving for more comfort food! I have probably the pickiest child ever when it comes to food so I decided I'd make something even he would enjoy. I wanted him to be involved, so he picked out the cheese (sharp cheddar) as well as the type of pasta (Mezze Penne). One thing this kid will eat is cheese! He wants it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So here we go with a cheesy, delicious Macaroni and Cheese that even the adults will love! BTW, he loved it and ate all of his dinner! Enjoy!!

RASPBERRY BALSAMIC REDUCTION SAUCE

This is a sweet and tangy raspberry dessert sauce that I paired with my black raspberry meringue cake. It's delicious and a great dessert sauce that can be used in many different ways. It was very easy to make and well worth it!

LEMON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

I made this lemon buttercream to go with the Black Raspberry Meringue Cake, but it can be used on so many different things. I would think on a plain white cake, it would be incredible too! It's a very sweet frosting, but that's what I'm eating it for isn't it?

BLACK RASPBERRY MERINGUE CAKE

I know the seasons are changing and with fall here, I should be thinking about pumpkins and apple spice cake. I just couldn't help myself when I saw Raspberries in the market the other day, I had to make something with them. After a couple of days of thinking about it, I came up with this. A Black Raspberry Meringue Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting and a Black Raspberry Cream Cheese filling. If you're totally a chocolate person, this may not be for you. However, if you're like me and LOVE just about anything with berries and lemons in it, you'll LOVE this. The fresh fruit adds a moistness to the cake that makes it even yummier! This isn't a throw it all in the mixer and go kind of recipe, but if you've got the time give it a shot! My family is loving it! We have lots of leftovers that I slice in individual slices, put on a paper plate and cover with Cling Wrap and freeze. Then when anyone is craving a piece of cake, 10 seconds in the microwave is all that is needed to satisfy the sugar craving.

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

My husband loves pulled pork sandwiches. I like just about anything that resembles barbecue, so this is a perfect match! I love the spicy and sweet balance this has. It does take an entire day to make, but it's a throw it in the pot and forget about it kind of thing. That's the stuff I love! There are many variations to try. I just used what I had on hand. The jalapeno jelly could be raspberry or grape and the pineapple balsamic is a little rare, so regular balsamic is fine too. Here's my take on pulled pork sandwiches.

BANANA BREAD WITH TOASTED WALNUTS

Ever wonder what to do with those overripe bananas? Make bread!! I had a few bananas going to the dark side today, so I thought I'd make some bread. The sour cream is added to make this bread extra moist. This is a recipe that can be modified in  many ways. Omit the cinnamon and add allspice or omit all together. Use sour cream instead of yogurt. I've also thought about cream cheese instead of yogurt. Add almonds instead of walnuts... You get the idea. The one thing you probably don't want to change though is the bananas!

TURKEY BURGERS

I saw this on the Oprah show a few years ago and just had to learn how to make them. I've adapted the recipe to be more tailored toward a typical package of turkey meat, which is about 1.25 pounds, the original recipe was for 4 pounds which made a huge amount of burgers. I've also tweaked the ingredients to add a little more flavor as well as adding Worcestershire and additional pepper. We serve these as the main protein without a bun or cheese, but you can certainly add it to make it heartier.  They are very moist and yummy. I hope you like them.

CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN PASTA

I've been trying to recreate a pasta dish that my daughter used to have at an Italian Restaurant where we used to live. She loves it and anytime we go back to visit, she has to get some! I've come very, very close. Now to share this delicious recipe so you can have some too! I try to plan ahead on this one and make the pesto the day before and start marinating the chicken the day before also.

EGG SALAD SANDWICHES

We like to have egg salad sandwiches once in a while and I make them whenever I have eggs that are getting close to the date, I'm a stickler when it comes to the expiration dates. Today was one of those days.

FRESH BASIL PESTO

5 simple ingredients is all is takes to make this yummy Pesto. Enjoy it on your favorite pasta. Can be made in advance and frozen if you want to save some for later!

HARD BOILED EGGS

Ever wonder, "What's the best way to boil eggs?" I've asked that question when making deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches. I always did it different and therefore had different results. Sometimes they were great, sometimes the yolks came out grey, sometimes the shell would stick so bad, I'd just chuck them into the trash. Grrrrrrrrr.  The quest for the perfect boiled is was on! I consulted many websites, made different kinds and EUREKA!!! I found the one that works the best, courtesy of Alton Brown from the Food Network.

HONEY BRAISED SHORT RIBS

I had no idea what a short rib even was until just a few years ago. Since I learned about this delicious protein, I've been experimenting with all sorts of recipes. I've simplified it and put my family through taste tests. This one makes the grade hands down. It's the easiest of them all and tastes yummy every time! You can use an iron pot, crock pot or pressure cooker depending on how much time you have. The pressure cooker is definitely the fastest way, cooking in about 2 hours, but there is something about slow cooking that I really like.

CHEESE RISOTTO WITH CHICKEN APPLE SAUSAGE

I am a lover of pasta and rice and especially love Risotto. I always order it in any restaurant as I never thought I could make it taste as good at home. Well, after years of making and tweaking a basic risotto recipe, this is what I make and it ALWAYS tastes incredible! Most of it is pretty simple, but reserve some time to babysit the risotto when it's time to start adding the stock, it takes some time, but well worth it. This is a family and friend favorite for sure! You could add shrimp, sausage, scallops or just about any type of protein that would pair well with white wine. I've imagined making this with beef and using a Cabernet, but have yet to get that far. Maybe one day...

BUTTERMILK PIE

I have to admit, I didn't think the words "BUTTERMILK" AND "PIE" should be in the same sentence together, let alone in a pie recipe. My husbands' family makes this pie and when we married, he kept trying to get me to try it. "No way!" Well, I'm sad that I missed out on a few years of not enjoying this pie. When I finally tried it, I couldn't believe how awesome it is! Why did I wait so long? It's lemon custardy goodness should never have been wasted.  Fortunately, I finally tried it and I'm glad I did. We make this anytime we are making any kind of "Southern" food or shrimp boil, etc. It's always a hit. (As long as you don't mention "buttermilk" until AFTER the person has tried it... 

EASY BAKED MANICOTTI - BEEF OR TURKEY

I have been making this Manicotti since I was a teenager. I won't say how long ago that was, but I've made it MANY times...  It's very easy and tastes yummy. Comes out delicious every time. There are always plenty of leftovers which freeze well. Another thing I like about this Manicotti is that it is  light and not heavy, even though it looks like it would be. If you wanted to make it more rich, I'm sure there are a few other things you could add.

RED WINE TOMATO SAUCE

I love this sauce. It's great with any pasta. I use it when I make Manicotti, which I'm doing tonight (recipe to follow). The red wine gives it a great flavor along with the red bell pepper and onion. It's an easy sauce to make and tastes oh so yummy!

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

This Cream Cheese Frosting is a basic cream cheese I've made a thousand times. I usually put this on Red Velvet, Carrot cake, cinnamon rolls and even white cake. It's my go to frosting for just about everything. 

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Again, I'm not usually a buttercream fan, or a chocolate fan for that matter. I made this to go on the Extreme Chocolate cake and wow, I'm a fan now.  It's a nice chocolate flavor, without being too heavy or overly buttery (if there is a such a thing). I like frosting fluffy, light and tasty and this one hits the mark. It sets up nice in the fridge too, so doing a crumb coat with this works well.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

I'm not usually a big fan of Buttercream Frostings. I usually prefer Cream Cheese on just about everything. That was, until I tasted this one!! I will still have to use cream cheese on red velvet and carrot cake, but this little recipe right here has changed my mind about Buttercream after all.

LEMON CURD CAKE FILLING

There are lots of variations to this recipe. I've made it several different ways and after the whole family did a taste test, this one was the winner! Sorry I don't have pics of now, but will post them next time I make it, which I'm sure won't be too long as this was YUMMY!

WHITE ALMOND SOUR CREAM CAKE

Made my husband a "welcome home" cake in the shape of a house. After 3 years of serious commuting, he's finally going to be home everything now that his job is close to hom.
I'm a novice cake decorator, but thought I'd give a sculpted cake a try. The cake shape really isn't that impressive, but what's under that frosting sure is!!! White Almond Sour Cream Cake with Lemon Curd Filling and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting!!! WOW!!! Make it in any shape you want, just make it, it's incredible!!

CHRISTMAS DIP

This is the cheese log / dip recipe that went along with the penguins. It is one of the best cheese logs I've ever had. The recipe is from Allrecipes and is called the Christmas Dip. I'll post it here. I made this a little different in that I put it in a small bowl that I had lined with saran wrap. I put in a layer of cream cheese first, so that when I inverted it out onto the platter, it would be totally white, iceberg like. typically it has cranberries and pistachios all over it. This was delicious!!
Also, this says "Christmas Dip" but I think it can be served at anytime of the year it's so yummy.

CREAM CHEESE PENGUIN APPETIZER

This might sound kind of strange to be making penguins as an appetizer, but they are just adorable! I made them for a holiday party one year and made a cheese log recipe (posted separately) that I formed into an iceberg for the back of the platter. I covered the platter with panko to give it a snowy look and voila, the cutest appetizer I've ever made. It was a huge hit at the party. Not only were they adorable, but yummy too! (That still sounds strange, that the penguins were yummy) Anyway, here's how they looked.

RED VELVET CAKE AND CUPCAKES

I've made this recipe countless times and it's always a hit. I've even removed the red food coloring, added green and used this for St. Patrick's Day. I've thought about doing blues, pinks, oranges, etc in pastels and using them for Easter on a pretty cupcake stand. I tend to make this more as a cupcake than a cake, but it can be used either way. It's a crowd favorite!!

When I had my cupcake bakery last year, customers raved about this one. I had customers that came in several times a week just to get one of these before they were sold out each day.

KEY LIME SOUR CREAM PIE

I had one of my Taekwondo classmates tell me that she had never had Key Lime Pie before. I couldn't believe it, so I just had to make one for her. Help her broaden her horizons. (I was really in the mood for some too, so it gave me a good excuse to make two!) I love just about anything that has to do with lime. So, off to the store I went to buy key limes. It takes about 1 1/2 bags per pie, so I had a lot of juicing ahead. I'm sure you can probably buy key lime juice, I just wanted to make this one from real limes to show her what it is supposed to taste like when it's truly made from scratch.