Seasoning Salt - allergy free

I recently looked at our seasoning salt ingredient list and saw a warning that it may contain wheat and milk.  Ugh.  So I scoured the internet for a good recipe for seasoned salt.  I decided to go with this one from Taste of Home.  I could not find marjoram at the store, so I searched online for the best substitution, which was basil, so I went with that instead.  This makes about 1 1/2 cups.  I am loving the taste, I think that I will always make my own from now on.

Seasoning Salt

2/3 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 T paprika
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp basil

Mix all ingredients together, store in airtight container.

Peppermint Bark Pretzels

I was enjoying the peppermint bark that I made and thought, what could make this better?  The answer is pretzels.  I made a modified version of the peppermint bark, and added pretzels.  Delish.

Peppermint Bark Pretzels

2 LB white chocolate
8 candy canes - crushed
1 bag mini pretzel twists

Melt white chocolate, stir in crushed candy canes.  Stir in mini pretzels until you have the right consistency of coating - however much you prefer.  Stir until well coated, then spread on wax paper and cool to set.  Then break apart into small chunks.

Chocolate Saltine Toffee

My friend Anne passed this recipe along.

Chocolate Saltine Toffee

30 to 40 saltine crackers
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2-2 cups chocolate chips

Line a jelly roll pan with foil and spray it very well with cooking spray. Place saltines in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. In a saucepan, combine butter and sugar, then bring to a boil while stirring constantly.  Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat, wait 30 seconds, add vanilla and stir. Pour mixture over the saltines. Bake at 350 for 5-7 minutes, or until toffee becomes bubbly. Let it rest for 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle on the chocolate chips and wait for 3-5 minutes, letting them soften and melt, then spread and smooth them into an even layer with a spatula.  Break into small pieces and store in an airtight container.

White Chocolate Drop Cookies

My sister Lindsey found this recipe.

White Chocolate Drop Cookies

2 T peanut butter
12 oz white chocolate chips
1 cup peanuts
1 cup m&ms
2 cup cereal - rice krispies
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Melt together peanut butter and white chocolate chips. Stir in peanuts, m&ms, rice krispies, and marshmallows and stir well. Drop by heaping spoonful onto waxed paper. Refrigerate to set.

Peppermint Bark

I got this recipe from my coworker Tammy.  I love all of the treats she brings in at the holidays!

Peppermint Bark

2 LB white chocolate chips
12 candy canes - crushed
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Melt the chocolate, stir in candy canes and extract. Pour over a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Cool then break into bite sized pieces.

Christmas Wreaths

Another of my sister Lindsey's recipes.

Corn Flake Wreaths

1/2 stick butter
30 marshmallows - large
2 drop food coloring - green
3 1/2 cup cereal - corn flakes
cinnamon dots

Melt butter and marshmallows, stir in food coloring. Mix in cereal and drop onto wax paper, form into wreath shapes (or bundles, the stuff is really sticky!). Top with cinnamon dot candy.

Peanut Brittle

Dad always made this peanut brittle around Christmas growing up. Although I never liked peanuts, I do like the brittle part! :)

Peanut Brittle

2 cup sugar
1 cup karo syrup
3/4 cup water
2 cup peanuts
1/4 tsp salt
1 T butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda

Combine sugar, syrup, and water. Cook in saucepan until hard ball forms in cold water. Add peanuts, salt, and butter, cook until it is golden brown. Remove from heat, add vanilla and baking soda. Stir and pour into a buttered jelly roll pan, spreading thinly. When it has cooled, break into pieces.

Holiday Cut Out Cookies

Another staple growing up, I always loved it when my mom made these!

Holiday Cut Out Cookies

Cookies:
2 cup sugar
2 stick butter
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp cream of tartar
4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Beat sugar, butter, shortening and eggs. Then add the rest of the ingredients and beat again. Chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, then roll out on a floured surface. Cut out cookies. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.

Frosting:
1 T butter - melted
2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar
drop food coloring

Mix butter, milk and vanilla. Add powdered sugar until it is a good consistency. Add food coloring, use to frost cookies.

Buckeyes

My mom & dad's recipe for buckeyes is delicious!

Buckeyes

1 LB powdered sugar
1 stick butter - softened
2 cup peanut butter
3 cup rice krispies
1 bag chocolate chips
1/3 paraffin wax - bar - shaved

Mix the butter and peanut butter together, then beat in the powdered sugar. Stir in the cereal. Form mixture into balls. Melt chocolate chips and wax in a double boiler. Dip balls into chocolate (not all the way - leave a small "eye") and place on waxed paper. Refrigerate.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

These peanut butter blossoms are a classic.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

48 Hershey's Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
dipping sugar

Remove wrappers from kisses. Beat together shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat well. Add in flour, baking soda and salt. Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in granulated sugar and bake 8-10 minutes at 375°. Immediately press a kiss into the center of each cookie. Place on rack to cool.

Chow Mein Cookies

My gramma used to make these cookies.

Chow Mein Cookies

1 bag chow mein noodles
1/2 bag chocolate chips
1/2 bag butterscotch chips

Melt chips together, stirring often. Mix in noodles and drop onto wax paper in small bundles to harden.

Italian Chicken Bake

I was looking for something to make that I could have an allergy free version and a regular version.  I had some chicken and was going through my recipes and came across the Chicken Parmesan Casserole.  I didn't have any croutons in the house though, so I made it without them and paired it with some tri-color rotini noodles.  It was fantastic!

Italian Chicken Bake

2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic - crushed
dash pepper flakes
1 bag boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
8 oz shredded mozzarella
4 oz parmesan cheese
12 oz tri-color rotini - cooked

Mix olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Place chicken breasts in a single layer on top.  Pour spaghetti sauce on top, sprinkle with basil, top with the cheeses.  Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for 20-30 more minutes.  Serve with pasta.

For the allergy free version, omit the cheeses and pair with an allergy free pasta.

Pepperoni Pasta Salad

I do not usually like cold pasta salads, but I make an exception for this one.  It is delicious.  I got it from a church cookbook.

Pepperoni Pasta Salad

12 oz rotini tri-color pasta - cooked
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 head broccoli - cut and cooked
4 oz pepperoni - chopped
1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded
15 grape tomatoes - halved or 1 tomato - chopped
1 bottle italian dressing

Mix ingredients, toss with half of the italian dressing. Refrigerate.  Just before serving add the remaining dressing and mix well.

Pumpkin Bars

I got this recipe from my friend Misti a few years ago.  They are rich and delicious!

Pumpkin Bars

1 cup vegetable oil
2 cup sugar
2 cup pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
8 oz cream cheese - softened
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 LB powdered sugar

Beat oil, sugar, pumpkin, and eggs. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well. Pour into greased 15x10x1" jelly roll pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and mix well keep adding powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. Spread over cooled bars. Refrigerate.

Chocolate M&M Cookies

I never really liked chocolate very much until I was pregnant with Stella, and I have been hooked ever since.  I found this recipe in Family Circle magazine around that time, and they are so delicious.  I have also made them with reeses pieces, that is also a good choice, unless you are going peanut free.

Chocolate M&M Cookies

2 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 stick butter - softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup water
m&m's

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and water. Beat in flour mixture. Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased baking sheet. Top with m&m's. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls

We were going to breakfast with Jer's family and I had offered to bring cinnamon rolls.  I had never made them before, so I researched recipes and this one claimed it could be done in 1 hour.  Since we were getting together at 8:30, I thought that sounded doable.  It wasn't, I had to bake them at their house, but they were relatively quick, and I did have kids hanging on my legs and begging to help stir while I was making them, so that might have affected the amount of time it took me :)

I did alter the recipe slightly, putting more butter in the cinnamon mixture and less in the frosting, since the written out instructions told me to use 1/2 cup of butter in the cinnamon part, but the actual recipe said 1/4 cup.  I didn't want to go overboard on butter, so I reduced the amount in the frosting, which I thought tasted great, and it made plenty, so I wouldn't have wanted the extra butter anyway.

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

1 cup milk 

1/2 stick butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 envelope rapid rise yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1 egg

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 T ground cinnamon

1/2 stick butter - softened

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 stick butter - softened

1/4 cup cream cheese - softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 T milk

Combine milk and butter in a bowl, microwave 1 minute, stir, and heat in 15 second intervals until butter is just melted, stirring each time.  Put bowl in freezer to cool mixture until warm but not hot.  In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add yeast and lukewarm milk mixture and stir by hand to combine. Add the flour mixture and egg, and beat on 2 until combined. Add more flour until the dough stops sticking to the sides of the bowl.  Continue beating for 5 minutes.  Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rest for 10 minutes in a warm place.  For the filling, whisk together sugars and cinnamon.  Turn dough out onto a floured work surface.  Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 14x9".  Spread the softened butter out evenly over the entire surface of the dough.  Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Beginning at the 14" edge, tightly roll up the dough and pinch the seam together.  Cut the dough into 11 or 12 equal pieces.  11 rolls fit in a 9" pie plate, or 12 rolls fit in a 9x13" baking dish.  Grease the pan and place the rolls into it.  Cover again with a damp towel in a warm place and  let rise for 25 minutes.  Bake at 350 for 17-20 minutes.  Let cool for at least 5 minutes before frosting.  For the frosting beat together the butter, cream cheese, and milk. Add powdered sugar and beat together.  Add more powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency.

Crazy Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting - allergy free

Here is the cake before frosting and after.

My friend from work, Bonnie, eats gluten-free and passed this recipe on to me to test out.  I had seen it before, but never with someone having tried it with a gluten-free flour blend.  Since I have had the most luck when I mix flour blends, I used two blends together.  I also followed the advice of the gluten-free reader who said to increase the baking soda.  I looked at the frostings that were recommended on the site and remembered a peanut butter one I had put on a peanut butter cake and decided to convert that one instead.  Side note, if you make the peanut butter cake, you need to bake for 30 minutes, not 15 as stated in the recipe.  Also, I forgot to add a bit of xanthan gum, next time I make it I plan to put some in.

Crazy Cake

3/4 cup cups gluten free all purpose blend (bob's red mill - garbanzo bean flour main ingredient)
3/4 cup gluten free multi-purpose flour blend (king arthur or betty crocker - rice flour main ingredient)
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp vinegar

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Add water, oil, vanilla, and vinegar.  Quickly mix together and pour into lightly greased 8x8" baking dish.  Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.  It is important to work quickly so that you don't lose any of the leavening action.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 stick butter (earth balance buttery stick - milk free)
2 T milk (almond milk - milk free)
1/4 cup peanut butter (wowbutter - peanut free)
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 T vanilla

Place butter, milk, and peanut butter in a bowl and microwave until melted.  Stir in vanilla and then add powdered sugar.  Spread over warm cake.

Covers & Covers

One time my friend Emily and I were trying to decide what to make for supper and we came across this recipe.  It is delicious.

Covers & Covers

2 tube crescent rolls
1 LB hamburger
2 T onion - chopped
1/4 cup salsa
6 slice velveeta cheese

Brown hamburger with onion, drain. Stir in salsa and heat through. Roll out 1 tube crescent rolls, pressing to seal cuts. Top with meat mixture and then cheese slices. Unroll second tube and place on top. Pinch together edges to form a pocket. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes.

Spaghetti Pie

I keep forgetting to take pictures until after we have already dug into the food.  Oh well, it was still delicious.  I got this recipe from my sister in law, Sue.

Spaghetti Pie

8 oz spaghetti noodles
2 T butter
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs - beaten
1 cup cottage cheese
1 LB hamburger
1/4 cup onion - chopped (optional)
1/4 cup green pepper - chopped (optional)
1 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded

Cook spaghetti, drain. Stir in butter, parmesan cheese, eggs, and cottage cheese. Use spaghetti mixture as "crust" in a 10" pie pan. Brown hamburger, onions, and green pepper, drain fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and heat through. Pour over spaghetti. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Doubled recipe:

1 LB spaghetti noodles
1/2 stick butter
2/3 cup parmesan cheese
4 eggs - beaten
1 pint cottage cheese
1 LB hamburger
1/4 cup onion - chopped (optional)
1/4 cup green pepper - chopped (optional)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded

Strawberry Freezer Jelly

I grew up on this stuff, and can't possibly switch to store bought.  Sorry, it is just not the same.  This is goodness in a jar.  I am almost out of the 3 or 4 batches that I made last summer, so I made 2 batches this afternoon to restock my freezer.  Each batch makes 3 of these 2 cup ball plastic jars.

Strawberry Freezer Jelly

2 cups liquid strawberries (from a little more than 1 qt berries)
4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 envelope fruit pectin (Ball or Sure-Gel, not low sugar)

Clean strawberries and place in a food processor or blender and process until mostly liquid.  In a large bowl, measure 4 cups of sugar, then add the strawberry liquid (make sure to measure it or it will not set!) and stir well.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  In a small saucepan, mix together water and fruit pectin.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Stir pectin mixture into strawberries and mix for 3 minutes.  Pour into prepared jars and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.  Then place in freezer and take them out as you need them.

Allergen Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is from Learning to Bake Allergen Free by Collette Martin - if you have or have a child with food allergies, I highly recommend buying this book.

It can be used to make sugar cookies too (omit chocolate chips and top with raw sugar).

She designed the recipe with buckwheat flour instead of oat flour, but Henry did not like them and wouldn't eat them (I also did not think they tasted very good, but Grandpa took them home, they reminded him of some that his mother used to make).  I remade them with oat flour - I made the oat flour myself!  I didn't know that you could do that, but I just took some oats and ground them in a food processor, voila, oat flour.  And now they taste like actual cookies!!!  I can't tell you how excited I am about this.

Allergen Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup oat flour
3/4 cup gluten free all purpose blend (bob's red mill - garbanzo bean flour main ingredient)
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

1 stick earth balance natural shortening - cold

2 T unsweetened applesauce - cold

2 tsp water (as needed)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (enjoy life - milk free)

Whisk together flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Cut shortening into tablespoon-sized pieces and cut in with a pastry cutter.  Keep cutting until the shortening is about pea-sized.  Stir in applesauce.  Add enough water until the dough comes together, about 2 tsp.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Use a small cookie scoop and place on cookie sheets - do not flatten, bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

The other day Jer was eating a bunch of Henry's allergy free chocolate chip cookies and I wanted to know why, and he said that they are his favorite thing and I haven't made just chocolate chip cookies in a long time.  So I decided to make some, since regular ones taste better and are less expensive than Henry's. 

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 T whole milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 bag chocolate chips

Melt the butter, set aside to cool slightly.  Mix butter and sugars, add egg and yolk and mix well.  Mix in vanilla and milk.  Mix in bread flour, salt, and baking soda.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Use a large cookie scoop (about 2 T) and place 6 per pan.  Bake at 350° for 14 minutes.  Rotate pans half way through.  Set on racks to cool.  Makes 2.5 dozen large cookies or 5 dozen small (bake 11 minutes).

Bombshell Brownies

Wow are these delicious.  I have made two pans of these in the last week and this is all that is left to take a picture of.  Sorry.  Go make your own. :)  I made these again with m&m's instead of chocolate chips.  YUM.  If you are going gluten/wheat free - just make your own oat flour and replace the wheat flour - you can hardly tell the difference!

Bombshell Brownies

2 stick butter
3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour (oat flour (recipe below) - wheat free)
1 tsp salt
1 cup cocoa
1/2 bag chocolate chips or m&m's

Melt butter, stir in sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.  Add flour, salt, and cocoa.  Mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon into greased 9x13" baking dish.  Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Oat Flour

Place oatmeal in a food processor and process until it is the consistency of flour.  Measure equivalent cup for cup with regular flour.

Lofthouse Cookies

Oh yeah, these taste as good as they look.  Happy birthday to me.  I am not a super big cake fan, so for my birthday I made myself some lofthouse style cookies, good decision.  They were SO GOOD!  Before you make them make sure you have a ton of powdered sugar in the house, and be generous with the frosting, you will not regret it.

Lofthouse Cookies

4 1/2 cups flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 sticks butter - softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
5 tsp vanilla extract

powdered sugar (up to 2 lbs)
1/3 cup butter - melted
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
food coloring

Mix butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla.  Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix just until incorporated.  Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.  Use a large cookie scoop (about 2 T) and place 8 flattened balls per baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool on racks.  For the frosting, melt butter and stir in milk and vanilla and food coloring.  Add powdered sugar and stir until you reach the desired consistency - it should be stiff and just spreadable, more of a frosting consistency than icing.  Frost cookies and enjoy!  Makes 32 cookies.

Surprise Brownies

These are a variation of the Cheesecake Brownies I made a while back, I just added some chocolate chips, yum.  I based it off from my mother in law's surprise cupcakes, which are quite similar.

Surprise Brownies

1 box brownie mix
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 bag chocolate chips

Mix together brownie mix, oil, water, and 2 eggs.  Pour into greased 9x13" baking dish.  Mix together cream cheese, 1 egg, and sugar.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon globs on top of the brownie batter and then marble through.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

French Toast

Hard to say where I found this recipe, I changed it enough that I no longer attribute it to anyone but myself.

French Toast

2 cup milk
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
dash cinnamon
bread

Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Dip bread slices in the mixture until well coated and then place in a pan or on a griddle on medium heat. Cook until that side is done and then flip and cook until the other side is done.

Blueberry Cornbread

We made blueberry pancakes the other night but did not use up all of the berries in the bag from the freezer.  I wanted to make muffins or something with it, and corn muffins sounded good, so I searched online for a recipe, but all of them were with cornmeal, and I only had a corn muffin mix.  So I decided to make one up.  I made the batter according to the box, but added sugar and blueberries.  And some raw sugar on top, yum.  Also I was too lazy to make them as muffins, so I just put it all in a small pan.  It ended up tasting like a coffee cake.

Blueberry Cornbread

1 box corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup blueberries.
raw sugar

Mix together corn muffin mix, egg, milk, and sugar.  Fold in blueberries.  Spoon into a greased pan and sprinkle with raw sugar.  Bake at 450° for 22 minutes.

Cookie Brownies

All I have to say is, wow.  You need to try these.  Jer saw a cookie brownie mix at the store and we both thought that was a delicious idea.  I decided to find a scratch recipe to make it at home.  I did have to give them my own twist and add some malt mix to the cookie part - don't skip that step it makes them so irresistible!

Cookie Brownies

Brownie Layer
2 stick butter - melted
2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Cookie Layer
1.5 stick butter - softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 T malt mix
1 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

For the brownie layer, melt butter, stir in sugar and vanilla.  Add eggs, stirring after each addition. Stir in cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt.  Pour into a lightly greased 9x13" baking dish.  For the cookie layer, cream together butter and sugars, mix in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and malt mix and mix until a soft dough forms.  Stir in chocolate chips and spoon onto brownie layer.  Smooth out and bake at 350° for 40 minutes.  The top will be slightly browned, and the brownies will still be slightly gooey.

Raisin Bran Muffins

After I had Leila, my sister in law Sue made the BEST raisin bran muffins and brought them to me.  I am passing on the recipe to you.  I added the raw sugar, it gives it a bakery muffin feel.  You can also make them without the raisins by using regular bran flakes cereal and omitting the raisins.

Raisin Bran Muffins

1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk (see alternative below)
15 oz cereal - raisin bran
5 cup flour
3 cup sugar
5 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts - chopped (optional)
raw sugar

Mix together oil, eggs, buttermilk, and raisin bran (about 7.5 cups). Set aside. Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour oil mixture over flour mixture and stir until combined. Add raisins and walnuts. Let batter sit for a couple of hours in the refrigerator. Spoon into muffin cups and bake at 400° for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with raw sugar. For jumbo muffins, bake for 30 minutes.  For mini muffins, bake for 15 minutes.

Buttermilk Alternative for Baking
(replaces 1 cup buttermilk)

1 T vinegar
milk

Add vinegar to a measuring cup and then add milk until there is a total of 1 cup of liquid.  For the recipe above, you need 1/4 cup vinegar and enough milk for 4 cups.

Salsa Chicken

This was a super easy allergy free recipe that everyone liked!

Salsa Chicken

1 bag chicken
1 jar salsa

Alternate chicken and salsa in a crock pot.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  You can eat the chicken as a main dish or shred it and serve it on tacos.

Butter Rolls

I got the recipe for these rolls out of a church or school cookbook, I can't remember which, but they are simply delicious.

Butter Rolls

3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 stick butter - melted
1 egg
3 cup bread flour
2 T sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast

Pour milk and water into bread pan. Add butter, egg, sugar, and salt. Add bread flour, then make a well in the bread flour with your finger, and measure the yeast into the well. Place the pan in the breadmaker, put on dough setting, and press start. After the machine is done making the dough, divide into 12 greased muffin tins and bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes.  Can also be used for 10 hamburger buns.  For extra goodness, brush tops with butter after 25 minutes in the oven.

Doubled recipe:

1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 stick butter - melted
2 egg
6 cup bread flour
4 T sugar
2 tsp salt
4 tsp yeast

When I doubled it, I premixed it before putting it into my breadmaker - it was close to filling the pan and I wanted to make sure it got mixed well.

Honey Glazed Chicken

I found the recipe probably 7 years ago when I was first collecting recipes for my own recipe book.  It was from the Crazy Horse cookbook, and I finally got around to making it.  This makes a TON of sauce, so if you are not pairing it with rice or anything, you could probably cut the sauce ingredients in half.  However it pairs nicely with rice, so leave it alone if you plan to put it together.

Honey Glazed Chicken

1 cup honey
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 clove garlic - minced
4-6 chicken breasts

Place chicken in a glass 9x13" baking dish.  Whisk together honey, ketchup, soy sauce, and garlic.  Pour over chicken and bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Play Dough

While Play Dough is not technically food, it does have a recipe, and since it is usually made from flour, I thought I had better save the recipe so that when Henry is a bit older we can make him some allergy free play dough, since wheat is his most sensitive allergy.  I got the recipe from Leila's teacher, we needed to make pink play dough for February for her class.

Play Dough

2 cup flour (rice flour - wheat free)
1 cup salt
2 cup water
4 T cream of tartar
2 T vegetable oil
food coloring

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients (break into smaller batches for multiple colors).  Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every 1-1.5 minutes.

Sweet Potato Wedges

We bought some sweet potatoes at the store, so I googled sweet potato recipes and went to the Food Network website and found this recipe by Ina Garten.  They were delicious, and I don't really like sweet potatoes that much, so that is saying something.  This picture is of the last 6 slices that did not get eaten, I forgot to take a nice picture.  I am rereading the recipe now, and realize that I did not follow her directions, she peeled the sweet potatoes, but really, I thought that the crisp skin was a plus, so I recommend not doing that.

Sweet Potato Wedges

4-5 medium sweet potatoes
2 T olive oil
1 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cut sweet potatoes into wedges (a medium potato should yield 6-8 wedges).  Pour oil into a sheet pan with edges and toss with potato wedges.  In a small prep bowl, whisk together brown sugar, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle over potatoes.  Bake at 450° for 15 minutes, flip potatoes, then bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - Allergy Free

I was in the mood for cookies, and had an allergy free recipe to try out.  I halved the batter and made some with raisins and some with dried cherries, but the raisin cookies were much better.  This is what not to do - I checked the cookies half way and noticed that they were not flattening on their own, so I took them out to mash them down, and managed to dump a couple into the oven.  Ugh.  So the rest of the cookies took on a bit of a burned flavor.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - Allergy Free

3/4 cup gluten free all purpose blend (bob's red mill - garbanzo bean flour main ingredient)
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick butter (earth balance buttery stick - milk free)
1/2 cup sugar - raw (granulated works too)
1/2 cup flaxseed gel (equal to 2 eggs, recipe below)
2 T water
1 cup raisins

Whisk together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon, set aside.  In a stand mixer, cream together softened butter and sugar on medium for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally.  Add in flaxseed gel and water, blend on medium-low for 1 minute.  Gradually add the flour mixture and blend on medium for 2 minutes.  Remove from stand and stir in raisins by hand.  Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, flattening the cookie.  Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes.



Flaxseed Gel
(replaces 1 egg = 1/4 cup prepared)

1 T ground flaxseed meal
3 T water - warm, not hot

In a small prep bowl, whisk together ground flaxseed meal and water, let sit 8-10 minutes to thicken, then whisk again before adding to your recipe.

Pancakes - Allergy Free

My friend who's son is also allergic to many of the same things as Henry passed this pancake recipe along.

Pancakes - Allergy Free

1 cup bisquick (gluten free)

1 cup milk (almond milk - milk free)
2 T vegetable oil
2 T applesauce

In a mixing bowl, whisk together bisquick, milk, oil, and applesauce.  Spoon onto hot griddle and cook until golden.

White Bread

Now that I am done being allergy free along with Henry, I decided to make regular white bread.  I have made this recipe many times before (the recipe came with my breadmaker), it always turns out delicious.  The biggest flaw is that it does get stale quickly, so I tend to eat too much when it is fresh. 

White Bread

1 3/8 cup water - room temperature
2 T butter - softened
4 cup bread flour
2 T sugar
2 T dry milk
1 3/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp yeast


Pour water into bread pan with the butter. Add bread flour. Add sugar, dry milk, and salt. Make a well in the bread flour with your finger, and measure the yeast into the well. Place the pan in the breadmaker, put on basic setting, choose crust color, and press start.