Sister's Chicken Salad

Ok, this one has a story behind it. I worked at a little coffee shop when I was in high school, it has since changed owners and sadly closed. I am one of the few people who know the ‘super secret’ recipe for Sister’s Chicken Salad. I am not sure I can really call it recipe, more of a list of ingredients that lead you to a prepared dish. I remember working at Sisters for at least 6 months before Carol would even tell me what was in it, and I was directed to never divulge the recipe to the spies ( I mean customers). This is my favorite Chicken Salad, it has converted many a non believer (read: Chicken Salad hater). It is best to make it the night before serving at least, this one gets better when it has a chance to mingle the flavors. I prefer Hormel canned chicken, I’ve tried it with ‘fresh’ chicken and it looses something.

Craisens
Walnuts (I’ve used pecans too)
Celery
Crushed pineapple with the juice
Pepper/Salt (If you really want to make it Carol’s way, use a insane amount of lemon pepper in place of salt/pepper, seriously use more than you think you should and then put more on the sandwich)
Canned Chicken

Depending on how large of a batch you want to make you vary the amount of ingredients (walnuts etc) in ratio to the amount of chicken. For example, 2 cans of chicken would end up with ¼ cup of craisens, ¼ cup walnuts, 3 tablespoons of Pineapple (and about 3-4 tablespoons of juice), 2 stalks of celery, and salt and pepper to taste.

New post coming soon!

Just a sneak peek of tasty things to come!

Brownies and Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

I have a whole thing I go through with desert.



You would think at some point I would see how silly it is, but I don't...I just bake more.

Here is a tasty, decadent, 'cheap' but fancy looking desert! enjoy :)




Moist Brownies
1 box Bety Crocker GF Brownie mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup chocolate chunks
1/2 cup pecans/walnuts

30-40 minutes at 350 degrees



French Vanilla Ice Cream
2 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
Mix eggs and sugar before adding milk, cream and vanilla. Follow your ice cream machines instructions from here :)

Saturday Morning Breakfast

I love breakfast. When I was younger I always hated it, I attribute this to my association of breakfast with cereal. Once I found out I had celiac and stopped gluten, I was forced to diversify my breakfast choices. Normally, I make eggs for breakfast but this morning I got up early and made waffles for the goob and my husband. Both of my guys are waffle fiends! I made Chocolate Chip Walnut waffles for my husband and Apple waffles for my little man.

Chocolate Chip Walnut Waffles
1 ½ cups Pamelas Pancake mix
2 eggs
¾ cup water
1 tbls oil
½ cup chopped chocolate chunks
½ cup chopped walnuts

Gluten Free Mama's Gluten Free Donuts!

This is a review and picture post of Gluten Free Mama's Gluten Free Donuts, she recently posted the recipe for the donuts and I could not wait to make them! I followed her recipe to the letter, with one change...I did chocolate dipped donuts in addition to sugar cinnamon ones.
Here is a link to the Donut Recipe on her blog, which is a great resource period for gluten free cooking.

My chocolate glaze recipe
1/2 heavy cream
4 oz chocolate chips
Place chocolate chips in a small bowl, bring cream to a boil and poor over the chocolate. Mix until smooth.

In the dough phase



Cooking




Plain



Cinnamon-Sugar



Chocolate Covered

Awesome Gluten Free Pizza!

I know its been forever since I posted but here is a pizza recipe that I came up with. It tastes fresh and has lots of fun tasty veggies on it. This recipe was inspired by weird cravings due to pregnancy and me trying to eat healthy.

Quick n Fancy Pizza

1 Gluten free Pizza crust (I use gluten free mama's crust...its amazing)

Pesto Sauce

Gruyere cheese (just enough to cover the pesto lightly) *You can use another cheese, but I would stick to thin layer of a bold flavored cheese*

fresh spinach sprinkled over the top (not the very top, it needs the moisture from being lower down on the topping food chain or steam til slightly wilted and put on top after the other toppings cook)

Mushrooms

Chicken (if you like it, I've made it with and without)

Artichoke hearts (I used marinated ones), cut into bite size pieces

.... You can also add a slice of fresh tomato right before ingestion :)

How much you use of each of each thing depends on your taste and how big of a pizza you make :)

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I love cookies! and this recipe has become my favorite. It is adapted from Rachel Carlyle-Gauthier's book 'Gluten Free Mama's Best Baking Recipes', I did not come up with this wonder! I just changed a few things to make it work for me :) I strongly suggest trying her flours, mixes and heck go buy her book!

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1 ¾ cups GF Flour (I use Gluten Free Mama Almond blend)
1/3 cocoa powder
1 ½ to 2 tsp Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum (cheaper and it’s the same as Xanthan)
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

½ cup butter, room temp
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 ¼ cup sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs

Add as many Chocolate chips as you like :) I probably use more than I should….

Cream the butter and peanut butter together, then add sugar and vanilla, beat it all up, add the eggs. Combine the dry ingredients and mix them up, once the wet ingredients are combined slowing add the dry ingredients. Add in the Chocolate chips. The dough looks odd, like it’s too dry but it is fine. Make small to medium sized balls, flatten a little bit and bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 mins.
*if you have a GF flour you already use and it has xanthan or guar or some other thickener in it you don’t need to add the xanthan/guar gum again.