5 star dishes and best wishes

5 star dishes and best wishes
food for the family

Saturday, 12 March 2011

pizza party

We had friends over today and decided to make one of our favorite pizza's. What kid doesn't love pizza and this is a very yummy pizza and you won't miss calling for delivery.

The dough:
2 tbs yeast
11/3 cup rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour/startch
1/4 cup dry milk
4 tsp zantham gum
1 tsp salt
2 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 tsp ital.seasoning 
blend all together in a mixer

1 1/3 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar/honey
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp cider vinegar

Add to dry and mix for about 3 minutes, until it resembles soft bread dough.
Roll out your dough to fit your pan, place on greased pan. Bake the dough in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Now while that baking you want to get a small dish, add extra virgin olive oil and freshly chopped or minced garlic, add pepper and parsley and mix it all together. Now when the dough is done baking let it cool a min and then with a basting brush, brush on your olive oil mixture, then add your sauce. I do a thin layer of sauce otherwise my kids have a huge mess and it takes away from the flavor of the olive oil mixture, but do as much or as little or no sauce that you want. Top with cheese, I use mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese.
 Leave the oven at 425 defgrees and bake for another 20 minutes.

Friday, 11 March 2011

Gumbo, homemade

The best way I can use left overs when I have a variety of meats in the refrigerator. So I had left over, roast chicken, pork roast and pot roast. So go grab your left overs and we will get started.

  I diced up onion,garlic,green pepper and carrots and extra virgin olive oil, placed the in a saute pan over low to medium heat until nicely caramelized. When they are done add them into the bottom of your crock pot, or stock pan on the stove. Next I cut up my left over meats and placed them in the same saute pan and just got them warmed through, added them to the crock pot as well. Make sure you get everything out of your saute pan, scrape the bottom with a spoon, theres a lot of flavor in the bottom of the pan. Okay so next I added a box of beef broth and a jar of homemade spaghetti sauce (use store bought if thats what you have) Stir it all together in the crock pot and add your salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, soy sauce about 2 tbs and Worcestershire sauce about 2 tbs and a bit of A1 about 2 tbs. Make sure you mix it together well. Put the lid on the crock pot and slow cook on low for 8 hours. This is a meal you want to start early in the morning and let it cook all day. You want to give time to allow for all the flavors to blend and marinate together, the longer it cooks the better it tastes.
  So after the 8 hours is up you want to make your white rice. Make as much as you want, I usually do about 1/2 cup of rice to a bowl of gumbo. After the rice is cooked put it in your bowl then add the gumbo. Garnish with green onion. Now some add shrimp in their gumbo I do not because no one in my house likes fish. I will however add sausage into the gumbo along with the other meats when I have it on hand (meaning my kids did not already eat it all) Sit back and enjoy, no one in your house will think you used left overs to make this and it is a good way to not waste food. If it made to much you can always freeze the rest for another day.

Thursday, 10 March 2011

Mashed Potatoe casserole

This is a side dish you don't want to miss. So mashed potatoes any kind, fresh, instant or left over. Place them in the bottom of a casserole dish. Next 1 stick of butter in a sauce pan and sauteed onions. Just till the onions are side. So on top of the mashed potatoes add 1 cup of ricotta cheese. Then the onions, half of the melted butter. Half of block (8 oz) of shredded extra Sharp cheese. Next a later of thinly sliced potatoes, just 1 layer. So now the rest of your butter. And then the other half of your shredded extra Sharon redder cheese. Now crumble bacon in top. This is your last layer. Place in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. And serve. It's my favorite mashed potatoe.

a sinner saved by grace

Wednesday, 9 March 2011

Comfort food for dinner

Nothing better then comfort food. Tonight I am trying a new pot roast recipe. So far we have extra virgin olive oil, onions sliced, garlic whole not cut, a mix of A1 sauce, beef broth,salt,pepper, a dash of hot sauce and a touch of balsamic. I will slow cook it the rest of the day. Make sure you check back to see the side dishes. Potatoe casserole with ricotta cheese , Bacon and shredded cheese.

a sinner saved by grace

lemon Bars

The crust:
2 cups gluten free flour (reg flour for non gluten free)
2 cups of regular flour for non gluten free
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter soft
1/2 tsp zantham gum (omit if non gluten free)

mix until crumbly then add to the bottom of a greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

The filling:

4 eggs beaten
2 cups of sugar (I used stevia for my hubby)
1/4 cup gluten free flour (use regular flour for non gluten free)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/2 tsp zanthan gum (omit for non gluten free)

mix well, pour over warm crust. Return to oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool completely before adding the glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbs of lemon juice
this way is thick keep adding lemon juice to get the desired consistency 

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

gluten free cheese its

Theses are very good.They smell like and taste like cheese it's, best part they are gluten free. Thanks Ashley for the recipe. ( I will include the link to Ashley's blog so you can find this and other tasty treats)


  So here we go:
2 TBS butter
1 large egg
1/2 TSP salt
1/8 TSP pepper
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup potato starch
1 TSP zantham gum
salt to sprinkle on top

preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix butter until creamy, add salt, pepper and egg. Beat until blended. Beat in cheese gradually. Stir in flour and gum. Work the dough into a ball. If it is not sticky enough add 1 TSP of water at a time. Roll the ball to about an inch thick. Now I roll mine right on the cookie sheet with a small roller. Then I take the pizza cutter and cut them into small squares. Sprinkle with salt and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes. Store in an air tight container so they don't go stale on you.

Friday, 4 March 2011

Snack wrap

My kids have been asking for snack wrap, so it was time to figure out a way to make them gluten free.

Tortillas:

1/2 cup gluten free flour(1/2 cup regular flour for non gluten free)
1/2 cup corn meal
1 cup of water
1 egg

Mix it all together to make a thin batter and transfer to a measuring container.

Heat up a non stick frying pan, after pan is hot turn to medium heat.

Pour batter into hot pan and swirl the batter around the pan. Cook on this side til the edges begin to curve up, then flip for the other side. Remove from pan place on a paper towel and cover with another paper towel. Make sure you mix the batter before you pour your next one into the pan. 

 Fill with what ever you would like and enjoy.  
 Now if you want take the snack wrap let it sit for a day, then throw it in the deep fryer and you have home made corn chips