Decadent Red Velvet Cake

I have wanted to try to make a red velvet cake for a long time and that is why I chose it for dessert Friday night.  I tried to make a red vlevet cake cake with my friend at one point in college and it came out good but this one was better.  The more I cook gluten-free the better I become.

Ingredients:

Cake:

1/2 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter milk
2 Tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 cup sweet rice, white rice, tapioca, and soy flours
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Tablespoon white vinegar

1.  Preheat oveb to 350 degrees
2.  Grease and flour 13x9x2 in baking pan or 2 9 inch baking pans
3.  Beat butter and sugar into a large bowlk
4.  Add eggs and vanilla beating well
5.  In a small bowl stir together buttermilk and food coloring
6.  In a medium sized bowl stirl together flours, cocoa  and salt
7.  Alternativley add flour mixture, and coloring mixture to butter mixture
8.  Stir in baking soda and vinegar
9. Pour into prepared pan
10.  Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until done
11.  Cool Completely before frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting:

6 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
milk (if needed)

1.  Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth
2.  Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla
3.  Mix until thoroughly combined (I had to add a couple Tablespoons of milk to mine to make it a little more spreadable)

Yummy Twice Baked Potatoes

Friday night I made dinner for several of my friends.  I made the Enchanting Garlic Herbed Crusted Pork Chops, twice baked potatoes, broccoli with cheese, and a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting for dessert.  We at well to say the least.  The twice baked potatoes were wonderful, I chose to make them because I wanted something more/different than just baked potatoes to go with the main course.  The potatoes really complimented the rest of the meal and were easy to make.  They do take a little longer to make than regular potatoes. 

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes
3-4 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1-2 Tablspoons chopped chives
1/2 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar)
2-3 slices cooked bacon (I cooked the bacon while the potatoes baked the first time)
salt
pepper

1.  Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
2.  Wash and prick potatoes with a fork
3.  Bake potatoes for 1 1/2 hours or until done
4.  Cool for 10-15 minutes
5.  Cut the potatoes in half long ways
6.  Scoop cooked potato into a mixing bowl setting aside the skin
7.  Add half of the cheese and all of the rest of the ingredients
8.  Stir until well combined
9.  Scoop back into potato skin and sprinkle remaining cheese on top place in a shallow baking dish or baking sheet
10.  Bake for 15-20 minutes

Creamy and Hearty Beef Stroganoff

I am a substitute teacher and sometimes I go through periods where I work almost everyday but for the last two days I have not.  As I was sitting on the couch attempting to entertain myself I started thinking about what I would make for dinner.  I was feel experimental and I am glad that I was.  I thumbed through one of my favorite cookbooks looking for a recipe (I usually have to convert them to be gluten-free once I find something I want to make).  I decided to surprise my husband with one of his favorite dishes and something I have never made before, Beef Stroganoff.  I had most of the ingredients so after a quick trip to the store I made one amazing dish.  I encourage you to try it!

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef steak (I used a round steak because that is what I had in my freezer it wasn't the most tender but tasted wonderful!)
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
16 oz. sour cream
1 1/4 cup beef broth
2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups mushrooms (chopped)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
hot cooked noodles
salt
pepper

1.  Cut the meat into bite sized pieces and set aside
2.  Chop the onion, mince the garlic,chop mushrooms and set aside with the beef
3.  In a large skillet over medium heat melt the butter
4.  Place the meat in the hot skillet with the butter
5.  Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms when the meat is about halfway cooked
6.  In a mixing bowl combing beef broth, cornstarch, and sour cream whisking to make a smooth consistency
7.  When the meat is cooked add the sauce in the mixing bowl
8.  Stir thoroughly in the skillet until all ingredients are combined
9.  Cook until the sauce is bubbly and thickened
10.  Add salt and pepper to taste
11.  Serve over freshly cooked noodles (I used Tinkyada shells)

Melt in Your Mouth Meat Loaf

I never know what to do with ground beef.  I too often make hamburgers and use it to make a meat sauce for spaghetti.  My husband recently suggested a meat loaf and I am glad that he did!

The pictures don't do the taste justice!  I am not a great photographer.

Ingredients:

2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup crushed Rice Chex
1/4 cup milk
1/4 onion finely chopped
2 Tablespoons parsley
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 lb. to 2 lbs. ground beef
catsup

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2.  In a mixing bowl combine eggs, crushed cereal, milk, onion, parsley, sage, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper
3.  Add the ground meat and mix well (I usually have my husband use is hands and mix it very thoroughly)
4.  Line a bread loaf pan with tinfoil
5.  Pat meat mixture into pan to form a "loaf"
6.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until no pink remains
7.  Drain the fat and using the tinfoil flip onto a serving plate. 
8.  Use basting brush to brush on desired amount of catsup

I served this comfort-food dish with mashed potatoes and steamed carrots.  It was DELICIOUS!

FLUFFY Buttermilk Pancakes

The other pancake recipe I posted is good, this one is AMAZING!  The buttermilk adds a fluffiness to the pancakes that the other recipe doesn't have.  The other recipe has the right flavor and texture but the pancakes themselves can come out a little thin. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy flour, white rice flour, sweet rice flour, and tapioca flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tablespoons cooking oil

1.  Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
2.  Add egg, buttermilk, and cooking oil
3.  Whisk until thoroughly combined
4.  Using about a 1/4 cup pour batter onto a warm/hot skillet
5.  Flip with a spatula when the center is bubbly and the edges are a little dry
6.  Cook thoroughly and until golden brown

*Place the finished pancakes in the oven at 200 degrees or on the keep warm setting if you are not serving them as they are finished.

BBQ Chicken

This recipe is a wonderful recipe to have during the spring and summer.  Since we live in Seattle nice weekends are rare and we took advantage of one recently to make this BBQ chicken.  This is a easy recipe that does not require a lot of prep or cook time.  We use a charcoal grill but a gas or propane grill works just as well.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts (bone-in with skin)
1 bottle of BBQ sauce (check the label to ensure it is gluten-free)

1.  Light the grill (I put this step first so it is nice and hot when you are ready for it and so you don't forget like I have done)
2.  In a large pot parboil the chicken (basically boil the chicken until it is cooked through which takes about 15-20 minutes)
3.  Remove chicken from the water and pat dry
4.  Using a basting brush cover the chicken with the sauce on all sides
5.  Place skin side down on the grill away from the direct flame for only a few minutes (don't burn!)
6.  Turn over and smother with sauce again sauce again
7.  Leave on the the grill until the skin is crispy but not burned

I love to serve this dish with mashed potatoes and a fresh veggie. 

Sour cream and Onion Chicken

This is one of my go-to recipes.  It takes only a few minutes of preparation and less than an hour of bake time.  The sour cream and onion comes from the the chips that I coat the chicken in.  I use Lays brand and here is there ingredient info:  http://www.fritolay.com/our-snacks/lays.html.  The chicken comes out crispy and flavorful. 

Ingredients:

2-3 cups buttermilk
3-4 cups crushed sour cream and onion chips
1-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken

1.  Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
2.  Cut up chicken into desired size (the larger the pieces the longer they will take to cook)
3.  Rinse the chicken and coat with buttermilk (You can also marinate the chicken for a couple of hours in the buttermilk for a couple of hours for extra flavor if desired)
4.  Cover the buttermilk coated chicken with the crushed chips
5.  Place on a baking sheet
6.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through and the coating is golden brown