Advent Week 2 Meal Plan

Taco's

This week is a meal of preparation. It is definitely not a gourmet meal, it's VERY simple. But everyone can take part in making it! Prepare it together and eat together, after lighting the 2nd candle: Remember the Spanish speaking countries and South America at this meal.  Make this advent season a time to pray globally.

Working together the job gets done quicker.  And when we support our missionaries and are willing to be missionaries in our own communities, Christs salvation message spreads more quickly. Be a part of the great commission. God Prepared a place for Christ to be born, and has promised to prepare a place for us in heaven if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Taco's 
1 box of corn GF  Taco shells or 1 bag of corn chips.

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 small onion chopped
S&P 1 can of beans (pick you favorite, black, chick, kidney, navy)
1/2 cup frozen corn

Taco Meat seasonings:
1/4 c water
1/4 cup GF ketchup
1/3 cup chunky salsa sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika 
2 dashes Hot pepper sauce


Toppings:
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Grated cheese
Salsa Sauce


Directions:
Brown the meat and onion. Add Salt and Pepper (S&P) and drain and add the beans and corn.Mix up the Meat seasoning and pour over mixture and simmer.

Serve hot in Taco shells or over a plate of chips and add your fresh toppings.

Have the younger members of you house pull the toppings from the fridge. Little ones can pull apart lettuce, older ones can cut cherry tomatoes in half  and teens can grate cheese. Everyone can prepare their own plate of food the way they like it!

Advent Week 1 Meal Plan

GF Lasagna and Latkes:

We are doing advent again this year, following last years outline. It is so wonderful, to see the children excited about lighting the candles every night and learning the memory verses.  We have added songs and I have been working out a meal plan for each Sunday night of  advent.

Here's our plan for the first night of advent:

Meal: 
      
Latkes:Serve with French Apple Sauce

We choose latkes because this is the week Hanuka begins and our first candle is Old Testament Prophecy. This week we pray for the nation of Israel, rejoice for the Christian Jews and pray for the opening of the hearts and protection of Jews world wide to the message of Christ. Christ IS the Savior promised to us in the Old Testament  !

Recipe:

• 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup canola oil, or as needed

you need a cheese cloth or open weave fabric to strain the potatoes...

1. Shred the potato and onions by hand or with your processor. remove from bowel onto the cheese cloth and wrap it up tight around the mixture. Squeeze hard, remove all the excess water from the potatoes and onion. 
2. Place back in bowl and add remaining ingredients.
3. Heat small amounts of canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Scoop up about 1/3 cup of the potato mixture per latke, and place into the hot oil. Press down into a patty.  Fry the patty until brown and crisp on the bottom, flip it, and cook the other side until brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the rest of the potato mixture, replenishing the oil as needed. Serve hot.

French Apple sauce:

4-6 large apples peeled and chopped into pieces

1/4 cup water

1tbsp butter

Place apples into a pot with the water and cook on low heat until they begin to soften. Stir to keep from burning. Do not mash the apples, the apples will fall apart on their own as the cook and are stirred.  When apples are chunky and soft like apple sauce, add the butter and remove from heat.  Serve hot over pancakes or latkes.

Lasagna made with homemade Gluten Free pasta

Ingredients:
Lasagna Noodles (see recipe for fresh variety)
1 large jar Tomato sauce
1 can mushrooms
1 recipe of meat mixture. (see below)

Pasta Recipe:
4 cups Basic Gluten Free Flour Mix (or all purpose wheat flour if you aren't GF)
1 tsp Xanthan gum (omit if using all purpose wheat flour)
2 t. salt
1/4 c. butter
1 c. boiling water
Mix all, (I used my bread machine) roll out really flat,

Ground Meat Mixture:
1 onion, diced small
1 lb ground beef or turkey
2 tsp garlic powder
Italian-type seasonings (oregano, basil, parsley, salt, pepper)
Brown together, remove from heat.
Add 1/4 c grated Parmesan and 1 egg.

Roll out the dough as  thin as possible but still holds together, and cut into strips that will fit your pan (Work quickly with the dough, as it dries out fast!)
Pour some tomato sauce into bottom of 9x13 a pan
Layer fresh noodles  into pan with the Ravioli meat mixture, mushrooms and tomato sauce. On the third layer of noodles add the remainder of the sauce and a layer of mozzarella or cheddar cheese
Place in oven at 350o for 45-60 min. covered. Uncover and cook 10 more minutes.

New Cake! Dragons!!

I used the Marshmallow icing recipe again to make this cake for my friends son. Record time, start to finish, 2 1/2 hours.  (Except clean up, which I am avoiding)

Birthday Party Cake!

Dolly turns 8 tomorrow!

(....shaking head in disbelief)

So we had many discussions about cakes and came up with a birthday party cake idea that was great!
I made one box of yellow cake mix up and baked it into 6 muffins and a deep, 6 inch round pan.

I cut the cake in half on the edge and iced the cut edge of both halves, and placed a layer of raspberry jam on the bottom layer, then stacked them. Ice thinly with butter cream icing.

Do the same with 2 of the cup cakes to make the stools.


Now THE FUN PART!!

Making rolled Fondant is a daunting task, UNLESS you make...
 

Marshmallow Fondant!! 

It's as easy as 1,2 ,3

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces miniature marshmallows (4 cups not packed, or half of a 16-ounce bag)
• 2 tbsp water
• Food coloring or flavored extracts, optional (I used2 Tbsp of Raspberry Jello to make pink)
• 1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups), plus extra for dusting

Melt the marshmallows and water over extremely low heat until puffy and melted.  Stir in your coloring or flavors  if you want now.  Then fold in the icing sugar.

It won't fully mix in the pot, so dump the contents out onto a icing sugar dusted surface and knead like bread until smooth and pliable.
Roll as thin as possible on a sugar dusted surface and cut out desired shapes. Or shape like play-dough to make edible figures. (My tea cups and plates are glass toys from the dollar store)

For my cake I cut out 3 circles, tracing around cups and dishes and rolled them even thinner.  Then I laid them over my cake pieces and shaped them. To attach decorative items, add a dab of butter cream icing to the bottom of each piece.

Sweet!

Dear left-over Butter Cream Chocolate Fudge Icing

You are so inspirational (swooon) You made for a wonderful snack of living room smores with DD when we snuck downstairs when her brothers were asleep for our own movie night.

And as I eyed your remains in the bowl, (the product of a great deal of will power on my behalf) I saw visions of rocky road fudge sweetness for dessert tomorrow.

You made a beautiful friendship with that sad little jar of chunky peanut butter that no one would finish, and the handful of mini marshmallows who didn’t have anywhere else to go to. And I have tucked you into the fridge for the night. I look forward to seeing you in the morning.
(hand raised in scouts honor) But I won’t disturb you until after we have all eaten our morning oatmeal ;o)

(copied from a post I made at RTH) 

Easter Birthday

Well at my house if your birthday falls on Easter weekend such as DS2's, sometime in your life you need a bunny cake! Happy 4th Birthday to my Big Little Guy!

This cake was made with my GF sponge cake recipe in two round 8" pans.  A single layer, one circle makes the face and the other was cut to make ears and the bow tie. 

By Special request: Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Here is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe that makes up really nicely with the Gluten Free flour mix.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups of Gluten free flour mix with xanthan gum (or 1tbsp)
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips or M&M's
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Cream first four ingredients until fluffy; sift dry ingredients and stir into creamed mixture.
add chips and nuts.  Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.  Drop from a teaspoon, 2" apart.  Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool and remove from pan.

Giant Cookie for Parties
Double the same recipe as above, but after chilling, spread the dough out onto a pizza pan to about 1/2 inch thick. Spell a name or a birthday wish in M&M's if desired. Cook as directed, watching carefully that the center is finished without burning the edges and bottom. Can be iced with icing with the recipients name.

(pictures to follow!)

GF Chocalate sponge cake recipe

Here is the Chocolate version of the sponge cake recipe.  I made this cake for a friend.  It was made with an 9x113 pan and I doubled the recipe. I did have to cut off the edges, as I found they stayed higher than the center. These cakes "fall" a little when they hit the cool air, but are still light ad moist. (There is a layer of Raspberry jam between the two cakes, Yum!)

 Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 c gluten free flour mix with NO Xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 eggs separated
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 

Directions

1.Sift corn starch, flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside 

2. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.

3. Beat  egg yolks into the egg whites.

4.Gradually beat in sugar until mixture forms a figure 8. 

5.add vanilla

6.Fold in the dry ingredients.

7.Divide into 2 well greased 20 cm (8") sandwich pans.

8. Bake at 180 C or 350 F for about 15- 20 minutes.

9. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.
10. When cool, top one with whipped cream and jam (jelly).

11. Place the other on top and dust with icing sugar.

Gluten free sponge cake recipe

•  This is an adaptation of one I found on recipe zaar. I have been searching for the perfect white cake recipe for birthdays for years, and it was perfect! Tasted just like angel food cake.  Still doesn't have a lot of height when it cooks, but doesn't weigh 10 lbs either, like most GF cakes.

 Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cor starch
• 1/2 c gluten free flour mix with NO Xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 eggs separated
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 

Directions

1. 
   
   
   

   Sift corn starch, flour, baking powder and salt together.

2. 
   
   
   

   Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.

3. 
   
   
   

   Beat  egg yolks into the egg whites.

4. 
   
   
   

   Gradually beat in sugar until mixture forms a figure 8.

5. 
   
   
   

   add vanilla

   Fold in the dry ingredients.

6. Divide into 2 well greased 20 cm (8") sandwich pans.
7. 
   
   
   

   Bake at 180 C or 350 F for about 20 minutes.

8. 
   
   
   

   Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

9. 
   
   
   

   When cool, top one with whipped cream and jam (jelly).

10. 
    
    
    

    Place the other on top and dust with icing sugar.

Creamy Asian Carrot Soup

I made up a new carrot soup recipe the other day, it vaguely resembles one I saw online but this one has no cream in it and more pantry ingredients. It also uses peanut butter (weird, but delicious!) which you can omit if there are allergies.

Creamy Asian Carrot Soup

3 cups of chopped carrots
4-5 cups water
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp celery seed or 1 stalk celery
1 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic crushed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes ( I used our pizza seasoning herbs with pepper flakes)
Bring to a boil and cook until carrots are tender.
Add:
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp peanut butter
Puree all ingredients in a blender or with a hand blender in the pot
Add 1/3 cup of milk (we use rice milk) with 1 Tbsp of cornstarch mixed in. Put back on heat and stir constantly until it thickens a little. Serves 4-6

Bread Maker Jam: Mango Orange Raspberry

I made jam in my bread maker today! I figured it was time to use up some of the frozen fruit I had in the freezer from summer smoothies. We ave been eating a lot of Tea biscuits lately and this jam is just perfect!

Mango Orange Raspberry Jam

2 cups chopped mango pieces
1 1/2 cups raspberries
1 cup sugar
1 pkg orange Jello

Put all ingredients in bread pan in order and set to "jam" program.
Let sit when cycle is done for 15 minutes before removing from bread maker.
Spoon into jars and freeze until ready to use, or put in a hot water bath in Canning jars to seal.
Makes 2- 8 oz jars

Note: if using frozen fruit, partially thaw before starting.

GF Rice Bread Recipe

SO I went to the store last week to buy GF bread for the boys and was shocked to find it went up a whole dollar, to $7.69 a loaf. YIKES!! So I really went to work this week trying to work out my own recipe.
I have a favorite Honey Oatmeal bread that I make for DH and DD and myself, so I have been experimenting with it and researching other 5 star rated GF breads. A lot of GF recipes call for eggs and cake style ingredients, which really doesn't help keep the cost of making the bread down. But I have now come up with a "standard pantry ingredients" recipe that my son declared today was better than the store bought. I make mine on the dough setting of the bread maker and finish it in the oven.

GF Honey Oatmeal Bread

1 1/4 cups warm water
1/4 or 1/3 cup honey
2 tsp GF yeast
(dissolve honey in water and add yeast without stirring. Let sit for 5-10 min, even if making in a bread machine)

Add in order:
1 cup quick oats oatmeal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Xanthan Gum
2 Tbsp skim milk powder
2 1/2 cups GF Flour mix (that has no xanthan gum)
1/2 chickpea flour

mix and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until you see an increase in size by at least half it's original size. (double would be a great achievement though!)
Punch down and knead into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan.
Place in a pre-warmed oven (no more than 150 F) to rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until it fills the pan. DO NOT remove from oven, but place a cookie sheet on the oven rack above the loaf and turn your oven up to 350 F. (you can remove the pan once your top element goes out)
Bake at 350 F for 20 - 30 min until golden.
Remove from oven and brush top with butter and let cool some before removing from pan.

10 minute Jello Pies

So I ran into this sweet little old lady at the dollar store today in the "grocery isle" and she stopped me with a grin on her face and gave me an unsolicited recipe for 10 min fruit pies. They sell graham cracker crusts at our local $ store and jello which she had in her hand. So here's what she told me....

10 min Jello Fruit Pie
1 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 pkg Jello, favorite flavor
"matching" fruit if desired, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 small graham pie crust ( or GF crust, see directions below)

Prepare fruit and set aside
Boil in a saucepan the water and cornstarch, careful not to burn
as soon as it thickens into a cream, add the jello and then gently turn in the fruit
Pour into the pie crust and set until firm in fridge

Done!!

So of course I had to figure out how to make this gluten free!!
I ran over to recipe zaar for a Graham crust recipe and then improvised with this....

GF Crumb Crust

1 bag of GF arrowroot animal crackers, crushed in the food processor

Combine
1 1/2 cups of crumbs
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/4 tsp pure vanilla
Salt
5 tblsp melted butter

mix well and press into 2 small pie plates or one large
Bake at 350 F for 5 - 7 min until golden brown Cool before filling

It comes out with a shortbread kind of taste to it. I also intend to freeze my extra crust for later.

I have made a lemon an a raspberry that were fruitless But I would like to try a Raspberry with berries, and a raspberry with fresh kiwi or an orange with frozen mango. And DS wants a cherry done too.

I'm seeing potlucks in the near future!

Little House in the Big Woods

Besides nature journals we are also following along with a group on Ravelry doing the Little House on the Prairie series. Here's what we did this week

For week One we read Chapter One of Little House in the Big Woods.

Here are our activities we could choose from

1 Go on a nature walk and collect sticks and other natural items (you will want a lot of sticks as they will go with another activity this week!) Done!

2. Use your sticks and natural items that you gathered on your walk (or rolled up brown paper) to create a miniature “Little House” Done!

3. Make Jerky Also suggested was dried apples or fruit leather

4. Make Johnnycakes (HEY, THESE ARE GLUTEN FREE!) using this recipe:
1 cup of cornmeal
1 teaspoon each sugar and salt
Add
1 1/4 cups water, creating a thick batter.
If you want your johnny cake thinner, add one half cup water or milk for a more rich flavor. Drop the batter onto a buttered or greased griddle (Laura used bacon grease!), fry until pale brown, and flip to cook the other side. Serve the johnny cake warm with toppings of choice; butter and maple syrup are common, although jam and savory spreads can be used as well.

5.Make a rag-doll using this pattern. We will be making more things for our dolls (both male and female depending on which doll you want to have), so please make this if you can! Don’t forget to hand-sew and use recycled fabrics if possible. Done!

Make your own Ketchup!

DS1 on top of all his food problems is allergic to Ketchup. I don't know what or why, but he gets horrible leg cramps when he eats any bought variety. A wonderful friend of mine passed on their ketchup recipe that they use for their ADHD son, whom they removed red food coloring from his diet. So anyone who wishes a gourmet and fresher tasting, less sugar ketchup, here's the recipe!


Ketchup



2- 5.5 oz cans tomato paste
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar (I love pure cane sugar in this)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Cook in a sauce pan on med heat, stirring until boiling. Boil for 1 min and remove from heat a cool. Place in a sealed container and refrigerate. Serve as a condiment.

You could also bottle this while it's hot with regular sealing procedures in a hot water bath.

NOTE: A reader wrote me that they like to add a drop or two of Tabasco to it, YUM!

Turkey on a Bun

Alas, with gluten free diets we can no longer use the traditional can of cream soup in all our casseroles. I have learned to survive without those casseroles, but I sorrowfully missed my turkey on a bun...left over turkey and a can of cream of chicken soup warmed and served on a bun. BUT (!yipee!) I have come up with a Gluten free alternative that outdoes the canned variety! My biggest hint for gluten free today is.....When we make a roast of any kind, we make a SUPER size vat of homemade gravy and freeze the leftovers.
Here's my recipe!

Turkey on a Bun


2 cups of cooked, chopped turkey
1/3 cup Miracle Whip Mayonnaise
1 cup - 1 1/2 cups turkey gravy
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp celery seed (NOT celery salt)

Mix together in a saucepan and heat through, stirring often on med/low heat as not to burn. Serve on closed buns (like a hamburger!)Use gluten free buns if needing GF

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup

Here’s a Sweet n’ sour cabbage soup I invented. If you’ve ever had cabbage rolls, it’s very similar in taste

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup

In a skillet, cook up:
1/2 - 1 lb ground beef
1 med onion
S&P

In a soup pot combine:
1/3 of a head of cabbage chopped or grated
1/2 cup rice
2 cups water (or enough to slightly cover the cabbage)

bring to a boil and turn down until cabbage is tender, but not limp

add:
meat mixture
1- 1L can of low salt tomato juice
2tsp Worcestershire sauce (not wheat free) or gluten free Soy sauce
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp (gluten free) chicken soup powder mix (or chicken Oxy cube - sorry not gf!)

Cook on med low heat until rice is cooked through. Serve! If it looks too thick for your liking, add more water while cooking.

And apparently you can sub golden raisins for ground beef if you like meatless meals! I saw a recipe on recipezaar that used raisins for ground beef in soup.

Apple Cake

Here is my sons very favorite cake. It is an GF adaptation of my moms old standby that has been made in my family for at least 4 generations. I will write it with my Basic Gluten Free Flour with Xanthan gum. See the recipe in labels at the side. If you want to try it with regular flour, I suggest cake and pastry in the same amount.



Apple Cake
5-6 cooking apples cored, peeled and sliced apple pie thin into a large mixing bowl
Set aside.

In a second bowl beat together
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar

Add
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup Basic Gluten Free flour
1 tsp baking powder
salt
Beat well. Add apples and stir gently until all apples are covered. Pour into a greased 9x9 cake pan. Level out.

Bake at 350* for 30 - 40 min

Cheese Burger Meatloaf (GF)

I'm posting our favorite meat loaf recipe today! I make it with 2lbs of hamburger and serve half one night and reheat half the next. It is great as leftovers in sandwiches or Hamburg buns, warm or cold. Or reheats in a frying pan with some water to keep it from drying out. As soon as I get a picture of it, I will add to this post!

Cheese Burger Meat Loaf

2lbs hamburger
1/2 cup parboiled rice, raw
1 onion chopped small
1/2 cup milk (we use rice milk)
2 Tbsp. Ketchup
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce (1 TSP Gluten free soysauce for GF)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp each -dryed marjoram
-dryed thyme
-pepper

Mix all together and pat into a 9x13 pan. Cover with foil and bake 350* for 1hr and 15min. Pull out of oven and tip slightly. Lift fat out with a spoon. Add on top the

"Secret sauce"
2 Tbsp Ketchup
2 Tbsp Miracle Whip
- mix well and spread on top of the meat loaf

add grated cheese (and optional crumbled bacon) and place back in oven uncovered for another 15 minutes. Cut into squares,Serves 6-8

Meat may appear slightly pink from the ketchup, meat should reach an internal temp of 160* if measuring.

Home made Ravioli Ratatouille Casserole (Gluten Free!)

Last nights supper was the most amazing comfort food I have ever made, and ever had! Ratatouille is normally made with egg plant, but I substituted home made ravioli, and it was to die for! My two year old ate as much as I did! The other two children had a mind block eating zucchini, but I'll win them over yet, this recipe goes in the keep pile!! Serve with fresh Potato bread (recipe tomorrow!) and a salad.

Ravioli Ratatouille Casserol


1 pkg of frozen *Ravioli cooked to directions (boiled for aprox 14 min)
OR 1/2 a batch of homemade ravioli, recipe below.

1 tsp heaped, crushed garlic in oil (or saute 3 crushed garlic cloves in olive oil)
1 16 oz can Italian stewed tomatoes
6 fresh mushrooms sliced (or 1 can drained)
1 small zucchini sliced thin
1 jar three cheese pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a 3 quart, greased baking dish, empty can of stewed tomatoes
Place cooked ravioli in the pan
arrange zucchini,garlic and mushrooms around and on the ravioli
Pour Three cheese tomato sauce over top
Top with mozzarella cheese
Cover and place in 350* oven for 25-30 min until bubbling and cheese is melted.
Serves 6
*NOTE ravioli bought in a grocery store is normally NOT Gluten free. Always read ingredients when purchasing pre-made foods, including tomato sauces.


Homemade Ravioli Recipe

This recipe uses my Basic Gluten Free Flour Recipe, find it in my labels section on the side of the blog

4 cups Basic Gluten Free Flour Mix (or all purpose wheat flour)
1 tsp Xanthan gum (omit if using all purpose wheat flour)
2 t. salt
1/4 c. butter
1 c. boiling water
Mix all, (I used my bread machine) roll out really flat, cut into circles

Ground Meat Filling:
1 onion, diced small
1 lb ground beef or turkey
2 tsp garlic powder
Italian-type seasonings (oregano, basil, parsley, salt, pepper)
Brown together, remove from heat.
Add 1/4 c grated Parmesan and 1 egg.

I put these together on a cookie sheet. Brush tops of pasta with water to help them stick together, fill, fork edges together on both sides. Then freeze them for 1/2 hour. Lift off pan with a lifter and place in a sealed container or freezer bag without sticking together too bad.