Spicy Lime Guacamole

I wish I could say that this recipe has more of an origin than this, but avocados were on sale at the grocery store and Alex decided he wanted guacamole. I’ve made this recipe for him several times now and I feel like I’ve really gotten it perfect. Alex really loves the finished product. He says that it has the perfect amount of onion, spicy and tart.Picking avocadoes is not an easy thing. Ripe avocadoes are soft and squishy. The first few times I purchased them I bought firm ones then tried to use them for guac. It wasn’t until a nice old man at the store taught me how to pick them that I actually began to pick good ones. If you want to use the avocadoes right away pick soft squishy ones. If you are wanting to use them later the firm ones are what you need.The best way to remove the insides of an avocado is to cut the avocado in half. Remove the pit, either by using a spoon to pop it out, or by using a knife to pull the pit out. After the pit is gone use a spoon to spoon out the meat inside. You can then discard the skins and the pit.

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Spicy Lime Guacamole:2 Avocados½ Teaspoon Salt½ Fresh Lime Juice4 Tablespoons Onion (minced)2 Jalapeños (minced)2 Tablespoons Cilantro (minced)1 Clove Garlic (minced)Dash of White Pepper

Remove the skin and pit from the avocadoes, mash the insides with a fork until smooth.Mince the onion, cilantro, jalapenos and garlic, stir into the avocado.

Add the salt, lime juice and pepper. Stir until well combined.Store in the refrigerator with plastic wrap directly over the guacamole.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:22]

Paleo Banana Muffins

I’ve been wanting to experiment with Coconut Flour baking recently and I finally found the flour on sale a couple weeks ago. These muffins are grain-free, dairy-free, gluten-free and Paleo. For this recipe I’ve used Enjoy Life Mini-Chocolate Chips, they are optional for the recipe, but make the muffins better in my opinion.These muffins are light and fluffy. They have a fantastic banana, cinnamon, coconut flavor to them.  If you don’t like coconut flavor, you can try substituting Olive Oil for the coconut oil. This still keeps them Paleo, but without as much coconut flavor. The batter may seem dry but I find that the finished product is pretty much perfect. If you add any more liquid the muffins will be a little on the soggy side.

You need to make sure to use a very dead banana. Make sure its completely black before making these muffins. Since there is honey in the recipe you need to watch these carefully towards the end of the baking time. Baked goods made with honey are more apt to burn if not watched carefully. I found that it took approximately 20 minutes for my muffins to be done.

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Paleo Banana Muffins:½ Cup Honey5 Eggs¼ Cup Coconut Oil (melted)1 Dead Banana1 Teaspoon Vanilla3 Tablespoons Coconut Milk½ Teaspoon Baking Soda1 Cup Coconut FlourCinnamon to tasteChocolate Chips (optional)Preheat the oven to 325 and prepare a 12 cup muffin tin by spraying with cooking spray or lining it with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the honey and eggs.

Add the coconut oil, banana, vanilla, coconut milk and baking soda. Stir on low until combined.Stir in the coconut flour and cinnamon.With a spatula stir in the chocolate chips if using.

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup spoon the batter into the muffin tin.

 

Cook for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:19]

Dulce De Leche Cookie Bars

I ran across these bars in the March edition of the the Food Network Magazine. I just knew I had to try making them. Alex really loves caramel and pecans together so I thought he’d really enjoy these cookie bars.We had friends over for dinner one night and I thought that would be the perfect excuse to make these bars. They were a hit! Everyone who tried them thought they were the perfect combination of caramel, chocolate and pecan.

This recipe will also work if you have a 9x9 pan. I do not so I’ve adapted everything to work in my 8x8. If you have the larger pan simply adjust your baking times down by a few minutes. If you are really worried about it make sure to pay attention the last 10ish minutes of baking and take them out when they look done.Originally I thought I had a can of dulce de leche on hand, but I remembered that I’d used it on a previous recipe.  I then chose to make my own for the recipe. I’ve posted instructions if you would like to make your own. You can find the recipe HERE.

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Dulce De Leche Cookie Bars:2 Cups + 1 Tablespoon Flour12 Tablespoons Butter (diced)1/3 Cup Powdered Sugar1 Tablespoon Vanilla½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt1 Cup Dulce De Leche¼ Cup Heavy Cream2 Egg Yolks¾ Cup Chocolate Chips¾ Cup Pecans (chopped)

Preheat the oven to 350. Line an 8x8 baking dish with tin foil leaving a few inches of overhang on each side. Spray the foil with cooking spray.

Pulse 2 cups flour, the butter, sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and the salt in a food processor until it begins to clump together.

Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, and ¼ inch up the sides. Bake until firm and lightly brown about 30-35 minutes.

While the crust is baking combine the dulce de leche, cream, egg yolks, remaining 1 tablespoon of flour and 2 teaspoons of vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.

When the crust has finished baking pour the mixture over the top of the crust and sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans.

Return to the oven and bake until slightly jiggly, about 25-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack. Once the bars are completely cool, remove from the pan using the tin foil overhang. Remove the foil and cut into pieces.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:21]

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Source: adapted from Food Network Magazine, March 2015

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Homemade Dulce De Leche

Dulce De Leche is a smooth caramel flavored sauce popular in Latin countries. This caramel is very easy to make if you have a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk on hand.  Most recipes I’ve seen call for you to use a crockpot to boil the can of milk for several hours. I didn’t want to do this because it can be dangerous and create rust lines in the bottom of your crockpot.I decided to do essentially the same thing, but with baking pans in the oven. Make sure that you put in enough water so that the pans don’t dry out. If your pans dry out they can shatter in the oven. I put in water about half way up my pans, and next time I think I’ll probably put in more. By the end there was very little water left in my pan.

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Homemade Dulce De Leche:14oz Can Sweetened Condensed MilkPreheat the oven to 425.

Pour the condensed milk into an 8x8 baking pan. Cover with tin foil.Put the 8x8 pan into a 13x9 baking pan. Fill with water, about halfway up the sides.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the milk is golden brown.Remove from the oven, uncover and transfer to the bowl of a food processor or the cup of a stick blender.

Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour.If not using right away cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:20]

Chocolate Malt Cookies

I ran across these cookies on the internet and knew I just had to make them. They had rave reviews from Alex and his friends that ate them. These cookies are super easy to make. However they do require you to have a kitchen scale.These cookies require one unique ingredient, Horlicks. It is a malt extract powder from the UK. I did a little bit of research and apparently you can substitute Ovaltine instead. I ended up ordering Horlicks from Amazon in order to make these cookies.

The original recipe calls for you to bake these at 325 for 12 minutes, however I found that I got better results baking them at 350 for approximately 10 minutes. I found they didn’t spread as much at the original temperature and at the new temp they were slightly chewier.I drizzled the cookies with a mixture of chocolate and coconut oil. This makes the chocolate a little easier to drizzle. If you don’t have coconut oil on hand it isn’t completely necessary to add it. Make sure that you put wax paper underneath the cookies before you spread the chocolate on them. It will make clean up much easier.

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Chocolate Malt Cookies:For Cookies:50g Butter200g Dark Chocolate (chopped)14oz Sweetened Condensed Milk25g Ground Almonds2 Heaping Teaspoons Horlicks (or Ovaltine, malt extract powder)200g FlourPinch of Sea Salt100g Robins Eggs (or Malted Milk Balls, crushed)50g White Chocolate ChipsFor Drizzle:¼ Cup Chocolate Chips1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil

Melt the butter and chocolate in a large saucepan, stir until completely combined.

Stir in the milk, almonds and Horlicks. Stir until combined. Sift in the flour and salt, combine thoroughly.

Transfer the batter to a sheet of wax paper and chill for 20-30 minutes, no longer.Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Mix in the crushed Robin’s Eggs and white chocolate.Separate the batter into 24 cookies. Set them on the baking sheet and flatten slightly.

Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before you drizzle.To make the drizzle combine the chocolate and coconut oil in a heat proof bowl.Heat in 30 second increments until completely melted.

Drizzle over the cookies with a spoon. Let them dry before serving.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:18]

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Source: Adapted from Jamie Oliver

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Balsamic Garlic Glazed Salmon

When I was younger my Mother served us several times a month, it was breaded cod. It was honestly the worst dinner night of the week. When we got old enough we all hoped to be busy on cod night. Because of this I’ve always assumed that I absolutely hated fish.I decided to try making fish for dinner a couple weeks ago since it is so good for you. I was very wary of actually doing it so I kept putting off this dinner. When I finally did get up the courage to make it I was actually quite surprised. This dish wasn’t as terrible as I remembered fish being (a high compliment from me). Alex really loved the salmon, he said it was a great combination of sweet and savory.

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Balsamic Garlic Glazed Salmon:2-4 (4oz) Salmon Filets1 Tablespoon Olive Oil2 Cloves Garlic (peeled and minced)1 Tablespoon Honey1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar4 Teaspoons Dijon MustardSalt and White Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan cook the olive oil and garlic until tender.

Add the honey, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Cook until slightly thickened.

Place the salmon on the baking sheet and brush with the sauce. Reserve half of the sauce to spread on the salmon after cooking.

Cook for 6-8 minutes or until the salmon is fork tender. Remove from oven and spread the rest of the sauce on the salmon and serve.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:17]

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Source: Adapted from Recipe Critic

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How To: Filled Cupcakes

Cupcakes are a favorite treat of mine to make. I especially love making filled cupcakes. I feel like this really gives the cupcakes a little something extra. I have found two different ways that really work for filling cupcakes. I learned these techniques from Annie-Eats. Check out Annie’s blog to get some additional ideas on how to fill cupcakes.Method 1:In order to fill cupcakes this way cut a small cone from the center with a pairing knife. Then cut the bottom off the cone (leaving a small portion of the top) and discarded the excess. Lastly use a spoon to scoop the filling into the cupcake and then replace the top. Ice as usual.

This is a good method to use if you filling is very stiff (jam, Nutella, ect). You can use this method to fill any cupcakes but it is best for those types of fillings.Method 2:This method requires a filling tip. Insert the tip (attached to a piping bag filled with your cupcake filling) into the cupcakes and push the filling into the cupcake until the cupcake expands slightly. Ice as usual.

The filling tips can be found at your local Michaels or Hobby Lobby. The tip I use looks like this and came from Hobby Lobby. You will also need a piping bag for this method. I don’t prefer this method as much since it tends to be messier. Don’t worry if it takes you a few tries to get it down.

Either one of these methods are fantastic ways to fill cupcakes. Here are a few recipes that call for cupcake filling:Almond Raspberry CupcakesChocolate Peanut Butter CupcakesRaspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Bathing your Cat (Easily!)

I don’t know about you, but Rory HATES to be bathed. However both Alex and I are slightly allergic to him and he often gets into things that get him pretty dirty. This necessitates a “deep cleaning” on a regular basis.When my parents got their second cat about 10 years ago they talked to their vet about bathing since my Dad is highly allergic to cats. When you bathe a cat it keeps the dander low so they are less likely to trigger an allergic reation.

The vet they spoke with suggested putting the cat is a delicates bag for washing.  This keeps the cat contained and they can’t escape or claw you. Your cat will hate this when you start. Every time I put Rory in the bag he mews pitifully and acts like I’m killing him. However, his reaction is a lot more violent when I wash him without the bag. Last week he got into something and his belly was all nasty, so because I needed to scrub his belly I couldn’t put him in the bag. After that bath was done I had scratches all over my arm and back (he got out of my grasp and climbed over me).

Of course you want to be very careful about getting water or soap in your cat’s face. It is easier to do this when they are in the bag since they are constantly squirming. But the benefits of keeping them contained outweigh that fact. After your cat's bath be sure to towel him dry. This will help him not be so angry with you since you are essentially "grooming" him.

If you are careful and train your cat eventually your cat won’t hate this as much. It will take time though, don’t give up if your fuzzy baby is all dirty!

Gluten Free Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I really love chicken cordon bleu. I love the flavor combination of chicken, ham and swiss and this casserole is no exception.  This dish is ooey-gooey and delicious. It is definitely a comfort food. I highly recommend trying this dish if you like chicken cordon bleu.I ran across this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and it looked too good not to try. However, since it wasn’t gluten free I had to figure out how to adapt it so that we could eat it. I downsized the recipe since its just the two of us. If you need to make a larger portion, just double everything and cook it in a 9x13 pan.When you are making the sauce be careful not to brown the butter/gf flour mixture. If you brown the sauce it will have a slightly burned taste to it. I used a glass baking dish, if you don’t happen to have one you can use a metal dish but make sure to monitor the baking time. You may need to reduce it to keep the casserole from burning.

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Gluten Free Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole:2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (Shredded)½ Lb Shaved Ham (Cut into strips)4oz Swiss Cheese (Sliced)For Sauce:2 Tablespoons Butter1 Tablespoons Gluten Free Flour1 ½ Cups Milk1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice½ Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Paprika¼ Teaspoon White PepperGluten Free Bread Crumbs (for topping)Preheat the oven to 350 and grease an 8x8 glass baking dish.

Place the cooked and shredded chicken on the bottom of the pan, top with the ham ribbons and cover with the swiss cheese.To make the sauce: melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Once the butter is melted whisk in the flour and stir until smooth.

When the mixture is completely smooth and bubbly whisk in the milk and lemon juice. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens.Once the sauce has thickened add the seasonings. Bring the sauce back to a low boil.

Pour the sauce over the casserole. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Bake for 45 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:16]

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Source: Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

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Handy Hubby: Mason Jar Table Box

Cruising Pinterest always gives me a ton of ideas, way more than I could ever implement. However a couple of weeks ago I saw this amazing weathered box on Etsy (through Pinterest) and I just had to have one.Thankfully I have an extraordinarily handy husband! I showed Alex the photo and he said it would be very easy for him to make me one. I changed a couple of things in the design, like I wanted it to hold 5 Mason jars instead of 4, and I wanted it to be a dark color rather than a weathered gray.

To create the box Alex took 2x6 pine boards and cut them down to the size we wanted with a circular saw. He then took Wood glue and attached all of the pieces together.He then clamped the box together. Alex says that you need at least 8 clamps for this project in order to hold it together adequately. Leave the clamps on the box for at least 24 hours, or longer if your wood glue instructions say to. After the glue is dry remove the clamps from the box.

Sand the box to get a smooth finish on all sides. After you have sanded the surface smooth stain the box. We used Minwax- Red Oak stain that we picked up at Fleet Farm. Make sure you stain the box in a well ventilated area. There a lot of fumes that you really don’t want to be breathing in. Make sure you follow the instructions on the container for the best coverage. We left the stain on the box for approximately a minute before wiping off. If you leave the stain on longer you will get a deeper color. Likewise if you want a lighter color leave the stain on for less than a minute before wiping off.

Let the stain dry overnight, being sure to follow any instructions on your stain container. Once the box is dry you can cover with Polyurethane if you want. I chose not to since I liked the more rustic look it has. For the Mason jars I used one quart jar in the middle and four pint jars around the sides.

I’ve decided to use this box as a table decoration. I can put flowers in the large mason jar in the middle and use the smaller ones for napkins or candles depending on what I want. This would be a fantastic decoration for a coffee table or mantle though.

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Handy Hubby is a feature showcasing projects designed and created by my husband Alex. All work has been done by Alex unless otherwise stated, posts and photos are by Housewife’s Whimsy.

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Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Since I went gluten free pancakes have been one thing I haven’t eaten. Alex and I love to make elaborate breakfasts about once a month on Saturdays so I knew I had to find a gf recipe for pancakes. This recipe is based on one off the box of the King Arthur Flour: Gluten Free Baking Mix box. They (thankfully) have a whole host of recipes on the back and when I finished the box of baking mix I cut out the recipes. I have used both the KAF mix and my own gf mix to make these, both worked well.I didn’t really care for the recipe as they had it written so I changed a couple of things and now I’m pretty happy with the results. Make sure you let the batter sit for about 10 minutes. This allows the flour to absorb the moisture in the batter and keeps it from being lumpy. If you don’t like chocolate chip pancakes you can feel free to leave them out. One alternative is to add cinnamon instead; this is a favorite of Alex’s.

These pancakes are of course a slightly different consistency than their glutened counterparts. But I have found that they taste amazing when you first make them and they store very well. The reheated pancakes can have a odd texture if you reheat them too long though, so just be very careful if you go to do that and reheat in small increments.

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Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pancakes:1 Cup Gluten Free Flour1 Tablespoon Sugar½ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum1 Egg1 Tablespoon melted Coconut Oil¾ Cup Milk½ Teaspoon VanillaChocolate Chips (optional)

In a medium bowl whisk the flour, Xanthan gum and sugar together. Add the egg, oil, milk and vanilla and whisk until blended.

Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the batter to thicken. Add chocolate chips if using.

Heat your griddle, pour ¼ Cup of batter onto the griddle when hot. Cook until the pancakes edges are brown and the top is no longer glossy.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:15]

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Source: Adapted from King Arthur Flour

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Mint-Chocolate Cupcakes

My mother in law bought us a box of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies a couple of weeks ago. She knows they are my favorite and has graciously bought me a box from her students each year Alex and I have been married. I got to thinking and I really wanted to create a cupcake that showcased the fantastic min-chocolate taste of the cookies.These cupcakes were a hit with everyone who tasted them. The cake is a light and airy chocolate-mint with a delicious glaze and an amazing Thin Mint buttercream on top. When this all combines you pretty much have a girl scout cookie in a cupcake! If you only make one thing from my blog, so far this would be the item to make.

I used Thin Mints as garnish for the cupcakes and I feel like they really tied the whole thing together. Also people had an easy time identifying them since they are a beloved girl scout cookie. If you don’t have thin mints on hand you can just omit them from the recipe and it will taste pretty much the same.

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Chocolate-Mint Cupcakes:For Cupcakes:¾ Cup and 2 Tablespoons Sugar1 Cup Flour¼ and 2 Tablespoons Dutch Process Cocoa Powder½ Heaping Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Heaping Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Heaping Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract½ Tablespoon Peppermint Extract1 Egg½ Cup Milk¼ Cup Oil½ Cup Boiling WaterFor Glaze:4oz Chocolate Chips½ Cup Heavy Cream¼ Teaspoon Peppermint Extract¼ Cup Corn SyrupFor Frosting:6 Tablespoons Butter2 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar½ Teaspoon Peppermint Extract¼ Cup Mint-Chocolate Glaze½ Cup Crushed Thin MintsPreheat the oven to 350 and prepare a cupcake tin with liners.Mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, peppermint, milk and oil in a large bowl.When well combined add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well.Add the flour and mix well.Slowly add the boiling water and mix well, being careful not to splash the liquid around.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before glazingTo make the glaze heat the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a heat proof bowl until melted. Stir the extract and corn syrup until well combined.

Once the cupcakes have fully cooled dip the tops of them into the glaze and set on top of a rack with wax paper underneath. Let the glaze harden before you move onto the next step.

To make the frosting beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, extract and leftover chocolate glaze. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the crushed thin mints to the bowl and fold it into the icing.

Scoop the icing into a piping bag and decorate the cookies. Using a sharp knife cut Girl Scout cookies in half and use them as garnish.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:14]

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Source: Cake adapted from: Kiss my Bundt – Chrysta Wilson

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Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Chicken

I am obsessed with the sweet and sour chicken at the little Chinese place down the road from our house. Unfortunately when we go out the restaurant is not gluten free, so we haven’t eaten there in a while. When I first got the Gluten Free on a Shoestring cookbook I saw this recipe and new I had to try it. This recipe is amazing. I was so shocked by the fact its gluten free.I made a few alternations to the recipe. The biggest one was I marinade the chicken overnight before cooking. I’ve created a marinade that I love with Asian inspired dishes and I tend to use it often. If you don’t have time, or all the ingredients you can go ahead and skip the marinade step. I just won’t be as flavorful in my opinion.We had this recipe on a night when we had guests. This dinner was quite a hit with our guests. They could not believe that it was a gluten free.

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Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Chicken:For Marinade:2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts3 Tablespoons Raspberry Wine1 Tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil1 Teaspoon White PepperDash of SaltFor Dish:2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Soy Sauce2 Tablespoons Cornstarch¼ Teaspoon White Pepper3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil5 Garlic Cloves (peeled and crushed)2 Carrots (cut into 1/2” chunks)4 Green Onions (chopped)1 recipe Sweet and Sour Sauce

Combine the chicken and marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until the chicken is completely covered. Seal the top of the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let the chicken marinade 2-4 hours or overnight.

When you are ready to make the dish, combine the chicken, soy sauce, cornstarch and pepper until all the pieces of chicken are coated.In a large skillet heat the oil and simmer the crushed garlic for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.Remove the chicken from the pan leaving as much liquid as possible and set the chicken aside in a bowl.Add the carrots and peppers to the pan and cook over medium heat in the liquid until softened, about 4-5 minutes.Lower the heat and add the chicken back into the pan.

Add the green onion and sweet and sour sauce to the pan and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes until everything is well combined and the sauce is heated through.Serve with rice and additional sauce if desired.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:13]

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Source: Adapted from Gluten Free on a Shoestring – Nicole Hunn

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Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Sauce

This sauce is the most amazing sweet and sour sauce I’ve ever tasted. It is a perfect complement to chicken or pork. It is very easy to make. You simply need to put the ingredients in a saucepan and cook until it is reduced by half.If you don’t use this sauce in a recipe right away you can keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few weeks. However, I don’t think it will last that long!

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Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Sauce:2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Soy Sauce1 Tablespoon Corn Starch1/3 Cup Vinegar or Rice Vinegar¼ Cup Ketchup4 Tablespoons Sugar¾ Cup Water

In a medium bowl whisk together the soy sauce, cornstarch, vinegar, ketchup and sugar until well combined. Add the water and whisk again to combine.

Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium high heat until it has thickened and reduced by about half.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:12]

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Source: Gluten Free on a Shoestring – Nicole Hunn

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Cream Cheese Wontons

We love to go to the Chinese place down the street from our house, but unfortunately it’s not in the budget to go more often! However they don’t have a good cream cheese wonton which is one of my favorites. I’ve made these several times at our house and they are a huge hit. This batch I made when we had a couple of friends over for dinner and they were gone pretty quickly. No one can resist a crispy wonton filled with fried cheese.Unfortunately these are not gluten free as-is. If you want to make them GF, I know Gluten Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread by Nicole Hunn has a recipe. However, if you make that substitution these are gluten free.

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Cream Cheese Wontons:20-25 Wonton Wrappers8oz Cream Cheese (softened)2 Green Onions (chopped)½ Teaspoon Garlic PowderOil (for frying)Set your oil on medium heat in a large saucepan.

Cream together the cream cheese, green onion and garlic powder until fully combined.

Carefully put about a teaspoon into the center of a wonton wrapper.

Using water to make the edges stick together, close the wrapper.When the oil is boiling carefully fry them, approximately 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Set on a plate covered with a couple paper towels to drain out some of the oil and enjoy!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:11]

Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

When I first transitioned to gluten free there was one specific dish that I knew I must figure out how to make gluten free. My mom’s macaroni and cheese recipe it pretty much the best thing ever and I knew I couldn’t live without it. My first couple tries were total flops, but I kept at it and finally came up with a recipe that stays true to the original while still being gf.This mac cheese is super creamy and delicious. I pretty much grew up on this recipe and now it is a staple for any family gathering. This recipe is my mother’s and over the years she has perfected the science of making it. She learned how to make it from her mother but made the recipe what it is today. I've built on her basic recipe, to what you see here. If you’re looking for a fantastic homemade gluten free mac cheese this is definitely the recipe for you.

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Creamy Gluten Free Mac-Cheese12oz Gluten Free Macaroni (prepared)4 Tablespoons Butter2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Flour2 Cups Milk1 Cup Shredded Cheddar½ Cup Shredded Parmesan1 ½ Cup Velveeta (chunked)Salt and White Pepper to taste

Prepare your gluten free macaroni according to the directions on the package. I prefer the Barilla Gluten Free elbow noodles.

Over low heat melt the butter, once it has melted add the flour and whisk until combined. Cook on low heat until bubbly and slightly brown.

Slowly whisk in the milk making sure to get any of the flour mixture stuck to the side.

Add the cheeses and whisk over medium heat until everything is melted. The sauce will become very thick and stringy then will become sauce like.

Add the salt, pepper and noodles. Stir to combine and serve!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:10]

Almond and Raspberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream

These cupcakes are simply adorable. They are the perfect complement to any Easter celebration. The cupcakes themselves have a fantastic almond base with a tangy raspberry filling. This combination is very light and is reminiscent of the spring that is in the air. The white chocolate buttercream is the perfect addition to the light almond cupcakes. This gives you a unique but fantastic flavor combination.

If you don’t happen to have raspberry curd on hand it is super easy to make. If you don’t have the time to make it you could substitute a raspberry or strawberry jam. You will have a firmer filling but your flavor will be the same.

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Almond and Raspberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream:For the Cupcakes:½ Cup Unsalted Butter2 Cups Flour1 Tablespoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Salt½ Cup Blanched Almonds5 Egg Whites1 Cup Milk2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract1 ½ Teaspoon Almond Extract1 ½ Cup SugarRaspberry Curd (for filling)For the Frosting:4oz White Chocolate Chips1/3 Cup Heavy Cream1 Cup Unsalted Butter2lbs (one bag) Powdered Sugar¼ Cup Heavy Cream1/8 Teaspoon Salt2 Teaspoons VanillaTo make the cupcakes preheat the oven to 350 and line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are ground into powder.In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites, milk, vanilla and almond until combined.Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternate combining the flour mixture and the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.Divide the batter between the cupcake tins and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely fill with the raspberry curd.

I used a filling tip, inserted it into the cupcakes and pushed the curd into the cupcake until the cupcake expanded slightly. Don’t worry if it takes you a few tries to get it down.When you have filled the cupcakes prepare your icing.

In a heat safe bowl combine the white chocolate and the 1/3 Cup heavy cream. Heat in 30 second increments until melted.Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Once the butter is fluffy add the powdered sugar.Stir in the white chocolate mixture, salt, vanilla and heavy cream.

Beat until the icing is fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag and ice the cupcakes.

Garnish with pink sanding sugar.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:9]

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Source: Sweet! – Editors of Food Network Magazine and Southern Living, November 2012 ed.

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Cadbury Egg Nests

I really love how cute these turned out.  Originally I made these as cupcake toppers for my Easter cupcakes. However, when I was finished they didn’t seem like exactly what I wanted to decorate the cupcakes with. I sent them to work with Alex and he said everyone loved them. They look super tasty and are so festive!

These are super easy to make. The hardest part is actually shaping them into nests. I found this to be fairly easy if I put something in the middle and pushed the cereal up around it. I happened to have a pie crust tool in my drawer and ended up using this. I tried using the back of my scoop, but it never seemed to work correctly. Just try a couple different things and see what works for you.

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Cadbury Egg Nests:3 bars Cadbury Milk Chocolate8oz Shredded Wheat Cereal1 10oz Bag Cadbury Milk Chocolate Eggs

Melt the chocolate in a heat safe bowl. I found it best to microwave in 30 second increments until it was smooth.

Break the cereal into pieces. It was easy to break apart with my fingers. You want to make sure that the cereal has separated into small pieces.

Combine the shredded cereal and the melted chocolate. Stir until well combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, portion the cereal mixture onto wax paper.

Form the cereal portions into rough nest shapes.

Press eggs onto the top of the nests and let dry thoroughly. Overnight is best. Store in an airtight container.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:8]

Mini-Gluten Free-Brownies

A couple of weeks ago Alex and I both wanted some brownies, but we didn’t want the huge leftover pan of them that comes with making brownies. I decided to tweak my favorite gluten free brownie recipe to see if I could make the yield less. I cooked them in ramekins and they turned out fantastic!The yield on this recipe is perfect for two ramekins of brownies. I wanted to be able to put ice cream on top of the brownies so I actually divided it into three. If you don’t want peppermint flavored brownies you can feel free to substitute vanilla extract instead.

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Mini-Gluten Free-Brownies2 Tablespoons Butter2oz Chocolate Chips1oz Chocolate Chips¼ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Sugar1 Egg¼ Cup Flour1/8 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder1/8 Teaspoon Baking Powder1/8 Teaspoon Salt¼ Teaspoon Peppermint ExtractTo make the brownies preheat your oven to 350 and spray two ramekins with cooking spray.

Combine the butter and chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and put in the microwave. Melt the butter and chocolate chips together stirring until fully combined. Set aside to cool.

Combine the sugar and eggs together in the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat until fluffy.Add the cocoa powder, salt, peppermin extract and baking powder. Combine.

Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture and stir well.Add the flour and xanthan gum, stir until the dough is combined and slightly elastic.

Add additional chocolate chips if desired to the mixture and combine well.

Spread in the prepared baking pan and cook for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:6]

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Source: Adapted from: Gluten Free on a Shoestring – Nicole Hunn

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Easy Garlic Chicken

This dish was a surprise hit at our house. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t have high hopes when I printed the recipe. I guess it just seemed too easy. The chicken has a wonderful caramelized garlic flavor and is very juicy.This is one of the easiest recipes you can make. From the time I started till dinner was on the table was only about 30 minutes and most of that was baking time. We served the dish with a side of white rice. Alex suggested that a spicy rice would offset the sweet nicely. Next time I make this I’m going to try adding some Cajun seasoning to the rice as I cook it.

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Easy Garlic Chicken:4 Chicken Breasts4 Cloves Garlic (minced)4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar1 Tablespoon Olive OilPreheat oven to 450. Coat a glass pan with oil.

In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.

Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar.

Season chicken with salt and pepper if desired. Place breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.

Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes, or until juices run clear. Cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your chicken.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:5]

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Source: Food.com

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