Chocolate Milk Mix

No more chocolate syrup yuck...

1 part sugar (or sugar substitute, I used truvia)
3 part cocoa powder (I used nestle 100%)

For each cup of milk you only need 1 Tsp!

Italian Seasoning & Dressing

I have been making my own seasoning and italian dressing for a while now. I love the fact that I can use the dry mix to season chicken, potatoes 

(anything really) 

and also have dressing made to my own taste sitting in the fridge 

(good for 2 months!) 

To make your own italian dressing:

 whisk together 

1/4 cup of white vinegar, 2/3 cup oil (canola or olive oil),

2 Tbsp of water and 2-3 Tbsp of dry mix

If you're anything like me, then you're more than eager to use your homemade stuff as soon as possible. You don't wanna just look at it in the fridge, do you?

Heres links to some of my favorite recipes that you can use your seasoning/dressing! Enjoy!

Italian Dressing Chicken

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Sauteed Potatoes with Italian Seasoning

Oven Baked Pork Chops

The options are endless! :)

Dye Free Jello

This will be the easiest post I ever write:

Did you know that not all juice is GFCF? 

Read your labels!

The End

GFCF Chocolate Pudding

Has anyone here ever tried prepackaged dairy free pudding? If not, its nothing more than a chocolate, watery slop. My son Noah loves chocolate pudding. It was hard to give up when we started transitioning into a GFCF diet for him but with a little practice, I think I have got a solution :)

The first recipe was delicious. All ingredients were from scratch and of course it was GFCF. This recipe is perfect if you plan to eat it the same day. But.. after a day in the fridge it turned into that sloppy mess I was trying to avoid. So if its to eat same day, and you really wanna wow your kids (or even some guests!) here ya go:

1/4 cup cocoa powder 

(I like nestle 100% cocoa)

1 Tbsp of cornstarch

1/4 Tsp of salt 

(I used sea salt)

2 cups of nondairy milk 

(I like Silk Almond Milk)

1 Tsp gluten free vanilla extract 

(I used 100% Pure McCormick)

Combine all dry ingredients into a saucepan and mix well. 

Over medium heat gradually add the almond milk while continually stirring. 

Whatever you do, don't stop stirring! You will burn the pudding! 

Bring to a boil as you stir, turning up the heat a bit if you need to. 

Leave on full rolling boil for 2 minutes as you stir. It will begin to thicken. 

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. 

Refrigerate 2 hours, uncovered for it to set.

Because I am not very certain when and how much the kids will eat in one sitting, I found that this wasn't a really a practical solution for us. And because the consistency changed so much the day after it wasn't really "grab and eat" friendly. I didn't want to go the box route, but at least it is still GFCF.

From reading the labels at the store, it seems that the only boxed pudding that was GFCF was the Jello brand (watch out for the sneaky ingredients!) You can use "cook & serve" or "Instant." (I now only use instant, as I think cook & serve is for those who like it warm.) The first time I made this I ran into the same problem- after it set- WATERY. I was reading up more on cooking with almond milk and learned that you only have to use 1/2 of what it is originally called for in the recipe. So if the box says to use 3 cups of milk, use only 1.5 of almond milk!

And it tastes great! I just pour it into a jar and its good for a whole week! Happy mama, happy chocolate faces!

Sloppy Joe's

Maybe when you think of Sloppy Joe's you think of those cans of manwich on the shelves at your local supermarket. I hope you also think of all kinds of additives and MSG -YUMM! So.. I have a solution, courtesy of the mid-west.

So now you've made your ketchup and mustard from scratch and you don't wanna just look at it sitting in the fridge, do you?

2 Tsp of Shortening 
1 Large chopped Onion
1 Large chopped Green Pepper
1.5 Lb of ground Beef or Turkey (I used turkey)
1 Cup of Ketchup (I used my homemade recipe)
4 Tbsp of Mustard (I used my homemade recipe)
1/4 Cup of Vinegar 
1/2 Tsp of Sugar (I used Stevia)
1 Tbsp of Brown Sugar

In a fry pan, brown meat with onion and green pepper. Drain and put in a sauce pan. Over medium heat add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

ENJOY!

Ketchup & Mustard From Scratch

*Crock pot* German Potato Salad

Love my crock pot.

Love my German potato salad.

The end.

Here's my spin:

(Original recipe taken from my grandmothers high school cookbook)

10-12 Potatoes, Washed, Peeled, Sliced

8 Strips of Bacon, Fried and Chopped

4 Tbs. Corn Starch 

1/2 Cup of Vinegar 

21/2 Cups of Water 

1 Large Sweet Onion, Sliced

1 Tbs of Salt (To Taste)

1 Tbs of Pepper (To Taste)

4 Tbs of Parsley (Fresh or Dried)

1/4 Cup of Sugar (To Taste)

Wash, peel and slice your potatoes. I used my food processor and it got the job done pretty quick. 

Fry your bacon. I like it extra crisp. You want it firm enough to chop like so... Keep grease from bacon in fry pan.

 Over medium heat add to your bacon grease the chopped bacon and corn starch, stir. Next add your water and vinegar. the consistancy will begin to change.

Add sliced onions and rest of your dried ingredients. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. The Dressing will seem more syrup-like and the onions will soften.

Put Sliced potatoes in crock pot. Pour Skillet contents over and fold into the potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 4 hrs. Potatoes will be soft (but now mushy) when done. You could even slice up some kielbasi and throw it in there to make a complete meal.
Traditionally, you eat this dish WARM.

So why the crock pot? Well, I just feel so smart now being able skip the step of boiling the potatoes, waiting for them to cool, then slicing them....
*Pats self on back*
This was so good in fact, that I actually don't have an AFTER picture! I went that fast :) I will update the next time I make it :) ENJOY!

*Crock Pot* Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Let me share a little story with ya :)

Holly and Marian 2005
Not too long before he asked me to be his bride

My soon to be family
 Fall 2005

It was the first time I ever come to eat at my now husbands house. 

We went into the basement where there was a full kitchen and a strong smell of meat products.

"Let me show you my smoke house" my now Father-in-law said.

Down the basement hall was a wooden door that lead to a chilly room. He opened the door and as I lifted my eyes, there, to my horror, were pig products hanging from the ceiling and walls. A boars head, as well as sausage and pigs feet were draped around like festive decoration. In my mind I could hear the "re-re-re-re" play from the horror movies. I believed I gasped. I believe they laughed.

Proudly, my Husbands Father told me how he would go to Amish country to "cut a pig," bring it home and make smoked sausage and all sorts of pork products. Who knew you could even do this? Or that it was even legal?! I know, Im slightly ignorant as to obtaining food OUTSIDE a grocery store. 

As we ate our "Mitch" (Mici) (LOL) at the table in the basement, all I could think of was that piggies head swinging from the ceiling. As I looked at my then sweet boyfriend and his family cutting up their pork and potatoes, I quickly realized I had been initiated into something that was so foreign to me (no pun intended?!)..... I was marrying into a Romanian family.

Who would've thought that a couple years later I would get a little excited when I heard my Father-in-law was heading to Amish country. This organic meat was unlike anything I had ever bought from the store. And I grew to have a better appreciation for the oink-oink. (However, I am still getting used to my children coming back from grandma and grandpa's house, smelling like they'd been smoked themselves.) Since our entire family had moved to Atlanta I thought the days of cutting a pig in Amish country were over, but no, my Father-in-law still makes the trip every winter because its THAT GOOD. (If you are ever up north, you must make it a priority to go out to Amish country.) 

This time around I made some yummy crock pot pulled pork sandwiches. They were out of this world, crazy good. The meat was so tender that the usually tedious shredding part was easy to do.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches
From Scratch

What you need
1 large bottle of barbecue sauce
(or try and make your own! Even better! That's what i did!) 
2 sliced onions
3 lb boneless pork shoulder
Crock pot 
Baking sheet

Pour 1/4 of your BBQ sauce into the bottom of the crock pot.
Place whole shoulder into crock pot, lay sliced onions over top, and then pour an additional 1/4 of your BBQ sauce over top. 
Cook on low for 6 hrs.
Once the time is up, take out your cookie sheet and lay the pork shoulder on it (keep all juices and onion in crock pot) Remove as much fat as you can from the cooked meat. Then begin to shred. Using 2 forks, just pull apart the meat as best as you can. It will loosen up even more in the second step of cooking. Once all shredded, set aside. 
Next, using a colander, pour the juice and onion contents from your crock pot, separating the onion from the juices. Place shredded meat, strained onions, and the rest of your BBQ sauce into the crock pot. Stir until the meat is well coated. 
Cook on low for an additional 2 hours. I try to stir it every once and a while, as this helps separate the meat even more. 
This will make an ample amount to feed your family and then have some left over. As for a side, this meal always goes well with some potato chips and a cold pop :) 

This meal can be frozen well. Just separate into individual servings in your glad ware freezer containers and once completely cooled stick in the freezer. Just thaw and warm up when ready to eat.

To make home made BBQ sauce
These ingredients will be a great base for any homemade BBQ sauce. You might want to play around as it cooks in the sauce pan to see if you'd like it more sweet or more spicy. You do not need to use all the ingredients that I did, like I said make it your own! For pulled pork sandwiches I double this recipe. But to just make a jar to have in the fridge as a condiment I use this recipe as is.

Another perk of being married to a Romanian-
Raw Honey :)

Here it is
1/4 Cup minced onion
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp smoked paprika 
6 Oz can tomato paste
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1/2 Cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 Cup cold water
1/2 Cup ketchup
3 Tbsp mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 Tsp ground cloves
1/4 Tsp cinnamon
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 Cup of honey
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tsp chili flakes
1 Tbsp Ground pepper
1/2 Tbsp Brown sugar

Mix together in a large sauce pan and simmer for about 30 minutes. It will thicken as it cools. 
Best thing about home made? No high fructose corn syrup, limited sugar and it can be made GFCF. 

OINK-OINK

Braunschweiger Pate

Braunschweiger Pate, a.k.a "The Poor Mans Pate" is actually named after Braunschweig, Germany and is a type of spreadable liverwurst, which is pork, liver and sausage. In the Midwest you can find Braunschweiger sandwiches at the moms 'n' pops shops and at your German Grandmothers Christmas party better believe there will be a Braunshweiger "ball" on the buffet table.


Here is my spin on the traditional Braunschweiger ball:

You will need:

1 package of Braunscheiger (found at most local grocery stores in the lunch meat section)
1 Package of Cream Cheese (softened)
Ketchup
Minced Garlic
Minced Onion
Worcestershire Sauce
Chili Powder
Milk

Served with:
Crackers
Olives (optional)

In a bowl add:

Braunscheiger
1/4 cup of ketchup
3 tbsp of minced garlic
3 tbsp of worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp chili powder

With your HANDS (yeah, your hands!) mix together until all ingredients are evenly mixed.

Now on your serving platter, form the pate in the shape of a ball or a loaf. Depending on the shape of tray I use will decide which shape my pate is. This time Im making a loaf.

Uncovered, place in fridge for 1 hour to set.

Once its set, begin to make the top layer.

In a bowl add:

Softened cream cheese
1 tbsp minced onion
and just a touch of milk

Mix together. The goal is to make this spreadable, but NOT watery.

With a butter knife, spread the cream cheese mixture over the pate until completely covered.
Let set again in the fridge for an hour.

The next step is optional:

Sometimes if my cream cheese looks too lumpy, or I'm sharing this with guests, I will dress it up with olives. Olives really compliment this appetizer.

Spread a little on a cracker and ENJOY!

Puzzle Cakes

Ok, So my cake decorating skills could still use some work... but in the "kindergarten and under crowd" I'm golden :)

A few years back I purchased a box of "Puzzle Cakes" cupcake holders and they have been a big hit ever since. So I thought I would share the secrete behind this fantabulous Christmas train. (Now if only someone could share with me the secrete of cake decorating... I think I still have sometime before they figure out this is probably less than novice! But it was made with love <3) I have made many different things with the puzzle cakes, including a dump truck and a rocket.

Wanna try "Puzzle Cakes" out? Click here to purchase your own "Puzzle Cakes"

German Kugel

Kugel, or "noodle pudding," was one of my favorite things to order from one of the local German restaurants in Ohio. The other day I decided to make it myself :) I was impressed, let me tell you! 

Here's a little wikipedia knowledge on this dish:
The first kugels were made from bread and flour and were savory rather than sweet. About 800 years ago, cooks in Germany replaced the bread mixtures with noodles or farfel. Eventually eggs were incorporated. The addition of cottage cheese and milk created a custard- like consistency which is common in today's dessert dishes. In Poland, Jewish homemakers added raisins, cinnamon and sweet farmers cheese to noodle kugel recipes. In the late 19th century, people of Jerusalem combined carmalized sugar and black pepper in a noodle kugel known as "Jerusalem kugel," which is commonly served at Shabbat kiddushes. In Romania, this dish is called Budinca de Macaroane/Paste Fainoase (macaroni/pasta pudding), and is a traditional romanian dish. In certain villages throughout the country it is known as "Baba Acolo." It is made with or without cheese, but it most always includes raisins.

...This explains why my husband was like "I have tasted something like this before." (For those who don't know, he was born in Romania.)

Preheat oven to 375
Use a greased 9x13 glass baking dish
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Filling:
1 bag, wide egg noodles, cooked per instructions (I used "no yokes")
3 apples, peeled and chopped
2 cups of white raisins
2 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
4 tbsp of melted butter (I used immitation butter)
1 cup of milk (I used skim milk)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used fat free sour cream)
4 oz of cream cheese (I used fat free cream cheese)
1 tbsp of cinnamon

Topping:
1 cup of smashed graham crackers
1/2 cup of smashed corn flakes
1/2 cup of sugar
6 tbsp of melted butter
1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1) In a large bowl, mix cooked egg noodles, chopped apples and raisins

2) Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, butter and milk together

3) Now add cottage cheese, sour cream and cream cheese, and again using the electric mixer, beat together      until well blended

4) Fold mixture into the noodle/raisin/apple mixture until well covered
5) Pour into prepared glass baking dish

6) With a fork, combine the topping items and sprinkle topping over noodle mixture

7) Bake until knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

I fried up some Polish Kielbasi (seasoned with pepper and paprika) and served the kugel as a side dish. The sweetness of the kugel really compliments the kielbasi, and if you were looking to serve this dish with something, I would suggest this.

The picture does not do it justice!
I think I will make this again this week!
*Patting self on the back*