Gluten Free-zer Friday

Okay, it’s a bit of a teaser if you are seeing this right away in the morning today.  I will actually post my recipe later today, but am taking care of a sweetie with stomach flu, and wanted to get this up in case any one wants to join in!  I will get the recipe up on this post later on today, between laundering of blankets and scrubbing of floors when she is resting and the worst is behind us.  Blah!

 

Head over to MJ’s who actually has her freezer recipe up for Freezer Food Friday. 

 

 

Participating in Gluten Free-zer Friday:

1. If you would like to participate in Gluten Free-zer Friday, simply email your post link to your gluten free freezer recipe (angelas_kitchenATcomcastDOTnet) or leave a comment below and I will add you to the roundup.

2. Link back to this post on the post with the recipe you have linked. 

 

Thanks!  See you back here later on with those tasty cinnamon rolls and photos on how to make them.  Thanks for understanding!

Slow Cooking Thursday – Turkey Sloppy Joe’s

The recipe is one that I have have here, however, sometimes the slow cooker is a better option for me.  If I am making it for the slow cooker, I always double or triple the recipe that way it doesn’t over cook in the crock and also because I have a ton of people eating at my house!  

You can also make this ahead to freeze.  After you cook and cook the turkey, onions and carrots, cool mixture and put into a large freezer bag.  Dump rest of ingredients into bag.   Mix ingredients around in bag, remove as much air as possible, seal and label bag then freeze.  When you are ready to cook, thaw the contents of the bag, dump in your crock and follow cooking instructions below.  How simple is that?

 

Head over to Sandra’s for Slow Cooking Thursday and see what is in everyone else’s slow cooker!

 

Sloppy Joes – Makes 8 servings 

2 tablespoon olive oil 

2 medium onion, minced  

4 carrots, finely minced  

2 pounds ground turkey 

1 cup gluten free ketchup, fruit juice sweetened preferred 

2 tablespoons brown sugar 

4 teaspoons gluten free yellow mustard 

pinch of salt, optional 

pinch of ground pepper 

 

Heat oil in skillet over medium to medium-high heat.  Sauté onion and carrots until onion is translucent, then add ground turkey.  Using a heat safe spatula, break up meat in skillet until turkey is completely cooked about 5 more minutes.  Transfer to crock and add rest of the ingredients.  Mix well, cover then cook on low for 6 to 7 hours until flavors are combined and  vegetables are softened.  I check about 1/2 hour before eating and see if the sloppy joes look too “juicy”.  If they are, I remove the lid of the crock and cook on high, stirring periodically until the right consistency is reached.

Menu Plan Monday – January 26, 2009

This week I will be getting my big girl packed up to go on the fifth-grade trip.  It is a 4 day, 3 night away trip where they will be dog-sledding, snowshoeing, orienteering, learning about early settlers, etc., etc., etc.   It is a lot of fun and a big right of passage for the kids.  My daughter’s packing includes not only extra wool socks and mittens, but all the gluten and dairy free food she will need to keep fueled up with all the activity.  I will not be going on the trip, so this will be the first big trip with out extra mommy back-up supplies…  I am trying to make it as simple as possible for everyone (especially my daughter).  Fortunately (at least for us), she is not the only kid with allergies or other health issues going, so the facility sent a really nice comprehensive menu to the teachers for us all.  Woo-hoo!  Gotta love that!  This week’s menu will have several things from the menu from her trip so that I can pack a serving for her to take up north.  That makes getting ready for her trip easy-peasy on me and the budget!  At the bottom of this entry you can see the menu for the trip which I will update though out the week as I pack my daughter’s alternative.

 

Check out Laura’s Menu Plan Monday and see what is on everyone else’s plate.  Asparagus Thin is hosting the Gluten Free Menu Swap this week, so head over for some yummy GF menus.  Thursday I will be back to join Slow Cooker Thursdayafter a couple of weeks off (turkey sloppy joes) and Friday come on back for Gluten Free-zer Friday (I think cinnamon rolls will be profiled this week as I need them for my daughter’s trip).  

 

Also, have any of you lovely gluten free people out there done the 3-day walk?  I am going to an information meeting about it this week and am wondering about the logistics of FOOD.  I can pack my own, not a big deal, but I don’t know if I want to haul 3 day’s worth of food around for 60 miles…  or can I bring a cooler that can go with my stuff, or….   well, you know, all that jazz…  I will be checking out more information on that at the meeting, but anything you may know about the food situation first hand would be great!  Thanks!

 

Monday:  Secondary School day off (elementary school has school)/orchestra

   Apricot Pork Chops (boneless, thin cut), quinoa, green beans (set some beans aside for trip)

 

Tuesday:  Piano lessons

   Taco Salad (set aside some filling for trip)

 

Wednesday:  mommy volunteer in elementary school library/3-day walk information meeting

   Roast Chicken, roasted sweet and yukon gold potatoes, salad (set chicken legs aside for trip and some roasted potato mix aside for trip)

 

Thursday:  Mommy help in kindergarten class

   Turkey Sloppy Joes, Gluten and Dairy Free buns, Salad (set aside some filling and 2 buns for trip)

 

Friday:  Mom Bible study/small group

  Pizza and salad (make one personal-sized pizza for trip)

 

To do in the kitchen:  Bake and freeze:  banana muffins (I have squishy bananas, and it’s a good snack for the trip), bread sticks, cinnamon rolls, (maybe brownies and pumpkin cookies also if I don’t have some in the freezer, but I think I already have some frozen.  Yay, me!) 

 

To do this week:  Help daughter pack for trip, work on upcoming class, work on next e-book, work on blog recipe links, work on daughter’s sweater, regular house cleaning-type stuff (blah), work on younger daughter’s closet (it’s crazy in there!), put in typing hours (gotta earn some GF dough to help bring home the gluten-free bacon!), start training for 3-day walk, work on garden plan…   Figure out how to warp space-time continuum…  

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

 

Menu for the fifth grade trip (you can see where the gluten and dairy free changes need to be.  I will also have her bring her own fruit, veggies, etc. – so she doesn’t have to worry about cross contamination, and so none of the adults get all stressed out.  It is so much easier and safer in the long run.):

I will update this through out the week as I pack my daughter’s alternative, so you can see how we replaced the meal with one of her own.

Day one:

Lunch:  Soup, Sandwich, Cheese Chunks, Watermelon, Cucumbers/Carrots, Pumpkin Bars, Milk/Water

 

Dinner:  Chicken Fillets (I am assuming these are breaded…), chips, coleslaw, fruit, veggies, milk/water

 

Snack:  Rice Krispie Bars/sugar Free Koolaid

 

Day Two:

Breakfast:  Eggs, Hashbrowns, Cereal, Fruit, Milk/Water

 

Lunch:  Spaghetti (Meat and Meatless), Bread sticks, Tossed Salad, Veggies, Fruit, Brownies, Milk/Water

 

Dinner:  Sloppy Joes, Chips, Corn, Fruit, Veggies, Milk/Water

 

Snack:  Orange Dream Bars

Day Three:

Breakfast:  Pancakes, Sausage, Fruit, Cereal Milk/OJ

 

Lunch:  Chicken Legs, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Bread & Butter, Fruit & Veggies, Desert, Milk/Water

 

Dinner:  Tacos & Fixings, Chips & Cheese, Fruit, Veggies, Milk/Water

 

Snack:  Orange Dream Bars and Sugar Free Koolaid

 

Day Four:

Breakfast:  Cinnamon Rolls, Carmel Rolls/Twist, Oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins, Yogurt, Fruit, Milk/OJ

 

Lunch:  Pizza, Tossed Salad, Chips, Fruit & Veggies, Dessert, Milk/Water

Menu Plan Monday – January 19, 2009

My big girl turned eleven yesterday.  Happy Birthday, honey!  Later this week she and some friends are heading over to Feed My Starving Children to celebrate her birthday by making some meal bags.  She loves going there and helping out.  If you ever get an opportunity to help with one of the assembly dates, you should go.  It’s a lot of fun and a great cause!  She is growing into quite the amazing young lady.

 

 

 

This year she asked for a star shaped pizza and a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting covered with snowflakes and stars.  I made snowflakes and stars out of the base recipe of royal icing a couple of days ahead, peeled the dried snowflakes off the waxed paper (do this carefully!  They are fragile!) and popped them on the cake.  Easy-peasy, but looks fancy.  No where near as difficult as Yoda.  It was a very grownup, almost normal, cake.  …sigh…  They grow up pretty fast, huh?  Maybe I can lure her back to crazy cakes with the cupcake book I got for Christmas?  

 

 

This week is a strange one with various days off from school, a class I am teaching, the Feed My Starving Children event, and various other things that normally don’t end up in the same week…  (Huh, wonder how that all came about?   Someone wasn’t checking the calendar too well, I think.  Hmmmm, must have been me!)  We also have gotten the menu for the week long fifth grade trip that is coming up in a couple of weeks, so my menu for the next couple of weeks will include fixing things similar to what is on that menu, then setting aside a portion to freeze for my daughter to bring with her.  That will spread out the preparation, my daughter gets to help with the planning and packing of her food (she needs to know how to take care of trips like this later on!) and will keep getting a week’s worth of food together done in a easy way that won’t impact the budget or my sanity.

 

For a crazy number of menus, head over to Laura’s Menu Plan Monday and see what will be on everyone else’s plate this week.  The Gluten Free Menu Swap is being hosted by Sea at the Book of Yum.  She has picked lentils as the ingredient of the week.  I love making dal with lentils(dahl, dhal, daal?? -a hold over from my vegan days) and papadams; that sounds like it might hit the spot for this weekend.  There are also some lentil based pastas that the kids like.  However, the easiest way we like to eat lentils around here is by sprouting them.  You do it in much the same way as mung bean sprouts, and they are so tasty on salads and sandwiches.  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday:  MLK day/Kids off from school/sledding with friends for big girl/Boy Scout Walagazu practice/mom prep for upcoming class 

    Maple Chili Boneless Pork Chops, mixed veggies, and salad

 

Tuesday:  Mom prep for upcoming class/big girl orthodontist apt./Piano lessons

    Turkey and Squash Soup, corn bread and salad

Wednesday:  Mom volunteer in elementary school library/mom teach GFCF cooking class/big girl drama club

    Hamburgers, salad and tater tots (Daddy’s cooking!!)

 

Thursday:  Mom volunteer in Kindergarten class/Birthday party at Feed My Starving Children

    Garlic Dijon Chicken, salad

 

Friday:  Mom Bible Study/ONLY the girls are off from school today!

    I’m still up in the air on this meal…

 

Also to do this week:  Mommy needs to get some typing hours in (gotta bring home the gluten free bacon!), pick up the new kid glasses when they come in, work some more on linking recipes to the recipe page of the blog, try to spend some time on the big girl’s sweater (probably on the weekend – it is almost done, just the yoke to knit, ends to weave in and blocking), figure out a walking training schedule that is compatible with the 3 day walk and my pathetic knees and my usual sloth-like state and get moving on it…

Menu Plan Monday – January 12, 2009

Head over to Laura’s at Menu Plan Monday to see what will be on everyone else’s plat this week.  For the Gluten Free Menu Swap, see Fresh Ginger.  She has picked the theme of “locally grown” which is a little tough to pull off here (it is snowing, 10 degrees F with a windchill of 2 degrees F with a Winter Weather Advisory and a Wind Chill Advisory in effect), but I do have some things put up from my garden and the local farmer’s market this summer (canned, dried and frozen) and we have a bunch of grass-feed beef in the freezer that is from a local farm that we purchased in the fall.  I also have some sprouts growing on the kitchen counter for salads.  Can’t get more local than your kitchen counter!

Monday:  Boy Scout meeting 

    Spicy Sweet Glazed Chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, salad

 

Tuesday:  Piano lessons/Middle school information night for my big girl (Eek!)

    peppered steak, mushrooms and roasted squash, salad

 

Wednesday:  Mommy volunteers at elementary school library/Mommy & daughter get hair cuts

    Sweet and Sour Pork Stir-fry and rice

 

Thursday:  Mommy volunteer in kindergarten/Daisy Girl Scout meeting

    Black Bean Tortilla Soup and salad (with leftover roasted sweet potatoes on salad)

 

Friday:  Mom Bible study/eye exams for the whole family (except Daddy)

    Sesame Chicken and bok choy 

 

This weekend:  Chicken, spinach, and tomato relish

 

Also to do this week (besides the regular housework-kid supervising/snuggling/transporting-cooking-baking-extravaganza that is my life!):  Work on upcoming class/put in 10-15 hours data entry work/bake cake for the upcoming girly birthday (after she decides on it)/make and send out b-day invites for next week/finish putting on patches on various Boy Scout and Girl Scout uniforms/sew a small knitting project bag (for the sock or mitten in progress that I haul around everywhere – I have a vision that I must make!!)

Gluten Free-zer Friday – Stir Fry Chicken

Head over to MJ’s for Freezer Food Friday and hook up your freezer recipe.   She has a Raspberry Glazed Chicken recipe that sounds yummy!  If you have a gluten-free freezer recipe, head on back here and let us know about it.  

Participating in Gluten Free-zer Friday:

1. If you would like to participate in Gluten Free-zer Friday, simply email your post link to your gluten free freezer recipe (angelas_kitchenATcomcastDOTnet) or leave a comment below and I will add you to the roundup.

2. Link back to this post on the post with the recipe you have linked. 

******************************

This is a great one to have on hand.  Slice the chicken up when chicken is thawed and your ready to stir fry.  It’s also great baked or on the grill as whole chicken pieces.

 

Stir Fry Chicken

 

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup gluten free soy sauce

4 teaspoons lime juice

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

 

Mix everything in a gallon sized zip-sealed freezer bag.  Mix ingredients around until the chicken is coated.  Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal.  Label bag, flatten and freeze.

 

To serve:  Thaw chicken.  Slice chicken into 1/4 to 1/2″ slices across the grain of the chicken.  Saute chicken with thinly sliced onions, peppers, bok choy, or any veggies of your choice.  While chicken and veggies are cooking, blend marinade with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat until boiling and boil until thickened.  Mix sauce with cooked chicken and veggies.  Serve with rice.

Menu Plan Monday – January 5, 2009

Head over to Laura’s for Menu Plan Monday and see what is on everyone else’s plate this week!  She has a link today to an article about cooking for someone with a gluten intolerance when you don’t have to do it everyday (such as having a celiac over for dinner).  I will have to check that out, and maybe print it off to share…

For the Gluten Free Menu Swap, Gluten Free Goodness is hosting.  She has picked soups for this week’s theme, one of my favorite things.

 

Monday:  Back to School/Boy Scout Court of Honor (my son is advancing to First Class!)

  In the kitchen:  bake banana bread muffins (freeze for snacks/breakfasts), menu plan

  Meatloaf, “Smashed” Cauliflower, steamed veggies

Tuesday:  Piano lessons

  In the kitchen:  grocery shop, mix up ground beef freezer plan and part of chicken freezer plan (chicken is on sale~) to restock freezer

  Veggie Soup in the slow cooker (will post recipe on Thursday for Slow Cooking Thursday if tasty), blender corn bread or crispy GF breadsticks

Wednesday:  Mommy volunteer at the elementary school library

  In the kitchen:  bake 3 loaves GFCF Swedish “Rye” Bread

  Garlic Dijon Chicken, roasted vegetables, salad

 

Thursday:  Junior Girl Scout meeting (my daughter and another girl are leading)

  Basque Stew in the slow cooker and salad

 

Friday:  Mom’s Bible study/fundraiser night at elementary school/Boy Scout weekend winter camping/Gluten Free-zer Friday!!

  Turkey Meatballs, rice pasta and salad

 

This weekend, teff gingerbread muffins for the lunch boxes, and turkey, winter squash and kale soup…

Gluten Free-zer Friday: Cranberry Chicken

Welcome to the home of Gluten Free-zer Friday!  Head over to MJ’s for Freezer Food Friday for some other great freezer recipes, where I will also be linking up.

 

 

 

Participating in Gluten Free-zer Friday:

1. If you would like to participate in Gluten Free-zer Friday, simply email your post link to your gluten free freezer recipe (angelas_kitchenATcomcastDOTnet) or leave a comment below and I will add you to the roundup.

2. Link back to this post on the post with the recipe you have linked.

 

Cranberry Chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce 
1/2 cup cranberry juice 
1/4 cup orange juice 
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 1/2 – 2 pounds chicken pieces 

To freeze: Place all ingredients into a 1-gallon freezer bag, mixing the marinade ingredients and chicken until the chicken is well coated. Remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing.  Lay flat in freezer. Freeze.

To thaw: Take bag out of the freezer the night before, making sure the freezer bag is completely sealed. Place the bag on a shelf furthest from the freezer (It works best if the bag is laying flat, although this may not be the best option with a side-by-side refrigerator/freezer).  I usually put the bag into a bowl or container in case of leaking.

To bake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear (about 30 to 60 minutes depending upon the chicken pieces used).

For the crock pot: Put chicken in the bottom of the pot. Pour remaining ingredients over the chicken. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours or until done.

 

Serve with rice or quinoa pilaf, cranberry sauce or relish and a big salad.

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

Slow cooker hot chocolate.  Mmmmm….  Made with real chocolate, just what we need to start the year of right!!   

 

Head over to Sandra’s for Slow Cooking Thursday and see what is in everyone else’s crock!

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

serves 8 (unless you are married to my husband!!  He loves his chocolate!)

 

6 – 9 oz. good quality GFCF dark or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (depends on how rich you like your hot chocolate)

6 cups almond milk

1 (14.5 ounce) can coconut milk

4 tablespoons sugar or cane juice crystals

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

 

Stir together all ingredients in slow cooker.  Put on cover and turn on to low .  Cook until chocolate is melted and almond milk is hot, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Whisk until  well combined, then serve.