Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

8 T butter, room temperature but not melted!
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar

1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla (or 2)
1 1/2 cup baking mix (NOT a flour blend!  I think Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix  is the best for this recipe, hands down).
1/2 large packet vanilla instant pudding
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk)
Cream butter and sugars together. Add egg and vanilla.  Slowly add baking mix and the pudding.  Toss those chocolate chips and mix it up.  Now, chill the dough for at least 45 minutes. Begin preheating oven to 350. You'll of course need to sneak the occasional taste just to make sure that it's chilling to the right temp.  Make sure the oven is screaming hot 350 before you start putting the dough on the baking sheet. Roll into walnut sized balls (I like using a cookie scoop for even bake time).  Bake for 8 -10 minutes, and then take a look to make sure they are cooking to your liking.  It just depends on your oven.  Do NOT overcook.  Put the cookie dough back in the fridge between batches so the dough stays cold. Enjoy! Makes about 24 cookies.

This was initially based off of Pamela's mix with a few years worth of fine tuning to get it where I was happy.  And you will be too. Got milk?

Black Bean Burgers

 Black Bean Burger Recipe

         1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed  ( I used black beans I prepared on my own and I used 1 3/4 cups) 
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces ( I didn't have a green pepper so I used a red one)
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
  3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg (I used 2 because I wanted the texture to be more firm/ less crumbly)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce (I omitted this because I didn't have any)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
 (I used a little over 1/2 cup of whole roled oats instead.  I would use even more next time) 

Directions
If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties. At this point, I chilled the patties in the fridge for about an hour.  I would have chilled them longer but I ran out of time.  Next time, I think I'll chill it BEFORE forming the patties.  Mine poured out like thick muffin batter and I think I could have formed it into prettier looking burgers. 
If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side. I baked for like 15 minutes on the top and then flipped it and baked for another 8 minutes or so.  The last 2 minutes I put cheese on it.

ALSO, you can probably tell from the recipe that it has a distinctively Mexican flavor to it.  Obviously it's no trouble at all to just eliminate the cumin and chili powder but I'm pretty sure I was born south of the border in another life because I simply can not get enough Mexican flavor.  Ole! :)

Put that baby on a bun and serve it like a regular burger.  Pretend like there's no funny business going on so that your kids don't suspect anything. 

Oven Tacos

1 lb ground beef (or turkey/chicken)
1/2 small onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 recipe for Homemade taco seasoning (below)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 can fat free refried beans
1 cup shredded Colby-jack cheese
hard taco shells

Optional Condiments-
Lettuce (shredded)
Tomato (diced)
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Olives, sliced 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid. Return to pan, add chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well and cook for a few minutes if mixture seems runny.

Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, standing up. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through.
Remove from the oven and top with any optional condiments for serving.

Canadian Bacon and Sausage Stuffed French Bread

This recipe comes from when my mom worked at a frozen dinner place that shall not be named.  It is a staple in my house.  The best part is that you can make it, wrap it in foil and freeze so it's ready whenever.  Best freezer meal ever!

• 1 loaf of French Bread
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter or spread, softened
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) of low-fat cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp onion flakes
• 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
• 4 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese, cut into 8 triangles
• 8 pieces Canadian bacon or deli ham
• 1 – 1½ cup pre-cooked sausage crumbles

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Place a 3 foot long piece of aluminum foil on the counter.
3. Cut the loaf of French bread length-wise, horizontally so you have a top half and bottom half.
4. In a bowl, combine the softened butter, cream cheese, onion flakes, and poppy seeds until smooth.
5. Spread the mixture on the top and bottom halves of the bread. There might be extra.
6.  Put the sausage crumbles on the bottom and press into the spread.
7. Layer the Canadian bacon/ham, then cheese.
8. Put the top of the bread on and wrap in foil.
9. Freeze (if desired) or bake 20 minutes covered and then 10 minutes uncovered.

Mexican Rice

This is even better than the boxed stuff!  And every thing is on hand!

 

from The Tidy Nest

 

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup salsa

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon taco seasoning

Directions:

Bring all ingredients to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Simmer for 20-25 minutes.

 

or

 

Trow everything in the rice cooker and done!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Buttercream Frosting

Cookie Dough (or use any kind of cookie dough that doesn’t have eggs in it)
2 sticks softened butter

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

4 tbsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Cupcakes (or use any  chocolate cake mix)                                 

3 sticks softened butter

1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs

2 2/3 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

Frosting

3 sticks softened butter

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

Cookie Dough combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on med-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth.  Beat in the flour and salt until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Using a 1.5 tbsp scoop (I used 2 tsp scoop), shape the dough into balls or tubes.  Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

Cupcakes preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on med-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixer on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Blend in vanilla.

Using a 3 tbsp scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter.  Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.  Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes.

Frosting combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on med-high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Beat in the salt, milk, and vanilla until smooth and combined.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.