Blackberry Cobbler

I got some blackberries from the food co-op, so I looked up a recipe for them and found this one by Sandra Lee from the Food Network. I made it when Dad came to visit and I thought it was delicious. This recipe makes 8 servings, but I only needed four servings, so I halved everything except the cream soda & pancake mix and it turned out well. I also used three 6oz cartons of fresh blackberries instead of the frozen (that's what I got from the co-op). I was worried about the seeds but they weren't a problem.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds frozen blackberries, thawed
• 1 cup sugar plus more for dusting
• 3 tablespoons instant tapioca
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 (7.75-ounce) packet butter biscuit mix (like Bisquick, or for GF use a gluten-free pancake mix)
• 3/4 cup cream soda, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8 (4-inch) ramekins with butter flavored cooking spray and set aside.

In a bowl combine thawed blackberries, tapioca, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of cream soda and sugar.

Transfer to ramekins.

In a large bowl combined biscuit mix and remaining (1/2 c) cream soda. Mix until well blended. Sprinkle biscuit mix over berries.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm.

I also dusted these with powdered sugar and put a few whole blackberries on top to look nice. It really tasted good.

Acorn squash stuffed with sausage and apple

3 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1 lb pork sausage (regular seasoning)
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2 apples, cored and chopped (macintosh)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fine breadcrumbs (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sage
1 tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)


1. Combine the melted butter, garlic salt and 1/4 tsp. sage; brush over cut sides and cavity of squash. Salt and pepper to taste.
2. Bake cut side up, at 400 degrees F for 1 hour, until squash is tender but still holds its shape.
3. Meanwhile make stuffing: Fry pork sausage until light brown. Remove the pork with a strainer to a large bowl and leave drippings in the pan. Add onion, celery and mushroom to the pan; saute 4 minutes. Stir in apple and minced garlic and saute 2 more minutes.
4. Take the pan off of the heat and add the pork back in (with the breadcrumbs if desired).
5. Taste and season with sage, salt or pepper if needed (depending on your sausage you may not want to add more seasoning).
6. Stir in the egg and parsley.
7. Fill the squash halves with stuffing - they should be slightly mounded.
8. Return to oven and bake for 20 more minutes, until the egg is set.
9. Garnish as desired with parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese.

The recipe called for two acorn squash but I had so much stuffing I could have filled three. I also made this without breadcrumbs and it held together fine. I sliced a little bit off of the bottoms of the squash, so they would sit without wobbling in the pan, but it burned the bottoms a little bit. It was more work than I am used to, but it was SO delicious.

Potato Crusted Fish

1 cup Instant Mashed Potatoes
Zest of 1 lime
2 large eggs
1 cup flour (I used gluten-free featherlite flour that Jacque recommended to me once)
8 tilapia fillets
vegetable oil

Season the flour with salt and black pepper in a shallow dish.

Beat the eggs in another dish.

Mix the instant potatoes, lime zest, 2 t. salt and 1/2 t. black pepper in a third dish.

Dredge each fish fillet in the seasoned flour, dip in the eggs, then coat with potato mixture.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, place the fish in the pan; cook until golden brown and crisp – about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until golden on the other side – 3 more minutes.

Add more oil as needed, let it come to temperature before adding more fish.

Peach Cobbler

For the top:
2 cans sliced peaches, cut in half
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup sweet rice flour (or white rice flour)
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

In separate bowl mix wet ingredients:
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup milk (can substitute soy)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into 8x8 cake pan. Spread out the peaches on top of the batter. Sprinkle the whole thing with 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. You can serve with Cool Whip or Vanilla Ice Cream. Yum!

Foccaccia Bread

1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup millet flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Put these dry ingredients into a bowl, and whisk them until they're combined. In a separate bowl, proof (put together and wait 5-10 mins to see if rising):

1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water
a dash of sugar

Mix together:

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of honey

Stir everything up together. It should be a thick batter, like a cake batter. In a large casserole dish, preferably a 13 x 9 inch pan, drizzle a few teaspoons of oil into the bottom. Drop in the dough, and with a flat spatula, spread the dough to the edges. Sprinkle the top of the dough with more sea salt, some more Italian seasoning, and some parmesan cheese.

Let it rest in a warm oven for 20 minutes, and then turn the oven to 375. Continue baking for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and puffy. The oil from the bottom should be bubbling around the edges too.

You can slice these long and skinny to be breadsticks, or into squares or long rectangles that can be frozen and used for sandwiches.

This recipe came from here: http://glutenfreeinslc.blogspot.com/2009/11/gluten-free-herbed-focaccia.html

Vegan Enchiladas

2-3 cups cooked white rice (I used long grain)
1 bell pepper
1 onion
1 can refried beans
1 can enchilada sauce
1 cup salsa
1 cup corn
1 can black beans
corn tortillas
cooking spray
optional: 1 chopped tomato

~So, the original recipe didn't call for rice or corn, but I like those and added them in. You don't have to and it will still taste good.

Preheat oven to 350. Dice and saute onions and pepper in hot oil to soften. Spray bottom of a casserole dish with cooking spray and layer tortillas (I did 6 for a 9 x 13 pan), just make sure to cover the bottom. Warm refried beans on stove or in microwave so they'll spread easily and spread over the tortillas. Spread half the onions and pepper, half of the salsa, and half of the corn on top. Next, put another layer of tortillas on top. Rinse beans and spread on the tortillas with rest of onions, salsa, rice, corn, and chopped tomato. Pour 1/4 - 1/3 enchilada sauce on this. Then, top with one last layer of tortillas. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the whole thing. (It says to just pour the whole can on top, but I think it would taste even better with a little inside.)

Bake, covered for 35-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Can serve with sour cream (or vegan sour cream if you have any). They say if freezes really well, too.

Jumbalaya

This is a family favorite that I got from Pampered Chef but with a few modifications to make it less spicy and easier.

1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed (sometimes I leave this out)
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup smoked beef sausage, sliced (I use a whole package, about 1 lb.)
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice (brown rice is good too but takes a lot longer to cook)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
if you want it spicy add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 can chicken broth
8 ounces cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I buy frozen and thaw for the meal)
1/2 cup frozen peas or peas and carrots mix

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chopped vegetables into casserole dish. Add garlic, diced tomatoes, sausage, rice and seasonings; stir. Pour broth over mixture. Cover and bake 55-60 min. or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed. Remove casserole dish from oven and add shrimp and peas; cover. Let stand 10 min. Enjoy!

Mom's Chop Suey

1/2 pound lean pork cut into strips
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1/4 cup coarsly chopped onion
1 1/2 cup hot water
2 bouillon cubes
1 cup celery, cut lenghtwise into thin stips, then into 1 inch lengths
1 can bean sprouts, drained and rinsed (the sprouts get a tinny, canned taste)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoons soy sauce
Canned chow-mein noodles
rice

Can do early in day and refrigerate, or right before dinner.

Heat oil in large skillet, cook meat about 10 min. (sprinkle with salt and pepper). Add onion and cook 5 min or until crisp tender. Add hot water and bouillon cubes and simmer, covered 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is fork tender. Refrigerate if doing this step early in the day.

About 20 minutes before dinner:

To meat mixture add celery; bring to boil, covered. Cook 5 min. Add bean sprouts, mix lightly. Combine cornstarch, sugar, warm water, and soy sauce and stir into hot mixture. Cook 1 - 2 min. or until slightly thickened.

Serve on hot rice. Add chow-mein noodles on top.

Red Chicken Noodle Soup

This one was a winner last night so I took a picture (I'll work on presentation next time) and thought I'd submit it.

2 Cans Chicken Broth + 2 Cans water
1/2 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded (I bag and freeze the other half for another meal)
3 Carrots, chopped
1/4 C Onion, diced
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 Can Tomatoe Sauce
1 C Brown Rice Spiral Noodles
1 C Frozen Peas

Simmer broth, water, chicken, carrots, onion, celery and tomatoe sauce for 15 min or until crisp tender. Add noodles and cook 10-15 more min. Add frozen peas.

Pear & Spinach Bistro Salad

Yes, that's right, there's bacon! And a whole lot of other yummy ingredients. The first time I tried fruit in a salad, I was definitely hesitant, but now, I love the sweet flavors and the way they combine to make something so delicious! This salad goes way beyond your common Waldorf to incorporate pears, avocado and craisins in a taste explosion! It's a feast for your tastebuds. And don't be intimidated by the preparation. This is definitely a dinner salad. Be sure to make plenty because you'll keep coming back for more. And your body will thank you!

Ingredients:

1/2 - 1 pound ready-to-eat spinach

2-3 large Bartlett pears sliced

1 avocado, peeled and diced

3-4 bacon slices, cooked crisp and crumbled

1/2 cup pine nuts or other nut, toasted

1/2 cup dried cranberries (or craisins)

1/4 cup fresh mushrooms (optional)

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (we just used regular rice vinegar)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1. Combine spinach, pears, avocado, bacon, pine nuts, dried cranberries, and mushrooms in a salad bowl.

2.To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well blended.

3. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Makes 4 servings.

Lime Chicken with Rice Soup

This should really be called a casserole. With a hint of lime it tastes like chicken and rice with a twist! Something about the blend of flavors makes you keep coming back for more. I think I'd try a different long grain rice (this was Basmati) to see if it would hold it's shape a little better, but despite that, it's a delicious dinner recipe. I doubled it and had lots of leftovers!

Ingredients:
2 cans vegetable or chicken broth
1 rib celery, sliced into ½ inch pieces
2 carrots, sliced ½ inch thick
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 cup long-grain rice
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried lemon thyme

1. Combine the broth, celery, carrots, onion, bay leaf, and chicken in the crockery pot. Cover and cook on Low just until the chicken is almost cooked through, 4 to 5 hours on Low.
2. Stir in the rice, cover and cook on Low until the rice is tender, 1 ½ to 3 hours.
3. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the lime juice and peel, black pepper, and thyme. Cover and cook for 5 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Carribean Black Beans with Mango Salsa

This was delicious! And I found some great shortcuts for making it. Try Costco's Mango Peach Salsa instead of making it from scratch--any sweet salsa would probably be great. Then, I didn't end up putting it in the oven, just cooked the ingredients thoroughly on the stove and put them altogether. It turned out great and the kids loved it! (I didn't give them any salsa, mind you.) (p22 in my cookbook)

Ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup uncooked Basmati rice
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 pound chorizo sausage (kielbasa in pic)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (not in pic)
3 cups canned black beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (not in pic)

Salsa:

2 small mangoes
1 cup chopped red onion
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

1. Place broth in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; stir in rice. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage; cook, turning occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes until browned and no longer pink in center. Remove from skillet and let cool. Cut into 1/2 inch slices; set aside. Drain fat from skillet.
3. Preheat oven to 350˚. Grease 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet; heat on medium-high, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add bell pepper; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in beans, sausage, rice and cilantro. Spoon sausage mixture into casserole dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Chop mangoes to measure 3 cups. Combine with remaining ingredients in large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
6. Spoon sausage mixture onto plates. Serve with mango salsa.
Makes 4 servings