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Yellow Mustard

There are several gluten free yellow mustard options available in the store.  However, I had a recipe that called for 1/8 c. of mustard and I didn’t want to go to the store, buy a thing of mustard, use a tiny bit, and then have it sit around in my fridge forever.  Fortunately, I was able to be a kitchen ninja and use my surroundings to whip up some mustard!

 

Ingredients:

1/8 c. water

2 T. dry ground mustard

1 1/2 T. white vinegar

1/4 tsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

1/16 tsp turmeric

small pinch garlic powder

small pinch paprika

 

Directions:

Using a very small pan that is NOT aluminum (apparently the vinegar can mess with the aluminum?), whisk all ingredients together.  Turn on the heat to medium/medium high and cook until thick- about 5 minutes.  Cool and use as a direct replacement for store-bought mustard.  I think it made about 1/8 to 1/4 cup mustard.

 

Original recipe:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/03/homemade-yellow-mustard-recipe.html

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Ham and Cheese Sandwich

I did a couple of things to make this sandwich special.  First of all, I put the ham in the skillet by itself to warm it up.  Then we buttered the bread and toasted it in a skillet with the cheese melting on top of one slice.  It made the bread really soft and pliable.

 

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread made from Pamela’s Bread Mix (the eggless version using flaxseed as egg replacer: 3 T. ground golden flaxseed plus 9 T. water)

4-5 slices of Oscar Meyer’s Smoked Ham

1 slice Muenster cheese (NOT dairy free) or non-dairy cheese

butter for sides of bread (I used SmartBalance)

 

Directions:

In a skillet, warm up the ham until it’s sizzling.  Turn once.  Meanwhile, butter one side of each slice of bread and put one slice in the pan, butter side down over medium high heat.  Put slice of cheese on one slice of bread so it begins to melt.  When ham is warm, put it on top of the cheese on the bread.  Top with the other slice of bread, butter side out, and flip the sandwich so the untoasted piece of bread can toast.  Serve with a side of vegetables.  Keep a napkin handy and enjoy!

Updated Categories

Sometimes mothers have the best ideas.  My mom suggested I put my recipes into categories such as cookies, cakes, pies, etc. so that people don’t have to scroll forever or remember the name of a recipe.  Why didn’t I think of that?  I have now organized the recipes to be more user-friendly. I hope this leads to many more delicious meals for you and your family.  Thanks, Mom!

Double Chocolate Cookies

Double Chocolate Cookies

I let out audible sounds of elation as I bit into my first cookie, mostly in the form of “Mmmm!”  This recipe turned out perfectly!  The dough was just the right texture and the cookies are melt-in-your-mouth.  The ingredients are pretty simple too.  My only complaint is that the batch wasn’t big enough.  I may double it next time.  I think it might also work as a pan of brownies.  I will update when I try that.

 

Ingredients:

3/4 c. brown rice flour

1/4 c. tapioca starch

1/4 c. potato starch

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 c. cocoa powder

1/2 c. coconut oil, melted but room temperature

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar (I used light brown because that’s what I had)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened Cashew Milk this time, but normally I use coconut milk)

1/4 to 1/2 c. Enjoy Life Mini-Chocolate Chips

 

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix flours and starches, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.  In a stand mixer bowl, mix coconut oil and sugars.  Blend on low.  Add vanilla and blend again on low.  Add half the flour and half the milk and stir just a little bit before turning on the mixer to prevent a flour cloud.  Mix briefly with the mixer.  Repeat with the rest of the flour and milk and mix with mixer briefly.  The dough should be very thick.  Add in chocolate chips.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Meanwhile, form dough into balls and place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Chill the dough balls on the cookie sheet until ready to go into the oven.  Bake for 10 minutes or until desired firmness.  *Note* Coconut oil will harden as it cools, so do not over bake.

This is what they looked like before baking:

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I saved some of these in the freezer for later for brownie bites!

 

Adapted from: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/vegan-chocolate-almond-cookies/?m

 

Pulled Pork

2 medium onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 cup chicken broth

1 T. brown sugar, packed

1 T. chili powder

1 T. salt or more

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

4-5 pound pork loin

 

Directions:

Strew the onions and garlic in the bottom of the crock pot.  Add chicken broth.  Stir together the sugar and spices and then rub on the entire pork loin.  Place pork loin in the crock pot and put on high for 6-8 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

 

We used the pork loin for a variety of dishes: carnitas, pulled pork sandwiches, etc.  It freezes and defrosts really well.  In order to freeze it, I shredded it ahead of time.

Here is a pulled pork sandwich I made using Hamburger Buns and by adding Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce.

 

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Pulled pork sandwiches

 

Original recipe: http://www.chow.com/recipes/30356-easy-slow-cooker-pulled-pork/

Eggplant and Beef Green Curry

For me, curry is a quick meal that tastes like I went to a restaurant.  One of the great things about curry is that you can toss in almost any vegetable and it is very forgiving.  Salt and lime are essential to making it taste good.  Also, if you can’t find some sort of curry paste, I would hesitate to make this recipe.  We tried it last night without the curry paste and tried to piece together our own, but we were missing about half the ingredients and well…let’s just say, use the curry paste unless you know what you’re doing with seasonings!  With the curry paste, it’s great!

Eggplant and Beef Green Curry

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1-2 T. oil or grease from ground beef

1 eggplant, peeled and diced

3-4 medium potatoes (I used golden potatoes with skins on), diced

1 zucchini, diced

1/2 onion, diced

 

2 tsp minced garlic

2 inches fresh ginger, minced

1 jar Thai Kitchen green curry paste

1-2 cans coconut milk

2-3 limes, zested and juiced

salt to taste

Directions:

Brown the ground beef and set aside.  Add some oil or grease back into the pan.  Cook the potatoes over medium heat with lid on until they are softening a little.  Add the rest of the veggies, ginger, and garlic.  Cover and stir occasionally until they are all getting a little soft.  Add curry paste and cook for about 1 minute.  Add the cooked meat.  Add coconut milk, lime zest and juice, and salt.  Serve over rice (I make mine in a rice cooker.)

 

 

Golden Sweet Cornbread

Here is a cornbread recipe that tastes delicious and yet has several replacements.  Don’t be scared!  It’s easy.  I usually serve it with my mom’s chili.

 

Golden Sweet Cornbread

 

Ingredients:

1 c. brown rice flour (if you don’t need to be gluten free, just use regular       all-purpose flour)

1/4 tsp xanthan gum (essential if making this gluten free- prevents crumbling)

1 c. yellow cornmeal

2/3 c. sugar (just regular, white granulated sugar. I recently tried it with just 1/3 c. sugar and thought it was even better.)

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 flax egg (mix 1 T. golden flax seed with 3 T. water and let sit for 5-10           minutes- or you can just use one regular egg)

1 c. milk (I usually use original coconut milk from the carton.  You could also use almond milk, soy milk, etc. or just regular milk.)

1/3 c. oil (I usually use canola or vegetable but you can use something fancier if you want.)

Directions:

Make the flax egg and set aside for 5-10 minutes).  Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Add the wet ingredients including the flax egg.  Stir well.  Bake in a greased 8×8 pan at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  It is finished when a toothpick comes out clean or when you tap the top and it doesn’t leave an imprint.  It should spring back to the touch.

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See how beautifully the top cracked in the pan?
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