Scotcharoo Granola

Kinda gone crazy with the granola recipes. My friend Jen made a suggestion to have a granola recipe with butterscotch chips. Mmmm... Butterscotch... So I started looking thru cookie recipes, bar recipes, whatever had butterscotch chips. Came across scotcharoos.... Best of three worlds chocolate, peanut butter and butterscotch, problem was I was out of peanut butter, I remembered I had almond butter. Figure I would give it a go, turned out pretty darn good. 

Ingredients

3 c. Old fashioned oats or gf rolled oats

1/2 c. Pure maple syrup

1/2 c. Almond butter

1/2 c. Butterscotch chips ( meijer brand is gf friendly) 

1/2 c. Semi sweet chocolate chips

2/3 c. Roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl combine oats and peanuts. In a small saucepan heat syrup and almond butter til smooth. Mix into oat mixture. Place on cookie sheet that has parchment or a silopat. Bake for 25-30 min flipping half way thru. Take the butterscotch chips and chocolate chips and sprinkle them evenly across the granola. Let it sit til soft then gently flip the granola a couple times. ( note: do not put cookie sheet back in the oven with the chips on it) Don't stir to much, you kinda want it to clump into cluster yummyiness. Then place into your favorite storage dish. Happy eating:)

Special note: do not put in a glass dish in the fridge, it will not be fun getting it out. 

Gluten free potato chip crunches

Last week I went to a cookie exchange, I had a hard time figuring out what to bring. So I decided to make something sweet but salty and crunchy. I remembered a old recipe from the taste of home that I used to use when I made tons of cookies every Christmas. It was a hit then so I decided to make it a gluten free option.  

2 cups butter, room temp

1.5 c sugar 

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract 

3 c King Arthur gluten free baking mix

1 c potato chips broken, make sure they are gf.

1 c. Chopped pecans, make sure they are gf.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl, using a stand mixer. Add egg and extract. Add one cup of gluten free flour mixing after each addition. You will notice the mixer working hard, so add the last two ingredients and mix by hand. Drop by spoonfuls onto a ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 18-24 min This cookie goes well with tea or coffee. 

Gluten Free Corn Chowder

It's October, cold, I'm sick with one. What's hits the spot? Something hot of course. So I started thinking about chowders. I remembered I had some smoked salmon in my fridge courtesy of a friend of mines friend. Don't worry it's not in the recipe but I did add a note at the end if you are feeling adventurous to put it in, and how much. Happy Fall!!

1 red pepper diced

2 red skin potatoes diced small

1/2 large sweet onion diced

2 large carrots, peeled, sliced thin

1 pound frozen corn

2 sticks butter

3/4 c. Gluten free all purpose flour, I used Bobs Red Mill

4 c. Gluten Free chicken broth

2 c. Milk

Salt

Pepper

In a large pot, heat 1/2 a stick of butter toss in veggies, except corn. Sautée til soft about ten minutes, stirring every minute or two, remove veggies from pan. Add the rest of the butter to pan, melt it, add gluten free flour and whisk til absorbed. Slowly pour in chicken broth whisking constantly, after all chicken broth has been poured in and the flour has been whisked well into the broth put veggies back in. Add corn and milk, stir to mix. Simmer on low for about 25 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure that it's not sticking to the bottom. Season with salt and pepper.

Note* if you have any smoked salmon in the house, you can add a 1/2 c. of it to your bowl with the chowder. Or bacon is also a great addition. 

Elvis's granola ( gluten free )

Hunk a hunk a burnin love.... It's Elvis's granola is what I'm calling it. Looks like a mess but it's very tasty. My hubby had made a suggestion to add Reese's peanut butter chips to a granola recipe, so here it is.

3 3/4 c. Gluten free rolled oats

1/2 c. Chia/ ground flax mix

1 c. Blue diamond almonds chopped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 c. Mashed banana= a banana and a half

1/4 c. Nutella 

1/4 c. Pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c. Reese's peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine the oats, almonds, chia- flax, cinnamon. In a sauce pan add maple syrup, Nutella, and vanilla extract. Allow to boil one minute while whisking constantly. Add the mix to the oat mixture. Spread on pan lined sheet, bake 30 minutes flipping half way thru. Add Reese's peanut butter chips and carefully stir allowing the chips to melt, let cool.

Heath Crunch Granola- gluten free

So yes, you are probably thinking, isn't granola healthy? But how many of us think, man I wish this granola had a little more to it, more sweetness? more chocolate? maybe a little unhealthy to balance out the goodness? Something to satisfy your stomach and your sweet tooth? I was thinking the same thing last night. I wanted granola, and chocolate. Then I found a bag of Heath bits,mmmm... an idea came to mind. 

Heath Crunch Granola- gluten free

4 c. Gluten free rolled oats

1 c. Unsweetened shredded coconut

1 1/2 c. Blue diamond natural almonds

4 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 c. Water

3/4 c. Light brown sugar packed

1/4c. + 1 tbsp pure maple syrup

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c.  Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips plus extra for later

1 bag of Heath bits 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl combine, oats, cocoa powder, almonds, and coconut. In a small sauce pan combine water, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Whisk together and bring to a boil, continuely whisk for about a minute, turn off heat add chocolate and olive oil, whisk until combined. Pour into oat mixture and mix until combined. Pour mix onto prepared cookie sheet that's lined with parchment paper. Bake for 35-40 minutes flipping half way thru. Take it out and sprinkle Heath bits all over and throw on some extra ghirardelli, cause we all love chocolate. Let it melt and cool, try not to eat the whole pan while waiting :) by letting it cool it will form large chunks of tastiness. Happy snacking :)

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

1 1/2 c. Gluten Free Bisquick Mix

1 1/2 c. Milk 

1/2 c. Pumpkin purée 

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 egg

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients. Heat a griddle or non stick pan on med/low heat. Pour a 1/2 c. of the batter on the griddle. You might need to spread the batter out for thinner pancakes or you like thick pancakes then leave it. Cook the pancake until you see the edges start to dry then flip over and cook until browned. If you notice they are browning too fast then turn down the heat. Enjoy!!! 

Gluten Free Cheesy Goulash

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 1/2 lb ground beef

2 cans 15 oz each diced tomatoes 

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

2 c. Gluten free chicken broth

2 c. Water

1/4 c. Ketchup 

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1lb gluten free pasta of your choice, I used lasagna cuts

1 c. Finely shredded Colby-jack cheese, plus extra for topping. 

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

In a large pot; pour a little olive oil. Throw in diced onion and sautéed til soft. Add ground beef, and sprinkle some salt and pepper. When cooked drain off access fat. Put back in pot, add tomatoes, tomato sauce, Dijon, ketchup, chicken broth, water, and pasta. Bring to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Add the 1 cup of shredded cheese and stir. When serving top with extra. 

Gluten Free oatmeal cookie granola

4 c. Gluten free rolled oats

1/2 c. Gluten free walnuts

3/4 c. Shredded coconut

1/4 c. Packed light brown sugar

2tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 c. Honey

3 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 

1/2 dried cranberries

1/2 golden raisins or regular

In a large bowl combine oats, walnuts, and coconut; set aside

In a sauce pan, combine brown sugar, oil, honey, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Bring to a boil,watch it carefully. 

Pour over oat mixture, stir to coat. Spread in a shallow baking dish or cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. 

Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Stirring or flipping occasionally. 

Add raisins and dried cranberries. 

Gluten free amaretto pancakes

1 c gluten free bisquick mix

1/2 c milk

1/2 amaretto coffee creamer

1 egg

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients. Heat griddle or non stick pan medium low heat. Pour 1/3 c batter, cook til edges are dry and center has bubbled, flip, cook 2-3 min or until underside when looked at is golden brown. Pay attention to the heat setting on the pan in order not to burn. 

Mexican Risotto

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups gluten free chicken broth such as Progresso or Swanson's Chicken Stock you may need to add an extra cup as its cooking
• 1/4 cup white wine (I used sauvignon blanc.) (or more broth) you may add an extra 1/4c. as its cooking
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus extra
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion for the riotto
• 1 cup arborio (risotto) rice (short grain Italian rice)
• 1 1/2 c. Salsa of your choice, I used tostitos  
• Red, Orange or Yellow pepper chopped
• 1/4 c. chopped yellow onion to add to the cooking of the ground beef.
• 1/2 tsp of minced garlic or 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• toppings of your choice green onion, avocado, cheese, etc.... 

Instructions:

Boil broth and wine in a medium size pan; leave on stove set to low. Saute the onion in a preheated, pre-oiled skillet. Once the onion is tender, add the rice and cook for about 3 minutes on low.  Turn heat to medium.  Add the broth, about 1/2 cup, or less, at a time; allow the rice to absorb each helping of broth before adding more.  Stir each time broth is added. Then distribute the rice evenly in skillet, if you are running low add more broth with the white wine. The process takes 40-45 min, during the cooking process of the risotto, in another pan brown the ground beef. Drain and set aside. In the same pan saute onion and the pepper, add the garlic if using minced or add the garlic powder after adding the cooked ground beef back in. Add the salsa, heat thru. Then add half of the risotto. Save the other half for leftovers, add parmesan cheese and cooked chicken and you got yourself a yummy lunch.