Corn Salsa

 3 cups corn, freshly cut off the cob or frozen

1/2 cup chopped sweet or red onion

1-2 finely diced jalapenos, remove seeds and membranes for less heat, leave some for heat

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, or if you are cilantro opposed, use parsley

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice, about two small limes

1 TBS vinegar, I use garlic rice wine

1/2 tsp salt

fresh ground pepper, if desired

Stir all ingredients together. Adjust seasonings as desired. Can add chopped avocado. Refrigerate a couple of hours before serving for best flavor.

Salmon Dip, Updated

I've been making this updated version of salmon dip for some time, but realized I never posted it.  I figured I better so if my kids attempted to make it they wouldn't wonder what happened. Then when they phone me and ask why it didn't turn out the same...well, let's just not go there.

1 8 oz.package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 minced garlic clove
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4-1/2 tsp. Tabasco or Franks Red Hot Sauce
fresh ground black pepper
4-6 oz. smoked salmon

Mix together cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, and seasonings. Break salmon apart and blend into cream cheese mixture.  Adjust seasonings as desired.  Serve with gluten free crackers.

PW's Olive Cheese Bread-GF

1 loaf gluten free french bread (you can make your own if you can't find a GF Bakery)

1 6 oz. can Pimiento-stuffed Green Olives

1 6 oz. can Black Olives
2 green onions, chopped

1 stick Butter, room temperature

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

3/4 lb. Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

Roughly chop both black and green olives. Slice onions. Combine butter and mayonnaise until well blended. Add cheese, olives and green onions. Stir together. Spread mixture onto French bread that has been sliced lengthwise. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Original Recipe can be found here.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Mushrooms
4-6 oz. Cream Cheese with chives (buy premade or follow this recipe)
1-2 TBS Real Bacon Bits
Butter or Coconut Oil
GF Panko Style Bread Crumbs

Remove stems from mushrooms, leaving the caps ready for filling. Mix the cream cheese and bacon bits and fill caps. Top with bread crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Bruschetta Fail

(Before putting them in the oven.)

I have never made bruschetta before, most likely because I had never heard of it until we went gluten free. Having an abundance of homegrown tomatoes caused me to remember the Bruschetta Lauren made this summer for Eisabeth's bachelorette party. She found some amazing bread at a local GF Bakery. I bought 3 GF baguettes and immediately texted Lauren to find out the recipe. Tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella were the main ingredients.  Perfect!

1 GF Baguette
Tomatoes, chopped (I used a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes but equaled about 2 cups)
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Fresh Mozzarella Ball
1 TBS Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp. Apple Cider Balsamic Vinegar (I didn't have plain balsamic vinegar)

Chop tomatoes.  Add remaining ingredients, except mozzarella, and let sit about an hour. Slice baguette. Top with a slice of mozzarella (this will keep the bread from becoming soggy.) Add tomato mixture.  Broil for a few minutes until edges of bread crisp and cheese is soft/melts.

Everything went beautifully, until I had this idea. To toast the bread nicely, I decided to place the bread atop a rack. Just when it looked perfectly done, I pulled the rack out and all of the bread tipped and dropped off the back of my oven, toppling off and dropping to the bottom of my oven.  Wish I could say the bottom of my oven was sparkling clean.  It wasn't. I couldn't bear to get a picture of the mess I made.

Michael suggested I just scoop the mess up and the bread and plop it back on the bread and serve it.  Thankfully, I wasn't having company and it was just the two of us.  We were able to ignore the black flecks that stuck to the mozzarella from the bottom of the oven and ate it anyway.  He declared it one of his top 5 (well, that and I served it with steak.)

Gluten free chex mix

I originally posted this on September 26th, 2009. As I made this last night to send to my college daughter for finals week, I made a few adjustments to the original.

Updated Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups rice chex cereral, 4 1/2 cups corn chex
2 cups gf pretzels (I used the twisted ones and broke them in halves and thirds)

1 cup peanuts or mixed nuts
3/4 cup broken gf multi grain crackers (I like Crunchmaster Multi-grain)
1/2 cup melted butter 
1 1/2 TBS gf Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins)
1 1/2 TBS Gluten Free Soy Sauce
3/4 tsp gf garlic powder
3/4 tsp gf onion powder
1 1/2 tsp Spike seasoning (not sure if the older jars are gluten free but the new ones are advertised as gluten free)
Preheat oven to 250°

Place olive oil, worcestershire sauce, tamari and seasonings in a bowl. Stir to blend. On a large baking sheet or roasting pan, mix cereal, pretzels and nuts. Pour sauce over  and gently stir to coat all ingredients.

Place, uncovered in preheated oven at 250 degrees. Bake one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool and store in airtight container.

This was the original posted ingredients:

9 cups gf rice chex cereral
2 cups gf pretzels
1 cup peanuts or mixed nuts
1/3 cup olive oil or melted butter or margarine
1 1/2 TBS gf Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins)
1 TBS gf Tamari or gf soy sauce
3/4 tsp gf garlic powder
1/2 tsp gf onion powder
1 tsp Spike seasoning (not sure if the older jars are gluten free but the new ones are advertised as gluten free)

Mango Cucumber Salsa

 

1 mango, cut into small chunks
1/4 cup  onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (I used orange)
1 TBS  jicama, diced
1 TBS fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno, diced (remove seeds and membranes if you don't want it hot)
1/2 lime, juiced
3/4 cup cucumber, chopped
1/8-1/4 tsp. salt

Chop and mix all ingredients.  I served this with carnitas and it was well liked by everyone.

Cranberry Salsa

This is tasty, and very pretty to serve for your Christmas/New Years celebrations.
1 12 oz. bag of cranberries (frozen)
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup sugar (can add more, if desired)
2 limes, juiced
1-2 minced jalapenos (remove seeds & membranes for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Mix all ingredients together in food processor. Serve with chips or Chalupas.

Beef Taquitos

3 cups leftover roast beef, shredded (or cooked stew meat, shredded)
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 lime
1 can chipotle peppers (I only use 1-2 TBS and save the rest for another dish.)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
2-3 TBS water
1 8oz. pkg monterey jack cheese, grated
corn tortillas

In a large bowl, finely grate (zest) lime peel. Slice in half and add about 1 TBS of juice. Add 1-2 TBS of diced chipotle peppers with any juice, jalapeno, and seasonings. Stir in water to thin so it is easier to mix into the meat. Combine with meat and cheese. This is enough filling for 10-20 tacquitos, depending on how thick you want to roll them. I was in a hurry and made mine rather thick. Most tacquitos are much smaller in diameter.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap tortillas in a damp towel and warm in microwave. (If tortillas are too dry, they can be brushed or sprayed with a bit of oil.) Place a couple TBS of filling on each tortilla and roll up. Place on a baking sheet, seem side down. Before baking, lightly spray or brush with oil if you didn't use any before.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa. For an appetizer, cut them in half and use less filling so they roll up tightly.

Gluten Free Pita & Hummus

I'm not sure if these are really pita pockets, as I've never made them before.  But these were delicious served with Hummus.  Could also be used as a tortilla or wrap.  I used basically the same ingredients as Brazilian Cheese Bread, minus the cheese.

2/3 cups milk
1/3 cup olive oil
1 egg
1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
1 tsp. salt

Mix ingredients together well.  You can use a blender or food processor.  Heat a griddle or electric skillet to 375 degrees.  Lightly oil and pour batter as you would for pancakes.  Cook several minutes, flipping occasionally to check for doneness.  They require longer cooking than a typical pancake.

 Cut in half and serve with Hummus.

Hummus

I've been wanting to make some homemade hummus for quite some time. I purchased a jar of tahini for this very purpose, but it has sat on the pantry shelf looking rather lonely. In fact, it was nearing its expiration date. My daughter, Sarabeth took it upon herself to make a batch of hummus and it was superb! I found the tahini at our local grocery store next to the peanut butter.

1 can of garbanzo beans (some brands are called chickpeas-same thing)
1 1/2 TBS tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 TBS lemon juice
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup reserved juice from can of beans

1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional for extra flavor)

1 TBS chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional, but it does add a nice flavor)
1 TBS olive oil (also optional, but nice for dipping)

Drain beans, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice. Combine first 6 ingredients in food processor. Mix on low for 3 minutes, or until smooth.

To serve, place in bowl. Using a ladle, make an impression in the middle of the hummus and filling with 1 TBS olive oil. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with pita bread, crackers, or can be used in a wrap.

I'm working on a gluten free pita bread and will post the recipe soon. But if you aren't gluten free, there are plenty of recipes for pita bread out there.

I can't wait to add some other flavors to this basic recipe, sun dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers, jalapeno...the variations are endless.

Tortilla Chips

Corn Tortillas, white or yellow-try some of each to find out your preferenceOil in deep fryer
Salt or other seasonings

Cut tortillas in pizza wedge triangles, or in half, then in strips. Place in fryer for 1-2 minutes. Tortillas will float to top of oil when they are about done. Gently stir if necessary to make sure all pieces are immersed in oil. Shake basket to remove excess oil and drain on paper towels. Add desired amount of salt and enjoy slightly warm with your favorite salsa or guacamole.

Jalapeno Poppers

I know why I haven't updated much. By the time I get around to writing a recipe, days after I prepared it, I can't remember the ingredients and instructions. I'll work on that.

I made homemade gluten-free tortillas last night, but was not excited about how they turned out. I'll work on those.

I also made jalapeno poppers. They are naturally gluten free (if you buy the right bacon & cream cheese.) And they are delicious:


 20 whole Fresh Jalapenos, 2-3 Inches In Size
 2 cubes Cream Cheese, softened
 1 pound Thin(regular) Bacon, Sliced Into Thirds

I used rubber gloves to slice the jalapenos, as I've learned the hard way what happens to skin when exposed to hot peppers for very long. The burn lasts hours.

Slice peppers in half length wise. Using a knife or spoon, scrape out seeds. If you like heat, leave a few. Fill each one with cream cheese. Wrap bacon around and secure with toothpick.

Bake on a pan at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. I then turned the broiler on for 5 minutes to make sure the bacon was crisp.

Update: Since making this recipe dozens of times, I have resorted to using prosciutto instead of bacon. It is so much easier to work with and for those who normally avoid bacon, some are open to these.

Black Bean Salsa

I can't seem to get enough of the summer's bounty of vegetables. I couldn't decide whether to make black bean salsa or corn. So I merged them. As usual this was a hit.

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 avocadoes, chopped
1/2 onion, diced or 6 green onions, chopped
1/2 red pepper, diced
1-2 ears of fresh corn cut off cob or 1 1/2 cups frozen and thawed
1/2-1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely diced
2 TBS fresh chopped cilantro
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1 TBS lime juice
1 1/2 TBS red wine vinegar
Salt to taste (1/2-1 tsp.)
tomatoes (I chopped and add my last tomato after I took pictures.)

Add chopped vegetables to a bowl. Gently mix in spices, lime juice, and vinegar. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side to tacos. For a salad, serve over a bed of lettuce with or without chicken. Or just heap into a taco shell and call it a vegetarian taco.

Smoked Salmon Dip

1 8 oz.package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp seafood seasoning (I use Chef Paul Prudhommes Blackened Redfish Magic)
fresh ground black pepper
4 oz. smoked salmon or 6 oz. can smoked salmon, drained

(I didn't have any smoked salmon for the photo. The flavor isn't the same with non-smoked salmon.)
Mix together cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion powder, seafood seasoning, & pepper. Shred salmon and mix with other ingredients. Serve with a variety of crackers.

This is also good spread on a toasted bagel for breakfast, lunch, or a snack.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

I was amused as I read of others making "traditional New Year's food." I wondered what in the world they were talking about. Maybe I've lived a sheltered life, having grown up in the Phoenix area-well except for great Mexican Food. Honestly, I've never heard about the good luck black-eyed peas deliver if eaten the day of the year. Truthfully, I'd never eaten a single black-eyed pea in my entire life.

After seeing the Pioneer Woman's Black-Eyed Pea Dip, I thought I'd give it a try. Not sure why they are in the pea family they taste and look like beans. Split peas at least are green, so look like peas.

2 cans black eyed peas, drained
1 chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery, include leaves
4-6 chopped green onions
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2-1 fresh chopped jalapeno (remove seeds before chopping)
1 cup fresh chopped parsley (or cilantro)

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Mix vinegar, spices & olive oil for dressing. Chop vegetables and add to drained peas. Mix all together and refrigerator an hour or so. Stir before serving.

We ate this as a salad with Glazed MahiMahi & rice last night. It was delicious. The pioneer woman serves it with chips as a salsa. Must be the jalapeno pepper that makes one want to eat it with chips.

Hot Wing Chicken Dip

2 (10 ounce) cans of chicken, drained and shredded
2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup red hot sauce (we use Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Frito Scoops
Celery
Baguette Bread Chips
or anything else that sounds good for dipping.

Add all ingredients to small crockpot. Heat on hight 30 minutes or so, then switch to low/warm until ready to serve.

OR:

Beat cream cheese, ranch dressing, and red hot sauce. Fold in shredded chicken. Spread mixture into a pie plate sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Add cheddar to top and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve hot with Fritos and celery sticks.

Penguin Appetizers

I found these on Allrecipes.com here.
I made them and they were fun to look at and to make. But they weren't necessarily that tasty. Just when I was having fun. I remembered my grandson couldn't eat cream cheese.

18 jumbo black olives, pitted
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
18 small black olives
1 carrot


Cut a slit from top to bottom, lengthwise, into the side of each jumbo olive. Carefully insert about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese into each olive. Slice the carrot into eighteen 1/4 inch thick rounds; cut a small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Save the cut out piece and press into center of small olive to form the beak. If necessary cut a small slit into each olive before inserting the beak.
Set a big olive, large hole side down, onto a carrot slice. Then, set a small olive onto the large olive, adjusting so that the beak, cream cheese chest and notch in the carrot slice line up. Secure with a toothpick. (I copied the direction straight from the above website.) We played around with green olives.

Deviled Eggs

8 hard boiled eggs
1/4-1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 TBS yellow mustard
1 tsp. dill pickle juice or 1 tsp. white vinegar
salt & pepper(about 1/8 tsp. or to taste)
paprika

Hardboil eggs*, then peel. Slice in half length-wise. Remove yolks and place in bowl. Add all ingredients together. If mix seems dry, add more mayo. Spoon mix into egg halves. Garnish by sprinkling with paprika.

For variations: Add finely chopped onion and/or dill relish (omitting onion powder.) If you prefer a sweeter egg, use sweet pickle relish and cut the mustard back to 1 1/2 tsp.

*To hardboil eggs: Place eggs in pan and cover with water. Turn heat on high until water begins to boil. Turn heat down so that it is a softer boil/simmer. Cook 15 minutes. Cool in cold water, then refrigerate if not using immediately.

Be sure to use gf mayo, mustard, and onion powder

Guacamole

1-2 California Avocados (smaller, bumpy kind that turn almost black when ripe)
1/2 cup finely diced onion*
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 TBS lemon juice
1-2 TBS salsa or chopped tomato
1/2 tsp salt

Mash avocados and add remaining ingredients. Adjust ingredients according to taste. If you don't add salsa, you might want to add 1 TBS fresh chopped parsley or cilantro. Lime juice adds a nice flavor and can be used in place of lemon. (Fresh squeezed is nice with both.) If you like zip in your guacamole, try adding a bit of minced jalapeno pepper-a tsp at a time.