Egg Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce

I haven't made these egg rolls since I was a newly wed trying to impress my husband, mostly because they are a lot more work than I can commit to with 2 kids running around. The other night my husband and I were watching a discovery show that went into the background of how commercial egg rolls were made. You might blame it on the fact that I only have 2 weeks left in my pregnancy, but I have been craving egg rolls ever since! I vowed to make them this week and pulled out my trusty recipe I got from a cooking class in college. They were absolutely wonderful! The sweet and sour sauce I made to pair with the egg rolls is super easy and I think its really "light" compared to a lot of sweet and sour sauces, which doesn't take away from the flavors of the egg rolls. Yum! I can garentee I won't go as long this time before making them again (even if I will have 3 kids by then!)

Egg Rolls

Recipe from Shawna Shirley

1 pound very lean ground pork
1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 tsp ginger
4 cups chopped cabbage
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 tsp Hoisin sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
garlic powder
Lumpia or egg roll wrappers (found in the refrigerated produce aisle)
oil for frying

Mix pork with the ginger and 1/4 tsp of the salt. Brown and drain. Stirfry cabbage, onion and celery in about 1 Tbsp veggie oil. Add hoisin sauce, soy sauce and the rest of the salt. Add the pork and shake garlic powder over entire mixture; stir. Lay out a wrapper diagonal in front of you and fill about 1/3 cup of filling (depending on how big your wrappers are) into the middle (a bit closer to the bottom than the top though). Fold up the bottom triangle and tuck under the filling then proceed to roll up the egg roll, folding in the sides and tucking them in. Moisten the top triangle with either water or egg yolks and roll and seal it up. Fry until golden brown.




Quick Light Sweet and Sour Sauce


3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

Cook until thick and bubbly. Add a few squirts of ketchup for color.

Chicken with Orange Sauce and Quick Rice Pilaf

I tried this recipe tonight and my husband sat down at the table and said, "Wow this looks fancy"... so it was nice to try something different with chicken other than just dunking it in barbecue sauce. I've tried a few different orange sauces that are either too light on the orange flavor or too heavy on other flavors- this one was just the right amount of orange and ginger.

Chicken with Ginger Orange Sauce
Recipe from A Peak at the Springs Cookbook

1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp ginger
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
hot cooked rice (or rice pilaf below)

Combine the orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, butter, sugar, cornstarch and ginger in a saucepan and mix well. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Place the chicken between two sheets of waxed paper or saran wrap and pound with a meat mallet until about 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. Saute the chicken in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Spoon over rice and top with the sauce.

Quick Rice Pilaf

Along with my two kids, I love this rice pilaf! It's so easy and you can change the seasonings depending on what you are cooking. I use chili powder with enchiladas, fajitas, etc. and I used garlic salt tonight with this dish and to also to use as leftovers to pair with sweet and sour chicken later this week. I love love love this recipe!

Quick Rice Pilaf
Recipe from Mel @ mykitchencafe

tablespoon canola oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 cup angel hair pasta, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken broth (or make some with boullion cubes)
Seasonings to taste (1 tsp of chili powder, curry, garlic salt, etc.)

Brown onions, rice and angel hair pasta in the oil over medium-high heat. Cook until spaghetti is lightly browned. Add chicken stock (note: if you use jasmine rice, increase chicken stock to 2 1/2 cups instead of 2 cups) and seasonings and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff and serve.

Everyday Hearth Bread

Wow! I hope my neighbor doesn't mind me sharing this recipe, but it was seriously to die for! My husband and I ate an entire loaf in one night and then I called her the next day for the recipe. For those of you who eat out at Johnny Corinos, this bread tastes just like the bread they serve with their olive oil dippings. Yum! Perfect to eat by itself, dipped in olive oil, or with any Italian dish like we did tonight with spaghetti and meatballs. I'm still mad at myself for not taking a picture of the loaf my neighbor Heather brought over, because it looked like it was out of a magazine (not like mine-I'm still blaming my camera)

Everyday Hearth Bread
Recipe adapted by Heather Moore (original is from Kristin Trevino)

1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp sea salt
3/4 tsp each of rosemary and Italian seasoning

½ tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
4-6 cups high quality bread flour (or all purpose with added 1/4 cup wheat gluten)
Kosher salt for top (regular salt will melt and not work)

Mix first 3 in bowl, add herbs, oil, and pepper. Add flour 1 cup at a time and add salt after first two cups of flour. Add flour until tack to touch- not sticky. Knead until supple and smooth. (5 minutes in mixer or 10 by hand) Place dough in oiled bowl and rise until doubled. Punch down and form into 2-3 loaves. Place on oiled/greased cookie sheet and cover with oiled saran wrap. Rise until almost doubled. Spray or drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on kosher salt generously. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, golden brown or 190 inside temperature. Cool on rack so bottoms don’t get soggy!

Food Challenge!

Today we spent a good 3 hours at the allergist's office.

Let me just give a quick (I mean quick) recap-

When I weaned our son at around 11 months old we found out he was allergic to dairy. We still gave him a lot of baked goods and things like that- just avoided the main sources of milk. When my son was 18 months old he was given a blood test for his dairy allergies and he scored a 21. After that result we were told by his pediatrician and by his current allergist to take him off of all things dairy, processed or not and even butter and it was even serious enough this time to carry around an epi-pen. The only chance he had of outgrowing it was to stay away from all forms of dairy for at least 2 years. In June we switched allergists and repeated the blood test only to find out that the score went from 21 to 80. Our new allergist (whom we love by the way) was just as surprised as we were, especially since we had done everything we were told to do. He said in no way could we ever do a food challenge with it being in those dangerous levels. He told us to retest him again in 6 months just to see what happens. Those results came back last week and now he scored an 86. I spoke with the allergist over the phone (he's 1 1/2 hours away from us-that's what it took to find a good one!)

He was just as curious as I was to the fact that when we take our kids completely off these foods, we could actually be increasing their allergies, not reducing them. Now that his body has gone so long without these foods- his immune system goes into major attack mode. Even though he told me he would never do a food challenge with those scores, he went on a whim and said to bring him in anyway. If we could get him eating anything with dairy in it we could maybe bring his immune system up to tolerating dairy completely.

Most allergists would never do this, I know. My allergist says, well-the other method isn't working-lets try something else.

So that brings me to today. I packed up a cooler full of baked goods and drove an hour and a half to the appointment. I was scared to death sitting in that lab room! He tells me to break off a piece of bread with milk and give it to him. Nothing happens. Pretty much that's the way it went, waiting about 20 minutes between each test for a full 3 hours. He passed white bread with butter ingredients, wheat bread with whey, blueberry muffin with whey, pancake I made this morning with skim milk, goldfish and get this- even a string cheese!

My allergist has no scientific reasoning for this. It's weird I know. So he basically gave us the okay to give our son all processed dairy foods. It's kind of like giving your baby solids for the first time...you start small and work up to things. I just hope and pray that it will all work out. Then I would be really curious to see if his blood test gets lower over the next year just from exposures to processed milk.

For now that's it, but I do have a really great dairy free bread recipe to share- hopefully this week!

Savory Pepper Steak

Wow! Has this month been crazy for anybody else? We've had 2 birthdays, doctors visits and well checkups, dentist appointments, company visiting, Christmas, vacation and much much more! That's why I love crockpot recipes because you can throw them together in the morning and not have to worry about anything until you are ready to eat! I'll have to add a picture to this one when I get back from vacation, but I had to share this great recipe a friend gave me. I think I used London Broil, cooked it on low for 8 hours and I also added the thickened flour/water mixture at the end. It was delicious and oh so tender!

Savory Pepper Steak
Recipe from Holly Weston

1 1/2 lbs beef round steak or London Broil, 1/2" thick
1/4 c. flour
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 large green or red bell peppers (one of each if you'd like)
1 14 1/2-oz. can whole tomatoes (I used petite diced)
1 Tbsp. beef bouillon
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
6 c. hot rice

Cut steak into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Combine flour and pepper; toss with steak strips to coat thoroughly. Add to slow cooker with onion, garlic and half of bell pepper strips. Stir. Combine tomatoes with beef bouillon granules, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into slow cooker, moistening meat. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. One hour before serving, turn to high, reove cooked bell pepper strips and stir in remaining fresh bell pepper strips. If thickened gravy is desired, make a smooth paste of 3 Tbsp. flour and 3 Tbsp. water; stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook until thickened. Serve over hot fluffy rice. Serves 6.

Kitchen Aid Frosting

It was my daughter's 2nd birthday on Monday, and I decided to try out a new frosting recipe. My friend Heather gave it to me and said it was a cross between creamy frosting and marshmellows and for that kids love it. It definitely had that marshmallow feature about it and turned out great. Just a sidenote: I halved this recipe and ended up with plenty to frost 24 cupcakes. I'm guessing it would have frosted an entire cake, but if you want it really thick or are doing a big cake use the full recipe.

Speedy Kitchen Aid Frosting
Recipe from Heather Moore

½ cup water
1 ½ Tbs. light corn syrup
1 ½ cups sugar
½ tsp. cream of tartar
½ tsp. salt
2 egg whites
1 ½ tsp. vanilla



Place water, corn syrup, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Place egg whites in bowl. Attach bowl and whip, and beat at speed 10 until whites hold shape, about 45 seconds. Continuing on speed 10, pour hot syrup gradually into bowl in a fine stream, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Add vanilla and continue whipping about 5 minutes or until frosting looses its shiny appearance and will stand in stiff peaks. Stop and frost cake immediately.

Panda Express Orange Chicken

My family loves Panda Express and for those who haven't checked their website, they have a lot of dishes that are dairy free. (My son is in love with the mandarin chicken which is dairy free) As for me, I never go without getting and devouring the orange chicken. The orange chicken does have dairy in it, but I did happen to find a bottle of Panda Express Orange Sauce at my local grocery store, right next to the teriyaki and soy sauce. The sauce itself doesn't have any dairy, so my guess is that the dairy comes from the breading that they use. I tried out my own version of the famous orange chicken and it turned out delicious. (I basically just copied the method for the sweet and sour chicken) I will warn you though- it doesn't taste exactly the same at Panda Express, but it was still delicious. My kids had seconds and thirds tonight! I served it with my go-to fried rice.

Orange Chicken

1-2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into chunks

accent and garlic salt for seasoning

flour or cornstarch

2 eggs

oil for browning

1 bottle of Panda Express Orange Sauce

Preheat oven to 325. Season the chicken chunks with accent and garlic salt (or just use salt and pepper). Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour the orange sauce over the top until it covers the chicken. Bake at 325 for 30-45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes to coat.

Fried Rice

My mom makes the best fried rice, but she never measures anything when she cooks so it's hard to get her exact recipes! Here's my version.

Fried Rice

3-4 cups cold cooked rice

2 Tbsp dairy free margarine (or butter)

4 strips cooked bacon, cut into little pieces (I always use turkey bacon)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup minced green onion

1/4 cup frozen peas

1/2-1 tsp sugar

3 Tbsp soy sauce

Melt the margarine/butter in a skillet over medium heat and scramble the eggs. Use a spatula to shred them into pieces. Add green onions and peas and stir fry briefly. Add cold rice, cooked bacon pieces, sugar and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly. Can be kept warm in the oven.

I hope everyone had a fun and food safe Thanksgiving! This Thanksgiving I was beyond thankful that my son could have a normal holiday dinner with the rest of the family and not feel like he was being left out. I told my mom (the host) that as long as he had a few things he could eat like the rolls I was bringing and some turkey-that would be great. Instead, she insisted on cooking everything from the gravy, stuffing, turkey, ham and all of the side dishes with dairy free ingredients so that he could eat all of it. Not very many people would set aside their butter fetishes on Thanksgiving and do this! For that I'm really thankful!

Oven Fried Chicken

My camera has been on the fritz for a while now, so I'm not even going to attempt to post my horrible picture- it just wouldn't do this chicken any justice! Anyway we love fried chicken at our house, but I usually do it in the oven to make it healthier. I was anxious to try this version because it used saltine crackers-what a great idea! This chicken turned out crunchy, juicy and all around perfect for my two young children. We use drumsticks for our kids and wrap the bottom bone with either tinfoil or a rolled up napkin for them to hold and eat easier.

Oven Fried Chicken

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

1 beaten egg
3 Tbsp soy milk
1 1/4 cups finely crushed saltine crackers (I used a small food processer)
1 tsp dried herb of your choice crushed (thyme, italian seasoning, rosemary, etc.)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
2 1/2 - 3 pounds chicken pieces
2 Tbsp dairy free margarine, melted (or butter)

In a small bowl combine egg and milk. In a shallow dish combine crushed crackers, thyme, paprika, and pepper. Set aside. Skin chicken. Dip chicken pieces, 1 at a time, into egg mixture and coat with crumb mixture.

In a greased 15X10X1 inch baking pan, arrange the chicken, bone side down, so the pieces aren't touching. Drizzle chicken with the melted butter/margarine.

Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Do not turn chicken pieces while baking.

Pumpkin MuffinsThis is the season for pumpkin right? Last week I tried a few different dairy free recipes of pumpkin bread that turned out okay, but not amazing. Then I found this recipe in my recipe box and the memories from making it last year came flooding back to me. This is by far the best pumpkin muffin recipe I've tried. I should have known since it came from my friend Melanie. She never fails me! It does call for chocolate chips, so if you don't have any Enjoy Life Allergy Free Chocolate Chips, try adding nuts instead. Here's another tip that I did this time: split the batter in half and use regular milk chocolate chips in one half and put the dairy free in the second half. I used 2 different colored muffin liners so that I knew the ones with the footballs on them were for my son and the ones with the hearts were for me :) Just make sure you mix the dairy free ones first so you don't cross contaminate the chocolate!

Pumpkin Muffins

Recipe from Mel @ mykitchencafe

Makes about 12 muffins (I had a little extra for mini muffins)

1/2 cup dairy free margarine (or butter)

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree, plain

2 eggs

1 2/3 cup flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (see tip below)

1 cup dairy free chocolate chips (optional)

Mix the margarine, sugar and pumpkin. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in the dry ingredients and then stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased muffin tins or use liners. Bake @ 350 for 20-25 minutes. Don't overbake or they will be dry!

Mel's Tip: if you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use the following combination: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Mix together and woila! - you have the equivalent of 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (and it is much cheaper than buying it premade). So for this recipe, you would need to triple the above amounts to equal one tablespoon pumpkin pie spice.

Dairy Free, Egg Free Bread!

I get so frustrated trying to find dairy free breads, and even brands that I used for years (like Sara Lee) have changed their ingredients to include dairy now. After searching a few grocery stores I have found a few breads that are dairy free, but they usually are pretty dry and don't have great nutrients. Recently I found this new bread at my local store called Granny's Delight. Both their 100% whole wheat and their Old Fashioned Enriched White Bread are both dairy and egg free with NO preservatives! Not only that but they are super moist and soft. It gets even better too- their 100% whole wheat has 6 grams of fiber in each slice! Wow!

I've been so excited about this product and have searched everywhere for a website so I could share with everyone. This company is out of Kaysville Utah and so I figured you were probably out of luck if you lived out of the state of Utah. I called the company today and they said they are just getting their business started and are only in Utah and parts of Idaho right now. They do however take orders and ship from their bakery. In case anyone is interested- the phone number for Granny's Delight is 801-809-1371

Pepper SteakI recently found a notebook from a cooking class I took where I rated different recipes that were made in the class. I wish I found this notebook sooner because I've found a ton of recipes in there that are dairy free AND I already had rated them beforehand so that I now don't have to waste my time on the recipes that weren't good. The recipe calls for round steak. When I went to the store round steaks were a terrible price, but they had a round London broil roast on sale and so I bought that and then cut it up to use in several meals, like one of our favorites- Beef Noodle Bowl. If you haven't tried buying roasts for steaks before I encourage you to because it's a great way to stretch a buck. This dish turned out so wonderful and my husband absolutely loved it. The sauce was also excellent. Make sure you don't clean the pan out from all the steak drippings because that's where it gets the flavor from.

Pepper Steak

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 lbs round steak cut into 1/4" strips

2 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups hot water (or 2 cups chicken stock)

dash of garlic salt

1 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 Tbsp water

1 cup fresh or 1 (4 oz can) mushrooms

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper
1 green pepper cut into slices

3-4 cups hot cooked rice

Brown steak in the vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet (make sure it has a lid). Take the steak out and pour bouillon mixture/stock into the pan. Add garlic salt and black pepper and stir in soy sauce, sugar and mushrooms. Blend in the cornstarch & water mixture and stir. Add meat and cover tightly; simmer for 20 minutes. Add green pepper on top and simmer another 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice.

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

I love making sugar cookies! I don't mean to brag, but my neighbors know me for my really moist sugar cookies. My tried and true recipe uses butter and sour cream (if you are interested in that recipe you can email me and I'll be happy to share), so I've been on a long search for a good dairy free sugar cookie recipe. As most of you who have experimented already know, you just don't get the same results when you substitute dairy free margarine for butter with baking. That's why I'm happy to share this recipe I just tried. I couldn't find any reason anyone would ever suspect these to be dairy free-they turned out great! I'm excited I found a recipe before the big holiday season hits!

A few good things to know:

When you substitute margarine for butter you will get a stickier product, so chill the dough in the fridge as long as you can- at least an hour (I did mine about 3) just to make them easier to work with. I always use Nucoa margarine when I bake, but I'm sure there are a ton of great products out there.

Also take them out of the oven BEFORE they start to brown on top. They can still be white on top and starting to get golden on the bottoms. Otherwise they won't be chewy.

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Makes around 28 (2 1/2 inch) cookies

2/3 cup dairy free margarine, softened (I use Nucoa)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 Tbsp regular soy milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

In a large bowl beat margarine on high for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder and salt and beat until combined, scraping sides occasionally. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Beat in the flour. Divide dough in half, cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface roll half the dough at a time to 1/8-1/4 inch thickness. Cut dough into shapes and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake @ 375 for 7-8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Cool before frosting.

Frost with dairy free frosting- you can substitute soy milk and dairy free margarine for any frosting recipe, or do like I do and add some fun food coloring to Duncan Hines Vanilla Frosting

Halloween Treat Phantom So two nights ago I had a hard pound at my door at about 9:30 pm. It wasn't a friendly knock and when I saw that nobody was there out the peep hole, I called my husband to tell him that we were getting door-ditched. He said he was on his way home. Well after I knew for certain there was nobody out there to grab me, I opened up the door and sighed. It was the Halloween Phantom. My husband was with a group and when he told the rest of the guys who that it was just the Halloween Phantom, they were all hysterical and told me not to worry, they wouldn't tell anyone. So what is the Halloween Phantom? Well every year in October my quaint little neighborhood does something called the "Halloween Phantom" or "Halloween Ghost". I know not everyone is lucky enough to trust treats left at your doorstep, but such is my neighborhood.

You get a hard knock or ring late at night and when you peek out to your dark doorstep you'll find treats with a little note. I think this is a fun tradition and so I thought I'd pass it along. Don't worry, I'll also post the treats I made for my night as the "Halloween Phantom!"

Make sure you attach a ghost to the poem as well (the one above is the one I got with my poem this year) This year's note was different, so here's two to choose from. Have fun and Happy Halloween!

"Since this is the time for goblins and bats,
For Halloween spirits, for ghosts and cats,
For weird happenings and witches’ brew,
These are the things that I wish for you…..
May the only spirit you chance to meet
Be the spirit of love and friends warm and sweet
May the only goblin that comes your way
Be this Neighborhood Phantom you must give away
'Tis much better to give than to receive' goes the old verse
And something this easy won’t empty your purse
It’s your turn to pass along a treat and a BOO
Because now the Neighborhood Phantom is little old YOU!
So by this time tomorrow, pick two friends sweet,
And give them each a Halloween treat.
You have only one day-so you’ll need to hurry-
Leave a treat on the doorstep, ring the bell and then scury!"

or

"Late last night, we left you a treat.

The tradition is fun, one we hope you'll repeat.

Take the ghost and pin it on your door,

To let others know, you need ghosted no more.

Now it's your duty to pass on the surprise

To two more families, we must advise.

Gather some treats and deliver them soon,

Within two nights, under the light of the moon.

Include a ghost with each package you give,

Along with this poem for the tradition to live."

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

At my son's preschool, parents trade off bringing snacks for the class. I always ask my son what they had for snack and he will usually say, "they had cookies and I had crackers" or "they had muffins and I had graham crackers". I was wanting to go all out for his snack day and make something really fun. Then I decided to keep the sugar levels down (his poor teacher is expecting a baby in a month and doesn't need a dozen hyper kids! FYI-one of the moms brought party bags filled with smarties and sweet tarts for her snack) and make something healthy and yummy, so I settled on these blueberry muffins. I first fell in love with these in a college cooking class I took, but I had always been afraid to substitute the milk for soy milk and the butter for dairy free margarine. I went for it and they turned out awesome! The preschool teacher was raving about them when I picked him up, and I was pretty sad myself that I only got to taste one before I sent the rest away with him. I'm definitely going to make them again!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Recipe from Shawna Shirley

Makes 12 Muffins

1 cup soy milk (or rice or regular milk)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

2 cups flour

1 cup frozen (thawed and drained) blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Streusel Topping:

2 Tbsp firm dairy free margarine (or butter)

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

In a medium bowl cut margarine into flour, brown sugar and cinnamon using a pastry blender until crumbly

Preheat oven to 400 and grease the bottoms of muffin cups. Prepare streusel topping and set aside. Beat milk, oil, vanilla and egg in a big bowl. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt all at once just until flour is moistened. Fold in blueberries. Divide batter evenly among 12 cups and sprinkle each with 2 tsp topping. Bake @ 400 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Simple Peach Cobbler

I will use the excuse that I'm pregnant when I say I've made a cobbler every week for a month now. Monday's indulgence was my husband's simple peach cobbler. He cooked for me often when we were dating in college, and this was usually the dessert of choice. Later I will have to post a yummy apple cobbler made from scratch, but I want to make sure everyone has this recipe because it is SO SIMPLE and tastes amazing! (I did end up marrying him...so it obviously impressed me). This recipe is traditionally made in a dutch oven. Because it only has 3 ingredients, it's perfect for camping trips. You can also just use a 9X13 pan and do it at home.

Sidenote: I have found both Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix and Cherrybrook Kitchen Cake Mixes to be dairy free. Click on the names for the online ingredients.

Simple Peach Cobbler

Recipe from Kevin aka "hubby"

1 box of dairy free yellow cake mix

2 small cans or 1 big can peaches with juices (about 1 quart)

1 cube dairy free margarine (or butter if no allergies)

Spray a 9 by 13 casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour the peaches into the casserole along with their juices. (If you bought halved peaches you may want to cut them down to smaller slices.) Dump out the cake mix on top of the peaches and spread it out so that there's even coverage. Slice the cube of margarine/butter into thin slices and cover the top of the cake. You want to cut them pretty thin so that each area will be covered and get moist in the oven. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Serve as is or with some soy, rice or regular ice cream and enjoy!

"Not Your Normal Rice Krispie Treats"

I love making traditional Rice Krispie treats, but this is a fun version that uses Cheerios instead of Rice Krispies. I don't have a source on this recipe, but I know it was given to me when I was expecting my first baby from a nutritionist for a healthy treat. I was suprised at how many great things Cheerios has to offer compared to Rice Krispies. (Plain Cheerios pack in more potassium, protein and fiber than Rice Krispies, plus they have calcium and less sugar.) Even if this recipe calls for chocolate chips, at least you are giving your kids calcium, fiber and protein along with it!

Cheerio-Marshmellow Treats

3 Tablespoons dairy free margarine
4 packed cups mini marshmellows
1 Tablespoon water
4 cups regular Cheerios
1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life Dairy Free Chips)

In a large pot melt the margarine and rub with a spatula against the sides. Throw in the marshmellows and water and cook on low heat until all the marshmellows are melted. Remove from heat, add the Cheerios and mix. Carefully stir in the chocolate chips. Tranfer into a lightly oiled 8 by 8, or 9 by 9 dish. Spray your hands or wax paper and press down into the dish. After they set up cut into squares and serve.

Saucy Stuffed Shells

I have always wanted to try stuffed shells, but generally every recipe I have found has been filled to the brim with cottage cheese or cheese of some sort. I was thrilled to find this recipe, and I was so glad I splurged on a new spice addition - fennel seeds. The fennel seeds are the secret to this delicious flavor, so don't substitute! This was sooo delicious, I will be making it again and again for sure. The recipe said it serves 4, but I don't think it would serve 4 adults. 2 adults and 2 children or maybe 3 adults, so keep that in mind. Also if your kids go crazy over noodles, throw in a few extra noodles. Even if they don't get stuffed they will still devour them! (I cooked 16 and ended up stuffing 13)

Saucy Stuffed Shells

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Serves 2-4

12 dried jumbo shell macaroni

12 ounces ground beef or ground pork

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 15-16 ounce jar meatless spaghetti sauce

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain again.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook ground meat, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic until meat is brown. Drain.

In a medium bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, fennel seeds, salt, and black pepper. Add the meat mixture and 1/4 cup of the spaghetti sauce; mix well. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture into each macaroni shell. Arrange the filled shells in a 2-quart baking dish. Pour the remaining spaghetti sauce over the filled shells. Cover the dish with foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. You could serve with some Parmesan cheese on top, but it really tastes great just as is.

Breadcrumbs

When I first started cooking dairy free I threw out all of my recipes that had breadcrumbs in them, because I couldn't find any breadcrumbs at the store that didn't contain dairy. I'm sure most of you are laughing at me right now, but for those who actually didn't know you can make your own breadcrumbs (I'm with you!) here's the easy how to.

For soft fluffy breadcrumbs, use a blender or food processor. One slice makes about 3/4 cup crumbs.

For fine dry breadcrumbs, cut bread slices into 1 inch cubes (a pizza cutter works great here if you have one). Arrange the 1/2 inch cubes in a single layer on a baking pan. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until dry, stirring twice. Let cool. Place in a food processor or blender; cover and process or blend into fine crumbs. One slice makes about 1/4 cup fine dry crumbs.

You can add Italian spices or any other spices to the crumbs if you would like to.

Raspberry Sorbet

I am definitely obsessive compulsive cautious when it comes to watching out for potential food allergens. So I guess you can call me stupid and naive for taking my son to an ice cream shop this past Saturday evening for a mother-son date. I found out that they serve dairy free sorbets at Cold Stone, and I had the preparer wash the serving spoon and put the sorbet right from the tub into a bowl so that it wouldn't touch any of the counter tops that had ice cream remains. I was really excited about their willingness to do all of this for us and we sat and enjoyed our ice cream. Well 5 minutes after my son finished he started hacking up a lung, so obviously there was still a tiny trace amount of dairy in the sorbet. Luckily it was just a small trace amount and 4 MLs of benadryl did the trick. Now I know not to do that again!

I've been making sorbets at home ever since my friend Mel let me borrow her ice cream maker almost 2 years ago. Since then I've purchased my own and made lots and lots of sorbet. I usually keep my freezer heavily stocked. Sure the process is a little longer than I would like it to be, but it's all worth it to ensure the safety of a child with food allergies right? Plus I think this sorbet is so much more divine than regular ice cream anyways! Everyone devours it!

Raspberry Sorbet

Recipe from Cuisinart

makes 8 (1/2 cup) servings

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

12 ounce bag frozen raspberries, pureed and strained (about 1 cup)
4 teaspoons lemon juice

*To puree the raspberries you can either thaw them out and puree with the juices, or you might need to add up to 1/4 cup of water if you use frozen. You can use a food processor or blender. (I'm not going to lie, a food processor is much easier)

Once pureed use a fine metal strainer to strain out the berries. Use a spatula to mash the berries to the metal strainer and then use a butter knife or another spatula to scrape off the bottom into a bowl. Trust me it is worth the effort for smooth sorbet!

Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sugar dissolves, about 3-4 minutes. Cool completely (either covered overnight in the fridge or by chilling over an ice bath for 30 minutes)

Once the sugar water is cooled, add raspberries and lemon juice and stir to combine. Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturers instructions. Mine takes 30 minutes to thicken. Transfer to an airtight container and place in the freezer until firm, about 2 hours. You can store in your freezer just like you would any frozen treat- until it gets eaten up!

(my favorite, and cutest red kitchen appliance)

Back to School....and Labels

One day my son has been excited about is his first day of preschool. Me, his mom, on the other hand- a bit more nervous! There are so many dangers in the school system for kids with food allergies, I have already lost sleep over it!

Today my little guy started preschool. I met his teacher last week and saw her horrified face when I showed her how to stick the epi-pen in his thigh. I know she'll be extra careful, and I know my son has been well educated not to take food offerings, but I still can't help to be even more cautious!

I have tried lots of labeling systems on snack containers, etc, but eventually they all fall off from use and from the dishwasher. I recently was referred to a company called Olivers Labels. This company excels at making great labeling products for any occasion and has lots of designs to choose from, but best of all- they have an entire line just for kids with food allergies. I got this bag tag for Scott for his first day of school. (I blacked out our last name).

Also in his backpack he carries a bag with a 4X6 emergency instruction card, an epi-pen, inhaler and benadryl. I think labeling the backpack is a great idea because then his medicines will be easy to find in an emergency where time matters.
I love these allergy labels because they are in color, easy to understand and the directions say they are waterproof, weather-proof, scuff-proof, and made from high-performance plastic. I also got some smaller labels for his lunch box and drink container, but he always eats lunch at home so I don't have to worry about those just yet. Anyways, just thought I would share info on a great product and wish everyone good luck on the new school year. (Moms- try to relax!) :)

Click here for the website to Olivers Labels and go check out all of their products.
Even better- use the code “allergyfree" and get 10%
An easy way to find the allergy labels is to click on "shop by design" and then scroll to allergy designs.

Pastitsio

Pastitsio or "Greek Lasagna" is a great alternative to the traditional lasagna because it looks and tastes the same without all the cheeses. (which probably makes it a lot healthier too). I love it because it uses up all the macaroni noodles I have in my pantry and is relatively a cheap dinner to make. Serve with a salad and some garlic bread if you'd like.

*Note: I make this dish completely dairy free, however if you don't have allergies, use butter, regular milk, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese in with the milk/egg sauce and the other 1/2 cup cheese on top before you toss it in the oven.

Pastitsio

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried)

1 Tbsp fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)

1 (26 oz) can spaghetti sauce

3 Tbsp margarine

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 3/4 cup soy milk

4 eggs

3 1/3 cups dried elbow macaroni noodles

Cook macaroni until al dente, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet brown the meat, onion and garlic. Drain off the fat and stir in parsley, basil and pasta sauce; simmer.

In a saucepan melt margarine and cornstarch together. Add the soy milk and cook until thick and bubbly, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually stir in the beaten eggs and stir until thick. Remove from heat and set aside 1 cup into a bowl.

Pour the rest of remaining milk/egg sauce over the cooked noodles and mix until well coated. Generously season with salt and pepper.

Grease a 6 quart square baking dish and layer: 1/2 the noodle mixture, all of the meat mixture and then the remaining noodle mixture.
Pour the reserved 1 cup sauce on top and bake @ 350 for 40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins

We have to be at church on Sundays at 9 am, and getting the kids fed and ready in time is a little tricky. I have a friend who has to get 4 kids ready by herself, so she makes muffins every Saturday night in prep for Sunday breakfast. I thought I would give it a try and it worked out great! Sunday morning I set a basket of these muffins and some orange juice out on the counter. My son kept saying "Thanks mom" over and over as he ate his 3 muffins! :)

This recipe uses applesauce instead of milk which make them so moist. The flavors are really subtle, so if you like a big kick in your muffins you might want to double the cinnamon or even add some nutmeg.

Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins
Recipe from Barbara Pratt

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg, slightly beaten
a little more than 1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Grease twelve muffins cups, or use paper baking cups. In a bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix together until well combined. Add applesauce, oil and egg. Stir until moistened. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. If using a nonstick pan, decrease the temperature to 375 (I still cooked them for just 20 mintues at 375 F)

Taco Seasoning

We love tacos here in my house and I probably cook them way more than my husband would like to, but it's one of my favorites and there are usually no complaints from the kids.

I will be the first one to admit that I always use the packaged taco seasonings (packed with too much sodium) because why not? They are .33 cents at the store and convenient. Well tonight I had already browned up the meat and cut up all the veggies before I realized I didn't have any packets in my pantry. This has happened to me before, but the recipe I used to make it from scratch wasn't good enough to keep me from going back to my old packaged seasoning habits. This recipe on the other hand may have converted me to making taco seasoning from scratch every time.

Taco Seasoning

Recipe adapted from Debra McDuffee

2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

This amount of seasoning is perfect for 1 pound hamburger, ground turkey, chicken, etc. Mix all of the above ingredients into a small bowl and add to the meat after it's been browned, broken up and drained of the fat. Add 3/4 cup water (or less if desired) and mix together. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the mixture thickens up. Serve on tortillas or hard shells with lettuce, fresh cilantro, tomatoes, salsa, chopped cucumbers (you have to try that!) etc.

Notes: You can make it spicier by adding more cayenne pepper.

If you don't drain the fat off your meat you may not need to add any water.

Tacos for Toddlers

I have never been brave enough to serve my kids' tacos on hard shells because I worry about the choking hazard. Well here's a great solution I saw a year ago in the Parents magazine- make your own tiny versions! Just get out flour, spinach or whole wheat tortillas and use a 2-4 inch biscuit cutter or round cookie cuter to make circles. Fold them in half (but don't crease it) over the wires of your oven rack and bake at 375 for 3-5 minutes until they form a taco shell. Let them cool slightly and then fill them up! They turn out great because they don't get as crispy as the store bought versions and are perfect size

Black Bean Salsa

I call this "summer salsa" because it uses all the yummy foods you can grow in a garden or buy fresh at the grocery store in the summertime. I am forever grateful to my friend Lyndsie for entertaining us one night with this salsa among other delicious foods, and for sharing the recipe with me! Since then I have made this salsa many times with quesadillas, tacos, fajitas, and just for a fun snack. I am in love with this salsa, and so are my kids. They don't even realize all the veggies they are eating! A few notes: you can also add green, yellow or red peppers or chopped up avocado, but I think it's tasty as is. F.Y.I- "Good Seasons" is made by Kraft Foods and I gave them a phone call just to double check their product. They say there is absolutely no dairy in their Italian Dressing Packet.

Black Bean Salsa
Recipe from Lyndsie Field

5 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 ears of corn, cooked and cut off the cob
4 green onions
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
squeeze of lime

Dressing:
1 pkg "Good Seasons" Italian Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Mix everything together in a big bowl and then pour dressing over the top. Stir well because the dressing will settle at the bottom.

Macadamia Crusted Chicken with Mango Salsa

It took my friend Mel borrowing my cookbook and then posting this recipe to find out what I was missing all along in my cupboard! By any means, this is a great recipe! I am a big fan of chicken fingers because kids love them, but with this perfect mango salsa, it pleases adults too. I can honestly say that I have never had a more tender chicken-it melts in your mouth! I've also been wanting to try this salsa on fish, but haven't yet. My sister recently made me macadamia crusted halibut, so maybe I'll have to try it along with the salsa and post it sometime.

Macadamia Crusted Chicken with Mango Salsa

Recipe from The Complete Cookbook, adapted by Mel at mykitchencafe

1 pound chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts cut into thin slices

1 cup flour, seasoned generously with salt and pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 oz. macadamia nuts, finely chopped

2 cups breadcrumbs

oil, for deep-frying

Salt for seasoning

Mango Salsa

1 medium mango, finely diced

3 tablespoons finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro

1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

Juice from 1 lime

Cut the chicken into strips. Dust the chicken strips with the flour, then dip them in the egg and finally, coat them generously in the combined nuts and breadcrumbs. Chill for at least 30 minutes to firm up.To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Set aside. Fill a large, heavy-based saucepan or electric fry pan one-third full of oil and heat to 350 degrees, or until a cube of bread dropped in the oil browns in 15 seconds. Cook the chicken strips in batches for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown all over, taking care not to burn the nuts. Drain on crumpled paper towels and season with salt. Serve the chicken strips warm with the salsa.

Peachy Popsicles

If there's one thing all kids love its popsicles! I bought these popsicle molds at Walmart and they are so awesome because they have a little straw at the bottom so that when the popsicle melts, they can sip up the juice! Anyway making your own popsicles is a guarantee way of making sure there are no allergens, plus they are a whole lot healthier. If you have a favorite smoothie or drink recipe, just pour them in the molds to make yummy popsicles. Here's one we tried that is really simple. I like it because orange juice is a great calcium alternative for those with dairy allergies. Also I put pieces of canned fruit in these for a fun twist. My kids loved it, but both my husband and I prefered the ones with just straight juice.

Peachy Popsicles

1 1/4 cups orange juice

3 large or 6 small ripe peaches or nectarines
1-2 Tbsp powdered sugar (to taste)

4 Tbsp canned fruit salad, drained

Blanch the peaches for easy peeling (drop into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds and then into ice cold water. The skins will peel right off). After peeling, core and cut the peaches and then put them into a blender. Add the orange juice and powdered sugar. Divide half of the fruit evenly among the popsicle molds and then fill them up half way with the juice. Divide the second half of the fruit evenly and then fill the molds to the top with the juice. Stick in the freezer and they should be ready in 6 hours. Makes 4-6 molds, depending on size.

Grilled Salmon

I went to Las Vegas a few weeks ago to visit family, and my mom grilled this salmon one night. It was excellent! It has a teriyaki flavor, so she served it with fried rice and asparagus. My 3 1/2 year old son gobbled it up, as did the two little girls who are only 15 and 18 months old. I love salmon and have a lot of favorite salmon recipes, but this is definitely now in my top 3. Oh and my moms greatest tip for the perfect asparagus (crispy and not soggy): wash and trim and then soak them in icecold salted water for 1 hour. Grill covered for 2 minutes on each side

Grilled Salmon

Recipe from Melody Blaser

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
lemon pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp on each fillet)
garlic powder to taste (about 1/4 tsp on each fillet)
salt to taste
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Season the salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder and salt. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissoved. Place fish in a large plastic bag with the marinade mixture and seal. Turn to coat and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat the grill for medium heat and lightly spray the grill with oil or nonstick. Place salmon on preheated grill and discard marinade. Cook the salmon for 6 minutes per side, or until the fish falkes easlily with a fork.

No Bake Cookies

Okay so we grew up eating these no bake cookies, which I found out a lot of people refer to them as preacher cookies. When I moved to the same town as my Grandma for college, she brought me over her famous recipe along with all of the ingredients for a housewarming gift. Since I met my husband in college and this was one of the only things I knew how to make, it brings back a lot of really fun memories. I've always wanted to try making them dairy free, but I was always too scared. Well now that it's behind me, I am so mad at myself for not trying it earlier! Even my husband says they taste exactly like the original. Here's both the recipes!

No Bake Cookies (dairy free)

Recipe adapted from Grandma Lill

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons dairy free Cocoa (such as my new favorite Ah!laska brand)

1/4 cup rice or soy milk (I used rice-vanilla flavored)

2 Tablespoons dairy free margarine

1 1/4 cup oats

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

Put margarine, milk, sugar, and cocoa in a saucepan and bring to boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring occassionally. Add the oats, peanut butter and vanilla and stir to combine. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper until they set up.

Original Recipe

Recipe from Grandma Lill

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Cocoa
1/2 cup dry milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cup oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Boil the sugar, cocoa, milk, water and butter for 1 minute, stirring occassionally. Add oats, peanut butter and vanilla and stir to combine. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Food Allergy Testing

Since I don't ever talk about my sons food allergies on my family blog, and this is my dairy free blog- I guess I get to give his updates on here!

Last year we had high hopes for our son's food allergies improving. Going into the testing he had dairy and egg allergies, and when we got him tested he had outgrown the egg allergies, but still tested positive for dairy, as well as soy and baker's yeast. I tried giving my son bread that contained no yeast and he had sandwiches made with tortillas instead of bread. I did this for about 2 months and then gave up after lots of tears and headache. I decided I wasn't going to eliminate a food that he didn't show any outward effects to, so I didn't. I did however switch my son to rice milk, and rice yogurt, etc.

This years testing was a lot different. I now realize that he may not ever outgrow these food allergies, and that's okay. All that I really hope for is to see some improvement. I also switched to an allergist that was more child friendly since I wasn't at all impressed with the first. He agreed with me about the yeast. If it wasn't showing any effects on him when he ate it, then it was most likely a false positive. (Such a different attitude than the allergist that testing him positive and said absolutely no yeast whatsoever, not even in saltine crackers). The results this time showed that he was positive to milk, but negative to soy. I'm so excited about that because in my local grocery stores rice products are impossible to find. I have to pay 2.50 at a natural foods store if I want to treat my son with a rice yogurt. Soy yogurts are like .89 cents at Smiths- so yeah to that! :)

As far as the milk allergies go, we had to also get a blood test taken since the first allergist didn't measure in a number the skin test and there was nothing to compare with. So we got his blood test taken to compare with the one he got taken at 18 months old. At 18 months he scored a 21 (anything over a 3 is a positive reaction). Well now at 3 1/2 years old he scored an 80. We are really bummed that it has gotten so much worse, but there's not much else we can do besides keep going strong doing what we are doing! The allergist reminded me that 1 in every 10 kids don't outgrow their allergies. I have to keep positive and remember that there are a lot of kids who have multiple food allergies, and that there we are lucky there are still a lot of really yummy foods he can eat

Barbecue Chicken Pizza (on the grill)Making pizza has been a tradition of ours for years, and as newlyweds we use to make it in the dutch oven every time we went camping. (now with kids those camp trips are getting fewer) That has always been my favorite method for baking pizza for the obvious reason- everything tastes better in a dutch oven! We decided to try something new and bake the pizza on the grill this time. You can bake this pizza in the oven, but if you want to try something new and don't want to heat up your oven to 450 degrees, try it on the grill! (Just read my warning notes :) For this barbecued chicken I used canned chicken and leftover barbecue sauce from barbecued burgers, so it was really simple and easy. That barbecue sauce is so perfect for pizza because it's tangy and sweet. (My stomach is seriously growling just typing about it)

Basic Pizza Dough

Recipe from Weight Watchers New Comblete Cookbook

Makes 2 12 inch pizza crusts

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 tsp sugar

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and sugar. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oil. Combine the flour and salt and add to the yeast one cup at a time until the dough starts to pull from the sides of bowl. Knead until smooth and elastic. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray (you can use the mixing bowl); put the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or damp cloth. Let rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, then cut in half for two 12 inch pizzas, or thirds for 3 smaller pizzas. Use, refriderate or freeze in floured zip-close freezer bags for later.

For each (12 inch) Pizza:

3/4 cups barbecue sauce (I used this one)

1 cup canned chicken or cooked and cut up chicken breasts

3 Tbsp green onions, sliced horizontally

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese (optional)

Put the pizza dough above on a greased pizza pan. Grill the pizza crust for 5 minutes in a medium heat grill covered. Take the pizza out and spread with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. Spread out chicken evenly and then top with onions and mozzarella (if using). Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce over the top. Grill covered for 5 more minutes.

*Warning- the first time I took the pizza off the pan and set it directly on the grill and toasted it black! The perfect way is to take the pizza off the pan at 4 minutes, set it directly on the grill and keep the lid open for about 1-2 min. Then you can slide it back onto the pan to cut it up.

To bake the pizza in the oven just preheat it to 450 and then bake it for 10-12 minutes. You can also take it out and set it directly on the rack the last few minutes to make it crispy.

Barbecued Burgers

Sorry I don't have a picture for these, but don't let that stop you from trying them. They are so juicy and yummy! The barbecue sauce on them is sweet and tangy. My husband started putting miracle whip on his bun and I stopped him before he ruined the burger! :) The only toppings I would suggest is cheese if you aren't allergic and some lettuce. Use the remaining barbecue sauce in place of anything else, and you have one perfect hamburger! I had leftover barbecue sauce and made barbecue chicken pizza the next night. I will post that recipe soon!

Update: I have finally found the key to keeping home made burgers together on the grill without falling apart- use extra lean beef and after you shape them, put them in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Works like a charm!

Barbecued Burgers (6 servings)

Recipe from Taste of Home Backyard Grilling

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup molasses

2 tsp mustard

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp liquid smoke

1/8 tsp pepper

Burgers:

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup oats

1/4 tsp onion salt

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

6 hamburger buns

choice of toppings

In a small saucepan, combine the first 10 ingredients (sauce) and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside 1 cup barbecue sauce to serve with burgers. In a bowl combine egg, oats, 1/4 cup remaining barbecue sauce, onion salt, garlic salt, and salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 6 patties and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (this ensures that they will stay together on the grill) Grill, covered over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until done basting with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce during the last 5 minutes. Serve on buns with toppings and reserved barbecue sauce.

Monkey Bread

As the name suggests, this is such a fun recipe for families and especially kids. One treat I really get down about my son missing out on is cinnamon rolls. I've tried a lot of recipes out there using rice milk, dairy free margarine and dairy free frosting, but I'm telling you right now that I will never fuss with those methods again. This monkey bread has the same flavor as a cinnamon roll, but is easier and funner to eat. The entire time my 3 1/2 year old son was devouring his 4 pieces he kept saying, "I LOVE monkey bread!" "This monkey bread is YUMMY!" "Monkeys love monkey bread!" "If you leave a trail of bread and raisins monkeys will eat it all up." I will even admit that after eating the first batch in one day I made another one the next day because he begged me to, and I love seeing him really enjoy something dairy free.

*Notes for success: Make sure you use a bunt cake pan and NOT an angel food cake pan (or two piece) or all of the sauce will leak out of the bottom. You might think it would be easier to just pour the sauce over the top of the pieces in the pan, but they won't get fully coated and they also won't pull apart as easily as when each piece is coated seperately. I made the dough in a bread machine and it turned out perfect, but you can also make it by hand.

Monkey Bread

Recipe adapted from Darren & Debbie @ allrecipes.com

1 cup water
2 tablespoons dairy free margarine, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup dairy free margarine (or butter if you don't have allergies)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins

1. Combine warm water (110 degrees) and yeast in a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes until foamy. Add margarine, sugar, cinnamon and mix. Add the salt and then the flour. Once the dough starts pulling from the sides of the bowl, take it onto the counter and knead. Put back in the bowl and put in a warm spot to rise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. After an hour, punch down. *In a bread machine, add the first 7 ingredients in order (or how your manufactor indicates). Make sure no liquid comes in contact with the yeast. Select dough cycle and press start.


2. When dough is complete, place dough on floured surface and knead 10 to 12 times. Roll out about an inch thick and cut dough into 1 inch chunks (use a pizza cutter)


3. In a medium saucepan on low heat, melt 1/2 cup of margarine, stir in brown sugar and raisins and stir until smooth over medium heat. Remove from heat.


4. Drop one chunk at a time into the butter sugar mixture. Using tongs or fork, heavily coat dough pieces, then layer them loosely in a greased Bundt or tube pan, staggering layers so you're plopping each dough chunk over a space between two below. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 15 to 20 minutes.


5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, place a plate face down in top of the pan and, using oven mitts to hold plate on pan, turn over both until bread slides out onto plate. Don't cut! The pieces just pull apart. Serve warm and enjoy!

*You can also buy refridgerated biscuit dough (about three 12 ounce pkgs), cut them up and then coat them in a cinnamon and sugar mixture before dunking them into the sauce.

Italian Chicken and Tomato Pasta TossOkay so I know I've been slacking on my dishes lately, but between swim lessons and getting our yard landscaped, quick and easy is about all I have time to do! Besides that- if a dish takes 20 minutes, looks beautiful, and tastes like quality Italian food, then why should you bother with doing it any other way? This meal is exactly that- and it looks so pretty to entertain with too. I bet it would look even prettier with fresh basil, but I used dried. I'm also trying to get my family onto whole wheat pasta, but for now I'm doing half whole wheat and half regular and they don't even notice. :)

Italian Chicken & Tomato Pasta Toss

Recipe adapted from Kraft Foods

4 cups medium curly egg noodles, uncooked

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 c Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (Kraft or any variety)

2 cloves garlic, minced (or about 1 tsp garlic powder)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp dried)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (as the recipe calls for, but optional)

Cook noodles as directed. Meanwhile heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium high. Add chicken and cook for 6-10 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, dressing and garlic. Cook and stir 3 more minutes or until heated through. Add basil and stir to combine. Drain pasta. Toss with chicken mixture and sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Grizzly Bear Brownies

I love making brownies for my son because he goes crazy over them! I always bake a dairy free batch, cut them up, and freeze them in a container. That way if we bake brownies for any occasion, I can pop one out for him to eat too. The only thing I hate about making dairy free brownies is that the mix will cost you between $6 and $10 just to make one batch! Crazy! Also my husband actually loves the taste of the ones we buy and so he will end up eating them all. I yell at him and tell him to quit eating the expensive ones and open up a .99 cent regular box! So for a less expensive way to make yummy brownies, use this recipe with any non-dairy baker's cocoa. I bought AH!LASKA for around $7 and it will be enough for 2-3 batches. Just thought I'd share!

Organic Grizzly Bear Brownies
Recipe from Donna & Kevin Malz

1 1/4 cup organic flour
2 cups sugar or other sweetener
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup AH!LASKA organic baker's cocoa (or any non-dairy cocoa)
4 eggs (beaten)
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter or dairy-free substitute/margarine
1 cup dairy free chocolate chips

Grease 9''x13'' baking pan. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl, blend melted butter, sugar & vanilla. Fold in eggs. Do not over mix. Combine the dry ingredients. Stir in chips. Pour in a baking dish & bake @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. For moist brownies, do not over bake. Cool, cut, & devour!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

I had to post this recipe for those with egg allergies because the meatballs don't have any eggs, yet they hold together perfectly. I lived for years without breadcrumbs because most of them contain dairy, until I finally learned that all you have to do it toast your own bread in the oven and chop them in a food processor (I know, pretty pathetic!). Also this recipe includes homemade spaghetti sauce, but if you want to use canned, by all means do so. I bought a case of Hunts spaghetti sauce, so they ended up being only .79 cents a can. For me it's much more economic just to use store bought!

Spaghetti with Meatballs
Recipe adapted from The Complete Cookbook

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp onion flakes or 1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp olive oil

Combine beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and oregano. Use hands to mix well. Roll into balls and dust lightly with flour. Shake off excess flour. Heat oil in pan and cook meatballs in batches turning often until browned all over. Drain well. Heat the sauce (below or use your own recipe or jar) to a boil. Add meatballs. Reduce and simmer for 15 minutes, turning meatballs once.

Sauce:
2 (13 oz) cans diced tomatoes-pureed
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup beef stock
2 tsp sugar

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly golden. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add pureed tomatoes, tomato paste and beef stock. Add sugar and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then add the meatballs.

Grandma Lill's Moist Zucchini BreadAnother recipe my grandma would make for us when we were little, with fresh zucchinis from her garden of course. Everyone in my family prefers this zucchini bread to every banana bread recipe out there, and I know the reason why is because it is super moist and packed full of flavor (not to mention the good vitamins from the veggies) You can probably substitute some or all of the oil for applesauce, but I've never tried it on this recipe.

Moist Zucchini Bread

Recipe from Lill

1 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar

1 c oil

3 eggs, beaten

2 c packed zucchini (finely shredded with skins on)

3 tsp vanilla

3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp nutmeg

3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Blend the first set of ingredients together. Mix the second set of ingredients and then add to the first; mix. Put into 2 loaf/bread pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Devour!

"Chilis" Chicken Fajitas

My friend Melanie brought these over for dinner after I had my daughter Hailey, and I've been making them at least once a month ever since. I always use chicken breasts and marinade them overnight. If you don't have a grill, just get out a big skillet sprayed with nonstick and get to work. I've done it that way more than grilling just because of the cold weather. They are so juicy and absolutely divine! I love to serve these with chips and guacamole. My guacamole recipe (actually my sister Candice's) is simple- buy a carton of pico de gallo, mashed avocados and fresh lime juice. I do about 1 cup pico for every 2 avocados, but you really just mix it up to your liking- just don't forget lots of lime juice-yum! Another tip if you love restaurant style chips, you can go to your favorite Mexican restaurant and ask for chips and salsa to go. Our local restaurant Cafe Sabor gives you a carton of salsa and huge bag of fresh chips for $5. You can't beat that!

Chili's Fajita Marinade

Recipe adapted from Mel @ mykitchencafe

Marinade:

¼ c fresh lime juice

1/3 c water

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 large minced cloves garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

3 tsp vinegar

2 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp liquid smoke

¼ tsp black pepper

dash onion powder or flakes

1 to 1 ½ lbs chicken breast or top sirloin

1 yellow onion

2 red, yellow or green bell peppers

1 tomato (optional)

1 tsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp water (omit the water if you use frozen peppers)

½ tsp lime juice

dash of salt and pepper

Combine all the marinade ingredients. Marinade chicken or beef for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Grill 4-5 minutes per side. Slice onion, peppers and tomato and fry in a preheated fry pan at medium high heat until softened but still crisp, not soggy! Add soy sauce, water, lime juice and salt and pepper. Cook another 3-4 minutes. Slice meat thinly and add back into the pan with the peppers and onions. Serve in tortillas with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc.

Hearty Baked Pasta

I have had this magazine article stored away since college and have gone back to it again and again, especially when I want to impress guests. Basically there is no set recipe, you just pick a few things from each list, throw it all together and hope for the best. Just for the record I have never made one that didn't taste delicious, so go for it and get creative! It's great because you can use whatever you have on hand. The directions are really wordy, but it comes together in about 45-60 minutes from start to finish.

To make this dish dairy free, use the all tomato base and don't add any cheese. If you just have one child with allergies, use a mini loaf pan to dish their own separate pasta without cheese, then go ahead and add the cheese for the rest of the family. I also do this with lasagna and layer my sons with noodles, meat and sauce into the mini loaf pan and make the family one with cottage cheese and mozzarella.

Hearty Baked Pasta

Recipe by Tony Rosenfeld

1. Get ready to cook. Preheat oven to 450 F. Put a large pot with 6 quarts of water and 2 Tbsp kosher salt on to boil. Grease a 9 by 13 baking dish with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Gather all your ingredients and read directions through so you can multi task!

2. Brown the flavor bases one at a time. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a 6-8 Quart pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add one of the flavor bases (see list below) and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked through and nicely browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. If you are using one flavor base, proceed to step 3. If you are using a second one, transfer the first to a bowl with a slotted spoon, add another Tbsp olive oil and brown the second flavor base as above.

Flavor Bases: Choose up to two, for a total of 1 pound:

• Mushrooms: cut into 1/4 inch slices (I use white button, but any kind will work)
• Sausage: removed from its casing and crumbled or broken into 3/4 inch pieces (I use sweet Italian, but hot is fine)
• Chicken: boneless, skinless thighs or breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• Yellow onion: halved and thinly sliced

3. Stir in 1 to 2 cloves minced garlic. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, push the contents of the pot to the side. If the pan is dry, add 1 Tbsp oil, and then the garlic and cook until it starts to sizzle and becomes fragrant, about 10 seconds.

4. Add the liquid and simmer. If you've set aside any browned flavor bases, return them to the pan. Add the liquid (choose one from the list below), plus 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the sauce thickens slightly.

Liquids: Choose one

• Tomatoes: two 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes, drained of 1 cup of their combined juices and then pureed in a blender or food processor.
• Tomatoes and cream: two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, drained of 1 cup their combined juices and then pureed in a blender or food processor, plus 1/2 cup heavy cream.
• Broth and cream: 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth plus 1 cup heavy cream.

5. Stir in the sauce enhancers. Add two or three ingredients from the list below and cook until they're heated through and their flavors have melted, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

Sauce Enhancers: Choose 2 or three

• Sherry or balsamic vinegar: 2 Tablespoons
• Olives: 1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped
• Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes: 1/4 cup drained and thinly sliced
• Red chile flakes: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
• One coarsely chopped fresh herb, such as: basil (1/4 cup), flat leaf parsley (1/4 cup), rosemary (1 Tablespoon) or thyme leaves (1 Tablespoon)

6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water until it's just tender to the tooth, about 10 minutes. Note: Cook the pasta a little less than you normally might because it will cook more in the oven.

Pastas: Use 1 pound dried

• Campanelle
• Farfalle
• Fusilli
• Gemelli
• Orecchiette
• Penne rigate
• Rigatoni
• Ziti

7. Add the pasta and vegetables to the sauce. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, along with your choice of vegetables below.

Vegetables: choose up to two, 8 ounces each

• Baby spinach
• Frozen peas
• Cauliflower: steamed or boiled until barely tender (1 1/2 inch florets)
• Asparagus: steamed or boiled until barely tender (1 inch pieces)
• Broccoli: steamed or boiled until barely tender (1 1/2 inch florets)

8. Add half of the cheese. Add 6 ounces of the cheese (see list below) to the pasta mixture and toss well. Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly.

Cheese: Choose two or three and combine for a total of 12 ounces shredded or crumbled

• Fontina
• Mozzarella
• Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano, freshly and finely grated
• Gruyere
• Gorgonzola (use no more than 4 ounces)

9. Top and Bake. Top the pasta with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is golden brown about 15 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Note: You can also top with breadcrumbs before baking. 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or panko

My combo for tonight pictured below: 1 pound Italian sausage, 2 cloves garlic, all tomato liquid, olives and parsley, penne, 1 pound asparagus, 3 oz Parmigiano Reggiano and 9 oz mozzarella, no breadcrumbs. It turned out amazing!

Homestyle StewThis is my favorite stew because it is super easy to make and equally delicious! I promise my bad photography skills don't do it justice. Our family likes a nice thick stew (which is easier for our kids to eat) but you can always add 1 more cup of water if you want it more soupy. I use red potatoes with the skins, and usually serve it up with french bread rolls.

Mel's Mom's Homestyle Stew

Recipe from Mel @ My Kitchen Cafe

1 can minestrone soup

1 can tomato soup

1 can water

1 to 1 1/2 pounds stew meat

1 onion, chopped

3-4 carrots, thickly sliced

3-4 potatoes, cut into chunks

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all in a crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours. Serves 4-6.

French Bread Rolls

My friend Mel will always be a heaven sent because she introduced me to these rolls. They don't have any milk or eggs, and taste just as yummy as those that do! I promise-they melt in your mouth!

French Bread Rolls
Recipe from Mel @ My Kitchen Cafe

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp white sugar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes (or use your mixer to knead) Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12-14 equal pieces, and form into round balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth (or greased saran wrap), and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake for 12-13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Yakitori Noodle Bowls

This recipe was on the Rachael Ray show back in January, and now I'm so mad at myself that I didn't try it sooner. Kids LOVE noodles and one spice that they usually love is ginger, so this meal was a definite kid pleaser. We will definitely be making it again soon! I used fettuccine because I couldn't find soba noodles anywhere, and it turned out great. Also- let your kids put the "sprinkles" (sesame seeds) on their own dish, they will think it's fun.

Yakitori Noodle Bowls

Recipe from Rachael Ray

1 pound soba noodles (or fettuccine)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely minced

freshly ground black pepper

2 bunches green onions, trimmed of roots and cut into 2-inch pieces on an angle

1/3 cup dry sherry

1/3 cup tamari (or soy sauce)

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Place a large pot of water over high heat for the noodles. Add salt once boiling, then cook pasta according to package and drain.

While the water is coming to a boil, heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss chicken with the grated ginger and season with some pepper. Let it brown for 5 or so minutes.

Stir the chicken mixture then add the green onions, sherry, tamari, sugar and sesame oil. Bring to a bubble and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the drained noodles to the skillet and toss to combine. Sprinkle with some toasted sesame seeds to garnish.

Snicker Doodles

These ARE the easiest cookies to make in the entire world. No measuring out flour, baking soda and all of that, just through in a yellow cake mix. I've been making these cookies since high school and I must say that you can't eat just one or two- they are definately addicting! I use Duncan Hines brand of mix because it's dairy free. I have also tried lemon cake mix (without the cinnamon and sugar) and they are really yummy and fun. You can try with any cake mix flavor you like and of course, it's easy for kids to help because of the little measuring.

Snicker Doodles

1 yellow cake mix

1/3 c vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

sugar and cinnamon

Mix the cake mix, eggs, veggie oil and vanilla together. Take scoops and roll into cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes

St. Patrick's Day Hamburger Buns

I am almost embarrassed to post a picture of these weird looking green buns, but in honor of St. Patrick's Day I will just for fun! I wanted to do something fun and creative for my kids for dinner tonight, so I made my own hamburger buns for my sloppy joes and added green food coloring. I actually didn't have regular green, just neon green, so that's why they are even brighter! The original recipe called for butter and I substituted dairy free margarine just fine. It also calls for Castor sugar which is a super fine sugar that you can make yourself by running granulated sugar through a food processor until really fine. I spared all of that work and just used regular granulated sugar. They turned out delicious and my kids were laughing until their plates were empty.

Hamburger Buns

Recipe adapted from Rosa's Yum Yums

1 c lukewarm water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter or dairy free margarine, room temperature & creamed
1 Egg

3 1/4 c flour

1/4 c fine granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp Instant yeast

1 Egg yolk (+ 1 Tsp water)

Sesame seeds

Sprinkle the yeast into the water and leave for 5 to 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir to dissolve. In a big bowl, combine yeast/water, egg, butter/margarine, sugar, salt and flour. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured working surface or use mixer and knead for about 10 minutes until you've made a soft, smooth dough. Place the dough in a clean and lightly greased bowl and cover it with a towel and let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a flattened ball. Place the buns on greased baking sheets, cover with a towel and let rise 30 to 40 minutes, until they're quite puffy and doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Glaze the buns with the egg yolk and water mixture, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake the buns for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oven, cool them on a wire rack and cut in half.

Crunchy Chicken FingersI can't remember where I got this recipe from, but it's always been our family favorite chicken finger recipe. I love making them because they are easy to make, relatively healthy, and most importantly- my kids just gobble them up! (especially if you cut them up small so they look like chicken nuggets). If you are looking for a chewy, egg free version, try Allergic Kid's Honey Mustard Chicken Strips. I usually switch off between the two.

Crunchy Chicken Fingers

1 pound boneless chicken breasts cut into chunks or strips

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp yellow mustard

2 cups cornflakes, finely crushed

1/4 tsp salt

dash of ground pepper

ketchup, barbecue sauce or other dipping sauce

Heat oven to 400. In shallow dish, combine egg, honey and mustard. In another dish stir together crumbs, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into egg mixture and then roll into crumbs to coat. Arrange chicken on baking sheet lightly sprayed with nonstick. Bake 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies are so delicious and such a refreshing change if you are in a cookie rut. I always feel like they are healthier than other cookies too because you use peanut butter in place of half the shortening/butter in other recipes. These cookies are delicious and chewy just by themselves, but you can always add a few chocolate chips, carab chips, or even a Hershey kiss on top of each cookie 2 minutes before you finish the cooking time. Instead of doing the fancy fork design on top, I let my son use my potato masher or the bottom of a glass. Kids always love to help!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Recipe by Julie Griggs- (the home economics teacher I student taught for)

1 1/3 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c shortening

1/3 c peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1 egg

extra sugar for rolling

chocolate chips, carob chips or Hershey kisses (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl sift flour, soda and salt- set aside. In a large bowl or mixer, cream shortening and peanut butter on medium speed. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add flour until well combined. Make tablespoon size balls, roll each into granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes, put chocolate on top and then bake an additional 1-2 minutes. If you aren't adding chocolate, bake for 8-10 minutes or until they start to brown.

Sloppy Joes

Another one of my Grandma Lill's famous farm recipes! This is my husband's favorite sloppy joe recipe of all time and best of all, it is super easy using ingredients you should already have in your pantry! It does call for a half a can of tomato soup, and if you are worried about using the other half with lunch the following day, you can always double the recipe and freeze what you don't eat. It heats up well over the stove or even in a crockpot another day. I always add some diced up tomatoes-they camouflage right in and the kids never notice! Make sure you add the celery too, it's just not the same without it!

Sloppy Joes

Recipe from Lillian Rydalch

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 c chopped onion or 1 Tbsp dried

1/2 c chopped celery

1 tomato

1 Tbsp flour

1/2 c water

1 c ketchup

1/2 can tomato soup

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Brown hamburger and vegetables together. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in flour. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve on hamburger bun

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This is our family's all time favorite meatball recipe they are tender and full of flavor. A lot of recipes just don't taste the same when you substitute rice or soy milk, but that isn't the case with this one. I've received plenty of compliments on these meatballs from outsiders who were oblivious to the rice milk substitute. Also my family isn't big on onions, so I always substitute about 1 Tbsp dried onions instead. To save time I usually make the meatballs while the kids are eating breakfast, refridgerate them and then all I have to do for dinner is pour the sauce on top and throw them in the oven. I'm getting hungry just typing about these! Serve over rice.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Recipe from Lion House Entertaining Cookbook

1 to 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 c rolled oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1/2 c milk or milk substitute
1 tsp salt
few grains pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Form into about 12 balls, each about 2 inches in diameter. Place in casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below). Bake @ 350 F for 30-45 minutes.

Sauce:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 c barbeque sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Spicy Pork Chops
I got this recipe in one of my food classes in college from my favorite professor and mentor Shauna Shirley. Although it's called "Spicy" pork chops, I've always called it "Saucy" pork chops because it's not spicy, but it is really tender and saucy. This has become one of my favorite quick meals because I love anything I can throw into a crockpot and forget about, and the ingredients are ones I usually have on hand. It calls for pork chops, but really you can use any kind of pork or even chicken. I usually use boneless skinless pork ribs because they are super cheap at my grocery store. Also I always serve this over rice, but you can also serve over mashed potatoes for a really hearty meal.

Spicy Pork Chops

Recipe from Shauna Shirley

5-6 center-cut loin pork chops (or any boneless pork)
1-2 green peppers, cut in strips

1 onion (optional)

8 ounce can tomato sauce

4 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Put pork chops into crock pot. Add remeaining ingredients to cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.

Taco Super Skillet

Taco Super Skillet

This is an ultimate kid pleaser, especially if you use these fun wagon wheels! If you can't find wagon wheels, try to get creative with other fun shaped pasta, or you could even use macoroni noodles. For dairy allergies, don't add the cheese or the sour cream, or I'm sure you could substitute plain soy or rice yogurt for the sour cream if you really wanted to. Just know that this is one of my son's FAVORITE meals (as in he would eat it every day if I let him) and that is without any cheese, sour cream or substitutes. I dish his plate first, and then add the sour cream and cheese for the rest of the family. Also I was really suprised at how hard it was to find taco seasonings that didn't have dairy ingredients. After a long search, the two most popular brands I use are Western Family and Old El Paso original.

Taco Super Skillet
Serves 4

1/2 to 1 pound lean ground beef

1 envelope taco seasoning mix

2 1/4 cups water

1 1/2 cups uncooked wagon wheel pasta

1 1/2 c frozen corn

1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium tomato - chopped

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook beef in large skillet on medium/high heat, drain.

Stir in season mix, water, pasta, corn, beans, and tomato with beef

Heat to a boiling; stir; reduce to simmer

Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally until pasta is done

Stir in sour cream (optional) and remove from heat

Sprinkle with cheese (optional) and chives and cover

Let stand 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted

Serve with tortilla chips

Grandma Lill's Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the best chicken noodle soup, and I am so loyal to it that I won't even make another. My grandma always made this for us when we would go up to visit her in Idaho, especially in the winter months. The key ingredient is the Kluski noodles, although you could use any homemade or egg noodles you have. You can click here to see the brand we use in my family and they sell this same one at most grocery stores. One of the best parts about chicken noodle soup is that you can make it with leftover chicken, so obviously do that if you have any. With my family being so small I usually cook a small chicken with some side dishes for one night of the week, and then tear up the rest for a few days later to use in the soup. I usually use about 2 cups of leftover chicken pieces, but we like ours really meaty. Still simmer for 35 minutes even if the chicken is cooked, just to get all the vegetables nice and tender. Also you can make this as thick or thin as you want to, but as a general rule use one chicken bouillon cube per cup of water. On an allergy note, check the ingredients on the bouillon because some contain dairy. I use the Tones brand and called their service department to make sure it was perfectly safe.

Grandma Lill's Chicken Noodle Soup

Recipe from Lillian Rydalch

8 cups water

Chicken (1 breast, 2 drums)

3 circular chopped carrots

3 stalks celery, chopped
onion or flakes

8 bouillon cubes

pinch of garlic salt

pinch of pepper

1 bay leaf

1 bag Kluski noodles

Combine all ingredients except for the noodles in a stockpot

Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 35 minutes

Transfer chicken to cutting board and cool. Tear chicken into bite size pieces.

Return chicken and Kluski noodles and simmer 15 minutes (or use your noodle package instructions).

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I could literally eat this meal every night-it's really that good! This is one of the many recipes I've gotten from my best friend here in my small town, Mel. It's been passed along the blogging world many times over. Let me just promise you that this sweet and sour chicken is better than any you will find at Chinese Resturaunts, and my dad even said that it puts PF Changs to shame!

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Mel's Recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips or chunks

accent and garlic powder OR salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup oil, veggie or canola

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks or strips. Season with accent and garlic powder or salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken. Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
1/4 (4 Tbsp) cup ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon accent or garlic salt

If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

My Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies Well... everyone thinks they are famous, but really I just revamped the back of the Toll house chocolate chip recipe with shortening, less salt, and my favorite chocolate chips. I also use dairy free carob chips for my son's cookies, and milk chocolate chips for everyone else. If you are wanting to impress someone, I SWEAR by Ghirardelli brand milk chocolate jumbo chips. I hate using any other kind- they are divine and well worth the price. Here's a trick that we do in my home so that we don't eat them all at once. Bake up as many as you want for that night, then roll the rest into individual drops, stick them on a baking sheet or a casserole dish and stick them in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up, you can then dump all of the balls into a freezer ziplock and store them in your freezer without them clumping together. I will usually make a whole batch without chocolate chips, or with carob chips and then just label the ziplock "Scott's cookies". Then anytime we are eating a cookie he can't have, I'll pop a few of his into the oven. Sidenote: You might laugh at the 7/8 cup of shortening, but I learned in my food science class from college that technically if you are substituting shortening or margarine for 1 cup of true butter, you are suppose to use 7/8 cup. And it works, trust me!

My Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes about 2-3 dozen depending on the size

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (I usually tap off a little less)
1 cup minus a big spoonful of shortening (about 7/8 cup)

3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 package of carob or milk chocolate chips

Combine flour, soda and salt in a separate bowl
Beat shortening, sugars, and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Gradually beat in the flour mixture.
Stir in morsels and drop onto tablespoon fulls onto ungreased cookie sheets
Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes

Best Ever Glazed Salmon Fillets For a few months now, we've been trying to eat fish once a week. We are big salmon lovers in this house, including my three year old son, but it's still too freezing outside to grill, so I was excited to find this baked salmon recipe, and my husband and I both agree that it is now our favorite salmon recipe. I substituted some of the ingredients in the original recipe for what I had in my kitchen. The original recipe calls for balsamic vinegar and white wine, but I didn't have any in my pantry so I used red wine vinegar instead. I will try it next time with the balsamic vinegar though since it has a more distinct flavor. The original recipe also calls for 6 fillets, but I found that the amount of glaze this makes was perfect for 2-3 fillets, so you might want to double it for more salmon fillets. I served mine with mashed potatoes and green beans.

Glazed Salmon Fillets
Recipe adapted from Isybel on allrecipes.com

• 2-3 salmon fillets (about a pound total)
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Coat a small saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Over medium heat, mix in garlic powder, honey, vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Arrange salmon fillets on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush fillets with the glaze, and sprinkle with oregano. Bake in preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, or until flesh flakes easily with a fork. Brush fillets with remaining glaze, and season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula to transfer fillets to serving platter, leaving the skin behind on the foil.

Beef Noodle Bowl

My kid loves any dish with noodles in it, and because of the amazing (and easy) flavor of the beef, he'll actually eat this without bribing or threatening him. I found it on the Kraft Foods website and used their picture too, until I get things up and running. One of the ingredients in this dish is KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing which I have heavily stocked in my pantry. If you are ever needing a quick and tasty dish, just cook some chicken and veggies in the dressing and serve with a side dish.

Beef Noodle Bowl
Recipe adapted from Kraft Foods

8 ounces (I use 12 because my kid devores noodles)
3 cups broccoli florets
2 carrots, peeled, chopped diagonally (or baby carrots slices lenthwise for a fun twist)
2 tsp. oil
1 lb. beef sirloin steak, thinly cut into strips (I don't always use sirloin, any steak will do)
1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Cook pasta as directed adding carrots and broccoli the last 3 minutes (still with a little crunch, not soggy). Meanwhile brown meat in the oil. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir dressing, teriyaki and ginger and add to the meat. Cook for a few minutes until thickened. Drain pasta and toss in the meat mixture.

New Cooking Blog!

I have been playing around with the idea of starting a food blog for a while now because cooking has always been a passion of mine, and I now love the challenge of cooking every meal without dairy ingredients.
Let me tell you my story, as I haven't always loved the challenge!

We found out our son was extremely allergic to dairy at 10 months old when we heard a hoarse and unusual cry from his room. We took him out of his crib to find that his lips were trippled in size. We traced the culprit to a drinking glass that he was playing with around his mouth before bedtime that had milk in it previously. That was the start of our journey to avoiding dairy. When he was about 18 months old he was hospitalized for 3 days from an asthma attack and so they ran blood tests for allergies. That's when we really found out it was a lot more serious than we thought and that's when I had to become an ingredient reading maniac!

At first my husband and I continued to eat our usual cuisines, and I would fix our son a seperate plate with something I knew he could eat. Then I realized that he was going to get use to the specialized treatment and maybe think he can always do what he wants to do. That's when I took up the challenge to eat "dairy free" as an entire family. I had no idea the challenge I was undertaking and use to cry over the lack of recipes I could find. Then I met several moms out there through the blog world who are dealing with the same stresses I do on a daily basis, some of them so much more complex, and realized that 1-I'm not alone and 2-It could be a lot worse. So with the inspiration those moms gave me (one in particular and she'll know who she is) I've been given the creativity and patience to now find my recipe box filled with yummy dinners my whole family can eat.

I know you can buy cookbooks and google search for dairy free recipes out there, but who's to know which ones are good and which are garbag? Welcome to "Dairy Free- Tried and True" where from one mom to another, you'll know they're good!