Gluten Free Sausage Balls

Hey there! It's been a while, hasn't it? I haven't been doing a whole lot of crafting here lately...the hubs was furloughed during the government shutdown, and we have been super busy with soccer as well. Thankfully both are over. 

We now have a few weeks to breathe before the holiday rush:o)

I have been doing some baking and sewing the past few days, and just happened to have my camera handy while doing so.

I had to go gluten free after my gall bladder surgery...crazy, but kind of good as well. I have had to make healthier choices since the surgery...you can't go wrong there!

Anyway, now that the holidays are approaching, I am trying to find ways to make some of my favorite cool weather foods into gluten free renditions.

I.love.sausage.balls.

I love the taste, but I think I love them more because my mother used to make them for us all the time. Especially when we were going on vacation. That was our staple breakfast car food. Memories:o) I actually do the same thing with my kiddos on long car trips...making memories of my own now!

Most sausage ball recipes call for Bisquick...Bisquick has gluten...boo! Now that gluten intolerance is more prevalent, there are more gluten free options available in local grocery stores. I found a baking mix at Publix that is gluten free...score!

So are you wanting to try your own?

Here's what you'll need:

2 cups of Gluten Free Baking Mix(I used Namaste)

2 cups of sharp cheddar

1 pound of your favorite sausage

Work the mixture in a large bowl with both hands. You will want to make sure that all of the baking mixture is thoroughly combined with the sausage and cheese. Your arms will hate you, but your taste buds will be thanking you very soon!

Roll out into little 1"-2" balls. Place on parchment paper...makes clean-up a breeze.

Bake at 350 degrees for around 15-18 minutes. 

The taste is slightly different, but not by much. They taste super yummy and are a great option for G.F. folks!

The Yummiest Popcorn Ever

Today I share with you my favorite snack recipe, stove-top popcorn. 

We gave up microwave popcorn a long time ago. After we started eating cleaner, I began to think about all of the fake stuff that is in the microwave popcorn. I always felt sick after eating it, so I decided to start popping it on the stove.

It tasted a lot better to me after cooking it on the stove top and I didn't feel sick after eating it. Super bonus!

For a while I was using canola oil, but then I started using coconut oil.

That could have been one of my best decisions:o)

I HATE coconut, but I love what this oil does to the popcorn. It's delicious.

Coconut oil is actually one of the healthiest oils out right now.

When we have a bunch of kids over to play, this is my go-to snack, and they all LOVE it! Crowd-pleasing, cheap snack-ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!!

So here's how you make it.

What you need:

Large pot with lid

Popcorn kernels

Salt

Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil 

(click on the above link to order..it's cheaper on Amazon than in stores)

 Measure out 3 tablespoons. The oil is in a hardened state, but melts quickly.

Turn your stove on medium high. The oil will melt in just a few seconds.

 Pour 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels into pan, and cover with a lid.

 Once you start hearing the kernels popping, you will want to stand over the pan. I hold the lid while scooting the pan back and forth across the eye of the stove to keep the kernels from sticking to the bottom...usually about every 15-20 seconds.

There will be rapid popping kernels for about 25-30 seconds and then it will slow down to about 5-6 kernels per second. That's when I remove the pan from the heat, and let it sit for about 30 seconds. You don't want it to sit too long on the heat because the popcorn will burn and then your house will stink..no fun! Been there, done that!!

 When you remove the lid, this is what you should have.

Dump the popcorn in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. The salt will stick to the popcorn, and it's wonderful!

Let me know if you have tried it! I want to know if anyone else loves it as much as us!

Whole Wheat Cheeseburger Pie with Bacon

Since we are on this health kick, I have been using whole wheat flour instead of white flour. It wasn't easy at first, but there are actually some really tasty recipes out there using whole wheat. S.R. calls it the "brown flour," and turns her nose up at it every time I use it. The funny thing is, she gobbles it right up:o)

I was looking for something different to do with hamburger meat over the weekend, and remembered a recipe off of the Bisquick box, Cheeseburger Pie. I wondered to myself if it would be as good using whole wheat. 

I felt it was worth a try, and put my math skills to the test...trying to figure out the correct ratios and ingredients, and came up with a recipe that was a crowd pleaser :o)

Cheeseburger Pie with Bacon
Adapted from the Bisquick Recipe

1 lb of ground beef

1 small onion, chopped finely

2 T butter

1/2 ts salt

1/8 ts ground black pepper

1 c shredded cheddar cheese

2 eggs

1 c milk

1/2 c whole wheat flour

3/4 ts baking powder

1/4 ts salt

2 T cold butter

3 slices of cooked bacon crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare pie plate. I use butter to create a non-stick surface. Not a real fan of non-stick spray. In a skillet on medium high heat, melt 2 T of butter. Cook onion until it is translucent. Add ground beef, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned. While meat is cooking, use a pastry blender to blend cold butter into the flour, baking powder, and salt. The mixture should look like small peas when you are finished. Whisk in eggs, milk, and cheese. Once the meat is cooked all the way through, drain off any grease. Place meat mixture in pie plate first. Then pour the cheese batter over the meat mixture. Lastly sprinkle the cooked bacon on top. Place pie plate on a shallow baking sheet to catch any drippings. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.

This was a delicious meal, and very filling. I'm so glad that I was able to use the whole wheat flour in this recipe! Another step in the right direction:o) 

Healthy Lunch Round Up

We have made a conscious effort to be healthier this year. We have jumped on the "whole foods" bandwagon and have been buying more organic and sticking to what we call "God foods." Foods that come from the earth and not from a manufacturing plant loaded with nasty, bad-for-you chemicals. We haven't completely knocked out all the junk, but I would say we are 85% there.

I'm so glad that we decided to do this before the kids were older. They are completely on board with the change in our diet. 

It makes my heart swell with pride when they ask for an apple or grapes for an afternoon snack instead of fruit snacks or some other form of junk food.

Their school lunches have had a makeover as well, and I have been sharing them on Facebook.

Since everyone isn't on Facebook...shocking, I know;o)... I thought I would share what the kids have been taking in their lunch boxes.

Shredded Chicken, Organic Crackers, Celery with Peanut Butter, Strawberries, Grapes, and Homemade Cupcake(recipe to follow soon)

 Whole Wheat Pita with bananas and peanut butter, sliced apples, popcorn chips, and homemade Lara Bar(recipe to follow)

 Sliced turkey, organic crackers, homemade whole wheat bread sticks, almonds,  and tangerine

 Ham and Gouda sandwich, carrot sticks, tangerine, and organic trail mix

 Diced baked chicken, cubed mozzarella, homemade pumpkin and chocolate chip muffin, carrot sticks and strawberries

 Sliced turkey, almonds, carrots, organic crackers, homemade applesauce, and tangerine

 Homemade chicken nuggets(recipe to follow soon) sliced carrots, sliced cheese, and strawberries

 Whole Wheat Waffle with homemade peanut butter, zucchini muffins, crackers...etc.

Do you feel inspired to start making healthier lunches for your family?

Have you jumped on the whole foods bandwagon? What are your kids' favorites? As you can tell, we go through a lot carrots:o)

We also supplement our diets with a drink called Smart Mix. It's a nutritional drink that we have been taking since last November, and we are healthier than we have ever been. I am such a believer in this product, I decided to become a distributor for the company who produces it, Zija.

My kids ask for it every morning, and that is a huge relief, since I could never remember to give them their vitamins.

I have added a link on my side bar which takes you directly to my website to find out more about this amazing product line. It looks like this:

I am also going to be making a few changes here on the ole blog, and I will be discussing more health and nutrition along with the crafty stuff. This is a major part of who I am, and I would like to share that side as well. So I hope you'll stick around!!

Hot Cocoa Recipe

I love cold weather, a.k.a. snuggly weather. I love the warm blankets, cozy fires, and most of all, hot cocoa. 

I am not a big fan of cocoa mixes because of all the added "stuff" that is put in them. I prefer to cook my own.

 I have a favorite recipe for hot cocoa, and I have to share it with you so that you can enjoy it too.

It takes minutes to make, and warms your belly and puts a smile on your face:o)

Hot Cocoa

serves 4

adapted from this recipe

1/3 c unsweetened cocoa

3/4 c white sugar

1/3 c boiling water

3 1/2 c milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Bring water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add cocoa and white sugar. Bring back to a boil, and then lower heat so the mixture simmers. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add milk and vanilla, and warm to desired temperature. 

I usually pour the kids some before it has gotten too hot.

I spy some happy campers right here:o)

Now you can enjoy those few brief moments where they have a smile on their faces, and calling you the best mom ever, after drinking something delicious! Then brace yourself for the sugar high!

Canned Applesauce Tutorial

Well hello there! Been a while hasn't it? Life around here has been crazy busy for the past month or so, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down any..especially with the Holidays approaching...I'm not ready fro Christmas to be here!!

With E being in big school now, I feel like the weeks are flashing before my eyes. I keep forgetting that he is 6 years old now. I need for life to tap the brakes just a little:o)

So since things have been a little cray cray around here, I haven't had the chance to blog. I have been taking plenty of pictures, and have plenty to blog about. I just haven't had the time to just sit, and type.

I have a few minutes to myself, so I am taking advantage of that time:o)

Today I wanted to share how to make canned applesauce. 

A friend of mine is part of a food co-op, and she always asks if I want to order bulk items. Um, yes please:o)

 These apples were super delish and super cheap! But there was no way we could eat a bushel of apples, so  I put a few to the side, and turned the rest into applesauce.

This is super easy, and anyone can do this...I promise!

I searched online for different techniques, and the one I found most to my liking was the one from pickyourown.org. Definitely check out this website for full details.

 I had to make a few changes because I didn't have the same materials that they did, but I made do with what I had.

I started with a half bushel of apples. I have no idea what these apples are called:o) (If you check the blog above, they give several different types of apples that you can use.)

I didn't have a grinder attachment on my Kitchenaid mixer, so I peeled the apples, and then I used an apple corer doo-dad.

And this is what I ended up with.

 I added an inch of water (which was too much) into the bottom of a 12 qt. stock pot. I got mine from Walmart for $8.95

Once the apples were soft from cooking, I placed small batches into my food processor and pureed them, making sure to use a slotted spoon.  You could probably do this in your blender as well.

 I poured each batch into a large bowl, and covered to trap the heat.

 Once all of the apples had been pureed, I added 2 cups of white sugar to the batch. Adding the sugar is definitely optional.

 I did a mix-match of pint and quart sized jars. The website I referred to suggested that you cook the pints for 15 minutes in the canner, and 20 minutes for the quarts...I just did 20 minutes for the whole batch, to save myself the trouble.

 After the 20 minutes, they were ready to come out of their bath and cool. The tops popped almost immediately after coming out of the canner. That "pop" was definitely music to my ears because it meant I did it right:o)

I placed the jars on a towel to cool, and loosed the lids so that they wouldn't rust shut. 

Start to finish, it took 2 hours to make applesauce. If you had the proper kitchen tools, you would most definitely get done sooner:o)  

I was so excited when I got done! I felt all kinds of domestic:o)

If you have any questions about any of the steps, I will do my very best to answer them. Your best bet though, would be to click on the link from above:o)

Happy Monday!

Slap Yo Momma Biscuits

 My best friend from high school gave me a recipe for biscuits when I got married. I never used it because I already had a biscuit recipe. I thought mine was the best in the world, and proudly looked down my nose at other biscuits, and their inferior ingredients.

Well I ran out of my usual "superior" ingredients, and decided that I would try this "inferior" biscuit recipe. This poor recipe had sat un-used for almost 10 years in my recipe book.

It called for 2 ingredients. 

I scoffed. 

I mixed, rolled out, cut and baked, thinking to myself, "I hope these will do."

I humbly ask forgiveness from my dear friend and her ROCKIN' biscuits. They were not inferior at all! Not only were they extremely light and fluffy but they were 'slap yo momma' good!

So are you ready to try these for yourself?

Here's what you need and what to do:

1 pint of whipping cream

3 cups of self rising flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Mix ingredients by hand. Roll out on floured surface. Cut with biscuit cutter and bake.

I told you it was easy...now go make you some biscuits, and don't wait 10 years before making them like I did;o)

Fall Dinner-Chicken Spaetzle & Homemade Bread

I can't stand it any longer...Fall needs to just get here and stay here:o)

It has been a scorcher for the past few days after we were taunted with cooler weather. I am stubborn by nature, and have made soup and homemade bread, regardless of this horrid heat, hoping this will show Summer that I have had enough of it, and am ready for it to go away:o)

 Chicken Spaetzle is one of my favorite soups in the whole wide world. I order it from Bruegger's every time I visit that restaurant...which is a lot:o)

I looked for their recipe, and couldn't find anything but the calorie count online...I DON"T CARE what the calorie count is...IT"S DELICIOUS!

So anywho, I found a few recipes online and kind of tweaked here and there, and this is my version of Chicken Spaetzle.

recipe adapted from HERE

• 
  2 chicken breasts (about 1 lb total)
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning1 package of potato Gnocchi
  
  Combine all ingredients, except the gnocchi, and cook on low for 2 hours. After the 2 hours, shred chicken in the soup, and add gnocchi. Cook gnocchi in the soup according to package directions(just don't drain;o). Serve with homemade bread.
  
  
  
  
  I found this homemade bread recipe to go along with our soup.
  Food Processor White Bread
  from breadworld via Jennifer Judd-McGee
  makes 1 loaf
  3 cups all-purpose flour
  2 Tbl. sugar
  1 envelope RapidRise Yeast (do not use any other kind - just RapidRise)
  1 1/4 tsp. salt
  3 Tbl. butter
  1 egg
  3/4 cup warm water
  Insert metal blade into food processor. Add flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt; process 5-10 seconds. Add butter and egg.  Begin processing, then slowly pour warm water through feed tube just until dough forms a ball, about 10-15 seconds.  Continue processing for 60 seconds to knead dough (I let it go longer, more like 2-3 minutes, just for good measure).  Remove dough onto a lightly flour surface. Cover and let rest for 10 min.
  Roll dough into a 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at short end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll.  Pinch ends and seam to seal.  Place, seam side down, in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.  Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until double in size about 30-45 minutes (I've let it go much longer than this and it is just fine).
  I usually brush it with egg wash or a bit of cream to give the top a nice shine, but you don't have to.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until done (30 minutes is always just perfect for me).  Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack (be sure to remove it because otherwise the bottom will get soggy while it cools).  Slice and enjoy!
  
  
  
  This was a wonderful dinner, and I am so glad that we have air conditioning because when you eat soup, it warms your insides...who wants to be hot on the inside and outside;o)
  The kids loved the soup, so we have a winner in this household...when we actually get cooler weather, this recipe will definitely be a regular on the menu;o)
  
  

On the Menu for the Week...

Thank goodness for Pinterest sometimes:o) I was in desperate need for some dinner ideas for this week, so I turned to the trusty old internet phee-nom:o)

I am really excited about these meals because they are super simple to make, and I am sure they will be a hit for the rest of my family:o) Plus, there will be minimal clean-up which is a HUGE bonus;o)

Here's what's cookin'...

Monday Night-Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Recipe from Chocolate Therapy 

Tuesday Night-Homemade Honey Baked Ham

Recipe from Frugal Upstate 

Wednesday Night-Ham and Cheese Sliders

Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything 

Thursday Night(family night)-Mini Hamburgers

Recipe from Mommy Hates Cooking

Friday Night-Crockpot Orange Chicken

Recipe from The Pursuit of Happiness

We were busy all weekend working on the bonus room. I am working on the finishing touches for the kids play area. They LOVE it, and I can't wait to share pictures with you all. I hope that you are having a great start to week, and I'll see you back here in a day or two with the Kid's Play Space reveal!!

How I Am Avoiding Using Cooking Spray

Here lately I have been trying to be more picky about what I feed my family. I buy mostly organic when possible, and I have been gradually cutting out  processed foods. We still eat some, but not as many as we used to.  There are so many links to cancer now which seem to be coming from the foods we eat.

So anyway, I have quit using cooking sprays. I haven't read anything anywhere that says we are going to die if we continue to use them, but one of the ingredients is "propellant."...ummm, ick!

So I have been coating all of my cake pans with butter(yum) & flour.

Muffin tins, however, are slightly more tricky because they are smaller. I ran out of muffin cups the other day, and needed a substitute. I felt like I had a moment of genius when I decided to use parchment paper.

I formed the parchment paper around the bottom of one of the muffin cups, and cut out the circle. Then I used that one as a template to cut out the next 5.

 I smushed them down in the cups...not all that pretty, but hey, I was improvising here.

 I spooned in the muffin mix...

 and tada!

I also used it for some make-shift-Corn-Flake-wanna-be-Rice-Krispie-Treats...the kids have been really good today, so I thought I would reward them with these...they have little green candies in them:o) Now these are extra sticky, so I rubbed some Crisco(yeah Baby!!) on my hands to flatten out the treats...like I said I am slowly removing processed foods, but we indulge every once and a while:o)

Well, that's my two cents for the day:o)

What do you do when you don't have an egg?

You find a substitute!!

I went to Target today for clothes and food....and for some strange reason, there were absolutely no eggs...strange, I know. Tonight we are having Cheesy Potato soup and I wanted some Jiffy cornbread to go with...but I have no eggs. I did a google search and came across these substitutes. I thought I would share them with you all just in case you ever get caught without an egg:o)

Egg Substitutions:

1 egg = 2 tablespoons liquid + 2 tablespoons flour + ½ tablespoon shortening + ½ teaspoon baking powder (Recipe from Substituting Ingredients by Becky Sue Epstein and Hilary Dole Klein. See my sources. Add one or two drops of yellow food coloring if desired.) 

OR egg substitute (Substitute 1/4 cup egg substitute for each egg. Using egg substitute in place of eggs tends to make baked goods rubbery, because egg substitute has no fat. To improve the product's texture, add one teaspoon of canola oil for each egg replaced. Egg substitute can't be whipped and is much more expensive than regular eggs. It doesn't work well in cheesecakes. For more information, visit the Illinois Cooperative Extension Service's Egg Substitutes page; for a recipe, visit its Homemade Egg Substitute page) 

OR egg whites (Substitute 2 egg whites for each whole egg. This substitution may make baked goods less tender. To compensate, try adding 1 teaspoon of oil per egg called for in recipe.) 

OR flaxmeal (Make flaxmeal by grinding flaxseed in a blender until it has the consistency of cornmeal. Use two tablespoons flaxmeal plus 1/8 teaspoon baking powder plus 3 tablespoons water for each egg called for in recipe. 

OR egg yolks (Higher in fat, but increasing the egg yolks in a baked good often makes it moister and more flavorful.) 

OR gelatin (To replace each egg: Dissolve 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water, then add 2 tablespoons boiling water. Beat vigorously until frothy.) 

OR cornstarch (Substitute 1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 3 tablespoons water for each egg called for in recipe. 

OR mayonnaise (Substitute 3 tablespoons mayonnaise for each egg called for in recipe.) 

OR Ener-G Egg Replacer (Substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons Egg Replacer plus 2 tablespoons water for each egg called for in recipe.) 

OR bananas (Substitute 1/2 of a mashed ripe banana plus 1/4 teaspoon baking powder for each egg.) 

OR silken tofu (Substitute 1/4 cup tofu for each egg.) 

OR fruit-based fat substitutes (Substitute 2 tablespoons fat substitute for each egg in recipe.)

Source(s):

foodsubs.com

Afternoon Snack

I made the kiddos some cookies this afternoon. Huge hit:o)

For some reason I have been in the baking mood. I have made a peach cobbler and chocolate oatmeal cookies in the past week too. 

Could it be that I am a stress eater and I am freaked out about this craft fair? 

maybe:o)

Anyway, I found a great cookie & icing recipe over at Girl Inspired today. The cookies were really really tasty...yes, were..not are...just kidding. I left a few for the hubs;o) I froze less than half of them for another day:o)

I hope that you all are having a great Tuesday. Mine would be slightly better if the cleaning fairy would show up;o)

A Cookie Recipe You Must Try

A friend of mine made these cookies the other day. 

She found the recipe HERE.

I ate 4 in the span of 30 minutes....yes, they are that good!

These are perfect for fall. I can't wait to make these for my next gathering! Now all we need is for the fall weather to come back...it's hot again, but that's part of the beauty/ugly (depending on how you look at it) of living in the deep South:o)

Speaking of weather, I have a little man who is under the weather right now, so things around here are slow going.

Not much in the crafting arena right now either. I haven't had the energy nor the desire. I am hoping to get the crafting bug after this week. We have so much going on this week that there really isn't time to be creative.

Praying for E to feel better, so he can enjoy the rest of the week with us!

Have a good evening, ya'll.

Chicken Azteca

Chicken Azteca has become a family fave at our home here lately. It's super easy, and I love a good crock pot recipe. My kids have said, and I quote, "Mom, this is FANTASTIC!"

I'd say it's a keeper;o)

I do apologize for my failed attempts of food photography. It is way more tasty than it looks:o)

Here's what you need:

-3 chicken breasts or 1 pack of the thin cut chicken breasts
1 15 oz can of black beans rinsed and drained

(make sure to rinse and drain, or it will look like mud)
1 med chunky salsa (16 oz)
1 16 oz package of frozen corn
1 to 2 tsp of cumin
1 to 2 cloves garlic
1 can pet. diced tomatoes(I use a can of Rotel) 
1 8 oz cream cheese

Put everything except the cream cheese in the crock pot & cook on low for 4 to 6 hrs...pull the chicken breast out and chop it to bits.  Put the chicken back into the crock pot, and add the cream cheese. Stir until combined. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and chips!