Warm Chocolate Cake

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter or dairy-free margarine
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon coconut flour or nut flour of choice
Fresh raspberries, for garnish
Whipped non-dairy topping of choice, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Lightly grease 6 individual muffin tins, brioche tins or soufflé cups. (Fill unused muffin cups halfway with water.)
3. Melt the two chocolates and butter together in over low heat. Cool until just warm to touch.
4. In a separate bowl, thoroughly beat whole eggs, yolks and sugar together until pale yellow and thick. Add chocolate mixture and beat to incorporate. Quickly fold in flour.
5. Spoon batter into prepared tins or soufflé cups. (At this point, the cakes can be refrigerated for several hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before ready to bake.)
6. Place filled tins on a cookie sheet in preheated oven and bake for 6 to 7 minutes. Cakes should be slightly gooey in the center. Over-cooking will result in a brownie.
7. Invert cakes onto individual dessert plates. Let sit for a minute before unmolding. Unmold and serve with a dollop of whipped nondairy topping and fresh raspberries.

Scrumptious Easy Pleasy Muffins

These are Lily’s class favorites. They are oft-requested and no one knows they are GFCF.

1 bag Namaste spice cake mix
3 eggs
1/4 c oil
1/4 c water
1 c. unsweetened applesauce (I always use cinnamon)
dash each of gluten free vanilla and almond extracts
1 t ginger (I use more)

Mix together – I use a large fork.

Grease muffin tins and spoon in batter. Bake in 350 oven til top springs back when touched. Cool.
They keep well in the fridge in ziplock baggies.

AMAZINGLY Yummy GFCF Bread

1 bag Pamela’s GF bread mix
1/4 c olive oil
2 large eggs
Plain almond milk
yeast

Measure 1/4 c oil in a 4 cup measuring cup.
Add the eggs.
Add almond milk to the 2 c. line, PLUS 2 additional tablespoons of almond milk.
Sprinkle about a cup of the bread mix from the bag into the measuring cup.
Add yeast packet and stir.
Allow to proof for at least 45 minutes in a warm but not hot area.

When yeast has risen, add remaining ingredients, mix, and pour into greased loaf pan. Let rise for an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes.

For a bread machine, follow above instructions. Once yeast has proofed, add to bottom of machine pan. Add remaining dry ingredients on top. Prepare on normal cycle.

For rolls: Fill greased muffin cups 1/2 full. Let rise for an hour. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Crockpot Applesauce

Core and sixth or eighth 8-10 apples. I don’t peel them – Lily uses an apple corer/slicer tool and does this step. We use the leftover apples that would otherwise soon be soft and destined for compost.

Place apple sections in crockpot.
Add 2T fresh lemon juice
Add 2T water
Add sugar to taste (we don’t add sugar)

Cover and cook on high 3 to 3-1/2 hours, or low 6-7 hours – til very soft.
Mash with a masher or use food processor or blender to create desired consistency.

We add 3-4 cinnamon sticks while cooking.

Put in sealed container and refrigerate or freeze. Keeps in refrigerator 2-3 weeks. Enjoy!

Crockpot Sticky Chicken

1 roasting chicken
Seasonings you prefer (We love a mixture of special spices, garlic or lemon pepper.  CHECK LABELS)

Wash the chicken inside and out. Pat dry. Rub the chicken with the seasonings INSIDE and OUT and put it in a ziploc bag to season overnight. (I have skipped the overnight step and it is still yummy.)

Put the chicken, sans plastic bag, in the crockpot and cook on low 8-10 hours. It will fall off the bone, make its own delectable gravy, and can be used all week in salads, sandwiches, enchiladas, and various recipes. (If it lasts that long!)

ABsolutely Fabulous Jasmine Sun Tea

6 bags PG Tips tea OR pekoe blend of your preference
1/4 cup jasmine pearl or jasmine leaf loose tea (You will either need to put this in a mesh bag, or use a Bodum tea infuser pitcher, as I do.)

OR use 6 bags of jasmine tea already in tea bags
filtered water

Place all of the above in a covered pitcher or sun tea jar. Place in a sunny spot for the day. Remove tea bags and/or loose tea. Taste and add additional water as needed for desired strength.

Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken

1 whole chicken

Mix:
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/4 cup lemon lime or ginger ale soda
8-10 cloves freshly minced garlic
1 t. fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. soy sauce (CHECK LABELS!!  Mothers Markets, Whole Foods, or Wild Oats brands Soy Sauce)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Pour over chicken in crock pot. Cook on low 8 hours or until chicken falls off the bones!

Once the chicken is done, remove from crockpot. The juices may be thickened with a little cornstarch mixed with water. Enjoy!

I serve with balsamic oven roasted vegetables and jasmine rice.

Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Assorted vegetables, cubed. I like to use summer veggies such as eggplant, yellow and zucchini squashes, peppers, tiny baby onions, tomatoes

Mix:
kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Pour in jumbo ziploc bags and toss until will coated. Place in single layer on baking sheets – place fresh rosemary sprigs intermittently. SAVE THE VINAIGRETTE.

Roast 10 minutes, turn. Roast another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The veggies should NOT be soggy, but should still be crispy to the bite when done.

When done, place in a serving dish and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.

Fruited Crock Pot Pork Chops

SEASON and BROWN:
4 pork loin chops, 1 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dill weed
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons olive oil

DRAIN & KEEP JUICE:
1 (15.25 ounce) can fruit cocktail in its own juice

MIX:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared dijon or brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

DIRECTIONS
Sprinkle pork chops with salt, pepper, rosemary, dill and ginger. Brown chops in olive oil. (I use an all in one crock pot so I don’t have to do this step in a skillet.)

Drain fruit cocktail. Keep the fruit, use the juices.

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, orange peel and reserved fruit juice. Pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove chops and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Combine the cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into the cooking liquid. bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Add fruit cocktail; heat through. Serve over pork chops.

Italian Crock Pot Bake

4 -6 boneless chicken breasts
2-3 fresh tomatoes, largely cubed (or 1 can tomatoes)
1 onion, sliced
2 pinches Italian seasoning
1 green pepper, sliced in strips
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced coarsely

Throw it all in the crock pot and cook on low 8-10 hours.

I usually serve with angel hair or spaghetti or over rice.

I have also done this recipe with veal or pork. This is a good clean out the fridge or use the summer garden offerings recipe. It’s great with zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, eggplant, and I’ve even been known to throw in leftover corn.