Gluten Free Chicken Divan

I've kind of been on a food blog hiatus ever since we put our house up for sale in February. It's hard to cook and keep a clean kitchen. I'm a bit messy when I cook and the stress of having our house ready to show ALL the time makes me a bit reluctant to start something in the kitchen! Posting recipes is something that makes me happy, and who couldn't use a bit more happiness? My food blog is going back on my list of priorities!

Chicken Divan is one of my favorite dinners in the world. This is what I've had for my birthday dinner almost every year of my life! I was reluctant to post this picture because it doesn't look half has good as it taste...casseroles are kind of like that, aren't they.

GlutenFree Chicken Divan

1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 gluten free chicken bouillon cubes
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 cups cheddar cheese, grated.
32 ounce bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 pound chicken, cooked and cut into 2 inch pieces (or use tenders)
salt and pepper to taste
Cooked rice

Combine milk, cornstarch, pepper, and GF chicken bouillon cubes in a saucepan on medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add butter. Cook and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. To this, add the mayonnaise, curry powder and lemon juice. Combine until the sauce is smooth (my mom usually double this sauce and puts half of it in a gravy boat to serve at the table for those who want extra).

In a greased 9x13 pan place broccoli followed by the cooked chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce on evenly over the casserole. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes. Serve over warm rice.

Triple Chocolate Cookies - Gluten Free

My husband loves chocolate so to celebrate our anniversary I made him his all time favorite cookie: triple chocolate. The name says it all. These cookies have a decadent brownie like chocolaty base loaded with semisweet and white chocolate chips. YUM! Don't be surprised if they become your favorite too!

Mommy's little helper

Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup gluten free flour mix
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and creamy for about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for 1-2 minutes. Sift together dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) and gradually add to the butter mixture. Mix until blended and stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop by heaping teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Enjoy.

Valentine's Day

Beef and Broccoli
Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Valentine's Day! Since it's also Chinese New Year, we'll be making one of our favorite Chinese entrees for dinner - Beef and Broccoli. And then, for the most important part of Valentine's Day, DESSERT! We're continuing our Valentine's dessert tradition and I've got my red velvet cake in the oven...I'm not sure if I can wait until tomorrow night to eat it! XOXO

Gluten Free PB & Honey Chex Treat

I used to make this peanut butter cereal candy that had sugar, corn syrup , peanut butter, and cereal. It's really yummy, but is so unhealthy that I stopped making it. The other day I was craving the flavor of this recipe so I did a little experimenting and came up with a healthier alternative. It's so easy to make, takes about 5 minutes, and tastes great! I made up the recipe on the fly, so if you read it and have seen something like it somewhere else, I promise I didn't steal it! Enjoy!

Gluten Free PB & Honey Chex Treat
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
5 cups gluten free corn or rice chex

Combine peanut butter and honey in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Heat until mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat and add 5 cups of chex or other gluten free cereal to the peanut butter and honey and stir until cereal is covered. Pour onto parchment paper and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Gluten Free Nanaimo Bars - Daring Bakers January 2010

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca. I loved this challenge! I have been missing graham crackers and since they are an ingredient in this recipe, I got to make them gluten free. They turned out pretty yummy and I was excited to have a graham cracker peanut butter sandwich for a snack today!!
The nanaimo bar (pronounced nah-nye-mo) are delicious blend of chocolate, coconut, almonds and pretty easy to make (especially if you have graham crackers on hand. We'll be making them again. Since we're trying to be a little more helthy this year, I cut the butter in half for the base and instead of the vanilla frosting layer I used some sugar-free vanilla pudding (shame on me) made with 1 cup of milk instead of two so that it was really thick. We were able to enjoy these without the guilt and they didn't seem overly sweet like some people have claimed.

Gluten Free Nanaimo Bars

For Nanaimo Bars — Bottom Layer
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
5 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1 1/4 cups Gluten Free Graham Wafer Crumbs (See below for recipe)
1/2 cup Almonds (Any type, Finely chopped)
1 cup Coconut (Shredded, sweetened or unsweetened)

For Nanaimo Bars — Middle Layer 1oz box sugar free vanilla pudding mix 1 cup skim milk

For Nanaimo Bars — Top Layer
1/2 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoons Unsalted Butter

Directions:
1. For bottom Layer: Melt unsalted butter, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.
2. For Middle Layer: Whisk pudding mix a milk for 2 minutes until pudding is nice and thick. Spread over bottom layer and refrigerate.
3. For Top Layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.

Gluten Free Graham Crackers
(adapted from Rebecca Reilly's recipe)

2/3 cup bean flour

2/3 cup tapioca starch

2/3 cup corn starch

¼ cups sweet rice flour plus more for dusting rolling pin

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 ¾ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, cut into pieces

3 tablespoons cold water

4 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix together gluten-free flour mix, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt.

2. Using your fingertips, work butter into dry ingredients.

3. Stir in 3 tablespoons cold water, honey and vanilla. If dough is too dry, add a little more cold water, a teaspoon at a time.

4. Gather dough into a soft ball. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and line with parchment paper.

6. Roll out half the dough on a silicone mat to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2 x 3-inch pieces and prick lightly all over with a fork. Place mat on a cookie sheet to bake.

7. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. If cookies spread and bake together, re-cut while still warm and loosen them. Let cookies cool slightly before transferring to cooling rack.