BBQ Chicken w/a tangy twist

BBQ Chicken with a tangy twist

Ingerdients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 bonless skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (make sure it's GF)
2 teaspoons granulated garlic

Prepared rice (I put 4 cups of rice in the rice cooker with 7 cups of water)

Instructions:

Place chicken pieces in 6 quart slow cooker.  In a bowl combine all other ingredients, whisk together and pour over chicken.  Cover and set to high for 5-6 hours, or low for 8-10 hours.

Serve chicken over rice.

Enjoy!

Sloppy Joes for dinner!

My kids really like sloppy joes, and it seems that by the time 3:00pm rolls around, I just usually don't have much energy left for dinner.  So here is a tasty slow cooker recipe that you can toss in and it will be ready by dinner time!

Gluten-Free Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

30 ounces tomato sauce
15 ounces diced tomatoes
6 ounces tomato paste
2 pounds ground meat (turkey, beef, pork - it doesn't matter)
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 medium onions, diced
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon turmeric
Burger Bun (about 1 per person, 2 for the bigger eaters, we usually use 9 buns)
Sliced Cheese (optional, we like many different cheeses, and the type of cheese will vary each time we serve this meal)

The meat mixture will serve about 16 sloppy joes, depending on how much meat you like in your bread.

Instructions:

In a large skillet over medium heat brown ground meat, add in onions, celery and bell pepper.  Continue to cook about 10 minutes, or until veggies are soft.  Add into slow cooker.

Add all ingredients into 6 quart slow cooker, stir everything together, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Serve between split bun (like a hamburger bun, open the bun and put meat inside) and top with cheese if desired.

Enjoy!

Do you need a good bun recipe that is Gluten-Free?   Try this one:

Ingredients:

3 cups gluten-free flour mix (I use a mix of White rice flour, potato starch and tapioca flour)
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup sugar
1 rounded tablespoon xanthan gum (or guar gum)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 rounded tablespoon active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
3 large eggs

Instructions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer (using dough hooks) mix first 5 ingredients together.  Pour yeast on top of flour mixture - DO NOT MIX IN.   In a separate bowl combine water, oil, and vinegar, mix well.  Pour water mixture on top of yeast, DO NOT MIX IN, let stand for 5 minutes.   Start the mixer on low speed and mix the liquid w/the flour mixture.  When you have most of the flour mixed in, start adding the eggs, one at a time, and mix on high speed for 5 minutes, scraping sides as needed.

Allow dough to rise in mixing bowl for 25 minutes.

While dough is rising, grease two large cookie sheets.  After dough has risen, using water to keep hands moist so dough will not stick, for dough into bun shapes (you should get 10-12 hamburger size buns) and place them on the greased cookie sheets.  Allow to rise for another 20-25 minutes.

While dough is rising again, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake buns for 35 minutes, or until done (golden brown all around, no longer doughy).

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice for your slow cooker

You will need a Gluten-free cream of ... sauce

A basic cream of soup recipe:

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, whisk in 2 tablespoons of Featherlight Gluten-free flour mix, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Whisk continually over medium heat until slightly brown.  Add 1 cup of warm milk.  This will substitute for 1 can of condensed cream of ... soup.

If you want cream of chicken soup, you will need about 1/2 cup cooked cubed or 1/3 cup shredded chicken breast.  You will also want to dissolve one chicken bullion cube into the warm milk before whisking it into the butter/flour mixture.  Add the chicken last.

If you want cream of mushroom soup, you will need 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms and 1 beef bullion cube dissolved into the milk.  Add mushrooms last.

If you want cream of celery soup, you will need 1/3 cup diced celery and 1 chicken bullion cube.

You will also need a cheese sauce recipe.  I buy the cheese sauce powder mix in the bulk section of my grocery store.  I melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, add 2 cups of milk, whisk until milk is warm (not hot, you don't want to scald your milk) and then add in 1 1/2 cups of powdered cheese sauce mix.

Now for the recipe!

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked cubed ham
20 ounces frozen broccoli
1 recipe of cream of soup base (see above) or one can of cream of mushroom soup
1 recipe of cheese sauce (see above)
1 cup almond milk or cows milk
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:

Place all ingredients into 6 quart slow cooker, stir, cover and set to low for 4 hours.

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice, put into rice cooker with 2 1/2 cups.  Set to cook.  When rice is done cooking, add into slow cooker, stir well, and set to keep warm until ready to serve.

Beans with Turkey Sausage Chili

This is a quick and easy bean soup recipe.  I like to shop the bulk bins at the grocery store, and so my recipes usually contain dried beans.  If you prefer to purchase canned beans, that's perfectly fine!  You don't have to go through the work of soaking and/or boiling dry beans if you do not want to, or don't have time to.  :)  Canned beans will work just as well.

3 Bean Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound turkey sausage (your favorite flavor, smoked, spicy, whatever you want to use), cut into thin slices

1 cup dried kidney beans, prepared (soaked/boiled)

1 cup dried black beans, prepared (soaked/boiled)

1 cup great northern beans, prepared (soaked/boiled)

1 - 20 ounce package frozen corn

3 cups salsa

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 chili pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

Instructions:

Prepare dried beans, use over night soak method or boil method.  Drain and rinse well.

Cook sausage if you purchased uncooked.  If you purchased the pre-cooked kind, just slice it up and toss it into the slow cooker.  Another option is to fry up the sausage like a ground meat, and then add into slow cooker.  It just depends on how you prefer your meat. ;) 

Put all ingredients into a 6 quart slow cooker, give it a stir, cover and set to low for 6 hours.

Yep - it's that easy!  Enjoy! :) 

Tomato Basil Oregano Soup

This recipe is pretty simple yet very tasty.  I am not usually one for tomato soups, but that must be because I've never had a tomato soup so flavorful before.

 Ingredients:

30 oz diced tomatoes, with juice
2 celery stalks, diced into small pieces
3 tablespoons dried diced onions
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried sweet basil
32 oz (4 cups) chicken stalk (or broth)

1/2 cup gluten-free featherlight flour mix
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup grated Italian cheese blend
2 cups warmed half and half

salt, pepper to taste

Instructions:

Add top 6 ingredients into 6 quart slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 5 hours.

About 45 minutes before serving prepare a roux (melt butter over low heat in a skillet, add flour and garlic mixture to melted butter.  Whisk constantly for about 5 minutes.  Slowly add in 1 cup of the soup.  Whisk to prevent lumps.  Slowly add in another 3 cups of the soup, stirring until smooth.  Pour back into slow cooker.  Stir in the grated cheese and warmed half and half.   Cover and cook on low for another 30 minutes.

Yield about 10 servings.

Turkey Tortilla Soup - slow cooker - gluten-free

I had some left over turkey from Christmas dinner that we put into the freezer, what a better use than to make a turkey tortilla soup?!  Yum!

Turkey Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds shredded, cooked turkey
2 (15 oz) cans/jars crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can enchilada sauce
2 medium onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
4 cups chicken broth (or turkey stock)
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 (about 12 oz, you can use more or less) package frozen corn

Tortilla chips (you can use tortilla strips from the store, or you can take corn tortillas and cut them into one inch strips and fry them in oil until crispy.  My family prefers the home-made from corn tortillas best.)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients, except the tortilla chips, into a 6 quart slow cooker.  Cover and set to low for 6 hours.

If you are making the home-made tortilla strips, then start making those about 30 minutes before serving.

You may also like to add shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or guacamole.

Yield about 12 servings (or so, depending on the size of your servings)

Enjoy!

Black Bean, Turkey, & Pumpkin Chili

This is a hearty winter day chili, sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Black Bean, Turkey and Pumpkin chili

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground turkey (or left over turkey, shredded or cubed)
1 medium onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper
3 cups chicken broth (or turkey stock)
2 cups dried black beans
1 (15 oz) can/jar of pumpkin puree
1 (14 1/2 oz) can/jar diced tomatoes, undrained
3 teaspoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
2 rounded teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric

Instructions:

Soak black beans over night.  If not softened, do a quick stove top soaking (bring to boil and simmer) until beans are tender.  Drain and rinse beans, set aside. (You can be frying turkey meat while you wait for the beans if you want to.)

In a frying pan brown the ground turkey, add onion and bell pepper and cook another 5-10 minutes (until veggies are soft).  Place in 6 quart slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients (including the black beans that have been drained and rinsed), cover and set slow cooker to low for 6 hours.

Yield about 10 servings

Chicken Noodle Soup - Gluten-free

This soup turned out so yummy, and will be a wonderful soup to have on had during cold and flu season.

Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts, cubed
64 oz chicken broth (or stock)
1 can/jar (about 15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
4 large carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Place all items in the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 6-8 hours.

2 cups cooked gluten free pasta (I use elbow noodles - because that is my kiddos favorite.  You could use fettachini noodles broken in half, penne pasta, or any other pasta you have on hand.   About 30 minutes before serving, put cooked pasta into slow cooker and turn slow cooker down to keep warm (or your lowest setting).

Super simple - just the way I like it!

Tasty Soup for a Winter day

This is a tasty soup that contains ingredients that can easily be obtained in winter.  It's quick and easy to throw together and cooks all day long in the slow cooker.

Warm Up Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound ground meat (I use turkey, pork, or beef, whatever is on sale)
3 medium onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
64 oz beef broth
30 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
4 large carrots, chopped
4 large celery stalks, chopped
2 cups frozen cut green beans
4 small potatoes, chopped (i leave the peeling on, but you could peel it if you have pickier eaters)
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 tablespoon dried sweet basil
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
Salt/Pepper to taste: optional

Another option is to cook about 2 cups of pasta and add that into the slow cooker about 30 minutes before serving.  My kids really like some gluten-free pasta added in, I usually use elbow noodles or penne pasta.


Instructions:

In a large skilled, brown ground meat over medium heat. Add in onions and garlic, cook about 3-5 minutes longer, until onions and garlic are tender and meat is no longer pink and well cooked.  Drain off fat.   Add meat mixture to 6 quart slow cooker.  Add all remaining ingredients and give it a good stirring, cover, set to high and cook for 8-9 hours.

Stir slow cooker contents before serving.  Enjoy!

White Bean & Chicken Chili - Gluten-free

This is a tasty chili that will warm you up on a cold day with out a lot of work, after all, it is a slow cooker meal - right?!  :)

White Bean and Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts (or 5-6 small ones)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium onions, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
5 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
9-10 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups dried white beans (I used great northern beans), overnight soak in 10-12 cups water,  stove top cook until beans are tender if needed.
6 cups chicken broth

Toppings:  shredded cheddar cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, (or my favorite) shredded Dubliner cheese, and/or sour cream.

Instructions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, add a little olive oil (about a tablespoon), and saute chicken until no longer pink.  Add in minced onion, garlic and diced jalapeno.  Cook until veggies are tender.  Pour into 6 quart slow cooker.

Put 2 1/2 cups of the prepared beans into a medium bowl.  Add about 1 cup of the broth and mash beans.  Add to slow cooker.  Add all remaining ingredients (except toppings, of course) to the slow cooker, give it a stir and cover, set on low for 4 hours (or longer, after 4 hours you can set to keep warm and leave it the rest of the day if you want to).

Stir slow cooker contents before serving, add toppings of choice to each bowl of chili, and Enjoy!