Before I discovered that I was allergic to wheat my go to fast "meal" was Campbell's Cream of Tomato Soup. That with a grilled cheese sandwich was to die for. Well unfortunately Campbells doesn't make a gluten free option for tomato soup. It has been about 3 years since I have had any...till now.. I found this recipe and tweaked it a little. Oh my goodness...it's sooo good. Give it a try. It freezes really well. Just thaw and reheat.

Linda's Cream of Tomato Soup

1 29 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
6 cloves
1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Place all the ingredients into a large pot or dutch oven and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

While it is cooking mix;
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup flour
in a medium size saucepan over a low heat. Slowly, while whisking, add 4 cups of milk. Any type will do (I like almond). Cook until thick.

Back to the tomato mixture:
Add 6 T. sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper.

Add the milk mixture to the tomato mixture and stir until mixed. Simmer for another 4 minutes stirring frequently.

Serve and enjoy. It's so good.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Hi, I haven't posted anything since APRIL!!!!! Oh my, Sorry! I will today as I have perfected the...wait for it.......Gluten Free Biscuit. I have to confess that in my pre-gluten free life I couldn't make biscuits. I had Ialeene Sanders and Mae Smith (my Mom and G-Mom) to live up to so why even try. Momma made the best biscuits and we looked forward to them every time she made them. When you become gluten free the thing you usually miss is anything bread. Mine was cornbread (perfected that too!) and Biscuits. It took a while but I did it. And I am so happy! Here's how I make them. 

1. Measure out all your ingredients and get your supplies together, believe me it will make it all easier!

Add your lard (or shortening if you like) and mix until you have little lumps in your flour. You can use a pastry blender but why? You have perfectly good hands and they works wonders!

Add your butter. Mix again till you have lumps.

It should look something like this. Add your milk. This time it took the full cup. Add it in batches and stir until it is very moist. Add more than the cup if you need

Turn it out on a floured surface. It should be moist but not soupy. When you knead the dough you will add some of the flour from the surface and it will be just right. Pat the mixture out till it's about 1/2 inch in height. Then come the good part.......

Spread on the butter. Use a pastry brush for this. Cover the surface as much as you can but it doesn't have to be completely covered or perfect.

With a bench scraper or anything else you can find, maybe a spatula, fold the mixture into thirds. Do this folding method 3 more times, buttering between each fold.

After the folding pat your dough into a 1 1/2" high rectangle or circle and cut out your biscuits. You can use a round cookie cutter or cut them into squares. It won't matter they will taste just as good. When you press down (something my Momma taught me) press straight down. Don't turn the cutter, that seals the cuts and you won't get a good rise out of them.

 love this pan, it was my Momma's and yes she made biscuit's in them. Butter your pan and place the cut out biscuits in them. Then butter the tops....yum!!!! You are really close to having the best biscuits ever...in my humble opinion!!!

Need I say anything? I don't think so...just gaze upon these wonderful things and then go make some. You will love me for it. My recipe makes as you see 5 but I use a 3" cutter. You can use a smaller one and make more if you like. Scott likes them big with butter and anything sweet. 

Oven 400 Bake time 27 minutes

Recipe:
1 1/2 cups GF Flour with xanthan gum added
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons lard or shortening
5 tablespoons butter
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter melted
more flour for your surface

Sigh!!!!!!!

Southern Fried Chicken

Yummm.  When I became gluten free I was so afraid that I couldn't have fried chicken anymore, along with other things.  I read recipes that called for lots of ingredients or to  use 4-5 different flours.  I don't work that way.  I want it easy!  I had a bag of Domata GF Flour on hand and thought I would try to make my fried chicken with that.  IT WORKED!! 

1 3-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces, or 3 pounds chicken pieces
salt and pepper
3 cups gluten free all-purpose flour - I like Domata Living Gluten Free Flour
vegetable oil, for frying


Season the chicken generously with salt and black pepper.Mix the flour, 3 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in a separate resealable bag.Fill a deep 12-inch cast-iron skillet or skillet of your choosing about 1/3 up the side with oil. 
Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 F.Put chicken into the bag of seasoned flour; three or four pieces at at time and shake to thoroughly coat. Remove from the bag, shake off any excess flour. 
Or if you like put flour mixture on a paper plate and roll your chicken in the flour mixture.  (That's usually the way I do it) Carefully lower the coated chicken, skin side down into the oil. The temperature will drop to 300 degrees F to 325 degrees F; adjust the heat to maintain this temperature so the crust doesn't burn before the meat is cooked. 
Cover and fry, undisturbed, 2 to 3 minutes to set the crust until well browned.  
When brown turn the chicken and continue cooking with the lid removed.  
Cook until browned.  I would love to tell you how long but it varies.  I would guestimate that it will be about 12-15 minutes.  
The chicken will register 160 F when done. 
If you are making a lot, heat your oven up to  200 F and as the chicken is done put into oven to stay warm.  



If you want you can marinate the chicken in buttermilk with 3 tablespoons hot sauce before coating in the flour.  It's yummy too.  Also, I have learned that if you cut your breast in half it cooks faster

My Easy, Easy Chicken Spaghetti

I work a job all day and it takes me about 45 minutes to get home.  It's a little hard sometimes to get a meal on the table before it is time to go to bed.  One night the hubs wanted chicken spaghetti.  I use my sisters recipe that has cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup so on..  Well I was tired and not paying attention to what I was doing and messed up.  I forgot my soups.  I had it in the casserole and in the oven before I remembered it and it was to late.  When the hubs took a bite he looked at me and said " I like your mess ups!"  This is the way I make it all the time now.  If you have a store that has gluten free roasted chickens, by all means use that.  I like to cook a little extra if I am stewing or baking chicken and put it in the freezer to have on hand.  If you do, just skip the stewing step and cook your spaghetti in a pot of water and chicken broth.

My Easy, Easy Chicken Spaghetti

1 3-4 lb chicken, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon salt

1\2 teaspoon pepper

1 lb gluten free spaghetti

1 can tomatoes’ with green chili’s

1 ½ lb Velveeta, cubed

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese – divided

In a large stock pot over low heat cook chicken, salt and pepper until done; around 1 hour.  Remove chicken and let cool.   In the same pot that the chicken was cooked bring liquid to a boil.  When boiling cook spaghetti until done.  When cool remove bones and skin and cut into bite size pieces.  In the hot spaghetti mix in the Velveeta and stir until melted.  Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and mix.  Put mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.  Bake at 350 F. for 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned and bubbly.  

Cheesecake- Low carb, low fat, high on yummyness!!

I looovvee cheesecake.  This recipe is low fat, low carb and high on flavor.  Serve it by itself or with strawberries, blueberries or whatever fruit you like.  It's pretty delicious.

Low Carb Lemon Cheesecake

3 packages Neufchatel cream cheese (room temperature)

4 eggs (preferably room temperature)

1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 and 1/3 cups sugar (or use cup for cup sugar alternative)

Crust:

1 cup almond meal (I like Bob’s Red Mill)

2 Tablespoon melted butter

2 Tablespoon sugar (or use cup for cup sugar alternative)

Preparation:

Heat oven to 375 F.
Combine ingredients for crust, and press into the bottom of a spring form pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown.
Lower oven to 350 F.

Put cream cheese in mixing bowl, and beat until fluffy. Add other ingredients, scraping the bowl and beaters each time (this is very important), fully incorporating each ingredient. When all ingredients are combined, scrape one more time, beat one more minute, and pour mixture into pan over crust.
Instructions for water bath: Wrap the bottom and sides of the spring form pan in foil, put it in a baking pan and pour boiling water around the sides. Bake at 350 F for 60 to 90 minutes, checking often. When the cake is firm to touch but slightly soft in the center, or the center reaches 155 F, remove from oven.

Easy Ground Beef recipes

Easy Ground Beef recipes....yummy!!

Salisbury Steak

1 ½ pounds ground beef

4 Tablespoons GF Worcestershire sauce

1 egg

3 Tablespoons GF bread crumbs - I love Schar

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup finely chopped onion

1 can of GF Cream of Mushroom Soup - I use the one below

Mix all ingredients together.  Make into 4 patties about 1 inch thick.  In a medium sized cover skillet brown both sides until brown.  Mix mushroom soup with ½ cup water.  Pour soup over steaks and cook for 30 minutes or until done. 

Easy Meatloaf

2 lb. lean ground beef

1 teaspoon gluten free GF Worcestershire sauce

½ cup finely chopped onion

¼ cup chopped green pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 ¼ cup catsup, divided

1 egg

3 Tablespoons gluten free bread crumbs

Oven 325

In a large mixing bowl; mix all ingredients.  Shape mixture into a loaf.  Cover top with remaining catsup and place into a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Bake at 325 for 90 minutes or until the center reaches 170 degrees.

Spanish Rice

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 Tablespoon chili powder

4 teaspoons cumin

1 cup long grained rice, uncooked

1 can fire roasted tomato’s

1 ½ cans water

2 cups cooked chicken or 1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained

In a large covered skillet or Dutch oven sauté onion and green bell pepper in olive oil over low heat until translucent.  Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add chili power, cumin, rice and tomatos’s and stir until mixed.  Add water and meat.  Cover and cook over low heat stirring frequently until all liquid is absorbed.

Lemon Rice - creamy risotto like goodness

Have any left over rice?  This is really good.  My ever picky husband loved it!

Lemon Rice

3 cups cooked GF white rice

1 cup GF chicken broth

½ stick butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

½ cup GF parmesan cheese

1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice

In a medium saucepan mix cooked rice and chicken broth over low heat until simmering.  Add remaining ingredients and continually stir until all liquid is absorbed and creamy.  Around 5 minutes.