This dish got RAVE reviews from my family, BUT with that being said it’s a spicy dish. A really spicy dish, my guys love spice and even Robby asked me to tame it just slightly for next time! The recipe called for 1 Tablespoon of chili powder so I will back it down to 1/2 Tablespoon and go from there, I will also remove the seeds from the jalapeño. This is great served over rice but I decided I would give the boys the option of rice or mashed potatoes for a change of pace. Both guys said they preferred the dish with mashed potatoes.
I made this in the crockpot for an easy day of cooking!

INGREDIENTS

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Jalapeño, sliced and seeds removed if desired
2 cloves of garlic , chopped
2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken, I used chicken breasts but thighs would be great too
16 ounce can of tomato sauce
7 ounce can of chipotle in adobo sauce
1/2 Tablespoon or up to 1 Tablespoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Season your chicken with salt and pepper and place them in your slow cooker.
Heat oil in a pan to medium heat and add the diced onion and jalapeño, cook them just until soft. About five minutes. Then add them into the slow cooker with the chicken.
Add the tomato sauce, the chipotle in Adobe sauce into a blender and blend until smooth, add the seasonings and mix again. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook on low for 3 hours or high for 2 hours until the chicken is tender.
When the chicken is cooked through shred the chicken, this can be done right in the slow cooker with two forks.
Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!

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I mentioned in yesterday’s post that I made a simple salad dressing and salad for our New Years Eve dinner this is it! This is the salad dressing that is commonly served at your Japanese steakhouse or your local Asian Restaurant. It’s sweet and a touch sour and packed with vegetables. This would be a great way to get some extra veggies into you as it’s all very finely processed so no one is any wiser that all those carrots and celery are in there! I served this over a super simple salad of crisp iceberg lettuce and off the vine diced tomato’s.

This comes together really easy and can be made a day ahead as I did. I actually did much of the work for this dinner the day before. We were spending some time with friends so it worked out great. This recipe makes a lot, next time I will cut it in half.

NOTE- I’m going to be taking a small amount of time off to do some work on the backside of the blog. I need to update a few recipes that I have not had time to do, it should not take me too long and I’ll be back with some more family favorite recipes!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup diced vidallia onion
6 Tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
2/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 water
2 Tablespoons ketchup
2 1/2 Tablespoons lite soy sauce
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
1 cup peanut oil

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor place the onions, ginger, celery, carrots and garlic and process until the vegetables are fine and grainy.
Add the vinegar, water, ketchup, soy sauce, agave, lemon juice, salt and pepper and pulse a few more times.
With the food processor running add the oil in a steady stream. When you are finished putting in the oil stop the processor. The mixture should be loose.
Serve over salad and store in the fridge.

Enjoy!

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For many, many years now I have been making my own Chinese food for New Years Eve. I keep it very simple but this year I added a couple new recipes to my usual fried rice and egg rolls. I added as Asian ginger salad dressing to a simple salad along with the recipe I’m sharing today the Boneless Chinese Ribs. When our daughter Amanda was little she would always call them the “red things” so anytime we got Chinese take out we always made sure to order the red things for her! I think she still calls them that to this day!

This was my first time making them at home and I did make a couple changes to keep them gluten free for Robby and I did NOT add the food coloring to the sauce that gives them that red color that we all know. I can say this was super simple to make and we all enjoyed them. They are not quite the same as what you get from your favorite take out place but a great at home option.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 pounds boneless pork loin or boneless spare ribs. I used the loin
1/3 cup lite soy sauce
1/3 cup Hoisin sauce, I used gluten free but any will work
1/4 cup fry red wine
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of Chinese five spice
2 drops natural red food coloring, optional

DIRECTIONS

Thinly slice the pork into strips about 3 inches long and place in a large disposable plastic bag.
Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl until well combined and pour the marinade into the bag with the pork and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least four hours or up-to over night.
When ready to cook pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with tin foil and top with a baking rack.
Place the pork slices on top reserving the marinade. Depending on the size of your pork slices bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Add the reserved marinade into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Remove from heat.
When the pork is cooked through remove the pan from the oven and pour the sauce over the pork. Move the oven rack to the top portion of the oven and turn the oven to broil.
Put the pan back into the oven for just a couple minutes to get some of those crispy edges and the sauce carmalized. Keep an eye on them during this part as they will burn quickly. Remove from oven and serve.

Enjoy!

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Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday. The first recipe I am giving you for the New year became a family favorite Very quickly, so much so that both Jim and Robby have requested it again for next week! I’m not going to argue with them as I loved them as much as they did! The meatballs balls are light and the sauce is a party in your mouth. I was originally making these as an appetizer but then decided to serve them over rice as that has been one of Robbys favorite things lately. I don’t mind making rice anymore as I just bought a new little Black and Decker rice machine that I absolutely love. I bought it on Amazon for under $20.00 and I have gotten my money back on it already. If you serve them as an appetizer or main course I think your family will be just as happy as mine.

NOTE- I made this a second time using ground Turkey and the results are delicious! We loved this so much the first time so this time I doubled the meatball portion of the recipe BUT kept the sauce recipe as is. The sauce recipe makes plenty of sauce even when doubling the meatballs!

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE MEATBALLS

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 rolled oats , I used Bob’s red mill Gluten free, any will work
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup Vidalia onion, chopped
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Dash of Worcestershire sauce

FOR THE SAUCE

1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 barbecue sauce-I use a sweet BBQ sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup white vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the ground beef,oats, onions, egg, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined but don’t over work the beef.

Using a small scoop or 2 Tablespoons at time roll the meat mixture into balls and place in a baking dish. Roll until all of the meat mixture has been used.

In a medium size bowl mix together all of the sauce ingredients until well combined. Pour over the meatballs and bake uncovered. Depending on the size of your meatballs cooking times can vary. My meatballs took 30 minutes. (I made about 20 meatballs) remove from oven when cooked through and serve as an appetizer or over cooked rice.

Enjoy!

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Christmas is over and we are all onto the New Year! I hope everyone had a relaxing and delicious Holiday as I know we did. We still have some activities planned with friends before the new year but it’s been nice to sit back and enjoy the season! This will be my last post before the New Year so I am wishing all of you a new year full of fun, joy, good health and delicious dishes!

If you are gluten free you know how hard it is to find any kind of good bread, biscuit or roll. I have made attempts at making bread with little success but this dinner roll recipe comes out great each and every time. I make these for all of the Holidays for Robby now.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups gluten free all purpose flour …I use bob’s one for one that includes xantham gum. If your flour does not have xanthan gum you will need to add 1 1/2 teaspoons to your flour mix.

1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoons rapid/instant yeast. I use Fleischmann’s brand
1 1/4 cups warm milk(110~115 degrees) I use fairlife milk
1/4 ups salted butter-I use Earth Balance, softened
2 eggs room temperature
1/2 cup of honey
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of course sea salt

DIRECTIONS

I make this in my kitchen aide mixer with a dough hook but can easily be done In a Large bowl.

In a large bowl add the gluten free flour, salt, xanthan gum if using be sure not to add it if your flour already contains it.
Add the yeast into the GF flour by making a little well with your fingers in the flour and pour the yeast in the center of the well.
Warm the milk to 110 degrees- 115 degrees. I microwave the milk for about 1 minute 15 seconds the. Check the temperature with a quick read thermometer. If the milk is too hot it will kill the yeast.
Pour the warm milk over the yeast.
Add the softened butter, eggs, apple cider vinegar and honey to the bowl and mix until fully combined. 2-3 minutes. You may need to scape the bottom and sides of the bowl to be sure all of the flour is combined.
The dough will be sticky.

Spray a nine inch pie pan/cake pan with gluten free cooking spray.
Using an ice cream scoop sprayed with non stick spray place the dough balls around the pan and one in the center. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Pre heat your oven to 400 degrees.

Just before baking remove towel and brush the melted butter over the tops of the dough and sprinkle with a good pinch of sea salt . Bake the rolls on the middle rack for 14-16 minutes. They will be a nice golden brown but I do check mine early as my oven runs hot. You can check them with an instant read thermometer as the internal temp should be at 200 degrees.

Best when eaten warm but can be stored in an airtight container. Can be re heated in microwave for oven.

Enjoy!

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