Gluten Free Lasagna (Grain Free Option!)

Everyone has their favorite lasagna recipe and their little tricks or secrets to make it "just right". Today I'm sharing mine with you! 

Something you have to understand; when I cook, I tend to just throw ingredients together and hope it tastes good. But lately I've been making an effort to make notes and write down what I do so I can share it with you - (once the kinks have been worked out of course.)

That being said, this lasagna recipe is very customizable! Use gluten free lasagna noodles, use wheat lasagna noodle, use cooked spaghetti squash in place of the noodles! It's your choice! (Side note; if you're going for a lower calorie/carb option definitely go with the spaghetti squash. 20 calories per 1 cup and low in carb count too!)

Carrots // Fresh Food Friday

Wednesday, we picked our row of carrots from the garden. There wasn't as many as I had hoped but that's the way it is with gardening. Sometimes it grows and sometimes it doesn't. :)

But when it does the results are delicious!

-'- Jewel 

Bacon Macaroni & Cheese

I found this recipe in an issue of Midwest Living magazine. 

Naturally, I didn't have all the ingredients so I improvised.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return pasta to hot pan; cover to keep warm. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, turning once. 

Drain bacon on paper towels, reserving bacon drippings in skillet. Crumble and set aside.

Cook onion and garlic in bacon drippings over medium heat for 30 seconds. 

Stir in flour, mustard, pepper and oregano.

Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; reduce heat.

Add bacon, cheddar, swiss, and cream cheese; cook and stir until almost melted.

Pour cheese sauce over the cooked pasta. Transfer mixture to an ungreased to 2-quart rectangular baking dish; cover with foil. Bake in a 350˚ degrees oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a clean, large skillet. Stir in brown sugar; add pear slices. Cook, turning occasionally, until pears are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Remove foil from the baking dish. Spoon the remaining pear slices atop macaroni and cheese. 

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

¡Enjoy!

~Kimberly

Helps in making Drop Cookies

Grandma Recipe Box: Drop Cookies Hints

 

 

This is a follow up on our recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies, as we said before chocolate chip cookies are a "drop cookie" because you drop the cookie onto the pan. Here is a few helps Betty Crocker gives for any drop cookie recipe!

 

 

"Oooops! Watch that spread!

To prevent drop cookies from spreading, chill dough, peak it up and be sure the oven temperature is correct."

 

"Helps in making Drop Cookies: Push dough onto baking sheet, being careful to peak it up. Most cooky recipes have enough shortening so that an ungreased sheet is used. However, if called for, grease sheet very lightly.

 

Test for doneness: The surface will be delicately browned and the imprint of a finger will show slightly when this kind of cooky is given the finger test."

 

I tried each of these on the chocolate chip cookies for the post...they work! I will never ever make another batch without using them. (For the chilling I put the batter in the freezer while the oven heated.)

 

-'- Jewel

 

 



Snapshots: Food Photography


 

I have been working on my photography, one of the areas is Food Photography...



The perfect moment arrived to practice when my Mom asked me to watch the banana bread she had put in the oven. When it was done I did what any self-respecting person would do. I ate some! ...after I took some photos, tried different angles and cut it.

 

 

 

 

If you are working on (or want to start), here's a couple of articles that I enjoyed reading and learning from:

 

Nikon: Tips For Making Tempting Food Photos

 

A Beautiful Mess: Tips For Food Photography

 

5 Tips For Taking Better Food Photos When You Travel

 

-'- Jewel

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grandma's Recipe Box: Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

From the "Betty Crocker Cooky Wise" booklet

 

 

(Chocolate Chip Cookies are "drop cookies" because you "drop" the batter onto the pan.

Brilliant, I know.)

 

 

Mix the following ingredients thoroughly... 

2/3 cup soft shortening (part butter) - we used all butter

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar (packed)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla
 

 

 Stir together and blend in…

1 ½ cups Gold Medal Flour (for a softer more rounded cookie, use 1 3/4 cups flour)

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt
 

Stir in…

½ cup cut-up nuts (optional)

½ pkg. (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate pieces (about 1 ¼ cups)

 

 

Drop rounded teaspoons about 2” apart on un-greased baking sheet. Bake until delicately browned; cookies should still be soft. Cool slightly before removing for baking sheet.

Temperature: 375 F.

Time: Bake 8-10 min.

Amount: 4 to 5 dozen 2” cookies

 
Enjoy this delicious recipe! We did! ;)

-'- Jewel

Grandma's Recipe Box

 

We are so excited to announce a new series "Grandma's Recipe Box"!

 

Our Grandma gave us a bunch of her old recipes, some are cut from newspapers or magazines. Others are booklets straight from flour or baking soda companies. Some are scribbled on the backs of old junkmail.

The first recipe will be coming soon; with pictures of course :)

Chocolate Cupcakes!!

Okay, I'm going to take a moment here and brag on my sister Kimberly:

She makes some of the BEST chocolate cupcakes ever; you cannot have just one!

Unless, of course, you have amazing self control...which... I don't.



 

She adds Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips...maybe this is why I love them so much.

 

 

(Shh! Don't tell anyone but I ate a few chips before she chopped them!)



 

Jealous yet??



 

 

They looked (and tasted amazing); so perfect with a cup/mug/glass/tumbler/jar/straight-from-the-jug (whichever you prefer) of milk.

 

The delightful cup of cakey goodness deserved it's very own photo shoot.

 

 

(The white chair was a $3 Goodwill find. Our youngest sister TaMera found it and bought it; a thrifter in the making!)

 

 

I started out with the white tea cup (below) but didn't like how the milk seemed to blend in. In the end, I used the green mug but it still deserved an honorary mention!

 

 

 

-'- Jewel