#GlutenFree Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pretzel Snack Mix

Being Gluten Free does not mean that you need to deprive yourself. There are more and more Gluten Free items out there each and every day. However, I have noticed that there are a lot more treats ans in sweets available now than let's say 5 years ago. I feel that no mater if you are gluten sensitive, intolerant or if you have celiac disease it does not mean that it has to ruin your life. You can learn to go to peoples houses with your own snacks and treats. To be honest your host will probably welcome the idea. I let people know up front not to worry about Miss J. I will make sure she has plenty of snacks and treats and if we happen to be going for a BBQ or a Pizza party I make sure I call ahead to find out the menu. I next prepare her the same food at home so she doesn't feel left out. This way there are no cross contamination issues. 

So the other day we went to a a BBQ and the host said that she had made snack mix with Gluten Free Cereal. J was so excited. but prior to letting her have some of this snack mix I asked the host a couple of questions. What kind of pretzels are these? She said I don't know just regular old pretzels. So we decided to pass because if your host can't tell you exactly what's in it it's best to skip it. After we came home, I asked Miss J if she wanted me to make her some snack mix and yes she did. So here is my recipe for Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pretzel Snack Mix .

Gluten Free Peanut Butter & Chocolate Pretzel Snack Mix Ingredients:

1 bag of Chocolate Chips (processed in a Gluten Free Facility)
1 Cup Crunchy Peanut Butter (Gluten Free)
1 stick of butter
9 Cups of Gluten Free Cereal ( I used 3 Cups Cinnamon apple 3cups plain and 3 cups Honey Nut)
3 Cups Pretzels (Glutino Gluten Free Pretzels)
2 Cups of peanuts
1 1/2 cups of powder sugar

Equipment:

2 Sheet of Wax Paper
1 Supper Large Bowl
1 Medium Size Bowl (Microwave safe)
a pair of disposable gloves
2 cookies sheets

In a medium size add first 3 ingredients and place in microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high stiring each time 30 second is up.

It took about 3 times for mine to be creamy.

In a large bowl combined pretzels, peanuts and ceral.

Now it's time to put your gloves on but before you do that get your 2 cookie sheets out and place waz paper on each of them.

Next pour chocolate peanut butter mixture on pretzel mixture and make sure you have your gloves on and toss with hands.

After fully coated add powder sugar a little at a time while continually tossing.

After fully tossed place on cookie sheet in refrigerator for about a hour until completely set.

Makes about 12 (1) cup servings i.e. this bowl is 8 ounces.

Enjoy...

Sheila Fretz

#GlutenFree Rice Crispy Treat Brownies

The other day Miss J requested a special dish. She had been envisioning in her head for quite some time and she requested that we figure out a way to make it. So the two of us went into the kitchen and did just that and Gluten Free Rice Crispy Treat Brownies were created. I hope you enjoy these as much as we did and take them to your next tailgating event like we did. 

Gluten Free Rice Crispy Brownies Ingredients:

½ cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa 
1/8 cup aged Balsamic Vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Bourbon
3 eggs total ( 2 for chocolate mixture 1 for cheese mixture)
1/4 cup corn starch
3/4 cup Oat flour
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup granulated sugar
4 cups Mini Marshmello's
4 cups Rice Crispy's Gluten Free
1/4 cup butter
Cooking Spray

Equipment:
1 Pot
1 9 x9 (baking pan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a non stick pot melt butter then add cocoa powder and whisk together.

Next add sugar

Add  Balsamic Vinegar

Add Vanilla.

Take 2 eggs and whisk in a separate bowl add about 2 tablespoons chocolate mixture to temper then add back to chocolate mixture.

Next add Corn Starch and Oats.

Spray a 9x13" pan with cooking spray then pour in pan .

Next add about a cup of chocolate chips on top and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Wait about 10 minutes then start next step of rice crispy treats. by melting butter and adding marshmellos then gluten free rice crispies.

Next pour on top of brownies.

Then squish down with parchment paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Last garnish with melted chocolate (optional).

Enjoy and let me know what you think.


Sheila Fretz-

Fabulous Gluten Free Waffles

My Little Miss J, not so little anymore, loves her waffles, especially with whipped cream and strawberries. This is a recipe I have made over and over and over again, to be quite honest with you, I debated about not even sharing it because it’s so good I thought to myself what a great product this would be to manufacture. Then I thought for the lucky few who do print it out or save it you will be blessed with awesome waffles. My Mom always taught me if you don’t put it out into the universe, how will what ever you have wished for  know how to  find you. So for now I’m sharing my recipe for my fabulous Gluten Free Waffles. Who knows what tomorrow will bring but I hope it brings you everything that your hearts desire.

Fabulous Gluten Free Waffles Ingredients:
1 Stick of butter
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons brown rice flour.
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose gluten free flour.
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup of milk

Equipment
Cooking Spray
Waffle Iron

Heat waffle iron to medium setting,
Spray with Cooking spray

Melt butter in Large bowl in Microwave.

Add Both Flours, Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt and eggs and whisk together.

Now slowly add in Milk whisking together.

Now scoop about 1/4 to ½ cup of batter into heated waffle iron.

Wait for steam to stop then remove from waffle iron.

Serve with Whipped cream and Strawberries or Maple Syrup.

Gluten Free Blueberry Banana Bread French Toast

I love banana bread and I love to make it just to make the house smell good. Especially when the locations agent is coming to view my home for a commercial or a feature film or even a television show. Oliver Stone refers to my house as the banana bread house. Well the last couple of weeks we have had quiet a bit of locations agents looking at my home for jobs. Well because of this I have 4 loafs in my freezer so its time to make Blueberry Banana Bread  french toast.

Blueberry Banana Bread French Toast Ingredients:

1 egg
1 loaf of Blueberry Banana Bread  Sliced
1/2 cup Vanilla Coffee Mate
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon All Spice
1 teaspoon Butter for Griddle

Equipment:
1 Large Bowl
1 Whisk
A frying Pan or a grill





This is quick and easy and not super hard or fancy. Make Banana bread then slice in half inch slices.


Take one egg crack in Large Bowl and whisk until well blended add Coffee Mate and Milk plus Cinnamon and Allspice. Whisk together until well Blended

Next dip bread in egg mixture flipping being careful not to break. Heat frying pan or griddle add butter so will not stick .Cook until golden on low then flip.



TIP OF THE DAY: Make sure Eggs are completely cooked through! Do to salmonella being in the news I really want to stress that you need to make sure that your eggs are completely cooked!!! I like to put my french toast inside the oven after I cook it for 20 minutes at 250 degrees. This way my bacon or sausage is hot when I serve and my fruit is freshly cut.

Serve w/ Blueberries and or fresh fruit.

Strawberry Shortcake Gluten Free

How was your Valentines with you loved ones, well mine was fabulous as usual. We had T-bone Steaks with fresh asparagus and creamed corn and it was all so yummy. For dessert I created this new dessert for Valentines day for my Hubby and Miss J. As I explained in my previous post about Valentines, it was the girl’s year. Let us see what the hubby does next year.

Plus we have a giveaway going on with Cornaby's Fruitivia  to enter go here

1 cup Gluten free Bisquick
½ cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter cubed
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package Cornaby’s Fruitiva
Pastry Sugar or granulated sugar
6 cups sliced strawberries
2 Cups Whipped cream
Granulated sugar for dusting prior to baking

1 Cookie Sheet
1 liner of silpat or parchment paper


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Sift together Bisquick, powdered sugar

and cubed butter and use either a pastry knife or hands,  and mash together until a crumble mixture form.

Next add milk, then add eggs and vanilla mix together

lastly folding in Fruitiva

Take an ice scream scoop and scoop out 9 shortcakes place on a cookie sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper.

Dust with Granulated sugar

Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Let cool.

When ready to serve slice in half horizontally,

placing whipped cream on shortcake then strawberries repeating one more time.

Serve immediately.



Enjoy

Sheila -

A Cake made out of Cupcakes

Do you ever wonder how you make a cupcake cake? Well that was just my job the last week of school. Miss J had to do a report on the 1st dinosaur ever and she signed up to make a cake. Well at Miss J’s school that means you bring everything from the serving piece to the sharp knife plus all of the plates napkins and forks for 35 kids plus two teachers. Now I do not mind bringing all of that however.  I do want my stuff back! That’s the part that I am never sure I am going to get to happen. So my answer to this problem is sending cupcakes and Ice like a cake.

I baked Gluten Free Cupcakes by Betty Crocker but instead of adding the oil or butter I always substitute with apple sauce. This way they are really moist and it was really cute a lot of the Moms know I love to bake and cook and they thought I made from scratch and a couple moms came to me for the recipe when I explained it was Betty Crocker Gluten Free they were quiet surprised.

Take cupcakes and arrange in six rows of seven cupcakes each.

Fill up a 16" icing bag with icing.

Next use Tip 789 By Wilton it is a basket weaving tip but it really gets everything together.

Make stripes of icing over cupcakes first going vertical

Next Ice Horizontal then smooth all out.

Now its time to decorate. I find easiest way is to photo copy a picture in book then cut around picture of shape.

Next place on cake then outline with toothpick,

then outline toothpick with colored icing.  I used a pre purchased Wilton Icing.

Last we filled in picture with sugar crystals.

This was  such a fun project to do with Miss J.  I hope you enjoy decorating a cake with your kids as much as we do.

Enjoy

Sheila Fretz

Breakfast with Miss J

Do you ever cook with your kids. I think it is something we all should do weather the food is fabulous or NOT. How else are your little ones going to learn? We all have to start somewhere?

The other morning Miss J got up and she was in the mood to cook. I had already cut up fruit the night before and I knew we had sausage in the freezer. So I said what do you want to make the answer was a quick Eggs & Sausage so she quickly jumped off the couch and got started.

First Step remove frozen breakfast sausage from freezer and make sure it's gluten free . Place in Pan with Wax Paper attached to sausage wax paper side up and cover with a lid .

Do not try to remove until the steam builds up ten it will be easy.

Cook Sausage on low for about 20 minutes turning frequently. Placing on a paper towel to drain off grease then in oven to keep warm.

When complete wipe off extra fat and place about a teaspoon of butter in the pan.

Next Miss J asked me, “What kid of eggs can I make you?”. I stated “Over Easy” Miss J  said “What’s that?” I said “It’s the eggs with the runny inside for dipping!” Miss J said, “Well I’ll try to make those kind but my egg cracking skills are not that good yet!”

So she made the eggs by placing the raw eggs in a pan breaking all 3 yolks not on purpose but they still tasted good!

She toasted a gluten free bagel with fresh fruit on the side.

Thanks J for making me a fabulous breakfast that tasted delicious

Love Ya Miss J

Mom