#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

Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

Here is  a quick  recipe using  Cornaby’s Fruitiva I just love this new creation by Cornaby’s it is just enough sweetness and yumminess to brighten up any dessert. So today we have a Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake brownie to share with you. I am sure you will love this. I know we did.

Raspberry Cheesecake 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
1/4 cup corn starch
3/4 cup Almond flour
1/4 cup All purpose Gluten free flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups cream cheese
1/2 cup powder sugar
2 cup Raspberries
2 oz package of Cornaby’s lemon Raspberry Fruitivia spread.
2 Tablespoons Ultra Gel
Cooking Spray

Equipment:
1 Pot
1 9 x13 (baking pan)
1 spatula
hand mixer
Large bowl


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.

Whisk eggs with a little chocolate mixture in a separate bowl add about 2 tablespoons chocolate mixture to temper then add back to chocolate mixture.

Next add Corn Starch and Almond flour and Gluten Free All Purpose flour  and baking powder whisk together then set aside.

In a large bowl beat Cream Cheese, Powder Sugar and Fruitiva then mix with mixer until creamy.

Next fold in Raspberries then add ultra powder gel. Folding in.

Then place on top of cooked brownie mixture, then place in refrigerator over night.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit


Sheila-

Bruschetta Goat Cheese Panini's

 

 

Who's ready for the Super Bowl I know I always like to build a Panini Bar with a variety of meats and cheeses and then some sliders with a couple of dips, and then have the guests bring deserts This is one of my  quick and easy, go to recipes, and you will be in and out of the kitchen in 5 min, including clean up!

TIP Of The Day: If you do not own a Panini Press Take a brick and cover with foil and place on top of sandwich. Works the same Way as a Panini Machine. In addition to you can use your George Foreman cooking Machine they are pretty much the same.

1 Sandwich
Bruschetta Goat Cheese Panini’s Ingredients:
Gluten Free French Bread  2 Slices 1/2 inch thick I make the Glutino Mix
2 Tablespoons Goat Cheese
1 Tablespoon Tomato Bruschetta
Butter (Optional)

Take Some Gluten Free French Bread and Cut ½ inch Slices

Next Take goat cheese spread on Gluten Free Bread
Last take Tomato Bruschetta and spread on top of goat cheese.
Optional Butter Outside of Gluten FreeBread
Place in Panini in Panini Machine and cook for about 1-2 min or in Frying Pan on Medium Heat for 1 min each side.




Bon Appetite!

Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

# Gluten Free Holiday Granola

What will you make for your family for Christmas. I know we all have less than 24 hours so. Here's a great and easy Gluten Free Fabulous Granola .

Twas the Night Before Christmas and all through the House not a cook was cooking not even a mousse. The granola was baking in the oven with care, In hopes that the grand chef would soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of cookies and candies danced in their heads; And mama in her 'apron, and I in my chef hat, Had just settled down for a long night of making Christmas treats for family and friends...........Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night 

Holiday Granola

12 cups of gluten free cereal w/ raisins and almonds
9 cups of gluten free old fashion oats
3 cup of chopped pecans
3 cup sliced almonds
1 ½ cups of Honey
3/4 cups canola oil
1 cup cranraisins
1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup golden raisins



Equipment:
cooking spray
parchment paper
3 12 x 17 cookie sheets

Preheat oven to 225 degrees on convection. If you do not have convection oven cook 25 degrees higher!!

In a very large bowl place cereal, oats, pecans, almonds mix together.

Next in a saucepan boil canola oil and honey then drizzle over Cereal mixture folding cereal until evenly coated with honey mixture.

Next divide into 3 equal portions on 3 parchment lined and sprayed with cooking spray cookie sheets.

Place in oven for 1 hour and a half turning every 15 minutes so it will not clump together. After it has come out of oven and cooled a little add dried fruit.

Make 3 Large gifts for family and friends.

Enjoy and have a happy Holiday.

Sheila

#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-

The Desert Where a lot of Vegetables are grown except Tomatoes and Capresi Salad

So the other day a dear friends and neighbors of mine asked me to stop buy. I had just gotten home from the Coachella Valley , Palm Springs to La Quinta then back to Los Angeles after 3 days in the desert  and on top of all that the High was 122 and the low was 92 and raining. Did you know that they grow a lot of different fruits and vegetables out in the desert like table grapes, citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit; onions and leeks; and peppers. The Coachella Valley grows alfalfa, artichokes, avocados, beans, beets, cabbage, carrots, corn, cotton, cucumbers, dandelions (salad greens), eggplant, figs, grains (i.e. barley, oats, rye and wheat; plus rice fields kept wet or moist in the Salton Sea area), hops, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, nectarines and peaches, persimmons, plums and prunes, pomegranate, potatoes, radishes, spinach, strawberries, sugar cane, tomatoes, a variety of herbs and spices, and other vegetable crops.

So by the time I got home I was exhausted. So I asked my friends if it could wait and they said NO! So even though they live 5 houses away, I drove to their home. Which I was happy I did because look what I was lucky enough to score! These beautiful Tomatoes that were born not in the Coachella Valley but in Camarillo, California at Houweling's Tomatoes in  the County of Ventura.   Where they also grow a variety of fruits and vegetables including celery, tomatoes,  blueberries, raspberries strawberries and a lot of other fruits and vegetables just to highlight a few. My friend Scott visited there farm and see what they were up to plus bring back a wealth of tomatoe knowledge and shared some of it with me. Like did you know that in a green house you can grow a variety of tomatoes 52 weeks a year. 

So This week with my abundance of Tomatoes I'm going to share a couple recipes that are quick and easy and include these beautiful tomatoes.

Capresi Salad Ingredients:

3 to 4 Tomatoes thinly sliced of your choice

Fresh Mozerella thinly sliced

Fresh Basil chopped 

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Balsamic Glaze (optional)

    

Slice Tomatoes

   

Next place a varied amount of colors on a plate.

Then cover with Freshly sliced Mozerella cheese and fresh basil and drizzle either olive oil of Balsamic glaze 

Enjoy

Sheila Fretz

Runaway Raspberry Muffins

As you know Miss J has a gluten intolerance problem so no matter where we go. I always make a breakfast or snack treat to have with us on our travels. So the other day I thought that i would make some Raspberry Scones so I started to make them like the Strawberry Shortcake Gluten Free that I made for Valentines Day. I thought about all of the ingredients needed and was starting to make these fabulous muffins with Miss J and I realized a huge error had been made. we added way to much milk so I shifted my idea into muffins and we created this fabulous recipe. You see everything has a purpose and sometimes mess ups are the best! 

Runaway Raspberry Muffins Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Bisquick

1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar

1/3 cup cubed butter

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons Raspberry Jam

1 cup frozen Raspberry 

Muffin Tins

Cupcake liners

Preheat the oven to 350 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

 Add the jam and fold in.

 Add Frozen berries

Now place papers in muffin tins then place about 1/3 cup in each tin.

 Make sure there are no air bubbles by lightly banging  on counter.

Serve warm or cold your choice.

Hope you are having a nice Passover or had a Happy Easter Weekend.


Sheila-