GF Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

** Recipe from Gluten Free Cooking School **

* 1 c. sugar

* 1 c. peanut butter
* 1 large egg

* 1/4 - 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Mix sugar, peanut butter and egg together until thoroughly combined. Stir in chocolate chips and refrigerate for 15 min. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet. If you put plenty of space between them then they are less likely to run together.  Bake at 350 for about 15 min. (but it may take more).  The will be slightly browned, but still soft when they are done.  Let them cool for a few min. before removing them from the cookie sheet and they will harden up a bit. 

Hot & Easy Gluten Free Yeast Rolls

** Recipe from Gluten Free Cooking School **

* 12 oz. (2 2/3 c.) GF AP flour mix (made with sorghum)

* 12  - 18 oz. water
* 2 tsp. salt
* 1 1/2 Tbl. oil
* 1 Tbl. xanthan gum
* 1 Tbl. active dry yeast
* 1 Tbl. sugar

Heat oven to 375.  Mix the sugar & yeast into 12 oz. of warm water and set aside to proof. Mix flour & salt in a mixing bowl, then add in oil & proofed yeast. Mix dough well, (2 min. w/ mixer), then gradually add in remaining 6 oz. of water. When dough is the right consistency it will be very smooth & shiny, but will still want to crawl up your mixer blades.  Divide dough into 12 greased ramekins or muffin tins. Smooth the top of the dough down and let the rolls rise until they reach the top of the dish.  Bake until brown on top. They'll also sound hollow when you tap on them. 

** For those of you who are corn free, use tapioca starch, almond flour and guar gum for the xanthan gum. Probably will only need 12 oz. of water.

Crock Pot Maple Ham

** Recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking **

* 7-8 lb. bone-in spiral-cut ham

* 1 c. dk. brown sugar

* 1/2 c. all natural maple syrup

* 2 c. pineapple juice

Using a 6-7 qt. slow cooker:  Unwrap the ham, and discard flavor packet. Place it into your slow cooker, flat-side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hrs. If possible, baste ham with collected juice from the bottom of the crock an hr. or so before serving. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board for 15-20 min. before carving.

20-40 Clove Garlic Chicken

** Recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking **

* 3-4 lbs. chicken
* 1 lg. onion (or 2 sm.), sliced
* 1 Tbl. olive oil
* 2 tsp. kosher salt
* 2 tsp. paprika 
* 1 tsp. pepper
* 20-40 garlic cloves, peeled, but intact

For a 6 qt. oval slow cooker: Place onion slices on the bottom of slow cooker. In a lg. mixing bowl, toss chicken parts with olive oil, salt, paprika, pepper, and all of the garlic cloves. Pour into slow cooker, on top of the onion.  Do not add water.  Cover & cook on low for 6-8 hrs, or on high for 4-6. (Or cook chicken on low for 7 hours, then keep it on warm for 2.)  The longer you cook chicken-on-the-bone, the more tender it will be. If you use drumsticks, the ones on the side will brown and may stick to the sides of the crock, burning a bit. If this bothers you, you can rearrange them with tongs an hour before serving. 

Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon French Toast

**  Recipe from The Sisters Cafe **

* 1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread cut in 8 slices (or you could use any store bought cinnamon swirl bread w/o raisins)

* 8 eggs

* 3 c. milk

* 1 Tbl. brown sugar

* 3/4 tsp. salt

* 1 Tbl. vanilla

* 2 Tbl. butter

Heat oven to 350.  Butter a 9 x 13 glass baking dish generously. Place the bread flat in the baking dish. Mix all remaining ingredients, reserving the butter and pour over the bread. Cut butter into pieces and dot over the top. Refrigerate over night or at least one hour (an hour is plenty, and you probably won't need all the egg mixture). Bake 45-50 min.  Serves 8.

Kneaders Caramel Syrup

* 1 c. brown sugar

* 1 c. heavy whipping creme 

* 1 c. light Karo syrup 

Blend together and heat on stove top until sugar is smooth. Serve warm.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

**  Recipe from The Sisters Cafe **

* 3 whole chicken breasts, bonesless, skinless
* 1 lb. thinly sliced ham
* 16 oz. swiss cheese (could use 8 oz. sliced package-just cut the slices in half)
* 8 oz. cream cheese
* 2 1/2 c. hot water (or chicken broth)
* 3 Tbl. granulated chicken bouillon (if using broth omit this)
* 1/2 c. white cooking wine
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 tsp. pepper
* 1/2 c. butter (may use a little less if desired)
* 3 c. seasoned dry bread crumbs
* toothpicks

Heat oven to 350. Slice each chicken breast in half, cutting down the middle. Divide each half cutting through diagonally from side to side into three very thin pieces. Between two sheets of wax paper (or inside one gallon sized ziploc bag) tenderize the pieces on both sides using a meat mallet. Cut the swiss cheese into 1/2" x 2" cubes. Lay the chicken flat, place a slice of ham on the chicken and a cheese cube. Roll up chicken with ham and cheese, pierce with a toothpick through the middle to hold its shape. Place each chicken roll side by side in a 9 x 13" pan. If there is excess cheese, cut into cubes and place in the pan between the rolls of chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken. In blender combine cream cheese, water, bouillon and cooking wine, puree. Pour the sauce over the chicken rolls. Toss bread crumbs in melted butter and spread over chicken and sauce.  Cover with foil & bake 45-55 min. Makes 18 rolls.

Lucious Lemon Poke Cake

 

** Recipe from Kraft **

* 2 baked round white cake layers (9"), cooled

* 2 c. boiling water

* 1 pkg. (6 oz.) or 2 pkg. (3 oz. ea.) lemon flavor gelatin

* 1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) lemon flavor instant pudding

* 1 c. cold milk

* 3 c.  thawed whipped topping

PLACE cake layers, top-sides up, in 2 clean 9" round pans. Pierce cakes with large fork at 1/2" intervals.  ADD boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Carefully pour over cake layers. Refrigerate 3 hrs.  BEAT pudding mix & milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min.; stir in whipped topping. Dip 1 cake pan in warm water 10 sec.; unmold onto plate. Spread with about 1 c. pudding mixture. Unmold second cake layer; carefully place on first cake layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining pudding mixture. Refrigerate 1 hr.

Easter Basket Cookies

** Recipe from Better at Home **

* 1 pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix

* 1 Tbl. all-purpose flour

* 1/3 c. butter or margarine, softened

* 1 egg

* 1 bottle (2.25 oz) pink or blue colored sugar

* 1 container (12 oz) whipped fluffy white frosting

* 2 c. flaked coconut

* food colors

* assorted jelly beans

* pipe cleaners

* 1/4-inch pastel ribbon (if desired)

Heat oven to 375° F. Grease or spray 32 miniature muffin cups. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, butter and egg until dough forms.  Roll dough into 32 (1 1/4-inch) balls; roll in colored sugar. Place balls in muffin cups.  Bake 12-15 min. or until set & edges are light golden brown.  Cool in pan 10 min. then remove to cooling racks.  Add coconut to a 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add 3 to 4 drops food color and shake until well blended. It may be necessary to add 1 to 2 teaspoons water to help disperse the color evenly or additional food color until desired color is reached.  Frost top of each cookie. Decorate with colored coconut and jelly beans. Tie a small ribbon bow on 5-inch piece of pipe cleaner; insert into each basket for handle.

Outrageous Strawberry Pie

** Recipe from Better at Home **

* 1 c. boiling water
*  2/3 c. 99% Fat Free creamy strawberry or creamy vanilla yogurt (from 2-lb container)
* 1 1/4 c. Chex® cereal
* 1 1/4 c. small pretzel twists (use GF pretzels for a GF pie!!)
* 1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
* 1 1/2 c.  sliced fresh strawberries
* 1 c. fat-free whipped topping
* 4 medium fresh strawberries, cut in half

In medium bowl, pour boiling water on gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in yogurt until melted and smooth. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hr. 30 min. or until thickened but not set.  Meanwhile, heat oven to 350. Place cereal and pretzels in food-storage plastic bag; crush with rolling pin to make 1 1/2 c. In small bowl, stir crushed cereal mixture and melted butter until well mixed. Press mixture firmly in bottom of ungreased 9" glass pie plate. Bake about 10 min. or until crust is light golden brown. Set aside to cool.  Beat gelatin mixture on high, 7-8 min. or until doubled in volume. Fold in sliced strawberries; pour over crust. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hr. or until firm.  To serve, cut pie into wedges. Top with whipped topping and strawberry halves. Refrigerate any remaining pie.

Apricot Chicken

** Recipe from Ready Set Eat **

* 2 Tbl. canola oil
* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 breasts = 1 lb)
* 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
* 1-1/3 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 c. apricot preserves
* 1 Tbl. cornstarch
 

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with Italian seasoning. Add to skillet and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until no longer pink in centers (165°F), turning once.  Stir together all remaining ingredients in small bowl until well blended. Gradually add to chicken in skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly.

Lemon-Cream Cheese Cupcakes

 

** Recipe from Kraft **

* 1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix

* 1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) lemon flavor instant pudding

* 1 c. water

* 4 egg whites

* 2 Tbl. oil

* 1 pkg.  (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

* 1/4 c. butter, softened

* 2 Tbl. lemon juice

* 1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar  

HEAT oven to 350.  BEAT first 5 ingredients in large bowl with mixer on low speed until moistened. (Batter will be thick.) Beat on medium speed 2 min. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

BAKE 21-24 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
 
For frosting:  BEAT cream cheese, butter and juice with mixer until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended. Spread onto cupcakes.