French Toast

While we love French toast, it's a splurge for us because it requires special ingredients.  We do however indulge on occasion.  Here's a recipe that's simple (like pretty much all of my recipes), but is oh so delicious!  Use whatever bread or milk you're not allergic to.  However, if the milk isn't vanilla flavored add in a little vanilla flavoring.

French Toast

6 slices of bread (gluten free, dairy free, etc.)

1 egg

½ cup vanilla soymilk

1 tsp cinnamon

Heat non-stick griddle over medium heat.  Beat egg until it is a creamy yellow and then add in vanilla soymilk and cinnamon.  Put bread in mixture, making sure each side gets wet.  Place on griddle and cook each side until golden brown.

Egg Salad

A good way to use some of those extra Easter eggs!

Egg Salad

2 boiled eggs, diced

2 Tb mayonnaise (or plain yogurt)

½ tsp mustard

dash of paprika

salt and pepper, to taste

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mash together with a fork.  Serves 2.

Parsley Potatoes

We had a very nice Easter dinner today.  Everything was gluten and dairy free except for the stuffing, which I made for my husband - the Glutinator.  (I call him the Glutinator because he LOVES bread, and he always leaves a trail of crumbs.)  

The potatoes were very tender.  Next time I may even use the same recipe and then whip them into mashed potatoes, maybe add a little garlic.

Parsley Potatoes

2.5 lbs red potatoes

½ of a 14.5 oz can of chicken broth

2 Tb oil

1-2 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

pepper, to taste

Thoroughly scrub potatoes and cut into large chunks.  Combine all ingredients in crock pot.  Cook on low for about 6 hours.  Stir occasionally.

Tuna Salad

Tuna Salad is a really good lunch option.  I like to eat it on top of romaine lettuce.

If someone in your family has an egg allergy, omit the hard boiled eggs and substitute the mayo with plain yogurt.

Tuna Salad

12 oz tuna, approximately

½ cup mayonnaise

1-2 hard boiled eggs, diced

1-2 Tbs pickle relish

½ tsp ground mustard

½ tsp celery seed

Combine all ingredients.  Eat on sandwiches, crackers or even a salad.  Serves 6.

Chicken Chili

 We had this on Sunday when everyone was still feeling sick.  It was so delicious that I wish we were having it again tonight!

Chicken Chili

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks

2 cans white beans (Great Northern or Navy)

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp paprika

Combine all ingredients in crock pot.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high 2-3 hours.  Serves 4.  This recipe is easily doubled.

Maw Maw's Cornbread

Today I made chicken chili and cornbread.  The cornbread recipe is adapted from my grandma's.  Every summer I would go to Selma, AL to spend time with my grandma whom I admired and adored.  I wanted to be just like her - and I still try to live up to her example.  She left quite a legacy! 
She would make cornbread almost every day.  It was always something I would look forward to - cornbread and black-eyed peas!  It was a family recipe that had never been written down, so as a teenager I attempted to write it down one day as she cooked - which was interesting because she doesn't measure anything.  It was just a little of this, a little more of that, and it should make enough for dinner!  I wrote it down as best as I could and then made some adjustments, such as making it gluten and dairy free.  Here is the completed effort.
If you have an egg allergy, omit the egg.  It will be just fine, just maybe a little crumbly.

Maw maw’s Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal

¼ cup gluten free all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 egg

¾ cup soy, rice, almond or cow’s milk

1-2 Tbs oil

Preheat the oven to 450°.  Put oil in cast iron skillet or 1.5 quart casserole dish and heat in oven.  Mix together cornmeal, all-purpose gluten free flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix in the egg and milk.  Pour mixture into hot oil and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Makes enough for dinner.