Pizza Lasagna

A twist on regular old lasagna and a hit with the kids.







12 lasagna noodles*
Amounts are to your preference, just dont go overboard or it wont hold together well
Pepperoni
Italian Sausage, crumbled and cooked
Red and Green Bell Peppers
or any other "pizza" toppings that you enjoy

3 cups pizza sauce, homemade or jarred**(more or less for your "sauciness" preference
1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 TB parsley
2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

1 lb mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

* no need to cook the noodles first(and not just "no-boil" ones either)! Just dip them in hot water before layering and pour about 1/3 cup water around the edges before putting in the oven, and again in the middle of the cook time if the edges look dry.

Combine ricotta, egg, parsley, oregano salt and pepper, mix well and set aside.....(I actually added a handful of baby spinach and blended it all up in my food processor for an extra hidden nutritional boost)

Mix tomatoes into pizza sauce, simmer for 20 minutes.

In the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan place a scoop of pizza sauce, spread to cover the bottom. Layer 4 lasagna  noodles, spread on 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 the toppings, 1/3 the mozzarella cheese and a 1/3 the remaining sauce.
Repeat layers ending with the last of the sauce and mozzarella and top with Parmesan cheese.
Cover with a piece of foil that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray.




Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour, uncover and bake 15 minutes more until golden brown and bubbly.
Allow to stand for 15 minutes for easier slicing.


**
Pizza Sauce:
3 1/2 cups tomato sauce(2-15oz cans)
1 TB dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2-1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
dash of onion powder
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 TB sugar

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Heat the sauce until it starts to bubble, then turn the heat down and simmer, covered for 30 to 60 minutes, until it reaches the thickness you desire. Remove and discard bayleaf



This freezes beautifully. To freeze before cooking you should pre-boil the noodles though. To freeze after cooking, just cool completely, slice and wrap well.
defrost overnight.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes

Yummy breakfast treat full of vitamin A.










1 cup brown rice flour
3 TB tapioca starch
1/3 cup potato starch
1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 TB pumpkin pie spice*
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 TB oil
1 cup milk(plus or minus for thinner or thicker pancakes)

1 cup cinnamon chips(optional)

In a bowl combine all dry ingredients well.











In another bowl combine pumpkin, eggs, oil and 1/2 cup milk.
Mix into dry ingredients and add remaining milk to desired consistency.
Fold in chips if using.








Pour by 1/4-1/3 cupfuls onto hot , lightly greased griddle. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown, flip and cook on the other side another 2-3 minutes. (times will vary depending on your griddle!)








*Pumpkin Pie Spice substitute:
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice

Chili Cheese "Fritos"

My son loves Chili Cheese Fritos but they are not gluten free so I decided to make our own.







2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsps cornstarch

1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1 cup boiling water
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup corn flour(approx)



Preheat oven to your lowest setting, place cheese on a parchment paper lined pan and bake until fully dry to the touch(2-4 hours) watching carefully so it does not burn.









Or in a food dehydrator on 145 for about 3-4 hours.

When it is fully dry place it in a coffee grinder or small food processor with cornstarch  and process into fine crumbles.

Add chili seasonings and process again. Set aside


In a bowl combine cornmeal, salt and 1 TB of the chili seasoning mixture.
Add boiling water and oil.










Mix well until you have a stiff dough, adding corn flour until you get a stiff dough. It will still be sticky but somewhat easy to handle.

When your dough is formed work it into a ball , cut in half and place on corn flour dusted parchment paper. Top with wax paper and roll to approx 1/8-1/4 inch thickness.(this first batch I rolled a bit too thick but they were still tasty!)

With a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut into frito sized strips.






Two options for cooking them

Preheat oven to 375 and bake them for 12-15 minutes, immediately spray lightly with cooking spray and toss with remaining chili powder mix.










Heat oil in a deep fryer (or at least 1 inch of oil in a wide pan on the stove top)to approx 375.
Fry in batches for 4-6  minutes until golden brown and immediately toss with chili mixture.

Allow to cool and enjoy.

Store in an air tight container.

Maple Quinoa Cereal

Experimenting with making cereals that are nutritious and gluten free.....and YUMMY!







1 1/3 cups water
1 tsp vanilla
1 TB sugar(raw preferably)
3/4 cup quinoa

2 TB 100% maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt


Bring water, vanilla and sugar to a boil and dissolve sugar,











add quinoa, lower the heat and cover with a tight lid. Cook according to package instructions.











Mix remaining ingredients into cooked quinoa.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, spray lightly with cooking spray and press mixture to an even thickness. Score into small 'flakes' with a sharp knife.(spray the knife with cooking spray to prevent sticking)






Preheat oven to 375.
Bake 30 minutes, remove from oven and stir it around, breaking it into the scored flakes, return to the oven and bake 20-30 minutes more, flipping the flakes around as needed to ensure even baking.

Allow to cool(they will crisp more as they cool)

Pour some with some ice cold milk and enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers

Super yummy twist on a burger!






1.25 lbs ground chicken breast
1 TB parsley flakes
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder
seasoning salt and pepper to taste
deli ham
swiss cheese

Mix breast and seasonings in a bowl. Form into patties of your size preference, refrigerate  for 1 hour.



Place on a broiling pan and broil for 5-6 minutes, flip and broil on the other side until an internal temp of 165 is reached.

Top each burger with 2 deli slices of ham and a slice of swiss cheese. Return to broiler to melt cheese slightly.






I like it with a mild garlicky mayo, spinach and tomato on a sour dough bun. You can top it any way you like! Honey Mustard is another good sauce for them.

Snickerdoodle Bars

The only word for these is YUM! I made these for Marshall's birthday snack day at school but of course I snitched one. I WILL be making these again VERY soon!! I got the recipe from the Betty Crocker Website. I changed it very slightly but nothing spectacular.







Bars:
2 1/3 cup flour(also excellent when made gluten free)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup softened butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon Filling:
2 TB cinnamon
2 TB sugar

Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 TB milk


Preheat oven to 350
Grease bottom only of a 9 x 13 pan

In a bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt

In another bowl beat butter and sugars until creamy, add eggs 1 at a time, beating well. Add in vanilla. Then mix in flour mix on low.

Press 1/2 the mixture on the bottom of the pan( I used lightly greased hands to press it in)
Sprinkle with 1/2 the cinnamon. Press remaining 1/2 of the batter on top of the cinnamon(again with greased hands). Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon.

Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.


Allow to cool for 1 hour

Make frosting:
Beat powdered sugar, vanilla and milk(starting with 1 TB) adding more milk until it is spreadable but not runny.

Spread over cooled bars.

Allow the mixture to harden  before cutting.

Cut into 24 bars.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Ice Cream Cake

Marshall's choice for his bday this year!










1 batch Cream Cheese Ice Cream(softened)

Carrot Cake:

4 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup oil
2 cups white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour(link for GF)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

3 cups grated carrots

Grease 2-9 inch cake pans and preheat oven to 350

Beat eggs, applesauce, oil and sugar until pale yellow. Add vanilla.










In another bowl whisk together all dry ingredients.

Add dry ingredients to the liquid , 1/2 cup at a time and beat well.









Fold in grated carrots.

Divide batter between the two cake pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool 30 minutes in the pan remove from pan and cool completely in the freezer.







Return cakes to pans. Top each with 1/2 the ice cream. Return to the freezer and freeze completely.











Remove cakes from pans and stack cake side down.





















Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese
1/4-1/2 cup sugar(to your sweetness preference)
3/4 cups heavy cream

Beat cream cheese until fluffy. In another bowl beat heavy cream and sugar until it has stiff peaks. Fold in cream cheese and mix well.


Frost cake top as desired(I used shredded carrots sweetened with a touch of brown sugar and cinnamon)and return to freezer until solid.