Oven Roasted Potatoes

Oven Roasted Potatoes

2 large potatoes, sliced thinly
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning (oregano, parsley and basil)
1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Place all items except the cheese into a large bag. Shake until coated and place in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Top with cheese, heat until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Cheese Steaks (Gluten-Free)

Cheese Steaks (Gluten-Free)

2 lbs of steak, thinly sliced
6 baked potatoes
1 onion
Cooking oil (we use bacon grease or coconut oil)
Salt and pepper

Other Toppings:
Cheese (Cheddar or Provolone)
Mushrooms
Red or yellow bell peppers

Bake the potatoes in the oven for about 1 hour or until they are soft.

Cook the onions, mushrooms and peppers in oil until they are soft. Remove from pan.
Cook the steak in the same pan until it is brown, using oil if needed.

Mix your steak and veggies together and place them on top of a split baked potato. Cover with the cheese of your choice.

We used the leftover steak and veggie mixture for a stir fry. Just place the mixture in a pan with white rice and some butter. 

Madras Beef

Madras Beef

Spice Paste:
2 tablespoons coriander, ground
1 tablespoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ginger, grated
2 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons bacon grease or coconut oil
2 large steaks, cubed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
cooked rice

Mix the spices into a paste.

Fry the steak in oil until it is brown. Remove from pan.

Heat the spice paste in the pan for 1 minute at medium heat. Add the steak and mix well. Add the tomato paste and beef stock. Reduce the heat and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve with rice.

We usually can’t wait an hour and end up eating it after about a half hour.  

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

1½ cups almond flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (oregano, parsley and basil)

2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

Mix all ingredients together.  Press into the bottom of a baking sheet. If the dough sticks to your hands, moisten your fingertips with water.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes. Then add you favorite toppings and bake for another 10 or 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted. We like our pizza with spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, onions, and sausage, covered in Cheddar or Provolone cheese. 

Hint: To reheat left over pizza put it in a frying pan and cover with a lid, heat on low until the cheese it melted. The crust will come out crunchy and delicious   

Ginger Orange Chicken

Ginger Orange Chicken

2 cups of cooked rice
3-4 chicken breasts, chopped
salt and pepper
1 large onion
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder

1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
½ teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder


Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet. Brown the chicken and onion. Mix the cornstarch with a cup cold water and stir. Mix the other ingredients in a bowl and add to chicken, then add the cornstarch simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is tender.  Serve over rice. Serves 4

Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef

1 lb flank steak

¼ cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons coconut oil

½ teaspoon ginger (minced)

1 tablespoon garlic (minced)

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup water

½ cup coconut sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

2 green onions (sliced)

1 medium onion (sliced)

Coconut Oil (for frying)

Cut steak into ¼” thick slices and coat with cornstarch. It must sit for 10 minutes or the batter will not stick.

In a sauce pan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil. Add garlic and ginger, stir fry 10 seconds. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water. Add coconut sugar and molasses and dissolve into the sauce. Add red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Heat up about a cup of oil in your wok to about medium heat. Add the beef slices to the wok and cook for 3 minutes (or use a deep fryer). 

Remove the meat from the wok with a slotted spoon. Add onions to the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the steak back to the wok and pour in the sauce. Cook while stirring until the sauce began to bubble.

(Makes 2 Servings)

Garlic-Coconut Crispy Fried Chicken Gluten-Free

Garlic-Coconut Crispy Chicken

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons coconut oil

4 garlic cloves, minced, plus 6 cloves peeled and smashed

6 thin-cut, boneless chicken thighs

2 cups coconut flakes

1 cup white rice flour

3 eggs

2 tablespoon garlic powder

½ cup cornstarch

Salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 3 tablespoons oil, minced garlic, and chicken in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.

2. Spread rice flour in shallow dish. In another shallow dish, whisk egg whites until foamy. Combine coconut flakes, garlic powder, and cornstarch in third shallow dish.

3. Start mashed potatoes while the chicken is marinating.

4. Remove chicken from bag and season with salt and pepper. One at a time, coat chicken lightly with rice flour, dip in egg whites, and dredge in coconut mixture, pressing to adhere. Place chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let dry 5 minutes.

5. Heat ½ cup oil and 3 smashed garlic cloves in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until garlic is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Discard garlic and fry a pan full of chicken until crisp and deep golden, about 2 minutes per side. Be careful the coconut will burn easily. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.  Transfer to a baking pan. Set aside oil, wipe out skillet, and repeat with remaining oil, garlic cloves, and chicken.

6. When all of the chicken is fried, bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the chicken is completely cooked.

Save the garlic oil for chicken gravy to go with the mashed potatoes. You can also throw the discarded garlic into the potato water for added flavor. 

Autumn Soup

I received this recipe in an email from my Aunt JoAnn. Chris and I loved it.

Autumn Soup

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 med. onion, chopped

1 lg. can of tomatoes (they can be crushed or whole, if whole you need to break them up)

1 can of water from the tomato can

2 potatoes, diced and peeled

1 1/2 cups of diced celery

1 - 2 tsp. of dried sweet basil

Salt and pepper to taste.

Brown the hamburger with the onion. Add it to a crock pot with all the other ingredients. Make sure that the liquids cover the raw vegetables. Put on low for 6 hrs. or less. Most of the stuff will be ready.

If your going to have company for dinner, add another potato, and some chopped celery.

Beef Pie with Creamed Mushrooms

Don't forget to defrost the beef and start cooking the rice!!

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 egg white
1 cup rice, cooked
1 onion, minced
2 carrots shredded
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1/2 cup milk
garlic

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients together. Press into a 9in pie pan. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.

While the crust is baking make the creamed mushrooms for the filling.


3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups milk
1 lb mushrooms, sliced

Brown the mushrooms in butter. Add the cornstarch and stir. Add milk slowly and stir until thickened. Poor mushroom mixture into beef crust.

Stuffed Mushrooms

These were so delicious that they felt sinful. We wanted to make them again right away but it is hard to find the larger portobello mushrooms here in Korea. We often find them in the supermarket already sliced.

5-6 large portobello mushroom caps

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1/2 lb Italian sausage, ground

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,softened

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash mushrooms. Remove stems.

Cook sausage and garlic in oil until the sausage is cooked. Stir in cream cheese, Parmesan, pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Fill each mushroom with the stuffing. Bake for 20 minutes.

You can make these ahead of time and freeze them. They don't last long enough in my house to make it to the freezer. Just pull them out of the freezer and bake for 20 minutes.

These recipe was inspired and modified from this website.

Hearty Beef Stew

Stew is comfort food for me. I remember my grandmother making it when I was young and it brings back great memories.

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 lb stew meat

3 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 medium carrots, cut into 1in pieces

1 large potato, cut into 1 1/2 in pieces

1/4 cup celery, cut into 1 in pieces

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 dried bay leaf

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Brown stew meat in coconut oil. Place all items in a baking dish. Bake for 2 1/2 hours.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Base Ingredients:
6 large potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, diced
1 quart homemade chicken broth
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup butter
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste


1 cup cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Garnish: chives, sour cream, bacon, and cheese


Cook the base ingredients in your crock pot for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Add the cream, cheese, and garnishes.

Spud Special Soup

3 tablespoons of butter
1 large onion
1/2 cup carrot, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic
4 cups diced potatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 cup browned sausage
1/2 cup cheese, grated

Brown sausage in a pot. Add butter, onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and clear. Add potatoes, broth, salt, pepper, parsley, and sausage. Cover and simmer until all ingredients are cooked. Stir occasionally. Turn off the heat and add the milk. Serve with cheese as a garnish.

Crockpot 7 Layer Dinner

4 potatoes sliced

1/3 cup rice

1 lb raw hamburger

1 onion, chopped

1 small carrot, sliced or chopped

1 lb mushrooms, sliced or chopped

1 tsp sugar

2 (14 oz ) cans of diced tomatoes, undrained

salt and pepper to taste

Mozzarella (or other) cheese. 

Layer each item item in the order listed. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. Add cheese to individual plates.  

Last time we made this we forgot to add the salt and it still came out great. This is the perfect throw it all in the Crockpot and have dinner waiting for you when you get home from work meal. 

Cream of Spinach and Sweet Potato Soup

Chris does not like sweet potatoes or spinach so we thought he would hate this meal that a neighbor gave us, but one bite and he was hooked. He is still not sure why he likes a dish with so many items that he does not like in it. I think it is great because spinach and sweet potatoes both have a lot of nutrients and we need to keep them in our diet. Also it is beautiful when served.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large bunch of spinach
1 lb mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup rice
1 lb sweet potatoes, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium squash, chopped
2 cups beef broth or Better than Bullion
3 bay leafs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups heavy cream

Cook oil, garlic, onion, and spinach until the spinach is bright green. Add sweet potatoes, mushrooms, rice, broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 30 minutes on low. Add the cream and stir until warm, then serve.

The vegetables in this soup are bright and delicious. 

The cream really makes it a comfort food. 

Oriental Pork

Oriental Pork

4-6 tablespoons oil

2 lbs boneless pork, cut in 1 inch cubes

salt and pepper

1 small onions, chopped

2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic (or to taste)

1 teaspoon dried chili flakes (or to taste)

1 (20 ounce) cans pineapple chunks in juice (undrained)

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 tablespoon ketchup

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 red pepper, diced

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

hot cooked rice (any amount)

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil over med-high heat.

Season the pork with salt and pepper, then brown on all sides.

Add in onions and garlic, stir for 2 minutes.

Add pineapple with juice, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce; bring to a boil reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally (about 25-30 minutes) or until pork is tender.

Add in chopped red pepper; cook for about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with water; stir into pork mixture; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium heat; boil for 1 minute.

Serve with hot cooked rice.

Garam Masala Chicken

A friend gave us some whole garam masala. We didn't know what to do with it until we found this recipe. I think right now this is my new favorite spice. Since it came whole I processed it in my blender. My husband laughed because after it was ground it looked like dirt, but it sure tastes better than dirt!

Garam Masala Chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 (3 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons garam masala, divided

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the hot oil and cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and add the onions; cook another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic salt, and water to the chicken; stir and season with 1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garam masala through the mixture. Raise heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes more. 

Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

This was so good the first time we made it that when it was gone and we discovered we had left over black beans we made it again the next day. You can use canned black beans, but I soaked dried black beans over night and then cooked them in the crock pot with an onion and season salt all day. We cook the rice in a rice cooker while we are waiting for the meal to cook or just use left over rice.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1/2 cup diced red and yellow bell peppers
1 can (15 oz) of black beans drained in rinsed or 2 cups of soaked dried black beans cooked in the crockpot over night.
1 can (15 oz) of diced tomatoes, un-drained
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of cooked rice
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oil in a frying pan. Cook zucchini, bell pepper and garlic for 5 minutes, constantly stirring. Add beans, tomatoes, and rice. Stir until the rice is warm. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Gluten Free Almond Flour Brownies

I was amazed at how well these brownies tasted. The texture was very similar to the glutenous ones. They are so yummy, gooey, and have a strong chocolate flavor.

Almond Flour Brownies

3/4 cup almond flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules (optional)

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the almond flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a large bowl.

Melt 4 oz or 1/2 cup of chocolate chips with the butter. Beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and coffee granules together and then add the melted chocolate. Mix well and add it to the dry ingredients, mix again. Pour the mixture into a greased 8 x8 pan. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

In Korea cocoa powder is cheaper than chocolate chips and Korean chocolate chips are sweeter than what we would buy in the states. So we are going to use cocoa powder in the future instead of the half cup of chocolate chips for melting. We will still add the remaining chocolate chips onto the top.

Rosemary Chicken

1 to 2 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon of rosemary, ground
1 teaspoon of season salt
1 bunch of broccoli, chopped
1 small onion, chopped

Place olive oil into a frying pan. Sprinkle the chicken with rosemary. Add to hot pan. Add broccoli and onions to the pan, sprinkle the vegetables with season salt. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink.