Two Favorite Winter Meals

Here are two meals that we seem to enjoy more in the fall and winter. They are both tasty, cozy, and delicious.

Brunswick Stew

This is a recipe that came from my childhood when my family lived in Toccoa, GA. We lived there while my Dad (your Papa) was in Bible school at Toccoa Falls. We moved there when I was in second grade and we moved to North Carolina the summer before I started sixth grade.
Just two weeks ago on our Disney trip, we stopped at a rest area in Brunswick, Georgia. Whit was taken with the big black kettle monument that was there. It had a historic sign that reminded travelers that Brunswick, GA, is the home of Brunswick stew. There were some big black birds that were hanging out - sitting and flying around the kettle. It looked like a scene from Harry Potter. Whit and I enjoyed seeing this monument to one of his favorite foods.

Here is the official Georgia recipe from my childhood for Brunswick Stew:

30 oz. bottle of GF ketchup
3-4 chicken breasts boiled and cut into small pieces (retain broth)
2-3 pounds of browned ground beef (brown with chopped onion)
48 oz can of tomato juice
2 cans of GF creamed corn
1 can of whole kernel corn
4 large potatoes boiled and cubed (boil in retained chicken broth)
2-3 T. GF Worcester sauce

*All measurements are somewhat approximate and based on how those products were packaged and sold when I was little girl. You can alter amounts slightly as you may purchase things in a slightly different size when it comes to ounces of ketchup, tomato juice, etc.

Brown your ground beef with chopped onion. Boil your chicken and shred or chop it into bite size pieces. Retain the broth/water and boil your potatoes in the same water.

Combine chicken and beef with onion in a big pot. Add tomato juice, corn, Worcester sauce, and ketchup. Pour in potatoes and broth (*IF the broth from the chicken breasts and potatoes doesn't have much flavor, feel free to add a packet of chicken broth powder or substitute some liquid chicken broth. I have used half water/half broth to boil the chicken in when using boneless/skinless breasts.).
Stew on stove for 30-40 minutes till heated through. This tastes great with your favorite bread or cornbread.
This one is favorite!

Sausage and Rice Casserole

1 cup or rice
4 1/2 cups of boiling water
1 large onion chopped
1 c. chopped celery
1 large bell pepper chopped
1 lb. of browned GF sausage (Crumbled not links)
1 can of water chestnuts
1 can of GF chicken noodle soup or 2 packages of GF chicken broth (Herb Ox brand is what I have used)

Brown sausage. Put all ingredients in a pan and bake at 350* for one hour or more (until water is mostly absorbed). Let sit for a few moments and then serve.

Another household favorite!

Gluten Free Bisquick Fruit Swirl Coffee Cake

Merry Christmas!
It is Christmas evening and we are settling down after a very special Christmas day. This is the third year that we have made the Gluten Free Bisquick Fruit Swirl Coffee Cake for breakfast. Nana and Papa made the traditional coffee cake that I have eaten every Christmas since I was a little girl. It is full of gluten and nuts and not something that I have been successful in creating in a gluten/nut/dairy free form. This Bisquick "breakfast/brunch cake", (Whit doesn't like it when we call things "coffee cake" because there is no coffee in it. ;), is yummy, easy, and can be made without dairy, gluten, or nuts.
So, this Christmas morning, we had both coffee cakes. Nana made the traditional one, and I made this recipe for you guys and Daddy.

Here is the recipe in the gluten/nut/dairy free form:

4 eggs
1/2 cup Earth Balance Dairy Free Spread melted
3/4 cup rice milk
2 t. vanilla
1 box of gluten free Bisquick
2/3 cup of sugar
1 can of pie filling or canned fruit in light syrup

Stir and beat the ingredients together except for the pie filling.
Spread 2/3 of the mixture in a greased/sprayed pan. Spread pie filling over batter. Drop the remaining batter on top by spoonfuls.
I have been using canned blueberries in light syrup for this recipe. I drain the can of berries and hold back the syrup. Then I can use it for the glaze in place of the milk. The pie filling would make a slightly sweeter cake. You could also use fresh fruit. I would imagine any berry would work well. We have done cherries and blueberries.

Bake the cake at 375* for 20-25 minutes. Prepare the glaze below and drizzle over warm cake.

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T. rice milk OR light syrup from canned fruit

If I was making this just for you kids, I would use real butter and regular milk. Since Daddy can't have dairy, I make it this way.
Enjoy!

Holiday Dressing

It is December 24, 2012, and I am baking our Christmas turkey and dressing in the oven as I type. You guys are playing together and laughing in Whit's room. It is such a pleasant sound to hear on Christmas Eve. Daddy is spinning the Christmas hits on the stereo, while we all go about our holiday merriment.
Holiday recipes were a big part of our festivities when I was a child. We had a traditional Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter menu. I haven't stuck to the same menu every year, but I hope you still have some fond memories of good food and family at this time of year.
Here is the "family" recipe for dressing. I, of course, modified it to be gluten free.

Gluten Free Holiday Dressing

*1 pan of your favorite GF cornbread (prepared WITHOUT the sugar or honey/sweetener - you don't want this to be sweet) - Crumble this up in a big bowl with some GF bread or GF biscuit crumbs. Work the cornbread and bread together till well mixed and finely broken up.

*GF chicken broth

*GF condensed cream of chicken soup

*onions and celery chopped

*2 eggs

*GF seasoning of your choice

After you have your big bowl of cornbread and bread crumbs, add the other ingredients and mix together. You will need to abandon the spoon at some point and dig in with your hands if you want to make this the way your Auntie Ashlea and I do. I have left the quantity of ingredients out because I am not sure how much of everything I use. It depends on the size of the cornbread mix. You may need two eggs since gluten free things tend to need extra stickiness to work well. Experiment with this recipe and I think you will be delighted with the results. Spread the mixture in a pan and bake at 350* until firm. Probably about 20-30 minutes.

I think this recipe taste amazing with turkey, gravy, and good friends and family to share it with.

Nature Cottages

You guys always seemed to enjoy our nature corner. This is an idea from Waldorf education that took root in our home. I have really enjoyed it. I don't know if you guys love it like I do, or if you humor me. :) But, either way, we have had a good time with it. Now that you are 13 and 9 years old, we have taken our corner to an all new level. These houses you guys made are amazing. In case you forget what this was all about, I purchased those little cardboard houses for $2.99 a piece at the Hobby Lobby. You guys went out and collected nature items from the yard and then created little cottages using mod podge and the low temp. glue gun. I so enjoyed watching your creativity shine on this project. You both stayed focused for a long time and seemed to really love this project.I think this could be difficult for younger children, but for you guys in all of your school age child bliss, it was perfect.

Quick Taco Soup (AKA Taco Chili)

Here is a quick recipe that uses canned ingredients, so you can stock these to keep on hand for taco soup emergencies.

2 lbs. ground beef
An onion or two chopped
1 packet of GF taco seasoning

2 cans of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
2 large cans of diced or chopped tomatoes
2 cans of corn
*DO NOT DRAIN THE CANNED FOODS

Brown the meat and onion in a stock pot. Add the taco seasoning.
Add to pot all of your canned beans and veggies (make sure you don't drain them).
Simmer and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips on the side and topped with a dollop of sour cream.
You could also drain leftovers, pour in a casserole dish and pour cornbread batter on top - bake and have a tamale pie.
Versatile, easy, and perfect to keep on hand for emergencies.

The Easiest GF Cookie in the World: Sunflower Butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 350*, spray cookie sheet with oil

1 cup of sunflower butter or soynut butter (or peanut butter, Addie:)
1 cup of white sugar
1 egg

Combing all three ingredients.

Roll into balls and press fork gently on top in criss cross pattern.

Bake for 6-8 minutes.

These are quite good and nothing is so easy. I imagine you both needing to pull these out for late night study sessions, a quick fix for when you need to take your own dessert, and anytime you need a peanut butter type cookie, but without flour of any kind or the allergic reaction to nuts.
They are hard to refuse, as you well know. Enjoy!

Brown Rice Flour Muffins

Preheat oven to 350*

2 cups brown rice flour
2 t. baking powder
4 T. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 T. oil
1 cup milk
chocolate chips or fruit can be added if desired

Grease/oil muffin tins or use paper cup liners.

Beat egg, add milk and oil.
Mix well.
Add remaining ingredients and mix 1 minute.

Bake 25-28 minutes.

Taste better when shared!

Basic GF Muffin Recipe

2 cups GF all-purpose flour
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3/4 cup of white sugar
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup of canola oil (or olive)

Preheat oven to 400*

Stir GF flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Make a "well" in the center.
In a small bowl, beat the egg. With a fork, stir the milk and oil into the egg.
Pour this mixture all at once into the well.
Mix quickly and lightly with fork, but do not beat. Batter will be lumpy.
Pour into lined muffin cups.

Bake for about 25 minutes.

*Variations: Mix in 1 cup of berries for berry muffins (blueberries, strawberries, etc.),
Add 1 cup of raisins and then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top for raisin spice muffins,
Fold in 1 cup of grated cheese for cheese muffins,
Add 1 cup of chocolate chips for chocolate chip muffins.
Be creative and add your own ideas.

Silver Dollar Hotties

Gluten Free Silver Dollar Sour Cream Pancakes

AKA Hotties

Lightly beat 2 large eggs.
Whisk in: 1 cup of sour cream

Combine in a separate bowl, then add to the eggs and sour cream:
1/4 cup Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour of your choice
1 1/2 T. Sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda

Put a little oil (canola or olive is what I always used) in your pan or on your griddle. Put about 1 T. of batter per pancake. Carefully turn when ready.

Serve with maple syrup.

I always doubled this recipe for you guys. It doesn't make a large batch.

Mopping with Gusto

A Recipe for Mopping with Great Success

First and foremost, you will want to do an excellent sweeping job. Sweep carefully the full area, moving any furniture or other items in the way. Next, mix up this great recipe for keeping floors clean. *IMPORTANT - this recipe worked for my floors in our antique apartment on Saluda Ave., make sure you check your own floors to see if this would be safe for them*

1/4 cup white vinegar
1 T. dish soap (Palmolive is what I use)
1/4 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer Washing Soda - you can pick it up at the grocery)
2 gallons of hot tap water

Great solution for mopping floors with gusto.

Dear Addie and Whit,

It is a Wednesday night and you are both tucked into your beds. Today is October 10, 2012. I have had the idea for awhile to create a blog for the two of you. I kept thinking of how I should make it or what it should be, and I realized that if I didn't jump in, it would stay an idea forever. So, here are a few musings, advice, recipes, and other tidbits for you both. My thought is that this will be an ongoing letter to the both of you. I hope to organize some tips and hopefully useful information. With the way things are today, surely you will be able to have access to this in the future. I hope that one day you will think of a recipe or some other thing you may want to have, and that if you live across the sea, or we are parted in some way, I hope you will find this and remember that I have loved you since the thought of you existed and I will always love you wherever life may take you. Life has many unexpected paths. I hope you both know that in things both big and small, I am "on your team", as we always say. Whether you need help getting something clean, making something good to eat, or hearing a comforting word, I hope this is a place you both find what you are looking for.