No flour in these cookies

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Made: September 6, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and place the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven
- In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture about 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets
- Flatten the mounds with the tines of a fork, making a crosshatch pattern on the cookies
- Sprinkle coarse salt on top of the cookies.
- Bake until golden around the edges, about 10 minutes, switching the position of the sheets halfway through baking
- Transfer to racks to cool
- Repeat with the remaining dough

I used my bottom rack and only my bottom rack since I had a 2-layer cake in the oven and they were taking up the other two racks in the oven. But cooking these for 10 minutes, no rotating and being on the bottom, these turned out really yummy! I like making my cookies smaller in size (I roll them into a small ball in the palm of my hands) and let them bake down into cookies. I also didn't use any seasalt for sprinkling and I was rushed for time for the decorating of the crosshatch pattern, but these tasted just like other peanut butter cookies with flour, just with a more prominent pb flavor you yearn for!

(recipe used: foodnetwork.com)

Purple Cabbage

German Red Cabbage

Made: July 20, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup sliced green apples
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions
- Place butter, cabbage, apples, and sugar into a large pot
- Pour in the vinegar and water, and season with salt, pepper and clove
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, and simmer until the cabbage is tender for 1 1/2 - 2 hours

I used 1 apple (with the skin still on) and about 1/2 a head of cabbage. It's really sweet and juicy.

(Recipe used: allrecipes.com)

Asian Rice

Fried Rice

Made: July 14, 2013

Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions
- On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet (or wok)
- Add the peas, onion and garlic
- Stir fry until tender
- Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side
- Pour your eggs on the other side and stir fry until scrambled
- Add the rice and the soy sauce
- Blend together
- Stir fry until thoroughly heated

I thought 3 tablespoons was a lot of the sesame oil, but it complemented the soy sauce just right. I always have trouble with the eggs as they always run into whatever else I'm cooking in the pan, but overall it came out nice. I'll have to tweak it to see how I could get the rice drier and not so mushy though.

(Recipe used: found on facebook)

Rice & Beans

Salsa, Black Bean, and Rice Salad

Made: March 14, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked long grain rice, chilled
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped yellow or red sweet pepper
- 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup bottled picante sauce or salsa
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno chile peppers, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (optional)
- Lettuce leaves
- 1/2 cup fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream

Directions
- In large bowl, stir together chilled rice, beans, tomatoes, sweet pepper, corn, onions, and cilantro; add picante sauce or salsa
- Toss to coat
- Stir in cheese, if using
- Line six salad bowls or plates with lettuce leaves
- Top with rice mixture
- Serve with sour cream

I made this with a couple exceptions. (When don't I?) I didn't add in the cilantro or green peppers and I used cheese without the jalapeno chile peppers in it. But I did love the flavor the chili and sour cream gave the mixture. I made mine more like a layered salad. I had my lettuce (strips) on the bottom and then I added the rice. Next came the mixture and then I topped it with the cheese (cheddar and Mozzarella). I really liked this for there not including a main protein.

(Recipe used: Better Homes & Gardens)

Deviled Eggs How To

Traditional Deviled Eggs

Made: March 4, 2013

Ingredients
- 6 hard boiled eggs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

My Fool-Proof way to make Hard Boiled Eggs
- Place eggs into pot
- Fill with cold tap water until eggs are under water (about an inch over eggs)
- Bring to boil
- Once the water is at a rapid boil, begin the timer; 9 minutes
- After the 9 minutes is up, place pot (with eggs and water) in sink
- Run cold tap water into pot and eggs until water is cool

Directions
- Slice your eggs vertically (long sided)
- Remove yolks into a medium-sized bowl for your filling, place your egg whites in carry case/plate
- Mix together the egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until blended and smooth
- Fill the centers of the eggs with your filling

I'm not fancy, I don't pipe my filling in. I just spoon it and move on. You may adjust the recipe to make more than 12 deviled eggs or to adjust the filling according to your taste. If you want more bite, mustard (you can also use Dijon). If you're more for mild, mayo is for you. There are other variations and fancier versions of Deviled Eggs, but we usually just go for the traditional route.

A cake missing it's flour

Flourless chocolate cake

Made: June 27, 2012

Ingredients

- 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Spray a 9-in pan with nonstick cooking spray
- Combine the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl
- Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring after each session, until melted
- Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture
- Add the sugar gradually, beating continually
- Beat in the cocoa, vanilla and salt
- Place the egg whites in an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form
- Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture
- Fold in the remaining egg whites
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan
- Bake until set, about 22  minutes
- Let stand to cool slightly on a wire rack

 Made for Jeanie's birthday; needed to be gluten free for her. So I found a new recipe to try. Beware of it sticking to your pan; make sure it's greased up good! I thought mine was and it stuck to the bottom :(

Crabby chips

Baked potato chips

Made: January 22, 2012

Ingredients:

- 4 medium baking potatoes
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Creoloe or Cajun seasonings, or use your favorite spice mix

Directions:
- Heat oven to 400 F
- Peel potatoes, if desired, then slice into think slices
- Drizzle a little olive oil over the botom of a large, shallow baking pan - spread the oil to coat the bottom
- Dry potatoes and toss in a bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
- Toss the potatoes with the seasoning, coating thoroughly.
- Spread potatoes evenly in pan
- Bake for 12 minutes
- Turn the potatoes and continue baking for another 10 minutes
- Repeat for desired crispy texture

My favorite spice mixture is Old Bay. :) They came out ok, not perfect. But practice makes perfect right? :)

(Recipe from: all recipes)

Orange Potoatoes and marshmallows

Sweet Potato Casserole

Made: November 24, 2011

Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes
- 1 stick butter (cut into 1in chunks)
- 6-8 sweet potatoes (peeled & cubed)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup water

Topping
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 cups pecan halves (or 4 cups mini marshmallow)

Directions
Sweet Potatoes
- Melt butter in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, salt, pepper & water, bring to a simmer
- Reduce the head to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring often, until the sweet potatoes are tender (45-60 minutes)
- Remove the lid and bring the sauce to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat
- Continue to simmer until the sauce has reduced to a glaze (7-10 minutes)

Topping
- Mix all the ingredients for the topping together in a medium bowl.

Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 450 F
- Pour potato mixture into a 13x9in baking dish
- Spread the topping over the potatoes
- Bake until the pecans are toasted and crisp; 10-15 minutes (or until the marshmallows are golden; 5 minutes)

I did this differently. I boiled the sweet potatoes in a pot and then mashed them after they were tender enough. I drained all the water, mashed them and then added the rest of the needed ingredients. As for the topping, it didn't spread as I wanted, so it looks a little uneven. But it was super delish!

(Recipe from: Best American Side Dishes)

Special Brownies

Flour-Free Brownies

Made: June 29, 2011

I always feel bad since Jeanie can't have anything containing Gluten. :( Most of the stuff we have at our bowling league parties contains just that. So, for her birthday, I experiment with flour-free things :)

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 6 large eggs; separated (keep both whites & yolks)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter

Directions

- Preheat oven to 275 F
- Place butter & chocolate in a large glass bowl and microwave in 30 minute intervals until completely melted (took me about 6 cycles)
- Cool slightly
- Whisk in egg yolks.
- In another bowl, add eggs whites and mix with a hand mixer until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes.
- Gradually add sugar, beat until soft and fluffy
- Mix in 1/4 of egg mixture & stir well
- Fold in the rest of the eggs whites until mixed.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes

I didn't have a hand mixer when I made these the first time, and it turned out slightly better than they did this time around. I guess I'll have to experiment with this some more!

(Recipe used: unknown)