FANCY 3 CHEESE MACARONI WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS & BACON!!!

4 cups of partially cooked gluten free macaroni (don't cook all the way) (I used Namaste brand-worked like a charm)
8 Tablespoons salted Butter
2 whole Medium Onions, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Half-and-half
2 whole Egg Yolks, Beaten
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Grated Gruyere Cheese
1/2 cup Grated Fontina Cheese
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese
3 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled for garnish
1 chopped scallion, garnish
Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet and then saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.

In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter.  Sprinkle in corn starch and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half & half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add generous salt & pepper to taste.

Beat egg yolks and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot. Sprinkle with bacon and scallions.
Recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman 

"NACHO" REGULAR TACOS! NACHO TACO CASSEROLE!!!

Ingredients
 
Casserole:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, out of the casing
3/4 pound ground beef
8 ounces crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
1 bag blue corn tortilla chips (or chips of your choice)
1 1/2- 2 cups shredded cheese - I used a combo of mozzarella and provolone
Toppings: shredded, lettuce, sliced avocado, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, if desired

For the casserole: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the oil, in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown, crumbling the meat. Add the beef and continue to brown and crumble the meat. Add 8 ounces tomato sauce and mix all together.  Let cool a bit.

Lay the bag of chips in a casserole dish and top with the sausage and beef mixture.  Top with cheese.   Bake at 375 degrees F until bubbly and hot about 20 minutes.  Add toppings and serve!

GLUTEN FREE CINNAMON ROLL CAKE

THIS CAKE WORKS OUT PERFECTLY TO BE GLUTEN FREE!! JUST REPLACE THE FLOUR WITH "CUP 4 CUP" FLOUR!! IT IS THE BESTTTTT!

Ingredients

• 3 cups "cup4cup" brand flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter, melted 
•  
•  TOPPING 
• 1 cup butter, soft
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. "cup4cup" flour
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
•  
• GLAZE 
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 5 Tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 glass baking pan with cooking spray or coconut oil spray. Set aside.
2. In a mixer, add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into pan.
3. For the topping, mix the butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together until well combined and creamy. Drop evenly over the batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.
4. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean. 
   ****Note for gluten free, I did have to bake this about 10 minutes longer than written-cover loosely with foil the last few minutes if top browning too much.
5. Glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Drizzle evenly over the warm cake.

Adapted from Chef in Training.

THE BEST GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!!!!

Surprising his daddy with some gluten free chocolate chip cookies!!!

COOKIE DOUGH!!!

I have a new technique for making extra thick cookies and I have had great success with this...

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. (I use the convection setting but regular will work fine).  Chill your cookie dough at least 30 mins but 
longer = thicker!
2. Measure your cookie dough to 2 ounces for each mound.
3.  As soon as you throw the cookies in the oven, immediately shut the door and lower the temp to 375 RIGHT AWAY.  My theory is that the high heat of 425 immediately "sets" the base of the cookie to be thicker!!!  Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the tops are getting nice and golden.  Will continue to set up while cooling on cookie sheets.  This recipe produces a crisp outside and a thick, soft, chewy center!!!


2 1/4 cups CUP 4 CUP flour 
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 sticks soft butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup regular sugar
1 T. vanilla extract

1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup NESTLE semisweet chips plus 1/2 cup bittersweet Ghiradhelli chips and 1/2c Ghirardelli Milk chocolate chips.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment.
Beat butter and both sugars until well blended. Add in vanilla, egg and yolk until light and creamy. Add in flour, salt and baking soda just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Chill 30 mins or longer.  Drop by 2 ounce mounds onto parchment. (If you like extra chocolate, place a few more chips in the top but beware that's a lot of chocolate!) Place in oven and IMMEDIATELY lower temp to 375.  Bake 9-11 minutes or until tops golden.  Let cool on cookie sheets.  
MAKES 21 COOKIES (2 OUNCES EACH) 

MOM'S COPYCAT RECIPE FOR ORANGE JULIUS

DO YOU REMEMBER THE ORANGE JULIUS SHOP?  BEST DRINKS EVER AND NOW YOU CAN MAKE THEM AT HOME! THANKS MOM!

6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 ice cubes

MIX ALL IN BLENDER AND ENJOY!
If you like it even sweeter, add a little more sugar.

CHEESY PASTA SKILLET BAKE

 

Ingredients

• 24 ounces Pasta sauce
• 1 lb dried pasta (I used Tinkyada, gluten free)
• 3 cups water
• 1 (8-oz) package shredded Italian cheese blend
• scallions, for garnish

Directions

1. In a large (12-inch) skillet combine sauce,  dried pasta, and water. Stir to combine, cover and bring to a boil. Boil until pasta is cooked.  
2. Preheat oven to broil. Top skillet with shredded cheese and place in oven. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
3. Top with scallions.

MOST AMAZING CHICKEN MARSALA

1 package chicken cutlets, thin
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
1 small package sliced mushrooms
1 cup Marsala wine
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
salt/pepper to taste

Heat oil in a skillet on med-high.  Dredge cutlets in cornstarch and season with salt/pepper.  Pan fry to brown to both sides.  Add mushrooms to pan and brown.  Put heat on high and add marsala, butter and broth.  Add the 1 T. cornstarch and cook until liquid reduces by half.  Add cream, salt/pepper to taste and serve! Top with scallions for garnish, if desired!