Spaghetti Sauce with Viviana's Tomato Basil Fettuccine Noodles

 I love pasta and I love spaghetti sauce; however, I usually only like my mom's spaghetti recipe. It's not too sweet, its full of flavor, and it always tastes great! The secret is to look for a spaghetti sauce with low sugar and simmer the sauce for at least three hours. (Sometimes we sneak into the sauce and eat it as soon as it starts boiling. It's still delicious, but the longer it cooks, the better it tastes.) This recipe makes a lot! We always have left overs, but you can always half the recipe or freeze the sauce for future use.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 cans of tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce (buy the sauce with the lowest amount of sugar, like 4-6 grams)
• 1/2 cup of Pace Picante sauce
• few drops of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons of dried basil
• crushed red pizza peppers, to taste (optional)
• fresh pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pan, saute the onions, garlic, and bell pepper in oil. Add the meat and cook until both the meat and onions are completely cooked. 
2. Add the remaining ingredients.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.
5. Taste test and add/change seasonings, if needed.
6. Serve over spaghetti noodles.
7. Enjoy!

I found these noodles at my local TJ Maxx. I love the Viviana Brand and these tomato basil noodles were full of flavor!

xoxo,
Jade

Cajeta/Mexican Caramel

For as long as I can remember, my family has made this caramel for us, and it is so freaking delicious! It is the easiest recipe ever, and it only calls for one ingredient! It doesn't last long in our house! 

Ingredient:

• Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

Directions:

1. Grab your largest pot & fill it 3/4 full of water.
2. Tear off the paper on the can of sweetened condensed milk.
3. Place the can into the pot of water. Make sure it is completely submerged! You can lay it on its side if you want. (It will explode if it isn't fully submerged in water the whole time!)
4. Turn the burner on medium-high heat and cook for two hours. 
5. Every thirty minutes to an hour, check to make sure there is enough water. Add water if needed. 
6. After two hours, turn the heat off. Drain the water and leave the can in the pot to cool.
7. Once it is completely cooled, serve it on toast or with fruit or by the spoonful.
8. Keep the cajeta/caramel refrigerated.
9. Enjoy!

xoxo,
Jade

Caramel, Toffee, Chocolate Cake/Better than Sex Cake

OMG. Even though I'm not a fan of the name, I made this cake. It was so delicious! I took it to a work training dinner & everyone was flipping out over it! You wouldn't know it was gluten free! I didn't get a picture of it because it was gone so fast (which is good and bad). I would've loved to have posted a picture, but I'll add a picture when I make it again. My boss already told me to make it next week, so I guess that's a good sign! :)

It was so easy to make too! I used a boxed chocolate cake mix and just added stuff to it once it was baked!

Ingredients:

• gluten free chocolate cake mix
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 jar of caramel ice cream topping
• 1 container of cool whip, thawed
• 1 bag of crushed heath toffee bars

Directions:

1. Make cake mix as directed on box.
2. Once the cake is pulled out of the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes. 
3. After 5 minutes, poke holes in it using the end of either a chopstick, a spatula, etc. 
4. Slowly pour the whole can of sweetened condensed milk over the warm cake, making sure that it goes into the holes. 
5. Next, pour half of the caramel over the cake, making sure it gets into the holes. 
6. Let the cake cool completely. 
7. Once the cake has cooled completely, ice the cake with cool whip!
8. Before serving, top the cake with the crushed heath bars and drizzle the remaining caramel onto the cake. (You don't have to use the whole bag! I saved about 1/4 of the bag for future use.)
9. Keep refrigerated. 
10. Enjoy!

I can promise you, you need to make this soon! It was amazing! I will definitely be making it more often when I am taking a dessert to a party/gathering. It was so easy and waaaaayyyy better than I ever expected it to be! 

xoxo,

Jade

Tandoori Chicken

My mom and I love Indian food, so I enjoy trying out different recipes when we are craving indian food. This week, I made tandoori chicken & it tasted delicious! It was full of flavor and not too spicy. We placed the chicken on a layer of basmati rice and topped it with a squirt of fresh lemon juice. We will definitely make it again.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, halved

• 1 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 small plain, unsweetened greek yogurt
• 1/2 tablespoon of minced ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• juice from one lemon
• 5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Directions:

1. Wash chicken and pat dry. Place the chicken in a large marinading bowl. 
2. In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, paprika, lemon juice, and salt together. 
3. Using a silicon kitchen brush, brush the rub onto the meat. Be sure to use all of the rub mixture, coating all sides of the chicken. 
4. Using a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients to create a marinade. ** If you want your tandoori chicken to be red, like it traditionally is, add a few drops of food coloring to your marinade. We were out of food coloring.
5. Pour half of the marinade onto the chicken. Flip the chicken breast over and coat the other side with the remaining marinade. 
6. Let the meat marinade for 2-3 hours before cooking.
7. The meat can be cooked on the grill, stove, or in the oven. (We cooked the meat on the stove with a little oil and butter.)
8. Enjoy the meat with a side of rice!

xoxo,

Jade

Barbacoa Tacos

I know I just posted a taco seasoning recipe, but barbacoa tacos are a favorite in this house! After making some changes to the recipe, it turned out so perfect! Full of flavor, just enough spice, this meat was very juicy! I prepped it the night before and threw it in my slow cooker the next morning. My family raved over how good it was, and I know we'll be eating this a lot more in the future!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped
• 4 oz. chopped green chiles
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into small chunks (trim off the fat, I cut mine into 1-2 inch cubes)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients, except meat in a large bowl. Stir the sauce mixture before adding the beef. 
2. Stir the mixture. Cook immediately or refrigerate to cook the next day.
3. When ready to cook, place the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours until the meat is tender enough to shred. 
4. Before shredding the meat, remove the bay leaves.
5. Shred the beef using two forks. After shredding the beef, place it back into the slow cooker. 
6. Using tongs, serve the barbacoa on warm corn tortillas or use it to top off your salad. 
7. Top with chopped onion, fresh cilantro, and a squirt of lime juice or top it with some sour cream and cheese! 
8. Enjoy!

Next time I make this, I am going to double the recipe. When it is cooked, I'll put half of the cooked meat in the freezer for a future quick meal. 

xoxo,

Jade

I don't wanna TACO bout it

 I don't know about you, but I love tacos. The problem is many taco seasonings contain gluten. Our grocery store sells a packet of gluten free taco seasoning, but I love this homemade version much more! It's so easy and so quick!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pizza pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano

Directions:

1. Mix it all together.
2. Spoon the seasoning into your meat a little at a time! I didn't use all of the seasoning. I stored some for later.
3. Enjoy!

enjoy!
xoxo,
Jade

21st Birthday Cake

I love having a good cake on my birthday. For the past two years, I have made my birthday cake. I know it's odd, but I like to make sure my gluten free cake looks pretty! My mom would definitely make my cake, but I enjoy doing it on my own. (She searched and searched trying to find someone to make me a pretty gluten free cake, but she didn't have any luck.) No worries though, I love homemade cakes and we all know, I LOVE baking. For this birthday, I was considering either a rum cake, a pina colada cake, or a hummingbird cake. My mom recently made gluten-filled hummingbird cake for her co-workers and I've been craving it since! I ended up going with a hummingbird cake and it was so great! It's quite easy too! After a crazy week, I needed a easy half homemade, half cake mix cake! I doubled this recipe to serve more people; however, this should serve about 8-12 people. This recipe reminds me of my mothers. It's moist, sweet, and fill with fruit.

Not the best picture, but I used two cake mixes
and created three layers. 

Ingredients:

Pam

pinch of gluten free flour

8 oz. crushed pineapple

2 ripe large-sized bananas, mashed (one heaping cup)

15 oz. gluten free cake mix (yellow or vanilla)

1/2 cup coconut oil or vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 package of cream cheese, softened

3/4 stick butter, softened

3 cups of powdered sugar

chopped pecans (to garnish)

Directions for making cake: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mist two round cake pans with pam, then dust with flour. Set aside. 
2. Drain pineapples and place it into a large mixing bowl. After mashing the bananas, spoon them into the mixing bowl. Mix in the cake mix, oil, eggs, and cinnamon. Using an electric mixer, mix the ingredients until well blended. 
3. Pour the cake mixes evenly into each of the cake pans. Bake about 20 minutes, or until the center comes out clean when sticking a toothpick in it. 
4. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes before transferring it onto a cooling rack. To transfer it, use a knife to loosen the cake around the corners. Carefully flip the pan onto a cooling rack, then flip it again so the flat side is laying on the cooling rack (You don't want it to crack).
5. Let the cakes cool for about 30 minutes before adding the icing! 
6. To make the cream cheese icing, drop the cream cheese and butter into a mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Once it is all blended, your cake is ready to be layered! 
7. Place the first layer of cake onto a cake plate. Add a layer of icing. Place the second layer of cake on top of the icing. Ice the top and edges of the cake (I used a butter knife to smooth out the icing).
8. Top with pecans. 
9. Slice and enjoy!

At your next party, make this! You won't regret it. It's so good! 

xoxo,

Jade

Peppermint Bark

During the winter, I love the smell of peppermint & enjoy eating all things pepperminty. This is a great recipe to make for parties, neighbors, or for yourself. I made this for my sorority christmas party and came home with just a little bit of bark. I made both semisweet chocolate peppermint bark and white chocolate peppermint bark.  I love white chocolate peppermint bark.

Ingredients:

• 24 oz. chocolate of your choice (milk, semisweet, dark, or white)
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• crushed candy canes

Directions: 

1. Microwave the chocolate in a microwavable bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring between, until melted. 
2. When mixture is smooth and melted, add the peppermint extract. Stir completely. 
3. Pour chocolate on a large foil baking sheet to about 1/4 inch thick. 
4. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Press candy canes lightly into the chocolate using a spatula.
5. Refrigerate the bark for 15 minutes until firm and chilled.
6. Using a knife, cut the bark. (I try to cut it in little squares; however, it usually doesn't happen. I end up with some squares, a ton of triangles, and a few irregular sizes.) 
7. Enjoy!

xoxo,

Jade

Chex Puppy Chow

Please tell me you've heard of puppy chow. It's the most delicious treat ever and it's so easy to make! This week, I have so many Christmas parties to attend so I've been making all different treats and individually wrapping them. Puppy Chow is always a hit at parties! I always go home empty-handed. It makes me so happy to see people enjoying my gluten free foods, especially if they don't know they are gluten free! ;) This recipe I have adapted to make party-size puppy chow. It uses the whole box of chex and serves a huge group. I'd say that it would serve about 20 people. This stuff is addicting and a family favorite! It's super easy & so fun to make! This is a great recipe to make with children! They can be in charge of shaking. ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Corn Chex (any type is fine, I think Corn stays crunchy better)
• 1 1/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 5 Tbsp. butter 
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Measure Chex and put into a large bowl.
2. In a large microwavable bowl, microwave the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in 30 second intervals. BE SURE TO DO IT IN 30 SECOND INTERVALS SO IT DOESN'T BURN. 
3. Stir after each interval.
4. Once it is melted and stirred smooth, pour it into the bowl of cereal. Softly stir the mixture to coat the cereal and to avoid breaking the cereal. 
5. In a gallon-sized bag, scoop some powdered sugar into the bottom of the bag. Slowly add some cereal. Zip and shake the bag. Keep adding the chex in intervals. Add powdered sugar as needed to coat the cereals. 
6. When the bag starts to get full, start a second bag. Shake as you go. (It's a serious arm workout people!)
7. When all the chex is coated with powdered sugar, pop them in the fridge for about 20 minutes to allow the chocolate to cool. 
8. Pour into a bowl and enjoy!

**Keep them in a container to avoid them going stale. I like to put them in individual bags for parties or in a large bowl. At home, we keep them in a container in the fridge.***

xoxo,
Jade

Stuffing (Dressing)

We don't stuff our turkey, so I've been told that it should be called 'dressing', but I can't seem to call it anything but stuffing. I love my mom's stuffing. I don't like sage... I feel like it can be too overpowering, so this recipe doesn't call for any! :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups celery (diced)
• 1 1/2 cups onion (chopped) 
• 1/4 cups parsley
• 2 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 18 cups gluten free bread (cubed and toasted) 
• 3 eggs (beaten) 
• 3 cups mushrooms (sliced) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
2. In large pan on medium heat, melt butter. Pour in diced celery and chopped onion. Cook about 10 minutes or until tender. 
3. Add parsley, salt, and pepper to pan. Stir until mixed. 
4. In a 9x13 dish, pour the toasted bread cubes in.
5. Pour the butter-spice mixture over the bread cubes and mix well.
6. Pour the beaten eggs and sliced mushrooms into the dish and stir until mixed completely.
7. Bake for 30-45 minutes.