The Best of Everyday

  Pasta with Creamy Ham Sauce Serves 2 6 oz milk 1 tsp corn starch 1/4 tsp dry mustard 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp fresh cracked pepper 1/4 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1 1/2 oz Swiss cheese, shredded or cut into thin strips 1/2 cup ham, sliced 3/4 cup broccoli, cooked 4 oz mushrooms, sliced  1 tsp Olive oil 2 oz pasta of choice  Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside.  In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together milk, corn starch, mustard, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Set aside.  In a non-stick skillet, cook sliced mushrooms in an olive oil until tender and golden. Season to taste. Remove from skillet.  Add the milk mixture to the hot mushroom skillet, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once slightly thickened, add cheese and stir until melted. Stir in ham, mushrooms, and broccoli. Warm through.  Toss pasta with ham sauce and serve. 

  Gluten Free Cheese Crackers Makes about 75-100 crackers 4 oz good quality extra sharp cheddar 1/2 cup Gluten Free flour  1/4 tsp salt plus additional for tops 2 TBS cold cubed, salted butter 1 1/2-2 TBS Milk  Preheat oven to 325˚F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.** Add the cheese, flour and salt to a food processor and pulse several times. Add in the butter and pulse a few more times, until the dough is crumbly. Add in the milk, then pulse several more times. The dough won’t come together in a ball, but it should hold together well when you press it between two fingers.  Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle, rolling as thinly as possible- even thinner than ⅛-inch if possible. They will poof and deflate when baked.  Using a knife, pastry cutter, or a scalloped square cutter- cut the dough into small 1inch by 1 inch squares. When complete, use a skewer to “dock” each cracker. (Poke a hole in the center to prevent the ...

Let’s turn a simple can of tomato paste into ketchup! Cooled and bottled- Carson Catsup Carson Catsup (Ketchup ) Makes approximately 16oz * This is a base recipe- adjust to your tastes. We like our ketchup with a little more vinegar, so we increase the amount to 2/3 cup total vs 1/2 cup.  6 oz can tomato paste 2 TBS honey 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar  1/2 cup water 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp paprika 1/4-1/2 tsp ground white pepper 1/2 tsp smoked season salt (I use Penzeys Smoked Season Salt) 3/4 tsp sea salt Optional- 1 bulb black garlic, husk removed Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan. COVER and simmer on medium low heat for 20-25 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes.    Remove from heat and allow to cool before transferring to bottles or a glass storage jar. If using black garlic, remove from ketchup before storing. 

Holiday Edition- Peppermint Brownie Bites Brownie Bites Makes approx 5 dozen mini bite cores Ingredients: Old fashioned oats : 1/2 cup - Blitz into flour using a spice grinder* Maple syrup : 1/8 cup ** Cottage cheese : 12 oz Vanilla extract : 1/2 TBS Peanut butter : 1/4 cup plus 2 TBS Protein powder : 1/2 cup (60 g), chocolate or vanilla Unsweetened cocoa powder : 1/4 cup 1/8 cup mini chocolate chips or finely chopped nuts- OPTIONAL * May sub 1/4 cup almond flour if desired.  ** May sub 1/8 cup honey if preferred. Instructions: In a blender,maple syrup, cottage cheese, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add in peanut butter. Mix well. Fold in protein powder and cocoa powder. Mix until fully combined. Fold in 1/8 cup of the chocolate chips or nuts if using. Use a 1/2 teaspoon measure to dough evenly. Roll the portioned dough into balls and place them on a sheet pan. At this point, you can freeze the dough cores or proceed to making cups....

  Pecan Chicken Fingers Serves 4 1/2 cup corn flakes, crushed 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped 1 TBS dried parsley 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp onion powder 12-16 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 TBS milk Preheat oven to 400.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Cut chicken into 1x3 inch strips.  Combine corn flakes, pecans, parsley, salt, garlic powder and onion powder in a shallow dish.  Dip chicken strips in milk then coat with pecan mixture.  Place in a baking pan sprayed with olive oil. Bake 7-9 minutes or until no longer pink inside.  These can also be made in an airfyer for an excellent crispy crunch!

Citrus Cake Makes 1 loaf in an 8 inch pan Cake ingredients :  1 1/2 cups gluten free flour ( you want a GOOD 1 to 1 flour that contains xanthan gum King Arthur GF AP is what I used ) 1/4 tsp baking powder  1/4 tsp baking soda 1 stick butter, softened to room temperature 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (Optional) 1/2 cup Splenda Blend OR 1 cup granulated sugar substitute of your choice 1 lemon- Zest and juice 6 TBS buttermilk or plain Greek yogurt 1 tsp Lemon or orange extract  2 Eggs Lower sugar glaze: 1/4 cups +2 TBS Splenda blend OR 3/4 cup granulated sugar substitute  2 TBS Cornstarch 2-3 TBS water 1/2 tsp Lemon, orange, or vanilla extract Preheat oven to 325. Line an 8 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.  In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment: combine butter, sugar blend, and vanilla extract if using. Set speed to medium and let run for around 4-5 minutes to combine and incorporate some air. This should be fully and the color changed to very pale buttercream yel...