Crazy 'bout Cookies

If I'm gonna eat a cookie, it needs to be a freshly baked, homemade cookie (with a helping of raw cookie dough on the side, ofcourse.)

I used to fancy myself quite a chocolate chip cookie making champ in my younger days.  It always went a little something like this...I make the batter (and eat about 1/8th of it.)  My dad conveniently just so happens to pass through the kitchen and devours another 1/8th.  I bake the remaining 3/4ths of the dough and oh so conveniently leave the mess for my mom to clean up.

Now that my mom is 300 miles away from mopping up my messes, I seek the assistance of Mrs. Betty Crocker and her Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix.

It's just so easy.  Place cookie mix in large bowl, add 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 stick butter.  Or for a more bikini friendly option, use 1/2 stick butter and 1/4 cup applesauce.  Mix.  Bake. 

Eat.  And eat.  And eat.

Jambalaya and Cornbread

With fall just around the corner, I've been in the mood for more hearty dishes.  And since it was a tad bit chilly for grilling out on Labor Day, I ditched the grill and hovered 'round the stovetop cookin' up jambalaya and cornbread.

Jambalaya
Here's what you need to get the cookin' started:

-6 cups of uncooked white rice

-1 green pepper

-2 roma tomatoes

-1/2 red onion

-1 Hilshire Farms Polska Kielbasa

-20-30 oz Contadina Tomato Sauce*

-1-1.5 tsp cayenne pepper*

-3-4 tsp Perfect Pinch McCormick Carribean Jerk Spice*

*Depending on your sauciness and spiciness preferences

Here's what you do:

-Cook rice based on packaging instructions

-Place cooked rice in a large pot, add chopped green pepper, tomato and onion

-Cut kielbasa into bite-size pieces and stir into rice and veggies

-Add 20 oz tomato sauce, 1 tsp cayenne and 3 tsp jerk spice

Here's how to cook it:

-Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low

-Cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring very 5-7 minutes
-Taste test after 15 minutes, and based on your preferences, add additional sauce, cayanne or jerk spice

Cornbread
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread

-Pick up a package of Bob's at the grocery

-Follow preparation and cooking instuctions on package

Serve and enjoy!