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!  

Take me out to the ball game...

I went to Wrigley Field recently to watch the Cincinnati Reds beat the Cubs (boo.) Despite the Cubbies loss, I still consider my $25 ticket a win because I got to hang with the boys and drink a brew.  A delicious gluten free brew.

The stadium now offers Anheuser-Busch's Redbridge, a medium body beer made without wheat and barley.
http://www.redbridgebeer.com/

Cheers to Wrigley for offering me something to drink other than water, soda or those dreadfully girly Frozen Vodka Lemonades.  Goodbye embarrassing drinks, hello light, refreshing beer.  I'm singing "Go Cubs Go!"

Cookin' Chili

In honor of today's fall-like weather and the start of pre-season football, I decided to whip up a batch of chili (gluten free ofcourse.) 

Here's what you need to cook up your own batch:

-1 lb ground beef
-5 roma tomatoes
-1 green pepper
-1/2 of a red onion
-1/8 of a jalapeno
-1 15oz can of each of the following-tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans
-3 Tbs chili powder
-1 Tbs cumin powder
-Dash of salt and pepper
-2 cups of water

Here's what you do:

-Brown ground beef in a large pot
-Add cans of tomato sauce, beans, liquid from beans and water
-Dice tomatoes, green peppers, onion and jalapeno and stir into pot
-Mix in chili powder, cumin powder, salt and pepper

Here's how to cook it:

-Heat to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer
-Stir every 15 minutes for 2.5-3 hours

Garnish:

-Sharp cheddar cheese
-Cholula hot sauce

Enjoy!

Big Bowl

I met my friend Jenny at Big Bowl for lunch last week to gab about all our favorite subjects-happy hour, weekend plans, work, dating, and of course food.

Before heading over, I looked up the menu and was pleasantly surprised to see they had a number of gluten free offerings.  http://www.leye.com/files/jenniferbell/bigbowl/Gluten-Free-SP.pdf

Because I'd already tackled a Grande Starbucks Latte earlier that morning, I decided on the Vegetable Summer Rolls.  A light, seasonal appetizer of rice noodles and veggies bundled in a rice paper wrapper and accompanied by a lemon dipping sauce.  Plated like a sushi maki roll, this meal not only hit the spot, but was easy to maneuver with chop sticks (heaven forbid I ask for a fork.)

For those of you working in the River North/Gold Coast area or doing some damage on Michigan Avenue, stop on in at Big Bowl and enjoy.

This Ice Cream's "Da Bomb"

That's right, I said "Da Bomb."  I realize it's not 1990 anymore, but seriously, this ice cream is the freakin' bomb.

Any gluten free guy or gal out there will tell you that it's hard to find a good ice cream alternative that tastes as delectable as Ben and Jerry's.  I like my ice cream filled with mouth-watering goodies and swirly goodness, and I want it to be full-fat (none of this 50% less fat BS.)

So to all you ice cream lovers out there who shed a tear every time you walk past your good ol' pals Ben and Jerry, I have some good news for you.  Say hello to Purely Decadent Coconut Milk "Ice Cream."

Da Bomb #1 (Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl)  http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/product.php?p=purely_decadent_cm_chocolate_peanut_butter_swirl

Da Bomb #2 (Cookie Dough)  http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/product.php?p=purely_decadent_cm_cookie_dough
 

I'm An Addict

I have an addiction.  A salty snacking addiction.  My vice:  Xochitl Chips

WARNING, do not read any further or you too will become an addict.

I've always been a chips and salty snacks connoisseur, but when I realized I could no longer eat my beloved Cheetos by the handful, I fell into a deep, dark salty snacks depression.

My head hung low as I passed by the chips aisle and headed down the dreaded gluten free aisle.  A row full of foods that looked dull and flavorless and quite frankly, just weird.  I taste tested snacks with odd textures, peculiar flavors and mysterious scents until I came across my beloved drug of choice, Xochitl Chips.

Hand-made with Stone Ground Corn, these thin, crispy bites of heaven are all natural and gluten free.  I would even go so far as to say they rival the chips dished up at the finest hole in the wall Mexican restaurants adorning the city streets.

They compliment all salsas, but I recommend pairing them with one of the following:
-Xochitl Chipotle Medium Salsa (found at Whole Foods)
-Garden Fresh Gourmet Jack's Special Medium Salsa (found at Jewel Osco)
-Salsa Caliente (freshly prepared at the Lakeview Whole Foods and located in the coolers adjacent to the freshly made pizza slices)

Happy snacking!
http://www.salsaxochitl.com/index.html