Gluten Free Snacks & Tips for New Year's Eve!

Looking for some quick and easy New Year's Eve or New Year's Day snacks? Look no further! I have a few simple yet full of flavor gluten free and some are even dairy free & corn free.

A quick hint for those that are NOT gluten free, but are cooking for friends or family that ARE gluten free. Wash hands before touching gluten free foods, you might have gluten on your hands. If you use a cookie sheet that has been used for gluten cooking, please use a sheet of foil on the clean cookie sheet. Only use clean bowls, utensils, pots and pans, meaning don't mix up a batch of chip dip and then use the same spoon to whip up a batch of gluten free chip dip. If you make a relish tray (veggie tray) wash your hands and the cutting surface (use a paper plate to cut on) before cutting up veggies. That way if your child made a PB & J for lunch and did not wipe off the counter top, your gluten free pal won't be sick in the New Year! Keep gluten free chips, dips and snacks at a different spot on the snack table, that way the Doritos (man I miss those!) don't accidently sprinkle their crumbs in to the gluten free dip.

Bacon Wrapped Olives (uncooked)

Gluten Free Bacon Wrapped Olives

I make up a batch of these and put them in the refrigerator and then put them in the oven later in the evening when we are ready to eat them. They can also be cooked in the microwave, I put a paper plate with a folded paper towel on a regular plate, then added the bacon wrapped olives and then cover with another paper towel. I microwave on high for around 2 minutes, depending on the watts of your microwave. You can always stop the microwave and take a peek and cook them more if needed.

Ingredients

24 pimento stuffed green olives with liquid drained. 6 slices of raw gluten free bacon (turkey bacon-it will cook faster so watch it)24 toothpicks

Heat oven to 450 or use your broiler.

Cut each bacon slice into 4 pieces, wrap each piece around an olive and spear with toothpick. Place on cookie sheet with sides (to catch grease). Bake for 5 or more minutes, until bacon is crisp and done. It depends on the type of bacon and the thickness.  Drain on paper towels and serve hot and remove toothpicks before eating.

Gluten Free Olive Cheese Crackers

Gluten Free Olive & Cheese Crackers

Ingredients
12 gluten free crackers of your choice (I like the Aldi brand Sea Salt)
Processed Cheese Spread like Aldi brand Clancy's Cheese Dip
6 pimento stuffed green olives with liquid drained

Spread cheese on crackers and top with 1/3 or 1/2 of a sliced olive


Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 cups peanut butter (I use natural peanut butter)
2 cups sugar
2 Tbls gluten free Vanilla (the more the better!)

If using natural peanut butter, add it first to the mixer and get the oil all mixed in, otherwise if using regular peanut butter just add everything at once.

Mix all together and spoon out on to cookie sheet. I use my small cookie scooper, then using a fork mash the cookie down and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake 8-10. Freeze, these are so good right out of the freezer!

Makes about 2 dozen large cookies and tons more if you make them smaller

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Using the above recipe add Gluten Free Chocolate Kisses (use dairy free if needed) to each cookie after they come out of the oven and let cool.

Enjoy your New Year and have a safe and happy time!

Merry Christmas to you!

 Merry Christmas to all!!

Thanksgiving Gluten Free Menu

Here is my gluten free Thanksgiving dinner menu, but don't tell, because it will be so good that nobody will know that it is gluten free! Works every time.

GLUTEN FREE DINNER ROLLS

They are a bit odd shaped but I like crunchy dinner rolls so I let them rise longer so they are full of air pockets. If you like soft dinner rolls just follow the directions on the package. These freeze very well too.

GLUTEN FREE PECAN PIE

I also made a pecan pie today and snatched a slice, it was wonderful! For the filling I use Aldi pecans, and for the filling I use Gluten Free Pecan Pie Mix from Calhoun Bend Mill.

I can't remember the pie crust name, but I bought it at Kroger in the frozen section. 2 pre-made (my kinda pie crusts!) gluten free pie crusts for around $6.00.

I plan to try the French Fried Onions from Aldi that I bought for my green bean casserole. I have not tried those yet. I will make those along with the mashed potatoes and gravy the day of the of our meal. 

May you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. If you don't celebrate our holiday please take time to enjoy your family members, whether they are near or far.

Moe

Adoptive Momma Tears Flow

Spring time makes for wonderful fresh and new memories. Like the memory of the very first time our son brought me a Taraxacum officinale, a weed, better known as a Dandelion. I remember that day quite well, he was around 18 months old and we were walking home from an errand. Thinking back to the nine long years that we waited for a child and Spring days of wondering, "Will I ever be brought a bouquet of Dandelions, picked by eager chubby little hands?" The day I got my beautiful yellow weed was a day that will stick out in my heart and mind forever. That day my little man learned the difference in tears, happy tears and sad tears. As a teenager he can discern the difference in them with regards to his Momma pretty well now.

Just yesterday the nearly 15 year old young man brought me a Taraxacum officinale, a weed, better known as a Dandelion. That little yellow weed filled this adoptive momma's heart with love and her eye's with tears, happy tears that is. It made me thankful that he thought of me, stopped during his busy day and took the time to smell the flowers, even if they were just weeds. These are simple little pleasures a Momma gets and uses as teaching moments for her son. I remind him that his wife will enjoy getting a simple bouquet of flowers on a rare occasion, just because he thought of her. 

I treasure these moments as the days are fleeting and soon those Dandelions will be untouched. But I think that somehow I will be getting a bouquet of flowers in the Spring from my little man when he is all grown up, no matter where the Lord plants him.

Moe