homemade mac and cheese with mozzarella

Ingredients:

Servings:
4

3 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaf
Directions:

1
Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package.
2
In 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Using whisk, stir in flour, salt and garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture smells nutty and is lightly golden, stirring constantly with whisk.
3
Add milk. Continue to beat with whisk, scraping bottom of skillet until mixture heats to boiling. Mixture will thicken. Remove from heat; add cheese and basil. Stir with whisk until smooth. Stir in drained macaroni.
4
Serve with additional basil leaves if desired.



Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/mozzarella-macaroni-and-cheese-491146?oc=linkback

Almond Flour Pumpkin Bread Gluten Free!!

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cane sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract (how to make vanilla extract)
• scant 1/2 teaspoon Real Salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• heaping 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 5 cups blanched almond flour
• butter or more coconut oil to grease pan
• * chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs.
2. Stir in honey, coconut oil, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
3. Stir in dry ingredients, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Add the blanched almond flour last, one cup at a time and beat until smooth.
5. The batter will be very thick.
6. Using a spatula, spread evenly into a greased 9x13 pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes (*about 20 mins in sprinkle some chocolate chips on top if you want), or until edges are slightly more than golden brown and the center is baked. (my oven 40 mins)

source

Southwestern Brown Rice Salad

08.09.2013

I’ve decided that the way I survive summer in Louisiana is to disappear for a good chunk of July. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that we just got back from a vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii that was magical and adventurous and filled with delicious, delicious food. But this post isn’t about the food we ate there (trust me, there are plenty of those on the way). This was about coming home to the delightful slow suffocation of summer in the deep South after being awake for a good, solid day and a half. And being hot and hungry and tired and dying for something that didn’t come from a diner or an airport or a fast food restaurant along the road.

This salad did the trick. It’s served cold, it’s loaded with feel-good awesomeness like brown rice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and creamy avocado. It’s flavorful but not overpowering, something that you could serve as a side dish or for a light lunch. I’ve talked SO many times about how lunch is the hardest meal for me. I hate it. If I were a Kardashian, I would totally have a lunch person whose sole job would be to take care of my lunch every day (and it wouldn’t be my kids’ uneaten food.)

To make the dressing, you’ll need extra-virgin olive oil, honey, the juice and rind of a lime, ground cumin, and some garlic.

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl…

and whisk together until smooth and combined. Set aside (the dressing can be made and refrigerated up to 48 hours before serving).

In a large bowl, combine the rice from this recipe (the exact amount), a chopped jalapeno (seeded or partially seeded if you’re worried about heat; every time I’ve made this, I’ve completely seeded the jalapeno and the salad hasn’t been hot at all), a diced avocado, and 10 ounces of grape tomatoes, halved.

Set aside.

Chop 5-6 green onions and a handful of cilantro…

and toss to combine. Add to the rice mixture and toss (gently–you don’t want to mangle the avocados or de-juice all the tomatoes). Add the dressing and toss again. Season with salt to taste (or allow people to season their own salads). Refrigerate any leftovers immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.

Southwestern Brown Rice Salad
Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated

Ingredients:

1 recipe of this brown rice
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
Zest of 1 lime
2 teaspoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
1 medium avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (seeded if you want; I pretty much always want)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
5-7 green onions, chopped

Instructions:

Cook the rice according to the directions. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, and cumin. Set aside.

In a large bowl, gently toss together the rice, tomatoes, avocado, and jalapeno. Add the cilantro and green onions and toss. Drizzle with the dressing, salt to taste, and serve immediately (or refrigerate…this will be good until the avocados start getting iffy, so about a day.) Makes 6-8 servings.

Gluten Free Pizza WITHOUT XANTHUM GUM!!

For the Crust:

3/4 cup Organic Tapioca Starch

1/4 Rice Flour

1/2 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)

2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

4 Tbsp melted butter (organic, nonGMO, grass fed, etc preferred)

1 Tbsp water

1 organic pastured egg

-Preheat oven to convection 375 degrees with pizza pan in oven.
-Combine all crust ingredients into mixing bowl and stir/knead with spoon until consistency is doughy and can be kneaded by hand (adjust ingredients if necessary)
-Cut two pieces of parchment paper a length equal to its width
-Place one piece on the counter, apply some oil to the paper, and place the dough in the center.
-Push the dough out as flat and apply some more oil to surface of dough.
-Place 2nd piece of parchment paper on top of dough and roll out with pin until the crust touches the edge of the paper on all four sides (or close to it)
-Remove top parchment paper (save it for next time)
-Use finger to push a crust up around the dough and round it out a bit (I use a butter knife)
-Apply sauce and toppings
-Remove pizza pan from oven and slide parchment paper and pizza onto pan
-Cook for about 9 - 11 minutes.
-Allow it to cool, cut and serve!

Garlic Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups jasmine rice
1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon Cumin

¼ teaspoon Chili Powder
3 Cups low-sodium chicken (or veggie) broth
Juice of 2 limes
Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Heat the butter in a large sauce pan skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the rice and cumin, chili powder and salt. Cook over a low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to make sure the rice doesn't burn. Add 3 cups of the broth, lime juice and chopped cilantro and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is done.

Creamy Hot Cocoa

Ingredients Edit and Save

Original recipe makes 4 servings Ch

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup boiling water

• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  

1. Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.

Paleo Chicken Salad Snack Wrap

Ingredients:

1 shredded chicken breast
2 Cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
(This is how I prepare our chicken...I simmer 1 chicken breast in a pot of water with chunks of onion, whole pieces of garlic and spices (basil, parsely, whatever) for 60 minutes.  Then I take the chicken, garlic and chunks of onion and toss it into the kitchen aid with the paddle attachment. Turn it on 1 speed and you get instant shredded chicken, garlic and onions in about one minute!

Then I mix in:
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
Season with pepper and dried basil 

Then I add in:
1 Fuji apple chopped
1 cup red grapes chopped

Take the whole mixture and wrap in a Romaine lettuce leaf