Banana Cinnamon Pancakes (Gluten Free!)

Don't let the "Gluten Free" steer you away.  These were probably the most delicious pancakes I've ever had! We even put some peanut butter on them as a topping instead of syrup and served with bacon and fried eggs. They were TDF and healthy too!

Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tb Honey 
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 2 Tb Vegetable Oil 
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tb Water, warm 
• 2 Egg Whites, stiffly beaten 
• 1 banana (sliced)
• Cinnamon
• Powdered sugar

Directions:
In a bowl combine the first 4 ingredients.

In another bowl combine honey, vanilla, vegetable oil and warm water. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients; then gently fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites.

Ladle pancake batter onto a preheated and oiled pan.  Place sliced banana pieces in pancake and sprinkle with cinnamon. Flip pancakes over when they begin to puff and become lightly browned on the edges. Serve with powdered sugar sprinkled over pancakes.  You can top with syrup or peanut butter (either are deelish!) 

Linda's Angel Hair Pasta

This recipe was given to me by my mom's cousin Linda.  It is one of my all time favorites! I add chicken on top to make it a little more filling...Enjoy!!

Pasta Directions:

8oz. dried angel hair pasta
1 tblsp. plus 1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
2 tblsp. minced garlic
2 tblsp. minced shallots
1 1/2 lbs. roma tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parm cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Cook angel hair pasta until al dente, drain. (can add 1 tblsp olive oil).  While pasta is cooking, put 1/3 cup olive oil in saute pan, add pine nuts, garlic, (and shallots) and cook until fragrant, about 20 secs, then add tomatoes, feta cheese, parm cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for a min then add pasta and mix to incorporate.  Serve.

Chicken Directions:

2 chicken breasts

*Trader Joes Black Pepper Sauce

Tenderize chicken then marinate in sauce for 30 minutes.  Broil 10 minutes on each side.  Slice and serve over bed of pasta.  Top with more parm, fresh ground pepper and a little fresh basil.

*If you don't have access to this sauce, just broil chicken with a little garlic, seasoning salt and pepper.

Jamie Lee's Guacamole!

I took a delicious family recipe my Aunt and Mother like to call "Gringo Guacamole" (lol) and expanded on it.  I think I have created quite possibly, the most delicious dip ever made! TDF! Try it out and give me your feedback!

Ingredients:

• Half of an avocado
• 1/4 cup of cottage cheese
• 1 handful of baby spinach
• 1/4 or so of chopped cilantro
• 1/4 of a red onion chopped
• 3 tablespoons of El Pato Tomato Sauce (sold in the hispanic section of the store)
• juice of a half a lemon
• 1/8 of a jalapeno
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Throw all ingredients into a Vitamix (any blender should work) and lightly pulse ingredients until well combined but NOT smooth.  Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy! ;-)

Dill & Shallot Veggie Dip

I created this for a baby shower yesterday and it was a HIT.  I also liked it so much I came home and made a batch just for me…helps me eat more veggies! ;)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of non-fat plain greek yogurt (I prefer the Chobani brand)
- 1/2 cup of mayonnaise (I use the reduced fat mayo that's made with olive oil)

- 1 tablespoon of chopped shallots

- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley

- 2 teaspoons of fresh finely chopped dill weed

- 1 teaspoon of seasoned salt

• Directions:
  Simply combine all ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Serve with your favorite veggies or serve as a topping for baked potatoes! DEELISH!

Brie & Caramelized Onion Pastry

"This was one of the top ten most deliciously evil things I have ever eaten. Amazing!"
- Hillary Law

Sorry, no photo, but how can you really go wrong with cheese & pastry dough? ;)  

Ingredients:

- 2 small brie rounds
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 sheet of pre-made pastry dough


Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Slice onion in very thin slices.
- Melt butter in skillet over medium high heat then add onions.  Fry until caramelized.
- Cut sheet of pastry dough in half.  Place a couple scoops of the onions onto center of each half.
- Place a round of brie on top of onions.
- Wrap the dough around the onion and bri
- Place each round (seam side down) on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Brush beaten egg over each pastry
- Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes (or until pastry is golden brown)

Bon Appétit

Recipe #1

Tortilla Soup

This recipe was originally given to me by one of my best friend's, Leah Cox who got it from her mother!  It was perfect and delicious as is, but I took it and put my own twist on it by adding new ingredients that I thought would compliment it - and I was really happy with the finished product! Let me know what you all think!

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into large chunks)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion chopped up

3 cloves of garlic minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons of dried parsley

2 boxes of chicken broth

2 cans of corn (drained)

2 cans of black beans (drained)

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 can of condensed tomato soup

The juice of 2 lemons

1 jar of medium salsa (I like Newmans)

8 oz container of plain yogurt

Hot sauce

Garlic salt (a few shakes)

Salt to taste (quite a bit!!)

Pepper to taste

Avocado chunks

Grated sharp cheddar

Fresh cilantro finely chopped

Lemon slices
Fried tortilla strips (cut up tortilla into little strips and fry up in olive oil. Drain on paper towels)

Directions: 

In a large soup pot heat up the olive oil...when hot add the onion and garlic, chicken, cumin, chili powder, parsley, garlic salt and some salt and pepper.  Cook until chicken is browned. Add chicken broth, corn, black beans, salsa, lemon juice, few shakes of hot sauce, tomato soup, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes.  Fish the chicken pieces out of soup and allow to cool slightly. Then shred the chicken and add back to soup. Add the plain yogurt and stir until dissolved into soup. Add salt and pepper to taste (quite a bit of salt). You can also add more cumin and chili powder to taste if you want more of that flavor.  Let simmer for an hour (but you don’t have to wait that long, 20 minutes would be enough but the longer it simmers the more the flavors meld together!)

Serve in bowl with shredded sharp cheddar, avocado, lemon slices, cilantro, and tortilla strips on top!

Bon appétit,

Ms. jamie lee

xoxo