Hot Crab Dip

Well, let me start my saying how much I LOVE dips! I keep some kind of dip in my refrigerator at all times. Cold dips are great for a snack but there are a lot of nights that the hubby is working and I need something for dinner. This is where a hot dip is just the ticket.

I am not only gluten intolerant but I have a yeast allergy that prevents me from eating most prepared foods, including condiments. So this dish will start with Homemade Mayo. I truly wish I had made my own Mayo years ago, it's so easy and has great flavor.

Homemade Mayo

3 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
dash of Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups Canola oil
1-2 cloves of garlic, depending on size

Place eggs, lemon juice, garlic and dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and process until eggs are light in color and double in volume. With motor on, slowly drizzle oil into mixture processing till combined and thick. Several minutes.

Crab Dip

8 ounce Cream Cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
8 ounce Sour Cream
1/2 cup Homemade Mayo
1 cup Red Bell Pepper, finely diced
1 cup Scallion, finely diced
6 ounces Crab Meat, drained
1/4 teaspoon Paprika

Blend Cream Cheese, butter and Sour Cream until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, till bubbly. Serve hot with your choice of crackers.

Enjoy!

PIZZA!!!!!!

This is the best Pizza Crust I have tried! Believe me when I say I've tried several, we have eaten them all, but this is the winner. It's crispy and chewy but not gummy in the middle.

2 cups GF all purpose flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons Xanthum gum
1 teapoon garlic salt (optional)
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons Olive oil

Preheat oven, with baking stone in the center, to 475 degrees.

Stir dry ingredients together then add water and olive oil stirring to form a ball. Divide into 2 pieces. Roll out on to parchment paper forming a 12 inch circle, top with your favorite ingredients. Bake on parchment paper on top of baking stone for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!!!!!

Mango Sorbet

OK, so today was an experiment day. Strawberry Sorbet is a regular in our freezer but I found mangos on sale last week so I thought "Why not?"

My sweet husband wasn't sure he really liked mangos...he LOVED this! Sweet and creamy!

5 very ripe Mangos, peeled and diced
1/2 cup simple syrup
1/4 cup rum
zest and juice of 1 lime

In a blender or food processor; process mango until smooth and add remaining ingredients. Taste for sweetness, add more simple syrup if needed.
Pour into freezer safe bowl and freeze. Should stir every hour or two so it keeps a light texture and does not freeze solid.

Enjoy!

Banana Pudding

So it's definately warm weather; time for baseball, softball and gardening. Although we have a lot of activities outside and less time to spend in the kitchen it doesn't mean we can't have a fantastic homemade dessert ready. This one is fast and easy!

Banana Pudding

2 cups Milk
1 small box instant Vanilla Pudding
1 can Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 - 8 ounce container Cool Whip
3 - 4 over-ripe Bananas
2 bags Mi-Del Pecan Cookies or 1 bag Jackson's Vanilla Wafers (if you don't need to be gluten free)

In a mixing bowl combine milk and pudding mix and stir until combined. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and the stir in Cool Whip. Layer in a large bowl starting with 1/2 the cookies, then 2 bananas (I like a lot of bananas) and lastly with 1/2 the pudding mix; repeat.

Allow to cool completely.

Enjoy!!!!!

Gluten Free-Italian

The one thing that was the hardest to give up was pasta. I LOVE pasta and we would have some kind of pasta dish several times a week if not daily. I've tried all the gluten free pasta options, didn't love any of them and most are just too costly. I do use rice noodles from my local Asian Market frequently but my new favorite food, if you want to call it new, is POLENTA.

Being from the south, grits is a regular option on breakfast menus and there is usually a pan of cheese grits on most holiday tables. Now, let's face it....most restaurants do not know how to cook grits and if you have food allergies (like I do) cheese grits are just not an option. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE cheese grits!

Polenta is yellow corn grits. Cooked correctly! My husband has always told me he didn't like grits, well he loves the polenta.

Basic Polenta (makes 2 servings)

2 cups water
1 cups dry polenta (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 teaspoon salt
3-4 tablespoons butter
Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Bring water & salt to a boil, add polenta stirring constantly. Stir contantly until mixture is very thick. It should stay where you push it. Add butter and stir to combine.
ENJOY!!!!!

What to top it with? A good Meat Sauce....

1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dried Italian Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 pounds lean ground Beef
2 - 28 ounce cans Diced tomatoes
1 - 28 ounce can Crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup Red Wine
salt & pepper

Saute onion and garlic in the olive oil until translucent; add meat and continue to cook until meat is browned. Add seasoning, red pepper and red wine. Simmer while you are opening the cans of tomatoes. Add tomatoes gently, stir to combine, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
ENJOY!!!!

Make extra polenta, pour into a square pan and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares or fingers and fry in olive oil. Dip in Marinara Sauce! Fun, healthy food!