Tuna Quiche - Gluten Free

 

My Tuna Quiche
Gluten Free Crustless
Keto Friendly

I'm crazy about any recipe with Tuna, but had never made a Tuna Quiche. Since I had fresh mushrooms, and other ingredients I thought would go in it, I came up with this and have to say, it's pretty good and packed with PROTEIN! I like to serve it with grapes or other fresh fruit. 

Tuna Quiche - makes 1 quiche

Preheat oven to 359º

* 1 - 6 oz can Albacore Tuna (or 2 cans) drained

1 - 1½ cups  fresh mushrooms, sliced

* ½ - ¾ cup fresh broccoli (or any other vegetable, like green pepper,       zucchini, chopped tomatoes-into bite size pieces)

* ½ cup chopped onion

* 1 - 2 Tbs butter or oil

* 4 eggs, whisked

* 1 cup mozzarella or any other other grated cheese (suggestions-Swiss, Havarti, Colby, Feta, cheddar)

* ½ cup (or less) mayonnaise (not salad dressing)

* ¼ cup cream or milk

* ½ cup cottage cheese

* Salt and Pepper to taste

* A little onion powder & garlic powder to taste

*Parsley or Chives for garnish

I love fruit with ANY kind of quiche!

Saute mushrooms, broccoli and onions in butter for 3-4 minutes but not fully cooked. 

While vegetables are cooking, put into a large bowl the whisked eggs, tuna, cream, cottage cheese, mayonnaise and spices. 

Mix together and add the sauted  veggies. Pour into greased pie plate and add more grated cheese if you wish. Sprinkle with a little fresh or dried parsley or chives for color.

Bake at 350º for 35 - 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean and quiche is firm and not jiggly. In MY oven I have to turn up the heat to 375º and bake about 40-45 minutes

Enjoy!

Dennis's Philly Cheese Steak Chowder

This soup was created by my friend, Dennis Bevers. He's a fellow Texan,  who is now my fiance.

Dennis's's Philly Cheese Steak Chowder

Dennis's Philly Cheese Steak Chowder

1 -  15 oz box Steak-Ums or shaved beef from any grocery store

2 - Tbs olive oil or butter (to me, it tastes better with butter!) I had to keep adding butter when I was cooking the vegetables and then again when I cooked the steak - about 6 Tb butter total

16 oz fresh button mushrooms, sliced

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup green pepper, chopped

8 cups beef broth or or 2 - 32 oz boxes

2 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened (I ended up using 2½  (8oz) boxes because I added more broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garlic powder or minced garlic, to taste  (I used about ½-1 tsp powder)

2 cups Provolone, Havarti cheese (or a mixture). I used 1 cup Provolone and 1 cup Havarti.

Parsley, chopped, if desired

 Garnish: 1 cup EXTRA grated cheese to place on top of each individual bowl of soup. (3 cups cheese total for soup).

Toasted Sourdough bread to dip in soup 

Directions

Place beef broth in soup pot and heat on low, adding chunks of the softened cream cheese. Whisk occasionally so cheese will blend with broth.

In the meantime, heat olive oil in large frying pan. Add sliced mushrooms, chopped onion and green pepper; saute til softened. Add this (including ALL liquid) to soup pot with broth and stir.

Then saute Steak-ums in same frying pan, adding a little more oil or butter. It's ok if it breaks up. When cooked, add to soup/broth and stir all together, making sure cream cheese is blended.

Add 2 cups grated cheese, while stirring, to blend. Then add salt and pepper to taste.

After pouring soup into individual bowls, add more shredded cheese to top of each one. Toast bread for each person to dip into soup. Don't skip this step!

This is absolutely delicious! It's now one of my favorite soups! I know you'll love it too!

Portabella Mushroom Sandwich

Portabella and Sweet Red Pepper Sandwich

*Note-we had these delicious sandwiches in a little cafe at Hocking Hills & I came home & recreated them!

Portabella Mushroom Sandwich 

 Mary Jane’s recipe

Ingredients

Portabella Mushroom caps, sliced sideways about ½" thick

Red Bell Peppers, sliced flat

Mozzarella or Provolone Cheese Slices    

Focacciaa, Sourdough or Italian bread, large slices (GF bread if you need to avoid gluten-my favorite to use for this recipe, because the slices are not tiny,  is Canyon Honey White or Hawaiian Sweet, which is not always easy to find)

Dressing

Mix ½ cup Mayo  & 1 tsp Italian salad dressing

Fry mushrooms & red peppers on both sides til charred, in butter or olive oil. Toast bread in skillet w/ butter or oil. 

Spread mayo mixture on each side of toasted bread. Place in this order on bread - cooked mushrooms, peppers & motz cheese. Place sandwich in microwave to melt cheese. 

I love this sandwich so much and consider it very special! I made it again tonight and ate sweet Vidalia onion on the side and fixed sweet iced tea, which hit the spot. So good!

Suggestion: I have not tried this yet, but I bet the sandwich would be good with roasted red peppers (in oil you find in a jar), to replace the fresh red pepper. In my grocery store (Kroger), you'll find those red peppers in the jar, near the salad toppings and rows of fresh nuts. I'll try that next time, because I have some in my fridge.

Other Suggestions: I think this sandwich wound also be good with fresh tomato slices and/or lettuce too.

I'm not crazy about Italian dressing, but the 1 tsp you add to mayonnaise helps to make this sandwich special. That's the exact taste of the sandwich where I tried it in the small cafe (in a bookstore/library) at Hocking Hill, Ohios.

Mary Jane Hall's version of the Portabella Mushroom and Red Sweet Pepper Sandwich

Dill Pickle Tuna Macaroni Salad

Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad
My own creation

You cannot tell from the picture, but there is actually Albacore tuna in this pasta salad. It's similar to my Macaroni Salad, but slightly different. The regular macaroni salad (without tuna) has green pepper and black olives. (Instead of celery and dill pickles). This and my regular macaroni salad may not be anything new to you, but most macaroni salad I've eaten, whether it be at an Amish restaurant or potluck, is almost always sweet. I like those sweet versions too, and if you like a sweet macaroni salad please try my Broccoli Pasta Salad HERE (with bacon). I'm crazy about it!

Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 lb dry macaroni, any shape (I use GF)

2 small can Albacore Tuna, drained
6 hard boiled eggs, grated
1½ cups mayonnaise (Hellmans or Dukes)
1 - 2 Tbs yellow mustard
¾  cup celery, chopped
¾ cup sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
1 cup Baby Dill pickles (whole) chopped
2-3 Tbs cream, only if needed
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  Cook the eggs about 12 minutes; place in cold water and ice. This will make it easier to peel the eggs! Set aside. Boil the macaroni according to pkg directions and drain in a colander. After it has drained (without rinsing) place in very large bowl. I don't rinse the pasta anymore because it makes the salad too runny. Drain the tuna and add to macaroni, breaking up big chunks.

  

  While the macaroni is cooking, chop the celery, sweet onion and pickles. Add to the macaroni after it's been placed in the big bowl. Grate the peeled eggs into the macaroni with a grater. (I don't like big chunks!) Add mayonnaise and mustard. Stir this all together. Taste it and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.

Add more mayo if needed. If you want it a little more creamy, just add some cream, but not too much. Hope you enjoy it! I am addicted to this, and it's so refreshing for summer on a hot day!

* This main dish Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad is a lot like my Tuna Salad for sandwiches but with added pasta. In my regular tuna salad, though, I add sweet pickles, as well as dill pickles. Everybody asks me for the recipe!

Cheesy Instant Mashed Potatoes

 This will be the easiest potato dish you've ever made! I promise. And it's just as delicious as it is easy and always a big hit no matter what kind of event you take it to or what kind of meat you fix to go with it!

I have never liked instant potatoes. I know they're real potatoes, but I just never liked the way they tasted. Believe me, though, when I tell you, that when you taste these mashed potatoes, you won't be able to tell they are instant! 

One of the best things about this recipe is that you don't have to go to the bother and time it takes to peel the potatoes. Plus I like the fact I don't have to whip the potatoes with my mixer or dirty up more dishes to wash. You do everything in ONE pot! This is very quick to make! At the most 15 minutes to heat the water and mix all the ingredients in. 

Cheesy Instant Mashed Potatoes

In the 80's, there was a senior citizens group at our church, called "Super Sixties" that gathered together once a week to visit and eat. There was always entertainment and a Bible study ready for them to enjoy. Occasionally, since I was the ministers wife,  I would help the ladies in the kitchen prepare the meal. They are the ones who taught me how to make these super easy mashed potatoes. An idea, is if you're going to take this to a potluck or dinner at someone else's house, would be to make a big batch and keep it warm in the crockpot. I think this could easily be baked in a dish if you want to do it that way. If you do that though, you'll need to add more milk and butter so it won't get too dry.

Instant Cheesy Mashed Potatoes         4-6 Servings

Note: to feed a larger group of people, double or triple this recipe. If I were making it for a potluck, Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, I would triple or quadruple this and keep it warm in my crockpot.

2 cups instant potatoes
1¾ cups water
3 Tablespoons butter
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
---------------------------------------
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese (Velveeta, Colby or cheddar). I use Velveeta.
2 Tablespoons Hellman's mayonnaise
1/3 pkt Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix  (OR makes your own with: (add to taste)
Dill weed
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Fresh or dry parsley

Directions
Cook potatoes in saucepan on top of stove, according to directions using first 5 ingredients.
After potatoes are done, add rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.  You can add more of all these ingredients if you think it needs more or to your taste.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you want a quick potato salad, use instant potatoes for that too! Just add the ingredients you normally would for a regular potato salad. My friend, Jean Parker, from Midland, Texas taught me how to do this and it's great!

Instant Potato Salad - Texas Style

(add everything to your taste)

Instant potatoes (any amount already prepared, as on the package)

Add the following to your taste:

Sweet onions, chopped

Celery, chopped

Sweet Pickles, chopped

Dill Pickles, chopped

Hard Boiled Eggs, grated (cook number of eggs you think you'll grate into the salad, plus 1 more egg to slice on top

Mayonnaise (I like Hellman's best)

Mustard, to your taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

Green Olives, sliced

If you want to give it a little more taste, add some of the dill pickle / sweet pickle juice from the jar. Not too much. You dont want your potato salad to be runny!

I always put sliced hard boiled eggs and sliced green olives on top and sprinkle with Paprika

Spinach / Mozzarella Bake

Deep Dish Spinach Bake

My family has loved this recipe since the early 1980's when Irene and Mike Coffey had us over to eat. My kids used to beg me to make it. A very simple but delicious meal! 

NOTE - The only thing I don't like to do is spreading the Biscuick in the casserole dish because it can stick to your fingers. Just keep putting dry Biscuick or flour on your fingers as you spread it. something that would make this quicker (but more expressive) would be to use Puff Pastry. I've used that before and it's divine!   Another idea would be to buy the Pillsbury All Ready Pie crust in the long box to put in a regular pie plate. Make sure to use the top and bottom crust. 

Ingredients

2 - 10 oz boxes frozen spinach

1½ lbs mozzarella cheese, grated (or more!)

4 cups Bisquick  (if you're in a hurry, use puff pastry for the upper and lower crust!)

1 1/3 cups milk

1 Tablespoon butter

2 tsp garlic powder (or more)

   Cook spinach in 1 cup water, in large frying pan on top of stove til tender (10-15 mins). While spinach is cooking, add the Tb of butter and  garlic powder. Cook til all water is absorbed. Turn off heat, then add mozzarella cheese; mix. In the meantime while spinach is cooking, make crust (4 cups Bisquick+1 1/3 cups milk). With Bisquick on your fingers, spread ½ in 13"x9" pan. When spinach is ready, spread on top of bottom batter. Then spread other ½ batter on spinach. Cook in 400º oven (or 350º) about 30 mins or till brown. Make sure batter is not gooey in center. 

Serve w/ salad.

Cheesy Tuna Rice Muffins

Cheesy Tuna Rice Muffins
with Lemon Butter Sauce

I don'tthink there's anyone on this planet who could love tuna more than I do! I love it any way I can get it. 

Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna Quiche

Tuna Melts

And one of my all time favorites is Tuna Rice Muffins! I found this tastey recipe in a Workbasket magazine way back in the 1970's. That small magazine had mostly knit and crochet patterns in it, as well as a few other crafts, but it also had several recipes in it that readers sent in. The first time I tried this recipe in the 1970's, I instantly fell in love with them and the lemon/buttery sauce you pour over them is what makes them one of the tastiest things I've ever eaten. By the way, I love black olives too. These muffins are a pretty quick meal to make along with a vegetable, such as corn or broccoli on the side. I hope you like this recipe!

Cheesy Tuna Rice Muffins (with buttery lemon sauce)

Ingredients

Tuna Muffins

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can 6.5oz tuna, drained
• 1-1½ Tablespoon sweet onion or green onions, chopped
• 1 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 3 eggs beaten
• 2 Tablespoon milk
• 3/4 cup sliced olives 

Lemon Butter Sauce

• ¼ butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/8 teaspoon parsley flakes
• Note: you may want to make more of this sauce because in my opinion, it's what makes it! Somertimes I double it.
• 
  

Preheat oven to 375º (400 in my oven) . Mix first 9 ingredients in a bowl. Spray muffin pan (or pie plate if you want to make it into a crustless quiche). Fill each muffin cup to the edge. I get 7 muffins when I make this. Bake in oven 15-30 minutes till they are firm and starting to brown a little on top. Let cool and pour lemon sauce on individual muffins. If the butter sauce has congealed, that's ok. Just put about ½ tsp (or more) on top. Enjoy!

Perfect Tuna Melt

This sandwich is absolutely one of the best things I've ever eaten. I love Tuna in just about any way and this is a quick and easy lunch that I crave! I recently fixed it for my sister and she couldn't stop saying, "This is one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth!" It's just that good! I copied this recipe from Sarah Titus Ministries. 

The Perfect Tuna Melt
Recipe from
Sarah Titus Ministries

This Tuna Melt might be different from any other you've had but this is the only recipe I've ever tried. I notice that other recipes are different from this. It might seem odd to put garlic with tuna, but please don't leave it out because that's what makes it so good. Also other recipes call for cheddar cheese, and even though I'm sure that's good, I love love love the mozzarella cheese on this! And make sure you toast the bread the way it says to do! You won't be sorry.

Recipe is Here -  Perfect Tuna Melt 

Macaroni Salad - No Sugar

I am not a huge fan of sweet macaroni salad. I will eat it and enjoy it, but several years ago a little old man brought his version of macaroni salad to a church potluck and I loved it so much that I had to have his recipe. That was many years ago and I have lost that recipe, so I had to try and come up with a version on my own, trying to replicate his. I think I pretty much figured it out since I remember some of the basic ingredients. I do know for sure it was not sweet. 

My Favorite Macaroni Salad
That's Not Sweet

There are many more ingredients you can add to macaroni salad, which I don't add to my recipe, and I've listed some below as optional. Actually my recipe is similar to my potato salad in the fact it has lots of eggs and real mayonnaise. If you do prefer sweet macaroni salad, just as add some

sweet pickle relish and a little sugar. I hope you enjoy this!

Ingredients
1 lb dry macaroni, any shape
6 hard boiled eggs, grated
1½ cups mayonnaise (Hellmans or Dukes)
1 - 2 Tbs yellow mustard
2/3 - 3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
2/3 - 3/4 cup sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
1 - 6oz can black olives, drained and sliced
2-3 Tbs Milk, if needed
Salt and pepper to taste

I usually add the following seasonings to taste also - paprika, onion powder, garlic powder & celery salt

Optional- sweet pickle relish, chopped celery, grated carrots, canned tuna, frozen green peas. I love this with tuna, as a main dish!

To make this as a main dish pasta salad, add Tuna, Diced Ham or Chicken. Even crab or shrimp added would be good!

You cannot tell from the picture, but I added albacore tuna to my macaroni salad today (June, 2025) and I am addicted to it! Things I did different from the above recipe - I added celery and left off the green pepper and black olives, making it much like my Tuna Salad for sandwiches but with added pasta. 

I Love My Macaroni Salad!

Instructions

Cook the eggs and after about 12 minutes, place in cold water and ice. This will make it easier to peel the eggs! Set aside. Boil the macaroni according to pkg directions and drain in a colander, rinsing the starch off with cold water, so it won't stick together. After it has drained, place in very large bowl.

While the macaroni is cooking, chop the green pepper and sweet onion. Then slice the olives. Add to the macaroni. Grate the eggs into the macaroni with a grater. (I don't like big chunks!) Add mayonnaise and mustard. Stir this all together. Add black olives. Taste it and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.

Add more mayo if needed. If you want it a little more creamy, just add some milk or cream, but not too much. Hope you enjoy it!

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps - Thai Style

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, shown without the flour tortilla

Easy Gluten Free Meal!
If you've never had the priveledge of munching on this delicious light meal, you're in for a treat. It's a healthy wrap, which is great for lunch, snack or an evening meal. Your kids will love it, because what kid doesn't like peanut butter? You'll find other chicken wraps without it, but Thai style wraps almost always have peanut butter as a main ingredient in the sauce.  This particular recipe can be used with a flour tortilla, or wrapped in Boston lettuce (also known as Bibb lettuce). I like to put the lettuce inside the flour tortilla. In my case, I use gluten free tortillas,  since I am wheat intolerant. Many grocery stores carry the GF version, but I find mine at Aldi, displayed with their other GF products. See my new favorite wraps below-Egglife.

I double this recipe when I make it because we like to have some left over for the next day or two. If you plan to have any leftovers, it would be a good idea to keep the sauce separate from the chicken/cole slaw mixture. Then you can just heat up the sauce. We eat the chicken mixture cold with warm sauce, but you can heat up the chicken If you want. It's just that since its mixed with the cole slaw mix, that may not be good warmed. I hope you enjoy this! It 's one of my favorite meals!

These are my new favorite gluten free, grain free tortillas/wraps

Gluten Free Wraps I buy at Aldi grocery store



Gluten Free Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

INGREDIENTS

Chicken Filling
3-4 cups cooked chicken tenderloins, chopped in small pieces
1 can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
1½ cups cole slaw mix with carrots
3 - 4 green onions, sliced
4 Tbs chopped peanuts
1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce
Flour tortillas 

Other optional ingredients: (I've seen in restaurants)
cellophane Chinese rice noodles, fresh edamame peas, shiitake mushrooms, sliced red pepper, slivered almonds, sesame seeds, cucumber, cilantro, alfalfa or bean sprouts, fresh chopped snow peas, chopped bamboo shoots

Sauce Ingredients
4 Tbs "Toasted" sesame oil 
1-2 Tbs lite GF soy sauce or Coconut Aminos
4-5 Tbs peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
4 Tbs lime juice

Note: I made this again tonight and didn't realize I was out of lime juice, so I decided to use some rice vinegar and lemon juice instead. The sauce turned out great with this substitute. Nobody even missed the lime juice.
4 Tbs light brown sugar
2 tsp garlic, chopped or minced
1-2 dashes ceyenne red pepper

Note: Tonight I used 1 tsp Chili Garlic Sauce instead and it was great. Just use to taste.

Cook chicken for 15 minutes and set aside to cool. In large bowl, mix together chopped chicken, cole slaw mix, peanuts, water chestnuts and green onions. Taste and see if you need to add any more of the sauce ingredients. I just go by taste anyway.  Tonight I made it again and had to add more brown sugar because I used too much coconut Aminos & it was too salty. In a separate bowl, mix sauce ingredients with wisk. Place sauce in microwave for 2 minutes to warm it.

To Assemble
Layer ingredients on a plate in this order:
Tortilla (warmed in microwave for 15 seconds)
Lettuce
Chicken Mixture
Sauce
Roll up and serve

Italian Sausage Hero Sandwiches - Festival Style

Yum! Doesn't this look good?

Did you ever eat an Italian Sausage Sandwich with Peppers and Onions at a festival? My mouth waters just thinking about it. In fact that's one of the main things that motivates me to go to an outdoor festival! They are so good! I found a recipe in a Country Living magazine in the early 80's , but I add mushrooms to mine too. I thought I'd share this with you and I know you will thank me. See recipe below.

I like my sausage cooked well and charred!

Ingredients

2 Hot Italian Sausages and 2 Sweet Italian Sausages (I used only sweet! They aren't really sweet, but are not as spicy as the hot). You can find the Kroger brand (see picture above) in the meat section near the pork.
2 Tablespoons butter
2 large sweet peppers - 1 green and 1 red (sometimes I use all green)
1 large onion (I use sweet)
1 or 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (you could use canned)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Note: If doubling the recipe, you may not want to double the spices. I did that and thought there were too many spices.
4 Hoagie buns
Continued below

Pepper, onion and mushroom mixture

Take the casing off the sausages. You can leave them on, but I think they are better without that. They won't fall apart.
Fry the Sausages on medium high heat in the butter till brown on all 4 sides. This may take 20 or more minutes. Turn up heat if you need to, depending on how much char you want on them. Place the Sausages on a pan in a preheated oven that's been set on warm. If you think they aren't quite done put the oven on 200.

In remaining butter in the pan, saute the peppers, onions and mushrooms for just a few minutes. You do not want to get them too done. They're better when they're still a little crisp. Add the chopped garlic and spices. Stir and cook another minute or two.
Serve immediately in hoagie bun. I think they're better if the bun is warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds or even better if the buns are slightly toasted in the oven.
I hope you enjoy this!

Chinese Pepper Steak with Tomatoes

Chinese Pepper Steak with Tomatoes

I love Pepper Steak but most Chinese restaurants do not add tomates to the dish. I love tomatoes added because that's the way my mom and dad liked to cook it. They learned to love and fix oriental dishes from the years we spent living in the Philippine Islands. The food there is very similar to Chinese cusine and I'll never forget visiting Hong Kong and Japan too. I have great memories of the time we spent there and would love to go back someday.

There are many different recipes for this hearty dish, but I hope you like my version! Remember to make sure you don't cook the vegetables too long. You want them to be crisp, rather than soggy.  And lastof all, make sure you serve it on top of some steamed white rice or better yet with brown rice if you want to eat healthier!

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs top sirloin steak, thinly sliced, against the grain
2 Tablespoons peanut oil or any other cooking oil (coconut oil is also a good choice)
1 whole med size onion, cut into bite size squares
1 green pepper, sliced into bite size squares or slivers
1 red sweet pepper, cut into bite size chunks
1 handful of fresh pea pods, ends trimmed.
2 medium size tomatoes, sliced in wedges
2 - cloves garlic, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 tespoon ground ginger or freshly grated ginger
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional - 1- 2 Tablespoons cooking wine

Put the steak in the freezer for about 30 minutes because it will be easier to slice. After 30 minutes, slice the steak into thin slices.
In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, sugar, ginger and cornstarch. Add the steak slices and allow to marinate for 20 - 30 minutes.
While steak is marinating, chop peppers, onions and garlic. Trim peapods and put in separate bowl. Slice tomatoes into thin wedges and set aside in a separate bowl. They will be added at the end a couple minutes before serving.
Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in wok on high heat. Cook beef in 2 batches so it will get crispy. Place cooked beef in a bowl and set aside. Add 1- 2 more tablespoons  oil to wok and fry chopped garlic and water chestnuts along with about 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion.  After it has carmelized, add peppers and onion to pan. Cook 2 minutes. Put beef back into pan and stir all together. Add 1/2 - 2/3 cup water. If adding cooking wine, this would be the time to do that. Heat for about a minute. Salt and pepper to taste. Add peapods and tomatoes and cook about 1-2 minutes longer.
Serve over rice.

Chicken Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

If your looking for a quick, hearty lunch or dinner and your family loves Ramen noodles, then this is the recipe you've been looking for! To make it even easier, I always keep on hand a Kroger bag of frozen Grilled Chicken, which is delicious and so incredibly convenient. Actually I love Chinese and Thai food so much that I fix this exactly the same way I fix my Chinese Fried Rice.

But whatever you do, if you have to substitute anything, please don't leave out the sesame oil. I've lived in the orient and eaten Chinese food in Hong Kong and if you want an authentic taste, make sure you use toasted sesame oil. I prefer the toasted because it just has a better flavor to me.

Saying all that, if you want to make my fried rice recipe (pictured below),

My Fried Rice Version
just substitute the rice for the noodles, especially if you are wheat intolerant like I am. It tastes best with white long grain rice, but this time I used brown rice, which is healthier of course. Make sure your rice was cooked the day before though and put it in the refrigerator. Fried rice is better with cold rice that doesn't stick together. Rinsing the rice before cooking helps with that too. You can add some lite soy sauce too, just not too much because you don't want it to be too salty. Let me know if you try this and what you thought!

Ingredients - to  feed 6 hungry people

Canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
4 packages Chicken flavored Ramen Noodles
2-3 cups Kroger brand frozen Grilled Chicken Strips (green bag)
3-4 eggs
1 can sliced water chestnuts, sliced into strips
1 can baby corn
1½ cups frozen peas or peas and carrots, pre-thawed in the microwave for 2 mins
1-2 Tb Toasted Sesame oil
1-2 Tb sesame seeds

Brown chicken chucks in wok on high heat with about 2 tsps canola oil till brown. When cooked, place in large bowl. In meantime boil approx. 8 cups water to cook noodles. When water comes to a boil, setting seasoning packets aside for later, add dry noodles and cook 3 minutes. Immediately drain water in colinder and rinse with water to prevent sticking. Set aside.
After chicken is cooked, place in large bowl and set aside. Heat about 1 Tb. butter and  1 tsp. oil in the pan. Add onions and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Transfer onion and garlic to same bowl with chicken. While pan is still hot, place eggs in skillet and scramble till done. Put eggs in bowl with onions and chicken.
In small amount oil, stir fry together baby corn, peas  and carrots and water chestnuts for about a minute or two. Then put all ingredients together in wok and stir together. Add sesame oil and about 1-2 cups water. Sprinkle seasoning packets all over noodles, chicken and vegetable mixture. Stir well. Add sesame seeds and stir through.

Taco Salad in Crispy Bowls

This taco salad is a lot like the ones you buy at Taco Bell. After all, I bought the crispy bowls from them. I don't know how many people think of this but instead of baking tortilla bowls in the oven, I just go to Taco Bell and buy them for 50 cents each. It's well worth it to me because you don't have to bake them yourself and it is the original shell from Taco Bell. That was always my favorite part of the salad anyway! I don't know what all they put in their salad, but here's what I put in mine. It's delicious and everyone loves it! I hope you do too!

My Taco Salad with Crispy Bowls from Taco Bell

Ingredients  - Serves 6

2 lbs ground chuck or round
6 large shells purchased from Taco Bell
Lettuce,  shredded
Tomatoes , chopped
Vidalia sweet onion, chopped (or green onions)
Black olives, sliced
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 packets taco seasoning (make your own GF)
Grated cheddar cheese
Optional - Sour cream, avocado, Ortago taco sauce

Brown ground beef in large skillet. Drain fat. Add taco season packets and add 1 1/3 cups water. Stir and simmer til most of the liquid is gone, about 30 minutes. Note: you don't want to make it too dry.

To Assemble Salads
Place shell on microwave safe plate and microwave for  30 seconds. Put about 2/3 - 1 cup meat inside bottom of shell. Use more or less meat, as you desire. Then put in layers on top of the meat, the lettuce, tomagoes, onion, black beans, black olives, ending with cheese.
Add sour cream, taco sauce and avocado if desired.

Baja Beef - Mexican Layered Dish

Baja Beef

I asked on Facebook if anyone knew where Baja was and they said California but I didn't know the connection with Mexico. Then a friend said The Baja Pennisula is part of Mexico...although it juts off south of California...and the j is pronounced h in Spanish.

I've been fixing this for 24 years and all this time I thought Baja was an Indian term or town. It makes much more sense to me now that it's a Mexican dish. All this time I've been confused because I thought "why would anyone give a Mexican dish an Indian name?" Haha 

Sorry I don't have a better picture, but you will see in the ingredient section this is a layered Mexican dish. I know it looks like any other typical Mexican layered dish, but this is different and much tastier.  
Someone said this looks like  Frito Pie, but it's not like just any frito pie. The typical recipe has taco seasoning in it mixed with ground beef and I'm not crazy about that. The sauce to this Baja Beef is what makes it more special and I hope you think so too. Enjoy!

Baja Beef  - serves 5 - 6

1 - 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 - 8 Oz can tomato sauce
1 - 6 Oz can tomato paste
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt

Brown meat, garlic and onions. Drain. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, and 2 cans water. Add spices. Simmer 30 - 50 minutes. 

To Serve on each Individual Plate:
Place regular Fritos on plate. Add meat mixture. Then add any or all of these: 
Green onions, chopped
Black olives, sliced
Avocados, cubed
Tomatoes, chopped 
Lettuce, shredded
Grated cheese
Sour cream

Pumpkin Curry Soup Recipe

Pumpkin Curry Soup 

This soup is SO yummy, especially on a cold fall day like today! It would be nice served with crusty bread, but is great all by itself! There are lots and lots of recipes for pumpkin soup out there, but I took ingredients from several different recipes to come up with this. If you use an ingredient in your soup you think may be missing from mine, by all means , let me know!

This is the Pumpkin Soup heated up the next day. Yum! So good! 
The toasted pumpkin seeds make it even better. They are a must!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 cup (1 small) chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder (you can use red curry powder but it will be a lot hotter and you would need less)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin 
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Few dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg
• 1 can (12 fl. oz. Evaporated Milk or 1 can Coconut Milk (the evaporated milk makes the soup more savory & I like it better in this recipe)
• Pumpkin seeds, toasted in the oven
• Note: if you have a big family you'll need to double this. I have made it with both evaporated milk and coconut milk, but think I prefer it with the evaporated milk. I do love coconut milk and use it a lot in Thai soups, but the evaporated milk makes this more savory.  

Directions

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in curry powder, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute.

Add broth and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk jus before serving. Serve warm and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. 

Breakfast / Brunch Casserole - GF Recipe

Breakfast/Brunch Casserole

I looked and looked on the internet for a breakfast casserole I wanted to fix for dinner tonight. Most of the recipes called for a layer of bread, croutons or crescent rolls. I am intolerant of wheat, so I didn’t want to use bread. You could say this recipe is gluten free. I came up with a combination of recipes, hoping mine would turn out okay without the bread. I even wondered if mine would be too soupy. It turned out perfect and was really good!

This yummy casserole has sausage, eggs, potatoes, cheese, onions, green pepper, mushroom soup and a few other ingredients.

I served fried Plantains sprinkled with brown sugar as a side dish. If you don’t know what Plantains are, they are cooking bananas. You aren’t supposed to eat them raw, because they wouldn't taste good and are meant to be cooked. You’ve probably seen them in the grocery store but didn’t know what they were. Plantains are usually next to the bananas in the produce section and are much bigger than a regular banana, but the skin looks darker. They’re sold separately, so you can buy just one. I’ve been eating Plantains since I was 5 yrs old when we lived in the Philippine Islands as missionaries in Zambongua City. I loved living there and have lots of good memories!

Update: one thing I didn't mention is that the darker the Plantain is, the sweet or is. If it's too hard it may be okay to fry but it won't be sweet.  I usually buy it almost black and sometimes wait til it's all black!

Breakfast / Brunch Casserole - serves 8 – 10

1 lb bulk Bob Evans breakfast sausage OR Ham
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup green pepper, chopped

3 - 4 cups frozen hash browns (or 3 - 4 large potatoes, shredded)
9 large eggs

¼ cup Bisquick (regular or gluten free)

1 regular size can evaporated milk (not the small one)

2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

½ teaspoon dry mustard

dill weed (ground or fresh is ok)

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup + ½ soup can of milk (buy GF mushroom soup if your gluten intolerant)

Salt and pepper

Optional: fresh or canned mushrooms. You could also substitute the sausage with bacon or ham.

Directions
Set frozen potatoes out to thaw. Brown the sausage, breaking up pieces, drain and place evenly in the bottom of a 9” x 13” pan. Saute chopped onions and green pepper in same pan you used to cook sausage. Do not cook too long, just a few minutes is good. I don't like mine soggy. Remember they will cook more in the oven
While veggies are sauteing, place the shredded potatoes, spreading evenly, over sausage. Salt and pepper potatoes to taste. Next spread the onions and green peppers over top of potatoes. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese on top of potatoes and other veggies. Then layer (in this order) the sausage, onion, green peppers, and 1 cup cheese on top of this.

(Note – you don’t have to sauté the onions and green pepper, but if you do, don’t let them get too soft because they will cook while baking. Some people don’t like the veggies crunchy, so it’s up to you)

In a bowl, mix the eggs, canned milk and Bisquick with a whisk. Add dry mustard and dill weed to milk and egg mixture, mixing well. Pour this over the layered mixture (sausage, potatoes, cheese) in pan. Poke holes with fork so liquid will go to bottom. Salt and pepper this and then spread 1 cup cheese over top.

Wisk together mushroom soup with ½ soup can of milk. Spread evenly over top of other ingredients in pan. Sprinkle another ½ cup cheese (or more) all over top. Sprinkle a little more dill on top.

Bake in preheated 375º oven for 45 - 55 minutes, making sure the casserole is not soupy when you shake it. Check center for doneness also. Don’t over bake, or it will be too dry. I think the last 20 minutes I turned the heat down to 350º. Your oven may be different than mine, so just use your judgement as far as the temperature. Many recipes said 350º and the only reason I said 375º is because I thought mine may be soupy since I didn't use the bread.

This can be done the night before and put in the refrigerator overnight, but it doesn’t have to be refrigerated overnight like some recipes say. Hope you enjoy this! Serve with fruit.

Mexican Crunch Wrap Recipe

Mexican Crunch Wrap Supreme (similar to Taco Bell)

I found the recipe for these wraps on Pinterest and they were just delicious! They were pretty simple to put together and I will definitely be making these again. I'm not all that crazy about Mexican food, but I loved these wraps!

Ingredients:

6 large flour tortillas - (the biggest you can find)

6 small corn tortillas - (I bought the kind already toasted in a big stack)

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

sour cream

nacho cheese - I bought it in the deli at Kroger (or shredded Mexican blend cheese)

shredded lettuce

diced tomatoes

Optional garnishes: avocado slices, black olive slices, sweet onion, Ortaga red taco sauce 

Directions:

Brown ground beef in a skillet til there's no pink left. Drain excess fat, and add taco seasoning to meat mixture. Heat for a few minutes then set it aside.

Turn the oven on to about 200º or 250º. Place the crispy (already toasted) corn tortillas in a flat baking dish or cookie sheet and put them in oven to keep warm while you assemble the wraps. OR if you bought the soft corn tortillas do the following. (Bake the corn tortillas in the oven at 400 degrees for a couple of minutes, until they are golden and crunchy.)

Microwave the flour tortillas (one at a time) for about 10 seconds right before you assemble each wrap. This will soften the tortilla. 

Lay the flour tortilla on a large plate or tray. Spoon some of the beef mixture into the center of the tortilla. Top with nacho cheese, or shredded cheese. Place the crunchy corn tortilla on top of the cheese/beef; spread 2-3 tsps of sour cream on top of that, then add the chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce.

Fold the edges of the tortilla toward the center. Continue doing this until all the tortilla is folded over, and the filling is not exposed. If your filling is still showing cut out a circle from another flour tortilla and place it on the exposed area, then wrap the tortilla again. Put each wrap on a tray folded side down. They will stay together and when they're grilled in the pan, should stay closed.

Place butter in large flat skillet to melt or use cooking spray.  Carefully place the Crunch wrap, seam side down, in the pan. Press with a spatula and cook on medium-low heat, for about 3 minutes, until the bottom is nice and brown. Flip it over and cook for another 3 minutes. Place each wrap in oven to keep them warm til you are ready to serve them. They were a BIG hit at my house and I know we'll be fixing them again!