Monday Meals: Chicken Rice Bake

INGREDIENTS:

*2 - 4 large chicken breasts (depending on how many you are preparing for), boneless and skinless

*1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

*1 can 18 oz Progresso creamy mushroom soup (yup, it's GF!)

*1 cup water

*paprika, poultry seasoning, garlic salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Mix soup and water in a glass 9 x 13 in. baking dish. Add rice evenly to dish. Place chicken breasts on top of liquid-covered rice. Sprinkle chicken breasts with seasoning. Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for 45 - 50 minutes or until rice is fully cooked.

*Delicious with fresh, steamed green vegetables.
**I sprinkle my chicken with lemon-pepper seasoning before serving for extra flavor.

Delish Desserts: Decadent Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:

*2 1/2 cups sweet brown rice flour

*2 cups brown rice flour

*1 1/2 cup cocoa

*3 cups sugar

*6 teaspoons xanthan gum

*1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

*3 cups water

*15 Tablespoons cooking oil

*3 Tablespoons vinegar

*3 tablespoons vanilla extract

*3 eggs

Filling:

*12-16 oz frozen raspberries (or strawberries, blackberries, etc)

*1/4 cup sugar

*2 Tablespoons lemon juice

*1 Tablespoon corn starch

Frosting:

*1 package 8 oz cream cheese, softened

*3 cups powdered sugar

*1/4 cup cocoa powder

*3 Tablespoons butter, softened

*1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare 9 X 13 in. pan. Place a few drops vegetable oil in bottom of pan; coat entire pan (bottom and sides) with oil. Dust pan with flour, enough to lightly coat pan. Trace bottom of pan on parchment paper. Cut and place in bottom of pan. Set aside. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients for cake; mix well. In a second bowl, combine wet ingredients for cake; mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Beat together until smooth. Pour half the batter in the pan. Bake at 350 for 30 -32 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Once first layer of cake has cooled, remove from pan. Prepare pan for second half of batter by oiling and dusting with flour. Pour remaining batter in pan. Decreasing cooking time by about one minute. Once second layer of cake has cooled, remove from pan (do not place on top of first layer just yet). In a small sauce pan, combine all ingredients for filling. Place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Cover top of first layer of cake with raspberry filling. Place second layer of cake on top of first layer. After cakes and filling have completely cooled, begin frosting. Combine all frosting ingredients in a medium mixing bowl; beat until smooth and fluffy. Frost top and sides of cake.

*To add to the presentation of the cake, I covered the sides of the cake in chocolate shavings. To do this, I placed a brick of chocolate on my counter over night in order to soften. I then used a vegetable peeler to create the shavings. Depending on direction and pressure, you can create gorgeous chocolate curls.
**The car on top is meltable chocolate which I painted by hand (didn't have time to search for a chocolate mold... which would have produced a cheesy looking car, anyway).

Monday Meals: Macaroni & Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

*8 oz velveta cheese

*1/2 cup of milk (more or less)

*1 cup shredded cheese

*salt and pepper to taste

*1 bag Trader Joe's brown rice elbow pasta

DIRECTIONS:

Begin melting velveta over medium heat. Add milk. Once velveta is fully melted, add shredded cheese. Combine with cooked elbow pasta. Season to taste.

*To jazz this simple dish up, try adding tomatoes or salsa!

Monday Meals: Spanish Rice

INGREDIENTS:
*1 cup cooked rice
*1 pound ground turkey
*1 can 8 oz tomato sauce
*2-3 green chilies, diced
*salsa
*cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS:
Brown turkey. Add tomato sauce and diced chilies. Add salsa until sauce begins to thin. Combine with rice. Top with shredded cheese. Serve with lightly fried corn tortillas.

*I add sour cream to any dish that is considered "south of the border". Delicious.

Delish Desserts: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 box GF yellow cake mix (and ingredients mix calls for)
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 lb powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Combine cake mix, cocoa powder, food coloring, and oil (and ingredients mix calls for) in large mixing bowl. Line cupcake tin with paper cups. Fill cups 2/3 of the way. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.
In medium mixing bowl, beat together sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Frost cupcakes generously. Enjoy!

Monday Meals: Orange Chicken Marinade

Ingredients:

*2 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

*2-3 Tablespoons orange juice

*1 Tablespoon brown sugar

*1 teaspoon lemon juice

*1 teaspoon orange zest

*1/2 teaspoon rosemary

*dash mint

*gallon size ziplock bag

*2 Tablespoons oil

Directions:

Combine orange juice, brown sugar, lemon juice, orange zest, and herbs in a small bowl. Mix until brown sugar dissolves. Put chicken breasts into ziplock bag. Pour in marinade. Let sit for 2-4 hours. When ready to cook, place oil in large skillet. Add chicken. Cover and brown for 10 minutes on medium-low heat. Flip chicken breasts. Cover and let other side brown for 8-9 minutes. Serve.

*Serve with garlic rosemary fried potatoes and fresh vegetables.

Monday Meals: Cheesy Broccoli Baked Potato

Ingredients:

*4 medium potatoes

*2 heads broccoli

*2+ cups shredded cheese

*butter

*dollop sour cream

*salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste (I use Mrs. Dash's salt free seasonings)

Directions:

Steam broccoli over stove or in rice cooker. Bake potatoes in microwave or wrapped in foil in oven. Shred cheese. Cover potato in butter. Top with broccoli, shredded cheese, sour cream, and seasonings. Enjoy.

*Cooking GF can be simple, as seen by these last two posts (which is laziness on my part)!