SUPER easy, Baked Italian Style Turkey Meatballs

I have been following a wonderful recipe in one of the many cookbooks I own that caters to dairy free, egg free, nut free cooking....... but I have now veered off the beaten path enough to call this one my own!  These are SUPER easy (hence the name) and soooo yummy.  I love to make these and save extra for meatball sandwiches.

1 lb - Ground Turkey
1/4 C - Quick Cooking Oatmeal
1-2 TBL - Plain Soy Milk
1 TBL - Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb
Salt and Pepper

Heat oven to 350 and spray a 8x8 or 9x9 glass square dish with "safe" cooking spray

Place oatmeal and enough milk to moisten it..... mix together well...  add meat, Mrs. Dash and salt and pepper to taste (approx 1/4 tsp each) -- mix well for several minutes until smooth and almost creamy texture.  Roll into tight balls, and place in baking dish, should make about 9 balls.  Cook for 20 minutes. 

Pizza Day

So, we have made a decision.  We will now have pizza day in the house.  We, for the first time are now able to make pizza that doesn't taste like feet, that everyone can eat.  Some practice was needed and we have found that the premade pizza dough is not good at all.  I used a recipe from the lovely "Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book" and voila!  REALLY good pizza.  With this Daiya cheese (yes, again with the Daiya), the sky is really the limit.  Go crazy, HAVE pizza night. 
We did homemade crust and topped with Bertolli's Vineyard Marinara, Daiya, and Pepperoni (always double check labels), but you can throw veggies on there or do some ham and pineapple - anything you want!  Its sure to be a big hit!

Another Yummy Mac N Cheese Recipe

Did you really think this Mac N Cheese Addict would stop at one recipe?  NO!  I LOVE it WAY too much to do that.  Another recipe is below.  This time, I went with a family style recipe.

1 CUP - Earth's Balance Buttery Sticks (or other DF alternative)
2 TBS - Flour
2 1/2 CUPS - Daiya Cheese (Cheddar or a mix of the two flavors) - DIVIDED
Salt and Pepper
1 CUP Soy Milk (or plain milk alternative)
2 - 3 CUPS - Elbow Noodles (depending on how many people you are serving. -2 cups will serve about 4 people.
Paprika

Boil Noodles and set aside
Set oven to 350
spray a 8x8 dish with safe cooking spray

melt butter in a saucepan on medium
Add flour and mix until smooth
Add soy milk and continue to mix until smooth
Add cheeses (2 cups) - melt until smooth
(you may need to add a few more TBL of milk to reach a consistency you like -- it should be thick but creamy)
Add salt and pepper to taste

Spray a 8x8 glass pan with cooking spray
mix together noodles and enough cream sauce to make a thick, gooey texture.....
top it off with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika
Put it in the oven and bake covered for 30 mins.... take cover off for last 10 mins of baking.

ENJOY!  It refrigerates well and tastes even better the next day!

Preschool and the Baked in Dairy Trial...

More allergy related news!  Last Thursday we saw the allergist for Braeden and went over his last few months.  The allergist feels it is time, once again to trial Braeden on dairy and egg.  He feels that even though Braeden does not test positive for these allergies, based on his past, we should treat it as if he were allergic and start with baked in egg and dairy first.  I went out and purchased the first carton of milk I have had in a long time..... I can't remember the last time I got milk.  I have to say, my husband is pleased.  Braeden came up with a rash that night -- before I got a chance to bake anything!!!!  So we have to wait for the rash to clear up and then proceed with caution.  I think Ill be baking blueberry muffins for the dairy trial.... excited and nervous at the same time.

In other news, we finally selected a preschool for Garrison!  I had done some research and all the food allergy advocates in the area suggested the Montessori School here.  It wasn't an option for us.... but I did want to tour it and get a feel for what they do differently.  They keep a list of the names of the kids and their specific allergy on a sheet in each classroom and they let the food allergic kids have snack first.... that's pretty much as I got from them.  I figure I can train that into whichever school I select. 

I'm excited and very nervous to have him start in the fall -- they are a pretty big school with over 150 kids, but they don't seem to deal with multiple food allergies often.... Ill be hoping to get in there and really talk everything over with them... they do sound open to it.  There are a lot of parties for holidays and birthday parties that Ill be customizing for Garrison and also they have access to the kitchen at the church and do some baking.  Ill be overseeing a lot and preparing a lot, but I think it will be well worth it as this school came highly recommended from people I trust and respect. Here is to the start of a journey that won't end for at least 18 years.....school!

Valentines Day Fun

Yesterday was a wonderful day for my little guys.  Garrison had a TON of fun in the kitchen with me.  We made sugar cookies, and cut them out, decorated them.  We also did some chocolate covered strawberries and marshmallows and he enjoyed dipping them..... okay.... maybe he liked licking the spoon more.  I have to (as always) shout out to Divvies for making such amazing chocolate chips..... it wouldn't have been the same without them!

I have to say - another holiday success at the Lane house.  Fun was had by all involved!!!

Easy Peasy Peach Pie

I am very new to pie making.  I had no idea just how EASY baking up a pie was until I made the Apple Pie featured in the DIVVIES Cookbook.  I buy Pillsbury crusts from the refrigerated section at the store (when on sale) and run with it... I could make my own crust... but.... I just haven't gotten that far with it yet.  HA!

This peach pie I just made today for the first time.  I found an old recipe on a recipe card in my kitchen and remembered I had a bunch of frozen peaches in the chest freezer!  It's so tasty, I thought I would share.

1 -- double crust
(Pillsbury or Wegman'sbrands are safe)

6 C - Sliced Peaches
 (fresh or frozen and thawed)

1 C -- Sugar + 2 TBS -- Sugar
(divided)

1/2 C -- Flour

1 tsp -- Cinnamon

1 TBS -- "safe" Butter

Heat Oven to 425


Lay out crust in glass pie dish as directed -- sprinkle the bottom with a small amount of flour

In a large bowl combine flour, 1C sugar and cinnamon
Make sure peaches are sliced and drained well if they were frozen
Add sliced peaches and mix well
Pour peach mixture into prepared pie crust
Add several dollops of "safe" butter on top of the peach mixture
Cut Slits in the top pie crust and place on top and seal the edges - pinching them together
Sprinkle top with reserved 2 TBS of sugar

Cover the edges of the pie with foil and place in the oven on a large baking sheet for 35-45 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes to brown the edges.   The pie should get bubbly and once that has happened it should be done.  I have a nasty habit of taking pie out before it is done -- so just watch it and make sure it is good and bubbly so you don't have to put it back in after it has cooled (like me) to cook the rest of the way.

Let it cool before serving, refrigerate.  May be frozen for up to 3 months.

Mac N Cheese??? Yes Please!!

I have been dairy free for almost a year and I am so sad it took me this long to try Daiya Cheese.    I tried it in a mac and cheese recipe -- it melts down!!!!  I NEVER expected that!  Here is the link to a recipe very similar to the one I will be sharing:
http://www.daiyafoods.com/recipes_new/recipepage.aspx?id=21

I thought that recipe looked fantastic -- but I don't have quite the need for such volume -- so I played with an "easy mac" version of this.  Here is that I came up with!

"Easy-Mac"

1/2C -- Daiya Cheese (I like to mix up the two flavors) +

1TBS - Daiya Cheddar

1-3 TBS -- Plain Milk Substitute (I used coconut milk)
1C -- Elbow Noodles (cooked)
1 TBS - Olive Oil
1TBS - Panko Bread Crumbs
Salt and Pepper and Paprika

Preheat Oven to 350

Boil Pasta according to directions on box -- drain and add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

In a small, single serve microwave safe bowl, melt the cheese - with 1TBS of "milk" (about 30-45seconds)  pull it our and stir it well until smooth -- add more milk to reach a thick but creamy consistency.

Add Pasta and stir it in.  Stir until everything is incorporated.

Sprinkle with bread crumbs, cheese and paprika.

Place in the oven for about 15 minutes until the top is melted.  You may broil for a few mins if you want a "browned" top....but watch it carefully.

ENJOY!  This recipe is not quite perfected -- if you like more or less creamy, more or less bread crumbs, spices....etc -- feel free to play with it.  It is forgiving and I'm pretty sure you will still be happy with the outcome.  With differing microwave times -- check your cheese frequently as you don't want to overcook it.  You can also do the cheese on the stove top in a separate dish.  This keeps everything in one bowl though and thus less to clean.

Updates!!

So, some great things have happened!  Braeden has been doing well on solid foods for about 3 1/2 months.  It took him to 7 1/2 months to be able to handle solids at all.  Once he did, it was just like some kind of switch went off in him.  He was able to handle everything and by 8 1/2 months he was only wanting finger foods!  His absolute favorite is pasta... pasta was one of his first words. 

We trialed dairy with him directly.  He failed.  We trialed dairy through my milk (since he is still nursing). He failed.  We trialed egg.  He failed.  The good news in all of this -- HE HAS ADDED EVERYTHING ELSE BACK!!!!  We are currently just free of Dairy, Egg and Nut as a family and it is GREAT! 

*happy dance

CHEEEESE!!!!!!

So -- Another few months has passed since I last wrote. Between Consignment sales, online sales, watching kids and everything life has been lately, it has been hard to get on.

I just HAD to come on here and announce a new Dairy, Egg, Nut and Soy Free cheese I found. It is AMAZING. I have been eyeing Daiya "Cheeses" at Wegman's for awhile now. They are $4.99 for an 8oz package of mozzarella or cheddar cheese. I got both. I must say -- I have tried Vegan Gourmet (uh yuck) and also Galaxy Nutritional Foods Rice Vegan (which Garrison loves - but I won't touch) and the smell, taste, texture, and melt ability of this cheese FAR surpasses that of the others I have tried so far.

I have put this on nachos and melted it on some plain pasta to test it out and both worked well.... it even passed the cheese (ha!) with the Husband. He said -- it was a little more sour then regular cheese -- but overall didn't gag or think it was bad. WIN.

I will be adding this to my "must have" list for grocery shopping..... it really is THAT good....

http://www.daiyafoods.com/index.html