Bacon Strata

Ingredients:

-3 cups white rice, cooked and cooled to room temp
-1 1/2 cups cooked bacon (or ham cut up)
-3/4 cup finely diced fresh tomatoes
-1/4 cup sliced green onions
-1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
-1 tablespoon basil
-salt and pepper to taste
-1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup milk
-3/4 cup cheddar cheese divided
-3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, combine rice, bacon, tomatoes, onions, green pepper, basil, salt and pepper, cayenne, eggs, and milk and stir well until incorporated. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Top with cheeses and bake for 20-25 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cut strata into squares and serve.

Simple Perfect Chili

This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients:

-2 garlic cloves, chopped
-1 tsp. ground oregano
-1 tblsp. ground c umin
-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
-2 tblsp. chili powder
-2 lbs. ground beef
-one 8 oz. can tomato sauce
-1 tsp. salt
-1/4 cup masa (corn flour, found in the Mexican food section of many supermarkets)
-1 can pinto beans, drained
-1 can kidney beans, drained
-1 can diced tomatoes

Optional ingredients:
-1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced

Directions:

1. Begin by measuring the spices: chopped garlic, oregano, cumin, cayenne, and chili powder.
2. Place the ground beef in a large pot and throw in the garlic
3. Cook the beef until brown.
4. Drain the fat.
5. Pour in the tomato sauce
6. Followed by the spices and the salt
7. Stir together well, cover, and reduce the heat to low. COver the pot and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add in 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.
8. After an hour, place the masa in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork.
9. Dump the masa mixture into the chili.
10. Stir together well. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and add more masa paste and/or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans, jalepeno, and tomatoes if desired. Simmer for 10 minutes.
11. Served with shredded cheddar, chopped onion, and Fritos.

Cottage Pie

-1 lb. ground beef
-1/3 cup ketchup (HEINZ (not Organic Heinz), HUNTS, TRADER JOE'S ORGANIC are gluten free)
-1 tblsp. Worcestershire sauce (LEA and PERRINS is gluten free)
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
-3 cups mashed potatoes

Directions:
Brown the ground beef and stir in ketchup, worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Add the peas and carrots and mix well. Transfer to 4 individual baking dishes (or one pie pan) and top with mashed potatoes. Bake at 400 until golden brown about 25-30 minutes.

Potatoes Gratin

Ingredients:

-2 1/4 lb potatoes
-4 cups of whipping cream
-6 cloves of chopped garlic
-2/3 cup fresh grated Gruyere cheese (or Cheddar)
-salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Directions:

Peel and wash the potatoes. Pour the cream in a pot. Thinly slice the potatoes. Place them in the pot. Add chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. The potatoes should be totally covered by not "swimming" in the cream. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Stir occasionally to make sure that the potatoes do not stick to the bottom of the pot.

Arrange the potatoes evenly in a generously buttered dish. The bottom of the dish can be rubbed with garlic. Cover completely with grated cheese. Place the gratin on a baking tray just in case the cream boils over. Cook in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 30 min. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Cook until the potatoes become golden brown on the top and cooked on the inside.

Serve hot. Serves 6.

Hungarian Hamburger Steaks

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
-1 large onion, chopped
-6 cloves garlic, pressed
-3 teaspoons paprika
-1 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup sour cream

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together ground beef, onion, garlic, paprika, marjoram, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Divide into 6 equal portions; with wet hands, form into patties.
Heat grill, grill on medium, turning every 2 minutes, until well browned but still juicy and slightly pink inside, 8-10 minutes.

Serve with sour cream for dipping....I also like to serve with horseradish sauce.

French Onion Soup

This, if you want it to be authentic, should have a slice of gluten free bread on it, but you don't HAVE to have it. You could just gob ooey-gooey cheese on top. You can find gluten free bread at health food stores like Whole Foods and even Trader Joes (Brown Rice Loaf). Tip about gluten free bread -- toast it! It tastes a whole lot better for your guests.

-2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion (2 large)
-2 tablespoons butter or margarine
-4 cups beef broth (SWANSONS regular and organic..NOT SEASONED...PACIFIC NATURAL FOODS are gluten free)
-2 tablespoons dry sherry or dry white wine (optional)
-1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (LEA AND PERRINS is gluten free)
-Dash black pepper
-6 slices GLUTEN FREE bread, toasted
-1 cup shredded Smoked Cheddar, Gruyere, or Jarlsberg cheese (4 ounces)

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan cook onion, covered, in hot butter over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth, dry sherry (if desired), Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange toasted bread slices on a baking sheet. Evenly divide cheese among slices. Broil 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is light brown and bubbly. Top each serving with a bread slice.

Serves 6 as part of a main course or 4 as THE main course.

Oven Roasted Potatoes with Onions

Woops! This was so good that there was none left when it was time to take the picture!



Ingredients

* 1/8 cup olive oil
* 1 onion chopped
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, basil, marjoram, dill weed, thyme, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet.
3. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.