Cheater's Fried Rice

As a child, we'd go out for Chinese food pretty often.  I loved so much about it.  The crunchy wonton noodles, the crispy egg rolls and oh... the fried rice!  My husband isn't a fan of Chinese food at all and ever since our son's sesame allergy diagnosis, Chinese food has just been off the table.  Sometimes though, I still get a craving and I just need to whip up some of my cheater's fried rice.  It makes just enough for 2 servings so I usually make it on a Saturday and have enough for weekend lunch for myself.  I love that it's so fast and easy to make and how it hits the spot when that Chinese food craving comes!  I also love that I don't have to hide, wait until after bed time or sneak out of the house to eat it!

Cheater's Fried Rice

Ingredients

1 package Trader Joe's frozen brown rice (or 2 cups cooked brown rice)
1 bag steamer frozen stir fry veggies
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 scallions, whites & green ends separated
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small piece of fresh ginger, grated (or 1-2 teaspoons ginger powder)

Optional (any combination of the following):
-Sriracha sauce
-cooked protein (shrimp, chicken, salmon, pork, etc)
-Trader Joe's Cruciferous Crunch blend

Instructions

If using Trader Joe's frozen rice, heat in microwave according to package instructions.  When finished, allow to cool slightly while microwave-steaming your veggies.

Heat oil in nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Add beaten egg and scramble until egg is fully cooked.  Pour in frozen peas and whites of scallions.  Add in cooked brown rice, ginger, garlic and soy sauce.  When veggies are ready, add to skillet.  Mix and cook all ingredients, stirring often.  I like to pat everything down flat in the skillet and let it brown and get a bit crunchy! It adds so much flavor.  

If you're using any protein, you can add it now!  I often throw in some frozen cooked shrimp that I've thawed under cold water. Sometimes I add in some leftovers from the previous night's dinner like cooked chicken pieces or even some chopped pork.  Top with the green parts of scallion. 

Personally, my favorite thing to add is some Cruciferous Crunch blend once everything is cooked. I mix it together and then add some spicy Sriracha sauce and the greens of the scallions.  Enjoy! 

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Semi-homemade cupcakes

Most of the time I make everything from scratch. With food allergies, it's kind of a necessity. Sometimes, as a busy mom, I pick up a box of Betty Crocker cake mix for 99 cents and whip up a quick buttercream and call it a day!

For Thanksgiving, I had planned to make some gorgeous chocolate cupcakes adorned with little turkeys with candy corn feathers, Skipper (nut-free m&m style candy) faces and even an upside heart-shaped Cakemate candy for that hangy red thing the turkeys have. Then, life happened. All 4 of the kids came down with something ranging from a simple cold to pink eye to near hospitalization for asthma exacerbation. So instead, we went semi-homemade!

This Thanksgiving, in addition to being peanut, tree nut and sesame-free... we are also dairy-free. The baby has terrible eczema and some other signs that point toward a possible milk protein allergy so we're trying dairy-free for 3-4 weeks to see if it helps. Of course this happens to be during the month where we make tons of dairy-laden goodies! Some changes were definitely necessary.

I played around with some dairy-free buttercreams using shortening and Earth Balance butter; however, I couldn't find one that had the texture and taste that I desired. At the last minute, I decided to go with these cupcakes & a partially doctored canned frosting (yes, I'm admitting it)! Here goes....

Cupcakes

For the cupcakes, I followed the Divvies Chocolate Cupcake Recipe which can be found here: Divvies Cupcakes. I chose this recipe because in addition to being free of our allergens (peanut, tree nut and sesame), it's also free of dairy and egg! This recipe makes 1 dozen cupcakes.


Frosting

For the frosting, I went with a can of Pillsbury funfetti chocolate frosting. Scoop the frosting into your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add 1-2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. Whisk on high for at least 5 minutes until the frosting becomes lighter in color and fluffy. This makes enough to frost 1 dozen cupcakes and to squeeze a bit of frosting into the mouths of your hungry begging children.

Topping

For the topping, I used Coastal Bay Candy Corn (4) and Pumpkins (4) in addition to the funfetti sprinkles that came with the frosting.

To fancy it up, I used a jumbo french tip. I love how these came out! Professional-looking with half the work!
  

                  

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Caramel Apple Sangria

This post is going to be a quick one! I've got a house full of sick people - myself included!  

I've never been much of a drinker. I've always had an insatiable sweet tooth and found most wines to be too dry for my liking.  Until I met my dear friend, Moscato and fell in love!  Perfectly sweet and delicious.  I haven't met a Moscato I didn't like!  This drink has the sweetness of Moscato with a little touch of bubbles and your favorite fall treat all wrapped into one. The sour apples complement the flavors so nicely and make the drink a bit tart and not overly sweet. 

What I love even more is that you can make this whole recipe for around $10 (if you consider the fact that you only use a few tablespoons of the syrup). The remaining syrup is good for coffees, lattes, etc.

Note:  I do not know allergen information for these products. They do not contain any peanuts, tree nuts or sesame; however, I did not check on cross-contamination because (obviously) my son with food allergies won't be having any. 

Caramel Apple Sangria

Ingredients

1 bottle white wine (I got mine at Trader Joe's)
1 bottle sparkling apple cider (I also got this at Trader Joe's)
2-4 Tablespoons of caramel syrup (I got mine at Von's)
4 Granny Smith Apples (I used organic ones from Trader Joe's)

Instructions

Pour white wine and sparkling apple cider into a pitcher.  Add caramel syrup.  Remove seeds from apples (I like to use a melon baller to do this!) Chop apples. Stop little hands from taking all of your chopped apples.  Mix apples into your liquids.  Chill & enjoy!  

BE CAREFUL WITH THIS DRINK!  It's so sweet and tasty that you might drink half a pitcher before you know it! 

Source:  Slightly adapted from A Night Owl Blog

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Perfection

Ah, the chocolate chip cookie.  Crispy edges, chewy inside, ooey gooey chocolate chips.  The perfect chocolate chip cookie is like the little black dress in a woman's closet.  You can dress it up, dress it down, keep it simple, make it fun!  Everyone needs a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe in your repertoire and this one is PERFECTION.

My kids absolutely love these cookies and I often catch the adults grabbing one (or more!) from the cookie jar.  Everytime I bring these to a work potluck or friend's house, I'm always asked for the recipe. These are sure to be a family favorite!

Ingredients

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

Melt your butter. I like to put it in the microwave in 10 second increments until there's about 1/4 left unmelted. Then I whisk it or stir it with a spoon until the warmth of the melted butter melts the last bit and it's cloudy and pale yellow.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2 minutes.  Add in the egg, yolk and vanilla and mix until well combined.  Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  The chocolate chips will glisten in the batter. This is good!  The batter shouldn't feel sticky and it should easily slide off the paddle of the mixer.

Using a small cookie scoop (mine is about 2 tablespoons), drop into rounded mounds or balls on your prepared cookie sheet.  Bake for 13-14 minutes or until the edges are just barely starting to brown.  You'll want to remove them while they still appear a bit undercooked as they will continue to cook a bit and settle on the cookie sheet once out of the oven.

Source: Brown Eyed Baker

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Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf

Everyone has a weakness.  Superman had Kryptonite.  The Wicked Witch had water.  I have Starbucks.  I simply can't resist.  I love their warm, comforting drinks and the delectable pastries.  Every Friday morning, I treat myself to a latte and a pastry. I always look forward to fall when they begin to have their pumpkin loaf.  It's full of rich, pumpkin flavor, topped with those crunchy pepitas and has the perfect amount of spice.  BUT...  the past few weeks I have been disappointed to find that my local Starbucks is SOLD OUT of the pumpkin loaf by the time I arrive (which is before 7 am by the way!). What's a girl to do?

Make her own Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf of course!  The best part of it is that my son with food allergies (and my son and daughter without!) can enjoy it with me. My husband (who was a barista way back when) can whip up an incredible latte while I prepare some homemade hot (who am I kidding... warm!) chocolate for the kids as we wait for our loaf to come out of the oven.  It's the perfect weekend treat that you can slice into thick pieces and freeze to enjoy any time!  I omitted the pepitas since I knew the kids wouldn't be too fond of them.


Ingredients

2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 egg whites
1 cup canned pumpkin (I like Trader Joe's)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a loaf pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the white sugar, brown sugar, milk and egg whites.  Add in the canned pumpkin and mix until well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt).

Add dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture and mix on low until combined.

Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean (or with a few crumbs).  Allow to cool slightly, then remove from loaf pan and cool on wire rack.

Source:  The First Year Blog

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RANCH!

Ranch is everywhere these days!  From ranch chicken to ranch potatoes to ranch pasta! Everytime I browse Pinterest, it seems like half of the recipe titles start with RANCH! #ranchallthethings

I bought some regular Kraft Ranch Dressing because I trust their labeling policies; however, when my kids excitedly ate their salads, my daughter WITHOUT food allergies became very red and blotchy anywhere the dressing sat on her face (and if you're familiar with 2-4 year olds, dressing definitely sits on their faces!).  I was a bit worried but a quick google search and consultation with my network of allergy moms assured me that it was a pretty common occurrence and not a real allergy to worry about.  Nonetheless, I felt a bit uncomfortable and decided we'd have to start making our own.

I layered the ingredients in a small mason jar and suddenly fell in love! How adorable would these be with a cute little label and some twine tied around the lid with recipe and meal suggestions attached?!?

Ingredients

For Ranch Seasoning Mix
5 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried dill (also called dillweed - that name makes me giggle like a 6 year old)
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
salt & pepper to taste

For Ranch Dressing
1 tablespoon Ranch Seasoning Mix (see above!)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1-2 tablespoons milk (depending on desired thickness)

Instructions 

Layer ingredients in mason jar.  The end :) Well, not really. But it can be if you're giving it as a gift!  If not, you'll want to mix the ingredients well.  To make dressing, mix mayonnaise, sour cream and milk.  Add in 1 tablespoon of seasoning mixture.  Whisk until all ingredients are well combined.  Top with a little sprinkle of dried dill, if desired.


Source:  Don't Waste the Crumbs

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Scrappies!

Are you part of your local grocery store's coupon program or app?  If not, join!  Trader Joe's is the primary place where I shop and unfortunately they don't have a discount program; however, almost all of the other places do!  My favorite one is VON'S.  This past week they sent me a coupon for a FREE (no strings attached!) Pillsbury Pie Crust!  I was thrilled to make some "Scrappies" without having to go through the trouble of making a pie! You're probably thinking to yourself, "What's a scrappy?"  Well, it's a cute little name for a delicious treat that uses the scraps of leftover pie crust from your favorite pie!  

The best part about these cookies is that you have so much freedom to customize them and make them the perfect fit for your family!

Today, I'm showing you how to make Cranberry Scrappies!

Ingredients

For Cookies

Pie Crust (leftover scraps or 1 package of Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust, room temperature)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

zest of 1/2 a lemon

For Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

juice of 1 lemon

zest of 1/2 a lemon

nonpareil sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425° and line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Roll out your pie scraps or packaged pie dough.  Sprinkle with dried cranberries and the zest of half a lemon.  Top with remaining pie dough (or rolled pie scraps).  Roll with rolling pin to make sure that the cranberries and zest are nice and secure in the dough.  Cut into desired shapes. Place on your prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

Meanwhile, prepare your glaze.  Place 1 cup of powdered sugar into a small bowl.  Add in the juice of 1 lemon and your remaining lemon zest.  Mix well and feel free to add more lemon juice until it becomes your desired consistency.  Drizzle tops of cooled cookies with glaze and quickly top with your nonpareil sprinkles. Enjoy!

Have fun with these cookies!  The possibilities are endless! Cut them into alphabet shapes, stars, hearts, or maybe your kids will beg you to make a triceratops!  

Some variations you can make are:

-Brown sugar and raisins with maple glaze

-Chopped pretzel pieces and mini chocolate chips with chocolate glaze

-White chocolate and dried cranberries with white chocolate glaze

-Shredded coconut with coconut glaze

Source: Inspired by Home Is Where The Boat Is

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