Popcorn Balls

I just found this recipe and thought this would be a GREAT one to make for holiday cookie exchanges, bring to a holiday party as a great gluten-free treat, or to just make and share with the family at home. I think this is going to be one of our holiday treats this year.

POPCORN BALLS

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter

1 10-ounce bag mini marshmallows (Kraft brand are gluten-free)

1/2 cup brown sugar

nonstick spray

prepared non-butter microwave popcorn

1 cup Craisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 cup mini M&M's (optional)

softened butter

Directions:

1. Melt butter in medium pot over low heat. Add marshmallows and brown sugar. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. Lightly coat a large bowl with nonstick spray. Add popcorn, then drizzle marshmallow mixture over popcorn and stir.
3. Add Craisins and nuts. Toss with a spoon. Allow to cool slightly, then add M&Ms.
4. Cover a baking sheet with waxed paper.
5. Wash hands, smear them with softened butter and use them to form popcorn mixture into balls. Place balls on waxed paper. Leave a little space so they won't stick together as they harden.
6. Offer the treat to family and friends so you can all crunch away!

Melon Pops

Here's a fun treat for kids to make (with adult help, of course)! You will need some popsicle molds to make them.

Melon Pops

Ingredients: Watermelon Fresh Fruit (grapes, strawberries, blueberries, kiwifruit)

Directions:

1. Using a blender, puree watermelon and pour into Popsicle molds.
2. Drop in chunks of fresh fruit, insert caps and place in freezer.
3. Allow Popsicles to freeze overnight.

Zucchini Muffins

My mom found this recipe for gluten-free zucchini muffins and while we were visiting this weekend, we decided to give it a try. They turned out really well and even have sustained the dreaded "cool-down" and "next day eating". I've found that so many times, gluten-free baked goods tend to taste wonderfully when they come straight from the oven, but once they cool or when you go to eat them the next day, they are rather dry, crumbly, and really don't have that same flavor.

These zucchini muffins do break apart a bit when eating them, but that's only because they don't have the gluten to hold them together as much. The Xanthan Gum works a bit, but definitely not the same as gluten that you find in wheat flour. The difference between some other baked goods I've tried and these muffins is that they are MOIST! We are definitely liking them here at our house!

Zucchini Bread (Gluten-Free)

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 ½ cups freshly shredded zucchini
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups Gluten-Free Baking Mix (I used Arrowhead Mills)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum for each cup of flour

Shred the zucchini and chop the walnuts in a food processor and set them aside.

Use a mixer to beat the eggs and add the sugar, oil and vanilla. Add the baking soda, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Slowly pour in the flour and xanthan gum until well mixed. By hand, mix in the zucchini and walnuts. Pour into lined muffin tins and bake at 350F degrees for approximately 35-45 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean). Let cool.

Sundaes for Dinner

We had a re-creation of a State Fair idea from this summer for dinner one night. We each built our own "Sundae", but using dinner foods. This served 5 of us.

Ingredients we used:

*6-7 servings of Betty Crocker Instant Mashed Potatoes (or you can make your own mashed potatoes from scratch). Betty Crocker's boxed Potato Buds are Gluten-free.
*2 cups of gluten-free beef gravy
*1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drain grease
*8 oz. cheese, shredded (your choice...we used Monterrey Jack)
*16 oz. Sour Cream
*4-5 TBSP melted butter
*small package of cherry tomatoes
*1 onion, sliced and sauteed
*1 small package mushrooms, sliced and sauteed

Directions:
1. Prepare mashed potatoes according to the box (or boil up your potatoes and mash them). Place potatoes into individual bowls or plates that have a bit of a lip to them. Pasta bowls work nicely.
2. Prepare gravy and mix ground beef into gravy. Pour over potatoes.
3. Top your mashed potato sundaes with cheese, onions, mushrooms, butter, sour cream and top with a cherry tomato.

Enjoy your Sundaes for dinner!