Refrigerator Pickles

One of our favorite summertime uses for an abundance of cucumbers from the garden or the local farmer's market, is the crisp, tart Refrigerator Pickle!  These pickles don't require any canning heat, so they stay cold, crunchy, and bright tasting!  I make a couple jars each week because it's so simple, and my kids fly through them, adding them to burgers, sandwiches, or just eating a few as a snack! So, grab a few cukes, roll up your sleeves, and let's pickle!!

*By ingredients, this pickle recipe is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. Top 8 Allergen Free! As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends! 

Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Cauliflower is a kid favorite in our house. It's soft, with crunchy browned bits, great texture.  It's both mild and flavorful. It can be elegant or a finger food for children. And, I serve it often because it's SO easy! This versatile side dish is perfect both for weeknight cooking and for entertaining. 

*By ingredients, this roasted cauliflower is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. Top 8 Allergen Free! As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends!

Mexican Chicken and Rice

There are nine people living in my house, and at dinnertime, they are all seriously hungry.  Life is busy and sometimes I need a quick, one-pot, crowd-pleaser.  This dish is it!  We have Mexican Chicken and Rice frequently, and everyone loves it! 


By ingredients, this recipe for Mexican Chicken and Rice is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, fish-free, soy free, wheat-free, gluten-free, and shellfish-free.  Top 8 free! As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends! 

Supreme Peeled Tiger Nuts - Review

Tiger Nuts.  That's right, I said "Tiger. Nuts." Before this review gets started, let's just all agree that the inner middle-schooler in all of us, thinks that this might be the most hilarious and awesome name for a health food.  Go ahead and giggle, I won't tell, you can maintain your sophisticated facade and no one will ever know that you laughed at "Tiger Nuts." Okay, ready? Now, on to the review!

Nut - Free Trail Mix

I often have a big batch of Nut - Free Trail Mix in the pantry.  It's a great 3 o'clock snack for me and for the kids, it's handy to take to the playground, on field trips, hiking, or to the beach.  It's so simple to make, that even my two year olds are able to help.  No stove, no oven, not even a microwave is needed!  Just a big bowl, safe ingredients, and a large spoon!

Simple Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash, nature's answer to low calorie (and gluten free) pasta.  I have long wanted to try Spaghetti Squash, but because I'm not a huge fan of acorn squash or butternut squash, I keep hesitating to make this allergy (and figure) friendly pasta replacement.  To be honest, I purchased a lovely looking Spaghetti Squash and procrastinated so long it went rotten!  After several requests for more GF recipes, and a deep desire to reclaim a healthy body after bearing 7 children, I bought another Spaghetti Squash and gave it a try.  I really should have done it sooner!

The Humble Jalepeno - Pico de Gallo and Guacamole

I love pico de gallo and guacamole.  I love to toss some chopped jalapenos into my chili.  I roast them on the grill and add them to roasted corn salsa, my husband's personal favorite. I've even been known to add one into my Kicked Up Sloppy Joe's.  The Humble Jalapeno, so small, so many uses, so delicious. Here are my recipes for pico de gallo and guacamole (or pico and guac, if you're super cool like that...and I know you are.) 

By ingredients, both the pico and guac are peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, fish-free, wheat free, gluten free, soy free, and shellfish-free. Top 8 Allergen Free! As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends!

Steps marked with an asterisk (*) are child friendly!  

Click HERE for more information! 

Roma tomatoes, limes, jalapenos cilantro, and onions, with a little kosher salt, are all you need for a delicious pico de gallo. Just remember, it's all about the ratio!  A great pico is more than just chopped tomatoes with a little bit of everything else.  The best pico has an equal amount of tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. No matter if you are making a lot or a little, remember: equal parts! Then, add finely diced jalapeno.  For more heat, leave the ribs/seeds in, for a little less heat, remove the ribs and the seeds. Sprinkle with kosher salt, and squeeze a generous amount of lime juice (to taste) over top of everything. 

*Mix until ingredients are evenly distributed, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours.  All the flavors with meld together and you'll be left with a perfect pico! 

What about the guacamole?!

You'll only need two additional ingredients, garlic and avocados, to make my "Auntie B's Guacamole!" (And an extra lime.) Even my mom, who does not usually love (or even like) avocados, has requested that I make this guacamole for parties. 

*Scoop the beautiful goodness out of your avocados and mash with a little extra lime zest and juice. (Zest for a flavor boost, juice to keep the green creamy goodness from browning.) Add minced garlic and *stir together. I usually add 2-3 cloves per 4 avacadoes. Then, *mix in a generous portion of your pico for a perfect guacamole!  

Now, you're ready to party!  Serve with tortilla chips, make sure they're gluten free, and you'll have gorgeous, flavor packed, Top 8 Allergen Free snacks for your family and guests!

Don't forget to check out my cookbooks on Amazon! 

Love Letters from My Kitchen

Together in the Kitchen: Easter

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

Foolproof Juicy Chicken Thighs

"If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day.  If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime." If I share one single recipe, it will teach you one meal.  If I teach you a technique, you can create many meals for your family.  Today, I will share a technique for one of my favorite, budget friendly, juicy cuts of meat: chicken thighs!

Shhhh...Super Secret Chili Recipe

I have guarded this chili recipe for years.  I have not shared it with friends, or family.  I have made it for informal chili cook-offs, game day parties, potlucks, and I have basked in the praise of my guests.  I have kept secret the two unexpected ingredients that elevate this chili from an ordinary dish, to a rich meal with layers of flavor. And now, now I am sharing it with you. It's time for me to share this goodness, nay, greatness. 

Kitchen Tip Tuesday! Ditch the Dye

As a family, we've made a commitment to "Ditch the Dye."  It hasn't been too difficult to remove artificial dyes from our daily diet, it's really just about label reading and putting anything with artificial dye in it back on the shelf. But when it comes to decorating cutout cookies....?  There has to be a way to get colorful sprinkles on those cookies without artificial food coloring.  

Smokey Steak Seasoning

Every once in a while I get a craving for a great steak, (I prefer an organic rib-eye).  My three year old has a beef allergy, so we don't eat beef as a family any more.  But sometimes, my husband and I eat a late dinner after the kids have gone to bed.  We call it a "date night in." One of our favorite meals is simple steak and potatoes with some sauteed veggies.

I became a little tired of the same old kosher salt and cracked black pepper on my steak, so I concocted this smokey, muted seasoning, with just a hint of heat.  Sprinkle it on your steak , and then sear the steak in a cast iron skillet. (I like to use bacon fat in the skillet, but olive oil would do just fine!) Then serve with whipped potatoes and sauteed veggies of your choice!  Simple, special, and tasty!

I added shrimp to our dinner to make it surf and turf.  After I removed the steak from the skillet, I added a tablespoon of olive oil, and sauteed the shrimp just until opaque.  Then I squeezed fresh lemon over it right before serving! 

Time for Turkey Stock - Thanksgiving Series

I prefer to make turkey stock about a week or two before Thanksgiving.  I make a lot of it, in order to make gravy, and also to have it ready for my favorite post-Thanksgiving turkey soup.  I prepare for my leftovers!  Making this stock means that you will be roasting a turkey in a very simple fashion.  Roasting this turkey is a means to an end, what you really want is the carcass.  It's a bit of effort now, so you don't have to work so hard on Thanksgiving, or right before it. So, break out the roasting pan, here we go!

For the Love of Cranberries - Cranberry Sauce

I've already made my Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving.  Yep, I'm that far ahead of the game, and you can be too!  I make my Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce at the beginning of the month, and I preserve it.  You certainly don't have to go through the process of preserving, this recipe is fantastic made the day of, or up to a week before, simply keep it in the fridge.  I make 4x this recipe and I use it for Cranberry Muffins, and for Cranberry Spread. (4x the recipe yields approximately 5 quarts of Cranberry Sauce.) 

This cranberry sauce recipe is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, wheat-free, gluten-free, soy-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. Top 8 Allergen Free! As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends!

Steps marked with an asterisk (*) are child friendly for children who understand stove top safety!  

Click HERE for more information! 

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

 Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup of granulated sugar

1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice

1 cup water

Zest of 2 oranges

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

24 ounces fresh cranberries

I wish you could smell this! 

Directions:
1. *Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
2. *Bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 15 minutes until           thickened.
3. Ladle into warm glass jars and process for 10 minutes in a               boiling water canner. OR Store in airtight containers in the               fridge for up to 1 week.

Everything in the pot and ready to simmer! 

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

Photo Credits: Aidan Van Horn

Kale Chips

So simple.  So healthy.  So yummy!  The joy of kale chips!  We got a LOT of kale in our CSA box this week, so we made some kale chips instead of popcorn for our family movie night! Get your kids in the kitchen to help rip some kale!

This recipe is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. Top 8 Allergen Free! As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends!

Steps marked with an asterisk (*) are child friendly!  

Click HERE for more information! 

Ingredients:

Kale
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. *Remove kale leaves from their tough stems, and roughly chop into large bite sized pieces. 
3. *Toss with olive oil, sprinkle moderately with kosher salt. 
4. *Spread onto baking sheets in a single layer.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes. 

It really couldn't be easier to make this healthy snack!  My 10 year son is getting braces, and popcorn will no longer be on the movie night menu for him.  I felt so proud when he exclaimed (with genuine excitement): "At least I can still have kale chips on movie night!"

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

Peppermint Patties

As I watched the snow finally fall outside, I felt the urge to bake something.  Since we'd all recently had our fill of cookies, I got out a recipe for Peppermint Patties that I had tucked away.  This recipe originally came from Family Fun magazine, and I am sorry we waited so long to try it! These little beauties are scrumptious, and better yet, ALL the kids loved them!