I love cheesecake.  I love breakfast.  I love strawberries. Today they all came together for a warming start to a cold morning. It’s no secret that I want cake for breakfast so this scrumptious treat camouflaged as a “stick to your ribs” oatmeal variety should come as no surprise. Try it, you’ll like it!

Strawberry Cheesecake Oatmeal ~ (serves 1)
½ cup gluten free oatmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 cup water
½ cup skim milk
1 x portion Philly light cream cheese (individual portion)
1 Tbls strawberry jam
1 x biscuit of choice for topping (I used a Leda Arrowroot)

Combine the oats, milk and water and microwave in a medium sized plastic bowl for 5 minutes.

Stir through the cream cheese until melted.

Swirl in the strawberry jam.

 Top with the crumbled biscuit and eat up!

]]> http://sweetsofstyle.com/2013/05/18/joyfulness-and-weekend-breakfast-8/feed/ 0 http://sweetsofstyle.com/2013/05/17/fake-out-takeout-cashew-chicken/ http://sweetsofstyle.com/2013/05/17/fake-out-takeout-cashew-chicken/#comments Fri, 17 May 2013 10:37:06 +0000 sweetsofstyle http://sweetsofstyle.com/?p=4516 By the time Friday rolls around I am generally to tired to lift a pan to cook dinner. It’s the end of the week, everyone is tired *and* famished, and we need a quick and easy meal to feed the masses that appear at our house each weekend. Friday is also one of those rare times that we are all home to enjoy a catch up with each other and various friends. While we used to head off to the local takeaway shop, the quality, price and unpredictability of “safeness” has meant that it is easier, and tastier, to make my own adaptations! With a little bit of forethought, most dishes can be easily prepped for a quick tumble into a wok or the oven and, voila, a Fake Out Take Out is hot, tasty, and quickly on the table.

Cashew Chicken ~ (Serves 4-6)
Recipe slightly adapted from Erecipecards
1 BBQ Chicken, meat removed and shredded
2 Tbls sugar or sugar substitute like Natvia
8 tsp gluten free cornflour
1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce
4 Tbls gluten free Worcestershire sauce
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp sea salt
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 cup cashews
Cooked brown rice to serve

In a medium size bowl, combine the sugar, corn starch, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and whisk to form marinade.

Add the marinade to the chicken, mix and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

In a wok, heat chicken stock to simmer.

Add the marinated chicken, including all of the sauce in the bottom of the bowl.  Stir to combine and mix with the stock.

Continue heating until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the lemon juice and cashews. Do not over cook the cashews as you want them hot but still retain a bit of their crunch.

Add the sesame seeds, garlic and salt.

Serve over prepared rice or noodles.

I still love a (meatless) cheeseburger made from Portobello, but the rest of my family enjoy a juicy burger now and again. I was scouring my recipes for something quick and easy to prepare for mid week and, having already prepped the mince on the weekend and then frozen until the night before I wanted to use it, I was armed for the test of the casserole that passes as a burger.

The six foot teenager was dubious, at best, when he asked and was told what was for dinner. 99.9% of the time he turns his nose up at any casserole that uses mince so I wasn’t surprised at the lukewarm reception I received upon the declaration of “Cheeseburger Casserole.” The end result, however, was anything but lukewarm. All 3 carnivores in my house gave this the silent thumbs up (because their mouths were engaged in eating), ate all the leftovers, and asked me to make it again. Winner! And not a “golden arches” in sight

Mid Week Makeover ~ Cheeseburger Casserole (serves 4-6)
Original recipe adapted from Pillsbury
1 lb lean mince, cooked and any remaining fat drained
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup relish pickles
½ cup water
½ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/8 tsp teaspoon pepper
6 slices Cheddar cheese
1 x box gluten free pizza dough + ingredients to make
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbls sesame seeds

Heat oven to 200° or 180° fan forced. Place the cooked mince into a large bowl and stir in the pickles, water, ketchup, mustard and pepper.

Spoon beef mixture into a 20cm square glass baking dish and place the cheese slices on top.

Prepare the pizza dough as per the box directions. Press into a rectangle, as much as you can, and then spread to nearly the edge but leave a small gap around the outside for the steam to escape.

Brush the top of the dough with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

 Serve and enjoy!

I was super keen to try a new pizza dough from the makers of the gluten free products that I have tested before and really enjoyed, Casalare. I made the pizza dough once before at home for a pizza and it was not successful but I was fairly certain I messed it up with adding quite a bit of flour additional to the instructions. For the Meatless Monday recipe below, you could use any gluten free pizza dough (for a substantial base) or gluten free pastry sheet for something a bit lighter. If you like dill, this recipe is perfect for a light lunch or easy weeknight meal. Mix it up to the ingredients that suit your taste and go crazy with your own flavours!

Herbed Ricotta Tart ~ (serves 6-8)
Adapted from Cooking Light
1 x gluten free pizza dough recipe
1 x frozen package of spinach
1 & 1/3 cup extra light ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 190° or 170° fan forced.

Prepare the gluten free pizza dough as per the manufacturer’s directions.

Generously spray a standard/large size removable-bottom tart pan with low fat cooking spray and press the dough into the bottom and up the sides as much as possible.

Combine spinach, ricotta cheese, minced fresh dill, salt, freshly ground black pepper, eggs, and egg white in a large bowl and stir well.

Pour mixture into prepared crust and sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 35 minutes or until centre is set. Let stand 5 minutes.

Cut into 6 or 8 wedges.

I had fun with this photo…..It looks like Ms. Pac Man! 

Casalare Pizza Dough Verdict 4/10 ~ VERY wet dough and, even though I added flour the first time with disastrous results, this time I made it exactly as per the instructions. I wouldn’t stay up on the sides of the pan and the texture was really dense. This is not my favourite pizza dough base and I probably will not purchase this product again.

Some afternoon shopping at Bunnings and a walk with my beautiful girl rounded out a fabulous day.

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day in the US and I miss my Mom so very much.  This dish is inspired by my sweet Mom who is a wonderful cook but does not particularly like to cook very often any more.  Still, every time we visit she does make this particular dish because the six foot teenager always requests it.  I know this recipe is good because I asked him how it rated against Mimi’s and he said, “It’s getting close.”  I’ll take that   ♥

Slow Cooker Sunday ~ Gluten Free Chicken and Noodles (serves 6)
3 x small or 2 large chicken breasts rinsed and pat dry
1 x package gluten free lasagne noodles, thawed (I used Pasta al Naturale in the freezer section at Coles)
500 grams of homemade gluten free cream of chicken soup
1 & ½ cups of mixed frozen vegetables
1 x small onion shopped
3 x stalks of celery chopped
2 cups chicken broth
Garlic and seasoning of choice

Lightly spray the inside of the slow cooker with low fat cooking spray.

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker except for the noodles. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.

Remove the chicken to a bowl and shred with two forks and return to the slow cooker.

Cut the lasagne noodles into wide strips and separate the best you can.

Place the uncooked noodles into the slow cooker.

Turn the slow cooker on high if you have it on low and cook for approximately one hour until noodles are al dente.

Ladle to bowls and enjoy!

Not long ago I made an Apple and Cheddar Frittata that was nothing short of delicious and it got me thinking about other ways to use this delicious flavour combination. I remembered the yummy Rosemary muffins from a while ago and thought this base would make the perfect vehicle for a scrumptious, seasonal loaf.

Seasonal Saturday ~ Apple Cheddar Bread (yields 1 standard loaf)
1 & ½ cups gluten free self raising flour (I used Well and Good)
2 eggs + 4 egg whites (or ½ cup frozen egg whites found in the supermarket)
½ cup water
¼ cup applesauce
1 large apple very thinly sliced
¾ cup low fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 180° or 160°fan forced and place oven rack in the middle. Generously spray a standard size loaf pan with low fat cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the flour, water, eggs, egg whites and applesauce and mix on medium for about 2 minutes.

Fold in the apple slices and cheddar.

Spoon the batter into the pan and top with a few extra apple slices.

Bake for 25-35 minutes until cooked completely and light brown on top. Cover with foil ½ way if it is browning too much.

Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before you transfer to a wire rack.

Allow to cool before slicing and serve.

Speaking of sweeter, the end of this week brings about Faux Foodie candy bar!

Last year I tried to make a gluten free kit kat and it just didn’t hold together. I think it was because I was also trying to make it low fat which did not cut it. It still tasted really good, and was requested REPEATEDLY by a friend after a taste test, but I just had too many items in my head to make before this one!

But, sometimes you just NEED a break and that means a Kit Kat. I miss Kit Kats   I seem to be obsessed with candy bars at the moment so this came in at just the right time. A few modifications and it’s ready for gluten free status as well as simply delicious!

Gluten Free Kit Kat slice ~ (yields about 12-16 bars)
Gluten free crackers (I used Eskal)
1 cup low fat margarine
2 cups tea biscuit crumbs (I used Eskal but any biscuit will do)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup skim milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 & ¼ cups chocolate chips
1 cup caramel chips
Line 20 cm baking pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Combine peanut butter, chocolate chips, and caramel chips in a small saucepan. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and pour 1/2 of the mixture into the prepared pan.

Place a layer of crackers on top of the chocolate, breaking to fit.

Melt margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add biscuit crumbs, brown sugar, milk, and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour half of the biscuit crumb mixture over the crackers in pan and smooth with a spatula.

Arrange another layer of crackers over the crumb mixture. Pour the remaining crumb mixture over this layer of crackers and smooth with a spatula. Arrange a third layer of crackers over the top.

Pour the rest of the melted chocolate mixture on top of the last layer.

Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate two hours. Cut into bars. Bars will keep for two weeks, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator if they last that long!

I have told you a few times about cooking, shredding and freezing chicken for weeknight meals BUT when I spotted cold BBQ chickens again for under $5.50, I was elated. Couple the cheap-o chicken with a savoury recipe for Monkey Bread I spotted via Pinterest and I didn’t wait to dive into the recipe.

While this is made with precooked chicken, it is not something you can whip up in a flash (hence all the steps below), but you can make the dish ahead of time and store in the fridge overnight to bake when you are ready. Either way, it is definitely worth making!

Mid Week Makeover ~ Savoury Chicken Monkey Bread (serves 6)
Recipe Adapted from Inspired by E-Recipe Cards

1 x package of Bob’s Red Mill Biscuit and Baking Mix or Gluten Free Bisquick (I buy from my awesome ebay seller or Sunnybrook Gluten Free Shop)
Ingredients to make biscuits as per the mix above
2 Large Eggs
2 Tbls skim Whole Milk
200 grams shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup spring onion sliced
2 cups shredded pre-cooked
Preheat oven to 190° or 175°fan forced .

Make the monkey bread per pack directions or click here but don’t use cinnamon sugar!

Spray a large rectangular glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until well combined.

Stir the monkey bread balls into the egg/milk mixture.

Fold in chicken, onions and cheese to evenly mix with the bread balls.

Transfer mixture to the baking dish and arrange everything into a single layer.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cut and serve hot

]]> http://sweetsofstyle.com/2013/05/08/mid-week-makeover-chicken-monkey-bread/feed/ 0 http://sweetsofstyle.com/2013/05/07/road-test-tuesday-deeks-gluten-free-pumpkin-bread/ http://sweetsofstyle.com/2013/05/07/road-test-tuesday-deeks-gluten-free-pumpkin-bread/#comments Tue, 07 May 2013 10:27:39 +0000 sweetsofstyle http://sweetsofstyle.com/?p=4423 I am ALWAYS on the lookout for breads to try and when I noticed a Facebook post for this bread in stock locally I knew I would Road Test it for you, dear readers.  Let me tell you more……see, a local business recently opened in Newcastle that provides organic and gluten free groceries as well as a cafe.  It is Goodness Me Organics at Adamstown and I had the priveledge of being able to give them a grant, in my former role, to help transform an ugly wall outside their shop into a lovely mural.  When I knew it was going to be organic and gluten free, I was absolutely rapt.  PLUS a cafe ~ wahoo!  The dancing daughter took her Nan to breakfast there weekend before last and they both had a great time and wonderful food.

But back to the bread.  Pumpkin, gluten free, unsliced (so I can slice it T-H-I-C-K), and available fresh…..what more could you want?  I sliced it and had a bit without any toasting or topping and it was divine.  Toasted was even better!  Slice and freeze if you don’t eat a lot of bread as it does have a very short shelf life but well worth the trip to Goodness Me to collect.  You can even have your name on a list for notification when deliveries arrive.

Deeks Pumpkin Bread verdict –9/10 – Dense, pumpkin filled, beautiful toasted pumpkin seeds.  I just wish it lasted a bit longer but that’s the price to pay for no preservatives.  

Goodness Me Organics verdict –10/10 – Get there! You’ll ♥ it!

FAIL!!!!!

So I needed a muffin and I needed it STAT.    Short on time, patience and ingredients, I decided to amend my previous 3 ingredient muffins for a quick fix that I knew would turn out perfectly!  Because it was very late and I was very tired, I did not take many photos but, hey, you get the picture.  And they tasted great too

Muffin Monday ~ Oatmeal Raisin Muffins (makes 12 standard muffins)
1 x box gluten free cake mix (I used Basco)
100 grams gluten free oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
¾ cup water
¼ cup raisins
Sugar for tops (optional)

Preheat oven to 170 and lightly spray your pans with low fat cooking spray or line with muffin papers. Place 2 Tablespoons of cake mix into a small bowl and toss the raisins in the mix and set aside (this will stop the raisins from all sinking to the bottom of the muffins).

Combine the cake mix, oats, yogurt and water and mix until combined.

 Fold in the raisins and remaining cake mix.

 Place about ¼ cup of batter in each muffin cup and sprinkle with sugar on top for crunch if desired.

 Bake 12-15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for approximately 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.