Mocha Layer Cake

My middle daughter turned 7 last week and requested a chocolate cake to celebrate her birthday. This recipe is one that I've made many times before, so we dressed it up with some store-bought decorative frosting (gluten free, of course!) to make it extra special.

Mocha Layer Cake
Yield: 3-layer cake

Ingredients
Cake:
 1 cup butter, softened
 3 cups packed brown sugar
 4 eggs, room temperature
 3 tsp vanilla
 3 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 3/4 cup baking cocoa
 3 tsp baking soda
 1/2 tsp salt
 1 1/2 cups brewed coffee, cooled
 1 1/3 cups sour cream

Frosting:
 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
 1/2 cup butter, softened
 8 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
 1/2 cup brewed coffee, cooled
 3 tsp vanilla
 7 cups powdered sugar

Directions
1. Arrange oven racks so that pans will fit on two levels. (You will need to cook two pans on center rack and one pan on top rack.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat three 9" cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line bottom of pans with wax (or parchment) paper, and spray again; set pans aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee and sour cream, beating well after each addition.
4. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans (be sure to discard wax/parchment paper) to wire racks to cool completely.
5. In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in chocolate, coffee, and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.
6. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. (Frosting needs time to set up.)

Note: This recipe needs to be made one day in advance!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

As a former long-distance runner, Italian food has long been a staple in my diet. But since pasta is now a thing of the past (I don't really care for the gluten free versions), I need to satisfy my craving in other ways. This family favorite dinner is comfort food at it's finest... and you won't even miss the pasta!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Yield: 8x8 pan

Ingredients
4 cups fully cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (about 1.5 lbs)
28 oz jar marinara sauce
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
1 cup Italian seasoned gluten free bread crumbs (panko and/or regular)
2 Tbsp olive oil

Note: To sneak in some extra veggies, I sautéed a chopped onion in olive oil until translucent and layered it between the chicken and marinara sauce.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Layer half of chicken in pan. Top chicken with half of marinara sauce. Top with half of cheese, spreading to evenly cover chicken. Repeat all three layers with remaining ingredients.
4. In small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with olive oil. Sprinkle on top of casserole.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until golden on top and bubbling on the sides.
6. Serve with tossed salad and/or steamed veggies (like broccoli).

Freezer Meal Instructions
• To Freeze: Assemble casserole as described above and freeze it before baking.
• To Prepare: Thaw casserole in refrigerator overnight. If middle is still slightly frozen, either defrost in microwave before baking or increase cook time. Cover casserole with foil if top gets too brown while baking.

Recipe adapted from Thriving Home.

Gooey Cookies & Cream Double Chocolate Cake Bars

Here is a family favorite dessert that used to be chock full of gluten. The original recipe called for a boxed chocolate cake mix for the base and then crumbled Oreos on top. Obviously this recipe required some serious tweaking to make these bars gluten free!

Through trial and error, I figured out the perfect combination of made-from-scratch ingredients to replace the cake mix. Luckily, a number of different gluten free "Oreo" cookie options exist in the market. My mom sent me this box from Trader Joe's. (Glutino is another brand I've tried. Head over to this post to see what that package looks like.)

Gooey Cookies & Cream Double Chocolate Cake Bars
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk (I use almond milk)
15 gluten free "Oreo" cookies
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (This can be done by hand if you don't have a stand mixer.) Add egg; mix well.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking powder in bowl. Add dry ingredients to creamed sugar in small batches, alternating with milk. Batter will be very stiff.
4. Press dough into prepared baking pan.
5. Crumble cookies on top of dough.
6. Sprinkle white chocolate chips over cookies.
7. Pour sweetened condensed milk over cookies and white chocolate chips.
8. Top with semisweet chocolate chips.
9. Bake 16-20 minutes, until cooked through. (White chocolate chips will start to brown slightly.)
10. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Recipe adapted from Picky Palate.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

When you wake up to a blizzard raging outside in the middle of April, what better way to start the day than with a batch of homemade muffins fresh from the oven! The best part about this recipe is the crunchy, sugary topping, so be sure to eat the muffins while they are still warm... I bet you'll be going back for seconds!

Chocolate Chip Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients
Muffins:
 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 1/2 cup white sugar
 3 tsp baking powder
 1/4 tsp salt
 3/4 cup milk (I use almond milk)
 1/3 cup vegetable oil
 1 egg, room temperature
 3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Topping:
 3 Tbsp white sugar
 2 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin pan(s) with paper liners.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix well.
3. In small bowl, combine milk, oil, and egg; blend well.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will be lumpy).
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Divide batter among 12 muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. (I use an ice cream scoop to make them even.)
7. Combine topping ingredients in small bowl; mix well. Sprinkle over tops of batter; pat down gently with fingers.
8. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool a few minutes in pan before removing to wire rack.
9. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken

This recipe is a throwback to a childhood dinner my mom used to make. At only six ingredients, it is super simple to put together, yet it is packed with flavor! While she used to make this dish on the stovetop, I adapted her recipe for the slow cooker to make it even easier.

And just so you know, the leftovers taste just as amazing cold the next day! Sometimes I purposely make a larger-than-normal batch just so I can eat it for lunch all week. :)

Southwest Chicken
Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients
38 oz jar mild Pace picante sauce (or other red salsa of choice)
7 oz can mild diced green chiles
1 Tbsp cumin
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (fresh or frozen)
15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
15 oz can black beans, drained

Directions
1. Put salsa, chiles, and cumin in slow cooker; stir to mix.
2. Submerge chicken in sauce. Cover with lid and cook on low 8-10 hours.
3. Shred chicken with two forks. Add corn and beans. Stir to combine.
4. Cover with lid and reduce heat to warm setting until ready to serve.
5. Top individual servings with shredded cheese, guacamole/avocado, sour cream, sliced black olives, etc. Scoop with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff

This is one of my husband's all-time favorite dishes, so naturally I experimented with the usual ingredients to give it my own personal touch!

Beef Stroganoff
Yield: plenty ;)

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
24 oz container fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz container sour cream
10.5 oz can gluten free cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 beef bouillon cubes (I use Herb Ox brand)

Directions
1. In large skillet, brown ground beef until no longer pink. Remove to plate lined with paper towel to drain excess fat.
2. In leftover skillet drippings, using additional olive oil as necessary, sauté mushrooms and onions until mushrooms have released all liquid and onions are tender. Add garlic and sauté additional few minutes, until garlic is fragrant.
3. Spoon beef back into skillet with vegetables. Add sour cream, mushroom soup, and milk; stir to combine. Crush beef bouillon cubes over skillet and stir to evenly distribute.
4. Continue cooking over low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.
5. Serve over gluten free pasta noodles, brown or white rice, or cauliflower pearls (also called cauliflower rice) with a side of steamed broccoli or peas. Enjoy!

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seeds are mini powerhouses packed with calcium, antioxidants, protein, fiber, and Omega-3 fats. This pudding is a simple and delicious way to easily incorporate these nutritional benefits into your day!

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding
Yield: 2-4 servings

Ingredients
2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions
1. Whisk together all ingredients in jar or glass container; cover with lid.
2. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to let gel. Stir or whisk a few times within first hour to help mixture gel evenly.
3. When ready to eat, top individual servings with fruit and/or nuts, if desired. Enjoy!

How Long Can You Keep Chia Seed Pudding?
• This recipe uses all natural ingredients and is not a processed food (therefore it does not contain any preservatives). It tastes best within two days of being made. The ideal time to eat chia seed pudding is the day after it is made for best flavor and freshness.
• Prepare in the evening to have ready for a quick breakfast the next day. Or make it in the morning for a delicious dessert at night.

Recipe adapted from Wellness Mama.

Coconut Pecan Cream Cake

What better way to celebrate Easter than with an extravagant three-tiered cake! Packed with coconut and pecans on the inside, this delicious dessert is enrobed with cream cheese frosting and is sure to impress your holiday guests.

Coconut Pecan Cream Cake
Yield: 3-layer cake

Ingredients
Cake:
 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 1 tsp baking soda
 1/2 tsp salt
 1 cup sour cream
 1 tsp vanilla
 1/2 cup coconut oil
 2 cups sugar
 5 eggs, separated
 1 1/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
 1 cup finely chopped pecans

Frosting:
 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
 6 cups powdered sugar
 2 tsp vanilla

Directions
Make the Cake:
 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat three 8" cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line bottom of pans with wax paper, and spray again; set pans aside.
 2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk sour cream and vanilla in separate bowl.
 3. Cream butter, coconut oil, and sugar in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, alternately add dry ingredients in 3 batches and wet ingredients in 2 batches. Increase speed to high, and beat until batter is smooth, 5–10 seconds.
 4. Whip egg whites in fresh bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites, coconut, and pecans into batter. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth top with spatula.
 5. Bake cakes 20–22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cakes cool for 20 minutes in pans; invert onto wire racks, remove wax paper from bottoms, and let cool completely.

Make the Frosting:
 1. Using stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
 2. With motor running, slowly add sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
 3. To assemble, place one cake layer on cake stand and spread with frosting; top with another cake layer and spread with frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Cover top and sides with remaining frosting. (Optional: Sprinkle top/sides with additional coconut and/or pecans.)
 4. Chill cake at least 1 hour, or overnight, until frosting is firm.

Recipe adapted from Saveur.