Couples Night Out (or Belated Valentine Party)...

Wow - this post is almost a week after that fact.  Time flies and doesn't always

 allow the computer time we'd like.  But the reality is - that is a 'good' problem!  

But we did host a little couples get together this past weekend - 

and I wanted to show you the final details.   We did a valentine theme 

even tho it was 2 weeks after the holiday.  I've found with my friends - 

'late' seems to suit more people.

My party planning involved....
1. sending out invites  2. making a take-home gift

   3. planning decor   4. planning a menu  

5. planning a game  6. decorating  7. cooking

Weeks ahead - I found little wooden hearts at a thrift shop and 

embellished them as 'take-home' gift ornaments... 

These were super cheap and used materials I already had on hand. 

Valentine napkins and a few packs of hearts from Dollar Tree were other purchases.

Then the menu planning... 

the main dish was this wonderful chicken and pasta recipe 

with sun dried tomatoes (a first for me).  Everyone loved it!
Gluten Free Party tip - I made a gluten free version for our personal Valentine evening - then froze some for my portion the night of the party.  Worked great!

Back to decorating - I put three candles on the table - but felt my center candle needed something between the base and the candle.  

Spanish moss was happy to just lay there for me - yay! 

(there was a spike to hold the candle and moss in place)...

 The rest of my finds were pretty much just scattered across the table. 

A bit of on-hand lace and burlap finished things off...

 (shh - the whole spanish moss idea was really to hide yucky rust on this 1 candle plate...)

 I wanted a dessert bar - but that can be a lot of work.  

To keep it simple - I bought the strawberry cheesecake.   

Pellman's for $10 (thanks discount grocery store)...

 Red velvet cake and cappuccino pudding completed the round up.... 

and of course fresh strawberries for garnish.  

I shopped my house for red and white and used some leftover fresh flowers...

 The dessert forks were happy to reside in this glass pickle dish...

Our game?  I passed around candy conversation hearts 

and had everyone pick 2.  Then we had story time!

  They chose 1 date (do people do those any more?) to tell about - 

but they had to tell the story using the words on their hearts.  Fun!

Now on to the next big project which needs to be taxes - 

but they're no fun.... so why not rearrange a room instead? 

 Gonna be a big day!

Healthy Thrifty Snack - Thrifty Thursday...

If you're not frequenting discount, salvage or bent and dent 

grocery stores... you are missing out!  Check out my latest find...

In my recent shopping trip to my local discount grocer - 

I picked up my usual bag of salted sunflower seeds bag in the 

bulk food section.   (Mixed with raisins they're my current snack craving.)  

They are priced at approx. $2.70/lb.  When I got to the last aisle - 

they had 16 oz. packs of unsalted sunflower seeds for 99 cents. 

Well - 99 cents was too good to pass up.  So I bought 2 bags 

and when I got home - I mixed them with my 1 bag of salted.  

Let me tell you - - my new mixture is plenty salty! 

I'm storing them in my old canning or Mason jars.

 (Actually this is a Ball jar - not sure how Mason got to be the preferred name.) 

  I feel like I struck a gold mine!  Happy snacking for me and My Love.

Now go find a discount grocery store and discover your own bargains!

Baked Oatmeal - No Eggs or Oil...

Special diets can be a challenge.  I already eat gluten free 

(which has been an amazing 'cure' for an aggressive skin rash) - 

and now I'm avoiding meat, oils, dairy and eggs.  All this is my choice.  

I plan to return to just gluten free in a few weeks - but will probably do only

 chicken and fish for meat and try to really limit the oils.  

For now though - I need breakfast options.

 Baked oatmeal - with GF oats of course - has been a  gluten free favorite of mine... 

but alas - it has eggs, oil and milk! 

Today - I tried to make it without these 'no-no's' - and it worked!  

I made a small batch (recipe below) but I think the recipe could be doubled just fine.

No Egg, Oil or Dairy Baked Oatmeal

1 1/2 c. oatmeal (gluten free if needed)

1/2 c. brown sugar (scant!)

1 t. baking powder

1/2 c. almond milk (or other)

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 c. raisins (generous)

1/2 c. applesauce

Mix and place in small casserole dish.  If glass - bake at 325 degrees for approx. 30 min. till golden brown. (try 350 for metal pan)

Menu Monday - Rice Lasagna & Cookies...

I have a few gluten free (naturally) recipes for you today.

First - my Rice Lasagna from over the weekend...

 

1 lb. gr beef (I use 3/4 lb.)
1 med. onion (chopped)
1/4 c. peppers (chopped)
1 28 oz. spaghetti sauce
2 beaten eggs
2 c. cottage cheese
2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 c. cooked rice
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook beef, onion & peppers till brown.  Drain - stir in spaghetti sauce and heat through.
Stir together eggs, cottage cheese and mozz. cheese.
In 9x13 dish - layer 1/2 meat mixture, 1/2 cooked rice, 1/2 cheese mixture.  Repeat.  Top with parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered 350 degrees approx. 45 min.  Let stand 10 min. before cutting.

And for dessert...

Chocolate Brownie Cookies 

(I call them 'death by chocolate')

These are amazing!

3 c. confectioner's sugar
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 t. salt
3 large egg whites
1 T. vanilla extract
2 c. chocolate chips

Mix 1st 5 ingredients and beat well!!   Then add the chips.  Refrigerate dough about 1/2 hour.  Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees 10-14 min.

NOTE:  I added 2 T. cornstarch to this recipe to help cut the sweetness and it was great!

Pumpkin Mousse...

Found me a new favorite Fall gluten free dessert!  

Praline Pumpkin Mousse - compliments of Kraft...

Been doing a lot of web surfing for recipes lately.  

Sure beats rummaging through cookbooks when I'm short on time.

Kraft photo

Go check out this quick and easy recipe here.
 

Ingredients - with my substitutions include:

1 c. milk
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (I used my own - just shy of 2 cups)
2 pkg. (3 oz) vanilla instant pudding
1 1/4 t. pumpkin pie spice 
   I used 1 t. cinnamon + a pinch ea. of cloves & nutmeg)
2 c. whipping topping
1/2 c. chopped pecans (I used walnuts)
1 T. butter or marg., melted
1/3 c. brown sugar      
  

I made it for guests this weekend - from big, free volunteer

orange pumpkins that grew in our yard.  

My Love doesn't usually like pumpkin dishes - but he liked this! 

It's easy to bake pumpkin in the oven, puree it and freeze it for later use. 

I'm thinking this might make an appearance again soon - 

Thanksgiving is just around the corner!

Easy Ice Cream or Pancake Fruit Sauce...

As shared in this post - I have a fruit topping recipe

 that works great for ice cream or pancakes and
 French toast.   Today I made a cherry version...

That's a gluten free pancake folks - just sayin'

Fruit Sauce or Topping

1 can pie filling (cherry, blueberry, etc.)

1/2 stick margarine or butter

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. corn syrup

1/2 t. almond extract

Combine 1st 4 ingredients & heat till blended 

& bubbly.  Remove from heat and add extract.  

Mix well.

Couldn't be simpler!

I was out of corn syrup when I made this - so I used

 1/4 c.  honey and omitted the brown sugar.  

It was still good - but I prefer the original version.

To make this gluten free - just look for a 

modified 'corn' starch based pie filling.

One of these days I'll have to try this in peach!

My Gluten Free Cookbook...

This post is lining right up with today's 

Photo A Day theme - 'blue'.  Many  years ago 

I started gathering recipes and writing them in 

this little notebook.  These are all gluten free-naturally recipes that I will send with my daughter when she has a home of  her own.  

 Hopefully it will be a quick reference for her 

when she's preparing meals for herself (Celiac) 

and/or her family.  Since she is now out of her 

teens - I'd better get cracking with filling up 

this little book!

I plan to make this recipe this weekend.  

We're having another couple for a belated 

Valentine's Day meal.  It's a tasty, easy recipe 

and presents well!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sold!  Thank you Maureen.

Just Listed in my With Propriety Etsy Shop...

Brown Fabric Vintage Purse

Homemade Easy Gluten Free Pizza...

Since my Photo A Day theme today is 'dinner' - 

I thought you'd enjoy this delicious and simple 

recipe.  It's pretty much a weekly staple in our 

home and we did indeed have it for dinner tonight...

 The recipe for Rice Pizza

Crust:  3 c. cooked rice

1 c. mozzarella cheese

2 eggs

Mix these 3 ingredients together.  Spread on greased cookie sheet or pizza pan and bake at 450 degrees approx. 25 min. till crust lightly browned.

Remove from oven and top with pizza sauce (I use spaghetti sauce), sprinkle with oregano, 1 c. or more mozzarella cheese and the toppings of your choice.  Bake again for another 15 min. or till it is done. 

We had a combo of ham and pepperoni tonight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New York Hotel Tablecloth - Sold!

Thank you Lorraine...