spicechicksofdrip

It’s been a hot minute since we have posted anything. Stuck at home with limited supplies has sparked some new recipes. I can’t keep enough snacks around to keep my teenage boys full. So here is a simple, yet hearty granola bar recipe.

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups old fashioned oats

1/4 cup gluten free flour mix

2 Tbsp flax & hemp, chia

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

*1/3 cup coconut sugar or omit this part (optional)

1 cup chocolate chips*

1/4 cup cranberries

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil or coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

1/4 cup of nuts

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

4. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir to combine.

5. Place granola mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a rectangle, about 13 x 9 x 1 inch thick or press into a greased 8×8 pan for thick ones

6. Bake for 25 minutes.

7. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then cut into bars. Do not remove from the pan yet. The. place them into freezer. Once set, remove gently and wrap individually. Keep refrigerated.

8. Serves 8-12.

* You can substitute raisins or other dried fruit for the chocolate chips.

** Individually wrapped, the bars will remain fresh for several weeks.

Gluten Free & Dairy Free and feeling left out for the holidays? Here is a treat for you!

Dry ingredients:

3 cups of GF flour blend

1 cup of raw sugar plus more for topping

1 tsp baking soda & baking powder

1 tsp of salt

Wet ingredients

1 T vanilla

4 mashed bananas

1 stick of softened vegan butter

1/3 cup of egg whites or 2 eggs

1 Tbsp of honey

2 tsp of coconut oil

1 1/2 cups of mini vegan chocolate chips

Coconut oil for brushing large muffin pans

Directions:

Mash bananas and add sugar. Blend well. Add remaining wet ingredients. Whisk dry ingredients separately. Sift dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir well and mix in chocolate chips. Use an ice cream scoop to equally distribute muffin mix into muffin pan. Sprinkle muffin tops with raw sugar. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Makes 24 muffins, or 2 8 inch breads.

I’m cooking straight from our cookbook today. I’m prepping ahead by stirring up hot, cheese grits topped with bacon and shredded cheese. I poured the golden deliciousness into a disposable pan in order to freeze it until Christmas. It makes the holidays way less stressful to cook ahead of time. Check out the recipe in our cookbook:https://www.amazon.com/Spicechicksofdrips-Cowgirl-Texas-Hillcountry-Cooking/dp/1478774398

I am cooking from our Spicechicksofdrip cookbook today. If you have not purchased one, you can pick one up locally at “The Rural Home,” or order from https://www.amazon.com/Spicechicksofdrips-Cowgirl-Texas-Hillcountry-Cooking/dp/1478774398

Saturday mornings at my dad’s house was always greeted with Buttermilk Biscuits and Old fashioned Sausage Gravy! I decided to bring the delicious memories to my kids.

Buttermilk Sausage Biscuits

By: Bekie

Dry ingredients

3 cups of unbleached flour (and more for dusting)

1 tsp of baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup sugar

Wet ingredients

1 1/4 cup of buttermilk (you can make your own by adding 1 T of lemon juice to the milk)

2 T of egg whites

1/2 cup of cold salted butter cubed

1 cup of cooked crumbled breakfast sausage

Directions:

Mix together dry ingredients into a large bowl with a whisk. Add in cubed butter and cut into the flour with a fork, or pastry cutter to resemble sand like texture.

Make a well in the center of the flour. Slowly add in buttermilk and egg whites. Stir gently. Add extra milk if needed until all the dough comes together. Fold in sausage. Dust a large cutting board.

Do not over mix. Form into a large disc about 1 1/2-2 ” thick.

Preheat oven to 375. Use a large biscuit cutter, or flour a juice glass. Butter 2 large iron skillets. Place Biscuits slightly touching.

Brush the top of the biscuit with milk. Bake for 15-18 minutes until tops begin to brown.

Sausage Gravy

2-4 T of bacon, or sausage grease (I cook the sausage first and save the grease).

4 T of flour (or more if needed)

1/2 cup of beef broth

1/2 cup of whole milk

Salt & pepper

1 cup of cooked crumbled sausage

Directions:

Using a seasoned iron skillet is key to the flavor of this Gravy. I use my grandmothers. Start with your heat on low. Add bacon, or sausage grease. Slowly sprinkle in flour and whisk until smooth.

It will begin to thicken like a paste. You are basically making a rue. Add in 1/4 cup of the broth. Whisk until smooth. Once Gravy begins to thicken, add 1/4 cup of the milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until smooth again. The Gravy will thicken again. Slowly interchange broth and milk until the gravy reaches a smooth consistency. You may not need all of the liquid. Lastly, add in the sausage.

Serve immediately over piping hot biscuits.

Fresh back from Italy, one of my favorite drinks was a Spritz called Hugo. Here is my version of it. Have a sip of Italy!

Italian Hugo

By: Bekie

 

3-4 mint leaves

2 slices of lime

1/2 T of lime juice

1 cup of Prosecco

a drizzle of agave

Crushed ice

Directions

Place mint & limes in the bottom of a tall glass. Add ice and lime juice. Pour Prosecco in, and add agave to taste. Mix everything together with a long spoon. Serve immediately!

Need a pick me up at happy hour? Try this delicious mix of two of my favorites: chocolate & coffee!

Mocha Chocolate Chip Rum Frappe

Ingredients:

1 cup of coconut milk

3 shots of coconut rum

1/2 tsp of Vanilla extract

1 Tbsp of Chocolate syrup plus more for drizzling

1/4 cup of chocolate chips

1/2 cup of coffee

Agave to taste (about 2-3 teaspoons)

2 cups of ice

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a blender & blend until smooth and slushy. Drizzle your cup before pouring. Then drizzle the top. Serve with a chocolate covered coffee bean. Serves 3-4.

What do I miss most about eating mostly Vegan? 🍕 Pizza!!!! This is the first Vegan, gluten-free Crust that is crispy and delicious.

Vegan GF Crust

1/4 cup almond flour

1/4 cup Cassava flour

1/4 cup of coconut flour

1/2 cup of potato starch

1 Tbsp of olive oil

1 flax/chia egg (2 T of ground flax/chia mixed with 4 T of water)

1/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp of sea salt

1 tsp of organic sugar

1 tsp of garlic salt for topping the crust

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 450. In a large bowl, mix together flours. Whisk in sea salt. Add in flax/chia egg, olive oil, and almond milk. Knead until dough forms. Roll out super thin onto a thin oiled pizza pan. Prick crust with a fork. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake on 450 for 8-10 minutes. Then add toppings of choice. Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.

My favorite toppings:

Fig jam, balsamic, onions, arugula

Vegan ranch, tomato sauce, vegan mozzarella

Fresh tomato, basil, olive oil

Pineapple, jalapeño, vegan cheese