Banana "Ice Cream"

Banana Ice Cream

2- 3 bananas, chunked and frozen for at least 2 hrs
1-2 Tablespoons natural peanut butter

Add frozen bananas to your food processor and pulse.

 Scrape and pulse.  As the bananas melt a little they become creamy.

 Add peanut butter and pulse again.

Scoop and serve!

**2-1/2 bananas made 4 large scoops of "ice cream."

Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Whiskey BBQ Sauce

Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Whiskey BBQ Sauce

1 slab of baby back pork ribs
salt and pepper

Sauce...makes about 1-1/2 cups
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup shredded onion
1-1/2 cups water
6 ounce can tomato paste
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2-1/2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 Tablespoon molasses
2-3 teaspoons Jim Beam Whiskey
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Cut rack of ribs in 1/2 and lay each one on large piece of foil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap tight and bake for 2-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile start the BBQ sauce.  Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions and cook for up to 5 minutes. 

 Add water, tomato paste and rest of ingredients.  Whisking to incorporate.

Bring mixture to boil and lower heat to simmer uncovered for 1 hour.  I used a splatter shield on top of mine.  It lets the moisture out so it can thicken but the tomato doesn't bubble and splash all over.  You will need to stir occasionally.

Set aside sauce until you are ready to grill the ribs.

Preheat grill.  Remove ribs from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove ribs from foil and place on grill.  Grill ribs for 3-4 minutes on each side, brushing (or in my case spooning!) the sauce on. I used about 1/2 of the recipe for the one, 3 pound slab. This picture shows 1/2 half of that slab.

 Serve with fresh veggies, like green beans or corn on the cob.

Vegetable Marinara Sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup each onions, zucchini, yellow squash (shredded)
2 - 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes (not seasoned)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large sauce pan.  Add veggies and cook for about 5 minutes or until soft.

 Add garlic and tomatoes.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

 Add fresh spices and simmer for 25-20 minutes more.

 Serve, can, or freeze.  Enjoy!

Salted Nut Roll Bars

Salted Nut Roll Bars

1 box yellow cake mix
2/3 cup butter
1 egg
1 bag mini marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
12 ounce package peanut butter chips
2/3 cup white corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
16 ounce jar lightly salted peanuts

Mix together cake mix, 2/3 cup butter, and egg. 

Pat into a greased 11x15" jelly roll pan.  I found it easiest if I wet my fingers a little bit to keep the batter from sticking to them.

 Press as evenly as you can. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

 Should be dry on top and slightly brown. 

 Sprinkle wth marshallows and return to oven for another 5-10 minutes.

 Marshallows will puff up and become gooey.

While marshallows are cooling melt butter, peanut butter chips, and corn syrup in small sauce pan.  After it is melted add vanilla.

 Pour over cooled marshmallows.

 Spread as evenly as you can.  I did not wait for my marshallows to cool completely and ended up with it all swirled.  It still tasted good and you couldn't really see it after I put the nuts on.

 Sprinkle with peanuts and lightly press into melted chips.

Cool completely and cut into bars.

Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

6 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 pkts TRUVIA (or 2-1/4 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


1/2 cup PURE maple syrup
1/2 cup pecans (or more as you like)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups gluten-free old fashioned oats
1/2 c cold butter


1/2 - 3/4 cup craisins

 Mix  together maple syrup, cinnamon, pecans and oats in medium bowl.

Cut in butter (you may have to use your hands...just break it up the best you can.) Put in fridge until apples are ready.

Add apples, water, cinnamon, and Truvia to large sauce pan with lid and cook for 10-15 minutes until nearly soft.

Looks delish enough to eat like this!  Don't go to far or you'll have chunky applesauce. Stir in vanilla.

Spread into bottom of 9x13" baking dish.

Sprinkle optional craisins here.

Top with oatmeal mixture (you made need to 'recrumble' a little.)

Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Careful your oatmeal doesn't get too brown.  If you find yours does I would suggest covering with foil for 1/2 of the time.

Serve right away with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.  This crisp does not stay crispy overnight.  My family still loves it the next day anyway.  I plan to experiment with the flax seed powder after much luck with a granola and see if that helps.