Hello, lover! Ahem, I mean sweet and sticky, completely irresistible, ooey-gooey Gluten Free S’mores Bars! Think toasty marshmallow and sweet chocolate filling sitting atop a buttery, gluten free graham cracker cookie crust. These summery dessert bars are as outrageously delicious and satisfying as a real s’more — yet completely gluten free, and perfect for sharing. Gluten Free S’more Bars I remember the first summer after going gluten free when I realized that traditional s’mores were a thing of the past. Understanding that the risk for cross contamination is extremely high if everyone’s no ..read more

Have you ever cut into a beef enchilada at your go-to Mexican spot, dug into a taco salad from your favorite diner, or bit into a loose-meat sandwich from Maid Rite (tell me you’re from the Midwest without telling me) and thought to yourself: “How do they get the beef so soft and finely-textured?” Because when I brown ground beef in a skillet at home the result is fine, but the beef isn’t extremely tender nor does it have a super fine, almost creamy texture. Anyway, I figured out how to cook ground beef so it turns out like a restaurant’s — boil it!  Browned then Boiled Ground Beef Alth ..read more

We’re knocking on the door to summer and I for one can’t wait for warm nights spent outdoors with friends and family while fireflies show off to a choir of cicadas (ask me how excited I am for this year’s rare cicada season — screaming!) In addition to whipping up batches of Best Ever Pasta Salad and Judy’s Baked Beans anytime we entertain in the warmer months, I love to have a big fresh fruit salad on hand to round out the meal. A serving bowl of sweet and snappy fruit salad for a crowd is refreshing, light, and healthy. It’s the perfect dish to have on hand for cookouts, parties, baby or br ..read more

I made you Gluten Free Blueberry Pie Bars to celebrate the arrival of spring and summer’s fresh fruit and berry season, though as I sat down to write this post it began to snow. Iowa keeping us HUMBLE! At any rate, at some point, this wretched snow will melt and then we can confidently dig into these gorgeous, juicy dessert bars that taste like blueberry pie made gluten free — and EASY! Easy Gluten Free Blueberry Pie Bars Whoever has compared something simple or pleasurable to making pie has never made gluten free pie crust. Honestly, I found making pie crust PCD (pre Celiac Diseas ..read more

I took the kids to a movie last weekend and had to choose between chocolate or sweet & sour candies in the kids popcorn combo I ordered each of us. #foreveryoung It only took me a moment to confidently answer “sweet and sour“. I’m a chocolate lover through and through, but when given the choice I’m going puckery-sweet, every time. It should come as no surprise then, that one of my very favorite desserts is homemade Lemon Curd. This 5 ingredient lemon dessert recipe as bright, creamy, sweet, tart, and smooth as it looks. I call it “sunshine on a spoon” for obvious reasons! What is Lemon C ..read more

One restaurant all five of us and our various food allergies / issues can eat at is PF Chang’s. But, while the food is safe and delicious, it costs a small fortune, PLUS the nutritionals are ghastly — and who’s ever eaten just a small portion of their mouthwatering order? NOT THIS GAL! Hence why I took it upon myself to whip up this delectable, restaurant-style Beef and Broccoli recipe featuring sizzling beef and steamed broccoli surrounded by the most luscious, savory-sweet sauce. This broccoli beef recipe is a TOTAL UPGRADE! What How to Make It Beef and Broccoli Recipe We love to support l ..read more

You know you’ve arrived at a stellar pinto bean recipe when your husband requests they become a permanent staple at the family’s weekly taco night. Easy pinto beans recipe, FTW! This thick and creamy side dish is not only incredibly simple, but low fat, gluten free, and vegetarian / vegan too. Creamy Pinto Beans are the perfect pairing with any Tex-Mex-inspired dinner, or served simply with rice and accoutrements (hello, new fave #girldinner!) Easy Pinto Beans Recipe I like to call these beans “un-fried refried beans” because while the texture is creamy like refried beans, they don’t require ..read more

Because I always keep it real with you, I’ll share that just prior to my husband taking a bite of his loaded chicken meatball sub for dinner the other night he asked, “why chicken meatballs?” in a way that indicated he was…unsure…of the meal he was about to devour (real Italian Beef Sandwich energy here). Three minutes later he declared it the best meal I’d made in “a very long time“. Unsure as to whether or not I should be slightly offended or thrilled, I went with the latter and here we are. Take it from my husband — easy, baked Chicken Meatballs will be the best meal you’ve made in a very ..read more

I like to play a fun game anytime I serve Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes where I force whomever is eating one to try and guess the secret ingredient immediately after taking their first bite — fudgy chocolate frosting mustache and all. It’s really fun. To this day, not one person has guessed that what makes these gluten free cupcakes exceptionally moist and tender, and vegan too, is canned pumpkin. No egg nor butter substitutes needed — just a trusty cup of regular ol’ canned pumpkin. YES! These ultra-chocolatey gluten-free cupcakes will immediately become your new favorite allergy-frien ..read more

One thing about me is that if it’s even remotely possible, I’m gonna turn it into pizza. Chicken, breadsticks, salad, squash (which Buzzfeed once made fun of me for, lol) — all better with a pizza spin. That said, my favorite so far (and by far) is Pizza Fries.  Pizza? Good. Fries? Great. Pizza Fries? INSANE! We’re talking crispy, oven-baked fries dusted with fry seasoning then topped with gooey mozzarella cheese, warmed pizza sauce, and chopped pepperoni. If you need an easy dinner win with your kids (or kids at heart), a plate of deliciousness to devour on game day, a party appetizer ..read more