Hungarian Goolash

I'm currently the Relief Society Emergency Preparedness specialist in my LDS ward.  One goal I have is to help women come up with meals that they can have on hand in case of emergency.

I've started putting together some meal ideas that I can have on hand for a 3 month supply of food.   This one is perfect for it!  It is a quick meal I can put together with the food in my pantry, plus ground beef.  The recipe calls for 1 lb of hamburger which is what I will usually use, because I have a freezer full of ground beef.  Although, I am in the process of finding some canned beef that is gluten free that I can have in my food storage.  This would be a good recipe to use it with.

This recipe reminds me of the days as a young wife, prior to Celiac disease when I would cook "Hamburger Helper" after a long day at school.  I have to say this is WAY better than my memories of "Hamburger Helper," but the same idea.  Plus, my kids love it!

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, minced or 2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup water
1 cube GF beef bouillon cube
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons featherlight flour
3 cups dry GF pasta

Cook pasta, according to directions.  In a large skillet, brown hamburger, onions, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add water, bouillon, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, paprika, dry mustard,  and cayenne pepper.  Simmer about 10 minutes.  Mix flour and water.  Stir into beef mixture, and simmer until thickened.  Drain pasta and combine everything!

Swedish Pancakes

My Grandma got this recipe from a Swedish woman.  It was always a family favorite in my home growing up.  I've since adapted it to make it gluten free, and it's delicious!  We eat Swedish Pancakes all year long, but it's also the favored Christmas morning breakfast dish!

2013 update:
I make these crepes all the time, but this morning I learned something new about them.  I was trying to be ultra prepared and measured out the ingredients ahead of time.  I put the xanthan gum with the flour and mixed it up prior to adding it to the egg mixture.  BIG MISTAKE!  Because of the nature of xanthan gum, the more you mix it, the thicker it gets.  With this recipe it makes it way too thick.  So the bottom line is:  Add the xanthan gum after you've added the milks, sugar, salt and flour.  Mix it a little, then add the water.  If it gets too thick, add a little more water until it's a thin consistency.  If it's too thin, mix it a little bit more and it will thicken up.

8 eggs
1 cup milk
1 can evaporated milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
3 cups featherlight flour
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 cup water


Beat eggs completely.  Keep the mixer going on a slow speed the entire time you're adding ingredients.  (I use a Bosch and keep it on a 1.) Beating constantly add milk, evaporated milk, sugar, and salt.  Add flour.  Then add xanthan gum.  Add 1 cup water.  Turn off mixer and pour the batter into a large pitcher to make it easier to pour each pancake into the pan.  Cook on hot, buttered griddle or in frying pan, spreading thinly over surface to make a large, thin pancake.  You may need to play with the temperature that you cook it on.  I cook it at about medium high.  Serve with butter and maple syrup.

We also love Swedish Pancakes as a dessert with fresh berries and whipped cream or ice cream!  Other toppings we like are nutella, bananas, chocolate syrup, etc.  Be creative!

Peach Freezer Jam

So you've got to try this!  This jam is pretty much fresh peach pie in a jar.  Yum!  I love it!  It's super simple and has less sugar than many jams.  When you use clear jel you're able to really cut back on the sugar.  You can buy clear jel from alpinefoodstorage.com.

10 cups mashed peaches
2/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup light karo syrup
2 teaspoons almond extract
4 cups sugar
2/3 cup clear jel

Prepare fresh peaches by peeling and removing the seed.  Mash peaches with a potato masher.  Don't blend, because you want small chunks.  Add lemon juice, karo syrup and almond extract.  In a separate bowl add the sugar and clear jel.  Stir together until combined, and sugar is dissolved.

Pour into pint or half-pint jars and keep in freezer.

Pear Almond Muffins

These muffins just might be my all time favorite!  They are moist and flavorful!  Yum!  They have a lot of ingredients, but don't let it fool you.  They are really quick to mix up!

2 medium pears, peeled, cored and cubed (about 1/2 inch)
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup featherlight flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 375º.  Peel, core and cube pears and place in a microwave safe bowl.  Add lemon juice and the 2 teaspoons sugar.  Microwave on high for 4 minutes, until pears are very soft.  Smash the pears with a potato masher, but leave small chunks.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, add flours, sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt.  Mix until combined.  In another bowl, beat eggs with a fork and add melted butter, milk, yogurt, vanilla and almond extract.  Add wet ingredients and pears to dry ingredients.  Stir until combined.

Fill greased, or paper-lined muffin cups about 3/4 full.  Bake at 375º for 16 - 17 minutes.  Makes about 18 muffins.