Pizza Chicken. Not to be confused with Chicken Pizza

Yesterday while pulling out some chicken from the freezer for dinner, I saw the package of turkey pepperoni that I had bought for pizza a week and a half ago and a thought crossed my mind. Why don't I make a Pizza Chicken? Now I don't normally buu turkey pepperoni, because it contains sulfites, but, I made a farewell dinner for one of my husband's friends and co-workers who was being sent to another site and that's what he likes. He even bought me a rolling pin so I could make it for him a few weeks earlier. If I could find turkey pepperoni without sulfites I would be ecstatic, but, for now I want to use up what I still have left. I whisked an egg and rolled the chicken in the egg, then coated it with some crushed rice chips. I love this technique so much I usually don't have any leftover crumbs left. I then cooked the chicken for 20 minutes on 350, then took it out and spooned some of the leftover pizza sauce on top of it. Next I topped it with the pepperoni and some red and green peppers and grated some mozzarella cheese on it. It went back in the oven and cooked for 10 more minutes. My husband asked me if I used a recipe or made it up. He should know better! I made it up of course. He said "You should sell this." Another success story!!!

Chicken Stroganoff

I love Beef Stroganoff. But I'm trying to go wheat free, and I had to revise it somewhat. So two nights ago I made my own version. I replaced the egg noodles with brown rice noodles, and instead of using flour I used potato starch to make the roux. Roux? Now there's a great word for Words With Friends. I didn't have any beef, but had a package of organic chicken in the freezer so I decided to make it a chicken stroganoff. I also didn't have Worcester sauce, so I just used some red wine vinegar and added some spices. I used a little garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, ginger, and paprika. It turned out perfect. I had some noodles leftover so last night I made Chicken Parmesan with Fettuccine Alfredo. I never throw away the crumbs from the bottom of the chip bag (I never throw anything away.) I save them and use them to throw in Chicken Tortilla Soup, Taco Salads, or Chili. Last night I crushed them up and dunked the chicken in an egg mixture and then rolled it in a combination of crushed chips, oregano, salt, and pepper. Then I baked the chicken for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. I then spread some pizza sauce, leftover from last weeks pizza that I had put in the freezer and then defrosted, sprinkled some mozzarella cheese on the top and put back in the oven for a few minutes till the cheese melted and browned just a little. While this was cooking I made a "Fettuccine Alfredo" sort of. I took the leftover noodles and cooked them with some heavy cream I had bought the other day at the Dairy Farm, grated mozzarella cheese (I didn't have parmesan), nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. That's it. I served everything with a side salad made with spinach, tomatoes, nitrite-free bacon, walnuts from the bottom of the bag I had bought to make banana bread, and some homemade Italian dressing. Deliciousness!

Going Wheat Free

Recently it has been brought to my attention that wheat is not as good for you as it once was. The wheat that is grown now is a result of cross-breeding and hybridization. What was once 4 and a half foot tall "amber waves of grain" is now a 2 feet tall genetic disaster. Here is an exerpt from the article available on http://www.mhlas.com/na-online-articles/natural-awakenings/franken-wheat: "This new wheat may be at the heart of 55 diseases as specified in The New England Journal of Medicine—such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, gall bladder disease, acid reflux, autism and Parkinson’s disease. In addition, autoimmune diseases are the number three cause of death in this country and caused by central nervous system inflammatory effects of wheat components." Another article http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/2012/11/07/is-frankenwheat-haunting-your-diet/ states: "According to Dr. Hyman, a leader in Functional Medicine and a four-time New York Times bestselling author of such books as The Blood Sugar Solution, this new wheat is a triple threat: It contains twice the number of chromosomes. This means it codes for a much larger variety of gluten proteins, or “super gluten,” as Dr. Hyman likes to say. It contains high levels of a “super starch” amylopectin A, which excels at making both Cinnabons and bellies swell. And it’s full of wheat polypeptides called gluteomorphins, which trigger an opiate-like response in the brain, so guess what? You’ll want more Frankenwheat." I don't know about you, but that concerns me. My goal when I eat is to put something in my body that prevents these conditions, not cause it. So I've decided to go wheat free and see what results I get. Now is the perfect time since my husband is working about 80 hours a week and I have a lot of time on my hands to experiment with new wheat-free recipes. This morning I made my first revisions on one of my favorite breakfast items. I LOVE hash browns with my eggs. Now I'm going to share my secret to make them perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and yummy on the inside. In my old recipe I heat some coconut oil in a pan, then I put about a Tablespoon of flour in a bowl with a lid and mixed with a little cayenne, salt, and pepper. Then I would cut up one small potato in small pieces, put them in the bowl with the flour, put the lid on and shake enough to coat the potatoes. Then put them in the oil to fry. Don't turn too much. I add some sauteed onion and serve. These go great as a side or on my favorite breakfast burritos. My revised version is to use potato starch instead of flour. I also added some turmeric, which has a light flavor and has tons of benefits (http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html.)I add it to as many dishes as I can now. I served this with one egg fried in coconut oil, some cut up cantaloupe and this wheat free bread you can make in a mug in the microwave: (http://shecookshecleans.net/2011/09/05/oh-baby-its-a-sandwich/.) I made this then took it out of the mug, cut it in half threw it in a pan and grilled it, then cut that in half and put butter and the Huckleberry-Rasberry jam I picked up the other day on it. It was a super delicious breakfast. I think I can do this.

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Dilemma

This past Thanksgiving my husband requested canned Cranberry Sauce. So against my better judgment I went ahead and bought some to please him. So now I have half a can leftover. Not to mention the can we didn't even open. So last night I decided to experiment with it. I mixed it with some spicy mustard I had in the fridge added some garlic powder, onion powder, and Cayenne Pepper, and made a sauce out of it. This recipe was inspired by an appetizer my Mother always made when we were going to holiday gatherings. She would mix mustard and jelly together in a crock pot and throw in some redneck cocktail weenies, aka cut up hot dogs. I know, it sounds gross, but it is soooo good. When I was an adult I asked for the recipe and when she told me I exclaimed “Is THAT all!!?” Its so simple, yet so good. Let me tell you, Cranberry Sauce is a lot sweeter than that jelly. I was surprised since I don't eat cranberry sauce. I never liked the flavor. I baked some chicken breasts in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees and then spread a thin layer of my sauce and baked another 10 minutes. Even though the sauce was initially a little sweet, the chicken turned out pretty good. Another leftover success!

Gypsy Diva's Famous Disappearing Pizza

Last night my husband brought home a couple of his co-workers for dinner. I served them my awesome homemade pizza. I bought enough ingredients to make 3 large pizzas, and made a large salad and I spent half of what we would have paid for 2 large pizzas at Pizza Hut when you figure in the tax, delivery fee, and tip. Mine is a lot healthier, too. I did not get a chance to get a picture, because the guys devoured it as soon as it came out of the oven. It was all gone in less than 10 minutes. Here is the recipe I used so you, too, can enjoy the awesomeness. Just some warning it does takes some prep time. I'm fortunate enough to have plenty of time to do this. You can make the dough and freeze it. Which I've done before. You want to start with the dough, because it will need time to rise. I make the dough, then go workout while I'm waiting for it to rise. Whole wheat pizza dough with flax seed Ingredients: 1.5 cup warm water 2 cup whole wheat flour 1.5 cup white flour 6 Tbsp. ground flaxseed 1.5 tsp salt 1 Tbsp. yeast Mix the water and yeast together and let sit for about 10 minutes. Add the salt and stir. Add the flaxseed and then remaining ingredients a cup at a time. Sometimes I add some garlic powder, oregano, and basil. It gives it a nice flavor. When ingredients are mixed transfer onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, or if you are fortunate enough to have a Kitchenaid Mixer use the dough hook utensil to form into a ball. Put dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a wet dish towel, and let rise in a warm place for about an hour. I heat a cup of water in the microwave for about 2 minutes then set the bowl in the microwave to rise. After it has risen, punch dough down and roll it out and place onto a pizza pan, cookie sheet, or stone baking pan. Some people put corn meal on the pan first, but I don't use anything with corn unless its organic. I just spread a little coconut oil on the pan before I put the dough on it. I let it sit for about 30 minutes, punch a few holes in the dough with a fork and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. I like to cook the dough first before you put the ingredients on. It makes a crispier crust. If you don't punch the holes it will rise up in a big dome, so don't forget to do that. Then I add the tomato sauce, any toppings I want on it, and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Then watch it disappear as soon as you set it down. Here is how I made my pizza sauce: I don't usually measure the ingredients. I just add the spices till it tastes right. 1 can tomato paste tomato sauce (I saved the sauce from the can of whole tomatoes I used to make salsa. I put it in a Ziploc bag and put it in the freezer for later use. Never throw anything away.) Oregano (dried) Basil (dried) Fresh Garlic Onion Powder Salt Pepper Red Wine Vinegar 2-4 Tablespoons Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to make sure all the spices release their flavor. Spread over the pizza crust you just took out of the oven. Add your favorite toppings. I used Ground Turkey, Turkey pepperoni, Caramelized onions (I can't stand raw onions, even after you've baked them on a pizza in the oven) Red Bell Peppers, Green Bell Peppers, Jalapenos, Mushrooms, and Kalamata Olives (I had some leftover from a recipe I made last week.) Here is how I cooked the Ground Turkey before I put it on the pizza: Ground Turkey Juice of one lemon White Wine Oregano (dried) Basil (dried) Garlic Powder Onion Powder Salt Pepper Turmeric After I cooked the ground turkey in a skillet, I de-glazed the pan with some white wine someone gave me a hostess gift on Thanksgiving (Pinot Grigio.) then I added the juice of one lemon, and added the rest of the spices to what flavor pleased my palette. I cooked a few minutes letting the spices take hold and then spooned onto the pizzas.

Gypsy Diva Hair

When you travel as much as we do, you want to carry as little as possible. A while back we were sent someplace in Oklahoma for 3 weeks and I attempted a no-product trial with my hair. I didn't use any product at all on my hair except shampoo and conditioner. I only blew it dry with a blow dryer, which most places provide, and attempted to style it the best I could with my round brush which was the only hair styling item I took with me to this particular place. When I got my hair done before we arrived I asked for style that was easy to take care of and required little effort to style. I'm here to announce that it was a complete and utter failure. Unfortunately I was born with boring, super straight, lifeless hair that refuses to hold a style without being forced to stay in place with an armory of gravity defying products. Thanks Mom and Dad. So unless I grow my hair out and just pull it back in a ponytail everyday my poor hubby is stuck with me and my styling spray, thermal protector, leave-in conditioner, powder root boost, hair spray, big round brush, and blow dryer. I did recently find a great product that combines a leave in conditioner and styling elixir called 2 Chic by Giovanni. You get it at the health food store. I love 2 in 1 products, when they work, because they give me the benefits of two products in one convenient container. Conditioning shampoos are not on this list. I can't even get a comb through my hair if I don't use a separate conditioner. I also cannot live without my powder root boost. That is the best stuff ever invented for fine hair. I usually stock up on it when I can find a Sally's. And my hairspray is also pretty much a must or it just falls flat as soon as I walk out the door. So its hopeless for me to ditch the hair products, which I keep in a collapsible cloth box I got at the dollar store. I haven't been traveling with a blow dryer because most places provide one. The place we are renting now doesn't, so I was forced to go out and purchase a "travel dryer". Yeah right, travel dryer, ha! The handle folds down. Big deal. It still takes up as much room as a regular dryer. But, I can't live without one and be seen in public. It's a necessary evil. It's so hard to be a Gypsy Diva.

I gave up nail polish

That's right. I gave up nail polish. I grew weary of carrying around a bag of various color nail polish, base coat, top coat, crackle coat, cuticle oil, nail polish remover, cotton balls, cotton swabs. By ditching these items, I saved several square inches of space, and I'm sure, a few pounds of weight from my luggage. Keeping up with your nail polish can be a hassle. I can't sit still long enough for it to dry, so I always inevitably smudged my fresh polish. I would have to change the color depending on what I was wearing. I certainly couldn't leave the house if I had a chip in my nails. The horror!!!! So, of course, I would have to re-do the whole thing before going out, much to my husband's dismay. Well, I decided to stop wearing nail polish altogether and I haven't regretted it. Now I just massage some coconut oil on my cuticles and nails everyday. It make them look attractive, and gives them a nice shine. In fact, I've noticed my nails are so much healthier. They're longer, stronger, and thicker than they've ever been. I recently took a trip to Jamaica and I debated on making them pretty just for the trip. But then I remembered the trip we took to Cabo. I somehow scraped my toes on the bottom of the pool and scratched my polish at the tip and it stressed me out the whole trip. So I decided this trip to forgo the polish, and I'm glad I did. I got to focus on having fun and not on how bad that chip in my polish on my big toe looks. I know a lot people will find this impossible, but I feel liberated.