Egg Free, Dairy Free Chocolate Pancakes and Waffles

This is one of our favorite breakfasts. I always make a quadruple batch so that we have plenty to keep in the freezer for quick breakfasts or to use with ice cream.

Chocolate Pancakes and Waffles

2 cups flour
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cup water
3 tbsp oil

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add the water and oil and mix until thoroughly combined.

For the waffles, pour 1 cup of batter onto the preheated waffle iron that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray before each waffle. Cook for 3 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

For the pancakes, pour the batter onto a hot skillet or griddle that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray before each addition. Cook until bubbly, turn and cook the other side until golden.

*  The pancakes and waffles freeze really well. I place the pancakes and waffles on a baking sheet between layers of wax paper. Once completely frozen, I transfer them to Ziploc bags. We reheat them in the microwave.
*  I like to quadruple this recipe so that we have plenty left to freeze. I quadruple all of the ingredients except for I only use 8 cups of the water.
*  Safe chocolate chips are wonderful stirred into this pancake batter. However, if I plan on freezing and reheating the pancakes, I only add chocolate chips to the pancakes that we are going to eat right away. I drop the batter onto the skillet, sprinkle on some chocolate chips then top with another layer of batter. They make a nice, thick pancake. For a triple chocolate pancake, top with chocolate syrup.
*  We like to stir some chocolate syrup (Hershey's) into the batter for extra chocolate flavor.
*  Pancake syrup, chocolate syrup, applesauce, crushed strawberries, sliced bananas, confectioners sugar, ice cream, etc. all make great toppings or dips for the pancakes and waffles.

Egg Free, Dairy Free Pineapple Chicken

This mild pineapple flavored chicken was perfect served over hot cooked rice.

Pineapple Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
Flour
3/4 cup reserved pineapple juice (if needed, use enough water to make 3/4 cup)
3 tsp corn starch
3 tbsp honey
20 oz OR 10 oz can crushed pineapple, drained, reserve juice

Coat the chicken breasts with the flour. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the chicken on both sides then continue to heat the chicken until fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the skillet then cut into bite size pieces. In a small bowl, combine the pineapple juice, corn starch and honey until smooth. Add the juice mixture to the skillet. Stirring constantly, boil for 30 seconds or until thickened. Stir the pineapple and chicken into the sauce and heat through. Serve over hot cooked rice if desired.

Egg Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free Brown Sugar Cookies

These cookies are so soft and have a wonderful brown sugar flavor. My non-allergic girls said they tasted like the Nilla wafers that they had at church, only softer.

Brown Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup dairy free margarine
1 1/2 tbsp water, 1 1/2 tbsp oil and 1 tsp baking powder - mixed together
1/2 cup water, warmed in the microwave for 1 minute
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 cups flour

Use an electric mixer to beat the brown sugar and margarine. Add the water-oil-baking power mixture then beat again. Add the warmed water, vanilla and baking soda then beat again. Add the flour then beat until throughly combined. The batter will be fairly thin. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 7-10 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges and on the bottom.

Egg Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

We were at the mall the other day and Jazlyn saw the "celebration" giant chocolate chip cookies. She really like them and wanted to have one for her birthday party. I told her that we would try to make a practice one first and see how it turned out. The result is a moist, yummy, really fun cookie. Jazlyn was so happy and is excited to decorate one for her birthday party. Here are pictures of our "test cookie".

The bottom picture is the cookie cake that we made for Maleah's 6th birthday party.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 cup dairy free margarine
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups safe chocolate chips

Use an electric mixer to cream the margarine, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Add the applesauce then beat again. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture then beat until thoroughly combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spread the dough evenly into a sprayed 15” round pizza pan, leaving a 1 1/2" border between the dough and pan to allow room for the cookie to expand. Bake at 375 for 23-27 minutes. Cool in the pan. Decorate as desired.
* You can also bake this cookie in two 9” pie pans for 17-19 minutes.
* Cover the rack of the stove with foil first if you are worried about the cookie spilling over. I did this preventatively, but my cookie did not spill over the rim of the pan.

Egg Free, Dairy Free Pigs in a Blanket

My mom made these all of the time for us. Now my kids love them too. They freeze really well, so I always make a big batch so we have leftovers.

Pigs in a Blanket

2 cups baking mix (I use Bisquick)
12 safe hot dogs (I use Ballpark)
1/2 cup cold water

Combine the baking mix and cold water until thoroughly combined. Knead the dough until smooth. Shape a portion of the dough around each of the hot dogs. Place the hot dogs on a foil lined baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until they are lightly browned.
*  You can leave the ends of the hot dog exposed or cover the hot dogs completely with the dough.
*  These Pigs in a Blanket really well and reheat in the microwave. However, they stay better in the freezer when the hot dogs are completely covered with the dough.

Egg Free, Dairy Free Crock Pot Ham and Potatoes

I've been trying to come up with new recipes that use ham. This turned out to be a simple delicious crock pot meal.

Crock Pot Ham and Potatoes

6-8 potatoes, thinly sliced
1 lb fully-cooked ham, diced
1 can pork gravy (I used Campbell's)

Place the potatoes in the bottom of the crock pot. Layer the ham over top of the potatoes. Pour the gravy over all of the ingredients. Do not stir. Cover and cook for 6 hours on low.

Egg Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free Cupcake and Cookie Icing

This icing is thick and hardens nicely. We like to use it on sugar cookies and cupcakes.

Cupcake and Cookie Icing

1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tsp soy milk
2 tsp corn syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Food coloring, optional

Use a hand mixer to combine the confectioners sugar and soy milk until smooth. Add the corn syrup, vanilla and food coloring and beat again until the icing is smooth and glossy.
*  Makes enough for 12 cupcakes.

***  If you would like to see a picture, I used this icing on the Moist Soda Cupcakes I posted previously.

Egg Free, Dairy Free Creamy Sausage and Potato Bake

I had some potatoes to use up so I came up with this casserole. It is quick to prepare, had a wonderful flavor and a creamy texture. My husband even commented that is had a "cheesy" texture. My girls already asked when I can make it again.

Creamy Sausage and Potato Bake

4-6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin
1 lb fully cooked smoked sausage or Polska Kielbasa, cubed (I used Hillshire Farms)
1 can pork gravy (I used Campbell's)
1 can creamed corn

Combine all of the ingredients in a sprayed 8x11 baking dish. Cover with foil then bake at 350 for 1 hour. Uncover then bake an additional 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.
* You can also use cooked ground beef and beef gravy.
* I used my potato peeler to make the potato slices very thin.