Maple Pecan Mug Cakes

     This sounds like a mug cake which would be perfect for fall, but it tastes so good you will want to try it before then.  You don't need to wait for deserrt, you could also serve it for brunch, expecially if you added some apples to it.  I made mine in four ounce canning jars, so remember if you add any more ingredients to use a larger container.

                                                        Maple Pecan Mug Cakes

1 large egg
2 tblsp. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. maple extract
1 tblsp. caramel flavored syrup
1/2 tsp. molasses
1 tblsp. lactose free milk
2 tblsp. packed brown sugar
6 tblsp. self-rising flour
pinch salt
2 tblsp. chopped pecans

     In a large measuring cup, whisk together the egg and oil with a fork.  Add the next five ingredients.  Stir in the flour and salt and beat batter until smooth.  Add nuts.  Divide the batter between two mugs.  Microwave separately for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes each.  They should rise and look firm.  You can top them with nondairy whipped topping and chopped nuts if desired.
     Next week I will be sharing my recipe for Kahlua-Flavored Chocolate Cheesecake.  It is nondairy and has no alcohol in it, but is very pretty and tasts yummy.  It would be just right to make for Father's Day.  See you next time.

                                                                                                         

Coffee Kahlua-Flavored Milk Shake

     This is one of the best things I've made in a long time.  I'm looking forward to hot days just for the excuse to make it.  It's easy, has no alcohol and you can serve it to everyone.  Cheers!

                                                     Coffee Kahlua-Flavored Milk Shake

3 tblsp. Kahlua non-alcoholic flavoring for coffee
1 1/2 cups lactose-free vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup lactose-free milk
1/4 tsp. coffee extract
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup non-dairy whipped topping

     Put all ingredients except whipped topping in a large measuring cup.  Using a stick blender mix the ingredients just until blended and breaking down the ice cream down as little as possible.  You can also use a blender.  Gently fold in the whipped topping.  Garnish with more whipped topping and a cherry if desired.
     Next time I will be sharing a recipe for maple pecan mug cake.  See you next time.

Grilled Pizza

     The way you can get that "pizza flavor from a restaurant" is by grilling your own pizza.  At first when I heard of this it sounded a little daunting, but then when I heard my daughter and her husband had all the kinks worked out and all I had to do was change their recipe to suit my husband and I, I knew it wouldn't be difficult.
     For this recipe I made my own dough using the recipe from "The Bread Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum.  I added some dried oregano and basil to the dough which I recommend and some finely chopped Kalamata olives with the liquid pressed out which I don't recommend because they made the dough too wet and extra flour had to be added.
     After the dough has risen, gently form the dough into the size and shape you want it for the size pan or pizza stone you will be using because this will be par-baked before it goes on the grill.  You don't have to throw it up in the air like you see in the movies, but using your hands and gravity continue turning the dough until you have the desired shape and thickness.  Bake at 450 degrees in a preheated oven for 5 minutes.  If you are using a pizza stone, be sure to preheat it.  Some corn meal on the pizza stone may help you remove the pizza from the stone.  If you want a thinner crust, roll the dough out to the desired thickness.  Place the dough on a preheated pizza stone or in a pan.  Bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 5 minutes.
     While the pizza is in the oven, preheat all the burners on the grill on high and leave the lid down.
After the pizza has been in the oven for 5 minutes, remove it and place all your ingredients on top.  Keep in mind that the more you put on top, the longer it takes to bake. 
     Take your pizza to the grill.  This is a lot easier if you have a pizza peel which will support the pizza and help make sure you don't burn yourself in the transfer.  Put the pizza in the center and turn off the center burners.  It can take another 10-20 minutes to bake your pizza depending on the thickness of your crust and how many ingredients you put on.  Using a spatula  to lift the edges of the pizza will help you see what is happening to the crust underneath. 
     When your pizza is done, all you have to do is cut it and serve and you have a custom pizza as good as you could get in a restaurant.
     Next week I will share another recipe in my series of milkshakes.  The temperatures last week were near 100 degrees and I was looking for a cool treat.  One of them was a Kahlua-flavored coffee milk shake.  It was very tasty and had neither alcohol nor coffee in it.  See you next time. 

News for Those Who Are Lactose Intolerant

     Thanks to an article my son-in-law Mike found, a whole new world of cheese has been opened up to me.  What he found was an online article by Melanie Pinola. (http://melaniepinola.kinja.com).  In the article she explains that lactose in dairy products is found in sugar which you can check by looking at the nutrition label.  For instance this past week I tried chicken Marsala with Parmesan cheese on it and made a pizza with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on it.  I followed this up with a trip to the grocery store to check the nutrition labels of  romano, feta, gouda, mascarpone, gruyere, parmigiano regiano, cheddar, fontina, and brie cheeses and found they were all listed with zero sugar.  I checked ricotta and found it does have sugar so it remains on the list of cheeses lactose intolerant people can't eat.
     Everyone is different so go slowly with this and make sure each cheese agrees with you before going on to the next.  I also have a small serving the first time I try a new cheese to make sure it will agree with me.
     I'm really happy that a whole new world of cheese has been opened up to me.  This significantly expands the number of recipes I can now make.
     For those who want to read the entire article it can be found at http://lifehacker.com/the-best-cheese-to-eat-if-youre-lactose-intolerant-1563386663
     I hope this opens a world for you that you didn't know was available and makes eating so much more enjoyable.
     Next week I will be sharing tips on how to make a grilled pizza.  My daughter and her husband spent a summer experimenting on how to do this and then shared what they had learned with us.  They like a thicker crust than my husband and I do so I will share ideas on how to do both thick and thin. See you next time.

Caramel Almond Milk Shake

     This is my second in a series of milk shakes.  While it won't help when you are out with family and friends and they all order a milk shake, at least you know you can make one when you get home.  The recipe has some similarites to the chocolate milk shake and you can see between the two that you can be very creative and add different flavorings, ground nuts, fruit, etc.  I have tried making the milk shakes in the blender and with a stick blender and I like the stick blender better because the ingredients are combined and the ice cream hasn't completely melted giving it more the consistency of a milk shake.

                                                         Caramel Almond Milk Shake

3 tblsp. caramel flavored syrup for coffee
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 cups lactose free vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup lactose free milk
1/4 cup non-dairy whipped topping

     Put all ingredients except non-dairy whipped topping in a deep mixing bowl and blend with a stick blender or put ingredients in a blender and blend just until combined.  Gently fold in the whipped topping and pour into a tall glass.  Garnish with extra whipped topping, a cherry, and almonds if desired.  Makes one large or two small servings.
     Next week I will share some research my son-in-law Mike has been doing for me.  He is always on the lookout for food I can eat and is currently expanding the types of cheeses lactose intolerant people can eat.  I must say that so far it has had a possitive impact on my life and I hope it does for yours as well.  See you next time.

Chocolate Milk Shake

     Since I can't have tea or coffee I don't spend much time in that part of the grocery store.  What changed my mind were some advertisements for products you could add to coffee.  You only use a small amount for a cup of coffee so the flavor is concentrated which is perfect to make your own milk shake.  I will be experimenting with various flavors and sharing the recipes as I go.  I hope you enjoy them and that as the warm summer months come they give you some cool relief when everyone else has a cool drink.

                                                       Chocolate Milk Shake

3 tblsp. liquid favored syrup for coffee
1 1/2 cups lactose free vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1/4 cup lactose free milk
1/4 cup non-dairy whipped topping

     Place all ingredients except non-dairy whipped topping in a blender or a container you can use a stick blender in.  Blend together on lowest speed until just combined.  Gently fold in the non-dairy whipped topping.  Pour in a tall glass.  Serve with more non-dairy whipped topping, a cherry, non-dairy chocolate chips, or nuts.  You can alter this recipe by adding a small amount of extracts for a different flavor also.
     Next week I will continue in my series for milk shakes with caramel almond.  See you then.

Cheese Enchiladas

     I knew that when I began having digestive problems Mexican food would be difficult for me but it was going to be a challenge I was going to have to meet head on because I love it too much to do without it.  Now that I have found some regular cheeses that are lactose free a whole new world has opened up to me.  I was having such a craving for a cheese enchilada and this really satisfied that craving.  You can make these with corn or flour tortillas.  I made mine with corn and the best corn tortillas I have found are at Whole Foods and are the sprouted corn tortillas.  They really made the difference in the taste of my enchiladas.

                                                                Cheese Enchiladas
                                       

Sauce
10 3/4 oz. can tomato soup and
   1 can of water
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

12 corn or flour tortillas
2 2.5 oz. cans sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup soy cheddar, jack, mozzarella style cheese
3 slices each muenster and Swiss lactose free slices
(If you can't find the cheese slices, increase the soy cheese amount)

     Put all the sauce ingredients in a pan and simmer over low heat about 15 minutes.  When you are finished making the enchiladas you will probably have about 2/3 cup left to make enchiladadas the next time.
     Prepare a 9-inch baking dish by spraying with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Heat two tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds to make them flexible.  I like to wrap them in a damp paper towel first to keep them from drying out.  Spoon some sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.  Take out the first tortilla and lay it in the baking dish.  Spoon a little sauce in it, a little soy cheese, 1/4 slice each of the lactose free slices and some black olives and roll up.  Push the enchilada to the side and continue until all the tortillas have been filled.  Spoon some sauce over the top, sprinkle on the remaining cheese and olives.  Bake 20-30 minutes until bubbling and heated through.
     Next week I will be sharing my recipe for an easy chocolate milk shake.  Until then.