I am changing blog sites!!

Hey everyone,
I am changing the location of my blog...I'm switching over to Wordpress blog, due to having run out of free picture space on this blog. In my opinion, the pictures are some of the most important parts of my blog (and my favorite)! So my new website is: www.discoveringtheextraordinary.wordpress.com.

If you are currently following my blog posts by email and want to continue, please re-subscribe in the box on the right-hand column of the new blog.

Sorry for the confusion! I hope that you continue to follow the new blog site...and stay tuned for new holiday recipes coming soon!!

(Click here for the new site)

Show Hope

On this day before Thanksgiving, I thought that I would share a blog post with you that touched my heart. It is from Show Hope, an adoption- and foster care-aid organization started by the Christian music artist Steven Curtis Chapman, and his wife Mary Beth.

Thanksgiving recipe ideas for you...

So, I had intended to do a whole series of blog posts regarding food for Thanksgiving.

Well, sometimes life just gets busy. I'll just have to save those posts for later (well, hopefully sooner than later!).

For now, here are some of my go-to recipes that would be great for sharing with your loved ones. I'm bringing a few of them to my own family's gathering this year :)
Hope you enjoy, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

Butternut Squash Soup
Cranberry-Orange Sauce
Potato Rolls
No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Tarts
Mashed Cauliflower "Potatoes"

Peanut Butter Fudge

As a little treat to possibly add to your Thanksgiving dessert list, here's some yummy, dairy free peanut butter FUDGE!! :)

Apple Almond Cake

I first got the idea for this cake when I saw it in the bakery window of my favorite downtown coffee shop...it looked so delicious, I just knew I had to try my hand at it. So, when this month's Gluten Free Ratio Rally challenge was announced--Bundt Cake--I decided it was time.

Lifting my eyes

This week, I have been reading some amazing posts by Christine over at Grace Covers Me about hospitality. This is a subject that is close to my heart, and something that I'm still learning and practicing. Please read the posts on this website...they will inspire you toward the true heart of hospitality.

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

I am extremely proud of this bread!

This weekend, I brought my ingredients and made some at my parent's house (keeping in mind that the rest of my family is not always as enthusiastic about my food as I am), and my mom liked it!! This bread is very moist, and reminds me of my aunt's recipe that we made at my house growing up.

pumpkin pancakes

I am long overdue for a blog!
This one's actually been sitting in my post list for a while, but I debated posting another pumpkin recipe! But I've made these so often in the last couple of weeks (and plan on making them for breakfast in the morning), that I truly think they are worth sharing. My sister says these taste like fall :)

Pumpkin Pie in a Glass...

I went to the pumpkin patch for the first time last week.
That's right...I'd never been to an actual pumpkin patch...but now I have :)

How to Make Sweet Potato Chips

I can tell that, as the seasons are changing, I am craving different foods...especially vegetables. I no longer crave summer squash like zucchini and yellow squash, but want to make all things pumpkin, along with butternut squash (my favorite), and potatoes. Okay, so potatoes are not a vegetable, but close enough, and they definitely say "comfort food" to me. Baked potatoes, roasted potatoes, and of course these sweet potato chips.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Two Ways

These muffins can be used with either the whole grain flour blend, or almond flour (if you want to make them grain free and Paleo). Depending on which one you use, the amount of oil will be altered. Other than that, both recipes are made the same way.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cooler weather definitely calls for some soup!

Pumpkin Pie Muffins - from Elana's Pantry

Last fall, my baking obsession was apples...This year, I think it's pumpkin/ winter squash.
I've been saving these until it was closer to fall...I think it is officially fall now! I've been preparing for fall since the beginning of September. This is my favorite season, so as soon as the weather stopped being in the 100's every day, I slowly began changing the house for the arrival of fall.

No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Tarts (grain free)

This month's Gluten Free Ratio Rally challenge: tarts...Savory tarts, sweet tarts...with the rally crew, you never know what kind of creative masterpieces you'll run across! This month, I see that there are some new bloggers! So if that's you, welcome to the rally :)

How to Roast Winter Squashes

This method for roasting can be used for any type of winter squashes: pumpkin, butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, etc.

Potato rolls

I forgot that I hadn't posted the recipe for these rolls since I first mentioned them in this post about my first gluten-free Thanksgiving. Now that fall is on it's way in, I figured I'd better get going with this one, just in case any of you want to include them in your upcoming Thanksgiving meal (or any meal, for that matter!). I made them this week to go with this tomato basil soup, which is one of my favorites. Perfect for chilly nights...

Banana Pancakes

Now don't tell me that doesn't make you think about the song by Jack Johnson??! (thank you, Sarah, for introducing me to that song when I was your roommate in college! :)

But I will refrain from singing it.

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

I'm very happy about these cookies :)
They are so simple, and the tiny, one-bite size makes them even better!

Real chocolate chip cookies!

I think this is going to be my new favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies, adapted from Tessa the Domestic Diva. Being fairly new to chia seeds, I was facinated by this recipe that doesn't use eggs (for more about chia seeds, click here). I guess for those of you that have a phobia about not eating raw cookie dough, due to the raw eggs in the batter, can now make this and eat without guilt! ;)

the way flour tortillas are meant to be.

When I was preparing for the Gluten Free Ratio Rally post earlier this month, I ran across Gluten Free Girl's recipe for homemade flour tortillas. Her tips about making the tortillas are extremely helpful. Adapting from that post, I created my own version. These are thick, soft, small tortillas, and the cast-iron skillet makes them awesome! However, let me advise one tip: Turn the stove fan on high before you start cooking the tortillas, or you will have smoke all through your house from the cast iron skillet (yes, I speak from experience)!

Sundried Tomato & Basil Tortillas

Time for the Gluten Free Ratio Rally! I'm glad this month's challenge was tortillas OR wraps...because mine ended up like a cross between the two. Actually, mine ended up more like a pancake. Or maybe skillet flatbreads would be a more accurate description. Whatever they should be called, I think this combination definitely will be experimented with in the near future! :)

How to Make Zucchini Noodles

Making veggie noodles is very simple. I've seen these vegetable noodles made with carrots as well as zucchini. Here, I use zucchini.

Fresh Basil Pesto

This week, when I realized I hadn't posted a recipe in over a week and a half, I had every intention of experimenting in the kitchen, and sharing an at least slightly complicated recipe with you--and proceed on wowing you with my expertise :)

It's Amore...

I've been gluten-free for ten months today.
And yes, I have finally fallen in love with a recipe for Gluten Free pizza.

So easy! Blueberry Muffins

I was actually surprised when these muffins turned out as good as they did! And in only one bowl, too :)

I used the ratio for muffins and quick breads from Ruhlman's book Ratio. This ratio is 2 parts flour: 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg: 1 part sugar: 1 part fat. Then added the basic salt and baking powder, and a couple handfuls of blueberries (so much cheaper while they're in season!), and voila!!

GF Brownies from Gluten Free Girl

The recipe for these brownies was originally shared back at April's brownie challenge for the Gluten Free Ratio Rally by Shauna at Gluten Free Girl. However, I've made these so many times that I just had to share them here, in case you're in need of a chocolate fix like I was yesterday! These might not be the "healthiest" chocolate snack ever, but they are also pretty dense, so usually one small piece is enough to satisfy my sweet tooth (so they can't be all that bad!) ;)

Food is not the enemy.

I was reminded of this revelation while having a wonderful, fresh salad for dinner tonight (it's been too hot to cook).

Then I diced a beautiful, ripe plum for dessert, just because I wanted to :)

Food is not the enemy.

Grain-Free Meatballs and Flat bread

Just wanted to share a couple links to good recipes that I've run across this week...

Pennies from Heaven

"Every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven

Don't you know each cloud contains pennies from heaven?

So when you hear it thunder, don't run under a tree,

'Cause there'll be pennies from heaven for you and me!"

All About GF Flour Blends

I've finally decided to put all of my go-to resources for GF flour blends all on one page :)

How to Make Your Own Fajita Seasoning Mix

Since pre-packaged fajita seasoning mix contains gluten, I thought that I'd share what homemade mixture I use. (One recipe that specifically asks for this on my blog is the Green Bell Pepper Casserole.)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly:

3 T. chili powder
2 T. cumin
1 T. ground black pepper
1 t. oregano
1 T. salt (optional)
2 t. garlic powder
1 1/2 t. ground red pepper

Makes 1/2 c.

How to Roast Vegetables

Here is a simple picture tutorial of how to roast vegetables, in case you've never done it before. It is very simple, and you basically use whatever veggies are in season. Here, I show some summer vegetables; you can use yellow summer squash, zucchini, bell pepper, carrots, even eggplant. In the winter, you've got white potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, winter squash like butternut or pumpkin...whatever you would like. No matter what you throw together it always turns out yummy! :)

Easy Veggie Quiche

This recipe is very flexible...It's pretty much a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. That's one thing I love about quiche! :)

What I've been eating lately...

In case you're looking for new ideas to add to your summer meal planning, let me just take the time to share some of the great blogger recipes that I've been trying lately. I don't always post them, but these definitely hit the top of my list, and I would like to spread the word of these creative geniuses with you :) Hopefully this may give you meal ideas as the summer months roll along!

Black Bean Mushroom Veggie Burgers

I noticed that I don't have many recipes on this blog for main meals...It's obvious that I like my sweets and baked goods! ;) However, I still thought this was something to be remedied. I've recently been wanting to play around with a veggie burger recipe anyway. Having never really had very many veggie burgers in my lifetime (actually, I think I've only had one, and it was a frozen soy patty--which in my mind, doesn't count), I decided that this would be my next cooking challenge.

Simply Pie.

It's Friday! ...So this weekend, we're having pie :)

Maybe you read the title of this post, and you don't think that the words "simple" and "pie" should be in the same sentence.

Made-from-scratch pie crust. Just the thought used to cause me to grimace. Yet lately, my view on homemade pie crust is changing.

Zippy Garlic Crackers (grain free)

Happy Independence Day! (for those of you in the States!)
It's time for July's Gluten Free Ratio Rally. This month's challenge was crackers and breadsticks. So, with the summer months blazing, you'll have plenty of new recipes to try for any upcoming picnics and road trips!

Nutty Chocolate Candy

This recipe comes from this post at Daily Bites. The only difference is that I used half the nuts her recipe calls for. It's very quick and easy, and is the perfect fix for my chocolate cravings...it sort of reminds me of peanut M&M's, just because of the crunchy nuts swallowed in chocolate :)

Cherry Berry "Cereal"

Happy Saturday!

I've enjoyed this Paleo "cereal" so much, that one day I decided to make a different version of it: I call it Cherry Berry Cereal :)

The Apricot Chronicles, Part 2

Here's another apricot post! This is one of my favorites :) I've enjoyed my recipes such as this apple crumble so much, that I decided to make one out of apricots. Since the skin on the apricots is so soft, you may be able to make this without peeling the fruit....just cut in half and take the seeds out. I haven't tried it this way, but I think it would work just as well (whatever your preference is).

The Apricot Chronicles, Part 1

This week, a family from my church gave me the privilege of picking fresh apricots from their tree in the backyard. There's nothing quite like fresh fruit--juicy, still warm from the summer sun...yummy! :)

How to Blanch (and peel) Fresh Fruit

Meals that Freeze Well

This has been on my mind lately, so I thought I'd share it:
Father's Day four years ago was a time I will never forget. And it didn't really have much of anything to do with the actual holiday, except that it made it a day where I always remember. Four years today, actually. Read more in my previous blog post here. Then you can come back to this page :)

Chocolate Pudding Pie

For those of you who have seen the movie The Help, I hope you'll forgive me for putting in this recipe for Chocolate Pudding Pie...Hopefully it won't scare you away, and you'll still try this! I promise, the only mystery ingredients in this pie are good-for-you ingredients! ;)

Never too much ice cream :)

I've been saving this one...And at this point, you may be sick of all my ice cream posts. But you haven't seen the last of them! And with it being summer and all, I thought it appropriate to share this recipe for Coconut Chai ice cream. 
Maybe I should just do a whole month of ice cream recipes! :)

Summer...

It's summer! I took this photo a few days ago while driving...

We have been having the weirdest summer weather this week. Earlier in the week, it rained for a couple days, and then it's been overcast and misty for the rest of the week...Very strange for West Texas. But I'm not complaining :) I love the moisture, and I know it's helping the farmers in our area....Yay for no more drought! :)

When Friends Gather

Having just finished a week-long vacation with my family, of course I wanted to come home and immediately duplicate some of the yummy things that I tasted there. Over the next several posts, I'm going to share some recipes that I felt deserved special recognition.

My own tips for traveling GF

I've been out of the loop when it comes to blogging, because my family and I have been on our "summer vacation" this past week. This was our first trip to Cancun :)
(More travel posts to come...)

A small glimpse at how my family travels...

A time to laugh...

I wrote this post before reading today's Joy Dare, but considering that, I think this is appropriate:

Did you know that laughter can lower blood pressure, decrease harmful stress hormones, strengthen your immune system, and increase creativity and motivation? It also just feels good :) So, with that in mind, I thought I would share with you a few laughter moments of my week.

Learning gratitude...

 Permit me to diverge from my normal blog pattern for a moment, and share a little of what's been on my heart (nudged by this post on gratefulness, and this beautiful site that inspires me to try to "capture beauty" with my camera).

Pistachio Ice Cream!

So...incidentally, this is my 100th post, and I am so excited to share it!!
Mainly because it involves ice cream :)

Sharing the wealth...

Sorry, I never got around to writing a Mother's Day blog post...Although I read some very inspirational ones (food blogs and not). Here are a few of my favorites that I thought I'd share: