Teriyaki Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger (or the fake stuff- it works fine!)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients, and pour over chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until chicken is cooked through.

I serve this with rice and mixed veggies. Not all mixed together of course. That would make my hubby crazy to have his food all mixed together. So, he eats his as 3 seperate piles of chicken, rice, and veggies. I mix mine all together and pour some extra sauce over the top. :)

Sausage and Tomato Rigatoni

4 cups pasta, uncooked
1/4 c tomato paste
1/4 c parsley (I use way less, but that's my preference)
1 lb ground pork sausage
1/4 c sun dried tomato dressing (see note below)
Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese (Rice Shreds)

Cook pasta as directed on package.

Brown sausage; drain. Stir in tomato paste and dressing. Toss pasta with sausage mixture. Top with parsley and cheese.

Notes:

• I think the recipe "as is" is a little light on the sauce and heavy on the sausage. I use a little more dressing and about 1/2 lb of sausage. Just keep adding equal parts tomato paste and dressing until you get it just right for you.
• After the fact, I discovered that the dressing had milk in it. It doesn't seem to bother Shawn. I have yet to find a brand without milk, but if I do, I'll be sure to post it.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 box dry cake mix (Read labels! Some varieties/brands contain milk.)
2 eggs
1/2 c oil
powdered sugar

Mix cake mix, eggs, and oil. Roll into 1 inch balls, and coat with powdered sugar. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Note: I always use a chocolate cake mix. I'm a big fan of chocolate, plus it looks "pretty" with the powdered sugar.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

When I saw this recipe, I thought it would be AMAZING! And, don't get me wrong-- it was good. But, I'd almost rather have a plain cookie. I think I'll try it again sometime, just to make sure I didn't mess anything up the first time.

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (I used a store bought crust)
2 large eggs
1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
3/4 c real butter, softened (Was this my problem? I did use margarine.)
1 c chocolate chips (see note on the ABCs page)
1 c chopped pecans (I skipped those)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour and sugars. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts (optional). Spoon into pie shell.

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack or serve slightly warmed. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. (See notes on ABCs page about both ice cream and whipped cream.)

Parmesan Pork Cutlets

With a 1 year old, I decided there was no way we were going to fight the crowds to eat out on Valentine's Day. So, after she went to bed, we had a nice dinner ALONE. I decided to make something a little more time consuming so we could have a nice meal.

Note: I'm usually a big fan of leftovers. These, however, don't make the best leftovers. I always forget that and make enough for leftovers. Then, as I'm eating the leftovers, I remember that it was SO much better the night before.

1 lb pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c flour
1 c bread crumbs (Watch out! Many brands contain milk!)
1/4 c grated Parmesan (only for milk consumers)

Heat oven to 400. Pound tenderloin to 1/4 inch slices. Place the flour on a plate. Place the eggs in a bowl and beat slightly. In a seperate bowl, combine the bread crumbs, salt, and Parmesan (optional). Coat cutlets in flour, then egg, and then in bread crumbs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add cutlets, and cook until golden . Place cutlets on a baking sheet. Transfer to oven and heat until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

Here's how I make them for us- I mix the bread crumbs and salt and make a couple of tenderloins for my hubby. Then I add the Parmesan and make some for me. :) The best of both worlds!

Coca-Cola Ham

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not a huge fan of ham. Never really have been. But, my hubby LOVES ham. This is one of the only ways I make ham, and I actually like it. It's just a little sweet, and super juicy.

I buy a boneless ham and cut it into thirds. That seems to A) be the right amount for a meal and leftovers for us and B) fit into my small-ish crockpot.

Place the ham in slow cooker. Pour Coke (or Pepsi or generic cola... but the real deal, not diet!) into the crockpot so that there's about 1/4-1/2 inch of liquid on the bottom. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Slice, serve, and enjoy! We had ours with sweet potatoes and green beans for a nice (easy) Sunday dinner.

P.S.- I used some of the leftover ham to make breakfast burritos the next night for dinner. Scrambled eggs, ham, and cheese (rice cheese) in a tortilla.

Sausage, Potatoes, and Green Beans

If this is not in your meal repertoire, it should be! I remember this meal from my childhood, and love it just as much now. And the best part- it's SOOO easy, and I typically have everything on hand.

Smoked sausage (I use turkey sausage)
Potatoes
Green Beans

(For 3-4 servings, I use one large sausage link-- half of the pack, 1 can of green beans, and 3-4 potatoes. You can adjust for your family.)

Slice sausage. Scrub and cut potatoes into chunks. Place all ingredients (including the juice from the green beans) in a skillet. I also add about half a can of water- otherwise the liquid all cooks off and sticks to the pan. Cover and cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender.

I top mine with a little butter and serve with dinner rolls.

So easy!

South of the Border Chicken Soup

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can chicken broth
1 jar salsa
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

Place chicken in slow cooker. Top with remaining ingredients. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until chicken falls apart.

Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with forks. Return to slow cooker.

Top soup with tortilla chips, sour cream (optional), and shredded cheddar cheese (rice shreds).

Catalina Cranberry Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle Catalina dressing
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 envelope onion soup mix

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Bake 50 minutes.

Or, my favorite way: Dump it all in the crockpot. :) Cook on high 4-5 hours. (I do mix everything but the chicken together first.)

Tonight, we're having this with a rice pilaf and a veggie. Yeah for easy dinners! :)

Pizza Pockets (and more!)

frozen Rhodes rolls
mozzarella cheese (rice cheese)
pizza sauce
pepperoni, sausage, other favorite pizza toppings
garlic butter

Let the rolls rise as directed on the package. Flatten each roll into a 5-6" circle. Top half of the rolls with your favorite pizza toppings. Place remaining rolls on top of filled rolls and press edges together with a fork. Brush tops with garlic butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until golden.

You can also fill these with cooked chicken, lunch meat, or lots of other yummy things!

Italian Crockpot Chicken

This is SOOOO easy! And, good too! I love saying at noon that dinner is ready! :)

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle of Italian salad dressing (Watch out: Some varieties contain milk!!! Read the label!)
3-4 potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
1 can green beans, drained

Place chicken and potatoes in crockpot. Pour salad dressing over top. Cook on low 4-5 hours. Add green beans. Cook another 1-2 hours on low.

You can adjust this to meet your needs by adding more/less chicken and potaotes or changing up the veggies. I add the green beans later in cooking because they get kind of mushy if you add them with the chicken and potatoes.

Apple Coffee Cake

Breakfast foods can be a challenge if you're eating dairy free. This coffee cake is Shawn's FAVORITE- probably one of his favorite things I've ever made.

2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 cups apples, peeled and finely diced
1 1/2 c chopped nuts (optional- I don't use these)

Topping:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c chopped nuts (optional- I don't use these)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Combine sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until creamy.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to sugar-egg mixture and mix well. Batter will be crumbly.

Fold in apples (and nuts). Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 baking pan.

In the mixing bowl, mix topping ingredients together well, and sprinkle over batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Baked Eggs and Cheese

Breakfast for dinner is a favorite of mine! It's recommended that you make this ahead of time and let it sit in the refrigerator for a while (overnight). I've also skipped that step, and it's still tasty.

4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2 C milk (soy milk)
1/2 lb shredded cheddar cheese (Rice Shreds)
4 slices bread, buttered, cut in pieces
crumbled bacon or cooked sausage

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into an 8x8 pan. Let stand overnight in refrigerator- cover tightly. Uncover and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.

Taco Soup

I managed to get this in the crockpot while my little one napped earlier. Hopefully this will eliminate a "Mom's making dinner but I want ALL her attention right now" meltdown later. :)

1 large onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
2 qts tomato juice
1/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Toppings: Corn chips, cheddar cheese (Rice Shreds), sour cream (I've heard Tofutti makes a good substitute, but Shawn doesn't care for sour cream, so I just use the real deal on mine)

Brown hamburger and onion in a skillet. Drain.

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook low 4 hours or until heated through.

Top with corn chips, cheddar cheese, and sour cream, as desired.

Note: I have a smaller crockpot, so I make this with 1 quart of juice, but keep everything else the same. It makes for a chunkier soup, which I like.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Note: I discovered after the fact that Campbell's French Onion soup has milk (cheese) in it!!! This didn't affect Shawn (thankfully!), but I'm going to check store brands or use the mix from now on, just in case...

This is simmering away in my crockpot right now- can't wait for dinner tonight (and leftovers later this week)!

2-3 lbs pork tenderloin
1 can condensed French Onion Soup
1 cup ketchup
1/4 c cider vinegar
3 tbsp brown sugar

Place pork in slow cooker. Mix all other ingredients and pour over pork. Cook on low 8 hours, or until meat falls apart easily. Remove pork from slow cooker, discard fat, and shred meat with forks. Return to slow cooker. Serve on buns.

Tips:
-I've also used a 1/2 a packet of onion soup mix and the appropriate amount of water in a pinch. Not as good, but still pretty tasty.

-If you want REALLY easy pulled pork, just dump the pork in your crockpot and pour a few cups of apple juice over it while it cooks. Then, add your own BBQ sauce to your sandwich.

Chicken and Noodles

Nothing like a good homecooked meal on a cold January night!

Place 2 bone-in chicken breasts in a large pot. Add water just to cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Remove skin and bones, shred chicken, and return to pot. Add 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes and 1 bag noodles (I love the thicker Amish style noodles). Cook until noodles are tender.

Serve with:

Mashed potatoes (I just add soy milk, margarine, and pepper to mine).
Green beans
Rolls (Rhodes frozen rolls are milk-free!)

Corn Dog Muffins

These are quite tasty! I think they'd be really fun to make for party food too.

1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
3/4 c milk (soy milk)
1 c shredded cheddar cheese (Rice Shreds)
3-4 hot dogs, cut into bite-sized pieces

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Spoon into muffin liners. Bake at 400 degrees for 14-18 minutes until golden brown. Makes about 10 muffins.

Note: I mixed everything together but the cheese, and then divided the mixture in half. I made half with rice cheese and half with regular cheddar.

Tex-Mex Beef and Potatoes

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 c water
4 c frozen southern style hash browns
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen corn
cheddar cheese (Rice Shreds) - a couple of handfuls, depending on how cheesy you want it :)

Heat oven to 350. Brown meat with onions; drain. Stir in taco mix and water. Add potatoes, corn, and cheese. Mix well. Spoon into 13x9 baking dish and cover. Bake 20 minutes and stir. Bake uncovered 15 minutes or until heated through.

Tip: When I make this, I mix everything BUT the cheese in a large bowl. I then pour half into an 8x6 baking dish and stir in rice cheese for Shawn, and repeat in another dish with regular cheese for me. If you want to jazz it up a bit more, a can of chiles or even some salsa would add more kick.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Disclaimer: Shawn would much prefer to simply eat Campbell's Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup (which is milk free), but since we were having his family over to celebrate Christmas, I thought I'd step it up a notch and make some homemade soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup (Makes approximately 6 servings)

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/8 cup onion, diced
1/8 cup butter or margarine
4 oz egg noodles
6 c water or broth
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 teaspooon pepper
1 bay leaf

In a large stock pot, saute the celery and onion in the butter. When soft, add all other ingredients (except the noodles) and simmer for 30 minutes. Add noodles and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Tips:
-If you use broth, you won't need the bouillon cubes. I saved the water from cooking the chicken and used that. I was short a few cups, so I added some additional water and a couple of bouillon cubes.

Our Story

When I moved out on my own after college, I began trying lots of new recipes. I thought I was a decent cook and had visions of happily preparing a plethora of delicious meals for my family some day in the future. I wasn't a gourmet cook by any means, but I thought that most of the meals I made were pretty good.

And then I met Shawn. He's what you might call a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy. As long as that meat doesn't have anything on it. And as long as those potatoes don't have anything on them. Hmmm... some of these recipes might need to be adapted, but I still think this will work. And, besides, once he tries them, he might find new things he likes, right?

And then, one winter about three years ago, we discovered that Shawn was lactose intolerant. Not just the take a Lactaid pill and everything will be okay kind of lactose intolerant, but REALLY lactose intolerant. He will react to a drop of milk in just about anything.

So, I had to rethink the way I cook. Not only was I accounting for his picky eating, I now had to read every label at the grocery store for things that have milk in them. Did you know that some barbeque sauce has milk in it? Yes... EVERY label.

My hope is that I can help others out there that might be facing the same issue: the need to make dairy-free meals that even picky eaters will eat. I'll post recipes I make so you can try them for yourself. You'll find that I often make two of something- one for me, and one for him. There are some things that I don't mind (substituting soy milk in a recipe), and some things that I do mind (me giving up cheese). So, to me, it's worth making two pans of something so that I can eat it the way I like, and Shawn can eat it without any issues.

I'd love to hear your feedback, your comments, and your questions. I'll do my best to share what's worked for us.