Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Cleaners have been known to contain gluten.  That is one of the sneaky ways that it can make its way into your house.  However, there are cheap, green, gluten free ways to clean your house.  Here are common items that you could use.

Vinegar

Water

Lemon

Baking Soda

Cream of tartar

Salt

Oil

A few recipes that I myself use are as follows…

Gluten Free Cocktail Sauce Recipe

Cocktail sauces are well known for containing gluten on the shelf.  Again, there is no reason for the gluten to exist in cocktail sauce.  It is so very easy to make.  It only takes minutes to make the perfect cocktail sauce for your needs.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of ketchup
2 tablespoons horseradish
Worcestershire sauce
1 lemon
Tabasco sauce, to taste

GF Granola Bars Recipie

Found and altered from the recipe found on Cream Hill estates. 

Gluten free Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened

1 1/2 cup certified gluten-free oats

1 1/2 cup raisins (or gluten free candy)

2 cups sunflower seeds

1/3 cup sesame seeds

3/4 cup peanuts or soy nuts

1/2 cup dried fruit,

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup honey

1 tsp. GF vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter

Homemade Gluten Free Easter Candy

I spent all day on the internet for you (cough, myself) looking for some of the best sounding gluten free and lactose free candy recipes.  I have found a few that you have to give a shot.  They sound so yummy.  I know that I will be doing these once I get a chance.  

Tamale Recipe (repost)

We made Chicken Tamales tonight and I remembered that I had posted a recipe for Tamales on my blog back at the start of it.  I thought now would be a great time to do a repost.

 I was told that the Tamale is for celebration.  Therefore I am celebrating the fact that I like tamales.  This recipe is so good and it is gluten free naturally (as long as you don't react to corn).  It takes a lot of time to make and a lot of talent to roll them correctly, as seen by the picture I as of yet do not have the level of talent needed for rolling them correctly.  I was also so impatient to eat them that I almost forgot to take a picture first.  In other news I am being sent my first item to review.  This is hugely exciting for me.  So I guess I do have something to celebrate!  Please do not try this if you have issues with Corn!

Homemade Shepherd's Pie (with Hamburger)

1 lbs hamburger browned and drained

1 cup shredded cheddar

6 carrots chopped and steamed

1 medium onion diced

3 stalks of celery chopped

5 Potato’s peeled and mashed

½ cup mushrooms

3 GF Beef bouillon cubes

2 cups of water

½ cup cold water

2 tbsp corn starch

2 tbsp butter or oil

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions preheat the oven to 350

Sauté the onions, mushrooms, and celery using the butter or oil

Homemade Wassail Recipe

During the winter months my family and I like to enjoy Wassail, a traditional recipe of spiced cider.  It is simple to make but a little time consuming.  

Ingredients: 

• 1 Gallon apple cider
• 2 C. cranberry juice (try to use 100% cranberry juice if you can find it)
• 1/2 C honey
• 1/2 C sugar
• 2 oranges sliced or one very large orange sliced
• palm-full of Whole cloves
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp GF Allspice (or to taste)
• 2 tbsp GF Ginger (or to taste)
• 2 tbsp GF Nutmeg (or to taste)
• 3 cinnamon sticks broken in half

Directions:

On the stove top set at med-low to low

Mix apple cider, cranberry juice, honey and sugar in a very large pot. As it heats up, stir so that the honey and sugar dissolve evenly. Add orange slices, diced apple, clove, cinnamon sticks, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. 

Cover your pot and allow to simmer 2 - 4 hours on low heat. 

Serve Hot!

To serve use a ladle and a strainer so you get a fantastic tasting non chunky beverage.  I put aside the strained part to use in marmalade later.  

This works not only as an amazing and traditional drink for your family or a party but also it makes your home smell amazing. 

A little history of the drink, the name is actually a toast to good health or to being hail (healthy).  It used to be made and consumed to ensure a great apple harvest in the next year.  If you are going traditional it includes eggs.  Since I don't like it with eggs I didn't include them. 

Later in time, carolers used to go wassailing, which is getting the drink in return for songs.  Each caroler would have their own wassail bowl usually made of white maple, birch, or ash.  Bread or toast was normally floated in this drink, hence to term to "toast". 

Families would also make large pots of wassail and sell it for a penny per cup or bowl. Or a ha’ penny (half penny) if the buyer had nothing else. There is so much history surrounding one little winter drink. 

Question of the day!

What is your favorite holiday drink?