Baked Lasagna Boats with Homemade Marinara Sauce and Schar Gluten-Free Baguettes

                       

Baked Lasagna Boats are easier than preparing lasagna and taste amazing. A crisp gluten free baguette is filled with the meaty sauce and cheesy layers typically found in lasagna. YUM!

I made this recipe with Schar Gluten-Free Baguettes, which crisp up in the oven. They have good flavor and texture of a real baguette.

Baked Lasagna BoatsAdapted from Taste of Home, 2014

Ingredients:
·1 gluten free baguette
·1 lb lean ground beef
·1 TBS garlic powder
·1 TBS Italian seasoning
·Salt and pepper
·1 cup homemade marinara sauce (see below)
·1 cup small curd cottage cheese
·½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
·¾ cup cheddar cheese, grated
·¾ cup mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut baguette half lengthwise in the center to within 1-inch of the bottom. Pull baguette sides apart to make a bread boat. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat; season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, breaking up until no longer pink. Drain grease. Stir in marinara sauce.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, and half of mozzarella cheese.

Spoon meat sauce into baguette; top with cheese mixture. Cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining mozzarella cheese; bake, uncovered, 3-5 minutes longer.


Homemade Marinara Sauce (Crockpot)
                               

After making this Homemade Marinara Sauce, I am never, ever going back to jarred marinara sauce. Homemade Marinara is healthier than jarred. It's slightly sweet and tastes delicious. It's rather effortless to make, since the crockpot does most of the work, and it freezes well.

 

Click here for recipe from Budget Bytes


Happy Easter!!

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili (Crockpot)

This spicy, flavorful, and meatless meal is still full of protein with the additions of quinoa and black beans.

I made this Vegetarian Quinoa Chili for a Friday at the beginning of Lent (yes, that's how behind I am in posting recipes). I thought my husband would turn-up his nose at this meatless meal with quinoa, but he surprisingly liked it. I absolutely loved it.

This recipes makes a ton of chili. If you don't want to be eating chili for weeks, I recommend freezing at least half of the batch. I found my favorite way to freeze soup on Pinterest. Dividing the soup into muffin tins, then place the muffin tin in the freezer. Once the soup is frozen, I remove the pucks of soup and place them in a labeled freezer storage bag. When I'm in the need for a quick meal, all I have to do is place a few pucks into a bowl and reheat in the microwave.

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili (Crockpot)
Adapted from Sweet Treats & More

Ingredients:
·1 cup quinoa, rinsed
·1 – 28oz can crushed tomatoes
·1 – 14oz can Rotel
·2 – 16oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
·1 – 16oz can frozen corn
·2½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
·1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped
·½ cup chopped onion
·1 tsp each – minced garlic, cumin, crushed red pepper, chili powder, salt and pepper
·½ batch Homemade Taco Seasoning

Directions:
Place all ingredients into a 6 quart crockpot and cook for 5-7 hours on low. Keep warm until ready to serve. Garnish with shredded cheese.

Meat variation: Add 2 chicken breasts to crockpot. After 5-7 hours, remove chicken and shred it. Return to crockpot, stir, and serve.

Quesadilla Casserole (Crockpot)

I'm usually not a fan of crockpot recipes that require a lot of pre-cooking, but this one is so good that I'm okay with it! It's fairly simple to pre-cook the meat/sauce mixture and then the crockpot does the rest of the work. My husband and I love Mexican food, so we really liked this new way of preparing it. This dish is very flavorful and just spicy enough for our tastes.


Quesadilla Casserole (Crockpot)
Adapted from Crockin’ Girls

Ingredients:
·1 lb. ground chicken
·½ tsp each – salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
·2 TBS chili powder
·1 TBS minced garlic
·1 tsp cumin
·½ tsp each – oregano, red pepper flakes
·1 medium onion, chopped
·½ bag frozen corn
·1 can Rotel
·1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
·1 cup salsa
·6 soft corn tortillas
·2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Brown chicken, season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Drain. Add everything else except tortillas and cheese. Mix well and heat thoroughly. Spoon ¼ of mixture into bottom of crockpot. Place 2 tortillas on top. For the second layer, spoon ¼ mixture of mixture on top of tortillas, top with a large handful of cheese, and 2 more tortillas. Repeat for a third layer. Top with remaining meat mixture and cheese. Place lid on crockpot and heat on low for 3 hours.

Angel Chicken (Crockpot)

When does Daylight's Savings Time start again? I'm ready for it to be daylight when I get home from work so I can take pictures in natural light and my meals will look more appetizing. While looking at this picture of Angel Chicken doesn't look too appetizing, I promise this meal was delicious. If you're not gluten free, you can substitute all of the spices with a packet of dry Italian seasoning mix. I served with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots.

Angel Chicken (Crockpot)
Adapted from Crockin’ Girls

Ingredients:
·4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
·2 TBS butter
·½ TBS each – garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, parsley, salt
·1 TBS each – oregano, chives
·½ tsp each – pepper, basil
·¼ tsp each – thyme, celery seed
·Cream of Anything Soup Base (follow recipe to make one can substitute)
·1 – 8oz. can sliced mushrooms
·½ cup dry white wine
·4 – oz cream cheese
·¼ - ½ cup onions, chopped
·12 oz. gluten free spaghetti noodles

Directions:
Put all ingredients into the crockpot except the pasta. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Shred the chicken mixture. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Mix pasta and chicken together; serve.

Bourbon Bananas Foster (Crockpot)

This simple and impressive dessert is definitely one to serve guests. The flavor is phenomenal and it couldn't be easier for you to prepare. It was absolutely delicious served warm over all natural vanilla bean ice cream.

Bourbon Bananas Foster
Recipe inspired by A Year of Slow Cooking

Ingredients:
·3 over-ripe bananas
·3 TBS butter
·¼ cup brown sugar
·¼ cup bourbon
·½ tsp vanilla
·½ tsp allspice

Directions:
Place bananas in the bottom of a 2 quart crockpot and mash with a potato masher. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, or on high for 1-2 hours. Stir and enjoy over vanilla ice cream.

Caramelized Onions (Crockpot)

These caramelized onions prepared in the crockpot are easy, aromatic, and flavorful.

I had quite a few recipes over the weekend that needed caramelized onions. Instead of preparing them over the stove, which requires me to pay attention to them, these onions caramelized themselves in the crockpot while I slept. When I woke up Saturday morning, the house smelled wonderful! Not only did I have perfectly caramelized onions, I also had liquid gold (aka onion flavored beef broth).

Stay tuned over the next week for the recipes I used these caramelized onions for, including Portobello Mushroom Burgers, French Onion Risotto, and French Onion Grilled Cheeses. I also froze half a batch of the caramelized onions to use for future recipes.

Caramelized Onions (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·5-6 large onions
·½ cup homemade beef broth
·½ cup water
·4 TBS butter
·2 TBS port wine (optional)

Directions:
Peel onions and cut off stems. Chop onions in half and place in the bottom of a 6-quart crockpot. Pour broth and water over the onions. Cut butter into smaller pieces and place on top of the onions. If desired, drizzle with port. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours (I find it convenient to cook the onions overnight).

Remove onions from crockpot and use as needed in recipes/meals. (You may want to chop into thinner slices when using caramelized onions as an ingredient). Save onion flavored beef broth for future recipes that call for beef broth. Freeze extra caramelized onions in cupcake liners for up to 3 months.

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup (Crockpot)

The flavor combination of tomato, basil, and Parmesan cheese in this soup is phenomenal. Dunking a gluten free grilled cheese in the soup sends this meal over the edge.

Can you believe that this is my first experience with tomato soup - EVER?! Traditional canned tomato soup reminds me of watered down ketchup - gross. Thus, in my mind, all tomato soups must be the same. I can't believe it took me a quarter of a century to get over my illogical assumption. This "gourmet" Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup was so incredibly delicious!

I followed the recipe in the link below pretty closely, except I used brown rice flour to make my roux. After I made the roux of butter and brown rice flour, I added the roux directly into the crockpot and stirred for 3-4 minutes (as opposed to slowly adding the soup to the roux in the saucepan). The other change I made was that I used 1 cup of half and half and 1 cup of skim milk, instead of 2 full cups of half and half.

I'm feeling adventurous and want to try other tomato soups. What are your favorite tomato soup recipes?


Click here for Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup recipe from Crockpot365

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili (Crockpot)

This unique chili recipe is hearty and flavorful. Mike and I both loved it. I was the lucky one who got to the leftovers first the following day for lunch!

A coworker found this recipe on Pinterest (how did we live before Pinterest?!) and recommended it to me. Cream Cheese Chicken Chili absolutely lived up to its rave reviews. It only took minutes to put into the crockpot, and when I got home from work the house smelled fantastic. A warm and delicious bowl (or two) of chili for dinner made up for the cold, Midwest winter weather outside. I will most definitely be making this recipe again.

Click Here for Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Recipe from Plain Chicken

Chicken Enchilada Soup (Crockpot)

Chicken Enchilada Soup is packed full of delicious flavors and is easy to prepare, since the crockpot does most of the work.

Instead of cooking the onion and garlic prior to adding it to the crockpot, I just put all of the ingredients in the crockpot and let it cook. I also added 4 soft corn tortillas, finely chopped, to the crockpot to get the complete enchilada flavor.


Click here for the Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe from Skinny Taste

Cheesy Corn Chowder (Crockpot)

My husband absolutely loved this soup, and I agree with him! It's a fairly simple crockpot soup recipe that could feed an army. My favorite way to enjoy this soup is with a grilled cheese gluten free sandwich.

Cheesy Corn Chowder (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·¾ cup water
·1 medium onion, chopped
·4 carrots, chopped
·4 ribs of celery, chopped
·1 tsp salt and pepper
·1 - 16oz. bag of frozen corn, thawed
·1 - 15oz. can cream-style corn
·3 cups skim milk
·2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Combine water, onions, carrots, celery, salt and pepper in a 6-qt. crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

Add corn, milk, and cheese. Cook on high for 1 additional hour, then turn on warm until you ready to serve.

Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Don't be fooled by the photo's less than stellar portrayal of this wonderful dish! The spicy flavors in this layered, Mexican-inspired dish are very satisfying!

Mexican Cornbread Casserole
Ingredients:
·2 eggs, slightly beaten
·1 - 16oz. can cream-style corn
·1 cup yellow cornmeal
·½ tsp baking soda
·½ tsp salt
·¼ cup canola oil
·1 cup milk
·2 cups shredded Mexican style cheese blend
·1 lb ground beef, browned with homemade taco seasoning
·1 onion, chopped
·2 tsp minced garlic
·10-15 pickled jalapeño slices

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine ingredients from eggs to milk. Pour half of the mixture into the bottom of a 6-quart crockpot.

Layer half of the cheese, all of the ground beef, onion, garlic, and jalapeño slices on top of the cornbread mixture. Top with remaining cheese. Pour remaining cornbread mixture over the top.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Yield: 6 servings

Buffalo Chicken 3 Ways

This past weekend I had a Buffalo Chicken Extravaganza! I made my Healthier Buffalo Chicken Dip for friends on Saturday night, and then I made Buffalo Chicken 3 Ways on Sunday. My Buffalo Chicken Extravaganza all started with this recipe for Crockpot Buffalo Chicken I found on Pinterest.

The only changes I made to the recipe were that I cut it in half and I used fresh, 100% natural chicken breasts. I can already tell this is going to be one of my new favorite recipes. The crockpot does all of the work in providing you with a wonderful Buffalo Chicken base to be used in a variety of recipes, including the 3 Ways I used it....

First, Jalapeño Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese was my favorite way to enjoy the Crockpot Buffalo Chicken. I made my Revolutionary GF Mac & Cheese, substituting Colby Jack cheese for the Cheddar cheese. I sauteed chopped green onions, chopped pickled jalapeños, and diced celery in olive oil. Then, I stirred in the veggies and a good portion of the prepared Buffalo Chicken to the Mac & Cheese. Which was then topped with more jalapeños and cornflakes. It was sensory overload and absolutely, positively, a-maz-ing!

Up next, was my husband's favorite variety, Buffalo Chicken Nachos. This easy to prepare dish is very satisfying. In an oven safe dish, top corn tortilla chips with buffalo chicken and shredded colby jack cheese. Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Top with diced celery and jalapeños. It's a fantastic accompaniment for lazy weekends watching sports games.

Lastly, was a classic way to enjoy Buffalo Chicken as a Hot Buffalo Chicken and Cheddar Sandwich. I placed two spoonfuls of Buffalo Chicken and a slice of Cheddar cheese between two buttered (and terribly unevenly cut) pieces of homemade Gluten Free Sandwich Bread. Then, I cooked over medium heat in a skillet. This is a delicious twist on a classic grilled cheese that also makes for a simple and quick lunch.

We thoroughly enjoyed my Buffalo Chicken all 3 ways. Mike and I loved it so much, that I'm sure it won't be long until another extravaganza. What are your favorite ways to enjoy Buffalo Chicken?

Lauren

I've also shared this post on: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

Apple Butter (Crockpot)

My apple butter recipe is dangerous. It's so delicious that it could very easily be eaten by the spoonful. I promise you would never find me spooning shoveling it into my mouth by the spoonful! :)

Each time my husband has some of my apple butter, he reminds me of how seriously awesome it is. I completely agree! Just a few simple ingredients combine together into the best apple butter I've ever had. My only regret is that I didn't make a bigger batch. Not only does this apple butter recipe taste A-MAZ-ING, but it fills your house with fall scents as it cooks all day in the crockpot!

Apple Butter (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·4 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped (I used my favorite apples - Honeycrisp)
·½ cup brown sugar
·¾ tsp cinnamon
·1/8 tsp each - nutmeg, cloves, allspice

Directions:
Place apples into the bottom of a 2.5 quart crockpot. Combine remaining spices, then stir together spices and apples. Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring occasionally. When apples are tender, blend in a mixer until desired consistency is achieved.

Yield: approximately 2 jars


I've also shared this recipe on: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

Chicken Teriyaki (Crockpot)

I love crockpot recipes! This one for Chicken Teriyaki is flavorful and the sauce is delicious! By using my GF Soy Sauce Substitute in place of soy sauce, it turns out slightly sweeter than regular Chicken Teriyaki (which is still delicious in my book).


Chicken Teriyaki (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
·½ cup sugar
·½ cup GF soy sauce substitute
·¼ cup water
·5 TBS apple cider vinegar
·¾ tsp ginger
·1 tsp minced garlic
·½ tsp black pepper
·Dash hot chili sauce
·1 TBS cornstarch
·1 TBS cold water
·Brown rice, green onions, and parsley to serve

Directions:
Place chicken in a 6-quart crockpot. In a bowl, stir together ingredients from sugar to hot chili sauce. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Remove chicken and shred or chop into bite-sized pieces. Skim fat from cooking liquid and bring to a boil in as saucepan. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water until smooth. Add to the saucepan and stir until sauce is thickened.

Serve chicken with sauce, rice, chopped green onions, and (if desired) parsley.

Serves: 6-8


Recipe adapted from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

Fiesta Chicken (Crockpot)

This is the easiest crockpot recipe, ever! It takes only minutes to prep and the taste is superb! What's not to love about a delicious meal that combines creamy chicken, veggies, and Mexican-inspired flavors?!

I've enjoyed Fiesta Chicken over brown rice and over corn tortilla chips as nachos. Both ways were fantastic! This recipe reminds me of one of our favorites from earlier this year that we burnt ourselves out on from enjoying so much - Santa Fe Chicken (Crockpot).



Click here for the Easy Crockpot Fiesta Chicken recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Baked Potato Soup (Crockpot)

The crockpot does all of the work (except peeling the potatoes) in this recipe. The outcome is a creamy and rich soup that tastes just like a Baked Potato!

Baked Potato Soup (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·3 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced
·3 cups chicken broth (I used homemade which had a strong chicken flavor. Mike liked it, but I'll dilute the homemade broth next time with some water.)
·1 tsp salt
·½ tsp black pepper
·½ tsp red pepper
·1 - 8oz. package cream cheese
·2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
·10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
·Handful of fresh chives, chopped

Directions:
Combine potatoes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper in a 6-quart crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.

Cut cream cheese into pieces, and stir into cooked soup. Continue to cook on low for 20-30 minutes, until cream cheese begins to melt. Turn off heat and stir in shredded cheese and bacon. Top with chopped chives and extra bacon before serving.

Indian Chicken Stew (Crockpot)

Wow - this slightly spicy stew is aromatic, robust, and flavorful! I love the contrasting textures between the chicken, vegetables, and beans - delicious!

I've been freezing half of every batch of stew I make lately in muffin tins. Then, I pop out the little pucks of soup and transfer them to a freezer bag. This is going to be great for quick meals in the fall and winter, since all I have to do is pop a few pucks of soup into a bowl and reheat. I can't take credit for this idea though, I found it on my latest addiction - Pinterest.

Indian Chicken Stew (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
·1 medium onion, chopped
·1½ tsp minced garlic
·5 tsp curry powder
·2 tsp ground ginger
·½ tsp salt
·¼ tsp pepper
·2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
·2 - 14.5oz. cans diced tomatoes
·1 cup chicken broth
·1 bay leaf
·1 TBS lime juice
·1 - 9oz. package fresh spinach
·Cooked brown rice

Directions:
Add ingredients from chicken to lime juice to a 6-quart crockpot. Stir. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours.

Stir in spinach leaves and let sit for 2-3 minutes to wilt. Serve over hot cooked brown rice.




Recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, September 2010.

Southwestern Sausage Casserole (Crockpot)

 

The southwestern-inspired flavors in this dish are phenomenal! After having two heaping portions, I had to pull myself away from the crockpot so I could ensure I would be able to enjoy the leftovers the next day.

It's not the easiest dish to photograph, but I promise you won't be disappointed in the flavor. The contrasting textures of the sausage, beans and peas, and cornmeal casserole are wonderful!

Southwestern Sausage Casserole (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·1 lb. ground pork sausage, browned
·1½ cups milk
·½ cup water
·1 egg
·¾ cup cornmeal
·1 small red onion, diced
·1 cayenne or hot pepper, diced
·1 – 10oz. bag frozen peas
·1 – 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
·1 – 10.5oz. can diced tomatoes and chilies, drained and rinsed
·½ batch of homemade taco seasoning (recipe below)
·Toppings: Mexican style shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions

Directions:
Place browned sausage in the bottom of the crockpot. In a small bowl, combine milk, water, egg, and cornmeal. Dump liquid mixture over the sausage and add remaining ingredients from onion to taco seasoning. Stir together and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Homemade Taco Seasoning
*Note: I only used half of the seasoning batch below for my Southwestern Sausage Casserole crockpot recipe. I often make a double or triple batch and store it in the spice drawer to be easily used for tacos or other Mexican-inspired recipes.
Ingredients:
·1 TBS dried onion
·2 TBS paprika
·1 tsp ground cumin
·1 tsp dried oregano
·½ tsp cocoa powder
·½ tsp sugar
·½ tsp chili powder
·¼ red pepper
·½ tsp sea salt
·1 tsp cornstarch
·1 tsp garlic powder
·1 tsp onion powder
·½ black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Use as needed in desired recipes.


I've also shared this recipe on: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, This Week's Cravings

Jamaican Jerk Chicken (Crockpot)

Crockpot Jamaican Jerk Chicken is packed full of delicious flavors with a mouthwatering aroma!

My husband and I honeymooned in Jamaica after we were married a few years ago. We had an absolutely perfect honeymoon and reminisce quite often about how much fun we had. From time to time, Mike reminisces about the traditional Jamaican Jerk Chicken we enjoyed daily. I surprised Mike a few weeks ago with this recipe I created, and he said it's the closet to the original that he's had yet.

We felt it was best served with a Jamaican Appleton Rum and Coke. As you smell this meal cooking all day and enjoy the mouthwatering flavor, I caution that you'll be dreaming of white sandy beaches and clear, turquoise ocean waters.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·1 whole chicken or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·4 green onions, sliced

·1 onion, chopped

·1 head garlic, minced

·2 fresh cayenne/hot peppers, chopped

·½ cup distilled white vinegar

·½ cup orange juice

·¼ cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

·1 TBS + 1 tsp GF soy sauce substitute

·1 TBS lime juice

·2 TBS brown sugar

·2 tsp allspice

·1 tsp thyme

·1 tsp black pepper
·1 tsp ginger
·½ tsp cayenne pepper

·¼ tsp nutmeg

·¼ tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Place prepared green onions, onion, garlic, and cayenne/hot peppers in a food processor. Process until minced.

Combine remaining liquid ingredients and seasonings (from white vinegar to ginger) in a bowl. Stir well. Stir in minced vegetables.

Spread a few tablespoons of the sauce mixture in the bottom of the crockpot. Add the chicken and pour the remaining sauce mix over the chicken. Cook on high for 4-6 hours.

Remove the chicken from the crockpot, shred and de-bone. Serve cooked sauce mixture over the top of the chicken.