Gluten Free Tater Tot Casserole

Over the past few months I have made this dinner several times.  I worked hard to figure out the making of it so that it is gluten free so the kiddo can eat it, however every time I make it, he tells me it is GROSS even though he has yet to actually eat it.  My husband and I think that it is delicious magic.

When we first went gluten free tater tots and "crispy crowns" were full of wheat so that they get crispier when you cook them.  Upon doing a lot of label reading I found that our local Kroger brand were gluten free.  We don't do too much snackish food like this, but every once in awhile it is a nice treat.  So if going gluten free with this recipe, be sure to check the label.  If not, then pick up whatever kind floats your boat.

The other big adjustment I make is doing my own white sauce.  Any recipe you check for this type of food tells you to use a cream of something soup.  I, personally, do not care for cream of something soup that much and it contains wheat.  You can get a few organic brands, but again, not really my favorite.  Below I am including my full recipe.  Keep in mind that you can use whatever if you aren't concerned about wheat.


White Sauce
3 Tablespoons butter or butter substitute - melted in a saucepan
3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour
Mix together in saucepan to form a paste

Whisk in 1 cup of milk or soy milk and 1/2 cup chicken broth (I use water and a tablespoon of Better than Bouillon - which is gluten free, regular bouillon is not.)
Let come to a low simmer and thicken, stir frequently.
Add some salt and pepper or garlic powder or salt.  You can also add a vegetable for flavor or added texture like mushrooms or celery.

Tater tot casserole
1lb Ground turkey or beef - browned
1 bag tater tots or crispy rounds
white sauce from above recipe
1 bag of frozen broccoli

Mix together and cook.  I like to make my casserole in the slow cooker on low for 3 to 4 hours, but you can also prepare and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Add cheese at the end or as a topping.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Pillows

Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew - one of my favorite sites - posted a tutorial on how to make these Sprocket Pillows.  I really liked them and thought I would give them a go.

I have to say that I am so in love with the way that these pillows turned out.  I used part of a Giddy layer cake by Sandy Gervais.  I liked the fabric before hand, but as I sewed it together I was pleased with how well all the pieces, patterns, and colors blend together.  For the sides and back I used a basic polka dot from a local fabric store.

It seems like mine turned out a little fatter than Allison's did, but I think they will make great floor cushions.  With a kid that is always begging for us to" come on the floor with me," it makes for a nice place to rest the bottom.  I can always make the middle band less wide and it would create a thinner pillow.

My kiddo loves them, and who would have guessed, so does the dog:)  I looked over and there she was, lounging like it was the best thing that had ever happened to her.  Poor, normally uncomfortable Nala.

New Dollies

I have done A LOT of modification from my first dolly that I posted awhile back.  I have two new ones done and have plans for a few more with some other skin tones.

My biggest changes were that I made the dolls a little more petite especially in the face and head.  I've worked on the dress quite a bit to make it removable and reversible.  I especially like that it is two sided so that a little girl can change her clothes without having to keep track of a ton of different items.  I added an apron that I think finished it all off nicely.

The blond doll I was really struggling with.  I first had her hair in pigtails.  I'm not sure if it was the hair color - which is pretty yellow - or what, but I was really unhappy with her hair.  So today I did an overhaul of her hair by giving her some Princess Leia buns.  It lifted her whole look up and I was excited by the end result.

I also think I had her clothes wrong.  She had on a blue and red dress which seemed to dark for her complexion.  I went pastel and it helped so, so much.  End of story is that sometimes a little adjustment goes a long, long way.

Gluten Free Cupcakes

For our Birthday Celebration I made lots of cake, cupcakes to take to preschool, cupcakes for the party for non-gluten-free people (which is everyone) and gluten-free cupcakes for the boy.  I have found that the BEST gluten-free products out there are Pamela's.  Her cakes and brownie mixes are excellent and taste like "normal" baked goods.  Her bread mix is really awesome too.  It is heavier and grainier than regular bread, but it is pretty tasty.

For the kiddos cupcakes I used the chocolate cake mix and followed the recipe on the bag.  For the frosting I make a butter cream, but instead of using real butter that seems to upset his belly - given that it is dairy, completely understandable - I used Smart Balance light and powdered sugar.  I didn't even need to add milk because the Smart Balance has a little more liquid in it.  The frosting turned out so yummy and creamy and light.  I really liked it.

If interested about the bread, for some reason the recipe on the back says two cups of liquid which is WAY too much.  I follow the directions on the bag except that I only add 3/4 cup of water or soy milk and I add some honey for sweetness.  It really makes the bread a lot better.

3rd Birthday Madness

Saturday we took on the 3 year old birthday bash.  The kiddo had a great time although for awhile all his friends were playing downstairs and he was entertaining the Grandma types upstairs alone.  I think he liked having the ladies all to himself.

We did a Toy Story theme.  He now has more Toy Story toys than we can possibly play with at any one time.  We heard for months that the wanted a "Big Bullseye."  It was incredibly hard to get a hold without paying a gazillion dollars.  We along with Grammy combed the stores and online and Grammy finally managed to snag one for us for a decent price.   And when he finally got it he didn't really seem that interested.  Who knows?  I am sure eventually it will click.

 'Toe Head is a favorite part of Toy Story at our house.  We made sure he had a place of honor!

The balloons were a huge success with all the kids and made me happy too.

Something fun I started at his 1st birthday party was to make cupcakes for the kids and a bigger cake for the birthday boy and to put candles in all of them.  That way all the kids get to blow out candles and participate, but the birthday kid gets an extra special cake experience.

Goody bags for the kids were filled with stickers and gooey lizards and frogs, pencils, sunglasses, awesome windup robots, and plenty of candy.

This is a good looking group of party friends.  What a bunch of hams!

Are we tired or what????

Fabric Adoration

I know that I am WAY behind the times with this particular print, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this Amy Butler Fabric, especially the red flower.  I have gone over about 20 different ideas of what I want to do with it and just can't make myself cut into it.  I think eventually a pinwheel quilt, IF I can ever cut it.  Hopefully I will be able to post something amazing with it someday.

Dolly

I was inspired by the Charlanne blog dolls and decided I wanted to make my own.  So with a little pattern help, some tape and modifications and some trial and error, I came up with this Dolly.  I think she turned out pretty cute.  The Kiddo was a super help in this process.  He really likes the dolly and for each new part I added like the hair and eyes, he would get more and more excited.

I'm not sure I will add this one, but I will add a couple to my Etsy shop soon.  I am excited to different skin tones and hair color.  If you know a little girlie that needs a doll, let me know:)