Baked Potato Salad

3 potatoes
1 1/3 teaspoons salt (divided)
2 tablespoons salad oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup carrot, shredded
Cheese, to taste (omit if lactose intolerant)


Put potatoes in a large saucepan with cold water and 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender, drain and cool. Peel potatoes and slice 1/4-inch thick, set aside.

Heat oil in a medium-size skillet, saute onion until soft. Stir in flour, mustard, celery seed and remaining 1/3 teaspoon salt. Gradually add 1/2 cup water and vinegar, cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.

Combine potatoes, green pepper and carrots in a bowl, add sauce, mixing well. Spoon half the mixture into a shallow 8x8-inch baking dish, sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with remaining potato mixture and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, in preheated 350 degree F. oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and vegetables are hot.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 cups celery, diced
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons onion, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise


Combine chicken, eggs, celery, almonds, salt, onion, and lemon juice in bowl; fold in mayonnaise.

Serve on your favorite type of bread or rolled in a leaf of yoir favorite lettuce.

Make-Ahead Egg Casserole

6 slices bread, cut in cubes
6 slices cooked, crumbled turkey bacon
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
6 eggs
3 cups milk Lactose free


1.Mix bread, turkey bacon, spinach, bell pepper, and onion; spread in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, treated with nonstick spray.

2.Whisk eggs and milk, and pour over top.

3.Cover dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.

4.To prepare for serving, bake uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven until eggs are set.

Chicken Noodle Soup

64 oz of chicken broth or stock
up to 4 cups of water
1-2 lbs of chicken baked and seasoned to your liking
1 large bag of egg noodles
3-4 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium bunch of celery, sliced
1 tbsp onion salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Bake chicken to internal temp of 170 degrees. I season mine with black pepper and garlic salt.

Mix spices and liquid together in crock pot. Put on high while chicken is baking.


Saute celery and carrots in 1 tbsp olive oil for about 5 minutes (if you desire a speedier cooking time otherwise you can skip this step)

When chicken is finished baking cut it up into approximately 1 inch chunks; add to soup.



Add egg noodles to hot soup about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve soup.

Hamburger Soup Updated

1.5 lbs. lean ground beef
1/2 tbsp. pepper
1/2 tbsp. italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 medium onion chopped
3 cups Beef Stock
3 cups boiling water
12 oz. can tomato sauce
3-4 medium carrots sliced
3-4 medium stalks of celery sliced
Optional: 1 cup macaroni, cooked and drained; Parmesan Cheese

Brown beef and drain; crumble into crock pot. Add the spices and onion. Stir in beef stock, water, and tomato sauce. Add celery and carrots. Cover, and cook on LOW about 6 hours. If desired, stir in cooked macaroni, and cover and cook on high another 20 minutes until heated through. Serve, and if desired top with Parmesan cheese.

Meatballs - Updated

This is a recipe that I came up with based on some I had that were made by one of my good friend's mother.

I start with about 6lbs. of ground chuck. Mix in 3 cups of brown rice along with 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1/2 tbsp italian seasoning, and 1 tsp each of onion salt, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. After mixing is done form into balls place on a lined (I usually use tin foil) cookie sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees.


We usually do them in a tomato sauce. It works great for spaghetti, meatball subs, or just as the main dish.

For the sauce, combine 24 oz. of tomato paste, 32 oz. of chicken broth, 1 cup water, and one package of chili seasoning (not mild chili seasoning though because it contains milk) in a large crockpot. Start the sauce while the meatballs are cooking. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and cook on high for at least 2 hours. The longer they cook the better they are.



(Not the most photographic)


To recap the ingredients are as follows:
6 lb. ground chuck
3 cups brown rice
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

24 ounces of tomato paste
32 ounces of chicken broth
1 cup water
1 package of chili seasoning

Udate- I no longer use the chili seasoning packet for the sauce. I now make my own chili seasoning.

Chili Seasoning

4.5 tsp chili powder
0.5 tsp garlic powder
0.5 tsp onion powder
0.5 tsp salt
0.25 tsp cumin

Egg and Sausage Bake

Another modified recipe. This time a breakfast (although we had it for dinner this day) option.

Brown turkey sausage (or whatever kind of sausage you want to use)


In a large bowl mix eggs and milk.


Add in potatoes, salt and pepper.


Place egg mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.


Then add in the sausage lightly mixing it into the egg.


Bake at 425 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until cooked through and browned on top to your desired darkness.


For those who are not lactose intolerant, top with shredded cheese.


Ingredients list:

1 lb of turkey sausage
8 large eggs
1 cup of lactose free milk
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
2 cups of shredded potatoes
shredded cheese (optional)

White Bean and Sausage Soup

I made a soup the other day based on a recipe that I found HERE.

I made adjustments based on different dietary needs of my family. For the most part we do not eat pork. (Actually I am the only one that does and it is only in the form of pepperoni occasionally on pizza.) I was also trying to use up some of the items in my pantry.

First I started by soaking the navy beans overnight. Then I placed the beans in the crock pot with some home canned spicy tomato juice. Regular tomato juice would work as well and is what I plan to use next time I make it.

While the beans were simmering in the crock pot, I browned up a packaged of Jennie O Turkey Sausage (a kielbasa style sausage) adding about 2 tbsp olive oil to do so. I cut the sausage up into quarters first. After the sausage was browned, I added it to crock pot.

Next I cut up and sauteed some celery and carrots in the same skillet that I had used for the sausage. I did add a bit more olive oil at this point. After about ten minutes of sauteing I added the celery and carrots to the crock pot.

I also added salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, and onion salt at this point. I am bad about measuring but would say about 1-2 tsp of each. At this point I let the soup cook on high in the crock pot for six hours or so. I just kept testing the beans to make sure they were done.

My family loved the soup. My boys (1.5 and 2.5) each ate two bowls of the soup.

A recap of the ingredients I used:
1 lb bag of navy beans
46 oz can of tomato juice
1 lb pkg of Jennie O Turkey sausage
2-3 tbsp olive oil
3-4 stalks of celery
1-2 medium carrots
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Tater Tot Casserole

How we usually make it

1.25 lbs of ground turkey
2 cans of french style green beans
2 cans of cream of celery soup
1 bag of tater crowns (enough to cover top in a single layer)

Brown the ground turkey; remove from heat and drain. Then mix in the green beans and the cream of celery soup (straight from can DON'T follow directions on can). Place the mixture in a 9x13 pan and layer tater crowns on top. Follow directions on tater crown bag for oven temperature and add 5-10 minutes onto the cooking time or cook to tater crowns are to your desired brownness.

So a pretty simple recipe. All I am doing to change this recipe into a lactose free one is by substituting the cream of celery soup for creamed corn. I was looking at the can of creamed corn and noticed that there is no milk in the ingredient list. Who knew. I know when I think cream or creamed I think milk when it comes to food. I was excited and it got me thinking, I wonder how tater tot casserole would taste with creamed corn instead of the cream of celery soup.

It turned out wonderfully. I'm looking forward to when we make this recipe again.

So to recap here is the updated recipe

1.25 lbs of ground turkey
2 cans of french style green beans
2 cans of creamed corn
1 bag of tater crowns (enough to cover top in a single layer)

Brown the ground turkey; remove from heat and drain. Then mix in the green beans and the creamed corn. Place the mixture in a 9x13 pan and layer tater crowns on top. Follow directions on tater crown bag for oven temperature and add 5-10 minutes onto the cooking time or cook to tater crowns are to your desired brownness.

Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Treats

The other day, we wanted to make Crispy Rice Treats. The directions call for butter. Most butter has lactose. Well we experimented and tried peanut butter instead of the butter. They turned out fabulous. Who knew you could substitute peanut butter for butter in simple recipes like this? Well if you didn't already know, now you can say you do.

P.S. Next time we make them I'll remember to take pictures.