One more (but probably not the last) Grandma Chesser -reminiscent recipe! First it was the biscuits, then the espresso cake, yesterday chicken and dumplings, and now a banana (custard) pudding! My Grandma’s name was Betty and she used to serve us warm banana pudding for dessert, so when I stumbled upon this recipe for “Banana Betty” in a book published in 1992 called “Country Inns and Backroads Cookbook” I knew I had to try and adapt it gluten and dairy free! It tastes so rich and the spiciness from the ginger snaps just creates a powerful happy flavor!

My Grandma loved her family so much and she did a lot of cookin’ for us through the years! Chicken and dumplings was one of my favorites so what better time to give it a fresh take - gluten and dairy free. This recipe is filled with savory flavor, and the chopped parsley pulsed with the dough in a food processor gives them that fun spring green color. My kids love it and I am honored to be able to make this for my family now.

Maybe it’s just me, but I felt like coffee-flavored desserts were all the rage in the 90’s. Bistros, coffee shops, and all the Friends! We were all out seeking the bean aesthetic. I remember fun little coffee spots popping up and eating lots of coffee cake and tiramisu. Well, fast forward a few years and I found myself craving something deliciously coffee flavored. This isn’t really a “coffee cake” because when I think of a coffee cake, I think more densely packed cake with a streusel topping. This has more of a fluffy cake texture - wonderfully and sweetly flavored with the dairy free Irish Cream I had leftover from last week’s St. Paddy’s day fun! Check out the upcoming links on my blog for how to make the DF Sweetened Condensed milk, and the DF Irish Cream!

Growing up in Southern Indiana, biscuits were a regular occurrence in our house - and my Grandma Chesser’s. I wanted to make a cheesy biscuit today that I could have with some bacon and eggs. They turned out nice a fluffy, thanks to a tablespoon of baking powder. I dream of having a whole category on this page dedicated solely to biscuits. ;)

This chicken and broccoli casserole is creamy, flavorful, and a family favorite in my house. Curry powder adds a nice savory flavor, balanced with lemon juice and white wine. I never thought I would enjoy chicken divan after having to go gluten and dairy free, but now my whole family actually prefers this version!

I desperately wanted some Irish Cream to add to desserts this St. Paddy's Day and while I love that Bailey's came out with a dairy free version, I can't use it because I am allergic to almonds! If you have a ready-made sweetened condensed milk on hand, this recipe comes together very quickly. Add about 35 minutes for making your own from scratch.

Back in the early 2000’s (cue Conan O’Brien’s “In the year 2000” bit), I used to pick up copies of Cooking Light Magazine aspiring to both learn to cook, and “cook light” (also cue a 90’s-created aversion to fat. Remember Snack Wells cookies?!). In a 2001 issue I found a recipe for Double Ginger Cookies and they were made with wheat flour. As my stomach decided against anything gluten, I just had to come up with a makeover for this beloved cookie. It’s both vegan and gluten free now, and amped up with bright orange and semi-sweet chocolate chips!

Citrus season is one of my favorites! It’s a welcome burst of fragrance and freshness that is much needed in late winter. I picked up some Noble Juicy Crunch Tangerines from my local produce market and had some overripe bananas to deal with. It turned out delicious - what’s even better is toasting it the next day and serving with some soft scrambled eggs. Don’t forget the coffee!

I wanted to make something I knew my bestie, Jasmin (seriously check out this woman’s amazing work) would love for our February birthday get together and only the most fudgiest of brownies would do. She loved them - and so did all of our children! This recipe makes enough for two super cool moms AND a gaggle of teens.