Flour Arrangements

Peppermint Fudge Brownies

2011-11-11T06:59:00.007-06:00

It's taken me two days to post this. I spent yesterday's nap time photographing/editing the pics, and I woke up at 5:30 to hopefully finish everything up. Then I got distracted and decided to clean the car. Here I am an hour and a half later, finally posting the recipe (and I still have 2 other recipes I need to post!). I decided that at the rate I'm going, I should probably post a Christmas recipe first :).

Please excuse the delay, again. I've moved to the park. Well, I spend a couple of hours there each day, so it feels like it ;). A little munchkin I know loves to swing...and eat these chocolate brownies (well, taste them). I probably shouldn't have introduced her to chocolate this young, but I'm looking forward to baking with her in the future. I'm hoping the taste will provide enough of an incentive for her to develop an interest in gluten-free baking ;). And if not, at least I still have a taste-tester.

The toddler approves, though, so I'm sure you will too. After all, if it were up to her she would only eat blueberries and cheese. You can trust her very discriminating palate. ;)

Peppermint Fudge Brownies

makes 14-18

2/3 cup fine brown rice flour (Bob's Red Mill. I've found that other brands are too grainy.)

2/3 cup tapioca starch (also Bob's)

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

4 large eggs, at room temp

1 1/2 sticks melted unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

For the topping:

14 peppermint Ghirardelli peppermint bark squares*

1-1 1/2 cups peppermint candies, chopped (I actually found these already chopped up in the baking aisle @ HEB.)

*I don't believe they have gluten. I haven't had problems with them.

Instructions:

In a large bowl, cream sugar with eggs and melted butter. Stir in cocoa; mix in vanilla extract and heavy cream.

Mix together flours, xanthan gum, and salt in a medium bowl.

Melt chocolate chips, then slowly stir them in with wet ingredients.

Slowly mix in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, mix well.

Pour brownie batter into a greased 3 quart baking dish.

Break up Ghirardelli chocolate mints. Arrange over the brownie batter.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree on the middle rack for 30 MINUTES.

Sprinkle over a cup of chopped peppermint candies. BAKE 10 MORE MINUTES on middle rack.

Allow to cool completely before slicing brownies (otherwise it'll be messy :).

Mini Gluten-free Pumpkin Salted Caramel Turnovers (aka Pumpkin Cajeta Empanadas)

2011-10-11T17:02:00.009-05:00

I'm already thinking about which Christmas CD I'm going to start listening to first, come October 31st. (Technically, it's not a CD. It's a download or one of the many holiday mixes on itunes, but I can't bring myself to stop saying CD. :P) I figure, if Costco has their Christmas stuff up, then I'm already behind!

Holiday menu plans are already in the works. I'm actually considering making these empanadas instead of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. They travel a lot easier and there's no slicing required. (I still don't own a pie/cake cutter.)

What will be on your holiday menu this year?

My husband's been taking sweets to work every Friday, because Friday is his official "cheat day," it's also my baking day. (Well, some of the work usually begins on Thursday.) It was tough to share these ;), but they were a hit. A few folks already asked for the recipe. Here I am posting it almost a week later (sorry!). I'm happy to report that I left the few leftover turnovers/empanadas out overnight/uncovered and they weren't stale, stiff, or dry.

Flakey and good, with a pumpkiny center that was still moist.

I think this is my favorite dessert so far.

This recipe makes about 24, unless you make them huge. (The photo above depicts a huge one that I baked for the hubby and I so we could eat it with ice cream on top!) You'll have about half the filling left after. Tips for what to do with it? Mix it with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream for a pumpkin caramel milk shake. Or add a few tablespoons of heavy cream to it, heat it briefly, then mix everything to enjoy it as a pumpkin caramel pudding :).

The filling is thicker than pumpkin pie filling, almost custardy. I made it that way so that it wouldn't sneak out of the pastry during the baking process. It worked perfectly!

To make the dough, view this danish recipe but use 1/4 cup almond meal instead of 1/4 cup potato starch.

Also, I really like how this video explains how to roll out the dough. I rolled out the dough (and butter dough ball :) like this. I didn't understand a word, but it's a great video tutorial, still :P.

Then....use a small glass with about a 3 inch diameter to make the circles. Flatten them out a bit, add about 3/4 TBSP of filling on half the circle, then fold over and pinch the sides closed or seal with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush the pastries with cinnamon butter. To make the cinnamon butter I used 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter mixed with 1/4 tsp cinnamon and sugar to taste for every 8 pastries, and I brushed them right before baking (it's better to do it a little at a time like this because it will harden as it cools). Bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment, on the middle rack, in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 16 minutes.

Pumpkin Caramel Filling:

1 can pumpkin

1 13.4 ounce can of Nestle's dulce de leche (this one)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

3 tablespoons corn starch

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp coarse sea salt

Combine pumpkin and dulce de leche in a sauce pan over low heat. While constantly stirring, cook on medium-low until the dulce de leche is completely melted into the pumpkin; stir in pumpkin pie spice. Set aside and allow to cool for a few minutes, very slowly sprinkle in the corn starch while stirring (too quickly and it'll get lumpy). Raise heat to medium and reduce while continually stirring for 5 minutes. Set aside, stir in heavy cream and coarse salt.

Gluten Free (and egg free) Banana Cream Pie (White Chocolate and Toffee Banana Cream Pie, that is :)

2011-09-26T17:33:00.011-05:00

On the first day of fall...

I made soup and it was almost 100 degrees outside. Then...

my true love said to me [can you tell I'm ready for Christmas ;)]

...as he was sweating bullets while trying to enjoy his bowl full of chicken soup, "This is what you eat when it's snowing outside and you've got a bad cold."

We both laughed. Why? Because less than a year ago we were all huddled together (baby included) under a big heavy blanket late at night during a terrible blizzard that caused us to lose power for over 7 hours! Even multiple layers of clothing and a cute, chubby baby for added warmth couldn't keep us from shivering.

Now here we are in Texas. It's fall but I don't understand why department stores are trying to sell us cute sweaters and snow boots with furry linings! It feels like a joke.

To prove to my husband that I hadn't lost my mind, I also made a white chocolate toffee banana cream pie. To me, that's a warm-weather dessert. So we had soup for dinner then gluten-free banana cream pie and ice cream for dessert :).

The verdict? Well, I won't be changing the recipe. I've found the winner. It is sweet, creamy and cool. Most banana cream pies don't actually call for bananas in the pudding filling, but I decided this recipe should! So I threw in half a banana, some white chocolate chips, and toffee. We're all happy with the decision :).

You're probably wondering where the eggs are. There aren't any! Lots and lots of heavy cream, even a bit of cream cheese, but no eggs. When you whip up the filling (literally); add the cream cheese and powdered sugar (which contains a bit of cornstarch); then throw in a few other magical ingredients, you get a banana cream pie with a consistency that resembles a delicious fluffy cloud (banana flavored, of course).

I'll just leave you all with this last statement: The photos are free of false advertisement ;).

Gluten-Free Banana Cream Pie

Filling:

2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup white chocolate chips

1/4 cup toffee bits

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

6 tablespoons cream cheese, I used neufchatel

1/2 sliced ripe banana

*You'll also need 2 more bananas for arranging the pie later, for a total of 2.5 bananas ;).

Cook above ingredients in a sauce pan for 8-10 minutes on medium, until it starts to bubble a bit. Should measure out to about 1 1/8 cup of filling. Allow it to cool for a few minutes then mix in a blender or with a hand mixer until smooth. Refrigerate while you work on the pie crust so that it cools.

For the Coconut Almond Pie Crust:

Preheat oven to 375

1 cup white rice flour, or brown rice flour (I've used both 2 different times)

1/4 cup almond meal

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons cold water

1 Tablespoon shortening cut into little cubes

4 tablespoons cold butter, cold and cubed

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

Starting with the dry ingredients and ending with the water, shortening and butter, mix above ingredients with your hands until you can shape it into a ball. Gently roll it out or use your hands to flatten it. I rolled it on parchment. Don't roll out too thin. Place in greased pie pan and smooth it out in the pie pan. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated 375 degree oven. Allow it to cool.

Continue with the filling...

Once the filling has cooled for 20 minutes in the fridge, mix the following in a small bowl...

1/4 cup more heavy cream

2 tsp gelatin (from the little brown packets)

Now, with a hand mixer, combine the above ingredients with the cooled banana cream pie filling. Mix for about 1 1/2 minutes, until very smooth.

When the pie crust is cool, pour the smooth filling over the pie crust. If you want to eat it sooner rather than later, store it in the freezer for an hour and a half or in the fridge over night (without the whipped topping, just the filling and crust).

Once the filling is set, you can make the whipped cream topping. I used...

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

To make the whipped cream, whip the cream by itself with a hand mixer. When it just starts to thicken, add the vanilla. When stiff peaks start to form, slowly add the powdered sugar and mix for just a few more seconds until the sugar is distributed throughout the whipped cream.

For arranging the pie...

Place sliced bananas over the pudding filling (I used 1 whole banana for this), then pour the whipped cream over that (smooth with a butter knife). Next, top with more bananas (another whole banana), or arrange along the edges of the pie. Sprinkle with unsweetened coconut and more toffee bits.

Feel free to email me with questions. It's a labor of love but totally worth it! :)

Gluten-free Pecan Pie

2011-09-07T14:55:00.004-05:00

If I had to choose one dessert that reminds me most of the Lone Star State, it'd be pecan pie. Unlike a lot of pies that require cooling before eating, pecan pie is delicious right out of the oven with ice cream (especially if you've got vanilla ice cream nearby).

Gooey, warm, molassesy, nutty... Molassesy? That's how I'd describe this pie. I used two somewhat different ingredients for the filling. Instead of using light brown sugar, I used dark brown sugar (more molasses). Instead of using regular corn syrup, I used dark corn syrup.

Ack! Corn syrup? I'll be honest. I've tried pecan pies without it and I personally find that it adds something to the texture of the filling. I tried the filling in this pie recipe and liked it, but wanted to go a little darker. I like dark chocolate and I like dark pecan pies. If you like toffee and molasses, you'll enjoy the warmer flavors in this pecan pie. Even gluten eaters gave it two thumbs (or forks) up! :) Actually, my husband gave it two spoons up because he likes to eat pie with a spoon.

Say a little prayer for Texas as you devour your next slice of pecan pie. It's a little more than hot out here, especially with all these fires! Maybe if we all do a rain dance together this drought will come to an end!

For the pie crust:
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons shortening, cubed
4 tablespoons cold butter, cold and cubed

Combine all dry ingredients. Next add the vanilla, butter and shortening. Time to get your hands dirty! Fold everything in. Then add the water towards the end. Shape dough into a ball. You can chill it or work with it as is. I like to roll it between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Because gluten-free dough isn't as elastic, don't roll out the pie dough too thin. Instead, roll it out up to 1/2 inch thick. Then place it in a greased pie pan. From there I do the repairs. This dough is resilient so you can easily shape it or pull off a piece here and there if there are areas that need more dough. Think of yourself as an artist working with clay :).

Pecan Pie Filling:
1 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon water
3 teaspoons corn starch
3 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2-3/4 cups pecans

This is the easy part! Slowly melt the butter in a pan. Mix the corn starch and water together in a small cup/bowl. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter--stir well. Next, add the corn starch, then stir in the corn syrup and everything but the eggs and pecans. Move it away from the flame. Allow it to cool for just a minute. Mix eggs together in a bowl and slowly pour the eggs in with the rest of the melted filling, then mix in the pecans.

Pour the filling into the pie. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven, covered with the pie crust protector and aluminum foil (or just foil). Bake with coverings for 45 minutes. Then remove all the aluminum/pie crust cover and bake 10-15 more minutes, or until slightly browned on edges. Allow the pie cool for just a bit when it's done so that it sets.

Maple Butter Balls

2011-09-03T13:15:00.004-05:00

I think I just heard a pin drop, or maybe that was the tiny cry of an enraged sugar ant protesting my absence from the kitchen. He's on strike because the countertops have been free of cookie, cake, pie, and pastry crumbs for much too long.

That's changing, though. These toasty summer days here in Texas aren't keeping me away any longer. We've said goodbye to our old place in Boston, and now we're settled in our new home here in the Lone Star State--this oven's still too shiny, not enough charred pie filling stuck to the bottom just yet, but we'll change that soon enough.

I've actually started baking already (still, that was a month ago, too long!). Made a pecan pie a few times. Baked a batch of maple multigrain rolls, even. But, of course, I didn't photograph the evidence!

I better have a good excuse for this nonsense!

Though it's been quiet around here, life has been anything but boring. We've had a few adventures, including moving across the country after graduating from law school (my hubby, not me :), learning how to function while waking about 5 times a night (we've got us a night owl ;), also learning how to squeeze in a bazillion chores while also working from home during naptime. Life is full! I feel very blessed. I've missed you all dearly, though!

Can you believe I baked these cookies on March 29th! Talk about a stale recipe! I made them right after we went maple sugaring. Though I will miss Northeastern foodie adventures like that one, I will definitely miss them a little less when I'm not having to shovel snow December-March :D!

If I had to choose a favorite flavor, maple would be it! I've always found that baking with maple gives desserts a buttery kind of sweetness that reminds me of fall.

Maple Butter Balls
1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour (I think Bob's has the best texture)
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup white rice flour
3 1/2 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons grade b maple syrup
3 tablespoons maple sugar, for rolling and more for sprinkling after

Makes about 24 balls
I like to mix up all the flours in a large bowl with the salt. Then in another smaller bowl, I add the wet ingredients, including the maple syrup and the sugar. The Maple sugar is for sprinkling on top of the cookies.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet (you don't have to space them apart too much) in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 13 minutes, sugar will be a bit browned on top when they're done.

They'll be a little soft right when you take them out, so let them cool on the baking sheet for about 7 minutes.

Gluten-free Croissants

2011-02-03T10:58:00.007-06:00

Guess who?

Croissants!

little ones...

A letter from the croissants:

"We're finally here! Tasty right out of the oven, warm and buttery. 2 sticks of butter for just 14 of us, so you better believe we're buttery-delicious! You'll love the sweet aroma we give off while we're baking! We taste similar to those Pillsbury ones, except we're

homemade and gluten-free. (Shhh! Don't let our baker know that we told on her--she used to eat those a few years ago, before saying goodbye to gluten!)"

"We're cute and little, and still tasty next morning--no bed head, promise! We just need to warm up to the idea of being eaten the day after baking (that is, if we're still around), so stick us in the micro for 15 seconds and we'll be as good as new. Top us off with fresh strawberry or blueberry jam. We've heard that we're also pretty tasty with cranberry sauce (think Thanksgiving

or Christmas dinner, or even Valentine's Dinner!). Speaking of Valentine's, I bet we'd be delicious with a chocolatey filling!"

"Oh, and if there's a stranger living in your house who's on an anti-carb kick, you can make one extra little for them. See our wittle brother below? He's kinda camera shy--tried to disguise himself in rice flour while we were getting ready for the big photo shoot!"

Gluten-Free Croissants (makes 12-14 little ones)

Bowl 1:

1 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour

1/4 cup potato starch

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp sea salt

keep on the side:

2 sticks of cold butter

Bowl 2:

1 tbsp sugar

4 tsp yeast

1/4 cup warm water

Bowl 3:

2 large egg yolks (keep egg whites for egg wash)

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup reserved white rice flour (just use it as you need it, don't use it all at once!)

Instructions:

Mix together ingredients from bowl one. Set aside.

In bowl 2, combine sugar and yeast, then add warm water; set aside and allow to proof (should become foamy on top), for about 10 minutes.

Keep on the side:

2 sticks of cold butter

Combine all ingredients in third bowl, set aside.

Now combine the ingredients from the third bowl into the large first bowl (with the flours!). Don't add yeast yet!

Cut up the cold butter into cubes (basically follow the lines on the butter wrapper, then cut them in half, after that so they're in half tablespoon amounts).

Wash your hands, then start adding the butter in, a little at a time. Work the dough with your hands until you've added all the butter. It's ok if there are lumps of butter still.

Now slowly pour in the yeast. Continue working the dough with your hands. Wash your hands. Now shape the dough into a ball, sprinkle the outside of the ball of dough with rice flour, but not all of the reserved rice flour (just so the surface is lightly coated).

Divide the dough in half. Work with half the dough at a time. Set the other half aside and cover with a clean cloth.

Roll the dough into a rectangle, then use a pizza cutter or knife to even out all the edges so it's a clean rectangle. Now you're going to cut out and shape croissants with a knife (like the tutorial) or a pizza cutter. Note: Don't pull the croissants, just roll them. Gluten-free dough isn't as elastic!

Follow this tutorial for how to cut croissants--but don't pull the dough like she does :): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=221rAwr0CWk&feature=related

Let rise for 1 hour, covered with a clean cloth, and kept in a dark warm area. Use pastry brush to lightly brush on egg wash.

You'll end up with 14 croissants. Bake them in a preheated 350 degree oven for 14-16 minutes.

Product Review: Kinnikinnick Cookies and Donuts!

2011-01-31T15:42:00.003-06:00

If there's one gluten-free food I'm really skeptical of, it's frozen gluten-free donuts. That just sounds like a disappointment.

But disappointed is far from how I felt after taking a bit out of Kinnikinnick's Chocolate Dipped Donuts and their special Cinnamon-Apple Donuts--they were deeelicious!!!

They contacted me a few weeks ago to see if I'd sample their Cinnamon-Apple Donuts. I said yes, because I was already a fan of their gluten-free graham crackers. Plus, if there's one thing I learned in college, it's this: If food is free, eat it (well, most of the time). I'm so glad I accepted their offer! They were even nice enough to send over their chocolate covered donuts, a box of their chocolate creme cookies, and gluten-free panko bread crumbs. The chocolate creme cookies were also a hit--I even shared some with my non-gf eating friends this weekend and they enjoyed them too. I've yet to try the bread crumbs, but I'll certainly be using them in the near future.

The only problem with the donuts and the cookies? They're addicting. I just got a root canal, the last thing I need is more sugary desserts. Seriously, though, each bite convinced me that the $2500 root canal and crown weren't that bad. ;)

I will be buying the donuts again! I can see why they suggest buying the Cinnamon-Apple ones for your sweetie this Valentine's. It's easy to find tasty gluten-free chocolate, but donuts? Good GF donuts are a rarity. Thanks Kinnikinnick for making tasty ones!

Gluten-free Wonton Soup (or Ravioli :)

2011-01-23T09:24:00.010-06:00

Are you all staying warm these days? That seems to be a struggle for us here on the East Coast, as we keep getting hit with one snowstorm after the other. Now I've got a sick little one and a craving for soup. But not just any soup...wonton soup!

Wontons: little magic bundles of porky deliciousness (except, these here are more Texas-sized). Who knew that getting pork filling to taste restaurant-good could be soo easy? But only thanks to a certain tasty recipe that provided the inspiration for this cooking adventure.

I've been craving wonton soup for months now, no--probably more like years (you GF folks know how it is to have an unsatisfied craving for ages!). I finally gave in and decided to experiment. Here are the results of my first experiment...

What I learned:

We're not going to have as much elasticity using gf flour to make wonton wrappers as we would using all purpose flour. Surprise! ;) But why should we let that stop us from experimenting?!

The good thing about this wonton dough recipe is that it's quite forgiving. I tried making the wonton wrappers (or squares) as thin as possible, and ended up with a few holes. Patching them up was fairly easy. Just use an extra bit of dough, if necessary. Keep a glass of water on the side to dip your index fingers in, so that you can use the water to "glue" the patch on. Smooth out the surface with more water. There were a few that didn't tear because I made 'em thick, but they ended up being thicker than I would've liked.

This dough is also pretty sturdy, because the wontons didn't fall apart after getting into some hot water (or chicken broth) with a few chopped green onions :). This particular recipe makes enough for 12 whole wontons, but the wonton filling (meatball) recipe makes enough for about 24.

When experimenting, I like to start off with small batches. You can just double the dough recipe if you like, or throw in a few meatballs without wrappers. They also won't dissolve in the soup :).

I think this recipe would make tasty homemade ravioli--give it a try and let me know how it works out for you!

I've also been experimenting with croissants! Yes, so far I've made them twice. Stay tuned for a croissant post in the very near future. (As in, not months from now. I promise to keep my resolution ;).

Finally...the recipe and a quick photo tutorial. Because of the elasticity issue, I decided to fold these more like ravioli than traditional wontons. :)

Wonton Wrappers, makes 12 complete:

2 tsp potato flour (not potato starch!)

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup sweet sorghum flour

1 large egg

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup and reserved 2 tablespoons cold water

about 1/4 cup more white rice flour reserved, for rolling out wontons

Mixing instructions-create the flour blend first, then add the salt and xanthan gum. Mix well. Add the egg and water (2tbsp last). I divided the dough into smaller portions and covered the portions I wasn't using with a towel. You can either roll out with a rolling pin or use your hands (I found it easier to use my hands--like making tortillas). Then cut out individual squares (about 4 inches) with a pizza cutter; I filled each wonton with about 1.5-2 tsps of meat.

Wonton filling (ground pork):

1/2 pound ground lean pork

1 tsp mirin

1/2 tsp dried onion

1/2 tsp garlic

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp ground ginger

Combine all ingredients, mix well.

Throw the wontons into a pot filled with 32 ounces of lightly boiling chicken broth. Add 1 tsp onion powder, and 1 tsp garlic powder. I also added 2 chopped green onions and a package of my favorite stir fry veggies (not traditional, but hearty :). I added the veggies at the very end, once the wontons were cooked (they should be firm, meatballs shouldn't be pink).

Cloudy with a Chance of...Molasses rolls?

2011-01-18T07:54:00.011-06:00

Hi there , Folks!

I know, it's been ages! I'm a little nervous typing right now, because I feel like I actually have an audience! Believe me, this is definitely a good thing. I'm pleasantly surprised that you folks have subscribed. I'm not gonna list how many feedburner subscribers I have, because I'm sure some of you blogging pros will laugh at my excitement. Oddly, that's part of the reason why I don't blog as much these days, because I'm being watched :D!

I started this blog typing as if someone was reading, because isn't that how blogging works? At first, you tell yourself that the comments aren't there because imaginary blogging friends only have imaginary fingers, of course! Then, the adrenaline rush hits after the first couple of comments start rolling in; then you post a million times a day…and then?

Well, now you folks are saying things, and actually reading! Oh, the anxiety. I feel like you people are watching me now. I have a bit of stage fright, and I just use my 8 month old as my excuse for not posting ;). What if I forget to type in an ingredient when I input the recipe? What if the photos of my molasses rolls resemble meatballs instead of…molasses rolls. You all will kindly let me know, right? Right?!

In all honesty, I'm very thankful for you all! Thankful from the bottom of my carbohydrate-addicted heart! Thank you for giving me an excuse to bake gluten-free treats, especially now that my husband is on the paleo diet! Seriously, the guy is married to a woman with a blog called "Flour Arrangements" and he vowed to stop eating carbs in 2011! Meanwhile, my resolution is to post more on here! I guess opposites really do attract ;).

Enjoy these molasses rolls; I promise, despite the photos, they don't taste anything like meatballs! Actually, they don't taste much like molasses either, it's a very subtle molasses/spiced taste. Store them in an air-tight container, then warm 'em up in the micro for 15 seconds to enjoy them warm and soft after they've lost their "fresh outta the oven" texture.

Molasses Rolls (Makes 8)

Dry Mixture:
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup sweet sorghum flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger

4 tablespoons low-fat dried milk powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 tsp sea salt
Yeast Mixture:
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water (let rise until it just starts to foam on top--about 10 minutes)
Other wet mixture:
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses

Combine all dry ingredients together, mix well.

In another small bowl, combine the water and sugar, then add yeast. Let it sit for about 8 minutes, or until foam just begins to form on top (proofing starts).

Next, combine the wet ingredients in another small bowl.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry bowl. Then fold in the yeast mixture.

Let rise in a warm, dark area for about an hour.

Shape dough into individual rolls, about 8. Bake in a pre-greased cake or pie pan.

Preheat oven to 350 and bake rolls for about 22-25 minutes.

Store in air-tight container for up to 3 days (don't require refrigeration).

Gluten-free Pastry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-10-02T16:19:00.010-05:00

(...believe me, there should be many more exclamation points after that title!)

Flakes aren't usually a good thing, now are they? Flakes on a first date? Not so attractive. Flaky personality-- definitely not appealing. But I have to tell you, today I fell in love with something flaky and my husband is OK with it. Why? Because he's in love, too!

Maybe I shouldn't talk about flakes on a food blog :P. But, my friends, flakes are a very good thing today!

...Because we're talking about the amazing buttery flakes of a homemade pastry. That's right, and it's not just any pastry, folks. Say hello to a completely gluten-free pastry! I never thought the words "gluten-free" would ever be used in the same sentence as "pastry"! But I recently had a sweet reader contact me, and she asked if I could help her find/come up with a gluten-free pastry recipe. (She was looking for a cream cheese danish, so that's what we made here...also made an apple filling.) I'd been craving pastries myself so I couldn't say no :)! This lovely recipe provided the inspiration.

Thank you again, Catherine, for this opportunity! You helped me face my biggest fear. The thought of making gluten-free pastries used to scare me. Not anymore!

My husband, Jose, said I'm not allowed to make these very often ;). (He freaked out when I mentioned the butter content.) And I nearly threw a dish towel at the guy after he took the first bite and grimaced.

He was totally foolin' me!

After shedding tears of joy, I nearly shed many tears of sadness when he tried to trick me into thinking they weren't tasty. But then he apologized and said he loved 'em. He even said they were better than bakery pastries!

What?! Maybe that's just love talking, but I was definitely happy to hear that. According to Jose, the buttery flavor made them over-the-top tasty. Amazing, that butter...huh?

They're realllllly good, give 'em a try! Perfect way to use up the 22 pounds of apples sittin' pretty in your fridge right now. I'm thinkin' apple turnovers! Oh wait, am I the only one who picked that many apples this fall ;)?!

So here we go with the recipe. It's a lengthy one. The process is definitely long too, but totally worth it! I made sure to mention every last detail, and also included a few pics, but if you have any questions please feel free to email me :)! Love to hear from you all! Makes me feel all warm and gooey inside, like I've just gobbled up a freshly baked pastry :D!

1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp sea salt

2 sticks of cold butter

1 tbsp sugar
4 tsp yeast
1/4 cup warm water

3 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon orange juice

1/4 cup reserved white rice flour for rolling
powdered sugar for dusting
and nuts for sprinkling, if you like 'em.

Start by combining all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl, to create a flour blend. Then, separate 1/2 cup of the flour blend. Put that 1/2 cup of flour in a medium sized bowl.

Next, combine the warm water and single tablespoon of sugar in a large cup or small bowl. Add the yeast. Let it sit for a few minutes until it becomes foamy.

In a third large bowl, combine the 3 egg yolks, milk, sugar and vanilla. Add the flour (not the reserved half cup, that's for something else), then stir in the yeast mixture. Cover and refrigerate this for an hour.

Cut the 2 sticks of cold butter into small cubes. With your hands, combine with the reserved 1/2 cup of flour. The heat from your hands will slightly melt the butter--a thick buttery/flour mixture will form. Shape into a thick square, then refrigerate this for about 20 minutes.

At this point you'll have two things in the refrigerator. Once you've refrigerated the yeasty dough for the allotted hour, and the butter/flour mixture has chilled in the fridge for 20 minutes, you can take them both out and place them on a large work space/counter. Make sure you have some rice flour reserved in a small bowl and 2 large strips of parchment paper (about 18 inches long).

You'll first work with the yeasty mix. Place one sheet of parchment paper on the counter, then shape this dough into a ball. Sprinkle rice flour over the surface of the ball of dough you've just created. Sprinkle a bit of rice flour on the parchment, then place the dough on the parchment. Flatten it out a bit with your hands, then place the second piece of parchment over it and roll it out into a rectangular shape, with a rolling pin (doesn't have to be perfect). It should be about 1/2 an inch thick or so.

Next, place the rectangular butter/flour block in the center of the yeasty dough. Fold the top part of the yeasty dough over the body of the butter block. Repeat with the bottom part, then fold the left and right sides over the butter block. You want to basically enclose this butter block in the yeasty dough.

Place the parchment paper over the dough. Start by rolling up from the center. Then down toward you, from the center. Then left from the center and right from the center. This completes one round of rolling. Fold the dough over itself again (like you did when covering the butter block), sprinkle with a bit of rice flour, if necessary, and roll out the dough the same way.

Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. Then remove the dough and roll it out the same way again. Refrigerate for one moire hour. Then roll again.

After you've rolled out the dough a total of 3 times, with 2-1 hour chilling sessions in the fridge…take a break and leave the dough in the fridge over night! :)

You can work on the filling while the dough is chilling. This part is easy :)! You can combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl, mix well then refrigerate until you're ready to prepare the pastries.

But if you want to make an apple filling, this is what you'll need:
3 medium apples
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg (about 1/8 tsp)
1 1/2 tablespoons of flour
1/4 cup cloudy apple cider

Peel then cut 3 medium apples into thin slices. Combine in a sauce pan with all the ingredients (before you turn on the flame). Then cook on medium low covered for just a few minutes, until they just start to soften. Mix occasionally, then cook uncovered until they're a bit tender but not soggy. Discard/spoon out some of the excess juice and place in a container/refrigerate until you're ready to make the pastries.

To prepare the pastry…roll it out into a rectangle, about 1/2 an inch thick. With a knife, cut off the excess dough (so that it's a clean rectangle shape). Cut the rectangle down the middle, then create 6 square/rectangular pastry squares. This can get stick, so refrigerate the dough you aren't working with.

Next, cut a new piece of parchment or aluminum foil large enough to cover a big cookie sheet, spray with non-stick. Place parchment on cookie sheet. Arrange the pastry rectangle on the parchment so that one corner is facing you and it looks like an uneven diamond shape. If you need to smooth out the dough, you can wet your fingers with cold water and smooth it out with your fingertips. Put a generous dollop of filling down the middle of the dough rectangle/diamond. Gently lift one corner and bring it toward the middle, over the filling; repeat and do the same for the opposite corner. Two of the corners should now be covering the filling, with a small space dividing the corners as they pass. (If you're working with apples, I recommend arranging them one slice at a time down the middle, so that they're resting flat on the pastry, or on top of each other.)

Repeat with the remaining pastry rectangles.

When you're done, cover the pastries with a clean cloth or towel and let them rest for an hour in a dark area.

Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 25 minutes in the middle rack or until they're golden.

Gluten Free Chicken Fried Steak

2010-08-24T17:05:00.008-05:00

It's a good thing recipes don't have expiration dates! This is a gluten-free chicken fried steak recipe that has been sitting on my desktop for months. It's a recipe that first caught my eye on A Feast for the Eyes; her recipe was inspired by The Pioneer Woman's. Now I'm giving you my gluten-free version!

My husband is also a huuuge chicken fried steak fan. He is very much a southern boy (well, now he is). But when I first met him, he seemed more like a city slicker--like myself. I'm a California native who still pretends she's going to see the ocean whenever she drives over any hill, especially when I'm hallucinating and dying of heat stroke in the middle of summer ;). He, on the other hand, just bought a pair of boots to wear to work this summer, has Texas paraphernalia sprinkled all over our Boston apartment, and still says ma'am (even when he's far from his homeland).

But he wasn't always like this, you see. The night I met my husband, he had an outfit on completely sponsored by Banana Republic, or so it seemed. He was also drenched in too much cologne. And I, being the outspoken girl that I was (the one he fell in love with ;) felt the need to tell him that he had on too much cologne. Ha! I was wearing an oversized college sweatshirt and Vans flip flops. I'm still the same girl, with more pairs of Vans than I know what to do with...but I have to say that Boston has changed my husband ;).

If you haven't been a reader for very long, I should probably let you know that my husband and I are only living in Boston because he's finishing up grad school here. 9 more months then we're heading back to the Lone Star State, where he's originally from. But my husband hates Boston. No, I mean he LOATHES it. And here's the funny thing that I've been hinting at: He didn't officially become a southern boy until he was transplanted to Boston! HAHA!

Now he will let everyone know that he's from Texas, and he'll say it with a huge smile on his face--and probably his boots and Stetson hat on, too (yes, he also has one of those now!). Some people say they're from LA, some folks say they're from New York, but ask any Texan where they're from and this is what they'll say: TEXAS. Not Austin, not Houston or San Antonio, but TEXAS. They're all very proud of their state :).

This post is dedicated to my favorite southern boy. I'm glad this chicken fried steak recipe reminds you of back home. I'll be sure to cook it up when it's the dead of winter and we're BOTH wearing our gorgeous long johns and crying about another dreaded Boston snowstorm! :D

Bowl 1:

3/4 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca

1/4 cup potato

1 tsp sea salt

black pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

Bowl 2:

1 egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

Makes enough for 1 lb of chicken fried steak (USE CUBED STEAKS!)

Get out your aprons, this is a messy job :).

Instructions:

First mix up all the ingredients in Bowl 1. Set aside, then mix up all the ingredients in bowl 2.

Dip the steaks in bowl 2, then coat them in the flour (in bowl 1). Do this one more time, to get a nice thick coating of flour on your cubed steaks. Double dipping is ok in this case :D.

If you've got a cast iron skillet, now's the time to use it. I discovered it's not just a weapon ;), it's also great for making chicken fried steak!

You'll want to fill it up with plenty of vegetable or canola oil--like a few cups (I say about 3-4 inches worth of oil). Let the oil get nice and hot, sprinkle a drop of water in there to make sure it's hot enough; if it sizzles, it's ready...then throw your steaks in, cook on one side then use tongs to turn them and cook on the other side. I cook them covered so that they cook on the inside. Cook until they're golden brown and crispy on the outside. Set on paper towels when they're cooked. Enjoy!

Strawberries and Cream Bread Pudding

2010-07-10T12:58:00.005-05:00

She's taken this long to post and now she's back with ugly photos and even uglier lookin' food?!

I bet that's what you're thinkin', right? Well, this is one of those recipes you'll have to take my word for because, I won't lie, it doesn't photograph well. It's good. Guaranteed to make you lick the bowl, and your fingers... and whatever else the creamy topping happens to land on, because you'll want to savor every last bit of it.

Strawberry ice cream fans, this recipe's for you. It's like a bread pudding, except it's made with a spongy cake (recipe below), and it includes fresh strawberries, and the aforementioned messy creamy topping, of course. Sprinkle coconut flakes on top or eat it right outta the bowl, it's good either way. BUT eat it cold, like right after you've taken your morning jog on another scorching hot day, when you really need a sweet reward for all your hard work. Don't feel guilty, either, this is actually pretty lean...but I can't say it's low in calories ;).

Speaking of sweet rewards, I was recently rewarded for my hard work. 21 hours of intense work. Let's just say, they don't call it labor for nothin'. Here's my sweet reward, and the reason why I've been gone for so long :).

Cool Strawberries and Cream Bread Pudding

Tastes like strawberry ice cream and cake :)
gluten-free...

Unlike most bread puddings, this is a summery dessert that's meant to be eaten cold.

See Cool Strawberries and Cream Bread Pudding on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Spiced Date Biscotti with Maple Glaze

2010-03-25T16:57:00.010-05:00

Despite the fact that their strange appearance reminds me of the creepy crawly creatures that nest in dark places, and crawl across our floors or walls at the most unexpected times, dates are pretty delicious. Fruity, sticky, chewy, and naturally sweet, dates are pretty much nature's healthy candy.

But, of course, not all of us are date fans.

Some of us prefer chocolate in our desserts, some of us choose cranberries or raisins over other dried fruits, while others just like to keep it simple and nutty. How do you like your biscotti?

I think we can all agree that biscotti is most tasty when its got a good crunch. If it crumbles upon meeting the hot chocolate or dark coffee in our mugs, forget about it! That biscotti is a no-go. I'm more of a tea drinker, but even I hate scraping up the get-away crumbs clinging to the bottom of an otherwise empty cup.

So, to avoid that dilemma, let's choose a biscotti recipe that won't fail us! The one in the recipe card below is reliable, promise. It's based on someone else's scrumptious version, minus the butter and plus a few other ingredients (like the creepy looking dates :).

This gluten-free biscotti recipe will definitely yield dip-worthy treats that won't crumble under pressure! If you don't believe me, give it a whirl!

**Oops! Almost forgot :). Amy over at I am Celiac was sweet enough to feature me on her blog earlier this week! Go check out her blog and say hello!

Spiced Date Biscotti with Maple Glaze

gluten-free

You can easily adapt this recipe; swap the dates ...

See Spiced Date Biscotti with Maple Glaze on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Triple Chocolate Fudgey Brownies

2010-03-04T16:30:00.003-06:00

Nearly 5 years ago, a boy was bold enough to sincerely pour out his heart in a Facebook message to a girl he had never spoken to before.

It was such a pleasantly shocking message, she would have to re-read, print, and then save it (just to have tangible proof of its existence when pinching was no longer enough to convince her she wasn't dreaming).

It was also the sort of message that would make Jane Austen's characters jealous, particularly Elizabeth Bennett. The girl was convinced that the boy had somehow taken a lesson from Mr. Darcy. (After all, what kind of boy refers to himself as a potential "suitor" these days?)

So the girl was smitten. It was love at first read. She decided that all the silly poems she'd written in college about love really amounted to nothing more than artery-clogging fluff, like cookies with preservatives instead of the homemade kind. What she found in this message was something much more delicious and satisfying, but it was only the beginning. This was just the appetizer; dessert would be even tastier.

This boy knew how to use the secret ingredients. He worked his magic. The message lured her in. They spoke for hours on end... upon first meeting at 2 am, in the cold hallway of a college dorm whose architect designed prison cells. Symbolic? Yes. She thought so. The boy was there to set her free...with chocolate, of course.

A few days later, this same boy walked up and down the candy aisle of a Whole Foods in a nameless city to find a chocolate bar for the girl. And this was not just any chocolate bar.

It was the chocolate bar that would initiate the start of something good. But doesn't all chocolate? You ask. (It gets even better...)

Shortly after the purchase, he would cleverly tell the girl, "I bought a chocolate bar for us to share the next time we see each other." Smooth. Just like velvety chocolate syrup melting in a warm glass of whole milk.

Ah, a next time... She said to herself. Yes, she was excited about that.

And nearly every time they met thereafter, he would offer her another chocolate bar and she would save the wrappers.

She still has them, to this day...

She still has the boy!

The girl baked him a batch of gluten-free triple chocolate brownies for breakfast on Valentine's Day 2010 because, years later, they share so much more than bars of chocolate. Let's just say that their diet might be gluten-free, but they aren't missing anything :).

How do we know?

She lets him lick the bowl. He washes the dishes and doesn't complain.

Triple Chocolate Fudgey Brownies

gluten-free…

See Triple Chocolate Fudgey Brownies on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Cranberry Oatmeal Artisan Bread

2010-02-16T17:42:00.006-06:00

Gluten-free artisan bread sounds like an oxymoron. GF bread is usually on the gross, flat-tasting and dry side. Just thinking about gf bread gone bad makes me thirsty.

Sometimes recipes come about by accident, or desperation. I wouldn't say this recipe necessarily resulted from an accident, but I did have a pretty big craving for artisan bread and I usually don't think clearly when big cravings hit. Thinking about which flours to use and how they'd combine to create an artisan-textured bread (is that a term? :) was quite the task.

I decided to stop thinking and jump right in.

So here it is. Tastes like artisan bread and even smells like it. I'm still surprised. I didn't expect it to work, but somehow it did!

I'm finally submitting something to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays! Check out Amy's blog for some might tasty and healthy gluten-free recipe submissions.

How is this only slightly indulgent, you ask? Well, I tried to keep the fiber levels up and the sugar levels reasonable; it's also very lean and butter-free. But then again, I did top my bread slice off with some butter and honey... ;)

Next post... gluten-free fudge brownies with 3 different types of chocolate (made 'em for the hubby's breakfast on Valentine's). Stay tuned for the recipe :)!

Gluten-Free Cranberry Oatmeal Artisan Bread

Smells and tastes heavenly. Great with butter and honey. Heat ...

See Gluten-Free Cranberry Oatmeal Artisan Bread on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies (Tutorial and Recipe)

2010-02-10T14:48:00.011-06:00

I know I promised to post the artisan bread recipe, but I woke up extra early to make linzer cookies this morn' and, by golly, I've just been so excited about them that the mess (that resulted from the baking, mixing, etcing) really didn't take the joy away from the whole experience! See, I'm speaking in run-ons. I. am. excited!

So what's so exciting about waking up at the crack o' dawn to make a batch of gluten-free linzer cookies? The dream becoming a reality, people! What dream? I've been wanting to make linzer cookies forever. Even before going gluten-free. But I just thought they were too pretty for my butterfingers. I thought I'd mess them up and disappoint Martha or Ina, whose shadows haunt me like Marley's ghost when I FAIL. (Except theirs are wearing some kind of perfectly pressed buttoned up pastel shirt with a semi-popped collar.)

But even they might give me at least a teeny-tiny grin for today's attempt. The hours of waiting, stirring, blending (that would be for the filling), jam-smothering, powder-sugar-sprinkling, and baking all paid off! Sure, some are a little ugly (I grounded them from receiving close-up camera time), but they're good. Yep, the husband approves.

One thing I should note, the filling is homemade but not truly jam-like. I made it more gluey because I didn't want to deal with a wet mess. The end result? Sandwich cookies that stuck! Yeah! No water was added to the filling, just strawberries, sugar, a little packet of knox, and a tablespoon of corn starch. Read on for the tutorial, if you wish :).

So that's how you should flatten out the dough before sticking it in the freezer, and how you should sprinkle it with white rice flour before rolling it out. (I like to use aluminum foil when rolling the dough/cutting the cookies, so I can just put the cookies right on the baking sheet without having to move them.) The red stuff is the strawberry filling, before it chilled, it's thick.

Roll out the dough nice and flat, it's a bit thick in the picture. Roll it out to slightly more than 1/4 of an inch. The dough should be easy to work with, making the cookie-cutting experience a fairly painless one :).

Be sure to use "nesting cookie cutters", as pictured on the far left. And... the next picture? What the cookies should look like when you've baked, jammed, and sprinkled them.

Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies (with strawberry filling)

…can also be used as a sugar cookie recipe, minus ...

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ng) on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake (cupcakes)

2010-02-08T12:46:00.003-06:00

Sometimes the simplest things will hit the spot. Don't get me wrong, the world would surely be a sad place without rich desserts or salty snacks... but sometimes (just sometimes ;) all I want is a bite of a simple and classic sweet treat. Angel food cake will usually hit the spot during these times, but who wants to wait an hour before enjoying a slice? That's why cupcakes were invented... (well, probably not, but it makes sense!)

I can't even remember the last time I had a piece of angel food cake before going gluten-free. It seems there are plenty of cookie options out there, even cake mixes, but I've yet to find one for gluten-free angel food cake (if you've found one that you love, let me know! :).

Sure, angel food cake usually doesn't come with frosting, but that's the beauty of making things at home... you can make them however you want! So feel free to experiment with these little angel food cake cupcakes. Frost them or enjoy them commando; cupcakes with out the frosting = commando cupcakes :D.

I like to use this frosting recipe, it reminds me of cream cheese frosting, minus the cream cheese ;).

Chocolate fans will like this frosting recipe.

Stay tuned... I whipped up some gluten-free artisan bread over the weekend and it's might tasty! I'll share the recipe next time.

Gluten-Free Angel Food Cupcakes

You can eat more than one of these at a ...

See Gluten-Free Angel Food Cupcakes on Key Ingredient.

Soft and Chunky Gluten-Free Pretzels

2010-01-26T17:44:00.005-06:00

It's been so long, I tell myself... so then I wait a little longer to post...

oh, sooo behind on my blog reading--not such a good blogging buddy after all... another reason why I hesitate to post.

But heck, life is too short and eventually I'm gonna run outta time and excuses! So I might as well post today. Want to know what one of my favorite quotes is? Don't put off for tomorrow what can be done today, ironic (well, it goes something like that... :).

I hope you all have been well. I'm mostly crafting these days, but when a craving kicks in... like a craving for pretzels, I find myself covered in flour, in the kitchen once again, like old times. Ah, feels so good.

So here's a recipe for soft pretzels. Soft because that's how I like 'em. The crunchy salty ones make me thirsty! I'm a carb lover because I enjoy sinking my teeth into the doughy yumminess of baked goods -- so, of course, I'm going to make a soft pretzel.

And it's not just soft, it's also gluten-free. And I know what you're thinking... it looks gluten-free :/. It does have that awkward wanna-be pretzel look, you're right... but trust me, the minute you sink your teeth into these gluten free pretzels, right after you've brushed them with butter and sprinkled them with you favorite kind of salt (and there are so many different kinds of salt), you'll find that nothing is missing (except for the gluten, but that's a good thing here :).

The flavor is there, even the aroma... oooh yeah, you know what I mean -- the tasty aroma that hits your nose when warm pretzels are near. And the texture? Like I said, these are soft, soft and chunky. These gluten-free pretzels are the most scrumptious right outta the oven, but you can also enjoy them the next day warm by popping them in your little toaster oven or the micro, just for about 15 seconds (be sure to store in an air-tight container). Yum. Enjoy!

P.S. Ever wonder why the pretzel-pros dip they're pretzel dough into a solution of either lye and water or baking soda and water? Because it helps give the pretzels they're pretty brown color! I didn't know that... but these pretzels aren't meant to be dipped. Instead, gently brush them with the baking soda/water solution (as mentioned in the recipe card below). Happy baking! :)

Stay tuned for next time, when I'll post my gluten-free angel food cupcakes recipe!

Soft and Chunky Gluten Free Pretzels

This recipe came about after studying… this recipe:

http://allrecipes ...

See Soft and Chunky Gluten Free Pretzels on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Pancakes

2009-12-25T09:13:00.008-06:00

HI All!

It's been awhile, and I hope I'm not catching you after breakfast because you haven't had these gluten-free gingerbread pancakes yet :)! I hope you're enjoying your Christmas morning so far. It's been a fun and interesting morning for me, as a joke I found dental floss in my stocking! I'm always telling hubby to floss, so I think Santa decided to play a joke on me and stuff my stocking with high quality dental floss ;). I guess after stuffing my face with these maple syrup lathered pancakes, I'm going to need to make sure I floss well :D.

Anyhow, there just aren't enough gingerbread pancake recipes out there. Feel free to add a bit (maybe 1/2 tsp more) ginger to this recipe if you really like spicy gingerbread pancakes. Have a delicious and Merry Christmas. Hopefully I'll be back again sooner than later :).

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Pancakes
*please note I fixed the typo that said 3 TBSP xanthan gum, only 1/2 tsp required :)
Makes 7 6 inch pancakes

3/4 cup white rice flour
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon all spice
2 3/4 teaspoons ginger
2 eggs
1 tsp sea salt
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 1/2 TBSP canola oil
2 Tablespoons dark molasses
1 1/4 cup evaporated milk (lowfat)
1/3 cup lowfat milk (add after combining all other ingredients together!)

So as you can see, this is a lengthy recipe and you'll probably want to open your Christmas presents before attempting to actually make 'em ;). Good news is, all you need: 2 bowls! 1 for the dry ingredients and 1 for the wet. Just combine all the dry ingredients in one big bowl and mix very well. Add all the wet EXCEPT for the regular milk, you'll mix that in last after you've combined the ingredients from the wet/dry bowls. Also, make sure that your pan is nice and warm before cooking the first pancake--let the pan heat for about 3 mintues on medium/low before making the first one so that it doesn't have that funny "first pancake of the batch" look :0).

Merry Christmas!

Gluten-Free Barbecue Sauce!

2009-10-26T18:22:00.005-05:00

Diet restriction. I don't like how that sounds. Why does it have to be a restriction, why can't we just focus on the word free when we say gluten-free? Probably because we don't have many options.

But that can mean freedom, folks. Freedom from the box, whether it's the cake mix box or the box of glutinous cookies you can no longer devour (time to make our own tasty versions!). For me, it's more about thinking outside of the bottle...

I've made a new kind of food pyramid for myself. I'm not ashamed. The very bottom, recognized as the largest section, is strictly reserved for comfort foods (but at this point in my expecting life, they are necessities). That's where you'll find an assortment of yummy foods, from homemade yellow cake with chocolate frosting to... barbecue! Barbecue is on my food pyramid, yep. Though it might not do anything for my heart, its presence on my plate certainly makes the smile on my face a little bigger! :)

Ah, but gone are my KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce days. No more reaching for the bottle and pouring that great maroon colored sauce on chicken or ribs. The only gluten-free barbecue sauce I know about is Annie's... and I'm not a fan :( (though she does make tasty mac and cheese).

I remember the first time I made barbecue sauce from scratch. It was tasty... but it was missing the special somethin' somethin' that makes barbecue over-the-top finger lickin' good. Ok, so I'm referring to the cheater's version of barbecue (aka heavenly smokiness in a bottle). But it's just too cold outside for a real barbecue (and, unfortunately, it isn't allowed at my place!).

So what to do? Make a sweet and smokey sauce for my slow-cooked ribs. Yum!

Meat falls off the bone, just the right amount of sauciness... borderline illegal, folks. This gluten-free bbq sauce has THAT mouthwatering zing; it'll make taste buds happy and bellies sing. Thankfully, I can use my favorite worcestershire sauce now because it's finally gluten-free (thank you Lea and Perrins :)! Woohoo! Just make sure the vinegar is also gluten-free and you're good to go!

Oh yeah... and make sure you've got plenty of napkins! ;)

Gluten-Free Barbecue Sauce and Ribs

The secret ingredient? Sweet apple cider! :)

See Gluten-Free Barbecue Sauce and Ribs on Key Ingredient.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

2009-10-16T16:05:00.011-05:00

OmgOmgOmg! It's... almost Thanksgiving! I have been dreaming of roasted turkeys and gravy like never before, but let's not forget about the good ol' stuffin' and... gluten-free pumpkin pie! (I'm even ready for Christmas...even streaming Christmas tunes as I type. It's about 38 degrees outside, so I'm allowed! :)

Yes, it's possible... for a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage OR a scrumptious a gluten-free pumpkin pie. Pumpkins aren't really yellow, are they? Not the one in the movie.

Who am I to question Cinderella's Fairy Godmother?!

Let's not go there.

Instead, let's go to the pantry, get out all of our flours and start baking! You know you wanna. Just check it out.

Oh gosh, you say to yourself. ANOTHER PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE! Yeah, I know... last year, you tried making a pumpkin pie from scratch (using another recipe) only to end up with a tasty but kinda mushy mess, why don't those darn pie fillings set right?! Oh wait, that was me. Hehe.

The recipe will remain nameless (don't worry, it wasn't from a food blog ;), but I will say that... after doing a little bit of research and studying recipes, I figured I'd use less eggs, a little corn starch, and even powdered sugar (since powdered sugar has corn starch in it).

The end result? A spicy punkin' pie that's so firm (not like rubbery-firm, though), you can dive right in 5 minutes after pulling it out of the oven. No kidding! Just don't burn yourself! Yes, you can enjoy your pumpkin pie a la mode, with some ice cream... Pie nice and warm and yummy ice cream? Yep, you read right. Your Thanksgiving is set this year! Anyone got a good eggnog or spumoni ice cream recipe?

Recipe for the gf pumpkin pie is in the recipe card below. These are the recipes that I "studied," (this one and this one) and used some of the spices from both. The white pepper is an extra touch (got the idea from Martha's gingerbread recipe), because I like my pumpkin pie with a kick! Those are my fav.

This is how you should cover the pie to ensure the crust doesn't burn:

Get yourself a nifty pie crust protector (not sure if that's the technical name)
Thanks, mom, for getting me one :)!

Here's what I call a pie-dome. It's aluminum foil;
there's plenty of "breathing room" between the pie and foil.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon-Sugar Cookie Crust

I loooove pumpkin pie! Like, so much that I had ...

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I'm lazy, that's why I've been gone.

2009-10-12T11:12:00.007-05:00

Gone are the days, at least for now, when I can spend hours in the kitchen baking/cooking and washing dishes/cleaning up... and still have energy left over afterward to do something else. But I've never been happier. Exhaustion has set in; I'm a bum these days, a professional couch potato of sorts. I've even gotten way behind on my blog reading! Tsk tsk. Sure, I still get dressed and cook the occasional meal, which is usually something boring and easy, but things have been pretty mellow 'round here.

Speaking of round, as each day passes, I become a little more round than the day before... and it's not just because I've been eating Snickers and lots of salty refried bean burritos (two big recent cravings). I guess I shouldn't say I haven't been baking, because I'm a 24/7 baker these days.

Truth is, I'm baking the tastiest gluten-free bun! My scrumptious little bundle will not be ready until mid May, though... talk about needing a long time to proof! I'm 9 weeks today. He/she doesn't look like much yet, but he/she does have a heartbeat, eyes and limps now! Woohoo! And he/she can move, even though I can't feel him/her. I really don't care what flavor I get; boy or girl, they'd both be a delicious treat. Don't worry, I don't plan on eating 'em... but baby fat does remind me of bread dough, hence the analogy.

You want to know another reason why I haven't been posting? Because I EAT everything I bake before I actually get to photograph it :P! Terrible, I know I'm bad. I've made some pretty tasty gluten-free blueberry muffins, some delicious angel food cake cupcakes, and gluten-free flour tortillas. So you'll have to bear with me... here's a recipe from this summer. I made them for my dad-in-law's birthday (or Father's Day? Memory fails) & he liked 'em :)... so enjoy!

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Chewy and buttery, yum!

See Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookie Bars on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Carrot Cranberry Bread

2009-09-19T12:22:00.005-05:00

Hello, Fall! Technically, you're still 3 days away but I'm already celebrating your arrival. You are my favorite season, after all! I love you so much that I decided to bake a loaf of gluten-free sweet bread in your honor. And guess what? It actually turned out pretty tasty, even though this is the first time I've made zucchini bread and used teff flour (...will be using it again, it is super-nutritious and scrumptious!).

You've been trying to sneak up on us, but the red and gold leaves rustling in the cool breeze are hinting that you're right around the corner! ... And because this bread was made just for you, it slightly captures your warm shades of earthy orange, fading greens, and even a few sprinkles of red and yellow! Can't wait 'til you're officially here :)! Recipe is below the poem...

And when the silver habit of the clouds
Comes down upon the autumn sun, and with
A sober gladness the old year takes up
His bright inheritance of golden fruits,
A pomp and pageant fill the splendid scene.
There is a beautiful spirit breathing now
Its mellow richness on the clustered trees,
And, from a beaker full of richest dyes,
Pouring new glory on the autumn woods,
And dipping in warm light the pillared clouds.
From Autumn by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Gluten-Free Zucchini Carrot Cranberry Bread

Not too sweet, crunchy crust with a moist center.

See Gluten-Free Zucchini Carrot Cranberry Bread on Key Ingredient.

Vegan and Gluten-Free Cheap Eats

2009-09-04T21:52:00.005-05:00

If you need a yummy recipe for something sweet or savory, Mare's blog, Meet Me in the Kitchen, is the place to go. Blogs like Mare's make you wish there was an instant 'feed me!' option located under 'file' right beneath 'print'. You know what I mean. I think foodie heaven is something like that.

Anyway, I knew I had to make these Chickpea Fritters when I spotted them on her blog. YUM! The fritters are so appealing because they're made from affordable and healthy ingredients. A can of chickpeas for just $0.89 and a pinch of some spices that are already in your pantry, and you've got a delicious vegan snack or light meal!

Now, I happen to be like many of you food bloggers out there; I'm always 'tweaking around in the kitchen. I don't even remember the last time I actually followed a recipe to the letter. So I present my modified version... oh yeah, and it's gluten-free too :).

Original recipe here

For the chickpea fritters:
1 15 ounce can chickpeas, strained
pinch of saffron threads (like 1/8 tsp)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
pinch of all-spice
tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
pinch of cumin
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped & sauteed in olive oil

GF flour blend that coats the fritters:
1 TBSP white rice flour
1 TBSP corn meal
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp basil
1/8 tsp paprika

For the yogurt sauce:
about 4 tablespoons greek yogurt
3/4 tsp honey
pinch of salt
about 2 tsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

Start off by sauteing the garlic in a little bit of olive oil (and strain those chickpeas!).
Once it's slightly golden, you'll throw it in the food processor with the ingredients from the first list.
Next, you'll combine all the ingredients for the flour mix in a small bowl.
Start forming the chickpeas into flat patties, mine were a bit thick, and cover them with flour on each side.
Lightly fry them in some olive oil until they're crispy on both sides.
For the yogurt sauce, just mix everything together in a bowl.
See how fast that was!

Now onto our second recipe of the day... QUINOA! I just love saying that, it's such a fun word. Sounds like it should be the name of my future pet (my last guinea pig's name was Mochi, I like naming my pets after food these days). Quinoa is a super-food, pretty much, a grain that deserves more attention. But I must warn you, first-time quinoa eaters, the secret to make a delicious quinoa dish is this: rinse, rinse and rinse again (because you want to get rid of those bitter saponins)!

If there's one food you certainly should not judge by its appearance, it's quinoa. Poor not-so-pretty quinoa. Let me tell you, beneath the little celery leaf, the crushed almonds and finely grated carrots, you'll find a funky-colored but very scrumptious grain that's packed full of protein and other good stuff.

Sweet Potato Veggie Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 tsp savory
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced into 3/4 in. long by 1/4 inch wide pieces
(more salt and rosemary for parsnips, and 1 TBSP honey)
about 3/4 cup frozen peas and carrots
1/2 cup baked and mashed sweet potato pureed with 1/4 cup apple juice

Start by arranging the cut parsnips on a cookie sheet.
Lightly drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and finish them off with a light drizzle of honey and a few shakes of rosemary.
Raise oven temp to about 400 and bake until they start to brown (20 minutes in an oven that's not preheated). You can put them in before the oven is preheated, just make sure they bake til they're just a little brown on the corners.

For the quinoa:
Rinse the quinoa very well.
Next, add the olive oil to a medium stainless steel pot with the garlic, begin to lightly saute then add the quinoa and continue sauteing and stirring for about 2-3 minutes; add the rosemary and savory.
Now add the water and salt, cover and cook until only about 1/2 cup water is left.
Puree baked sweet potato with apple juice until smooth.
When 1/2 cup of the water is left, add the pureed sweet potato and apple juice.
Continue stirring while cooking quinoa on high with lid removed until all the liquid evaporates.
When the quinoa is no longer watery, mix frozen peas and carrots and the baked parsnips and cook on low for 5 more minutes, until veggies are thawed.

Have an awesome Labor Day Weekend. Need a smile? Click here to check out a cute picture from one of my favorite blogs!

Gluten Free Creamy Tomatillo and Garbanzo Bean Pasta

2009-08-29T16:22:00.008-05:00

I have a suggestion to make. If you haven't seen Julie and Julia, go see it... but make sure to pack something tasty to snack on, especially if you're gonna watch it around lunch time! I just snuck in a little cornbread square, but that was not enough to hold me over. Seeing all that delicious food on the big screen made my tummy rumble even more. It was too much, kinda like grocery shopping on an empty stomach! Very cute flick, though. On a random note, I just found out her old home, that once housed the kitchen in the movie, is 800 feet from my apartment! How cool is that!

After watching the movie, we ran home from the theatre in the rain and scarfed down our lunches. I felt an anxious tingle in my fingers the entire time I was eating, though. Not just because they were pruney from the rainwater; I was itching to cook!

I have to confess, every time I see someone cooking, whether it's on the Food Network, Julie & Julia, or in real life... I just wanna jump right in and join 'em!

Do you get that tingle in your fingers too? :)

Ahh... feels so good to cook, especially on a rainy day. Here's a warm, comforting meal. It's affordable and flavorful; healthy but not quite vegetarian. I tried, really. But oh! Leave it to the chicken broth and worcestershire sauce to spoil everything ;).

Make sure the worcestershire sauce is gluten-free!

... on a sidenote, we're cooking up somethin' special this weekend. Or I should say we've been cooking up. Can you guess what it is? One of my favvvvorite meals :). Nope, not roast beef!

Creamy Tomatillo and Garbanzo Bean Pasta

Not quite vegetarian, but pretty close! Very tasty too, says ...

See Creamy Tomatillo and Garbanzo Bean Pasta on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Crackers and Gluten-Free Challah Sandwich Bread

2009-08-27T10:04:00.006-05:00

If there's one thing I've recently regretted buying at the grocery store, it's gluten-free crackers. I can't tell you how many times I've been disappointed by pre-made gluten-free products, especially the overpriced crackers that taste like cardboard :'(. Yes, it even deserves a little tear.

Guess what, though? We don't have to settle for this any more. It's time for us to make our own crackers! (Who knows how long it'll take the little elves from Keebler to whip up a batch of tasty gluten-free crackers?! Betty Crocker's already done it with cookies, she gets brownie points for that! :)

Even if you're new to gluten-free baking, you can make these crackers in a snap. Adapt the recipe to your liking, maybe even add a little cheese, like Carol Fenster suggests. This cracker recipe is based on Carol Fenster's (I changed the flour mix, didn't add corn syrup and made them with some canola oil instead of using all butter. I also didn't add sesame seeds... looking back, it's pretty different, I guess :P.)

One thing I might change next time? I've gotta admit, I think I might add a bit more garlic salt and Italian seasoning. But they're still tasty and buttery flavored; they kinda me of those Club Crackers by Keebler, except they're a little thicker (I didn't roll them out thin enough :P).

What else is on today's menu? More carbs! OH, HOW I'VE MISSED YOU, CHALLAH BREAD!

Now we can have our gluten-free challah bread and sandwich too... here's a gluten-free challah sandwich bread recipe. It's got a bit of a twist with the added orange zest and brown sugar. Though I like that it came out moist and gluteny in texture, I especially like that it only has one edge of crust! :P. (Shhh... sometimes I still cut off the crust, but now I don't have to. ;)

One thing I've learned about making gluten-free sandwich bread dough is that you want it to be a little more moist than traditional gluteny bread dough. Gluten-free sandwich bread tends to be dry; the many eggs in this recipe make it moist but still firm enough to slice (and the eggs also make it challah-tasting :). Give it a try... and guess what? This is easy to make, too! Throw everything together in about 15 minutes, let it rise for an hour and bake for about half an hour... that's it! :)

Gluten-Free Challah Sandwich Bread
(Large) Bowl 1:
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp white sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp orange zest
3 whole eggs
3 Tbsp canola oil

(Small) Bowl 2:
1 cup warm milk (microwave for 30 seconds)
2 1/4 tsp yeast
2 tbsp sugar

Fill an oven safe baking dish (like a 9 inch cake pan) with warm water and place it on the last rack in the oven. Now turn the oven on to the warm setting, or to 200 degrees.

Add the sugar to small bowl 2, then add the yeast and the warm milk. Set aside for about 5 minutes or so, while you work on bowl 1.

Combine all the ingredients in bowl 1 (EXCEPT EGGS AND CANOLA OIL). Before adding eggs and canola oil, make sure that it's mixed together well so that everything from the xanthan gum to the salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture.

Make a little well in the middle of the flour mix in bowl 1, this is where you'll add the canola oil and eggs. Start mixing in the eggs and canola oil, working from the inside out. Then slowly pour in the yeast mix while continuing to stir with a fork. Make sure it isn't lumpy but don't over mix.

Now turn off the oven. Spray a medium-sized bread pan with non-stick and pour the bread dough (it will look like bready/cake dough) into the pan, make sure to smooth out the top so that the dough is evenly spread out on top. I use the back of a spoon or small fork. Next, place the bread pan with the dough in the oven, on the middle rack, above the pan with the warm water. Let it rise for an hour.

After the hour, leave the bread in the oven and turn on the oven to 350, bake the bread for about 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, quickly and gently cover the top with foil (make sure it's loose) so that it doesn't over-brown. Cook for about 25 more minutes. (Bake time is about 35 minutes total.)

Cracker recipe is in the recipe card below:

Gluten-Free Crackers

Based on Carol Fenster's cracker recipe from her book ...

See Gluten-Free Crackers on Key Ingredient.

Big Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits

2009-08-22T18:26:00.009-05:00

It's taken me forever to come up with a fluffy gluten-free biscuit recipe. Sure, I made a few tasty ones in the past, but they didn't quite puff up the way I wanted 'em to. Thanks to the Barefoot Contessa (I learned this on her show :P), I discovered what I was doing wrong: melting the butter instead of adding it to the dough as cold chopped chunks. Cold chopped chunks doesn't exactly sound appetizing, huh? But I promise these are quite tasty. In fact, I was surprised to discover that you don't actually need a whole stick of butter to make a tasty and fluffy buttery (flavored) biscuit. You can even get away with using only 2 tablespoons of butter and a bit of canola oil. I've tweaked this recipe quite a bit, making a buttery version and a leaner version that calls for canola oil; both versions are included in the recipe card below.

These biscuits are big, just how big?
My hand isn't huge, but I do have some mighty long fingers, thanks to my mom. These biscuits are hefty, so hefty, I can usually get away with eating just half of one. These biscuits are great to have around for breakfast; forget fast food sausage and egg biscuits... you can make 'em yourself now! (Don't worry, I'll post a sausage recipe soon :).

So how exactly should the butter look when it's thrown in the dough? Just take a look at them chunks!:

How do you assemble the biscuits? Well, xanthan gum tends to make things sticky, so I have a little trick I like to use when working with gluten-free dough. Contrary to what I've read, I actually like to wet my hands/fingertips with a little water so that the dough doesn't stick to 'em when I'm shaping the dough; you could also use melted... butter or a little oil! I shape the biscuits into disks, like this (make sure they're adequately spaced apart, because they expand a lot).:
So other than making biscuits (well, I actually made these nearly 3 months ago, believe it or not!), I've been pretty busy! Hope you all are enjoying the summer!

I won't stay away too long, I've got a recipe for gluten-free crackers that I've gotta share, after all :)!

Big Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits

Big and buttery, easy to adapt!

See Big Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Black Forest Bacon Wrapped Steaks with Honey Dried Fruit Glaze

2009-07-30T18:42:00.003-05:00

...because everything is better with bacon,
especially juicy top sirloin steaks. The end :).

Black Forest Bacon Wrapped Steaks with Honey Dried Fruit Glaze

Good and surprisingly easy to make!

See Black Forest Bacon Wrapped Steaks with Honey Dried Fruit Glaze on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Strawberry Pie

2009-07-19T15:18:00.007-05:00

I'm willing to take the heat of summer... only because it means that sweet and juicy berries are finally in season!

This time of year I even love grocery shopping a little bit more. The blast of cold air that hits me as I walk through the sliding doors is definitely a welcome relief on a hot day. Still, it doesn't quite compare to being greeted by... a beautiful assortment of colorful berries, particularly strawberries!

Spotting a sale sign right by those berries really makes my day-ay! Lately it seems strawberries are on sale everywhere and I love it! Just call me Strawberry Shortcake. (Who had a Strawberry Shortcake doll that actually smelled like strawberries and isn't afraid to admit it?! Me! I did!)

No, this isn't a post about strawberry shortcakes (but I think I'm craving one, now that I mention it :). This is a post about PIE. This one's a little different from the last pie recipe I posted, though. This gluten-free pie crust is completely nut-free! Though I loooove almond meal, I decided it was time to make a basic go-to pie crust recipe, no nuts allowed! But I've been talking about strawberries in this post. Don't worry, haven't forgotten about them. This is a gluten-free strawberry pie recipe, after all :).

So what are you going to do with all those deliciously plumb red berries you bought this weekend? No, you're not sticking 'em in the freezer! You'll be making this strawberry pie! The crust doesn't even taste gluten-free. I promise! It tastes like a cross between a cookie and... an actual pie crust (because it is! ;). Ok, so I know that isn't a true lattice top on my pie... but it still tastes good and that's what counts the most, right ;)?!

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Strawberry Pie and Pie Crust

Yummy tart strawberry pie :)

See Gluten-Free Strawberry Pie and Pie Crust on Key Ingredient.

Gluten Free Pizza!!!!!! Yes, it's edible :).

2009-07-15T18:41:00.008-05:00

Are you a thin or thick crust pizza fan?

I like both, but it really depends on my mood :P. I do have to say that I usually go for a medium crust. You know what else? Even though I find myself craving pizza quite a bit, I've never wanted to try that crust-free pizza we're seeing commercials for again; it's naked to me, missing something very essential. I love the crust, it's the best kind of bread... and I looove bread :). But the crust does have to taste good, not dry or bland, and especially not yeasty! Yuck.

I was not very impressed with this gluten-free pizza crust recipe that I tried awhile ago, it was too yeasty and tough. But this here gluten-free pizza recipe (recipe @ the end of the post) will yield a yummy, non-yeasty medium sized pizza with a medium/thick crust. No more crumbly, funky tasting gluten-free pizza dough! :)

Guess what else is cool about this recipe?!

You can make it with baking powder and baking soda if you don't want to wait for the yeast to work its magic!

I know there are days when I'm on the verge of passing out but still really want a slice of pizza! You know what I'm talking about! And let's face it... there isn't a gluten-free pizza delivery service! So what do we do? Use 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp baking soda instead of yeast. And I'm not just saying that, I promise! I've made foccacia bread following this same recipe, I just replaced the yeast with baking powder/soda :). The leavener combo worked and I didn't pass out from hunger; everything was ready in under half an hour! Yes, Martha, that is a very good thing indeed.

Just a sidenote: I always feel a little weird saying something like, "Oh yeah! I made this and it's gooood". I'm not a professional chef, I'm just a cook who is still learning. I screw up all the time and my kitchen looks like a disaster zone when I'm baking, seriously (I'll post pics soon!).

I just wanted to mention this because I think it's nice to be candid. That said, I did enjoy the pizza. I'm happy with it, but I'm not obsessed with my 'skillz' (which are honestly lacking) or my cooking/baking, K? In fact, usually I like eating what other people make (like mom/grandma/hubby... when he cooks ;) more than I like munching on my own food :P. I've never felt judged by anyone, nor have I ever received mean comments... But I have wanted to say this on Flour Arrangements for awhile now, and I thought it'd be fun to randomly squeeze it into today's post :).

This gluten-free pizza recipe is my entry to the What Can I Eat That's Gluten Free blog carnival hosted by Linda at The Gluten-Free Homemaker :)! There just aren't enough gluten-free blogging events out there, if you all know of any others, let me know!

Gluten Free Pizza!

Yes, it's actually edible! Disappointed with the last recipe ...

See Gluten Free Pizza! on Key Ingredient.

Gluten Free Orange Apricot Yellow Cake with Orange Cream Frosting

2009-07-04T16:06:00.007-05:00

What are you doing reading this blog post?! It's the 4th of July! Go out and celebrate, make this cake. Oh wait, I guess you wouldn't have found this really moist, sweet and addicting cake recipe if you hadn't checked out today's post ;). Have a good one!

Gluten Free Orange Apricot Yellow Cake with Orange Cream Frosting

Decorated r/w/b for the 4th of July =o ...

See Gluten Free Orange Apricot Yellow Cake with Orange Cream Frosting on Key Ingredient.

Go Ahead, Honey, it's Gluten Free Event! Grow Hair on Your Chest Pork and Beans, Salsa & Chips

2009-06-25T17:39:00.009-05:00

This is the longest post everrrrr! :)

So maybe the title's a bit much, but it got your attention! I certainly hope I don't grow hair on my chest as a result of eating this :P! These Pork and Beans with a side of Salsa and Chips are my submissions to June's Go Ahead, Honey, It's Gluten Free event hosted by Carol over at Simply Gluten Free. The theme is manly food!

I have to give you a little head's up about the pork and beans, it's a leftovers concoction! The pork I used was from a ham roast I cooked a few days ago. We still had quite a bit left over and I hate wasting, so I used up the rest to make the p and b.

I made baked beans when we had family over for dinner recently. No, they are not Bush's, but they are plain canned pinto beans; they are really good to have around when it's too hot to have the stove on all day. I didn't exactly measure the ingredients that went into making the beans, but it's really hard to go wrong with them so long as you add the basics (to follow) and taste as you go. I'd say the most important thing is to remember to let them simmer on low for awhile. These beans, though canned & pre-cooked, simmered for about 1 1/2 hours total. The good thing is that they were a little underdone right outta the can, so they didn't over cook while simmering.

Monica over at Lick the Bowl Good has an amazing pork tenderloin recipe that I tried awhile ago and LOVED. It is really incredible. I didn't know what to do with this big ol' ham that I bought at the farmer's market this weekend (it was a 3lb ham, but I only used 1/2 of it, and then only used about 1 pound for the actual pork and beans). Then I remembered Monica's tenderloin glaze and I also came across a pretty good one from Emeril (you can see it here). I used a few ingredients from each recipe to come up with a marinade for the pork.

This is the Citrus Pork Marinade I used (this marinade is good for 1 1/2 pounds of pork/ham)
1/2 can of frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 pound ham
1 8 ounce can pureed pineapple
1 8 ounce can sliced pineapple, blended
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cloves

I let the pork marinate for a day, then I cooked it in the oven with the juice at 350 for about 2 hours. I also let it rest for a day in the fridge, fully cooked and still in the juice, before making the p and b. I eventually just used about 1 pound of this marinated ham for the pork and beans.

Now for the Baked Beans, this is the general recipe:
2 16 ounce cans plain pinto beans, no seasoning :)
about 1 cup of canned roasted tomatoes
a few tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 of a large sweet onion, finely chopped
about 3 Tbsp salsa (recipe to follow)
about 2-3 TBSP finely chopped fresh cilantro
about 1/4-1/3 cup brown sugar (more if you want it sweeter)
a few tablespoons real maple syrup, to taste (about 2-3)
a few tablespoons liquid smoke (about 3-4)
a few tablespoons gluten-free (Amy's) ketchup (about 3-4)
a few shakes of garlic salt and onion powder
small pinch of cloves
pinch of white pepper
black pepper, to taste
more salt to taste

Saute the onion and bell pepper in the little bit of butter. Then you can add the beans and the rest of the seasoning, stir. Next you can add the olive oil and tomatoes, then add the rest of the wet ingredients, brown sugar and the maple syrup. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes. Lastly, add the fresh chopped cilantro and let everything simmer for 20-30 more minutes on low-low :). This will make more than you need for the pork and beans.

Now for the Pork and Beans
Cut up 3 cups of the cooked pork, add it to a small pot with 1 cup of the leftover marinade. Cook on medium and reduce the marinade so that it becomes kind of like a thick gravy/sticky glaze. After that, you can add 2 cups of the cooked "baked" beans, you can add more bell pepper, onion and tomatoes if you like veggies, now you want to let it simmer on low for about 45 more minutes. You might want to add a bit more salt and pepper to liven up the flavors, taste first, though.

The Salsa (this makes 1 cup of mild/medium heat salsa):
3/4 of a cup roasted tomatoes in a can
1/3 large jalapeno (in vinegar, in a jar)
1/2-3/4 tsp jalapeno vinegar, from the jar
1/3 cup caramelized onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small garlic clove, very finely chopped
about 1-2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup more chopped onion
1/4-1/3 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

To make the salsa, first caramelize the onion, add the chopped bell pepper and finely chopped garlic. Now add the roasted tomatoes, salt, jalapeno vinegar and jalapeno. You'll throw this all into the food processor, pulse, leave it a little thick/chunky. Now you can add the rest of the chopped, raw veggies. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, you can add more jalapeno and/or vinegar to spice it up; don't add the seeds if you don't want it spicy, though :). Put it in the fridge and serve chilled :).

I bet you're hungry after reading such a lengthy post, let's eat!

Gluten Free Paula Deen Rocky Road Bars

2009-06-21T14:08:00.010-05:00

Happy Father's Day!

So if you haven't seen these amazing brownie bars over at Taste and Tell, head on over now! If you're not on a gluten free diet, you'll want to follow her recipe to the T; it's a good one!

I really really wanted to make these for Father's Day/my husband's birthday, so this past week I made a gluten free version. I mailed some over to my parent's house and they were a hit. We also had a couple left over last night and even though they were 5 days old, my mother in law & sister in law gobbled them up too =o).

I've yet to find gluten free graham crackers, so I had to improvise there. I combined gluten free Mi-Del Cinnamon Snaps and crushed Gluten-Free Rice Chex to make a modified version of the graham cracker crust. The other change I made is that I used white chocolate chips instead of toffee; I didn't have toffee :P. Because the brownie part of the recipe is different, I noticed that I had to cook my brownies a bit longer, so the cookie crust came out a little crispier than expected, but still tasty.

Step 1: Step 2:

The brownies/bars are super moist. If you make these Gluten Free Paula Deen Rocky Road Bars, then you'll want to closely monitor the brownies when you're baking them (I kept checking them every 10 minutes or so). Also, don't expect the knife/toothpick to come out clean when you're checking for doneness because they're going to be like fudge in texture :P! It's best to let them cool for about an hour before diving in, they'll stay together much better that way. :)

OOPS! ALMOST FORGOT TO POST THE RECIPE :P

Gluten Free Paula Deen Rocky Road Bars

the gluten free version of Paula Deen's Rocky Road ...

See Gluten Free Paula Deen Rocky Road Bars on Key Ingredient.

Gluten Free Peach Blueberry Pie

2009-06-15T21:04:00.006-05:00

Peaches are in season and on sale!

They're ripe and sweet, so good on their own and even better in a gluten-free blueberry peach pie... especially if they're Texas peaches paired with Texas blueberries! The slight tartness of the peaches cooked in orange juice is a tasty match for the intense flavor of the blueberries that we picked a few weekends ago.

The "secret" to making a tasty peach blueberry pie? Cook the peaches for just a little bit but leave the blueberries alone; they will cook up nicely while the pie bakes and they'll still be juicy and plump afterward. No mushy blueberries here :)!

As far as the pie crust goes, it tastes like a cookie. I'm a sucker for sweet stuff, so I like making my crusts sweeter than traditional pie crusts. I also added one of my favorite baking ingredients... buttamilk! Love that stuff.

These pies may be mini, but they're flavor is big liiiike Teeexxxaaaas. :D

Gluten Free Peach Blueberry Pie

Not so big like Texas, but big on flavor :). Made ...

See Gluten Free Peach Blueberry Pie on Key Ingredient.

A Gluten Free Breakfast Feast: Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes and Chorizo

2009-06-08T22:29:00.009-05:00

Breakfast can be...

not so fun for the gluten intolerant crowd.

Agreed?

Think about all the pancakes, the french toast, the regular toast! Oh how I miss plain ol' toast!

Agreed.

Oh, and gone are the days when we can wake up and say "Hey, I'm craving a really huge breakfast but I'm too lazy to make it." Forget about going out to eat for breakfast! To be honest, I'm pretty cheap anyway, and have never really been one to go out much for breakfast but...

I did/do enjoy eating breakfast after dinner.

I eat pancakes before bed, almost every night, sometimes I have cereal. I looooove breakfast, I don't think I've said it enough ;).

In college, I was a big fan of Kerbey Lane pancakes. If you're from Austin, or have visited the city before, you know what I'm talking about!

For some reason, awhile back Guy Fieri went to Magnolia's (another quirky Austin cafe). They featured their pancakes on the show, but Guy should've gone to Kerbey Lane instead! Their pancakes are so much better and they even come in different flavors. My favorite? Gingerbread and Apple. Like I said, I haven't had those pancakes since college, and won't be able to eat them again unless they decide to start making a gluten-free version (I hope you're listening Kerbey Lane!).

But I can't complain because...

I found these cookies! Nana's Gluten Free Ginger Cookies are the best gluten free cookies EVERRRRR! What does this have anything to do with pancakes? Their cookies taste just like the Kerbey Lane gingerbread pancakes!

Normally, I get a little weirded out when food tastes like something it isn't supposed to taste like. For instance, I tried quinoa pasta this weekend and was weirded out a little that it tasted like quinoa. No surprise there, it does say quinoa on the ingredients list. I do love quinoa, but pasta is supposed to taste like pasta. But it is okay if cookies taste like pancakes, because they're both at the top of my favorite things to eat before bedtime list. (Oh and they're both sugary! So I guess it's safe to say that sweet foods are allowed to taste like each other. :)

But there's another problem! I don't eat cookies for breakfast (at least not anymore :D) so what to do? What to do?! You make these soft and sweet almost flap-jack like gluten-free cornmeal pancakes! They have a subtle cornmeal taste, but not so much that you'll feel like you're eating cornbread instead of pancakes :).

What if you're like me and don't fill up on just pancakes?

You make this amazing chorizo! Click here for the original recipe.

I have to admit, I actually made this about 6 months ago but never got around to posting it! I made mine a little less spicy and didn't add the tequila, but it was still quite tasty. I do think it tastes more chorizoy if you let the flavors meld overnight. Marinate the seasoned ground meat in the fridge over night and your home will smell like heaven in the morning, everyone will be an early riser the day you serve this for breakfast!

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes

Soft and lightly sweetened.

See Gluten-Free Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes on Key Ingredient.

Gluten Free Coconut Cream Almond Cookies (with Blueberry "Caramel" Sauce?)

2009-06-03T22:20:00.010-05:00

There's a reason why I put a question mark at the end of the title. After experimenting with the blueberries we picked this weekend...

...I ended up with something that's a cross between a caramel sauce and syrup/glaze. I really wanted to make this really pretty berry tart that La Bella Cook blogged about, but I don't have a tart or pie pan, so I decided to make cookies since I haven't made them in awhile... but I don't have cookie cutters either! Why am I missing so many baking supplies? Because I'm out of town for the summer (with my husband, for his internship). I'm far from my stocked up kitchen. I didn't let that stop me, I used my sister in law's shot glass to make these semi-mini cookies :). I could only find a mini neon green rolling pin, so I used that to roll out the dough. Here's the evidence:

Thick blueberry 'glaze/caramel' sauce:
1/2 cup blueberries
3 TBSP heavy cream
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp corn starch
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
cook on a low/medium boil until thick (stir constantly)
refrigerate for 30 min then
melt for 30 seconds; add
1 1/2 tbsp of melted butter & microwave for 45 more secs.

Thankfully, I still have plenty more blueberries left to make the tart :). Any creative ideas on what I can use in place of a tart pan? One thing I'd like to note: as you can see, the blueberry caramel sauce/syrup ended up a bit thick. I had to remelt it so that I could drizzle/splatter it over the cookies (I did this after I lined them up on a piece of parchment paper, it was a messy job!). It was fun getting Jackson Pollock-y in the kitchen, though :). I really wanted to make a blueberry frosting, maybe next time... This recipe makes a little over 2 dozen small cookies.

Gluten Free Coconut Cream Almond Cookies

buttery and coconutttttty :)

See Gluten Free Coconut Cream Almond Cookies on Key Ingredient.

Gluten Free Condensed Milk & Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buns

2009-05-28T09:56:00.009-05:00

Have you ever spotted a recipe that sounded pretty good but then decided not to make it because there were sooo many detailed steps?

I have!

I usually skip a few steps (if I do make it) or I just forget about it altogether, unless I manage to find the extra time to actually follow every step to the letter.

So why the heck did I go into so much detail with these instructions? Because I know I have a tendency of assuming people know what I'm talking about, so sometimes I'll be really vague and, in the end, I leave out a fair amount of significant information. I'm trying to be more detailed, so please don't let the lengthy instructions deter you from making these really good Gluten-Free Condensed Milk and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buns! Sheesh! Even the title takes forever to read ;).

Ok yeah, so I've been a carbaholic lately. I admit this without shame! Proud carbaholic right here. Part of that addiction is due to wanting to perfect some of my favorite treats, with a gluten-free twist of course. Cinnamon buns/rolls were definitely a favorite of mine before switching to a gf diet, so I had to find a way to make them edible (and actually tasty) minus the AP flour.

Sometimes I feel bad for gluten-free foods, they're like the kid who always gets picked last for the tether ball/dodge ball game at recess (did anyone else play tether ball in elementary school?). These gf foods usually pale in comaprison to the star players, the wonderfully elastic and moist glutinous foods that don't contain strange ingredients like guar gum or xanwhatever.

I ate half of this one (so you could see the inside, of course ;).

THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THE CASE ANYMORE! I refuse to let it happen, now's the time for gluten-free foods to take center stage without the sweaty palms.

So here they are, the tastiest gluten-free cinnamon buns you will ever eat. I promise, I promise!! They taste like a Cinnabon (oh how I loved eating those when I was little, it made going shopping for hours so worth it), but they also remind me of a bread pudding dessert. Believe me, these were not easy to make. Long before making them, off and on I'd literally daydream about a recipe that would work. This time I used buttermilk and condensed milk -- great partners in crime, both of them equally contributing to my insatiable carb cravings (aren't they the best baking ingredients?).

It only took me about 8 batches to finally come up with a recipe worth sharing! I've included step by step photos too :D!

ENJOY!

See recipe card for the recipe :)

Spread out the filling like this:

Roll it out like this
(see how well floured the outside is, so it doesn't stick):

Cut them out like this
(this is before rising):

After rising for 45 min. but before baking:

After baking and glazing:

Gluten Free Condensed Milk and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buns

Tastes like a cross between a Cinnabon and bread pudding.

See Gluten Free Condensed Milk and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buns on Key Ingredient.

Moist and Tender Gluten Free Strawberry Scones

2009-05-23T20:59:00.010-05:00

I love berries! Last year we went berry picking in Austin and had so much fun. I've yet to go strawberry picking, but my grandparents had a strawberry plant in their front yard (and my parents had some on our porch, growing up). I couldn't wait to pick each one straight from the vine. I wouldn't even wash them -- that's what t-shirts were for; I'd stuff them right into my mouth. They were very tasty and tart, much smaller than the strawberries you'd find in a grocery store.

Sunshine and berries go hand in hand. Even though it's pretty rainy here, we're still experiencing warm weather -- that always puts me in the berry-eating mood. I'm a tea-drinker, I drink decaffeinated tea twice a day and I love having toast or something sweet and carby with each cup (even when it's hot, I just crank up the AC ;). So these strawberry scones are definitely the kind of treat I'd reach for to snack on with a cup of tea; they'd also be tasty with coffee or hot chocolate.

Oops! Almost forgot to include the pic of how the scones should be placed on the baking sheet :)

Unlike traditional scones, these gluten free strawberry scones aren't as heavy or dry or crumbly -- which is kind of funny considering gluten free baked goods tend to be all of those things. Instead, they're tender, moist and full of berry flavor. Eat 'em up (I ate about 3 within a 12 hour period :P)!

This is my first submission to this month's fruit-themed dessert gluten-free blog event, aka Go Ahead, Honey it's Gluten Free (hosted by Emilia at A Gluten-Free Day). The blogger behind this is Naomi from Straight into Bed Cakefree and Dried, check out her blog!

Gluten Free Strawberry Scone

Not dry or too sweet (actually quite moist)—lots of ...

See Gluten Free Strawberry Scone on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free sticky apple carrot pudding cake with apricot cinnamon sauce

2009-05-15T22:15:00.004-05:00

Not all that's gooey is good. For instance, you know those green bags that are supposed to prevent your produce from getting old too quickly? Well, like all things that claim to halt or slow-down the aging process, they do stop working after awhile.

Stick your hand into one of these bags when it contains half an onion that hasn't seen the outside of the veggie drawer for a few weeks and you will encounter the bad kind of gooey.

How about walking over an already mushed grape on the kitchen floor without socks on? Not good.

Gooey things that are good: sticky toffee pudding -- yum, my favorite dessert! How about caramel sauce? Yes, very good. Another thing to add to the list? This gluten-free sticky apple carrot pudding cake with apricot cinnamon sauce! A mouthful it is. I wasn't sure if cinnamon and apricots would mix, but oh how they do, especially in a powdered sugar based sauce. It offers a nice combo of tart and sweet cinnamony flavors.

This cake does kind of remind me of sticky toffee pudding, but fruity and spiced up. If carrot cake and sticky toffee pudding got married in the fall, they might have this pudding at their wedding :).

By the way, did anyone see Diners, Drive-ins and Dives tonight?! I have been craving that burger with poached pears, brie and pancetta on a toasted pretzel bun since I saw it on the show. I just might have to figure out a way to make it this weekend! :D

Sticky apple carrot pudding cake with apricot cinnamon sauce

Good.

See Sticky apple carrot pudding cake with apricot cinnamon sauce on Key Ingredient.

Gluten and Dairy Free Pumpkin Muffins

2009-04-20T20:40:00.006-05:00

It's the classic treat we all love, pumpkin muffins! (Ok, so maybe I love them a little too much; I can't get enough pumpkin!) I used sweet apple cider and canola oil to make them extra moist; you won't miss the butter or milk (or buttermilk :P), I promise.

Thank you for bearing with the occasional typos on my recipes, and for pointing them out! I don't know what it is with me, but sometimes when I'm typing out a recipe, I forget an ingredient (and we all know that one ingredient makes or breaks the recipe!).

Here's another thing that happens: I tend to bake on a whim, my kitchen is always a mess when I'm coming up with a recipe. This is Sophie-style baking: a million and one gluten-free flours crowd the kitchen counter, and (despite having been chided for this many times in my youth) I've left the refrigerator door open yet again (as I've probably done with the carton of cider or milk that I've left out for too long). Of course, I bet I've even filled the sink with eggshells (and maybe there's a bit in the mixing bowl :P)... you get the picture.

And when it comes to writing down the recipe, that's another story... with fingers covered in sticky dough, I usually grab the lonely scratch piece of paper stuck to the bottom of a molasses jar. Then what happens? I'll write half of the recipe on one side then jot down the rest on the top left corner of the not-so-sticky side. This has got to change. :P

So what does this have to do with pumpkin muffins? Well, my hubby was kind enough to make these muffins tonight (and a few nights before); he tested out the recipe a few times to make sure that I really did write down all of the ingredients and necessary steps :). You can be sure this recipe will yield tasty gluten and dairy free pumpkin muffins! Yay!

Gluten and Dairy Free Pumpkin Muffins

Butter and milk free muffins made super moist with apple ...

See Gluten and Dairy Free Pumpkin Muffins on Key Ingredient.

Date & Cranberry Quinoa and Yellow Cupcakes with Pink Strawberry Frosting

2009-04-12T14:41:00.005-05:00

Happy Easter to all!

...Taking a quick break from preparing tonight's mini Easter dinner to share a few recipes. The first is for a quinoa salad that is so so good! I found this recipe and changed it up just a bit to end up with a date and cranberry quinoa side dish that is flavorful and puts plain old rice to shame (who gets tired of having rice as a side every day? I DO!)

Date and Cranberry Quinoa:
1 cup quinoa
1 2/3 cup water
1 tsp garam masala
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup cranberries
1 1/2 celery stalks, chopped to 1/4 in. pieces
1/2 large bell pepper, chopped to 1/4 in. pieces
1 1/2 large dates, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped white sweet onion
2 1/2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSp canola oil

First make sure you rinse the quinoa well, to remove the bitter saponins. I usually spend about 3 minutes rinsing it, just to make sure they're all gone.

Next, add the quinoa to a small pot with the water, salt, dates and garam masala. Cook over a medium flame, stir occasionally and keep covered until water is evaporated and quinoa is somewhat translucent (cooked).

When the quinoa is done, remove it from the pot. Now add the remaining olive oil and canola oil to the pot.

Allow the oil to get hot, when the oil is hot (check by sprinkling with a bit of water, it should sizzle), put the flame on high and add the onion, caramelize the onions but keep stirring.

When the onions just begin to darken, put the flame on medium and add the chopped celery and bell pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the cranberries. Cook covered on low for about 3-5 minutes.

Lastly, mix in the quinoa while the flame is still on low and then turn off.

And how about cupcakes for dessert? Here are 2 dozen mini gluten-free yellow cupcakes that are topped off with a NATURAL pink frosting. No food coloring here! I've seen a few of you cleverly incorporate jello into your strawberry cake recipes. I basically took that idea and applied it to frosting. I used an all-natural strawberry jello that I purchased from Whole Foods awhile ago; that pink color you're seeing is from beets! Watch out, though, the frosting is super sweet, which is why I just made enough of it to coat the cupcakes with a very thin layer of it. Double the frosting recipe if you like a thick, sweet frosting. (Click here to see the 'jell dessert' I used in this frosting; it is also gluten free/vegan.)

MINI Yellow Gluten Free Cupcakes with Pink Strawberry Frosting

Yellow cupcakes with a natural pink colored strawberry frosting (no ...

See MINI Yellow Gluten Free Cupcakes with Pink Strawberry Frosting on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Hawaiian Bread Biscuits (quick and yeast-free!)

2009-04-05T17:59:00.006-05:00

Say goodbye to dry gluten-free bread and crumbly biscuits. This gluten-free Hawaiian Bread is moist and tender! So moist that I didn't even have to cut the biscuits with a knife before diving in! Check out the picture in the recipe card, that is one biscuit, not two!

The baking soda and baking powder worked wonders on these biscuits, they rose beautifully and I didn't even have to use yeast! I just wasn't in the mood to wait around for a couple of hours before having my carb craving satisfied, so I chose to make these with lovely leaveners, the magic ingredients that work wonders in minutes instead of hours :D.

These are fresh outta the oven, enjoy!

Gluten-Free Hawaiian Bread Biscuits (yeast-free)

Moist and tender, they'll melt in your mouth!

See Gluten-Free Hawaiian Bread Biscuits (yeast-free) on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Bread

2009-03-29T17:50:00.012-05:00

If you haven't noticed, I kind of have a thing for bread :). Toast with jam is one of my favorite simple snacks. After about 4 tries (I didn't post anything about those 4 tries), I've finally come up with a bread recipe that reminds me a whole lot of honey wheat bread in flavor (see recipe at the bottom of post)! The flour concoction consists of everything from almond meal to corn meal; it might seem a bit strange to see corn meal in a bread recipe, but it totally works here! The texture on this bread is right on too, and the best part? It toasts well! Woohoo!

Gluten-Free French Bread
based on this gluteny recipe
(click photos to enlarge :)

3/4 cup Ener-G Potato Starch
3/4 cup Ener-G Tapioca Flour
1 1/2 cups white rice flour
2 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
2 1/2 tsp yeast
1 cup water
2 TBSP Sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
reserved 1/8 cup water (and about 1-2 TBSP reserved warm water)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp cornmeal

Put your oven on the 'warm' setting.
Proof the warm water (1 cup!) with the yeast and sugar!!! (warm up the water in the microwave for 30 secs)
First combine all of the flours/starches with the xanthan gum and yeast. Mix well, then begin adding the reserved water slowly, folding it in and kneading the dough as you go.
Continue kneading for 5 minutes, add a bit more warm water if it is too dry (add 1 tbsp at a time -- though you don't want it too wet, it should be firm). Now add 1 tsp of olive oil and knead for 1 minute more then set aside.
Boil about 3 cups of water, and add that hot water to an oven-safe dish; put the water-filled, oven-safe dish on the last oven rack.
Now shape your dough into a torpedo shape, place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and drizzle with 1 tsp more olive oil. Rub the olive oil over the surface evenly, then sprinkle the dough with the corn meal.
Turn your oven off, then let the bread rise in the oven for an hour. Now set the oven to 375, leave the bread in there (even while preheating) to bake for about 20-30 minutes (I don't remember the exact time :/); it will be slightly golden on top when ready.

Now, the french bread recipe still needs a little tweaking. I mean, I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty darn good fresh outta the oven; it even smells heavenly while it's baking, just like french bread! But the next day, it was like a brick! So tough and heavy, but I guess that's the case with 'regular' french bread, too. My hubby said I should still post the recipe, because it was pretty yummy, so I'll share it with you -- just be sure you gobble it up the first day.

Also, I apologize for not noting the baking time! I sometimes get so caught-up in the baking that I forget to write down the details (even the important ones ;). I made a somewhat small loaf, so 3 folks can easily enjoy this with dinner the first day -- I recommend serving it warm, right outta the oven, pretty much. You could even make a torpedo sandwich with it (ooh how I miss those things. They are sooo good!)

Gluten-Free Maple Cider Sandwich Bread

Tastes like "honey wheat" bread but it's gluten-free.

See Gluten-Free Maple Cider Sandwich Bread on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Garnet Yam Honey Cake with Sticky Plum Sauce

2009-03-21T22:37:00.004-05:00

When it comes right down to it...
Dirty dishes are a blessing.
Having leftovers 3 days in a row isn't so bad.
Eating beans instead of a savory steak for dinner really is enough.
I am far beyond blessed. Some don't have 'bean nights', a sink full of dishes, or leftovers made of leftovers.

What's worse? Some are the growing little ones that will determine what happens to our world in 10, 20, 30 years... that is, if they can make it that far. In a country where food blogging is what we do for fun ;), malnutrition and starvation aren't issues we usually face on a day to day basis. There is something we're all familiar with, though. You know what it is. Love. We're all hungry for that.

Meet a physical and emotional need while doing one of your favorite things? Yep, that's right. The first part of that question should be the incentive. Get involved in this fundraiser. If you want to see the recipe, find out how by visiting that site, you'll be glad you did... and so will someone else.

Vegetarian Mandarin Orange Lo Mein

2009-03-13T19:05:00.006-05:00

This Chicken Lo Mein recipe from Allrecipes.com sounded tasty and had good reviews, but I didn't like how much sugar it contained and I also wanted to make a completely vegetarian dish...so I changed it up by about 95% :).

The results? A fresh and healthy lo mein dish that's light but loaded with veggies; I served it with a sweet and spicy chili sauce that provides a good kick. The chili sauce does contain sugar, but the lo mein (made with fettuccine rice noodles) is sweetened with the juice from a small can of mandarin oranges (I used the ones from Whole Foods that are stored in pear juice). I also tossed in a few almonds and tofu for protein.

So the blog got another make-over! When I was in kindergarten, I used to change my clothes about 3-4 times a day, just because I got tired of wearing the same thing all day :P. I thought that habit died off before first grade, but it's returned! Now it applies to blog templates :).

Vegetarian Mandarin Orange Lo Mein

…made with tofu and sweetened with mandarin orange/pear juice

See Vegetarian Mandarin Orange Lo Mein on Key Ingredient.

Pozole & Honest Scrap Meme!

2009-03-08T20:10:00.009-05:00

A few years ago, when I was living in California, I spent some time trying to write down some of my grandma's recipes while she cooked. It wasn't easy, I don't even know if I've ever seen a measuring spoon in her kitchen! But now that I've been cooking for a few years, I don't feel so intimidated at the thought of replicating one of her recipes without the exact measurements :). I gave her a call a few days ago because I was in the mood for some of her pozole, mexican comfort food at its best - think of a hearty and slightly spicy hominy/pork stew.

A long, long time ago, my grandparents actually owned and operated a Mexican restaurant in Southern California, where my grandmother made yummy food like pozole :). My aunt said that the only reason why it closed was because they received too much business and my family couldn't keep up with all of the customers!

My grandma lives clear across the country, but it's nice to know that I can give her a call, then, in no time, cook up something that reminds me of her. She gave me a quick run-through of how to make pozole; I used all of the ingredients she told me to, then added the cumin and cilantro, for extra flavor. (I didn't have the fresh tomatoes she usually adds; she also makes hers with chicken and pork chops, instead of pork loin.)

The results? Pretty tasty! I was so happy when my hubby said it tasted very traditional - I am thrilled that I finally have a 'hard copy' of her recipe; I will definitely make this again, just this way!

Pozole

My grandmother's pozole finally captured in a recipe!

See Pozole on Key Ingredient.

I almost forgot about this Meme! I was tagged by my new blogging buddy, Monica, over at Lick the Bowl Good! She has some awesome photos and delectable carbs, all things tasty and sweet!

The rules of the award:

Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap." Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.
List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I haven't eaten brussels sprouts since I was 10 because they left me scarred :P, I didn't like their bitter flavor! Send me some good recipes, this needs to change!
I have a strange collection of music on my laptop that I like to organize into random playlists. For instance, I have a Happy Mix and even a Twilight Mix (<---embarrassing :P!)
I feel guilty about spending money on myself, except for when it comes to food :D.
Monica made a comment about make-up on 4 and so will I :). I hate make-up; the older I get, the more I despise it and the less I wear it. I'm also done with nail polish and long nails!
Things that make me happy: a fridge full of food and cant-breathe-they're-so-tight-and-warm hugs.
I usually am horrible with names but I remember numbers, even though I hate math and love words!
I used to love the city, now I'm a fan of the quite/peaceful solitude that comes with being far from it (somewhere green with lots of trees and fresh, crisp air). I love big city grocery stores, though!
I don't like bracelets and rings, but I love earrings and necklaces - the former always get in the way when I'm cooking, like long nails and nail polish! (Shhh...don't tell! One time when I first started cooking - when I had long nails, real ones - I cut one off when I was chopping onions and couldn't find it... :P)
I really enjoy snacking on baked apples and baked sweet potatoes, I eat them almost every day. My husband and I go through 5 pounds of apples every 2 weeks. It has kept the doctor away, I haven't had a cold in nearly 2 years!
I adore vegetables but can only eat them cooked.

I'll pass this along to these 7 blogs:
Hungry Girl Por Vida
Shweet and Savory
Life is Still Sweet
Lemonpi
Hold the Gluten
Gluten Free in Cleveland
La Bella Cook

Creamy Cannellini Spinach Soup and Biscuits

2009-03-01T14:11:00.005-06:00

Soup and biscuits: what we've been eating a ton of in order to survive our first crazy-cold Northeastern winter. Well, I like stews too :). I found a recipe in Donna Klein's book, The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen, but didn't have all of the ingredients. I changed up the recipe, even added in chicken, so it's definitely not vegetarian anymore. It is beany, full of protein, and only has a tiny bit of dairy, just enough to make it creamy (I used potato flour to make it a little thicker).

If you're gonna have soup, you're gonna need a biscuit, that's the way it should always be...

More biscuits, Sophie?! Yes, I know, I am addicted to carbs... but good ones, especially those awaiting a strawberry jam-smothering. This is why I've been trying to perfect gluten-free biscuits without using a ton o' butter. Applesauce works wonders in gluten-free products, it makes them extra moist. I didn't have this much luck with applesauce when I used it for 'regular' baking (other than muffins), but gf products tend to be a little dry so that's why it works here! YESSSS it does!

You can't tell these are gluten-free. Promise!

Applesauce Biscuits
Makes 6

1/4 cup millet flour
2/3 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup corn meal
3 tbsp brown rice flour
3 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp apple sauce
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 cup and 1 1/2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Just mix it all up, dry ingredients first, and use a big ol' ice cream scoop to measure out about 6 biscuits, then place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

How long to bake? Oh nooo... I forgot to note this! I'd say bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes. (Please check on them at 10 minutes, just to make sure :P...)

Creamy Cannellini Spinach Soup

Based on Donna Klein's Greek-Style Spinach, White Bean, and ...

See Creamy Cannellini Spinach Soup on Key Ingredient.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Braid/Twists :)

2009-02-24T08:34:00.009-06:00

I made these last week and told the lovely Linda from Cooking In Cleveland that I would post the gluten-free version of her tasty cinnamon twists over the weekend, but I was a little sick and couldn't get to it. Of course, I wanted to share them with you all the minute they came out of the oven, all warm and cinnamony!

I'm so thankful that this turned out to be yet another yeast success story! Linda calls these Apple Cinnamon Twists; hers are beautiful glaze-covered twists of honey bread filled with apples and cinnamon and they're also covered in a tasty glaze. (They look like they belong in a bakery!) I took the Daring Bakers braid approach, because I couldn't figure out how to twist the dough properly :P!

You can find Linda's recipe here. I simply made up a gluten-free flour mix for the actual twists and also changed the filling a bit (I also added apple sauce to the dough, since gluten free baked goods tend to be dry). (I forgot to add the glaze :P, so I just sprinkled them with powdered sugar for the picture :)

Dessert Bread Flour Mix (great for a cinnamon roll or twists or braids...or... :):
This recipe makes enough for 2 medium braids.

(NOTE: I CAME BACK AND CLEARED UP THE RECIPE. HERE ARE THE INSTRUCTIONS. :)

First put your oven on the warm setting.

Next, prepare the 'Yeast Mix'; combine the yeast with sugar and add the warm milk; set aside and this should become foamy on top after 5-7 minutes:
Yeast Mix:
1 1/2 TBSP sugar (I realize this isn't cups but TBSP! This is added to yeast/milk.)
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup warm milk (Heat for 30 seconds on high)

Now, combine theses DRY ingredients in a large bowl (with flours).
Gluten-free flour mix and dry ingredients:
1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour (Bob's)
1/2 cup white rice flour (Bob's)
1/3 cup potato starch (Ener-G)
1/3 cup tapioca flour (Ener-G)
1/3 cup almond meal (Bob's)
1/3 cup corn meal
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp sea salt

Next combine theses 'Wet' ingredients in a different medium sized bowl. These are the wet ingredients I used (based on original).
Wet Ingredients:
1/4 cup water (or milk)
about 1/8 cup butter (about 2 TBSP; partially melted for 30 secs in micro)
1/8 cup honey
1 large egg
1 1/2 extra Tbsp apple sauce (my addition to the original)

I prepared this filling in a sauce pan over the stove, on medium while gently stirring.
My appley filling:
1 large apple, cut into 1/4 in. pieces
1/3 cup apple juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
(cook this until liquid is thick and syrupy and apples are just beginning to soften; they'll finish cooking in oven.)

I then combined everything but the filling into the large flour mixing bowl, starting with the 'wet' ingredients, then added the yeast mix lastly. I kneaded everything together for about 1 minute.

I then boiled about 2 1/2 cups of water and put that boiled water in a cake pan on the last rack in the oven, make sure there is also a rack in the middle of the oven (where you'll place the twists).

Next, I divided the dough in half; rolled it out (with a rolling pin) into 2 rectangle shapes about 1/8-1/4 of an inch thick (use a few TBSP of rice flour if too sticky). I like to roll dough out between 2 sheets of parchment paper.

Then I added the filling directly down the middle of the rectangle, with the short side perpendicular to me.

Lastly, I made two braids, making sure to seal off the edges (or you can make twists like in the original recipe). For instructions on how to make the braid, see here: click here for an example of how to cut it.

***Forgot to note: It's best to roll out the braids on parchment paper, and when you go to braid it, make sure there is one sheet of parchment paper under the braid so you can gently slide the braid (on the parchment) onto a cookie sheet so that it doesn't come undone.

I turned off the oven completely and put the braids in the middle of the oven rack, above the hot water, and let them rise in the oven for an hour.

Finally :), I baked the braids for about 20-25 minutes at 375, they'll be slightly golden on top when ready. Let them cool and then you can glaze them with the original recipe's glaze (divide it in half, though; I forgot to make the glaze. :)

Gluten-Free Honey and Flax Yeast Rolls!

2009-02-18T08:05:00.008-06:00

There comes a time in every young foodies life when, suddenly, the thought of working with yeast sends a tingle of excitement from the pointy end of their elbow right down to their dough-covered fingertips... When, upon waking in the wee hours of the morning, the first thing they think of is inhaling the hypnotizing aroma of this amazing fungi's magical work: beautifully risen and golden freshly baked GLUTEN-FREE yeast rolls!

Oh oh oooooh! The smell of freshly baked GLUTEN-FREE yeast rolls makes me do crazy things... like practically fall off of my chair dancing while listening to a frilly classic tune by the material girl, like blog at unexpected times, like talk about this alllll day because, my dear foodies, this is a very special day, indeed...

Dare I say it? Have I truly mastered the art of inventing gluten free YEAST roll recipes from scratch, no mixes or outside sources involved?!!!! (Well, maybe I did read this and also fell completely in love with ground flax seed thanks to a Baking Beauties' fantastic bread recipe.)

This life-changing event calls for a celebration! Time to get out your favorite preserves and the tastiest sweet cream butter! Time to make warm, honey-sweetened, mouthwatering and completely gluten free yeast rolls (that, surprisingly, remind me of whole wheat rolls!).

Really, I'm so happy I could roll around in rice flour! Baking gluten-free is NOT easy when it comes to breads, and I've failed many many times. But I finally looked my insecurities in the face early this morning. I said, "Yeast, you're just a microorganism, a little fungi I must learn to love and not fear... and gluten, we can do chewy and delicious without you!". Then it finally happened!

Gluten-Free Honey and Flax Yeast Rolls

These taste just like whole wheat rolls, but they're ...

See Gluten-Free Honey and Flax Yeast Rolls on Key Ingredient.

A Valentine's Day Picnic: BLTs, rice salad, truffles, and cookies!

2009-02-14T12:39:00.006-06:00

Going out to eat just isn't as fun as going on a picnic! Here are a few treats that are easy to pack and eat :). First, the chocolate truffles! It isn't Valentine's Day without 'em. I got the recipe from here, it's from Alton Brown. I also made chocolate covered pecan caramels, inspired by Ina Garten's recipe.

Second, tasty, soft and fluffy gluten free orange sugar cookies. Canola oil makes these cookies soft, but they still have an addicting buttery taste and classic sugar cookie flavor; I ate 5 in one day! Eat these for dessert on your picnic or eat them before the main course! The simple recipe includes the following ingredients:

Bake at for about 10-12 minutes at 375, or until edges brown slightly; it's best to refrigerate the dough overnight.

3.5 tbsp potato starch
3/4c white rice flour (more or less, depending on if you want them firmer/softer)
1/3c almond meal
1/3c tapioca flour
2/3c sugar
2tbsp milk
2tbsp canola oil
1.5 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp orange peel
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
sprinkle with vanilla sugar

Now, the main course. A tasty BLT made with this AMAZING gluten-free bread, nitrate free applewood smoked bacon, crispy ham (I fried it :P), colby jack cheese, and the secret sauce: Jalapeno Maple Dressing (it sounds strange, but believe me, it complements the saltiness of the bacon quite nicely; it's a mayo-based sandwich dressing with a kick!). That sandwich is served with a side of ham and rice salad...jeez, so much ham! But it tastes delicious when combined with unique ingredients and veggies, see the recipe below!

Maple and Jalapeno Dressing BLT with Ham and Rice Salad

This BLT is made with grilled ham and finished off ...

See Maple and Jalapeno Dressing BLT with Ham and Rice Salad on Key Ingredient.

Cinnamon Celebration: Gluten and Lactose Free Cinnamon Dulce de Leche Cake

2009-02-06T21:19:00.009-06:00

This is my contribution to Grace's Cinnamon Celebration! Oh boy, did I dirty a lot of dishes to put this monster of a cake together, and it does look like a monster. Don't worry, that isn't a bacteria colony growing on the top of the cake! In fact, it's what makes the cake yummy. The edges of the cake were scrumptious -- all gooey and sweet, pudding-like in texture. I'm not kidding!

I have to admit, I was hoping to get a much more 'tres lechesy' cake out of this invention (I saw thi s here recipe and was totally inspired by its tastiness), but c'est la vie. The topping makes the cake; in this case, it's what's on the outside that counts; but don't let the appearance fool you, let your taste buds be your guide!

If you're lactose intolerant but also love the unique flavors found in a tres leches cake, have no fear! This one's for you. Same goes for my fellow gluten-free folks. You can have your cake and eat it too ;)!

Here are the stages of how I made the tres leches glaze:

This is what it looks like before it begins to boil:

Boiling and thickening:

Caramel-like in color...remove from stove at this stage:

Finished!

Gluten and Lactose Free Cinnamon Dulce de Leche Cake

A cinnamon cake with a tres leches glaze and dulce ...

See Gluten and Lactose Free Cinnamon Dulce de Leche Cake on Key Ingredient.

Veggie Desserts!

2009-01-29T18:23:00.005-06:00

Nope, haven't lost my mind, if that's what you're thinking after reading the title. But if you lived with me, you might think otherwise :).

Take a look at the baked hand pies, notice the small nibble in one of them? I have a habit of biting sweets and putting them back in the dessert container/cookie jar/bag. There's a bag of chocolates in our fridge right now and I bit into half of them (I'm soooo bad!). I don't just leave them that way, most of the time, I finish them later. I simply like to take small nibbles throughout the day (unless another little mouse finishes the dessert before I do :). Don't worry, I only do this at home! I think I'm going to have to break that habit soon...especially before I have kids haha.

So veggie desserts? Where are the veggies? Those hand pies pictured were filled with an apple cinnamon concoction (crust adapted from Carol Fenster's pie crust recipe), but the unphotographed ones were stuffed with a spiced sweet potato mixture. Good way to sneak in the veggies...or roots...or starches. Whatever they are, they're healthy...very much so. Tons of nutrients.

Even though he's the little mouse who sometimes finishes off whatever I leave half nibbled in the kitchen, my husband prefers lighter desserts. So I made him a Baked Butternut Squash Fruit Salad that reminds me of a warm summer day; it consists of the star ingredient, baked butternut along with pineapple juice, pineapples, coconut flakes, roughly chopped pecans, honey, and cinnamon. I like to serve it with a dollop of homemade vanilla-cinnamon whipped cream. Not too complicated to make, so I didn't write down the instructions or exact measurements. Add as much or as little as you like of each ingredient, then throw it all in the oven for 15 minutes at 350.

With these desserts, you don't have to feel bad about digging into the sweets before meal time; that last treat could even be a very light meal or snack in itself!

Gluten-Free Baked Mini Hand Pies

adapted from Carol Fenster's Pie Dough recipe

(1000 Gluten-Free ...

See Gluten-Free Baked Mini Hand Pies on Key Ingredient.

Granola Bars

2009-01-24T19:57:00.005-06:00

I've been all over the place lately. Flying on airplanes, visiting far-away places, walking 3/4 of a mile in the snow to get to my sewing class, and I'm taking another small trip tomorrow! Life is exciting. Not much food blogging happening these days, but there's still plenty of eating, cooking, and baking going on.

These granola bars are what I need on a busy day. They're loaded with protein (and fiber!). They'll really get you going ;). Ha, well, maybe I shouldn't say that. I ate 4 without noticing any 'changes', but my husband says they're like an intestinal lubricant. Still, he loved 'em and came back for more!

If you're on a gluten-free diet, chances are getting fiber into your diet isn't easy, unless you're grazing on fruits and veggies all day (good for you, if you are!). White rice flour is in so many things! These are full of fiber, but don't taste like cardboard! AND they're cheaper than the gf bars they sell at the store! Hooray!

Gluten-Free Granola Bars

Full of fiber and protein!

See Gluten-Free Granola Bars on Key Ingredient.

Hearty Root Vegetable Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-01-10T16:31:00.006-06:00

Unlike the neighborhood squirrel that I've adopted as my own 'pet', I don't have the urge to run around outside and look for food when the wind chill makes it feel like 4 degrees. So, instead, I make soup with the few random ingredients I do have and give some of the unused veggies to Mr. Squirrel. I don't have an official name for him yet, but this is what he looks like after a few meals on my porch. :)

I hope you all are staying warm and having a peaceful and blessed 2009 so far!

On a random note, thanks so much to those nice folks who nominated me for awards, both in 2008/2009 :). I'm sorry I'm not very good at keeping up with giving them away; you all make it so tough, too many delicious blogs to choose from, seriously. Just look at how long my list of blog links is :)! I promise I will get to it before 2010 ;0)!

Hearty Root Vegetable Chicken Noodle Soup

…great way to use up the leftover veggies in the ...

See Hearty Root Vegetable Chicken Noodle Soup on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Decadent Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

2009-01-03T17:22:00.005-06:00

I'm in the middle of giving my apartment a very mini makeover and finishing up a project for work, so I'm pretty busy these days! I did want to share this recipe with you all, though. It was inspired by the Devil's Food Cake recipe in 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster. I didn't have most of the ingredients needed to make her cake, so I made these cupcakes. I also made them 'darker' and created a somewhat lowfat frosting that doesn't use a whole stick o' butter!

If you're wondering why I didn't add more frosting, I actually don't care for frosting much...it takes away from my favorite part, the cakey center!

I think chocolate and salt go hand in hand, so I sprinkled a little sea salt on top of these delicious dark chocolate cupcakes that remind me of the ones Hostess makes! Except, these are gluten-free :P...and preservative-free, and lower in sugar...

The pics were taken with my new camera; I'm still getting familiar with Lumi (short for Lumix, the brand ha!), so the pics came out a little rough! Bear with me :).

Alright, gotta go make dinner and finish up the million and one other things on my to-do list for the weekend!

Decadent Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

For the chocolate lover in most of us, especially for ...

See Decadent Dark Chocolate Cupcakes on Key Ingredient.

Savory Polenta and a bittersweet goodbye to Digi

2008-12-26T18:56:00.003-06:00

I just got back from my first trip to NYC 2 nights ago. In saying goodbye to NYC, I also had to say goodbye to my poor ol' camera, Digi! I was able to capture the polenta photo before his 'passing', though. So what you're seeing isn't a pic with the new camera :)...at least not yet!

He, aka Digi, served me quite well for many years; shooting on command, getting covered in the sugar and grease of my sweet and savory concoctions, even suffering a few accidental blows, all in the name of amateur food photography. It turns out he couldn't handle the clicking anymore. He went on strike by refusing to capture anything or anyone striking a pose! He literally got tired of me pressing his buttons; his big 'button' just fell off. I was devastated! Hopefully he forgives me for my ignorance; I have no idea what that 'button' is called...you know, the one you press to take the picture?

My husband saw the disappointment in my face and instantly said I could get a new one in no time. I knew we could order another 'button', I even mentioned it to him, but the hubby really wanted me to have a new camera (that's him!). He said this one had done its job. Poor ol' Digi was an old timer now, and it was time to move on.

I confess. After I saw the camera that my hubby ordered for me yesterday, suddenly moving on didn't sound so baaad! Check out this beast!

The new camera will be coming in next Friday! It's perfect for a somewhat penny-pinching pre-amateur (whatever comes before amateur, I'm not even that advanced yet ha!) like myself. It takes crisp photos, it's one notch below an SLR but it's still an automatic; it's also much more affordable than a digital SLR. It does have some very cool settings and I have a feeling it's going to take me awhile to figure out everything, but I don't mind one bit.

Notice how this new camera is an 'it' and the old one is a 'he'; I still haven't fully embraced the new camera as one of 'my own' yet ;).

Alright, so thankfully I have a few extra recipe photos saved on my lappy that I can share with you all until the new camera comes in (does anyone else use nicknames in reference to their techy gadgets?)! But I have to say one thing about the recipes I've posted so far...

Let me just apologize for being such a dufus; I can't believe how many recipes I've left the xanthan gum out of, I've noticed it a lot lately. Ok, so I didn't forget it in the actual dough (I'm making progress in that department :P), but I forget to write it in the darn recipe cards! I think I've put the amounts in all the previous recipes, but if you all notice xanthan gum missing from gluten-free baked goods on Flour Arrangments recipes from here on out, just let me know :)! THANKS!

Savory Italian Veggie Polenta

The idea of savory corn grits didn't appeal to ...

See Savory Italian Veggie Polenta on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men (and women!)

2008-12-19T19:15:00.005-06:00

I made these gluten-free gingerbread cookies extra cinnamony, I usually prefer cinnamon to ginger. :)

Not sure if you can tell from the picture, but they're actually minis. I only had tiny gingerbread cookie cutters, so I ended up with a little over 2 dozen men and women...and bears :). I left the bears naked, though. They aren't pictured because I didn't want to expose them on the internet :P. They didn't get the pink marzipan outfits. I decided to leave them in the nude, especially after discovering that the marzipan I used contains gluten...anyone have a gluten-free marzipan recipe?

Everything's covered in snow outside! Looks like I'm gonna have my first white Christmas this year! This winter storm hasn't passed over us completely, so it'll be nice to wake up to a winter wonderland in the morning.

I just took this picture...it's not very clear, but you can easily see the piles of snow!

Merry Christmas :)!

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men

…a classic Christmas cookie with a gluten-free twist.

See Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Yellow Cake and Tasty Gluten-Free Bread

2008-12-12T17:22:00.007-06:00

When it comes to gluten-free baking 'the basics' aren't so easy, at least for me they aren't. Desserts like muffins and cookies aren't too difficult to create recipes for, but when the topic moves to bread or just a plain ol' cake, it isn't so simple...maybe it's because I remember what the gluteny versions taste like :).

The other day I was craving a simple cake. Yellow cake with chocolate frosting, to be more exact, one of my favorite desserts. It really doesn't get anymore simple (and delicious) than that, at least for me. But I was craving the flavor of all the yellow cakes I'd had before the gluten-free life. Thankfully, the gluten-free yellow cake I made tasted just like the yellow cakes I'd been missing! It was my lucky day, and I got to finish it off with a moist slice of tasty yellow cake!

But what about bread? I usually don't have much luck with yeast breads, but I had luck with Gluten-Free Girl's Sandwich Bread that also tastes delicious as french toast (almost like a glazed donut!). I followed the recipe pretty much to the T, but I... added 3 tablespoons of brown sugar (because I didn't have sweet rice flour), drizzled the loaf with honey, cut the pre-baking rising time to 1 hour, and used a medium-sized loaf pan. Oh, and for some reason, my bread finished baking in 45 minutes :).

I've been in carb heaven all week :)...

Since we're talking about baking, aren't these Sugarbunnies too cute? My Sanrio addiction started in pre-school and I'm not outgrowing it. Hoping to find a few cute images, I looked them up recently and found their Wiki page (Yes, I actually read it :D!). It turns out these bunnies are the stars of an old anime cartoon, where they befriended a girl named Sophia and taught her how to bake! I wonder if the Sugarbunnies can teach me how to bake more gluten-free treats ;)?!

Easiest Gluten-Free Yellow Cake

Makes enough for 1 small round cake…double if you ...

See Easiest Gluten-Free Yellow Cake on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon and Cranberry Bars and other good stuff

2008-12-04T18:14:00.011-06:00

With all of those cranberries left over from Thanksgiving, I had to make something. Inspired by a previous recipe (whose creator remains unknown, so give me a shout-out if it's you :), I decided to make these surprisingly lowfat bars.

Gluten-free breakfast bars are RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. They're like $6/box! You'd think they put flecks of gold in there, maybe even a lucky charm, but nope. I am always tempted to buy a box, just to have something to snack on when I'm too absorbed in something else (like this book which has even caused me to fall behind on my blog-reading) to bake, but I can't bring myself to purchase 5 dinky overpriced gluten-free cereal bars, knowing full well they aren't worth the money. It really doesn't cost that much to make them from scratch! So why not give it a go? I finally put the book down and did just that...

It's true. I decided it was time to see what all the fuss was about, I'm actually reading Twilight. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like this book. I figured it was going to be kinda boring, something like an overplayed pop song that really doesn't deserve the air time it gets. I WAS WRONG. This book is NOT boring, it actually has some substance. I'm impressed! There's more to it than just attractive vampires that smell better than your favorite batch of cookies. (Bella, I still don't know why they smell so good. In the book, I mean, not that I've ever met one :P!)

This is as good as LOTR when it comes to biblical analogies. I'm sure I'm probably getting some heads shaking back and forth, in disagreement, right about now. I don't want to get too English-majory in my analysis, so I'll just say these few things:

1. The book starts off with a Bible verse. Instant give-away.

2. Edward can only be around Bella SWAN when he's putting his evil vampire-ways aside. (<--- We have to overcome our carnal, selfish desires before we can love purely. Also, God can't be where sin is. Not that Bella is God, but you know what I mean. Swan=white=dove=Holy Spirit.) 3. Um...let's not forget about that part where Edward compares himself to a lion and Bella refers to herself as a lamb! C'mon, lion and lamb!

There are so many more, but I'll leave it at that. Like I said, I'm impressed...and I think I've just somewhat justified my reasons for losing sleep over this book and, I confess, actually getting sad that I'm almost finished reading it. I should get book 2 by this Saturday, thank God for Amazon Prime :) (free 2 day shipping!)!

Gluten-Free Cranberry Cinnamon Bars

Festive cookie-like breakfast bars

See Gluten-Free Cranberry Cinnamon Bars on Key Ingredient.

First Gluten-Free Thanksgiving :)

2008-11-29T16:27:00.014-06:00

This Thanksgiving wasn't much different from others in the sense that I still have so much to be thankful for. But to sum up what I feel the most grateful for this year, using the fewest words possible, I'd have to say that it's for the quiet moments in which I could actually recognize and appreciate God working everything together for good. God always works the same faithful way, but things tick a little differently in me.

What I'm thankful for might not seem like such a big thing to an outsider, but it's completely influenced my perception of life and love so much that I can experience those two things much better than I could before. Ah, the feeling of growth! And I'm not just referring to full bellies growing as a result of eating too many slices of pumpkin or apple pie ;)!

So what does any of this have to do with food? Well, remember that feeling you get when you're staring at all the gorgeous platters on the Thanksgiving table, right before you take the first bite? At that moment, you're hungry but also satisfied; you know the delicious feast is large enough to feed you, those you love, and yield plenty of tasty leftovers for tomorrow. That's how I feel right now. The blessings won't run out, there will be plenty of things to be thankful for tomorrow. I'm hungry with excitement for what's ahead but so satisfied with what I have now.

This was the first Thanksgiving my husband and I spent together in Boston and as a married couple. We wanted to document it :), so I took some photos of the things we ate. I should also add that it was our first gluten-free Thanksgiving! I didn't measure very much when I was putting the dinner together, but I'll outline a few of the recipes and provide links to the sites whose tasty recipes inspired our turkey day menu :). I hope you all felt satisfied this Thanksgiving, and I mean that in every sense of the word!

Cranberry Sauce Jam (adapted from Bobby Flay):
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cup water
1/2-2/3 cups sugar
1/2 small orange mashed, with skin removed
1 1/2 tsp gelatin (about half a small packet)
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of cloves
pinch of salt
Combine all ingredients, except for gelatin, in sauce pan
Cook on low until cranberries are soft
Stir in pectin about 1/2 tsp at a time
Refrigerate and serve cold

Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese:
Adapted from "A New Way To Cook" by Sally Schneider
found on RecipeZaar
I followed the recipe but used these gluten free noodles
Tips: Use half Parmesan and half jack cheese
Instead of using all the milk, I added a bit of heavy cream and chicken broth.

Fried and Baked Butternut Squash with Coconut (Inspired by Grace :):
1 small butternut squash
1/2 cup coconut
about 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
few tablespoons maple syrup
few tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp apple cider
Bake butternut until tender (about an hour or so at 350)
Allow it to cool, then slice
Sprinkle each side of slices with coconut
Lightly fry squash in canola oil and sprinkle with cinnamon and maple syrup
Remove when golden.
Combine slivered almonds, about 1 1/2 tbsp maple, cider, and pinch of cinnamon
Cook in pan until maple syrup and cider become thick
Add cranberries
Serve squash with the maple almonds

Mashed Potatoes and Stuffing
5 red potatoes
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 Tbsp butter
1/3-1/2 cup Colby jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Cut potatoes into cubes and boil in large pot until soft
Strain put potatoes back in the pot and mash them
Add the rest of the ingredients while cooking potatoes on low

2 lb Ham (uncooked)
2 TBSP maple syrup
1 1/2 TBSP apricot preserves
sprinkle of black pepper
Combine all wet ingredients in a small bowl,
Lather ham with syrup concoction
and sprinkle with pepper.
Bake at 325 for about 1 hour and 30 minutes

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Thyme
recipe by Danny Boome

2 lb turkey breast
4 TBSP melted butter
A few pinches garlic salt
A few pinches pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp paprika
Gently poke turkey with sharp knife to create small incisions.
Create a pocket between the layer of skin and meat
Combine melted butter and seasonings
Lather turkey with butter, making sure to get in the pocket
Bake in a roasting pan at 325 for 1 hour and 45 minutes, then bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Gluten-Free Lemon Bites

2008-11-26T19:21:00.004-06:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful, the pumpkin pie smells so delightful, and since we no place to go...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...lemon bites! I know the syllables threw the rhythm off, and I'm also one holiday ahead, but I'm finding it difficult to think straight with the sweet aroma of a freshly baked gluten-free pumpkin pie lingering in the air. I'm tempted to poke my finger into the spicy pumpkin filling! I bet you're all busy baking and cooking up your own holiday treats!

Here's another little drawing. There's a friendly squirrel who always comes by my porch because I leave him apples and carrots; he always leaves the celery behind though ;). I've noticed that he, along with his other squirrely friends in the neighborhood, put on a couple of extra ounces in preparation for the many cold days ahead! I have a feeling he'd be a big fan of carrot cake, considering he loves that crunchy orange vegetable so much.

Happy Thanksgiving :)!

Gluten-Free Soft Lemon Bites

Soft and lemony cookies

See Gluten-Free Soft Lemon Bites on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Mexican Chocolate Biscotti

2008-11-20T20:58:00.013-06:00

I hope you all are having fun getting ready for Thanksgiving! I sure am :). We just got back from the grocery store a little while ago after a two hour trip! It was an eventful one, I nearly knocked down and got attacked by the entire squash and pumpkin display in an effort to rescue the best looking (and tiniest) spaghetti squash buried beneath a pile of the more monstrous looking ones! :P

I'm really excited about this year because I'll actually be using recipes for the dinner. Last year, I winged it and somehow managed to serve a decent turkey without giving anyone in the family salmonella. But I've been hypnotized by the Food Network, I now have all these cravings for things I've never even tried before! (How do they do it?!) All those amazing seasonal and holiday dishes that their cooks and chefs have been preparing has me convinced that I need to use their recipes! So even though it's just going to be the hubby and me for Thanksgiving this year (because they haven't invented teleporters yet and it's too expensive to visit family across the country both now and at Christmas time) I still plan on preparing a feast and making the most of it!

What's the holiday season without cookies? Better yet, chocolatey ones that you can dunk in your favorite holiday tea like Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride or Nutcracker Sweet? (<---Gluten-free folks, please don't drink the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride tea, it contains gluten...I found this out after drinking a cup without reading the box, then getting sick :P! ) Oh, but what about hot chocolate?! Sure, you can dunk these biscotti into a cuppa hot chocolate but just realize that they already contain the hottest of chocolate! I used a whole bar of this awesome mexican chocolate to give the biscotti a really deep chocolate and cinnamony flavor. I also added Piloncillo! Try it! It's goood! Leave these for Santa this year and you might just get that totally affordable camera you've been wanting! Btw, my New Year's resolution is to stop projecting my desires onto my poor readers, but I still have a month and a half to get away with it ;o)!

Gluten-Free Mexican Chocolae Biscotti

3/4 cup white rice flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup millet flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 TBSP potato flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 bar of mexican chocolate
1/2 of a piloncillo cone
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
4 TBSP room temp. softened butter
1 tsp xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 375

Combine all flours and sugars in one large bowl (and almond meal), along with the xanthan gum, salt, and baking powder.

Break bar of chocolate in half and melt in a large cup filled with 1/3 cup milk . Melt in micro for 45 seconds then mix with a spoon, then melt for another 45 seconds to one minute.

Shave the piloncillo into small pieces using a knife

In a small bowl, add the cinnamon, melted chocolate and milk, and egg. Then mix in the melted butter. Combine with the bowl of flour.

Mold the biscotti into a long loaf, or you can use a rolling pin to roll it out into the shape of a rectangle about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. You can sprinkle vanilla sugar and almonds on top.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375, then lower the oven temp to 350 and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove biscotti and turn off the oven and cut with a sharp knife into 1/2-3/4 inch wide pieces.

Put biscotti back in the oven for 15 minutes THEN turn the oven back on to 350 and BAKE for another 15 minutes. (Total time in the oven should be 50 minutes -- that includes the off time)

Let cool before eating. If you want the biscotti extra crunchy: After the final 15 minutes, turn off the oven and let the biscotti rest in the oven for up to 30 minutes).

Random Sidenote:
After coming to terms with my obsession with cute things and yummy food, I realized...hmm...I like to draw, I like cute things, why not draw cute things that are somewhat foodie related! So this is what I'm doing these days when I'm not cooking/baking or writing really long blog entries; haven't picked up the pencil in awhile, so I'm a little rusty, but it's a lot of fun so far :).

Apple Pecan Bacon Chicken for the Birdie Know It All Tutorial Contest

2008-11-16T15:38:00.011-06:00

What do you do when you have bacon grease left over from bacon and need to think of a fun recipe to enter into Gisele's Birdie-Know-it-All Tutorial contest?

You use it to make a sweet and savory Sunday dinner, Apple Pecan Bacon Chicken, to be exact :). So here's my tutorial! Have you all checked out the contest? It is so cool because it's no just for cooks/bakers; if you're into designing stationary, making handmade cards, or even creating your own holiday decorations, you can join too. Plus, you get to feature this cute little logo on your blog :). Click it to find out more about the contest and cute prizes!

I think Paula Deen would've been so proud seeing me use up the bacon grease to fry some chicken! (Have you all seen that episode of Paula's Party where she fries everything, including that yummy pumpkin cake? Delicious!)

This dish is tasty and fun to make, it offers afew different textures and tasty flavors...not to mention two of my favorite fruits, cranberries and apples! Yum! Plus, I threw in some bacon, the hubby's favorite food. It wasn't a one skillet meal, even though it kinda looks like it. I cooked the apples in a separate pan, then I baked the chicken, but it was worth all the dirty pots/pans/cutting boards/time etc. :). (The cool thing is that you can stick that skillet in the oven, though.)

These pictures are a part of the tutorial, please excuse the not-so-pretty yellow tinge of my kitchen, I don't get very much natural light in there! A big thanks to my hubby for taking these photos, please don't cook and take photos...it really isn't safe :P!

Ingredients:
You can use 4-6 chicken drumsticks for this recipe.
Bacon drippings (from about 4 strips of bacon)
1 iron skillet
1/2 cup gluten-free chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped leeks
2 TBSP honey
pinch of pepper
1 large Macintosh apple
2/3 cup pure apple cider
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 TBSP brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup cranberries
1 strip of bacon
Aluminum foil
1/4 tsp crushed bay leaves
1/4 tsp thyme

Instructions for Tutorial:

Preheat oven to 350
Cook 4 strips of bacon in an iron skillet.
Save the bacon drippings in the skillet.
Chop 1/4 cup each of sweet onion and leeks.
Cook onion and leeks on medium/low in bacon grease (in the skillet) for about 3 minutes.
Add chicken, use tongs to brown chicken drumsticks on all sides (watch for popping oil, be careful not to burn yourself).
Sprinkle chicken with a pinch pepper and add about 1 1/2 - 2 TBSP of honey.
Pour 1/2 cup gluten free chicken broth in skillet with chicken; cover and cook chicken on low for about 20 minutes.
Flip chicken onto side that wasn't cooking and now cook for another 15-20 minutes on low while you prepare the apples.
Peel and slice 1 large Macintosh apple.
Pour 1/4 cup warm water and 2/3 cup pure apple cider into a sauce pan, add about 1 1/2 TBSP brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Then add about 1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans. Cook on medium/high for about five minutes (without apples). Then lower flamer to low, add apples and 1/3 cup cranberries and cook for about 5 minutes (you don't want them too soft, just cook until they are slightly soft but still somewhat crunchy).
Cover the chicken in the skillet with the apple mixture (use only 1/2 of the apple mixture if you use 4 drumsticks, use all of the cooked apples if you have 6 drumsticks). Sprinkle with thyme, bay leaves, and bacon bits (from 1 freshly cooked but cooled strip of bacon) and bake (COVERED WITH ALUMINUM FOIL!) for 10 minutes then turn chicken drumsticks over. Lastly, bake for about 15 more minutes minutes. Let cool then eat! :)

Apple Pecan Bacon Chicken

Tasty!

See Apple Pecan Bacon Chicken on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Cranberry Carrot Cider Cupcakes with Gingerbread Frosting

2008-11-10T21:28:00.004-06:00

This Gluten-Free Cranberry Carrot Cider Cupcakes with Gingerbread Frosting recipe is my November Cupcake Hero submission! I love cranberries, so I was happy to see that these colorful and festive jaw-locking berries were this month's spotlight ingredient. The tartness of the cranberries really pops and gives the cupcakes a refreshing burst of flavor.

These cupcakes remind me of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Why? Well, they have the pumpkin pie spice, they've even got a bit of cider, and let's not forget about the gingerbread frosting! I was so happy that the frosting ended up tasting like gingerbread, just like I'd hoped!

When my husband tried them out he asked, "Are these gluten-free?!" as if I'd suddenly thrown him a curve ball and started cooking with AP flour again :). Nope, haven't done that, these cupcakes are as gluten-free as cupcakes can get! But the great thing is that they don't taste gluten-free at all; serve these at your holiday party and no one will know that they're not eating any gluten! These cupcakes are really tasty, try 'em!

Gluten-Free Cranberry Carrot Cider Cupcakes with Gingerbread Frosting

Tastes like Thanksgiving and Christmas in a cupcake!

See Gluten-Free Cranberry Carrot Cider Cupcakes with Gingerbread Frosting on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Banana Maple Yogurt Cake and Vintage Thingies Thursday

2008-11-06T20:22:00.020-06:00

Warning: Lengthy post ahead (not so surprising ;)!

One of the great things about going on a gluten-free diet when you have a gluten intolerance is that a few months or so later, you notice that you're not as sensitive to other foods you initially thought you were sensitive to. For instance, I eliminated quite a few dairy products from my diet about a year ago, thinking they were the culprit of too many rumblies in the tumbly. Thankfully, this wasn't/isn't entirely true. It seems I'm not as sensitive to milk products as I previously thought. This doesn't mean I can chug down a glass of milk or eat a whole block of cheese (I wish!), but, thankfully, I can handle more dairy than once believed, like yogurt. This is a GREAT discovery. You have no idea how much I love love love dairy products. I've moved from rice milk to lactose-free milk, I've started sprinkling bits of cheese on so many different savory foods I eat, and I've even started adding yogurt to my cakes. Before I began this gluten-free adventure (and it is an adventure ;) I had to take off my wedding ring because it was slipping off! I went to put it back on this weekend, and I actually had to struggle a little to get it on my finger! Thank God for little discoveries like gluten-intolerances (of course, I'm not so thankful for the intolerance itself, but you know how it goes ;). Oh yes, and thank God for allergy tests, it turns out I'm really allergic to sesame seeds! No sesame seeds or oil for me!

Yogurt does wonders for a cake! It adds moisture and flavor! I used Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Yogurt for this cake to make it extra moist without using tons of butter. You know what other ingredient I love to bake with?? Maple syrup! I know it sounds crazy, that stuff is so rich and sugary, but it adds an element of buttery flavor to sweets, at least that's what I've noticed. Maybe my taste buds are off, but I'm telling you, maple syrup tastes awesome in cakes or muffins. I don't like to pour it on when it comes to waffles or pancakes, but sneak a little bit into that batch of carby delights and you'll see what I'm talking about! I also sprinkled on some cinnamon chips and slivered almonds, this cake does not need frosting! Maureen over at Hold the Gluten had an awesome pumpkin bread recipe that I still need to try! She put cinnamon chips in her bread and I knew I had to get some right away!

When I'm not pouring loads of sugar into my baked goods, I'm collecting old things from here and there :)...for Thingies Thursday! Well, I don't really go out antique shopping that often, but when I'm in need of a new piece of furniture, or something to hold my magazines, or maybe something to hold my other somethings (as you can see, I really try to find any excuse to buy these little thingamabobs we refer to as antiques ;), I pay a visit to my favorite antique store in Cambridge. If you're a fan of antiques, you have to check out the Cambridge Antique M arket.

To be honest, I've only gone twice, but when I do go, I stay for quite awhile. There are 4 or 5 floors, I've lost count! My head's too busy spinning round and round (there's so much to look at) that I don't even notice when I've gone from one floor to another; it's like I'm a drifter being sucked in...in antique land. I went this weekend in search of a night stand. Thankfully, I found one at a great price! I hate paying full price for antiques (usually they're ridiculously overpriced) but I got this little table for under $25! (Sorry if you find it tacky that I mentioned the cost, but I just get so darn excited when I find something on sale that I feel like I need to spread that excitement around!) Now that's a steal! I've decided to buy furniture for my apartment slowly, instead of all at once, so that I can purchase something cute with character, a real charm made out of real wood. I figured, if the little table has been around this long, it's sure to last a while longer. I might've looked silly walking two blocks with it then taking a ride on the crazy Cambridge bus with this table, a bag of random groceries, and Christmas wrapping paper (Ah, the car-less life! I had to pick up Christmas wrapping paper, it was on sale :D!!), but I'm glad I did :).

As for the little lamp, that's also an antique I found on Craigslist. I later found one at Goodwill for half the price! :D Other cool items I've found at Goodwill? Antique tea cups! I don't host tea parties, but I'm convinced that one day I just might (you never know!), so I better stock up on the tea cups now ;).

Gluten-Free Banana Maple Yogurt Cake with Almonds

Good to the last bite :)

See Gluten-Free Banana Maple Yogurt Cake with Almonds on Key Ingredient.

Gluten-Free Biscuits and Chicken and Dumpling Stew

2008-11-04T18:59:00.006-06:00

**For my most recent biscuit recipe, click here**

Like everyone else, I'm glued to the TV (watching CNN), so I'm going to make this short and sweet...or savory, I should say :). I know, it's another stew! I bet you're wondering if I eat anything other than stews and desserts :D. This cold weather has me craving hot food non-stop, it doesn't get old!

Gluten-free Biscuits

Deeelish and super easy to make :)

See Gluten-free Biscuits on Key Ingredient.

And if you're a long-time Flour Arrangements reader, you're probably not surprised to see biscuits. But This time, they're gluten-free! Big difference: more flours, a little bit of sugar, and the star ingredient: xanthan gum! The Gluten-Free Girl posted a tasty recipe for buttermilk biscuits that I wanted to make, but I didn't have all the ingredients, so I had to improvise. (I ended up eating half of them in one night! :) The stew has dumplings, but I can't get enough carbs, so why not have chicken and dumplings AND gluten-free biscuits?! Sounds like a tasty combo to me. This isn't just any ol' chicken and dumplings meal either, I added veggies to the stew. I tried to make it as hearty and nutritious as possible.

I've been thinking about something, I'm going to change Flour Arrangements up a bit. Not really change it, more like spice it up. I know how frustrating it can be to not be able to gluten-free recipe online; I can imagine how much harder it is to find recipes for other allergy=related diets. Purchasing specialty foods can get expensive, too, so that's why I've resorted to making almost everything from scratch. I know I'm not the only one. This is why I'd like to extend this invitation to you all: If there is a dessert/savory dish that you're craving, and you're on a special diet and can't find a recipe for it, I'll try to make up a recipe for you. I can't promise that I'll get it to you right away, but I'll do my best :). (Please just don't ask me to make basil cupcakes ;)!

...so much for a short and sweet post :P!

Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumpling Stew

Tasty on a cold day :)

See Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumpling Stew on Key Ingredient.

Daring Bakers October: Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

2008-10-29T08:09:00.006-05:00

CLICK HERE FOR A BETTER RECIPE!!!!

I cheated a little and chose to adapt this recipe I found on ABC news :P. I noticed the DB challenge recipe would make enough dough for 4 small pizzas and I just didn't want to eat that much pizza :). Strange as it may sound, I found that this crust I adapted came out tasting like it was made with whole wheat! At first I thought it was the millet flour. After using millet flour to bake cookies last night, and even muffins over the weekend, I'm now convinced it wasn't that (or the rice flour, or potato flour, I've baked with those and know they don't have a 'wheat' flavor).

But...after talking to Alexa from Artsy-Foodie (who's been sweet enough to answer quite a few of my gluten-free baking questions :), I'm convinced it was the yeast. The original recipe called for 1 TBSP and I think that was way too much for a little personal pan pizza :P. I think 1/2 TBSP or even 2 tsps would've been fine. Does anyone else know what it could've been that gave this gluten-free pizza crust a wheaty flavor?

Oops, almost forgot! As for the second version of the pizza, I experimented just with the crust. I figured since it was my first gluten-free pizza crust, I should really spend time on the crust. I made the first crust very thin, adding more flour and even gelatin and the exact amount of xanthan gum that the recipe called for. I found the first crust was too tough, so I decreased the amount of xanthan gum, added less flour, and decided not to use the gelatin. The crust was much softer the second time around (and that's the pizza that's pictured in both photos :).

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Not sure what it is, but this crust tastes like ...

See Gluten-Free Pizza Crust on Key Ingredient.

Breakfast and Lunch: Gluten-Free Pancakes and Stew

2008-10-25T18:13:00.006-05:00

Pancakes: My favorite food. Wait! I also like french toast...ok. So...

BREAKFAST: My favorite meal!

Oh...but a well-made Thanksgiving meal is heaven on Earth, so it's a close second.

Alright then, I'll sum it up like this: I adore food, all kinds. And so do you, that's why you're reading this!

I'm not the type that'll splurge on anything, really. Nearly everything I buy is on sale; material things just don't mean that much to me (unless it's an antique! My guilty pleasure = antique shopping...but that doesn't count, right!). I guess some would say that food doesn't matter; they'll say food is food, but I really can't say that. At all. Food isn't just food. If you're ingesting it, it should be good for you...and it should taste good too!

Gluten-Free Pancakes

Lots of ingredients but they all contribute to making these ...

See Gluten-Free Pancakes on Key Ingredient.

Some foods are extra special, though. Like buttery gluten-free pancakes with real maple syrup on top (Real maple syrup! The fake stuff doesn't taste half as good! Oh, and by the way, it took me forever to come up with a gluten-free pancake recipe! You'd think it'd be easy but it isn't!). And who doesn't love waking up to the smell of...stew! Yes, I bet you thought I was going to say pancakes! Of course I love waking up to the smell of pancakes, but I also love waking up to the smell of a lamb shank stew magically coming together in my crock-pot with leeks and onions and garlic and muscat wine and...

As soon as the aroma hits my nose, I know it's ready. It's been cooking for 8 hours, so the meat has to be tender. When my appetite's gotten the best of me,I jump out of bed to see if I'm right... yep, the meat is falling off the bone. Now I need to finish it off on the stove and add the final round of ingredients: tomato sauce, veggies, a few spices, and (of course) a little more time. 30 minutes of simmering does the trick.

This is a tasty stew, but you'll have to wait for lunch to try it because you've gotta try the pancakes first. Actually, nevermind! Eat the stew for breakfast and have the pancakes for dinner!

Lamb Shank Stew with Veggies and Muscat Wine

The crock-pot does all the hard work ;)...the rest is ...

See Lamb Shank Stew with Veggies and Muscat Wine on Key Ingredient.

Apple Picking, Apple Stuffing, and Apple Pie...& I'm still not tired of apples

2008-10-16T19:17:00.014-05:00

Last weekend we went apple picking. It was SO MUCH FUN! The weather was perfect; the sun was shining, the air was crisp and sooo clean. The apple farm was packed with families and kiddos, but we still managed to collect enough plump and juicy apples to last us about two weeks. Did I mention how gorgeous it was? I felt like I was walking through a life-sized postcard all day!

Now how about that pie. I recently met a gluten-free blogger who asked me if I'd ever made a gluten-free pie. Though I have made a gluten-free pie, I hadn't made one completely from scratch (as far as the crust goes), so I promised to post a 100% from-scratch pie recipe. I have to say, this pie was delicious; I have a feeling it has to do with using freshly picked Mass. apples (last time I made a blueberry pie with the berries we picked, it made a huge difference in the pie's taste). They are delicious and crunchy; there's nothing worse than a mushy apple. I used Macintosh apples and sprinkled them with the juice of half a lemon to add a bit more tartness, it counteracted the sweetness of the pie quite nicely. I think this recipe's a keeper, tell me what you think!

MINI :) Gluten-free Apple Spice Pie

Soooo good!

See MINI :) Gluten-free Apple Spice Pie on Key Ingredient.

All this talk about the Fall is making me crave Thanksgiving food! I mentioned before that I wanted to make a stuffing, so this weekend I made a gluten-free apple stuffing (using the apples we picked, of course, we have so many!). It was tasty but for some reason it came out tasting like...tamales! Tamales? Yep. I think it's the funky cornmeal I used... Anyhow, next time I plan on using better cornmeal and I also plan on only roughly chopping the veggies. It's hard to tell (because my food processor works so well and I'm still trying to figure out how to use it) but there are quite a bit of veggies in the stuffing.

Gluten-free Cornbread Apple and Veggie Stuffing

Yummy and tamale-flavored stuffing. Strange but true.

See Gluten-free Cornbread Apple and Veggie Stuffing on Key Ingr edient.

I'll leave (no pun intended :P) you all with these photos of the verrrrry Falllish Massachusetts countryside. I almost forgot to mention, some of the photos are from Walden Pond (think Thoreau, if that doesn't ring a bell). GORGEOUS! Can I build a cabin here, too? I won't write about ant piles, I promise. Oh wait, it isn't winter yet...I'll probably change my mind when it's 7 degrees outside ;)...or maybe not! Have any of you ever danced in the snow before? I'm a weirdo from California who was fried by the sweltering Texas sun, so that's what I'll be doing during the first snowfall ;).

Barbecued Boston Baked Chili Beans and Sweet Potato Cinnamon Muffins

2008-10-09T19:57:00.003-05:00

No Thingies Thursday this week! Instead, I'm posting 2 recipes :)!

What happens when a Californian moves to Texas where she marries her Southern-food-loving lover right before they trek off to Boston? No, not a culture-shock induced lobotomy...a really fantastic chili bean recipe! (Or is it chili beans recipe?)

I'm sure you're familiar with most Texan's love of barbecue, and you've probably heard of Boston baked beans, but how does California fit into this beany equation? Well, California is where I was born and raised until mid high school. It's where my mom used to crave chili beans when she was pregnant with me and where my parents used to sneak veggies into my chili so that I would eat them. Yes, it's odd. Chili was one of my favorite foods as a kiddo, but I hated veggies (sometimes I'd even cover them in ketchup, ewww!), so my parents would sneak them into my chili and hope that (after covering said chili with tons of cheese and sour cream) I wouldn't notice the little specks of green here and there...I did. The good news is, I now love veggies and I still love chili!

Barbecued Boston Baked Chili Beans

A Californian's take on a Southern recipe with a ...

See Barbecued Boston Baked Chili Beans on Key Ingredient.

Chili doesn't always love me, though. My digestive system has geriatric mannerisms these days. Oh, I know all about hearburn and bile reflux, thanks to the absence of my gallbladder. So I try not to make it too spicy. Still, it's yummy comfort food, and it's also a food that reminds my hubby of back home, aka Texas. So, it's become a sort of comfort food to him too. But I wanted to make these beens extra special for my little Southerner, so I added liquid smoke, it's the answer to every Texan-transplanted-to-Boston's prayer. (Now, does the apostrophe go after Texan or Boston? I think it's Boston's, but that looks really awkward. Gosh, there goes that handy English degree!)

Ok...because a meal just isn't complete without dessert, I also made Sweet Potato Muffins. Boy, they are tasty! Honestly, I was impressed with their non-gluten-free texture, but they are very much gluten-free and butter/milk free. I actually feel bad about posting them after the chili, but I didn't have a fun story to go with the muffin recipe... You know, I don't even want to talk about how good they are because I want you to make them yourself, give 'em a try! Seriously, a great Thanksgiving/Fall treat. Oh, but if you do make 'em, make sure you have them right after the chili; now that's what comfort food's all about!

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Muffins

A dairy and gluten free muffin that doesn't taste ...

See Sweet Potato Cinnamon Muffins on Key Ingredient.

Thingies Thursday and Cranberry and Brown Sugar Pinwheels

2008-09-30T22:08:00.023-05:00

Is it just me, or is this year flying by? I nearly forgot about September's Daring Bakers challenge, and when I remembered, it was too late to bake the crackers. (I'm posting this a bit early because I know I won't have time to work on this entry tomorrow!) I will attempt last month's challenge some time soon, though, especially since we had the option of doing a gluten-free version of the recipe :).

Gluten-free crackers can be expensive. Up to $5 for a small box! I've never appreciated the ability to make my own food more than I do now. Despite the fact that I wasn't able to make the crackers before the DB posting date, I'm grateful to the Daring Bakers for selecting a cracker recipe that could easily be made gluten-free or vegan. Not only was it a nice surprise, but it was a fun way to introduce foodies to unique diets that can literally be life-changing for some.

Speaking of changing, we're slowly starting to see some colorful Fall foliage here in Boston. The mornings are more refreshing and definitely on the cooler side. I've unpacked my sweaters and I'm finding ways to stay warm that don't involve my rickety radiator! Here are some photos of the area :).

About a week ago, around 3 AM, the apartment complex decided to give the radiators their first trial run of the year. It was a cool night but I woke up feeling a little sweaty and a lot freaked out. I couldn't figure out why it felt like I was standing outside on a hot August day in Texas while lying in bed on a very cold night in Boston.

Because I was half-asleep, I thought the apartment was on fire...I even got up to look for the flames, but it was just the radiator! It blasts intense heat for about a half hour every 4 hours when the apartment gets cold. Since it turns on very infrequently, when it does come on, it releases enough heat to keep a room warm for oh...about a day or two! It's not exactly very discreet either. I recently purchased a down comforter, thinking I was going to freeze without it, but my rickety radiator won't let that happen. I might have dark circles under my eyes on the coldest days of the year, but at least I'll be warm!

Now, I can't think of a better way to stay warm than with baking cookies! Still celebrating the flavors of the season and up and coming holiday season, I made spiral cookies with cranberries and a brown sugar filling. Lately, I just can't get enough cranberries. I'm craving them so much that I'm going to make stuffing tomorrow just so the cranberry sauce I purchased this weekend doesn't feel lonely :)! I know a lot of people don't like it, but I'm not sure how most folks feel about dried cranberries, or craisins. I love their tart flavor, it really balances out the sweetness of these cookies.

Cranberry and Brown Sugar Pinwheels

Warm and slightly tart from the cranberries, these cookies are ...

See Cranberry and Brown Sugar Pinwheels on Key Ingredient.

Now moving on to this week's award. You all make it so tough to choose a winner! Not only do most of you already have these awards, but there are also quite a few fun blogs that are just getting started! Before I pass this award along, there are two bloggers I'd like to thank: Michele of My Italian Gran dmother and LK of Food for Tots!

VeggieGirl: A dedicated blogger who has a fun writing style and exciting life as a talented dancer!
Taste and Tell: Her photos are always so polished and delicious :)!
A Southern Grace: Engaging readers with her yummy recipes and sense of humor; never a dull post!

Thingies Thursday:
I love old cookbooks for a couple of reasons, they're fun to look at and add spice and color to a bookshelf. I also get a kick out of the illustrations. A little silly at times, they're generally pretty entertaining. I scanned the fudge recipe from this 1950s cookbook, but this same book includes a tuna casserole recipe that comes with a comedic/borderline disturbing illustration. The boy is feeding his party-hat-wearing pet tuna spoonfuls of tuna casserole! Hmm...I leave you with these milder photos. Until next time, let's not feed our pets anything remotely resembling a member of their same species :D!

Baked Apple Cider French Toast with Apple Bread

2008-09-25T21:52:00.009-05:00

Take a look at how long this recipe is! Content wise, this is going to be a brief post; I'll let the recipe do all the talking this time :). It took me awhile to type it out! Because it's so long, and because I promised to give out a few awards today (I'll just be handing out one this evening, I need to find a way to get back some of the links I lost!), I'm skipping Thingies Thursday this week. Sheesh, I'm even getting behind with posting recipes, I have 2 more of those to post as well. (Scroll down to see the awards. :)

This made-up recipe uses gluten-free apple bread and some of my favorite spices. I had some bread left over from an earlier kitchen adventure and I'm always craving breakfast foods, so I made french toast. Of course, it gives a brief nod to some fall flavors...(I just can't get over how beautiful it is here in Boston during the fall, and this is just the beginning). Anyhow, I love the smell of apples and cinnamon, so I added a good amount of those ingredients. The cider I used is local and sooo sooo delicious. The baked french toast tastes like apple pie! This recipe is definitely a lengthy one, but the results are worth all the mixing and measuring :)!

INGREDIENTS

For the Apple Bread
1 cup bread mix (this mix is from the book Gluten-free Baking Classics; a 2 cup mix consists of 2/3 cup millet flour, 1/3 cup sorghum flour, 1/6 part corn starch, 1/6 parts potato starch, 1/6 part tapioca flour)

For the rest of the bread:
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp apple pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup lowfat milk
2 eggs
4 TBSP honey
1/4 hot apple juice
1 large fuji apple, cut into cubes
2 1/2 tsp yeast
3 TBSP canola oil

For the french toast:
Bottom layer:
10 slices of bread
1/4 apple cider
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup vanilla rice milk
1/2 cup white rice flour
1 uncooked but scrambled egg

For the apple layer:
1/2 cup apple cider
2/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp white rice flour

For the top layer:
1 1/2 TBSP melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 TBSP apple cider

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Bread:
Combine all the flours, xanthan gum, gelatin, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Mix well.

In another large bowl, combine brown sugar, apple pie spice, honey, milk, apple juice, and canola oil.

In a small bowl, scramble eggs.

Mix the eggs in with the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth. Pour these ingredients into the flour bowl slowly, folding in the wet ingredients until dough is formed.

Put bread dough in a greased 9" loaf pan. Cover with a clean cloth and let the dough rise for an hour in a dark room.

Bake bread in a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered. Then cover pan with foil and bake for another 35-40 minutes. Allow bread to cool.

You can make the french toast the next morning, it's best to refrigerate the bread.

For the french toast:
Line a 9 inch nonstick cake pan with bread slices.

Get a medium sized bowl. Scramble the egg in the bowl, then add the cider and milk. Slowly mix in the rice flour. Stir until smooth then add the powdered sugar in the same way. Pour the mixture over the apple bread. Set aside.

For the apple layer:
Slice apples into wedges, about 1/2 inch thick. In a sauce pan, add the apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix on low heat for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Slowly mix in the rice flour. Once the liquid mixture is smooth, add the apple slices and cook over a medium/low flame until the mix is thickened and concentrated, will have a molasses-like texture.

For the top layer:
Melt butter. Combing butter with apple cider in a medium sized bowl. Mix in rice flour, then add the brown sugar. Should have a thick and somewhat grainy texture.

Assembling the french toast before baking:
Pour the apple layer over the saturated bread, make sure the apples are well distributed over the bread, level with a fork. 'Crumble' or set the top layer over the apples, level this top layer as well.

Bake the bread in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes. Allow the french toast to cool slightly, but eat warm :). Store in refrigerated covered in foil. Serve in bowls the next day, heat in microwave for about 30 seconds before serving.

Thanks so much, My Life is Yummy for the Yum-Yum Blog Award! I'd now like to pass this award along to:
SnookyDoodle: She has the cutest desserts. All of them are made with so much love and care, and take a look at her cupcakes! Her blog is pure eye candy :).
Feeding Maybelle: Her food is fresh and tasty, not to mention nicely photographed. Her recipes are so inspiring!
Meet Me in the Kitchen: Everything she makes makes my mouth water! Her blog is a yummy buffet for the senses!
Honeyed Hashette: This is a sweet gal who knows how to make a sweet cupcake. She's the cupcake master!
Healthy Indulgences: Healthy gluten-free recipes that are oh so tasty and sugar-free? Wow! Very Impressive :).

Ok, folks, 2 more awards to give away! Stay tuned :).