Shrimp and Lemon-Herb Chicken Kabobs

It's time for "What Can I Eat That's Gluten Free?"

hosted by Linda at

The Gluten Free Homemaker.

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While I was at Costco a few days ago, I saw they were selling small peppers by the bag. I don't normally fix peppers for anything. My husband can't stand them. He says it's because of the many years he ate in the chowhall while in the military and green peppers were a filler for everything.

Despite my dear one's taste buds, those peppers gave me the urge to buy some shrimp and make kabobs. I suppose you can skewer just about any meat or veggie. I'm personally not fond of tomatoes cooked in this fashion so I limited my "victims" to peppers, lemon-herb chicken, shrimp, onion (ooo, I love cooked onion), and pineapple chunks.

This is what I needed for about 24 kabobs:
3 large chicken breasts, cut up in small cubes and marinate in lemon-herb sauce (recipe below)
If you can cut the chicken when it is still a little frozen it is SO much easier!
40 or so large, raw shrimp
1 can of pineapple chunks
15 small peppers
one onion cut in wedges
Skewers

Before "skewering", thaw out your frozen shrimp and marinate the chicken pieces 1-2 hours before grilling.

Lemon-Herb Marinade: (This is what I needed to coat the chicken pieces. Make up at least 2 times this amount if wanting to cook 4 whole chicken breasts)

1 large lemon squeezed into a bowl (yes, fresh is really better!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced onion

Cook over a low-heat grill. I can't stress this enough, because overdone kabobs aren't real tasty. I served these tasty Bobs with rice and a salad of spinach leaves and fresh tomato.
Enjoy!
Debbie

"Regular" Recipes and a Little Inspiration

It's feast or famine with me and baking. In fact, I'm a lot like that with most things. I have moments of great accomplishments and being a busy bee. Those are punctuated with moments (and days) of feeling very lazy. Well, I can't be too lazy with two little boys, but you know what I mean. I get them fed, dressed, make dinner, do the dishes, read a story and play a bit, but beyond that I try my best to do nothing.

I've been in the "feast" stage of baking lately. I'm wanting to make new things (and some old things). I also want to encourage you to stop by a "regular" good blog and get some ideas there as well. If you are well versed on what ingredients are GF or not, then you might be able to modify some things and come up with a new GF dish. Remember to use a GF mix of some sort or make sure to use starch and not just flour. For instance, if the regular recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups flour, then you might use 3/4 cup rice flour and 3/4 tapioca flour. Or, you might use 1/2 cup sorghum flour, 1/2 cup corn starch, and 1/2 cup tapioca flour. Such is the life with GF Baking - you have to be willing to experiment. And what ever you do - write down how you modified the recipe. If it's a winner, you want to replicate it! Don't forget to add xanthan or guar gum - I always add about a teaspoon unless I want some "chew" - then I add a couple of teaspoons. The xanthan gum doesn't just help hold it together, it helps it to rise as well!

I found a great recipe that I was able to modify. It was on the "Not GF Blog" I have listed on my sidebar: Mennonite Girls Can Cook. It's called "Raspberry Slice". (This site also has a category of GF recipes also). I made up some gluten free graham crackers first for this recipe. I actually needed close to three cups for the base. I'm not sure how it would have turned out with the 1 1/4 cups they called for but it seemed too greasy to set up and harden. I also didn't have any raspberries, so I used some fresh strawberries and frozen blackerries. Be careful when adding the frozen fruit to the jello mix. It will set up real quick. You'll need to catch it before it sets all the way so you can spread it over the cream cheese layer. I also used a couple cups of cool whip for the topping. It was really delicious and I highly recommend it. It was fine the next day also so this is one you can make slightly ahead.

What "regular" recipes have you modified and been successful with?

Sloppy Hearts

I decided to make Sloppy Joe's on Valentine's Day. Yes, I used to celebrate Valentine's Day with my husband over a filet mignon (just the two of us). However, things have changed and while my oldest son is a pretty good eater and not too picky, I do try to create dinners he will love as well. Although I must say, he would have been just as ecstatic over a great cut of beef. My son is 5 and a carnivore just like us:).


Instead of making burger buns for this event, I decided to make it more like a casserole and add biscuits on top - heart shaped ones, of course! I only wish I had taken a picture of the dish as it came out of the oven so you could see the hearts. Of course, you can use a regular biscuit cutter or any shape you like. We didn't eat it all the first night and I was skeptical about how well it would fare overnight. I almost took the biscuits off the top so they wouldn't get soggy. But, being the lazy-bones that I am at times, I decided to put the lid back on the casserole dish and put in the fridge. To my delight, the biscuits didn't get soggy and it reheated great. In fact, I think it was one of those dinners that tasted better the second night.

Below is a basic recipe for making a Sloppy Joe mix and Carol Fenster's Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe. If you never make Sloppy Joe's with the biscuits, at least try her recipe for them. I used to think a good biscuit recipe was a bit like the Holy Grail. These are hands down the best I've ever eaten (GF, that is!).


By the way, I would have taken a picture of the entire casserole when it came out of the oven, but we had already carved our way through half of it when it occurred to me, "Hey, this would make a good post!" So, I scooped one heart out of the pan and took this shot.

Happy Eating!
Debbie


Sloppy Joe Mix
Dice 1 onion and cook with 2 pounds of ground beef
Add 1 clove garlic and cook a few minutes more
Mix the following and then add to the above:
1 1/2 cups ketchup and 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (or just 2 cups ketchup)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 Tablespoons cider or red vinegar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook until warmed through.
Spoon mixture in the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish and top with a generous amount of cheese. I think I used about 2 cups of a colby/jack mixture.

Here is Carol Fenster's Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe:
White rice flour for dusting and rolling
3/4 cup Carol's Sorghum Blend (1 1/2 cups sorghum, 1 1/2 cups potato or cornstarch, 1 cup tapioca starch)
3/4 cup potato starch
4 teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon guar gum (You don't need both of these gums but she claims it works better like this)
1/2 teaspooon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortning
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons milk (for brushing tops if making just the biscuits to eat without the sloppy joe mix)

Mix dry ingredients, cut in shortening and then add buttermilk. Dough is very soft. Use plenty of rice flour to dust counter top or block. Turn dough out and pat down into 1 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters or biscuit cutters. I used a heart shaped cutter (about 2 1/2 inches wide).

After cutting out the biscuits into heart shapes, I laid them on top of the cheese, distributing them across the top of the dish. I baked them at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. (After the first few minutes, I brushed the tops with melted butter.) The sloppy joe mix was bubbling up from underneath after 15 minutes, and I was concerned that the biscuits would get soggy before they cooked all the way. I turned up the heat to 400 degrees and baked them for another 5 minutes. That did the trick! Scoop out of the pan with a heart biscuit on top and enjoy

If you are just making the biscuits then follow these directions after cutting out your biscuits:

Place the cut out biscuits on a nonstick baking sheet and placed in a 375 degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Brush the tops with milk before placing in oven.

Nathan's Corner - Healthy Pancakes

Here is another of my "Nathan's Corner" posts where I will feature kid food (and adult food!) that Nathan, my son has enjoyed or helped me make. Nathan is Celiac and I try my best to keep him excited about food and what we can make gluten free. I hope your little ones will enjoy these recipes too!

I do the majority of the cooking in the house and have been the one to try and find new, gluten-free recipes for us to enjoy. However, the one who actually makes food fun for Nathan would be his dad. His specialty is making the food look great on the plate and coming up with new and interesting combinations. Here's one of Nathan's favorites and directions for making it:

Dear Celiac friends,

I have a great pancake recipe for you to try. It's real good and healthy too! You start with pancakes and put on some peanut butter. Then you slice a half a banana on top and then pour some molasses on. I think you'll like it and you'll want to use a pizza cutter to make it small for you.

Love,

Nathan

So, what pancake combinations are your favorites?

Caramel Apple Pecan Rolls

Let me just say it one more time - I apologize for this picture because it does a great injustice to one of the most wonderful things I've ever made. Gee, that sounds quite boastful, but I am awfully proud!

I went on a hunt for a GF cinnamon roll recipe a few days ago. I landed at the I Am Gluten Free blog and found a recipe for one (by Robin Ryberg) which had rave reviews. It sounded like a good bet and I'll tell you it was. I couldn't help but wonder what other combinations I could come up with. I didn't have to think long and hard for this one I've posted. I think I like it even better than the cinnamon rolls. This recipe is less sweet overall, and I love anything with nuts.

The dough for this recipe comes out pretty soft. It will whip up like a thick cake batter but will be fairly sticky. You could use parchment paper to roll this out on, but I think you might still benefit from cooking spray as well. I have a teflon mat that is very anti-stick and so I use it whenever possible.

After rolling the dough out to about 13X13 inches, I pull out two pieces of plastic that will cover my dough. I first spray them with cooking spray and lay them spray side down over the area I will be rolling the dough out to. I then use my rolling pin (I actually have a small Pampered Chef one that I love, and no, I don't sell it) and roll it out to the dimensions I want. The plastic pulls up nicely off of it when I'm done.

I then spread out my filling - apple sauce (I used my homemade chunky kind) and brown sugar. When I was done with that I began rolling it up. This may or may not be tricky for you. I've done this twice and one time my dough was more solid and easier to manage than the other time. Such is the fickle nature of GF ingredients I'm afraid. I was able to lift up my teflon mat a bit until the dough began falling over and off of the edge so that I could get it started. The goal is to roll this up lengthwise all the way. Dust your hands and the roll with some more corn starch if that helps. Then, cut 1 1/2 inch segments and lay them, cut side down in a cake pan or a tin.

The time I made cinnamon rolls, I was able to cut the dough very nicely and they actually looked like the spiral things they should be. When I made this variety, I had a harder time and needed to wet my knife each time I cut a piece. They didn't look so pretty in the pan and I was disappointed, but then they rose up so nicely and it looked great. So, don't worry, just get in there and do it!! I then baked this batch in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. About 10 minutes before they were done, I added some chopped pecans and a little more brown sugar on the top. You can also melt a couple tablespoons of butter and drizzle that over the pecans and brown sugar before the last 10 minutes of cooking. Then, I drizzled caramel sauce over the top before inhaling.

These are so very, very good. You'll be proud to serve these to your gluten-eating friends (if you have any - ha ha). I did read that you can make these rolls up ahead of time and put the uncooked batch in the fridge to cook later. They will be okay, but not as good as baking fresh. These rolls are still quite lovely the next day. I was really impressed at that.

So...I have given you a lot of instructions before the actual recipe and you can always go to the post at I Am Gluten Free to read the basic instructions there. Or...if apples, pecans, and/or caramel syrup is not your thing, please try the cinnamon roll recipe from Robin Ryberg listed there.

Ingredients for Caramel Apple Pecan Rolls:

Dough:

2 tablespoons shortening (I used butter-flavored Crisco and you can use plain butter but I think it tends to melt out underneath the rolls too much)

1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 packet yeast

1 egg

1/4 cup oil (I used canola)

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1 cup corn starch

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum (I use guar gum)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In mixing bowl, combine shortening and sugar. Add yeast to warm milk and let set to foam (about 10 minutes) before adding to sugar/shortening mixture. Then, add remaining ingredients. Mix for a full minute for dough to get thicker. Follow instructions given previously in post for laying out dough and rolling it out.

Filling

About 1 cup applesauce (I used homemade chunky)

2-3 tablespoons brown sugar

Spread filling over dough evenly as possible.
If your applesauce is very thin, you might want to consider cutting down the amount and adding some small pieces of chopped apple as well.


Topping
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Melted butter to spoon over (optional)
Caramel sauce to drizzle over after baking

Delicious! Hearty Flatbread

I'll be making another trip down to the Eugene Public Library on Sunday after church. I get to take just Nathan which is a treat since "little man" came along. We love the library, and I have been taking him at least twice a month since we moved here 2 1/2 years ago. This library is 40 minutes away from us and costs us about $90.00 a year for membership. That seems crazy, but we live in a small, country town and I would have to pay at least a third of that for our public library which is still 15 minutes away, has a small selection of books and no online catalog. Besides, we love books! It's money well spent even on our tight budget.

One great thing about the Eugene Library is the selection of gluten-free cookbooks. I think they have 40 - 50 titles to choose from Wow! I can preview the cookbook and decide whether I want to keep a recipe or two or if it is worth purchasing. A few months ago I checked out "The Wheat Free Cook" by Jacqueline Mallorca. A recipe I really love from it is "Quick Brown Rice Flour Flatbread".

This is a hearty bread to serve with soup, stew, or simply as an accompanying dinner bread. It is hearty, but not overly dense and has a delicious flavor. I buy my almond slivers from Winco (one of the few things I buy from a bin) and grind them in my coffee grinder. I do the same with my flaxseed. I didn't use the yogurt it calls for because I didn't have any, but substituted 75% of the amount with buttermilk. Just a word of caution if you have this cookbook or check it out, the recipe doesn't list the water needed in the ingredients, but I fortunately found it listed in the instructions given.

This flatbread keeps very well for the next day and makes an incredible french toast as well.

Can't beat that!

Quick Brown Rice Flour Flatbread

3/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup almonds (ground)

3/4 cup tapioca starch

2 tablespoons flaxseed ground

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon xanthan or guar gum

1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt (I used about 75% volume buttermilk)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup water

1 large egg

Combine wet ingredients and add them to mixed dry ingredients. Let dough set a few minutes and it will thicken a bit. Form into two 6-inch discs. (Mine always come out somewhat larger). Sprinkle lightly with additional rice flour. Using a long knife, cut a diagonal grid pattern on top of each flatbread, making three 1/4 inch deep cuts each way. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until golden brown and crusty, about 25 minutes. Be sure to bake on parchment paper or some other non-stick surface. I usually make a double batch of this and shape into 4 or 5 flatbreads.

These slice best when allowed to cool a bit. You may also wish to brush the tops with butter and eat whole.

Chocolate Krinkle Cookies

My husband won't be thrilled, but the Christmas tree is coming out December 1st. The first year we were married we went and bought a tree the day after Thanksgiving. Big mistake - we had pine needle litter days before Christmas actually arrived. Then, there were the many years I was finishing up finals a week before Christmas. It was simply impossible for me to think of Christmas until I was completely done with tests. And the last few years we have waited until December 15th or so. My husband is comfortable with this conservative date as too much "stuff" offends the finer points of his character. This year though I plan to pull out the tree as soon as December rolls around. Nathan my 5 year old certainly won't mind.

Why the thrill this year regarding Christmas? Yes, there is joy over the birth of my savior! I'm also just plain excited that I have two boys now. I want the Christmas "stuff", tradition, and Christmas music galore. I want to string popcorn and cranberries and read Christmas stories. I plan to make our favorite cinnamon ornaments (check back for a how-to post on those).

I also haven't forgotten about a favorite cookie of mine. They can certainly be enjoyed anytime, but I think the powdered sugar coating makes them a perfect choice for the holidays. I first came across this recipe in a Hershey's cookbook. No doubt, you have tried them or have called them by other names. I've made my original recipe gluten free and it has worked very well!

Chocolate Krinkle Cookies

Combine:

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups oil (I used Canola)

Add:

3/4 cup cocoa

4 eggs - beat in one at a time

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix the following in another bowl, then add to the above mixture:

2 1/3 cup gluten free flour (I used 1 1/3 cup rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca starch, 1/2 cup sorghum)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon xanthan or guar gum

1 teaspoon gelatin (optional - gives more chewy texture)

Refrigerate dough for several hours. Measure out by heaping tablespoon full, roll dough into ball, roll ball in powdered sugar and place on baking sheet. I can't help but take the palm of my hand and press them down a bit. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. These cookies do best when removed from the oven while still underdone. They should be crusted over or cooked around the edges, but still pretty "loose" especially in the center. Let them cool long enough on the cookie sheet in order to remove them. Or, simply slide them off along with the parchment sheet if you can do that without messing them up. That way you can get another batch started on another piece of parchment sheet and into the oven. They will firm up while cooling like a brownie would. This will produce a cookie that still stays moist and chewy inside. At least that's the way I like my cookies!!

Two Great Recipes, One Lovely Quiche

I love recipes that I can depend on. Gluten free recipes can be fickle things, can't they? I've made Shauna's "Favorite Gluten-Free Pie Crust" several times now, and it's something I can count on. I also love Alton Brown's recipes of Good Eats. I've learned so much from watching his show. His recipes are posted on The Food Network site and it is there I found this recipe for quiche. Actually, he has named it Refrigerator Pie, because the idea is to take a standard egg/cream mix and pour it over any number of meat/vegetable/cheese combinations. However, this would certainly work for using all vegetables, no cheese, etc.


Here are some hints that I found helpful in making it:

• I personally don't like rolling the pie crust out. I plop it into the pie dish, form it across the bottom, up the sides and then crimp the edges like normal. I don't even refrigerate it before doing this, although I do place it back in the fridge to chill while I'm preparing the filling.
• The pie dough ingredients call for 1/4 cup water. You shouldn't ever need more than that. I like to get my hand in there and mix it up after it is basically combined. That's when it really forms together.
• Freeze or semi-freeze a 1/2 cube of butter and then grate it into your dry mix. Much easier than cutting it in!
• I didn't add the 2 tablespoons of vinegar but cut it in half. I just felt 2 would be too much.
• I used a 9 inch deep dish pie plate. While the amount of ingredients I used was fine, I could have added another cup of ingredients with no problem.
• I did let this quiche set. In fact, it sat at least 1/2 hour while trying to get the kids to bed. It certainly didn't hurt it.
• I also let this bake about 5 minutes longer. There was no problem with runniness in the center.
• I did use heavy cream. This recipe has many reviews and I'm sure you can find information about substitutions in those if needed.

As you can see from the pictures this was a lovely quiche and I'm very proud of it. It really was as easy as pie.

Here's what I needed:

Shauna's "My Favorite Pie Crust" Recipe - You'll want to omit the cinnamon!

Alton Brown's "Refrigerator Pie" Recipe. I used the cream/egg sauce ingredients and omitted the salt because I used soy sauce to flavor my quiche.

The fillings I used:

1 cup cooked, diced chicken

1 and 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach

4 large mushrooms diced and 1/2 onion diced, sauteed in 2 Tablespoons olive oil.

3/4 cup parmesan cheese grated

1 Tablespoon gluten free soy sauce

I took my chilled pie crust out of the refrigerator, placed the combined filling ingredients in the bottom of it and poured the egg/cream mixture over the top. 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Let rest at least 15 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Cinnamon, Raisin, Walnut Bread - Gluten Free

I used to buy a bread called Royal Raisin Walnut bread. I can't remember who made it, but it sure was good. I would eat the whole loaf in just a couple of days. It occurred to me recently that I could try and make something like that if I changed a few things around with my All-Purpose Quickbread. Well, tonight was the night for trying this.

There's good news and bad news.

The good news is that it turned out great. The bad news is that my husband isn't overly fond of raisins (it's his mother's fault) and my 5 year old generally likes any kind of fruit separate from other food. The exceptions to this would be strawberries on pancakes and a bit of apple pie. He's become a good eater, but he hasn't fully arrived yet. So, the really bad news is that I'm bound to eat this whole loaf myself. I shall have to pull out the sweat pants soon.

Make it soon and be ready to eat it warm. Like all of the quickbreads listed here, this one slices up well while still warm. Mmmmmm.

Cinnamon, Raisin, Walnut Bread (Gluten Free)

Mix together:

4 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup milk

2/3 cup applesauce (I used 1/3 cup applesauce and 1/3 cup apple butter. You can also use mayo, or sour cream)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add in to the mixing bowl:

3/4 cup rice flour

1/4 cup almond meal or flax seed

1/2 cup sorghum

3/4 cup tapioca starch

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon xanthan or guar gum

1 1/4 teaspoon gelatin (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoon saigon cinnamon

Mix together well, then add:

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 - 3/4 cup walnuts chopped

Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Today is October 31st and my 5 year old is finally laying in bed asleep - his body desperately trying to process all the sugar he ate today. What a happy boy! I'm so glad that mucho candy is gluten free. By the way, there is a 2008 gluten free candy list available. What a lifesaver. Oh dear, I seem to have written another pun. I can't help myself sometimes.

Nathan's Kindergarten class had a party today. He put on his $12.95 Walmart Spiderman costume and thoroughly enjoyed himself. I furnished some Cool Ranch Doritos and M&M individual-sized bags for the class. I knew they were having Capri Sun and that was fine. I also made him a pumpkin-shaped sugar cookie. About 80% of the candy he received in a little bag was gluten free as well. Wow - that class party was not so scary after all. However, I definitely needed to be there to help him chart his way through the mine field.

I have to share with you that the day before I put a mini M&M candy bag in with his lunch. I didn't tell him it was there, because I didn't want him eating it on the bus on the way to school! I normally tell him what is in his lunch because I want him to know it is all there for him and gluten free. He came home that day and told me, "Hey, Mommy - there's something in my lunch bag." So, he pulls out the candy and I see that it is unopened. He explained that he was trying to get a teacher's attention to ask if it was gluten free so he could eat it, but then the bus came and he had to put it back in his lunch bag. While I intended it to be a surprise for him at lunch, I was thrilled to know that he had the self-control to not eat something he wasn't sure about. Needless to say, I was very proud of my boy.

Okay, I just had to share with you about my day. This post really is about chocolate chip cookies. They are my favorite, and I love them fresh out of the oven with milk. I've been on a quest for the best recipe possible and I'm thinking I've found it. As I sat eating my third cookie in a row (shamelessly I might add), I declared to my husband, "This is the best chocolate chip cookie I've made!" And it is!

I'm not sure how this recipe will hold up to substitutions. For instance, I haven't tried making it with tapioca starch, only corn starch. I think some cookies are just fickle things, so I'm not recommending any substitutions beyond omitting the chocolate chips. But then, why would you want to do that! While I think just about all cookie dough performs best after being chilled, this also is very good baked up right away.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Mix the following dry ingredients together in a separate bowl besides your mixing bowl:

1 cup rice flour

1/2 cup sorghum

1 cup corn starch

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon gelatin (found in the Jello section)

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Cream together:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

Add:

1 teaspoon vanilla.

2 eggs

Add dry ingredients to the wet.

Mix well.

Add 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts and 1 and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Shape into 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch balls on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Chicken and Corn Chowder

I'd love to be more organized. I've been cooking gluten free now for almost 2 years. What a learning curve! I'm still trying to find that #1 gluten free pie crust or joy of all joys, a GF flour tortilla that is pliable. I've tried many recipes and found ones I'm basically happy with, but I guess I'm just still searching for the "best" that's out there. I've got recipes scritch scratched on little post-it notes and little bags of GF this and that in a kitchen drawer. I'd be embarrassed to die and leave my mess for someone else to figure out!

I think part of the problem is I don't have the time or money for endless cooking sessions. For instance, I just made some GF molasses cookies. I tried a GF recipe out of a book and YUK! So, I took a regular recipe and converted it. I'm basically happy with it - it is chewy and has the right flavor. It does seem a little grainy though after chewing a bit. I'd love to try making it with some more eggs and see how it comes out. However, I still have cookie dough left in the fridge that needs to be cooked up. And after we finish that off I won't be in the mood for MORE molasses cookies. So...my ideas and tweaking will have to wait until later. Hence, no recipe that I'm really happy with just yet.

I'd really love it if I did more prep work, but I'm so tired from all of the regular cooking and two little ones that it is only something I dream of. I'd love to have plenty of cheese already grated (we used to have money for packaged grated cheese:)) and I'd love to have chicken already cooked up, diced, and in the freezer. I'd also love to have some GF pizza dough rounds already mixed up and shaped just waiting in the freezer for pizza night.

I did get a taste of what it would be like to benefit from such organization this afternoon because I just happened to have some basic ingredients all ready. I started with a soup base of butter and bacon drippings (I'm sorry if I made you cringe!) and added milk. I also added some minced onion, chicken and bacon I already had cooked up, and then added a can of corn and a bouillon cube. What I got was a delicious soup that was ready in 10 minutes. That's my kind of cooking! It was so delicious that it was eaten before the camera was pulled out. I'll make it again soon and take a picture but for now - the simple recipe...

Chicken and Corn Chowder
1/4 cup of butter
2 Tablespoons bacon drippings or olive oil
Saute 1/2 medium onion diced
After onion is a bit tender, add 2 tablespoons of potato flour or corn starch. I used potato flour and I think it was a winner. (Potato flour is different from potato starch.) Stir constantly until blended and a paste forms.
Slowly add 1 1/2 cups milk until thick for cream soup. Add more water if needed.
To this soup base add:
1 chicken bouillon cube - I use Herb-Ox
1 cup diced, cooked chicken
1 can of corn, drained
2-3 pieces of cooked bacon, chopped fairly fine
Seasonings - salt and pepper to taste, thyme or parsely flakes (or fresh if you happen to have it!).
I think the addition of potatoes would go well in here also.
Yummy! My five year old declared it tasty and that makes me a happy mom.

For those times when you only have a couple cups of soup left in the fridge and a few people to feed, just ccok up some rice and serve it over the top. That makes another easy dinner and it is budget friendly!

Fluffy, Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls

Sometimes you want something hearty and healthy. Sometimes you don't care. Such was the case when I was on the lookout for a dinner roll recipe. I was thinking along the lines of those store-bought wonders they sell millions of at Thanksgiving. You know, they sell about one and a half dozen beautiful, little dinner rolls all lined up perfectly in a cardboard case and slipped in a plastic wrapper. - Already baked, just reheat. I wasn't interested in nutrition or grams of fat - just gluten free and fluffy.

I like to visit Celiac.com and participate or search the forum there. I tell you, I don't think there's any other "group" like ours out there. We're a tight bunch, and we know what we're talking about! I think any Celiac or loved one of a Celiac would go the extra mile to help someone through the gluten free life with a piece of advice, a prayer, or a recipe:)

Anyway, I remembered reading a recipe for hot dog buns using instant jello pudding at that site. I thought that sounded interesting, and the person who submitted the recipe raved about it. So, I tried searching to no avail to find this recipe again. I did find a recipe that seemed very basic and decided to add some vanilla flavored instant pudding and pie filling mix. What I got were some fluffy dinner rolls that reminded me a lot of those egg bread rolls. Of course, these are best hot out of the oven, and I sure hope you can indulge in some butter!

Dinner Rolls

1 1/4 cup rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch (I used corn starch)

1 cup tapioca starch

4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons Jello Brand Vanilla Flavored Instant Pudding and Pie Filling

Mix the above and then add:

4 eggs

2/3 cup oil

1 cup milk

Spoon out on parchment lined cookie sheet or flat baking pan. Batter should be thick - let set in mixing bowl until it is ( I think the Jello Mix does this). Take back of spoon and using a circular motion shape into large dinner rolls. You can also snip about 1 inch out of the corner of a large baggy. Fill with mix and "pipe" onto baking sheet. (You're still going to need to shape them with something though).

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until done to the touch. This recipe should make 8-10 rolls.

Autumn and Another Quick Bread

Today is cool and overcast. Fall, or autumn if you prefer, is here and I don't mind being inside today. Of course right now my world is peaceful because little guy is asleep in the crib and big brother (Whirlwind) is outside getting dirty. I'm all alone at the computer and enjoying a nice cup of coffee while looking out the window at the beautiful Japanese maple leaves that have turned brilliant. I'm also enjoying the smell of apples cooking down in the crockpot for apple butter.

Lest you envy me in my seemingly perfect world, I will confess that there is more going on in my worldview, like the pile of lumber and used shingles on the ground outside amidst the ever prolific weeds. Oh yes, there's also the kiddie pool that I should have cleaned out and put away while the weather was still decent. Now I have mold and slime to contend with. Feel better?

What can I say? We've been busy here. My dad recently visited and Nathan was thrilled to see Grandpa again. We took a trip to Newport on the coast and visited The Yaquina Head Lighthouse there. My dad is a photographer, and so I wisely left my camera home and will post some pictures when I receive them from him. I was surprised at how close I live to Newport as this was my first trip there. It was an absolutely beautiful day - full of sunshine which is a treat in this part of Oregon at this time of year. Last year when he visited it poured for most of his visit so I was especially thankful for the good weather we enjoyed.

I've also been busy baking and have a few recipes to post here in the next week (since I've been quite the slacker for October so far). I was inspired by a recent recipe I found for pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes (by the way I made them and they are really, really good!), and bought several cans of pumpkin at the store for use. You know they're only medium sized cans, but it seems like it takes awhile to go through one of those things. I have one right now sitting in the fridge with about 1/2 cup taken out of it. There is a loose baggy over the top of it, and it seems to plead with me when I open the fridge, "Please don't let mold grow on me like the last can that was in here!" Does anyone out there have a "100 List" for what to do with canned pumpkin? Okay, I'm just kidding. I really don't want a list like that! I do want to make a pumpkin pie soon and try Carrie's Easy Gluten-Free Pie Crust. I also want to try my hand at pumpkin muffins.

Other than that, my little guy loves to eat it, and I have also discovered it works great in a new quickbread I've made up. I've named it Autumn Bread because of all the "fallish" ingredients in it. I know the list of ingredients seems long, but I think that it would be just fine with all tapioca flour let's say, instead of tapioca and corn starch. However, as Bette Hagman used to point out to those who only want a recipe with a few ingredients and want it to taste great - "Sorry!" In gluten-free baking, it is not only helpful to have a lot of different flours and starches on hand, but it really makes the final product so much better.

I love this bread! I was inspired to make it not only from the can of pumpkin calling out to me from the fridge but also from the bag of dried cherries I recently bought at Costco. I usually don't deviate from my list at Costco. It's not like I can deviate a lot anyway since we are cooking gluten free here, but it was one item they were offering as samples the day we visited and an item my Celiac kid was able to have. He declared them "tasty" and I bought them (a tasty, yet pricey item). Of course, he won't eat them in the bread - such is the fickle tongue of a 5 year old. Ho hum.

I'm delighted at how this bread turned out and that I was able to also use some teff flour in it. I think it is the perfect bread for turkey or chicken salad!
Bon Appetit!

Autumn Quick Bread
Made with Teff Flour - Great with Turkey or Chicken Salad
Mix:
4 eggs
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup maple syrup
Mix the following dry, then add to the wet:
1/2 cup teff flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup white or brown rice flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan or guar gum
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon gelatin (for chewiness)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries (or other currant/dried fruit
Mix well, then pour into breadpan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.
Let cool 10-15 minutes before slicing if you can possibly wait!!

Gluten Free Carrot and Pecan Muffins

The other night I made up a delicious pot of chicken and potato soup. Perhaps I'll post it soon after I make it again and can be more exact about measurements. I'm the kind of cook that puts in a dash here and a dash there. I would say that blogging about recipes has put a tight, but necessary reign on me. While I like cooking without doing a lot of measuring, I have been known on occasion to put in too much salt or not remember exactly how I made something so that I could replicate it. One thing I was more exact with and remembered were the carrot and pecan muffins I made up to go with the pot of soup.

I have been having success with taking regular old recipes and converting them to gluten free. Getting the right blend of flours and, of course, using xanthan gum for binding is necessary. I have a wonderful carrot cake recipe that I love and that has been successful in just replacing the flours. This night though I wanted muffins. I reduced the sugar (actually substituted honey), and added pecans instead of the walnuts I would have used for the cake. I also halved the recipe as I only needed a couple of muffins for the each of us. I would like to do a double batch though sometime and see how they fare the second day. However, there's not a lot of cooking ahead with gluten free bread goods as they just aren't as good as freshly baked.

I loved the texture of these. I would have had a hard time telling that they were gluten free. I may try adding a couple of whipped egg whites in the future just to see if I can get some more rise out of them. I will tell you they were delicious and there are none left today!

Let me know if you try them and any good substitutions you've found!

Thanks!

Debbie

Gluten Free Carrot and Pecan Muffins

1 cup of gluten free flour (I used a mix of 1/4 cup each: ground flax, sorghum, corn starch, sweet rice flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Mix together the above, then add:

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

Then add:

Almost 1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix really well together - Yes! This only requires one bowl:)

Spoon into muffin tins

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes

Makes 9 muffins.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli

I know I've probably said this before, but it amazes me how many gluten-free items I'm still trying to get around to making. For instance, it was 9 months before I made a gluten free graham cracker crust. I had thought about it for several months, but it wasn't until Thanksgiving was approaching that I knew it was time to "get in there" and try it. I've also wanted to tackle making some former gluten-filled favorites that call for the old standby, "Cream of ..." All of the varieties (at least that I know of) by Campbell contain gluten.

Carrie, of Ginger Lemon Girl, recently posted a recipe for Cream of Soup. Wow - I knew it was time to try it and give it a go. I used it the other day to make the cheese sauce for homemade macaroni and cheese and it turned out great. Tonight though, I wanted to see if I could make it thick like it is out of the can before diluting with water. I added more butter and cornstarch to the original recipe and I'm pleased with the results. I was able to make an old favorite - Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli. I can't wait to try some other recipes that call for "Cream of Such and Such" to see how they turn out.

Isn't it great what we can learn from each other? It is so wonderful to find blogs where I've used some recipes and have found success. It takes the pain away from trying something new gluten free. You know - the pain of trying an unsuccessful recipe! All that work to not have something come out right or taste right can be so discouraging. I love the blogs I've found that have inspired me and helped me to be a better cook. They've also helped me to feel connected and keep my sanity:)

I hope you enjoy this meal as much as I do. Cook the chicken and broccoli ahead for an easier assembly at dinnertime. I'd also like to try making the sauce for it ahead of time, refrigerating it, and testing whether it will perform as well. Please let me know what you think!

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli

3 large chicken breasts, cut up in bite-sized pieces and cooked

2 - 3 broccoli crowns. Cut off the end pieces and cook (boil or steam) partially

Sauce (recipe follows)

1 1/2 - 2 cups of Colby jack or cheddar

Sauce:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons corn starch

1 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cubes chicken bouillon (Herb-Ox is labeled gluten-free)

Melt butter in skillet or pan, then add corn starch and stir until smooth. Mixture will begin thickening quickly. Add cold milk and continue stirring until mixture gets thick (like thick biscuit gravy). Add bouillon cubes and stir until incorporated. Let mixture sit about 10 minutes. It will continue thickening a bit until it is like the soup right out of the can. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice to it. Stir thoroughly.

Layer cooked chicken and broccoli in bottom of 1 1/2 or 2 quart baking dish (I used a 10 inch quiche plate). Spread sauce over this and then add grated cheese on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Unbelievable Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

My dear friend, Ms. Janna, invited my family over after church one Sunday. She took the time to ask what to fix so that it would be all good for my boy. Bless her heart! She also happens to live down the street from a woman who cooks gluten free. Talk about friends in the right places! Her friend supplied her with the dry ingredients for a gluten-free chocolate cake. This recipe calls for any gluten free flour blend and she happened to use some amaranth - not really my personal favorite as it gives me a strange aftertaste. Besides that though, the cake was really good and it was beautiful also.

I made sure to get the recipe, thank her and her friend for their kindness, and I have since made this chocolate wonder many times. In fact, it was the cake mix for my son's last birthday party. This is a recipe from Carol Feinster PhD. I've never made it with the strong black coffee as the primary liquid, only hot water. I can only imagine that coffee would give it an even more fabulous flavor. My friends who are familiar with gluten free cooking (their kids have other food issues) were in disbelief at how good it tasted.

The wonderful thing about this cake is that it has always come out of the pan with absolutely no problem, no cracking, etc. I've put it in the freezer for super easy frosting and no crumbs. While I do love refrigerated cake, I have discovered that this one does best when freshly baked or allowed to come to room temperature (take out of the freezer or fridge in plenty of time). I've fixed this with a variety of frostings, but the one I've included is absolutely wonderful with it. I'm not sure the original source for the frosting, but only wrote it down from Ms. Janna's recipe card.
Please make some soon!!

Unbelievable Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
****I double this recipe for 2 - 9" cake pans and 6 cupcakes. The chocolate frosting recipe is enough to frost all of this without doubling.****
1 1/4 cup flour blend (I use 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca starch and 1/4 cup millet)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 large egg
3/4 cup hot water or coffee
Combine all ingredients except water in large mixing bowl using an electric mixer. Add hot water and carefully mix until blended. Pour into cake pans and muffin cups that have been sprayed with cooking spray. (Make sure it is GF).
Cook at 350 degrees.
35 minutes for cake pans
20-25 minutes for cupcakes
****I double this recipe for 2 - 9" cake pans and 6 cupcakes. The chocolate frosting recipe is enough to frost all of this without doubling.****
Yummy Chocolate Frosting 1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup baking cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Gluten Free Chicken Chili Soup

We used to live in Northern California where summers were HOT. I remember walking out of the house at 9:00 in the morning and feeling my mascara begin to melt. We also had the air conditioning running nonstop some weeks. Summer weather stayed a little too long, and fall didn't really feel like it had started until November. I don't miss that at all!

In September, things really do begin to cool off here in Oregon. Today will reach the mid-eighties, but by 5:00 there will be a wonderful breeze stirring up . I love fall. I love the cool air, the falling leaves, and the signaling of change. It makes me long for cozy evenings (whatever those are with two little ones), pumpkin pie, and of course hearty, one-dish suppers.

One recipe that is fast, hearty, and a crowd pleaser is my Chicken Chili. I originally made this recipe from a Better Homes and Garden cookbook featuring meals made with chicken. I've since changed a few things to suit our taste. This is a naturally low-fat meal, but I won't lie and tell you it's just as good without the cheese, avocado, and sour cream. Sorry, you know it's true. Pair this up with skillet cornbread and you'll be glad this makes up a sizeable pot.

Gluten Free Chicken Chili Soup

Make sure all your ingredients are gluten free!

1 pound ground chicken

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed

1 can small, diced tomatoes - add liquid

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 can tomato paste + 3 cups water OR

1 can tomato sauce + 2 cups water

1 teaspoon cumin

1-2 chicken bouillon cubes (Herb-Ox is gluten free)

Cook ground chicken in 2 tablespons olive oil along with 1 medium onion diced, and 2 cloves garlic. Add the remaining ingredients and add more water if needed. Serve up with cheese, avocado, and sour cream.

Hearty Buckwheat Applesauce Bread - Another One for the Quickbread File

I've been out of xanthan gum for about a week and I won't be going to the store until tomorrow. That is far too long to be out of bread in this house. I decided to try making a quickbread. My favorite type of bread really! If it can serve as breakfast, lunch, and dinner bread, and not require expensive yeast and xanthan gum, then it's what I can use around here. Don't forget the fact that it can go from the mixing bowl into a hot oven without waiting. This one can also stand up to slicing while still warm. Need I say more?

My friend gave me a half bag of Kashi buckwheat. I really love it, and it has a different flavor than unroasted buckwheat. I basically took another quickbread recipe and filled the amounts with other ingredients. The next time I make it I would like to try replacing a 1/4 cup of the rice flour with sorghum and substituting plain milk for the buttermilk just to see how it turns out.

For now though, I'm REALLY happy with my creation, and we've already eaten a half loaf! By using applesauce I've cut down the fat as well. Looks like I'll be making some more soon!

Buckwheat Applesauce Bread

Mix together:

2/3 cup applesauce

4 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix in a separate bowl and then add to wet ingredients:

3/4 cup tapioca starch/flour

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

3/4 cup white or brown rice flour

1/4 cup flax seed ground

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon gelatin (for chewiness)

3/4 teaspoon salt

Finally add 2 tablespoons of millet seed for crunch!

Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Try to wait 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Barbecue Sauce

I love grilled food. It tastes wonderful and clean-up is a breeze. It also happens to be cooking that my husband is very good at and wants to do. That works for me. It goes hand in hand with busy summer days and outdoor weather. We recently bought a new grill because our old one literally fell apart. I shall miss using it as fall is just around the corner here. But for now, we are enjoying barbecued chicken tonight!

I have a great recipe below for barbecue sauce. It is great on chicken, sandwiches, burgers, and with meatballs. I usually make a double recipe and put some in the freezer. I love having stuff stocked in there. Unfortunately mine is getting very, very low and I need to get busy!

BBQ Sauce

2 cups ketchup

1 1/2 cups brown sugar (I add a little extra to get a rich dark look to the sauce)

1/2 cup chopped onion (please use fresh!)

1-2 teaspoon liquid smoke or add to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Put all in a saucepan and heat to boiling. Take out only what you need to glaze and barbecue with. Store the rest in the fridge or freeze it.

The All-Purpose Quick Bread

Making bread is an almost daily chore. I've mentioned before that my oldest boy is part carbivore which means a third of the loaf is easily sliced for him throughout any given day. We must have bread.

Some days I'm in a hurry or low on yeast or xanthan gum and this bread is a perfect fix. Not only that but it is REALLY good and works well for sandwiches or as a loaf to have with dinner. And this one can stand up to slicing while still hot - something I really miss from our former gluten days!

I changed a yellow cake mix recipe by reducing the amount of sugar and milk and surprisingly it came out great the first time. No tweaking for once!

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

The All Purpose Quick Bread:

First mix:

4 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cups mayonnaise

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Then add:

1 1/4 cups rice flour

1/4 cup sorghum

3/4 cup tapioca starch

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Mix well for about one minute. Pour into greased loaf pan (batter will be more like cake batter).

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.