"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?

Easy Summer Pasta Salad - Gluten Free

I think I've spent so much time making bread and desserts and trying to make them well, that there's not enough brain power left over at times for creating other things like salads. It has actually benefited me to be standing in the kitchen at 4:00 wondering what I was going to be fixing for dinner for the in-laws. Something about that pressure causes me to get creative and try to think outside my little world instead of getting lazy and putting potatoes in the microwave.

One night I was looking through my pantry and saw a new package of Tinkyada spirals. I then remembered a Kraft salad mix I used to buy (in my other life - before kids and when we didn't really know the definition of gluten). I also happened to have a bowl of tomatoes from the garden just asking to be used. Now, lest you think I'm Martha Stewart with my home-grown tomatoes, think again. Our garden is overgrown with weeds and very few things that are actually edible. A good combination of bad soil and neglect has produced squat this summer.

Fortunately, all this easy salad needs is some fresh tomato, olives, italian-type dressing and parmesan cheese. We happen to have those items on hand most of the time. And okay, I know the title says this is a summer dish and it is technically fall. However, today is warm and that's all it takes to enjoy a cold dish.

This salad really tastes best fresh and you might want to add the dressing right before serving so it doesn't get absorbed by the pasta. In fact, the ingredients besides the pasta are so flavorful, you can probably get away with a drizzle of the dressing at the most. Top last minute with the parmesan cheese. Grill up some meat to go with it and you have a perfect summer(time) meal.

Tinkyada gluten free spirals (any GF spirals will do!)
tomatoes, diced
olives, sliced
parmesan cheese
Italian-type dressing

Cook pasta according to directions. Don't forget to check frequently right before they are done. GF pasta is very particular about getting done just right. There's a small window between "done" and "mush". Add as many diced tomatoes and olives as you would like. Add the parmesan cheese and dressing right before serving. Serves eight.

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.