Fire and Salt

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake

2011-11-16T09:59:00.001-08:00

Well, I suppose it’s that time of year to dust off the cans of pumpkin languishing in the pantry. It’s time to dig out the jars of cloves and nutmeg that have been buried in the cupboard. I love pumpkin desserts, yet I‘m always perplexed as to why I don’t make them more throughout the year. For me, and I’m sure for most people, pumpkin treats have an unbreakable association with family and holidays. Food is often about more than flavor. At times, food is about the memories and feelings surrounding it. So I guess a big pumpkin pie on a hot July day doesn’t have the same feel as it does right now. Enough rambling already…sheesh. I was looking for a nice little pumpkin cake to try out. I found this recipe and I made it without taking any pictures for my blog. My small family devoured this cake like we hadn’t eaten for weeks….I assure you we eat plenty. Anyway, I was “forced” to make this again to capture it for you to enjoy. This cake is soooo moist and delicious. This would be a great breakfast cake or even just something for people to snack on as you’re preparing your other holiday dishes. Let’s get to it.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake:
adapted from All Recipes
Cake:
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 can of pumpkin (15oz Libby’s or 2 cups fresh pumpkin)
4 eggs
2 cups GF flour mix plus extra for preparing the pan
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp each –ginger, nutmeg, and cloves
Cream Cheese Icing:
5 ounces cream cheese
2 ounces butter (4 Tbs)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 Tbs half & half or milk
I would start by measuring out the cream cheese and butter. Set them aside to come up to room temperature.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Next, whisk all your dry ingredients (except the sugar) together in a medium bowl.In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the sugar, pumpkin, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined. Next, beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet and thoroughly combine them. Pour the batter into a large prepared Bundt pan. I prepared my pan by spraying it with Pam and lightly coating it with extra GF flour mix. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.I let the cake cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a plate or rack.To make the topping, whisk together the butter, cream cheese, powder sugar, and vanilla. Next, whisk in just enough half & half or milk to make the icing pourable. You don’t want it thick like frosting and you don’t want it so thin that it all runs off. I used about 3 Tbs of half & half. This gave the topping the consistency of molasses which pour easily onto the cake but also stuck to it and didn’t run all over.
Give the cake a little time to cool down and then pour the icing over it.
All that’s left to do now is cut a piece and relax. Even though we are in the giving and sharing season, you may be tempted to keep this all to yourself. Enjoy!!! Have a great Thanksgiving!

Gluten Free Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cake

2011-09-26T13:33:00.001-07:00

Well, it looks like all of August has passed me by and we’re nearly through September. I have to share with you a little change in my life. For those of you that don’t know, I was a Lieutenant in my fire department. Early this Summer I began preparing for a promotion to Battalion Chief, which is kind of like a shift supervisor. This preparation pretty much wiped out a relaxing Summer. However, I got the promotion about a month ago. It has been a very exciting change but it has kept me busier than I imagined it would. I haven’t been cooking up too many new dishes to share on my blog. Although, I did have the opportunity to surprise my wife with a tasty cake for her birthday last month. My wife will sometimes buy Glutino chocolate sandwich cookies and break them up in Dairy Queen soft serve vanilla ice cream for dessert. This gave me the bright idea to make a cookies and cream ice cream birthday cake. Without further adieu, here it is:
Gluten Free Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cake:
Cake:
1-2/3 cup GF flour mix
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Filling:
1 quart Dairy Queen vanilla soft serve ice cream
7-10 Glutino or Kinnikinnick chocolate sandwich cookies
Frosting:
2-Pillsbury vanilla tubsIn the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl or cup, combine the wet ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until thoroughly combined.Divide the batter between 2 buttered and gf floured 9 inch round pans. (on a side note, if you are looking for an easy tasty chocolate cake to snack on, use this same recipe but put it in an 8” square pan and bake at 35o degrees F for 35-45 minutes) For the ice cream cake, bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cakes, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer for at least 4 hours. It’s best to work on this cake a day ahead of time.At this point you need to work quickly to keep the ice cream from melting too much. I started out by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, remove one layer of cake from the freezer and discard the plastic wrap. Place the whole quart of vanilla ice cream in the bowl of your stand mixer, add about 7-10 cookies and crush them to bits with the paddle attachment. Working quickly, spread the ice cream onto the bottom layer of cake and then add the top layer on. Try to smooth the sides of the ice cream and fill in any gaps. It should look like a giant ice cream sandwich. Get the cake back in the freezer for about 2 hours. When you are ready to frost the cake, remove it from the freezer and work, wait for it………quickly!!!, to get a thin base layer of frosting on. The frosting doesn’t want to stick to the ice cream very well, just do the best you can. It doesn’t matter if the whole cake is covered at this point. Stick the cake back in the freezer for about an hour. Take the cake out and finish frosting. Now that you have a base layer of semi-frozen frosting on, the second layer of frosting should go on easily.Sprinkle some crushed cookies on top along with a few whole ones for decoration. Get the cake back in the freezer until you are ready to serve it. I didn’t want to mess with trying to take the cake off the baking sheet, so I just left it on. My wife was too excited to care anyway. There you go, one gluten free cookies and cream ice cream cake. Of course yours doesn’t have to be cookies and cream, this would work great with Butterfinger, peanut butter cups, etc. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Frogmore Stew

2011-07-20T10:48:00.001-07:00

Let me take you back a couple weeks. A Firefighter I work with was hosting some friends over for a 4th of July party at his house. Our families live in the same neighborhood. He told me not to worry about bringing any food because he was making Frogmore Stew for everyone. Frogmore Stew sounded a bit familiar, I think I had it at work several years ago but I didn’t remember it being all that spectacular. My wife and I are also cautious when someone else is cooking and they aren’t used to the precautions needed for Celiacs. I did a quick Internet search and found that nothing in Frogmore Stew has gluten. So what is Frogmore Stew you ask? The name comes from Frogmore, South Carolina. It is essentially a mix of small potatoes, corn on the cob, spicy sausage, and shell fish like shrimp and crab all boiled together in a large pot of water seasoned with Old Bay Seasoning. Back to the party, everyone was sitting around on the back patio enjoying the sunshine and having a cold drink when my friend came out and covered his patio table with packing paper and dumped a big pile of food on top of it for everyone to pick at. Everything was perfect and delicious. My wife and I looked at each other and knew that we had to make this for everyone at our upcoming family vacation. So I went from having Frogmore Stew once several years ago to having it three times in the past three weeks. This is the easiest, most delicious meal to serve to your family and friends this Summer. Plus the presentation will have everyone's attention.
Frogmore Stew
serves 8-10 people- adjust the amount as necessary
Old Bay Seasoning- about 1/3 to 1/2 cup per gallon of water- It’s great if you can use 1 large pot but you need about 2- 2 1/2 gallons of water for this recipe. I don’t have a pot that big so I used a couple smaller pots. Just season the water in each pot and it will be fine.
Onion- 1/2 an onion sliced
Lemons- Juice from 3 lemons
Potatoes- small whole red and Yukon gold-about 2 pounds
Corn on the cob- about 5 ears shucked and cut into thirds
Sausage- Andouille or any kind you like- about 12 links cut them in half
Shellfish- Mix and match however you like- 2 1/2 pounds of medium shrimp cleaned but with the shell on, 2 pounds of Snow crab legs, I even used 1 pound of steamer clams the second time I made this.The view from our rented lake house near the Southern Oregon Coast.My first time making Frogmore Stew at the lake. Set out a little bowl with melted butter.My Brother in Law and my dad caught a several Dungeness crab that we brought home, so I had to make this again. Prep your vegetables.
Add the Old Bay Seasoning to the water along with half an onion and the fresh lemon juice.Rinse off the shell fish before cooking.Cooking is very simple, everything goes into the same pot of boiling seasoned water. It’s all about timing. Start with the potatoes because they take the longest. Boil for about 15- 20 minutes or until just about cooked all the way. You want the potatoes to be just a bit under done when you start adding more ingredients so that they will be perfectly cooked when everything is finished. Next, add the corn. After 5 minutes, add everything else-the sausage, shrimp, crab, and clams. The sausage and crab are already cooked, they just need to warm up. The shrimp and clams only take a few minutes to cook. Finally, strain off and discard all the liquid and pour everything onto the middle of your table lined with newspaper or packing paper. If you don’t want to dump this on your table, just pour it into a large pan or bowl and set it in the middle of the table for your guests to pick at. Serve with a little melted butter and you are set. This is a great hands on Summer time meal. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Strawberry Pie

2011-06-29T16:38:00.001-07:00

I know, I’m a horrible blogger…oh the guilt!!! I hate leaving you hanging for so long. I do enjoy my blog and all the positive feedback I get from everyone. Lately, I have had a horrible case of writer’s block, or blogger block. I haven’t been making too many new dishes to post here. However, the beginning of Summer in Oregon brings on the fleeting crop of fresh Hood strawberries. We have a little berry farm about a mile or two from our house where we go every year to pick these fresh sweet berries. So with Oregon strawberry inspiration, I give you………..a strawberry pie. I do cheat by using a Whole Foods pre-made gluten free pie crust. By doing so, this pie is super simple to make and super delicious.
Strawberry Pie
from allrecipies.com
1- 9 inch gluten free pie crust, baked (Whole Foods Brand)
1 quart fresh strawberries, divided
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbs cornstarch
3/4 cup water
Whipped cream for topping

Begin by baking the unfilled pie crust per the directions on the package.
Next, take half of the strawberries (1 pint) and mash them in a medium sauce pan. Add the sugar. Cook the mixture over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Combine the cornstarch and water. Gradually, stir the cornstarch mixture into the boiling strawberries until thickened, about 5-10 minutes. The mixture will thicken more as it cools so don’t over cook it.
Place the other half (1 pint) of berries in baked pie shell. Leave them whole.
Pour the thickened berry mix over the whole berries in the pie shell. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving.
Top with plenty of whipped cream. Enjoy!!!

Kinnikinnick Blueberry Donuts

2011-04-25T06:44:00.001-07:00

Hello, I hope everyone had a good Easter. I just want to let you know that Kinnikinnick has delicious blueberry donuts for sale right now. If you are a donut lover, and who isn’t, these are the perfect little breakfast treat. Enjoy!!! Full disclosure; I received a free package of blueberry donuts to try from Kinnikinnick.

Gluten Free Brown Butter Brownies

2011-04-14T12:17:00.001-07:00

I’m no stranger to a batch of brownies. Quite often a cheap box of brownie mix and some vanilla ice cream make their way into the grocery cart when firefighters go shopping for their daily supplies. Even at home I have made some decent gluten free brownies from scratch. Not to mention, there are a couple good GF brownie mixes available as well. I have to tell you, the recipe I’m about to give you puts all other brownies to shame, even the non gluten free ones. As an added bonus, these brownies are super simple to make. Up until a couple of years ago, I had no idea what browned butter was. Now that I have tried it, I’ve used brown butter in several recipes. For those of you who don’t know what is so special about brown butter, allow me to fill you in. When you take butter and heat it in a saucepan over medium heat, it begins to melt and foam up. After 4-5 minutes, the butter begins to darken in color and “brown.” When the butter browns, it takes on a very nutty, earthy flavor that tastes great when used with chocolate.
Gluten Free Brown Butter Brownies
^{from Bon Appetit, modified to be gluten free}10 Tbs unsalted butter (1-1/4 sticks)
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp water
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs GF flour mix
1/2-1 cup walnut piecesStart by pre heating your oven to 325 degrees F. Next, line an 8inch by 8inch pan with tin foil. Lightly coat the foil with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together, set aside.Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.I wanted to show the transformation of the butter here. After the butter melts it is still golden yellow and it begins to foam up.After, 4-5 minutes you will see the butter getting darker and “browning.” Make sure you stir the butter occasionally so it doesn’t burn. Once the butter reaches a deep brown color, remove from the heat.Next, add the sugar, cocoa powder, salt mix. Add in the vanilla and 2 tsps of water as well. Stir the mixture well. The mix will be a little grainy at this point. Let it cool down for about 5 minutes before adding the eggs, one at a time.After the eggs are mixed in, the batter will become smooth and shiny. Add in the gf flour and beat vigorously for about 60-70 strokes.Stir in the walnuts.Pour the batter into your prepared pan and throw it in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs on it. Cool the brownies in the pan on a rack. After they are cooled, you should be able to lift the brownies out of the pan by carefully lifting the tin foil on the sides of the pan.Now you have a whole pile of ooey gooey delicious gluten free brownies. Like I said before, these are the best brownies I’ve ever had.They even go great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Banana Cake with Cream Caramel

2011-03-31T15:53:00.001-07:00

How in the world does time get away from me so fast? I really didn’t mean to have nearly a month pass me by before my next post. For those of you still with me, I have a tasty little cake for you. This is a banana layer cake with banana cream caramel and roasted pecans. What I really like about this cake are two subtle ingredients that I never would have thought to add; dark rum and lime juice. Both the rum and lime juice are sprinkled on each layer of cake giving this cake a great accent flavor. OK, here we go.
Gluten Free Banana Cake with Cream Caramel
from Bon Appetit, modified to be gluten free
Cake:
2-1/2 cups of GF flour mix
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2-1/2 cups sugar (divided)
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks, room temp)
6 eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tbs buttermilk
2 small ripe bananas (cut into 1/4 inch cubes)
Banana Cream Caramel:
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 small ripe banana (cut into 1 inch pieces)
3 Tbs unsalted butter (room temp)
3-3/4 cups chilled whipping cream (divided)
4-1/2 tsp fresh lime juice (divided)
4-1/2 tsp dark rum (divided)
Pecans:
2 cups pecan halves
3 Tbs unsalted butter (melted)
1-1/4 tsp fine sea salt Let’s begin by making the cream caramel. Combine the brown sugar, banana, and butter in a food processor; blend until smooth. Add 1-1/2 cups of heavy cream and blend again until combined. Transfer to a heavy medium saucepan.Whisk over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and cook, without stirring or mixing, until the temperature reaches 218 degrees F. Pour the caramel into a medium bowl. Cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.In a separate bowl, whisk 2-1/4 cups of cream just until it begins to form soft mounds. Fold the whipped cream into the room temperature caramel.This is what your banana cream caramel should look like. Chill the cream caramel in the refrigerator until it is firm enough to spread, about 3 hours.Let’s move on to the cake. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and butter and flour two 9 inch diameter cake pans. Next, sift together the gf flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, set aside. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter and 1 cup of sugar together. Beat in 2 eggs. Next, alternate adding the buttermilk and dry ingredients (gf flour) into the butter, sugar, egg mix until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, beat the remaining 4 eggs together with 1-1/2 cups of sugar until the mixture is thick and pale, about 4 minutes. Fold the egg/sugar mixture into the cake batter. Finally, fold in the bananas. Divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans on a backing rack for 15 minutes.After the cake has cooled in the pans, invert them on to a backing rack and cool to room temperature. While the cake is cooling, turn your oven to 325 degrees F and make the toasted pecans. Toss the pecans and melted butter in a medium bowl until well coated. Add the sea salt and toss. Spread the pecans evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until fragrant and slightly darker in color, stirring occasionally. Cool pecans completely.Let’s put this thing together. Start by slicing both cake rounds in half horizontally so you end up with 4 cake layers. Place one layer, cut side up, on a platter. Drizzle 1-1/2 tsp of lime juice and 1-1/2 tsp of rum over the cake. Next, spread 1 to 1-1/2 cups of cream caramel over the layer. Place the second layer, cut side down, on top of the first layer. Repeat the drizzle of 1-1/2 tsp each of lime juice and rum. Spread on the cream caramel. Repeat for the third layer, cut side up. The fourth layer goes cut side down and is just covered with the cream caramel, no rum or lime juice. To finish things off, I spread the remaining cream caramel around the outside of the cake as well. Top with toasted pecans and you are in business. Now, this cake should be refrigerated to keep everything firm before cutting into it. Unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of patience. I cut into this cake immediately and the layers wanted to slide around a little bit. Be careful if you don’t have the willpower to refrigerate this cake until it is firm. The flavors in this cake all work together beautifully. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken

2011-03-01T21:35:00.001-08:00

Thank you to everyone who responded in regards to what I should post next. By a narrow margin, buttermilk oven fried chicken won out. I’ll post the banana layer cake soon.
Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
^{from Cooking Light, modified to be gluten free}3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 whole chicken cut into 6 pieces (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks)
1/2 cup gf flour mix
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp red chile flakes or cayenne pepper
You could easily add any spices you want to the flour mix to customize the flavor for you and your family.
Place the chicken pieces and the buttermilk in a gallon size Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or more.Place the flour and spices in another gallon Ziploc bag. Pull the chicken pieces from the buttermilk. Allow excess buttermilk to drip off and then toss the chicken pieces in the flour/season mix one at a time until well coated. Discard the buttermilk. Place the chicken on a parchment lined baking sheet. Finally give each piece of chicken a light coating of cooking spray, like Pam. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake chicken for 30-35 minutes or until done. Turn the chicken once after about 20 minutes.
Serve the oven fried chicken with your favorite side dishes. Check out other dinner ideas over at The Gluten Free Homemaker. Enjoy!!!

What’s Next?

2011-02-28T11:35:00.001-08:00

I have a few recipes on standby waiting for their grand appearance on my blog. I just thought I would give anyone out there who cares a chance to tell me what they would like to see next. Here are your choices:
1. Brown Butter Brownies (quite possibly the best brownies I’ve ever made)
2. Meatballs (as in spaghetti and meatballs)
3. Pork Chili Verde (a Mexican chili/soup/stew meal)
4. Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
5. Banana Bread
6. Chicken and Rice Casserole
7. Banana Layer Cake with Cream Carmel and Toasted Pecans
So, if you would like to tell me what to post next, just leave me a comment with your choice. If there is something not on the list you would like me to make and post, let me know and I’ll see what I can do. If you just don’t care what I post, I’ll pick something myself. Take care, Brian

Gluten Free Fish Tacos

2011-02-23T15:08:00.001-08:00

Alright, after yesterday’s post I’ll assume that all of you now have a pile of fresh corn tortillas waiting to be eaten. So, what can you do with these tortillas besides fill them with cheese and make quesadillas? Well, I made Mahi-Mahi fish tacos with them last night and they were pretty tasty. I recently received a cookbook called Mod Mex by chef Scott Linquist. (Full disclosure: I received a free copy of Mod Mex from Andrews McMeel Publishing to review for my blog.) Mod Mex is short for Modern Mexican. This cook book claims to be a modern twist on Mexican cuisine. The Mahi-Mahi tacos stood out as something I needed to make and I was not disappointed. In addition to fresh corn tortillas, the recipe calls for a chipotle aioli sauce and a citrus-cucumber relish. The relish was good but I think the chipotle aioli sent these tacos over the top. The aioli sauce has the perfect blend of sweet, sour, and smoky chipotle goodness. Here we go.
Baja Style Grilled Mahi-Mahi Tacos
from Mod Mex serves 3-4
1 Pound Mahi-Mahi fish fillets cut into 2 inch wide by 3 inch long strips
Fresh corn tortillas
Chipotle Aioli
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 Tbs chipotle in adobo (chopped)
1 Tbs green onion (scallions-chopped)
1/2 Tbs honey
1 tsp fresh lime juice

Citrus-Cucumber Relish
1/2 of a cucumber (peeled, seeded, and cut into thin strips)
1-1/2 Roma tomatoes (cut into thin strips)
1/2 of a red onion (cut into thin strips)
1/2 cup of shredded green cabbage
2 Tbs of cilantro (finely chopped)
1/2 of a serrano chile (seeded and cut into thin strips)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbs fresh grapefruit juice
1-1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp kosher salt
For the chipotle aioli, simply combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl.Stir up the aioli and refrigerate. You should make this at least 30 minutes ahead of time to let the flavors meld together.For the citrus-cucumber relish, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir the relish and refrigerate. Again, this should be made at least 30 minutes early to allow the flavors to meld.Next, portion out your fish and grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until it is cooked all the way through. This is a great excuse to do some February barbecuing. All that is left to do now is put it all together. Spread the aioli on the tortilla, put a piece of grilled fish on, and cover with relish. These tacos are great with a little sliced avocado and fresh lime juice squeezed over the top. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Corn Tortillas

2011-02-22T10:17:00.001-08:00

NEWS FLASH!!!! You can make corn tortillas at home and……..wait for it……they’re gluten free! I know, this isn’t really breaking news. When you have to make all kinds of gluten free food from scratch why on Earth would you want to make corn tortillas? Especially when you can buy them for cheap anywhere. Well, like most things made from scratch, they just taste better. Besides, they are soooo simple to make and you may just impress someone with your ability to whip out piping hot fresh tortillas. You really only need one special tool; a prensa de tortilla, if you habla Español. That would be a tortilla press if you speak English. You can find them for about $15-$20 online or in a kitchen store. You will also need Masa which is a finely ground corn flour. Another name for it is masa harina, not to be confused with corn meal. Let’s get to it.
Corn Tortillas
2-1/2 cups Masa flour (I used Maseca brand)
1-1/2 cups warm water
1/2 Tbs kosher salt
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the masa, water, and salt. Mix on medium speed until the dough forms a cohesive, but not sticky, semi-firm dough (about 2 minutes.)
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and even up to 5 days.
Cut a quart size Ziploc bag in half to line your tortilla press so the dough doesn’t stick. Place one half of the bag on the bottom of the press and use the other half to place on top of the ball of dough before you press it. Roll about 1-1/2 Tbs of dough into a ball and press into a tortilla. You can roll the dough into balls in advance, just cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel to keep the dough from drying out.
Check you out, you just pressed your own fresh tortilla.
Place your tortilla on hot griddle for 2-3 minutes per side. Do not oil the griddle. The tortillas should get a little brown on each side but still be soft and pliable.
This recipe makes about 10-12 four inch diameter tortillas. You could easily double the recipe if you need more than that. All you need now is something tasty to roll up inside your fresh, hot, homemade goodness. I’ll be back soon to help you out with that. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Donut Review

2011-02-19T12:55:00.001-08:00

Full disclosure here, I received a package of gluten free cinnamon apple donuts to review from Kinnikinnick. Yes, I received some donuts to review but my wife did most of the quality control testing. I did manage to get half of a donut before they disappeared. My wife has been a fan of Kinnikinnick donuts for a while now. These new cinnamon apple donuts are every bit as good as their other ones. The cinnamon apple donuts are basically a cake style donuts with a sweet glaze on top. Like most gluten free donuts they are a little more dense than a traditional non gf donut. However, the flavor is great and they are delicious by themselves or with a good cup of coffee. You should check these out while you can. The cinnamon apple donuts are only available through the end of February. Enjoy!!!

Spiced Chocolate Torte Part 3…Finally

2011-01-24T15:55:00.001-08:00

We have finally arrived at act 3, the chocolate ribbons.
Chocolate Ribbons
7 ounces white chocolate
7 ounces of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup of light corn syrup, divided I set up two double boilers. Melt the chocolate until smooth, then stir in 1/4 cup of corn syrup into each bowl of chocolate.Pour the chocolates onto a parchment lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes, until firm.Next , knead the white chocolate several times on a clean work surface. Shape the chocolate into a ball, wrap in plastic, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Repeat with the semisweet chocolate.Cut the ball of chocolate into 4 pieces. Flatten each piece until you are able to run it through a pasta roller set to the widest opening. Run the chocolate through the pasta roller 3 times at the widest setting, folding the chocolate in thirds before each pass. Turn the roller to the next narrower setting and run chocolate through once. If you don’t have a pasta roller, you’ll have to roll it by hand. You want the chocolate to be about 1/16th of an inch thick.Next, you’ll need to cut out four 8x1 inch strips of white chocolate and four 8x1/2 inch strips of semisweet. I cut out one 8x1 inch strip of parchment paper and one 8x1/2 strip of paper to use as templates. I put the chocolate on the cutting board and used my paper templates to help me cut uniform strips. Also, I found that a pizza cutter worked great for cutting the chocolate into strips.Now, just lay the semisweet strips on top of the white ones. Run the 4 strips from the base of the cake to the center as pictured above.We’re almost there. Using the same method from above, cut thirteen 6-1/2x1 inch strips of white chocolate and thirteen 6-1/2x1/2 inch strips of semisweet. Run four strips of ribbon from the top center of the cake over the sides about half way down. Cut the bottom of the strips at a 45 degree angle to look more like ribbons. These strips should run between the strips that run from the center to the base. The two of the shorter strips are pictured above to the left and right of the full length strip. The next 9 strips of chocolate will be used to make the bow on top. Fold 8 of the chocolate ribbon over into a bow piece. Use a knife to cut the ends of the bow into a “V” shape (as seen on the piece of cake pictured below. Arrange the eight bow pieces on top of the cake. Take the final ribbon and roll it in a loop to place in the center of the bow.Whew!!!! All that is left to do is impress your friends and family. Enjoy!!!

Spiced Chocolate Torte Part 2

2011-01-19T06:00:00.001-08:00

Let's move on to Part 2 of the Bon Appetit cake. This cake has a rich, rum buttercream frosting and a thick chocolate glaze covering the whole thing. Here we go.

Rum Buttercream Frosting
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 egg yolks
1-1/2 cups butter (3 sticks) cut into small pieces, room temp
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 dark rum

Chocolate Glaze
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks) cut into 12 pieces
2 Tbs honey
3/4 tsp instant espresso powderFor the buttercream frosting, stir sugar and corn syrup together in a sauce pan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg yolks until pale and thick. Gradually beat in the hot sugar syrup. Continue beating until the mixture is cool, about 5 minutes.
Beat in the butter 1 piece at a time, incorporating each one before adding the next.
Blend in the melted chocolate, then the rum.
Reserve 1/2 cup of buttercream. Place 1 layer of cake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread 1/2 of the remaining buttercream on top of the first layer. Place the second cake on top of the first and cover with the remaining buttercream. Next, place the third layer of cake on top.
Use the reserved buttercream to fill in any gaps where the cake layers meet. Try to make the sides as smooth as possible. Finally, freeze the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 2 hours.
For the glaze, stir all the ingredients together in a double boiler until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir glaze for about 5 minutes, until it is thickened.
Remove cake from the freezer. Pour about 3/4 of the glaze over the top of the cake. Tilt the cake back and forth so the glaze runs down the sides. Smooth the sides with a spatula. Use the remaining glaze to coat the cake where necessary.
Chill the cake until the glaze is set, about 20-30 minutes
You're almost done. stay tuned for Part 3

Spiced Chocolate Torte Part 1

2011-01-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

I was certainly hoping to have this recipe posted before Christmas. Unfortunately, my computer crash prevented that. On the bright side, we got a shiny new computer for Christmas. Although it’s not quite as exciting when you have to pay for it yourself. Let’s talk about this cake. This cake just jumped of the cover of December’s issue of Bon Appetit. The letter from the editor inside the magazine gave me all the reasons I needed try this cake. The cake first appeared on Bon Appetit’s cover in 1984. Since then “it remains our most requested recipe.” I knew I ~~wanted~~ had to try this cake, until………. I read the recipe. After I read the recipe, a few thoughts went through my head. Most of them were cynical and skeptical in nature. To help you understand, let me highlight some of the ingredients going into this cake; 7.5 sticks of butter, 12 eggs, over 2.5 pounds of chocolate, and 1 cup of corn syrup plus nearly 3 cups of sugar. It’s OK, take a moment to catch your breath. So, my first thought was: If you want to pinpoint when the obesity epidemic in this country started, I believe it very well could have been December 1984, when this recipe was first published. My second thought after reading the recipe was: “it remains our most requested recipe.” Really?? My final thought: it must be incredible, let’s do this!

The cake is quite an undertaking so I ‘m breaking it up into three separate posts. Part 1 will be the cake recipe. Part 2 will be the butter cream frosting and the chocolate glaze. Finally, part 3 will be the ribbon decorations.

Spiced Chocolate Torte Wrapped in Chocolate Ribbons:
Modified to be Gluten Free
Cake:
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks)room temp
2 cups of granulated sugar
8 eggs, separated, room temp
10 ounces, bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), melted, room temp
1-1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1-1/3 cups gf flour mix plus extra for pans
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
1/8 tsp of salt
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and gf flour 3- 9inch round pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a piece of parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the gf flour, xanthan gum, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.Using a double boiler, melt chocolate. Take melted chocolate off the heat and allow to cool to near room temperature. To save a little money, I used a mix of semi sweet chocolate chips along with chopped semi sweet chocolate from a bar.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the 8 egg yolks 1 at a time.
Next, blend in the melted chocolate. Slowly mix in the chopped pecans and vanilla extract. Gently mix in the flour in 4 batches. The batter will be thick and dense. In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the 8 egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar until medium peaks form. Gently fold in 1/4 of the egg whites into the batter. Then fold in the remaining egg whites.Divide the batter equally between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a cooling rack. It may help to run a knife around the side of each cake before inverting onto a rack.

Stay tuned for Part 2.

Almost up and running

2010-12-28T10:13:00.001-08:00

Luckily during the great computer crash of 2010, I still had not transferred pictures off my camera from my latest project. If you happened to see the December issue of Bon Appetit, there was an amazing cake on the front cover. I had to make it. Of course I modified it to be gluten free. I took it to my wife's work Christmas party where it was a big hit. As soon as I'm fully back up and running with a new computer, I will post the step by step pictures if you want to tackle this crazy cake. Bon Appetit's Version

My Version

Merry Christmas

2010-12-22T08:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry for my absence recently, I have had limited computer access. My computer crashed and wiped out all of my pictures and recipes. I hope that all of you back up your computer more diligently than I did. Anyway, I will be up and running again soon with a new computer. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

2010-11-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

I was going to do a post about apple crisp today. However, I have been having weird obsessive pumpkin cravings lately. And no, I'm not pregnant, thanks for asking. I came home from work this morning and decided to find a good pumpkin muffin recipe to go with my coffee. I turned to a reliable source for everything delicious; joyofbaking.com. Yet again, I was not disappointed. With the temperature outside spiraling downward and the cold, cold Oregon rain falling, a warm pumpkin muffin loaded with hints of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg was the perfect morning coffee companion.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
from Joy of Baking, modified to be GF
Makes 12 muffins
1-1/2 cups (195grams) GF flour mix
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
1 stick of butter (113g) softened
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup (75g) pumpkin puree (I use Libby's)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
Baking Directions
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 18-20 minutes
Start by whisking all the dry ingredients(the first 8)together in a medium bowl.
Next, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as necessary. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and the pumpkin puree. Make sure you are using plain pumpkin puree, not the pre-seasoned pumpkin pie filling.

Finally, mix in the dry ingredients a third at a time until thoroughly combined. If you are using chocolate chips, stir them in at the end. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line with paper cups a 12 muffin pan. Divide the batter equally and bake for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on a rack for a few minutes. Pour yourself a cup of fresh coffee and try not to devour all 12 muffins in one sitting. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Fall Treats

2010-10-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

Since Fall is upon us and some good food holidays are just around the corner, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite holiday treats. Just click on the picture to take you to the recipe.
This pumpkin cheesecake is soooo smooth and creamy it will be a hit with any pumpkin loving guest. That is, if you decide to share.

Pumpkin pie is a must have at any holiday meal. I use Whole Foods brand GF pie crusts to save time so I can tend to other cooking.

Pumpkin bread pudding is a nice alternative to pie and cheesecake.

I know, Crack Pie is not a standard holiday dessert. At least not yet. I can't give you a list of great treats and not include this one. One bite and you will be addicted.

Green bean casserole may not be a dessert treat, but it is certainly a treat for anyone who has had to give it up because they are gluten free. This green bean casserole is amazing.

If you are looking for something to munch on or something easy to bring to a party, then you should try these sweet and spicy pecans. They have just the right amount of sweet and spice. They will disappear quickly.

Last but not least, Chex mix is another simple snack to bring to a party or set out as the guests begin to arrive.

I hope everyone has a great holiday season this year. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Coconut Bread with Pineapple Butter

2010-10-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

This post is originally from October 2009. I am submiting this over at The Gluten Free Homemaker's Create a Quick Bread Challenge this month.
After documenting all the food that my family eats over the last nine months, I now realize that we consume more butter and sugar than some small developing nations. But hey, I'm on roll, why stop now? In high school gym class they always yelled; "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger." Shouldn't that apply to food as well? As we head in to the weekend, I've got a nice little breakfast / anytime treat for you.

Gluten Free Coconut Bread with Sweet Pineapple Butter:

inspired by: Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen modified to be GF

1/2 cup butter (1 stick, melted)

3 cups GF flour mix

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 Tbs baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Zest of 1 lemon (finely grated)

1-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1-1/2 cups shredded coconut (toasted)

Powdered sugar for dusting

Sweet Pineapple Butter:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick, softened)

4 ounces crushed pineapple (drained)
Bake at 375 degrees F for 50-60 minutes Begin by toasting the coconut in a 350 degree F oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring periodically. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
While the coconut is toasting, whisk all the dry ingredients, except for the brown sugar, together in a bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, eggs, and lemon zest. Mix thoroughly. Next, slowly mix in the coconut milk.

Finally, stir the toasted coconut in to the batter. Pour the batter in to a greased 9x5 pan and bake at 375 degrees F for 50-60 minutes.
While the bread is baking, place 1 stick of softened butter along with 4 ounces of well drained crushed pineapple in to a food processor.
Pulse the butter and pineapple together until light and fluffy.
Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack. Slice the bread, toast it, and top with pineapple butter and a dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy with a cup of fresh coffee!!!

Gluten Free Thai Chicken Flatbread

2010-10-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

I've made a couple of big mistakes lately. I never should have made gluten free naan bread. Now that my wife has tried gf naan, she wants me to make it everyday. In fact we just had kebabs again the other night. I can't complain though because I enjoy all of it as much as she does. As long as I was making naan for the kebabs, I decided to double the recipe and find another use for it. I came across The Steamy Kitchen cookbook which had a recipe for Thai Chicken Flatbread using naan as the flatbread base. Here is mistake number two. This Thai Chicken Flatbread is beyond words. There are elements of sweetness and spice, warm chicken and bread countered by cool crisp cilantro and mung bean sprouts. To top it all off, the ooey gooey mozzarella brings it all together.
Thai Chicken Flatbread
From The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook
1 batch of gluten free naan
Thai Peanut Sauce
2 tsp canola or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic (pressed)
1 tsp grated ginger
3 Tbs sweet chili sauce like (Mae Ploy)
2 tsp ketchup
2 tsp gf soy sauce
2 tsp honey
1 tsp garlic chili paste (sambal)
2/3 cup water
3 Tbs peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
Flatbread Topping
1/2 pound (250g) chicken
2 tsp gf soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs olive oil
8 ounces (250g) shredded mozzarella
fresh mung bean sprouts and cilantro sprigs
For the Thai peanut sauce; heat oil in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, add the garlic and ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, stir until smooth.
Simmer the sauce until it begins to thicken. Remove the sauce from the heat and cool to room temperature. This sauce will last in the refrigerator for up to a week if you want to make it in advance.
For the topping, cut the chicken into bite size pieces, I used 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts. Put the chicken pieces in a bowl, add 2 tsp of gf soy sauce, 1 tsp of honey, and 1/2 tsp cornstarch. Mix thoroughly and let the chicken sit for about 10 minutes at room temperature. Heat a nonstick pan over high heat and cook the chicken until done, stirring frequently.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly brush the edges of the naan with olive oil. Next, spread the peanut sauce on the bread, add some cooked chicken and cover with shredded mozzarella. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and top with fresh mung bean sprouts and cilantro sprigs. Amazingly delicious. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Brownies

2010-09-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

I have a terrible sweet tooth. Anything with butter, sugar, and chocolate is always welcome in my home. Since brownies have an abundance of all three of my favorite ingredients, they are welcome house guests. Now you may be thinking, "hey Brian there are all these gluten free brownies mixes available, why would you make them from scratch?" Good question. A- They are super easy to make. And B- These brownies taste better than any store bought mix I have ever tried. You just have to make them to see for yourself.
Gluten Free Brownies:
from Joy of Baking modified to be GF
5 ounces (140g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate- chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick or 113 grams)- cut into pieces
2 Tbs (15g) cocoa powder
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 cup (95g) gluten free flour mix
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
It's best to get your ingredients all together before you start. Whisk the salt and xanthan gum into your gf flour mix and you can add the cocoa powder to the granulated sugar.Place a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler.) Melt the butter and chocolate together until smooth.
Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the sugar and cocoa powder. Next, whisk in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Finally, stir in the gf flour mix that has the salt and xanthan gum in it.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Pour the brownies mix into a lightly greased 8inch X 8inch pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!
For more gluten free recipes visit Linda over at The Gluten Free Homemaker

Gluten Free Naan Bread

2010-09-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

Alright, who ran right out and made the Lamb kebab recipe that I posted the other day? Go ahead raise your hand.........No one, not one person. Pfffft. Well then, allow me to push you one step closer to a meal that will have your taste buds dancing and jumping for joy. If you are not into lamb I understand. As I said before, the marinade works well with chicken too. To send the whole kebab meal into overdrive, you need to make naan to go with it. What is naan you ask? Great question. Naan is a flat bread native to Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is similar to a pita bread but not exactly the same. If you make up this naan bread recipe along with the lamb kebabs and tzatziki, you will find yourself with something that resembles a Greek Gyro. Seriously, who can pass that up?
Gluten Free Naan Bread:
.25 ounces of quick rising yeast(about 2 tsp)
2 Tbs sugar
1/2 cup warm water (103-106 degrees F)
2-1/4 cups GF flour mix
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
1-1/2 Tbs milk
butter for frying
In a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, salt, xanthan gum, minced garlic, and garlic powder. Add 1 lightly beaten egg and the milk.
In a bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, add the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Proof the yeast for about 3-4 minutes. The mixture should foam up slightly.

Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a dough hook until thoroughly combined.
Lay parchment paper over a baking sheet or cutting board and lightly dust with gf flour. Use your hands to divide the dough evenly into four pieces. Lightly flour your hands and press the dough into four flat rounds a bit larger than your hands. Cover the pressed dough with a clean towel and place in a warm area to rise for about 20-30 minutes. The dough will not rise dramatically.
Next, preheat a heavy skillet, I used cast iron, add 1/2-1 Tbs of butter to the skillet. Fry your naan bread on each side for 3-4 minutes per side. Add a little more butter to the skillet and repeat with the next piece of bread. Finally, take all the cooked naan and wrap it in foil. Place the bread in a warm oven (250-275 degrees F) for about 4-5 minutes. The steam inside the foil will add a nice chewiness to the naan. Now the combination of the naan, lamb, and tzatziki will have your family carting you around the house on their shoulders singing your praises. I'm not joking, it's that good. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Lamb Kebabs with Tzatziki

2010-09-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

I'll be honest here, I don't stray very far from beef or chicken when I make a meal. In fact my family eats a lot of chicken. Sometimes it is nice to break up the monotony of chicken dishes with a fresh new idea. I made lamb kebabs the other night and they were incredible. The meat has such a great deep flavor and the accompanying marinade was perfect; with lemon, garlic, and mint. I also made Greek tzatziki sauce to go along with the kebabs. The combination of the light sauce and rich meat is outstanding. The marinade I used worked well on chicken also. I guess I can't stray too far from the old standby.
Lamb Marinade
makes enough for 3-4 pounds of meat
3/4 cup olive oil
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
6 cloves of garlic-minced
2 Tbs fresh mint-chopped
4 tsp salt
4 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
Mix all ingredients together
I used a 1 pound lamb steak and 1 pound of chicken breasts for my kebabs. Cut the meat into roughly 2 inch cubes.
Place the meat in a medium bowl and cover with marinade. Reserve some of the marinade for the vegetables. Allow the meat to marinade for at least 2-3 hours covered in the refrigerator. Cube up some of your favorite vegetables; I used green and red bell peppers, onion, and zucchini.
Preheat your grill. I like to make kebabs with all vegetables or all meat on the skewer for easier cooking since the meat takes a little longer to cook than the vegetables. I cooked the meat kebabs for about 6-7 minutes, flipped them over once and cooked them for another 6-7 minutes. Before you put the vegetables on the grill, give them a quick brushing with the reserved marinade. Cook the vegetables for about 4 minutes per side.

Now for a great, light and fresh sauce to accompany our kebabs.
Greek Tzatziki Sauce:
can be made a day in advance
14 ounces Greek yogurt
1 English cucumber- finely shredded (seeded but not peeled)
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 Tbs fresh dill-minced
1-1/2 tsp garlic-minced
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
Serve your kebabs with the tzatziki sauce on the side to dip the meat in. The combination of the cool fresh tzatziki and the rich marinated lamb is out of this world. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Crack Pie

2010-09-01T00:29:00.000-07:00

Today I bring you; (drum roll please.......................) another dessert. But this is not just A dessert, it is THE dessert. I bring you Crack Pie, slightly modified for gluten free enjoyment. Crack Pie is the dessert that all other desserts will now be compared to. For example; a friend may say:"Wow, I had this amazing chocolate cake for my birthday! My husband made the chocolate himself from scratch using organic cocoa beans flown in from South America. It was soooo amazing!!!" Then you would say; "Was it better than Crack Pie?" Your friend; "no......no it was not."

Just for clarity, Crack Pie derives it name for the addictive nature of this dessert, not because of fissures forming as it bakes. I have never actually tried real crack cocaine, so I can't give you an accurate side by side comparison between Crack Pie and real crack. But here is my breakdown; real crack is a dirty little rock, crack pie is a brown monochromatic mess. I imagine real crack gives you a euphoric high, followed by crushing guilt and self loathing. Crack pie- same. Real crack-illegal, Crack Pie-legal for now. Real crack- need to find shady people to get a fix, Crack Pie- need to go to the grocery store. Enough already, lets make this thing.

I will warn you, if you are faint of heart, the butter and sugar quantities may cause palpitations.
Gluten Free Crack Pie
from Christina Tosi @ Momofuku Milk Bar modified to be GF
Oat Cookie for the Crust:
6 Tbs unsalted butter (room temp)
4 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs granulated sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs GF oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup GF flour mix
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
heaping 1/4 tsp salt
Crust:
Oat cookie- crumbled
3 Tbs unsalted butter- melted
1-1/2 Tbs brown sugar
Filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 brown sugar- packed
1 Tbs non fat dry milk powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter- melted
6-1/2 Tbs heavy whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar for dusting
Makes one 9inch diameter pie
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Start by making an oatmeal cookie for the crust. Using a stand mixer, combine 6 Tbs of room temp butter with 4 Tbs of brown sugar and 2 Tbs of white sugar. Mix until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Next, beat in one large egg.
In a separate bowl, combine the gluten free oats, 1/2 cup of gluten free flour mix, 1/8 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp baking soda, and a heaping 1/4 tsp of salt. Stir the dry ingredients a little at a time into the mixing bowl with the butter, sugar, and egg. Mix thoroughly. Line a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick spray. Spread the batter out evenly in the pan. This can be a little tricky because everything wants to slide around and the batter is pretty gooey. Do the best you can, if you have gaps or holes in the batter it's OK, everything will melt together as it bakes. Pop the cookie in the preheated oven for 17-18 minutes or until golden brown. My cookie baked for about 12-13 minutes. Remove the cookie from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. I mean it, don't sit there and pick at it, I know you'll want to.
When the cookie is completely cool, crumble it with your fingers into a medium sized bowl. Next, add 3 Tbs of melted butter and 1-1/2 Tbs of brown sugar. Mix everything together with your fingers and then press the mixture evenly into a 9inch baking pan, go up the sides as well.
For the filling; in a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar, 1 Tbs of nonfat dry milk powder (you can find this in the baking section of most groceries stores and it's cheap) and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 1 stick of melted butter and whisk until blended. Finally, add 6-1/2 Tbs whipping cream, 4 egg yolks, and 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract. Whisk until well blended.
Pour the filling into the crust. Place the pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet and into a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue baking for 15-20 minutes or until the filling is brown in spots and set around the edges but the center should move slightly when shaken gently.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate any left overs.
Crack Pie is meant to be served cold. However, if you have no will power like me, it may not make it to the refrigerator in one piece. I think this pie is actually served best a little warm. It's not very pretty but trust me, one bite and you'll be hooked. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Carne Asada

2010-08-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but for my wife and I, Mexican food may as well be one of the essential food groups. My taste for Mexican food has certainly been shaped by my wife's Celiac disease. I love all the fresh flavors incorporated into Mexican cuisine as well as the ability to make easy gluten free meals. Here in the Portland area, you can buy meat in the grocery store labeled as carne asada. Other names for carne asada are; skirt steak or flank steak. Carne asada is simply a lean cut of beef sliced very thin. Let the meat marinate for a while and throw it on a hot grill and you are in business for an easy and delicious meal.
Gluten Free Carne Asada:
From Simply Recipes
2-3 pounds of carne asada meat
Marinade:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seed
1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
Start by lightly toasting cumin seeds until fragrant. Grind the cooled seeds into a powder. You could also use powered cumin if you don't have whole seeds.
Next, in a large bowl, combine the rest of the marinade ingredients.

Add the carne asada meat to the bowl and thoroughly coat each piece with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4-5 hours.

Preheat your BBQ to 375-400 degrees f. Cook each slice of carne asada for 2-3 minutes per side. Carne asada is very thin so be careful not to overcook it and turn it into shoe leather.

Let the meat rest for about 2 minutes and then slice it across the grain. Because the meat is so thin it cools down very fast. So, after slicing the meat, I threw it in a pan on the stove top to reheat. I also sauteed some bell peppers and onions to go with my carne asada.

Wrap it all up in a warm corn tortilla with some fresh salsa verde and sour cream and you have just created a little Mexican masterpiece. Enjoy!!!

For more gluten free meal ideas, visit Linda over at The Gluten Free Homemaker

Gluten Free Lemon Cake

2010-08-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

Have you completely given up on me yet? I know it's been a while. I guess I just needed a little break and what better time to take a break than during the Summer. I've been busy with other things besides my blog. My family went to Lake Chelan in central Washington to celebrate my parents 40th anniversary back in mid July.
My daughter had a great time playing in the water and hanging out with her cousin.
My wife's birthday was a few days ago and since I let off with a cake post, I thought I would start back up with one. I made a nice little lemon cake by following one of Martha Stewart's jailhouse recipes, with a few alterations. It was delicious. There was a nice balance of sweet and tart from the lemons.
Gluten Free Lemon Cake:
From Martha Stewart modified to be GF
For the Cake:
2 1/2 cups GF flour , plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
For the Lemon Syrup:
1 large lemon sliced thin and seeded
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Follow this link for the Lemon Curd filling
For the frosting:
I used Betty Crocker GF Lemon frosting per the birthday girl's request
Baking Directions:
2- 8 inch round cake pans buttered and floured with gf flour
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes
Start by making the lemon curd for the filling. I know the lemon curd recipe link is about waffles, which are delicious by the way, just follow the recipe for the lemon curd portion. Then, whisk together the gf flour mix, baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, and lemon zest in a medium bowl, set aside.
Next, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs and yolks. Add the 2 Tbs of lemon juice to the buttermilk. Alternate mixing in the buttermilk and the flour mix until thoroughly combined. Prepare two 8 inch round cake pans by buttering and flouring them with gf flour. Divide the batter between the two pans. Place in a preheated 350 degree F oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. When the cake comes out of the oven, allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack. While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup. For the lemon syrup, thinly slice and seed one large lemon. Next, place 1/2 cup water and a 1/2 cup of sugar in a sauce pan over medium high heat, bring to a boil. Add the lemon slices and simmer for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the lemon slices and place them on parchment paper. Finally, stir in 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice into the syrup and set aside. To assemble the cake, start with the bottom layer of cake. Use a toothpick to poke several holes in the top of the cake. Brush half of the lemon syrup over the top of the cake. Next spread an even layer of lemon curd over the cake. Place the top layer of cake on, poke holes in the top and brush on the remaining lemon syrup. I also found that the top layer wanted to slide off of the lemon curd filling, so I pushed a couple toothpicks down through the top of the cake to stabilize the two layers. Just make sure your guests don't eat the toothpicks when you cut them a piece. I frosted the cake with Betty Crocker Lemon Frosting which is GF. I placed my candied lemon slices around the outside and then I wrote Happy Birthday with the neatness and pizazz of a 1st grader learning to write. Delicious Lemony Goodness. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

2010-05-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

I don't often get wild cravings for food that just won't go away. However, carrot cake has been on my mind for weeks now. I'm not even sure if I have ever made one before and it certainly is not my favorite cake. Any cake with chocolate in it takes the top honors for me. But somehow, visions of carrot cake have danced in my mind as I drift off to sleep. While I'm awake, the wind whispers;"carrot cake, carrot cake." I can't take it anymore. I must make a carrot cake to appease the voices in my head. I turned to one of my favorite recipe resources for all things dessert; joyofbaking.com.
Gluten Free Carrot Cake
from joyofbaking modified to be GF
Cake:
1 cup (100g) pecans (toasted and finely chopped)
2-1/2 cups (340g) finely grated carrots
2 cups (260g) gf flour mix
1 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 large eggs at room temp
1-1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240ml) vegetable or canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
Baking Directions:
Divide batter between 2 well greased 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for25-30 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. This cake can also be made into a single layer 9x13 cake, simply increase baking time to 30-40 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter at room temp
8 ounces (227g) cream cheese at room temp
2 cups (230g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
finely grated lemon zest from one lemon
Start by toasting the pecans in a 350 degree F oven for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and chop finely. Next, finely shred 2-1/2 cups of carrots. I used my handy Eat Smart scale to weigh out all the ingredients. Finally, combine the gf flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl, set aside. Beat the 4 eggs on medium speed for about 1 minute, reduce the speed and slowly pour in the granulated sugar. Once the sugar and eggs are combined (about 3-4 minutes) slowly pour in the oil and vanilla. Next, add the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Finally, use a spatula to fold in the carrots and toasted pecans.
Divide the batter between two well greased 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.
While the cake is cooling, beat together the butter and cream cheese. Next, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Beat until thoroughly combined. Place one layer of cake on a platter, spread an even layer of frosting on top of the cake. Add the second layer of cake. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Eat up and banish your cravings. Refrigerate any leftovers. Enjoy!!!

Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables and Prosciutto

2010-04-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

We have had a couple nice bursts of sunshine here in the Portland area lately. My daughter and I made it to the zoo a couple times and I was able to go fishing with my parents at a nearby lake. I love this time of year as spring creeps toward summer. With the brief warm temperatures, I took advantage of dusting of the BBQ and grilling up a nice meal. Quinoa with grilled vegetables isn't exactly rocket science but this dish was light and full of wonderful flavors.
Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables and Prosciutto:
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Quinoa (rinsed and drained 2-3 times)
1 small zucchini
6-8 stalks of asparagus
2 green onions
3-4 sprigs of cilantro
1 medium slice of Prosciutto
Olive oil
Sea salt
Prep the zucchini and asparagus for the grill. Peel and slice the zucchini into spears and trim the ends of the asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Grill the vegetables until they are tender, about 8-10 minutes on my grill.
For the quinoa; bring the chicken broth and 1/2 tsp of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until done, about 15 minutes. While the quinoa is cooking, finely chop the cilantro, green onions, and prosciutto.
Coarsely chop the grilled vegetables and add them to the cooked quinoa along with the cilantro, green onions, and prosciutto. Serve alongside just about anything you like. For us, it was a great accompaniment to our BBQ chicken. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Doughnut Muffins

2010-04-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

The theme this week for "Gluten Free Wednesdays" is muffins. Gluten free muffins are so easy to make and there are many flavors to choose from. I think my top three muffin choices would be; corn muffins, banana nut muffins, and blueberry. However, a newcomer to my muffin making repertoire could easily break into the top three favorites. I present you with the doughnut muffin. The flavors in these muffins taste just like a doughnut and by dipping them in butter and sugar, you ensure that the calorie count is right up there with a real doughnut as well. But they are oh so worth it. Let's get started.
Gluten Free Doughnut Muffins:
from Noble Pig modified to be GF
Makes 12 muffins
Muffins:
1-3/4 cups gf flour mix
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
Jam of your choice
Topping:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Baking Time and Temperature:
350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes In a medium bowl, whisk together the gf flour mix, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the oil and milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into a well greased or lined muffin pan. Add a small scoop of your favorite jam, about a teaspoon each, to the center of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. While the muffins are baking, prepare the topping. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. In another small bowl, melt the butter just before the muffins come out of the oven.
While the muffins are still hot, quickly dip the top of the muffin into the melted butter followed immediately by a dip into the cinnamon sugar mix. Repeat for each muffin. Allow to cool slightly and then dig in to your little doughnut-flavored treasure. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

2010-03-31T14:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, Yes, I'm still alive. It has been a trying couple of weeks. My car broke down and had to have the engine rebuilt and then my wife got strep throat. I figure I'm about a six pack of beer and a lost dog away from a good Country Western song. Here in the Portland area the weather can't seem to decide what to do. One day it's sunny and warm, the next it is cold, windy, and rainy. It's best just to whip up some comfort food and stick close to home this time of year. I don't usually get too crazy with macaroni and cheese. Simple is often best. However, I saw an episode of Barefoot Contessa where Ina made up some mac and cheese that looked delicious, bold, and easy. So, I had to give it a go.
Grown Up Macaroni and Cheese:
courtesy of Ina Garten, modified to be GF
4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
8-12 ounces GF elbow pasta (I use Ancient Harvest Quinoa)
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons GF flour mix
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices GF sandwich bread (I use Whole Foods Brand)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves Cook the pasta per directions on the package. Drain well and set aside. Cook the bacon, coarsely chop and set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and add the gf flour. Stir to combine. Whisk in the milk until it become smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow the milk to boil. Add all of the cheese and stir until smooth and creamy.
Add the chopped bacon, pepper, and nutmeg.
In a food processor, add the gf bread and basil. Pulse until combined into crumbs.
Mix the pasta and cheese sauce together. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish or several smaller baking dishes. Cover with bread crumb mixture. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until the bread topping is golden brown. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Glazed Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

2010-03-10T10:19:00.000-08:00

A little while back my wife subscribed to Bon Appetit magazine as a gift for me. So besides finding new recipes on the Internet to try, Bon Appetit has become my inspiration for new recipes. Unfortunately, some of the recipes that look great in the magazine have ended up in the garbage after one bite. I hate spending the time and money to try something new only to be thoroughly disappointed. On the other hand, I have found some really good recipes in the magazine also. I knew this recipe for glazed chicken was a hit when my wife asked me when I could make it again. The glaze for the chicken is sweet and tangy and the pineapple salsa is fresh and tropical. It is very delicious.
Glazed Chicken with Pineapple Salsa
from Bon Appetit
Serves 4
For the chicken:
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 Tbs brown sugar (packed)
1 Tbs yellow mustard
For the salsa:
3/4 cup fresh pineapple cut into 1/4 inch cubes
3 Tbs diced red pepper
3 Tbs chopped cilantro
1-1/2 Tbs diced red onion
1-1/2 Tbs diced jalapeno pepper (adjust amount to your liking)
pinch of salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring pineapple juice, brown sugar, and mustard to a boil in a small sauce pan. Stir together and boil until the glaze is thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and brush both side of chicken with the glaze. Bake for 15 minutes. Apply another coat of glaze and broil to finish cooking, about 5 minutes longer. Keep an eye on the chicken so it doesn't burn under the broiler.
For the salsa, combine all the salsa ingredients together in a medium bowl. It is best to make the salsa at least an hour ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld a bit.
Spoon the salsa over the chicken. Serve with rice and a vegetable and you are all set to eat a delicious and easy weeknight meal. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Grilled Cheese and Short Rib Sandwich

2010-02-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

I was just looking back through my blog the other day when I realized that I have been at this for a year now. February 24th is when I started my little venture into blogging. At the time I didn't know what to expect. I thought it would be cool if one or two people stumbled across my site. The first comment I received was from Kim at Gluten Free Green Mommy. The next few comments came from Lori at Living Chronically, Cathy at Noble Pig, and Linda at The Gluten Free Homemaker. I really want to thank you four. Your positive comments and feedback gave me the motivation to keep posting with the realization that, yes people really are reading my blog.
Now let's get to this sandwich. I am a very visual person. When I look at recipes I love to see pictures of what it is that I'm trying to make. I've passed by many cookbooks that are all words and no photos. I'm sure they may have some great recipes, but I need to see what I'm making. This sandwich was featured smack-dab on the front cover of last months Bon Appetit magazine. Gooey melty cheese, crisp toasty bread, and perfectly browned short ribs. There it was just staring at me. Of course it wasn't meant to be gluten free, but that has never really stopped me. I have always wanted to try short ribs and this seemed like a perfect excuse to do so.
Grilled Cheese and Short Rib Sandwiches:
from Bon Appetit, modified to be GF
Serves 8 with the full recipe. I made half but I'll give you the full recipe here.
Short Ribs:
5 pounds beef short ribs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup low-salt beef broth
1/3 cup medium-dry Sherry
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 large fresh thyme sprig
Pickled Caramelized Onions:
1 tablespoon butter
2 large red onions, halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 6 cups)
4 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Assembly:
Butter, room temperature
16 slices gf sandwich bread (We use Whole Foods brand)
8 slices Monterey Jack cheese (I used Colby Jack cheese)
2 cups baby arugula (I used Romaine lettuce)
For the ribs, sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper. In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Working in two batches, brown the ribs on all sides then transfer to a plate. Next, saute the celery, onion, and carrot until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, broth, Sherry, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, scraping up all the browned bits. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Return the ribs to the pot, propping them up on their side in a single layer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, turn the ribs over. Cover and continue cooking for 1-1/2 hours. After the ribs are done cooking, remove them from the pot. Trip off excess fat and remove them from the bone. Cut the meat into 3/4-1 inch pieces.
While the ribs are cooking, prepare the caramelized pickled onions. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and saute until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes-stir frequently. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook until most of the vinegar is absorbed, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.
To make your sandwich, butter two sides of bread. Add the cheese, meat, onions, and arugula. (I used Romaine lettuce) Top with the other slice of bread and grill until crisp and the cheese is melted.
Crispy, gooey, and hearty. Everything a sandwich ought to be. Enjoy!!!
I almost forgot. This beautiful blue Dutch oven that I cooked my ribs in came from Margo at Off The Wheaten Path. She had a contest a few months back and I won. This was my first time using it. Thanks again Margo, I love it.

Gluten Free Smoky Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

2010-02-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

I really can't believe I haven't shared this recipe with you yet. Yes, it's hard to believe that I eat salads on occasion, not just desserts. When I am craving salad, I love fresh salad dressing from scratch. Most salad dressings are easier to whip up than you may realize. The freshness and flavor of homemade dressing is unbeatable by the bottled stuff. I found this recipe last year on one of my favorite blogs; Noble Pig. The key addition to this smooth, creamy, buttermilk ranch is a little smoked paprika. The smoked paprika adds such a unique touch to this amazing salad dressing.

Smoky Buttermilk Ranch:

from Noble Pig
2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tablespoons fresh chives

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of Salt

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the buttermilk. Whisk in the buttermilk, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Prepare your favorite greens and top with your homemade smoky buttermilk ranch. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Chocolate Pudding

2010-02-10T15:08:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you made chocolate pudding that didn't involve a box of brown powder? I have tried a few scratch pudding recipes over the years and they all seem overly complicated. So, I often default to the boxed mixes also. There's no shame in it. Convenience is often king. I have to tell you though. I found a simple homemade recipe for you to try out. The pudding is smooth and creamy, with just the right amount of chocolate.
Chocolate Pudding:
from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 6
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk (I used 1% milk)
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a double boiler (a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water)mix together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Next, whisk in the milk.
Stir frequently for 10-15 minutes. The milk mixture will thicken up and begin to coat the back of a spoon. Add the chocolate.
Continue stirring for 3-4 minutes until the chocolate is completely melted and mixed into the milk. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the pudding into small ramekins or serving dishes. To prevent a skin from forming on top, cover with plastic wrap by pressing the wrap down on top of the pudding. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Top with a little whipped cream and enjoy your victory over powdered pudding mix.

Prana / Boomi Bar- Product Review

2010-02-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago I received a free sample Prana Bar and a Boomi Bar from Divine Food Products to review. I opened the package, pulled out the two sample bars, looked them over, and set them down. I nearly forgot about them. I think subconsciously I was apprehensive about trying them. Sure, I like to try new things and I like to spread the word about quality products to the GF community. I have tried several "power bars" in the past, both gf and non gf. What always bothers me is that I feel that they try to pack too much into one thing. Too many vitamins, too much protein, too much whatever. Or they try to be all things to all people. Usually this comes at the price of sacrificing flavor or texture. When I saw the packaging for the Prana Bar, I had some similar feelings. The Prana Bar is: Soy Free, has No Sugar Added, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Vegan. In my mind this all added up to a little tasteless rectangle of chewy cardboard. Before I even got around to trying these bars, I had already decided that I would not like them and this would be a difficult review. For crying out loud, I still don't even know what Acai is or why I would want to eat it.
Well, I did finally get around to trying the Boomi Bar. I took my first bite. I must say, all my apprehension and skeptisim faded away instantly. The Apricot Cashew Boomi Bar turned out to be really good. The apricot flavor was wonderful and the cashews and crisped rice added a nice crunch. The Boomi Bar contains one full serving of fruit and only has about 190 calories. I could easily see myself picking up a few of these to have on hand for a quick snack or to pack with me when I take my daughter to the Zoo for the day. After trying the Boomi Bar, I was much more open to trying the Prana Bar. Again, I was surprised. The flavors were well balanced and the texture was great. I love coconut and I was happy that a nice straight forward coconut flavor came through without being offset by the other ingredients. Despite my initial, unfounded apprehensions, I really enjoyed both of these energy bars. I have no problem recommending that you seek these out for yourself. You might be just as surprised as I was. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole

2010-02-02T22:50:00.000-08:00

This week's theme for What Can I Eat That's Gluten Free is casseroles. I love the idea of throwing a few ingredients together and popping it in the oven for a simple meal. However, I rarely make casseroles. I didn't really grow up eating many casserole dishes, except for the occasional pot luck where the casseroles seemed to be more mystery than good eating. I am hoping to pick up some new and fresh ideas over at The Gluten Free Homemaker this week. For my contribution, I made a recipe that I got from my mother-in-law a few years back. This breakfast casserole is so simple and for my small family can serve us for a few days. It's also perfect for Easter and other family get togethers that involve breakfast or brunch.
Breakfast Casserole:
1/2 pound of meat (Bacon, Sausage, Ham, or a combination of any)
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1/2 cup green bell pepper (Chopped)
12 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I use 1%)
1/2 cup water
1 package (about 16 ounces) fresh hash brown potatoes or frozen hash browns-thawed
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dill weed
Baking Directions:
Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes Begin by cooking the bacon, sausage, or any other meat of your choice. Cut the meat into bite size pieces. While the meat is cooking, chop the onion and green pepper, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the 12 eggs, milk, water, salt, pepper, and dill weed. Add the meat, hash browns, cheese, onion, and pepper to the egg mix. Combine thoroughly.
Pour the whole mix into a 9x13 baking dish. Spread the mixture around in the baking dish to even it out. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Allow to cool for a couple minutes before serving. The hash browns do a great job of holding this casserole together. Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee!!!

Gluten Free Apple Stuffed Chicken

2010-01-27T11:19:00.000-08:00

Chicken is a pretty big staple in my family's diet. I feel like I am on a never ending quest to find new and inventive ways to turn a plain chicken breast into something different yet delicious. I started playing around with the idea to do stuffed chicken breasts. I looked over several recipes but couldn't find something that looked easy and sounded good. I'm usually a pretty big recipe follower. However, for this one, I just took a few simple ingredients and roughly gauged the amounts. The results were surprisingly good. The chicken was moist, the apples were not mushy, and the other spices complimented everything else nicely. Be sure to check out the Gluten Free Homemaker for some other great gluten free meal ideas.

I have a small family. This recipe was just right for 3 medium sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Feel free to adjust for your family size.
Apple Stuffed Chicken:
Filling:
1 medium Granny Smith apple (coarsely chopped with the skin on)
2 cloves of garlic (pressed)
2 green onions (coarsely chopped)
1/2 tsp sage(dried or fresh)
1/2 tsp thyme (dried or fresh)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
Chicken:
3 medium boneless, skinless breasts sliced horizontally and pounded flat. 1/4 inch thick.
1 tsp olive oil
Heat oil in a medium or large skillet over medium high heat. Saute apples, garlic, green onions, lemon juice, sage, and thyme for about 1-2 minutes. Do not cook the apples until they are mushy.
Slice the chicken breast horizontally and fold open. Make sure you don't cut them all the way in half. Place the chicken in a large Ziploc bag. I used a rolling pin to pound the chicken to about a 1/4 inch thickness. If you pound them too thin, they will fall apart.
After you have sauteed the apple mix for 1-2 minutes, remove from the heat and pulse in a food processor 2-3 times. You want to break the apples down a bit but you don't want to create a paste. Spread 1/3 of the apple mix onto a chicken breast. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with the 2 remaining chicken breasts.
Roll the chicken up lengthwise and tie it with kitchen string every few inches to hold the roll together. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Add 1 tsp of oil to a large oven proof skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the skillet. Brown the chicken on all sides, turning every few minutes. This should take about 10 minutes. After the chicken is thoroughly browned, place the skillet in the oven to finish cooking, about 10 minutes. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Cook until the center reaches 165 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest on a cutting board for about 3-5 minutes before slicing.
Slice away. Make sure you cut the string off so you don't accidentally eat it. Serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Lemon Meringue Waffles

2010-01-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

I must admit I have been a bit of a blog slacker lately. Little things like family, work and life in general seem to get in the way of devoting the time needed to keep this little gluten free recipe machine running. I do want to sincerely thank everyone who does find the time to stop by my blog and leave a comment or check out my recipes. I appreciate all the support.

My wife really wanted a Belgian waffle maker for Christmas this past year. I wasn't real excited about adding another small appliance to our kitchen. I assumed that it would just be another dust collector taking up room in a cupboard. But, if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that my wife usually gets what she wants and she often chooses wisely. I can't believe I just put that in print. I hope she doesn't read this. Anyway, the waffle maker has made several appearances since Christmas. My wife would be more than content to make simple waffles with butter and syrup. I on the other hand, can not leave well enough alone. I can and must tinker with everything to try something new and different. The one thing I won't mess with is the basic waffle batter recipe. We use Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix and follow the recipe for pancakes or waffles. The pancakes are pretty good. However, the same mix made into Belgian waffles is outstanding.

All right, let's tackle this tasty Dinner/Dessert/Breakfast. First, you need to make up some Lemon Curd. This is so simple and I can't believe I've never made it before.
Lemon Curd:
from the Joy of Baking
3 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (avoid the bottled juice if possible)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbs lemon zest
4 Tbs unsalted butter (room temperature, cut into small cubes)
In a stainless steel bowl placed over a pan of simmering water (double boiler), whisk together the eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Stir constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling. The mixture will begin to thicken up, like sour cream. This can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Check the temperature of the mixture. It needs to cook until it reaches 160 degrees F. I just dipped an instant read thermometer into the mix. Once it reaches 160 degrees, remove from the heat and strain the mix through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to get any little cooked egg pieces out.
Whisk the butter in until it is completely melted and stir in the lemon zest. Cover with plastic wrap. Push the plastic wrap down onto the top of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least an hour. This can be made a day or two ahead of time. The lemon curd will thicken a bit more as it cools. This makes about 1-1/2 cups of lemon curd.

Gluten Free Lemon Meringue Waffles:
from Crepes, Waffles and Pancakes!
Waffle Batter:
Make a double batch of Pamela's waffle batter
1 tsp lemon zest
Meringue:
2 egg whites (room temperature works best)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/4-1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar (you can use regular white sugar as well)
Waffle Topping:
6 Tbs plain Greek or whole milk yogurt
6 Tbs lemon curd
small pieces of toasted meringue

For the waffles: add the lemon zest to the waffle batter, cook until golden brown.

For the Meringue: using a stand mixer or hand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue whisking until firm peaks form. I then toasted pieces of the meringue over a gas stove burner using wooden skewers. Kind of like roasting marshmallows. A small kitchen torch would work a little better.
For the rest of the topping; mix equal parts of lemon curd and Greek yogurt together.
Spread a little lemon/yogurt mix over the warm, fresh waffle and top with some toasted meringue. Mmm, Mmm Good. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Vietnamese Meatball Sandwiches (Banh Mi)

2010-01-12T17:41:00.000-08:00

I know you must be in shock that I can cook something besides dessert. Thanks to my wife, I am a recent subscriber to Bon Appetit magazine. In the first issue that I received, the cover featured meatballs and included "5 Amazing Recipes" for them. I don't know about you and your relationship with meatballs. For me personally, meatballs have been challenging. I've made them a few times for pasta and I'm always disappointed. I'm worried that they will be raw or undercooked in the middle so I tend to cook them into little dried out prunes. But hey, I'm always up for a challenge. When I saw "5 Amazing Recipes" to choose from, I had to go for it. I decided to make Pork Meatball Banh Mi sandwiches. As with any gluten free sandwich, the biggest obstacle is the bread. I did something that I can't believe I haven't thought of before. I made my French bread recipe but divided the dough into 4 smaller sub-sandwich sized loaves in the pan.

The original French bread baking instructions call for 35 minutes of baking, cover with foil, and bake another 35 minutes. I reduced the time by 5 minutes before covering with foil and reduced by 5 minutes after covering with foil for a total 60 minutes of baking. The results turned out great. I ended up with 4 hearty, rustic, sub-sandwich loaves.
Here is the recipe for the inner working of this incredible sandwich:
Pork Meatball Banh Mi
inspired by Bon Appetit
Hot Chili Mayo:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions (finely chopped)
1-1/2 tsp Sriracha hot chili sauce (I used Huy Fong brand)
Meatballs:
1 pound ground pork (not Italian sausage)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil (I used 3 Tbs dried basil)
4 garlic cloves (pressed)
3 green onions (finely chopped)
1 Tbs fish sauce (mmm mmm good)
1-1/2 tsp Sriracha hot chili sauce
1 Tbs sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
Sandwiches:
1 cup coarsely grated carrots
1 cup coarsely grated peeled daikon radish (I used red radishes)
1/8 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs sesame oil
4 GF loaves of bread(see above)
1 thinly sliced jalapeno chili
16 large sprigs of cilantro

Prepare the hot chili mayo in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour, even 1 day ahead of time. I reduced the amount of sriracha sauce from the original recipe. I like spice and flavor but I don't like to burn my mouth off. (The amount listed in the recipe above is the amount I used.) Feel free to add more or less as you see fit.
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Mix thoroughly with your hands.
Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Using a Tablespoon, scoop out 1 spoonful of meatball mix and shape into a roughly 1 inch diameter meatballs. Note: use a little water in the palm of your hand to help roll the meatballs without them sticking to your hand. Also, try to roll the meatballs just until firm and held together. Avoid compacting the meatballs too tightly. Place the finished meatballs on the plastic wrap lined pan. Cover the raw meatballs with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking. The meatballs could even be made the day before you plan to eat them.
For part of the sandwich filling; combine the carrots, radish, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
To cook the meatballs, heat 1 Tbs of sesame oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, cook the meatballs, leaving plenty of space between each one. Turn the meatballs frequently to cook all sides. it should take about 15 minutes per batch of meatballs. I used an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. As the batches of meatballs are cooked, placed the finished ones in a baking dish in the oven to stay warm.
Let's put it all together. Slice the bread in half lengthwise, leaving the back of the loaf attached like a little hinge. Spread the hot chili mayonnaise on the inside top and bottom of the bread. Drain the liquid from carrot/radish mix. Place 1-2 heaping spoonfuls of carrot/radish mix along with 4-5 warm meatballs inside the sandwich. Add a few sprigs of cilantro and some slices of jalapeno (if desired.) I can't even begin to accurately describe how all the flavors explode in this sandwich. You get some heat from the sriracha, a little sweetness from the pickled carrots and radish, tenderness from the meatballs, and crunch from the bread. This is one incredible sandwich. I can't wait to try some of the other amazing meatball recipes from Bon Appetit. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-01-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

There are many great cookies out there in the world. When I think of the quintessential comfort cookie, nothing compares to the original Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe. Crispy golden brown on the outside, warm and chewy on the inside....mmm! mmm! mmm! These cookies are so easy to make gluten free. My wife and I have shared them with many people that could not tell that they were gf. Stop by the glutenfreehomemaker for other cookie and meal ideas. Let's get started.
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies:
inspired by the Original Nestle Toll House recipe
2-1/4 cups gf flour mix
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (softened)
3/4 granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/8 cup milk
2 cups (12 ounces) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I use Guittard)
Baking Directions:
Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 9-11 minutes In a small bowl; combine gf flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer; add butter, both sugars, and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Note: I usually reduce the amount of butter by 3-4 tablespoons. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in the flour mix, about a 1/3 of the mix at a time. Next, beat in the milk. Note: The milk is an addition my wife found online. It is not part of the original recipe but it adds to the texture of the cookie quite nicely. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place rounded tablespoons of dough on a well greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.
Despite my mothers repeated warnings that I may die from Salmonella poisoning in the raw eggs, I can't resist raw cookie dough. Sorry mom.
There is nothing more satisfying than a warm, fresh chocolate chip cookie and a glass of cold milk. Well, except for maybe the cookie dough. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Rocky Road

2009-12-23T06:48:00.000-08:00

So maybe you don't have time to make a big fancy cheesecake but you're thinking to yourself; "Brian, I like chocolate and sugar, do you have something easy for me to whip up?" Funny you should ask. I have just the thing.
Gluten Free Rocky Road:
From Nestle- also known as Mile-High Squares
2 cups (12oz package) Semisweet chocolate chips
1-2/3 cups (11oz package) Butterscotch chips
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
9 cups (16oz package) mini marshmallows
In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter. Microwave at 70% power for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, stir the chips around. If they are not quite melted all the way, microwave for another 30 seconds.
Next, stir the peanuts into the melted chocolate/butterscotch/peanut butter.
Empty the package of mini marshmallows into a large bowl. Slowly pour in the chocolate mixture. Coat the marshmallows thoroughly. Finally, line a 9x13 pan with tin foil. Pour the coated marshmallows into the pan and spread evenly. Refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting.
There is a little Christmas magic in every bite. These bars are so simple and have such a great combination of flavors. Make some up today, you won't be disappointed. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!!!!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

2009-12-16T22:55:00.000-08:00

For the last Holiday Food Fest post, I decided to go all out. Click the image above for some more great holiday recipes. If you read my previous post about making chocolate cookie wafers, then you were introduced to three friends; Chocolate, Butter, and Sugar. In the interest of time and my wife's sanity, I have decided to just tell you how to make the most indulgent, decadent cheesecake I have ever eaten. Maybe I will tell a story another time.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake
borrowed from Smitten Kitchen, modified to be GF
Crust:
9 ounces of chocolate cookie wafers
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
5 Tbs butter, melted
Ganache:
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
20 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup Kahlua
Filling:
3-8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 Tbs GF flour mix
1-1/2 Tbs dark rum
2-1/2 Tbs instant espresso powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 tsp "mild" or light molasses
3 large eggs
Topping:
1-1/2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Baking directions:
Bake cheesecake in a 350 degree F oven for 50-60 minutes. Add the topping and bake another 15 minutes.

Phew!!! Did you get all that? Start by lining the bottom of your spring form pan with parchment paper. Take the cookie wafers and pulse them in a food processor a couple times. Add the sugar and nutmeg and pulse again until mixed. While the food processor is running, pour in the melted butter. Try not to spill it all over like I did. Take the crust mixture and pour it into the pan. I used a flat bottom drinking glass to press the crust evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Don't worry if the crust doesn't go all the way up the side. Just try to make it even throughout.
To make the ganache, bring the cream to simmer in a large sauce pan. Remove from the heat; add the chopped chocolate and Kahlua. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Pour about a 1-1/2 cups of the ganache into the spring form pan over the bottom crust to make a nice fudgy layer. Place the spring form pan with the crust and ganache in the freezer for 30 minutes. Keep the remaining ganache at room temperature.

While the ganache is cooling in the freezer; let's throw the filling together. Now is a good time to pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Using a stand mixer; beat together the cream cheese and sugar until thoroughly combined. Next beat in the gf flour. In a small bowl; combine the rum, instant espresso powder, vanilla, and molasses until the espresso powder dissolves. Pour the rum/espresso liquid into the cream cheese and beat until thoroughly mixed; scraping down the sides as necessary. Finally, beat in the eggs one at a time; scraping down the sides after each one.
Remove the spring form pan from the freezer. Pour the cheesecake mixture in, it will go almost all the way to the top. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the top puffs up and doesn't jiggle too much in the middle; about 50-60 minutes. (a little jiggle in the middle is OK) For the topping, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. After the cheesecake has baked 50-60 minutes, pour the sour cream mix over the hot cheesecake and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Take a knife and run it along the edge of the pan to release the sides. Fill a pastry bag with some remaining ganache and decorate your little heart out. Top with a few well placed chocolate covered espresso beans for a little more kick. Refrigerate for at least 6 more hours before serving. It is definitely best to make this the day before you plan to serve it.
Go ahead, dig in. You only have a couple more weeks before those New Year's resolutions kick in. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cookie Wafers

2009-12-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

I have been writing this blog for just about a year now. I have seen the trends across the blogoshpere as the seasons change. Summer brings fresh fruit and vegetables recipes. As the cold creeps in, hearty, rustic dishes are profiled. Now in the throws of the holidays, desserts and comfort food appear. This can only bring me to one conclusion. After the holidays, the recipes that come next are going to be light and fresh to help shed all the holiday indulgence. This means you have exactly 16 days left in which to stuff yourself with rich, decadent, not so good for you food.
Gluten Free Chocolate Cookie Wafers:
inspired by Smitten Kitchen modified to be GF.
1-1/2 cups gluten free flour mix
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
3 TBS whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Baking Directions:
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 12-15 minutes

So today I bring you a little story. It is the story of Chocolate, Butter, and Sugar.
Once upon a time in a land far far away lived Chocolate and Sugar. Chocolate and Sugar were the best of friends. Chocolate had a bitter disposition but his sweet little friend Sugar always complimented him and made him feel special. Together, Chocolate and Sugar felt like they could take on the world. One day Chocolate and Sugar decided to hop in to a whirlpool to relax with a few friends. GF flour went in first followed by Xanthan Gum. Chocolate or "Cocoa" as some of his friends called him went in next. Sugar, Salt, and Baking Soda all joined the gang in the whirlpool. They took a spin around a couple times just until they were all dizzy and mixed up. They were having fun playing in the whirlpool but something just seemed to be missing.Everything got very quiet. Out of the corner of his eye, Chocolate saw this figure with the sun glistening off of her skin. "Whhoo...whoo are you?" Chocolate stammered. "My name is Butter," replied the mysterious figure. " I just moved here." "Can I join you in the whirlpool?" asked Butter. Before Chocolate could say a word, Sugar yelled out; "Sure, there's room for everyone!" Butter was very tall, about 14 tablespoons tall to be exact. She made her way over to the whirlpool. As the whirlpool swirled around, butter eased herself into the swirling mix 1 tablespoon at a time until she was all the way in. Milk and Vanilla were always running late. They showed up and jumped in at the last minute.

It was getting a bit late. Butter said that she should hurry back home before her family starts to worry. As Butter tried to get out of the whirlpool, she realized that she was stuck to all her new friends. All that spinning in the whirlpool had mixed them together. "It's OK." said Sugar. "Tell you what, we'll all just come back to your house to meet your family." So the whole gang got out of the whirlpool together and formed into a log about 12-14 inches long. They wrapped themselves in a parchment paper beach towel and went to Butter's house located in the Refrigerator District. The new friends stayed at Butter's house for about 1-2 hours. They lost track of time because they were having such fun.
It came time for everyone to go home but they were still stuck together. What a dilemma. "What if we slice this log into 1/8" - 1/4" pieces?" asked Sugar. "Great idea!" said Butter. "But I'm so cold" exclaimed Chocolate. "Here, let's lay down on a parchment lined pan and cruise into a 350 degree F oven for 12-15 minutes to warm up." said Sugar. So all the friends warmed up in the oven before going their separate ways. Something magical had happened that day. Butter, Sugar, and Chocolate realized that they would be best friends forever. Little did they know, they were about to meet some more new friends who would transform them into something even more special. To be continued..............

Yes, I know I'm a dork.

Holiday Giveaway Results

2009-12-14T20:43:00.000-08:00

I know you are all dying to know how the great Fire and Salt Holiday Giveaway 2009 turned out. The random number picker sat ready as all the comment numbers were placed face down on the table and shuffled around. The drawing started slowly but.......

every winner got a little happy dance after their number was drawn.

I have sent emails out to all the winners. I won't go through the entire list as it's a bit lengthy. However, I'm sure you would like to know who won the two most popular prize choices. The 12 quart Le Creuset Stockpot went to Katrina at glutenfreegidget and the Shun Ultimate Chopping Knife went to Kim at glutenfreegreenmommy. Now I just have to get everything shipped out. Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by to leave a comment and congratulations to all those who won.

Holiday Giveaway 2009 Update Part 3

2009-12-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

The Fire and Salt Holiday Giveaway is coming to an end soon. If you haven't entered for a chance to win some great prizes yet, follow this link: Holiday Giveaway 2009. Remember to leave all entry comments on the original giveaway post.

Let's find out a little more about the remaining companies that have contributed to my giveaway.

Custom Choice Cereal was started by a couple students working on their MBA at the University of North Carolina. The idea is simple, the customer starts with a choice of base cereals. From there, the customer picks mix-in ingredients such as dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. The result is a custom blend of gluten free cereal. You can even create a name for your custom cereal mix. The cereal is blended and shipped directly to your door.

The Microplane story is an interesting one. Grace Manufacturing in Arkansas had 20 years of photochemical machining experience making parts for high-tech printers. In 1990, they experimented with making woodworking tools by etching holes in metal to make a rasp. In 1994, a hardware store owner's wife in Canada was making a dessert requiring orange zest. Frustrated by her dull grater, she ventured into the garage and retrieved her husband's Microplane woodworking tool. The Microplane Zester was born. Today, Microplane has a full line of woodworking, kitchen, and personal care products.

You made not have heard of Chef'n. You may even own one of their products and not know it. You see Chef'n is in the business of making kitchen tools and gadgets. We often think of kitchen tools in terms of their function (juicer, garlic press, spatula) rather than their brand. However, Chef'n products are cutting edge. For over 25 years this Seattle based company has created products with one simple mission in mind:"We want to make better tools so you can make better food." Chef'n currently holds over 250 product patents. One look at the Chef'n product line and you know you're not dealing with ordinary kitchen gadgets. Chef'n products are not only practical but they are vibrant, stylish, and designed to last.

Andrews McMeel Publishing began in 1970 as a small publishing company founded by Jim Andrews and John McMeel. Today, Andrews McMeel Publishing is a leading publisher of general nonfiction trade books, gift books and humor books, publishing as many as 300 new titles annually. Andrews McMeel Publishing has graciously donated a gluten free cookbook for my giveaway. The Gluten Free Everyday Cookbook was written by Chef Robert Landolphi. Chef Landolphi is a professional chef whose wife suffers from Celiac Disease. Gluten Free Everyday Cookbook is a great guide for aspiring gluten free cooks to make practical uncomplicated dishes to enjoy every day of the week. Follow this link to see two reviews I wrote about the cookbook a few months ago. Review part 1 and part 2.

Thanks again to all the great sponsors for my Holiday Giveaway. I encourage everyone to lend their support and business to these great companies. Remember, the giveaway ends Sunday night. Follow this link to enter before it's too late: Holiday Giveaway 2009

Holiday Giveaway 2009 Update Part 2

2009-12-10T14:32:00.000-08:00

If you haven't checked out my Holiday Giveaway 2009, do it now! The giveaway ends this Sunday night. Please leave all comments for the giveaway on the original giveaway post. Follow the link above.

Let's talk about a few more companies that are supporting this great giveaway. I have received some great products that I'm really excited about sharing with you. The following three companies have a little extra special significance for me. All three are local to where I live. I believe that there are so many companies in our own communities that need our support to thrive, thus making our towns and cities stronger.

KAI USA is the parent company to several knife and cutlery brands such as Shun, Kershaw, and ZT knives. They are located in Tualatin, Oregon, just a short drive from my house. Shun knives, pronounced "Shoon," are known around the world for their strength, durability, and exceptional quality. You can read here about Shun's construction and comparison to German cutlery.

Laurel's Sweet Treats is a dedicated gluten free small business located in Tigard, Oregon. I first met the owner Laurel Hutton about 9 or 10 years ago when she was selling gluten free mixes and baked goods out of her home. Laurel was diagnosed with Celiac in 1995 and soon after began developing gluten free mixes to replace treats that she was no longer able to enjoy. Laurel has since moved the business out of her home and now sells her gluten free mixes online and in many local stores in the Portland area including New Seasons Market. Laurel also has a dedicated gluten free bakery at her shop in Tigard that bakes fresh cookies, cupcakes, and hamburger buns every Saturday.

Sea Salt Central is a Portland, Oregon based company specializing in retail and wholesale cooking and bath salts from around the world. Sea Salt Central carries over 250,000 pounds of salt ready to be shipped from their Portland location. Their mission is to bring the finest and healthiest sea salts from around the world and make them accessible and affordable for the average consumer. Please visit Sea Salt Central online and check out their impressive inventory.

I'll be back with profiles of the remaining companies participating in my giveaway. Don't forget to check out my original Holiday Giveaway post for a chance to win something great.

Holiday Giveaway 2009 Update

2009-12-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

In my original Holiday Giveaway post I listed several companies that have generously donated products to help me share some good cheer with you. I want to take a moment to talk about some of the companies that are supporting my giveaway. If you have not yet entered for a chance to win some great prizes, please click on this link and follow the directions: Holiday Giveaway 2009. Please leave all comments for the giveaway on the original post.

I am excited to announce a late entry for my giveaway:
SaltWorks has generously agreed to donate a variety of gourmet cooking salts for the 2009 giveaway. Again, please leave all giveaway entry comments on my original giveaway post.

Let's talk salt. SaltWorks has been in the business of specialty salts since 2002. Based near Seattle, Washington, SaltWorks is an American Salt Company. They carry over 110 varieties of gourmet salts from around the world and have over 4 million pounds of gourmet salts ready to be shipped at any given time. SaltWorks is an industry leader in providing the highest quality gourmet salts. I encourage you to check them out and lend them your business.

Le Creuset. Really, what more do I need to say? Anyone who has stepped foot into a kitchen has heard of Le Creuset. Le Creuset was founded in France in 1924 by two Belgian industrialists who together revolutionized enameled cast iron cookware. After production was disrupted by World War 2, Le Creuset picked up where they left off and haven't looked back. Le Creuset is truly a world class company, making extraordinary cookware. If you don't already own a piece of Le Creuset cookware, now is the time to change that.

In 1502 Christopher Columbus became the first European to discover chocolate. I'm pretty sure that a Guittard family member must have been on that expedition, that's how long they have been making incredible chocolates. The Guittard Chocolate Company is the oldest family owned and operated chocolate company in the US. In the 1850's Etienne Guittard made the journey from France to San Francisco. A few years later he started the Guittard Chocolate Company. Today, Etienne Guittard's descendants still own and operate the company and sell the E. Guittard line of chocolates as a tribute to the founder. Guittard's chocolates are rich, flavorful, and most importantly affordable without sacrificing exceptional quality. Please look for Guittard chocolate where you live or check them out online.

I will be back to profile a few more companies supporting the Fire and Salt Holiday Giveaway 2009. Please enter for a chance to win and please support these great companies. Thanks- Brian

You Might Want To Check This Out!!!!

2009-12-07T00:52:00.000-08:00

To make a long story short, I had an idea for a little holiday giveaway. Then the hamster wheel running my brain kept spinning faster and faster and I decided that I wanted to share with you some of the products that I've used over the year along with some new products that I think are great. So here we are for the:

Fire and Salt Holiday Giveaway 2009.

Here are the prizes:

1. A 12 quart stock pot in cobalt blue color- courtesy of Le Creuset
2. A Shun-Ultimate Chopping kitchen knife- courtesy of KAI USA

3. Several pounds of Guittard baking chocolates (there will be multiple winners for this) - courtesy of the Guittard Chocolate Company

4. Gluten Free baking mixes (multiple winners)-courtesy of Laurel's Sweet Treats

5. Gourmet cooking salts- courtesy of Sea Salt Central

6. One bag of custom made gluten free cereal- courtesy of Custom Choice Cereals

7. One Microplane Zester/Grater and one Microplane Spice Grater- courtesy of Microplane

8. A copy of Gluten Free Everyday Cookbook by Chef Robert Landolphi- courtesy of Andrews McMeel Publishing

9. A FreshForce Citrus Juicer- courtesy of Chef'n

10. A variety of gourmet cooking salts (multiple winners)- courtesy of SaltWorks.

Full Disclaimer- All of these wonderful products were donated to me for this giveaway. I don't run a mega-blog here with millions of followers, yet so many companies have graciously sent me products to share with you. For me personally, it shows a ton of character and generosity for these businesses to help me make this giveaway great. It makes me want to support the companies that show some heart. If you win something, I encourage you to contact the company and let them know what you think of their product and thank them. We all have to support each other right?

Before I get to the giveaway rules, I want to ramble on for a second. I have been very blessed in my life. I have a great family, a great job, and a warm place to lay my head at night. This time of year I think it is important to share what we have with others. Although all the products were donated to me for this giveaway, I have the opportunity to share them with you. I encourage you to find a way to share these products with someone. If you win the stockpot, make a batch of soup to share with others. If you win the juicer, squeeze some limes for a Margarita to share with a friend or two. If you win some chocolate, well.........maybe share one tiny little piece. The point is, it's a great time to share and connect with friends, neighbors, and those that need a little boost to get through the tough times.

Blah, Blah, Blah.....How do I win something already?

Rules:

Simple- Leave me a comment with the following two things:

1. Give me at least your 1st and 2nd choices for what you would like to win from the list of prizes above. If your choice is available when your name is drawn, that is what I will send you. You can list all the prizes in order of what you would like to win if you want, but give me at least two choices. If your choice is not available, I will choose your prize.

2. Leave your name and a valid email address at the bottom of your comment. I will contact you to let you know you won and get your shipping address. If I don't hear back from you within 48 hours I will draw a new winner.

You do not need to have a blog to win. If you don't have a blog or google account, under the comment section, choose "Anonymous" to leave a comment. Whether you have a blog or not, everyone must provide their name and a valid email address at the bottom of their comment.

I will ship to Canada and the United States Only!!! Your prize will arrive after the holidays.

All the comments are numbered and the winning numbers will be chosen by a random three year old. One entry (comment) per person. The giveaway runs from today; Monday, December 7, 2009- Sunday, December 13, 2009 at midnight Pacific Time.

Let's Recap:

Eggnog Milkshakes

2009-12-03T11:17:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Food Fest this week is dedicated to cocktails, mocktails, and appetizers. I've been trying to think of a good drink to share but the more I thought about it the more I realize I don't drink many cocktails. Then about a week ago my family and I were at a little country diner not far from our house where they had eggnog milkshakes on the menu. My three year old daughter, who has never tried eggnog, was so excited that they had eggnog milkshakes. I must say they were very very good. By the way my daughter now calls the diner the "milkshake store" every time we drive by it. So today, I don't necessarily have some great recipe, just a little inspiration to keep the holiday vibes flowing around your house.
You know you want to try it. Just throw some eggnog and vanilla ice cream in a blender. It's so rich, creamy, and smooth. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Chex Mix

2009-12-01T22:11:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. We did not host Thanksgiving at our house this year which meant that we traveled to various relatives' homes in the area over the holiday weekend. Although it was busy, we had a great time with everyone. This week at the the Gluten Free Homemaker, the theme is party food. I'm sure everyone out there has made Chex mix before, right? I usually whip up a batch around this time every year. In the past I've had to use faux Chex cereal that was gluten free. Now that Chex have officially gone GF, I can use the real thing. The original recipe calls for a blend of rice, corn, and wheat Chex. I just add more rice and corn Chex to make up for omitting the wheat ones. I also use gluten free pretzels from Glutino, we buy them at Whole Foods. Chex mix is so versatile. If you like it a little spicy, add some chili powder, cayenne, or even a bit of smoked paprika would be a good addition. I stuck with the original recipe.
Chex Mix:
modified to be GF
1-1/2 cups mixed nuts
1-1/2 cups pretzels
4-1/2 cups Rice Chex
4-1/2 cups Corn Chex
6 Tbs butter (melted)
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins is GF)
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp seasoned salt (I used regular salt)
1/2 tsp onion powder
Baking Directions:
Spread on one or two baking pans and bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes.
9 cups of cereal looks and sounds like a lot but trust me you'll be glad you made the full recipe. In a large bowl, gently mix together the cereal, nuts, and pretzels. In a small bowl, melt the butter, then add the remaining ingredients. Pour the butter/seasoning mix over the cereal a little at a time. Mix the cereal around to coat it as evenly as possible.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Spread the Chex mix on to a large edged baking sheet, like a jelly roll pan. You may have to use two pans. Once the mix is spread out, I usually splash a little more Worcestershire sauce here and there on the mix for a little more flavor. Bake for 1 hour, turning the mix about every 20 minutes.
Chex mix is so good when it is warm and fresh out of the oven. After it cools, if there's any left, you can bag it up and take it to your party for everyone else to enjoy. Be on the look out next week, I've got a post coming soon that you won't want to miss.

Gluten Free Almond Toffee

2009-11-19T14:27:00.000-08:00

The theme this week for the Holiday Food Fest is edible gifts. Click the Holiday Fest picture about to find other great treats.
A few years back one of my wife's friends started making toffee and other candies to sell online as a side business. My wife bought a small box of toffee and gave it to me as a gift. The toffee was so rich, buttery, and decadent. I immediately needed another fix. I begged and pleaded my wife to get her hands on some more of this deliciousness. I got one more small box before I realized that I had to take matters into my own hands. I found a great recipe for almond toffee that I can make whenever the mood strikes. The toffee is naturally gluten free. I wish that I could tell you it was butter, sugar, and fat free as well, but it's not. With the amount of butter in this stuff you will definitely want to share the guilt with some friends. Here we go;
Gluten Free Almond Toffee:
1-1/2 cups sliced almonds, divided
3 sticks of unsalted butter (Just close your eyes, it will be OK)
1-1/2 cups of granulated sugar
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
8 ounces of good quality chocolate(any kind you like, Milk, Dark, etc.)
Start by toasting the almonds on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F for 6-8 minutes. Set aside. Line a 9x13 sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Measure out the baking soda in a small dish and set aside. Also, now is a good time to get your chocolate measured out and ready.
Don't think too hard about it, just melt 3 sticks of butter in a medium size, heavy bottom pan over medium heat. You will need to use a candy thermometer, just make sure the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pan. After the butter is melted, add the sugar, water, and salt.
At about 200 degrees the butter mixture will foam up and then subside. Just stir a few times while the mix is heating up.
When the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, stir in 3/4 of a cup of the toasted almonds. Now you need to stir constantly from here on out. Continue heating (and stirring) until the mixture reaches 295 degrees F. The temperature should rise at a moderate pace. If the temperature doesn't seem to be climbing, just increase the heat slowly. I usually start out at medium heat and end up at medium high by the end. Once the mixture reaches 295 degrees, remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda.
Immediately pour the toffee into the parchment lined pan that you prepped ahead of time. The toffee will have kind of a spongy texture, spread it out evenly in the pan. After spreading the toffee, put the chocolate on top to melt. Wait a couple minutes and then use the back of a spoon to spread the melted chocolate evenly over the toffee. (I used Guittard milk chocolate chips)
Next, take the remaining toasted almonds and place them in a ziploc bag. Roll them around to crush them up a bit. Sprinkle the crushed almonds on top of the chocolate. Let the toffee cool on the counter for 30 minutes then transfer to the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Remove from the refrigerator. Either break the toffee by hand or use a large knife to assist you. Go ahead, take a piece, or two, or three, then give some away. Don't you know how much butter is in there? Don't just stand there and eat it all. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole

2009-11-17T19:32:00.000-08:00

Last Thanksgiving was my first attempt to tackle a gluten free green bean casserole. Having to make fried onions and cream of mushroom soup are two reasons why green bean casserole can be a bit tedious to make gluten free. If your willing to put in the work, the results are incredible. This can be made a day ahead of time and reheated when you need it. However, the fried onions are best and crispiest if done the day you plan on eating. Lets get started.
Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole:
For the onions:
2 medium onions sliced thin
1/4 cup GF flour mix
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
oil for frying
For the cream soup base:
2 Tbs butter
12 ounces mushrooms (cut into 1/2 pieces)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic (pressed)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbs GF flour mix
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half and half
Green Beans:
1 pound green beans (trimmed and halved)
Casserole baking directions:
Bake in an 8x8 baking dish at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes add onions and bake 5 minutes longer.

I sliced two onions with a mandoline. In a medium bowl, combine gf flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Toss in the onions and coat thoroughly until all the flour mix is coated on to the onion slices. Heat oil (I used canola) in a heavy bottom pot or fryer to 325-350 degrees. Cook onions for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the onions, drain and set aside.
Next, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the green beans for 5 minutes. Drain into a colander and run under cold water for 2-3 minutes to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
My wife hates mushrooms, so I did not use any. However, I am including the full mushroom version here in the directions. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook the mushrooms until they begin to give up some of their liquid, about 4-5 minutes. Next, add the garlic and nutmeg and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Add the gf flour and mix until absorbed into the liquid, about 1 minute. Next add the chicken broth and half and half. Cook until the mixture thickens up, about 6-8 minutes. Do not let the soup mixture boil. Take half of the fried onions and roughly chop them. Add the chopped onions along with the green beans to the soup mixture.
After thoroughly coating the green beans and chopped onions with the soup, pour into a 8x8 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.
Top with the rest of the fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes.
Dish up and you have a great gluten free side dish for your Thanksgiving meal. It may take a little effort but it is well worth it in the end. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Sweet and Spicy Pecans

2009-11-12T21:06:00.000-08:00

OK, I know what you're thinking. "I came to check out this blog and all you have to offer for the Holiday Food Fest are some pecans, come on." Hold it, hold it, let me explain. Don't underestimate the need for easy snacks around the holidays. Everyone gets focused in on the big ticket items; turkey, stuffing, etc. You can't neglect the snacks. What are you supposed to munch on while all the other food is cooking? Besides, Thanksgiving is a pretty serious meal. You don't want to walk in on game day unprepared. If you start eating snacks and treats now, you may just have enough time before the big day. You wouldn't run a marathon without taking a few laps around the block ahead of time. What makes you think you can tackle a turkey day meal without a little warm up?

Here is a quick, tasty snack that can be made up to a week in advance. Just be sure to cover them up at night to keep them fresh.
Gluten Free Sweet and Spicy Pecans:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 egg white
2 cups of pecan halves
Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 30 minutes Start by mixing the sugar, salt, chili powder, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
In a larger bowl, lightly beat the egg white with a fork. Toss the pecans in and mix until thoroughly coated with egg white.
Next, sprinkle the spice mixture over the pecans and generously coat them. You may have some of the spice mix left over. Place the pecans on a parchment lined or lightly greased cooking sheet. Try to separate the pecans so they don't clump together. Bake at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Allow the pecans to cool for five minutes. You're all set. Let the ~~training~~ snacking begin. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Chicken with Cider Barbecue Sauce

2009-11-11T11:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a rare November day in the Portland area. Although the weather was cool and crisp, the sun was out with clear blue skies. I took my daughter to the zoo, raked some leaves, and decided to fire up the barbecue. However, the weather is ever changing and a down pour of rain began just as I placed the first piece of chicken on the grill. Like any true Oregonian, I pushed on despite the rain and barbecued some great chicken.

The recipe I used was portioned to make enough for two whole chickens. I used three boneless skinless chicken breasts so I cut the recipe and made roughly 1/3 of the quantity. The cider barbecue sauce has a great orange taste to it that my wife likened to an orange chicken dish at a Chinese restaurant.

Gluten Free Chicken with Cider Barbecue Sauce:
from Gourmet magazine, adapted to be gluten free
Here is the full recipe, meant to be enough for 2 whole chickens.
For the Chicken:
3/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
For the Barbecue Sauce:
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbs minced orange zest
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp celery seeds
For the chicken; mix ketchup, brown sugar, coriander, cumin, and salt together. Generously coat the chicken. Cook either on a grill or roast in the oven until cooked thoroughly.To make the sauce; combine apple cider, cider vinegar, orange zest, brown sugar, and celery seeds in a sauce pan. Bring the sauce to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until thick, syrupy, and reduced by about 2/3 rds. This should take about 20 minutes.
Pour a little sauce over the chicken, serve with your favorite side dishes, and you are in business. Well worth barbecuing in the rain. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Pudding

2009-11-04T22:41:00.000-08:00

Are you sick of pumpkin yet? I have to pace myself so I'm not burned out on pumpkin before Thanksgiving. This is my last pumpkin treat until turkey day arrives. I wanted to do something unique with pumpkin that I haven't tried before. What better way to laugh in the face of gluten than by creating a gluten free bread pudding.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Pudding:
inspired by epicurious.com but modified to be GF
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old French bread
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
Bake in an 8x8 pan at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes

I actually used a mix of day old GF French bread and some Whole Foods GF sandwich bread. Cube up 5 cups of bread.

In a bowl, thoroughly combine all the ingredients except for the butter and cubed bread.

Melt the butter and toss it with the bread in a separate bowl. Next, pour the liquid pumpkin mixture over the bread and stir a couple of times to evenly coat the bread.

Pour the whole thing into an ungreased 8x8 baking dish or pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until the custard is set.

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a nice dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Clam Chowder

2009-11-03T20:04:00.000-08:00

I'm going to do my best to keep up with "What can I eat that's gluten free?" as well as the "Holiday Food Fest" started by Amy at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free. I'm a bit of a procrastinator/slacker/husband/father, so we'll see if I can make it all work. For a soup theme this week, I chose gluten free clam chowder. My wife grew up about an hour away from the ocean. Prior to being gluten free she would indulge in the rich, hearty clam chowders offered at every restaurant up and down the Oregon Coast. Clam chowder was a meal that was particularly hard for my wife to give up. Being the great, no wait, amazing, yes amazing, man that I am, I found a great clam chowder recipe years ago that was easily modified to be gluten free.

~~New England~~ Oregon Clam Chowder:
1/2 pound bacon (chopped)
1 medium onion (chopped)
4 celery ribs (chopped)
2 Tbs GF flour mix
4 large or 5 medium potatoes (diced)
2 Tbs butter
8 ounces clam juice (1 bottle)
2-3 6 ounces cans of chopped clams
3 cups milk (I use 1%)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp thyme
2-4 Tbs GF flour mix or cornstarch to thicken as needed
Salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1-1/2 tsps of each)
In a large stock pot cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside. Drain all but 1 Tbs of bacon drippings out of the pot.
Add chopped celery and onion to the pot and cook over medium heat until tender. Next, add butter and 2 Tbs GF flour mix to the pot.
Add potatoes, salt and pepper, 1 bottle (8 ounces) of clam juice, and the liquid from the canned clams. Cook the potatoes at a low simmer over medium heat until tender. Try not to over cook them or they will become mashed potatoes. Do not add the clams yet or they will become a little rubbery through the cooking process. Here is a picture of the bottle of clam juice in case you have never seen it. You could use water if you don't have clam juice. I think clam juice is just one of those things you have to close your eyes, add it to the pot and not think about it too much. Kind of like anchovy paste. By the way, how do you juice a clam? Isn't clam juice just another name for ocean water?
Moving on, add the milk, cream, clams, bacon, and thyme. Continue cooking over medium heat. Don't allow the chowder to come to a boil at this point. Adjust seasoning as needed and use GF flour or cornstarch mixed into a slurry with a little water to thicken the clam chowder to your liking. Serve with a nice toasted slice of gluten free french bread. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy

2009-10-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

I was really hoping to get this post done sooner. However, a sick wife, a three year old, and a broken clothes dryer have kept me busy. I did manage to fix the clothes dryer by myself(applause!!). I know, you're all amazed that I can cook and do appliance repairs. I will say that I am much better at cooking. I spent about three hours tearing the entire clothes dryer apart, cutting my hand, and finally figuring out what was broken. I realized that if I had known what I was doing, it should have taken me all but 15 minutes to fix the problem. I better stick to cooking.

I don't have a big background in cooking chicken fried steak. However, I found a good recipe to turn inexpensive cube steak into a great meal.
Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy
Inspired by Alton Brown, modified to be GF
2 pounds of cube steak (about 1/2 an inch thick)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup GF flour mix
2 eggs (beaten)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup milk (I use 1%)
1 tsp thyme Whisk together the salt, pepper, and flour. Here's where you can get a little creative to suite your taste. Feel free to season the flour as you like. I actually added a pinch of cayenne pepper and a pinch of smoked paprika to my flour mix. Set up a little work area like the picture above. Spread the flour mix on a plate. Next, have a plate with the beaten eggs on it. Finally, have a large plate to hold the steaks.Here is the three step process to prep the steaks: Take each steak and dredge it through the flour on both sides. Next, dredge it through the egg on both sides. Go back to the flour mix and dredge it again on both sides. Repeat for each steak.
I used an electric skillet to cook my steak. Heat the oil in the skillet to 350-360 degrees. Cook the steaks for about 4-5 minutes per side or until done. Remove the steaks from the skillet and place on an oven proof plate. Put the steaks in a 250 degree oven just to stay warm while you make the gravy. To make the gravy: use 3-4 Tbs of the leftover dredging flour. Whisk the flour into the juices in the skillet. Add the chicken broth and whisk until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add the milk and thyme, whisking until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, about 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed. Pour the gravy over the steak and some mashed potatoes and you're all set for an inexpensive hearty dinner. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-10-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

Well, Fall is certainly in the air and on the Internet. Pumpkin recipes are swirling around throughout the blogosphere. It's really a shame that pumpkin is relegated to such a brief window of time. We race to eat pumpkin bars, muffins, and pies until we burst and then pumpkin is tossed aside for the rest of the year. There is just something soothing and comforting about pumpkin as it ushers in the holiday season.

This year at the pumpkin patch, my daughter was interviewed by the local news. She was so excited to tell them about the big pumpkins she was picking.

All right, lets get down to the business at hand. If you haven't made the gluten free graham crackers that I gave you the recipe for this Summer; ~~shame on you~~ it's not too late. Oh, before I forget, I must give proper credit here. My wife made this cheesecake and took most of the pictures. I did help a little to make it and I've helped a lot to eat it.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
Crust:
2-1/2 cups GF graham cracker crumbs
2 tsp cinnamon
8 Tbs butter (1 stick softened)
Filling:
24 ounces cream cheese (3-8oz packages, softened)
1-3/4 cup pumpkin (1-15oz can Libby's Pure Pumpkin)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 Tbs cornstarch
1-1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Topping:
2 cups sour cream (16oz, room temp)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes. Add topping and bake 5 more minutes. Allow to cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator for several hours before serving. After reading the post, my wife wanted to make sure it was clear that you leave the ring on the spring form pan until the cheesecake has cooled completely. Here is where I really helped. I pulsed the graham crackers in the food processor to make crumbs. Phew!!! I'm exhausted, my wife took over from here.
Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and melted butter. Press the mixture firmly in the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. It is also helpful to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper first.Mix together the pumpkin puree and cream cheese. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and evaporated milk. Next, add the cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg; combine thoroughly. Pour the filling in to the pan over the crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until the edges are set but the center moves slightly.While the cheesecake is baking, combine sour cream, sugar, and vanilla for the topping. After the cheesecake has baked for 55-60 minutes, remove it from the oven and spread the topping on evenly. Return the cheesecake to the oven for 5 more minutes to set the topping. Remove and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, place the cheesecake in the refrigerator and chill for several hours or overnight to help set the filling. Finally, slice a piece of rich, creamy pumpkin cheesecake. I can't help myself, I had to top it off with a little whipped cream. It's not a necessary step, but hey, how can you go wrong with whipped cream on pumpkin? Enjoy over and over and over again!!!

Product Review- Eat Smart Food Scale

2009-10-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

Normally I'm not a huge kitchen gadget person. I appreciate practical tools that I will use frequently. If I have a rarely used tool, chances are I will forget that I even have it for the once a year time I need it. Prior to receiving an Eat Smart Precision Pro Kitchen Scale to review, I wasn't sure that I would use a scale that much. In reality, I've been using my new scale on a regular basis. Not long ago I ranted a bit about not knowing how many potatoes equalled 2 pounds for a recipe I was making. Now I can easily measure precisely how much I need.

So many recipes I find these days call for exact amounts of ingredients in grams or ounces. The Eat Smart Precision Pro scale makes precise measurements a breeze. There are only two buttons on the scale. The one on the left turns the scale on and off. The left button is also used to "Tare" or "zero" the scale. The button on the right selects the unit of measure. The Eat Smart scale has 4 choices of measurement; grams, kilograms, ounces, or pounds. To begin, turn the scale on and place a bowl or pan on the scale. Push the "Tare" button to zero the scale. Next, select you unit of measurement and begin adding ingredients to the pan or bowl.

The Eat Smart Precision Pro scale is so versatile. I've used it for measuring chocolate in ounces rather than just guessing how much I need. My wife and I buy large packages of hamburger and can use the scale to weigh out specific amounts to vacuum seal and freeze. The Precision Pro scale also comes with a calorie counting guide with 15 pages of common foods and how many calories are in a gram of that particular food so you can calculate your caloric intake. For example, raw pineapple has .50 calories per gram. Just weigh your pineapple chunks in grams and multiply the weight in grams by .50 to see how many calories you are eating. It's really pretty cool.

Here are some highlights about the scale:

The scale itself is very sleek and compact and weighs about half a pound.

The scale has a max weighing capacity of 11 pounds.

The scale comes with batteries and a 2 year warranty against defects.

Something I really like is how fast the scale works. There is no lag time when switching between units of measure or when weighing food.

The scale is reasonably priced; around $25 at Amazon.com .

I've used this scale quite a bit over the last month and I can honestly say that I haven't found any drawbacks to it. This is no useless gadget. I definitely think you should pick one up today if you do not already own a scale. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Meatloaf

2009-10-13T22:28:00.000-07:00

I think everyone has their own spin on meatloaf. I have tasted many meatloaf combinations over the years in the fire department. Some have been flavorless and dry while others have been overly spicy and dripping with grease. In my opinion, my wife's meatloaf recipe (yes, she cooks once every couple months) really has a great balance of flavor and moisture. The biggest hurdle in creating gluten free meatloaf is finding gluten free bread crumbs. If we have them on hand we use Kinnikinnick bread crumbs. Otherwise, we will take a couple pieces of Whole Foods GF Sandwich Bread, pulse them in the food processor, then lightly toast on a baking sheet.
Gluten Free Meatloaf:
1-1/2 pounds ground beef (we use 7% fat beef)
1/2 of a medium onion (coarsely chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (pressed)
1/2 cup dry GF bread crumbs
1 egg
4 Tbs Ketchup divided (2 Tbs in the mixture, 2 Tbs on top)
3/4 cup of milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes - 1 hour
Start by pulsing the onion in a food processor to mince it. Next, simply add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. My wife like to use a 9 inch round baking dish for cooking the meatloaf. She makes a little hole in the middle to collect any grease that does come out of the meat. I guess it's more like a meat donut than a meat loaf. Maybe I should go back and change my title. Nah!!! Anyway, spread the remaining 2 Tbs of ketchup on top and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. After removing the meatloaf from the oven, use a turkey baster or spoon to remove the grease from the hole in the center.

All that is left to do is slice it up and serve. Top with a little more ketchup if you like. Enjoy!!!

Always in Season

2009-10-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

It's getting much cooler here in the Portland area. Although we have had quite a few sunny days lately. The Autumn rustic and hearty meals are making their way to the table. And, as luck would have it, I've caught my first cold of the season. I think I'm on the road to recovery but I've been trying to take it easy over the last week. One thing that is in season year round in my house is chocolate.

I take my daughter to the library once in a while. While I'm there I cruise through some cookbooks looking for inspiration. A few weeks ago I checked out a book called; Ultimate Chocolate. I promptly went home, made an incredible dessert from the book, took a couple pictures, and about a week later sat down to write a post about it. Everything was going great until I realized that I had returned the book to the library without writing down the recipe. I had a chance to go back to the library a couple days ago and find the book again. So I present to you:

(the picture above is from the book)

Mocha Roulade:
from the book:Ultimate Chocolate
Cake:
4 oz (125g) semisweet chocolate
2 oz (60g) bittersweet chocolate
3 Tbs water
2 Tbs brandy (I omitted this)
5 eggs (separated)
3/4 cup (180g) superfine sugar
pinch of salt
Filling:
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 Tbs boiling water
1-1/4 cup (300ml) heavy cream
1 tsp superfine sugar
Decoration:
Melt 2-3 oz of semisweet chocolate and pour on to parchment paper in a thin layer. Allow to cool and then cut into triangles.

Start by melting both chocolates, water, and brandy (if using) together in a double boiler. set aside to cool.
Next, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until pale. Fold in the melted chocolate. Add the pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk until stiff. Fold the egg whites in to the chocolate/egg yolk mixture. Pour the mixture into a parchment lined jelly roll sheet pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with waxed paper and a damp cloth. Cool for several hours.

For the filling: Dissolve the espresso powder in 1 Tbs of boiling water. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Finally, fold in the espresso and sugar.

Turn the roulade cake out on to a powdered sugar dusted sheet of parchment paper. Set aside 3-4 Tbs of filling to pipe on top of the finished roulade. Spread the remainder of the filling over the roulade cake. Roll the roulade it a long roll. Top with remaining filling and chocolate triangles. Perfect for any season. Enjoy!!!

Vanilla Extract Update

2009-10-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

I've received hundreds of emails and phone calls begging me to update everyone on the progress of my homemade gluten free vanilla extract. I just can't take it any more. Everyone is on the edge of their seats. Drum roll please....................... Oh! Fine!!!! No one has inquired about the extract, not even my own wife. Sheesh!!! I won't let that stop me from this little update. Here is what I started with on July 31st.

Here we are today. Just over two months later the extract is really taking shape and turning a beautiful amber color. Have I mentioned that I'm horribly impatient? Three plus months to wait for this stuff seems like an eternity. I am proud of myself though. I no longer hover over the jar like a mother hen waiting for her chick to hatch. The first few days were rough on me. I think I checked on the extract every 15 minutes to see if it was ready. Now I can make it for a couple days without picking it up and wondering when I can sample my vanilla goodness. Enjoy!!!

Firehouse Boneless Pork Ribs

2009-09-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

In addition to helping people throughout the day, a firefighter's second priority at work usually revolves around food. Meal times in the fire station are a bonding experience and a time to share stories. A firefighter I worked with a couple of years ago made the most incredible boneless pork ribs accompanied by a side of homemade macaroni and cheese that was out of this world. He didn't follow a recipe, just a dash of this and and a splash of that. I've tried to recreate his version at home. I know I'm close but it's not exactly the same. Aside from boneless ribs being an oxymoron, they are very flavorful, lean, and fairly inexpensive. Here is my version of the firehouse boneless pork ribs (also known as country-style ribs.)

Firehouse Boneless Pork Ribs

3-4 pounds lean boneless pork ribs

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perrins is GF)

1/4 cup GF soy sauce

1/4 GF BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's which is GF)

1/4 cup water

1-1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1 Tbs lemon juice

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp red pepper flake (optional if you like a little heat)

Bake in a 275 degree F oven for 2-1/2 - 3 hoursCombine all the ingredients in a 9x13 baking dish, putting the meat in last. Turn the meat once so both sides have been covered in the liquid. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake at 275 degrees F. Check after 2-1/2 hours. The meat should be tender and fall apart easily.

Serve with any number of side dishes. I served mine with pureed cauliflower, seasoned with butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. We had plenty of meat leftover, so I shredded it and made tacos with it the next day. Enjoy!!!

Shun Knife- Product Review

2009-09-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I was given a chef’s knife from KAI USA to review. KAI USA is the company behind several knife brands including Kershaw Knives and Shun Cutlery. In my fire department, nearly everyone I know carries a Kershaw brand pocket knife. They are well known for their durability and sharpness. I was curious to see how this same durability and sharpness translated into a kitchen knife. I received a Shun Elite 8 inch chef’s knife back in June. It would have been easy to cut a tomato or an apple in half and then sit and write a review extolling the virtues of this new sharp knife. The truth is, I would expect the cheapest, flimsiest, knife to be sharp straight out of the package. I have to say, after using this knife for awhile now, the Shun Elite knife is in a class by itself. I own a mismatch of several knives including Wustof and Cutco brands. They are great knives, however, over last couple of months the Shun Chef’s knife has been my "go to" blade of choice. Is it sharp? Of course; but it’s more than that. The weight and balance of the knife make it very comfortable and easy to work with. I feel like I have total control when I have this knife in my hand.

Do you see this little notch between the blade and the handle? With your hand there, it gives the knife stability and control like no other knife I've ever used.
Shun takes a unique approach to knife making by layering high carbon steel resulting in a "super steel" which allows it to be sharpened at a sharper angle than most knives. The construction of the blade ensures not only sharpness, but durability, and blade strength as well. Shun knives tend to be priced a bit higher than your average knife. However, I can tell you from the moment I first used this knife, I knew it was no average kitchen knife. With proper care, a Shun knife can not only last a lifetime but it can surely be passed on to the next generation of aspiring kitchen chefs.

Chipotle Braised Chicken with Herbed Coriander Rice

2009-09-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

Before starting this blog, I never realized how much I cycled through the same meals month after month. I tried new dishes now and then but for the most part I made the same few dishes over and over. In order to keep things fresh and new for my blog I am constantly looking at new recipes. I love trying new things and expanding my horizons. This week I found a recipe for Chipotle Braised Chicken with a side of Warm Herbed Coriander Rice Salad. Both recipes are unique with very flavorful ingredients. I have to say that as good as the chipotle chicken was, the herbed rice salad stole the show for me. The texture and mix of flavors was outstanding. Let's put this together for dinner tonight.
Chipotle Braised Chicken:
from gourmet.com
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 bay leaf
1-1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1-1/2 Tbs olive oil
3 pounds chicken breasts or parts
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 cup water
1 Tbs lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Start by cooking onion, garlic, salt, and bay leaf in butter and 1/2 Tbs oil over medium heat until onion begins to brown; about 10 minutes.
Next, remove onion mix from the pan and set it aside on a plate. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. I used a whole chicken, broken down, but chicken breasts would be great as well. Brown the chicken in 1 Tbs of oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Set browned chicken aside on a plate.
Discard all but 2 Tbs of fat from the pan. Return the onion mixture to the pan and add 1 tsp of chipotle powder. Stir together for 1 minute. Next, stir in 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer. Lay browned chicken pieces on top of the chipotle/onion mix. Cover with a lid or foil and cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes, turning the chicken once. Finally, remove the cooked chicken and onions from the pan with a slotted spoon. Skim off and discard fat from the sauce. Turn up the heat and boil the sauce until slightly thickened. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro, then spoon sauce over the chicken before serving.
Warm Herbed Coriander Rice Salad:
from gourmet.com
1 cup long-grain brown basmati rice
1-3/4 cup water
3 Tbs vegetable oil -divided
1 tsp salt -divided
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbs coriander seeds (slightly crushed)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (slightly crushed)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large or 2 medium zucchini (cubed in to 1/2 inch pieces)
1/2 cup chopped herbs such as cilantro, parsley, and mint
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup pecans (toasted and coarsely chopped)

Begin by toasting pecans on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree F oven for 5-8 minutes or until fragrant, set aside. Next, bring rice and water to a boil with 1 Tbs oil and 1/2 tsp salt in a 2 qt heavy saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat for about 50 minutes. Remove the rice from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes, then transfer the rice to a shallow baking dish or bowl to cool slightly.
Prepare the zucchini and crush the coriander and cumin seeds while the rice is cooking. I placed the coriander and cumin in a zip lock bag and crushed them slightly with a rolling pin. Use powdered cumin and coriander if you don't have whole seeds. While the rice is standing off the heat for 10 minutes, cook coriander and cumin seeds in 2 Tbs of oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add garlic, zucchini, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until zucchini is tender yet still crisp, about 5-7 minutes.Finally, toss zucchini mixture with rice, herbs, lemon juice, and pecans. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Now you're ready to dig in to a hearty and delicious meal. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Eclairs

2009-09-13T13:45:00.000-07:00

I've always thought of myself as a pretty laid back, easy going person. However, parenthood and gluten free baking have altered that sense of calm and patience in my life. Prior to my daughter being born, when my wife and I realized that we were having girl, I thought to myself, "No problem, I can play princess and girly games, no big deal." Three plus years later, my patience for playing with My Little Ponies lasts for a good solid two minutes before I am bored to death and seeking an escape. The same is true for baking. I scoff when a recipe tells me to cool completely before moving on to the next step. Isn't that the point of baking, to eat something that is HOT and fresh out of the oven? My laid back former self evaporates more and more the deeper I dive into gluten free cuisine. It's as if I'm being told that I can't do something and I'm out to disprove it. Every recipe for baked goods tells me; "You can't do it, it's not meant to be gluten free." I dig in and say; "Yes, I can." This leads me to today's little victory over gluten, Eclairs.

Eclairs:

from the book: Ultimate Cake by Barbara Maher, modified to be gluten free

Creme Patissiere:

This is the custard-like filling (make at least 2 hours in advance)

1 cup plus 2 tbsp (275 ml) milk (I used 1%)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 egg yolks

3 tbsp superfine sugar

1-1/2 tbsp gf flour mix

1-1/2 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp heavy cream

2/3 cup (90ml) heavy cream

2 tbsp granulated sugar

Choux Pastry:

This is the Eclair pastry

1 cup (125g) gf flour mix

pinch of salt

2 tsp granulated sugar

7 tbsp (100g) unsalted butter

1-1/4 cups (312.5ml) water

4 eggs, lightly beaten

Bake at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, pierce bottom of each pastry and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Topping:

4 ounces (125g) semisweet chocolate (melted)

Start by making the Creme Patissiere. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy. Sift the gf flour and cornstarch over the egg yolk mixture, beat together until smooth. In a small pan, bring the milk to a boil. Pour the boiling milk over the egg yolk mixture and mix carefully for about 30 seconds. Pour the milk, egg mix back into the sauce pan and return to a boil, stirring vigorously. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and 3 tbsp of heavy cream.

Pour into a bowl and press plastic wrap onto the surface. Let the custard cool for about ten minutes and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Prior to filling the Eclairs, whip the remaining cream (2/3 cup) and 2 tbsp of sugar together until the cream has soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the creme patissiere custard until smooth.

Now on to the Eclair dough, or Choux Pastry. In a small bowl, sift together the gf flour, salt, and sugar, set aside. In another bowl, lightly beat 4 eggs, set aside. Place the butter and water in a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium high heat. Bring the water and butter to a rolling boil, remove from the heat and add the flour mix. Return to the heat and beat rapidly into a smooth, glossy paste that rolls cleanly off the side of the pan (pictured above).

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time and mix until fairly smooth. The dough may have a few small lumps.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a cooking sheet by spraying with nonstick cooking spray, then run the baking sheet under cold water. Drain off excess water but the pan should be slightly wet. Place the batter in a pastry bag with a plain round tip. Here is a great video about making a pastry bag with parchment paper. This is what I used. I just cut a large opening in my parchment pastry bag and didn't use a tip. Pipe batter on to the baking sheet in rounds or elongated Eclair shapes. Bake for 15-20 minutes, mine baked for 16 minutes. Next, pierce the bottom of each pastry with a toothpick and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

Cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes.

Finally, melt the chocolate either in the microwave or double boiler. Slice the pastry in half and pipe in the Creme Patissiere. Top with melted chocolate. Eat and toast another victory over gluten. And, in the wise words of my daughter taking her first bite, "Daddy, these are good for people....[long pause]......, but not for birds." Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Hamburger Buns

2009-09-08T21:42:00.000-07:00

This week I decided to try a hamburger bun recipe from Linda at the Gluten Free Homemaker. Please follow the link for the recipe. The buns were pretty easy to make. There's nothing like a fresh, warm hamburger bun to really enhance the flavor of your burger.

There's a little gelatin in the recipe which give the buns a great soft, spongy feel.

All that's left to do is pile on your favorite ingredients. Don't forget the bacon. Thanks Linda for a great recipe. Enjoy!!!

Not Yet!

2009-09-05T20:00:00.000-07:00

I know, I'm right there with you. It's tempting to flick off the lights and close the door on Summer. School is back in session, the sky is offering up more gray clouds than puffy white ones, and all the great seasonal fruit is withering away. It's nearly time to dust off the hearty soup and chowder recipes from their Summer sabbatical. Almost, but NOT YET! Work with me here, this is an interactive post. Get up from your computer right now. Go pull 2 sticks of butter out of the fridge to soften up. Don't argue, just go. Wait! Wait! Wait! While you're there, set out 5 eggs and dig way in the back for a package with about 6 ounces of cream cheese. Everything needs to be room temperature. OK go, I'll wait........... Are you back? Did you even get up? For those of you who got up, you're one step closer to an incredible gluten free masterpiece. For those that did not get up, well, maybe the gloominess of Fall has already taken you over.

Some recipes have the power to lift me up out of my chair and force me to ~~run~~ amble out to the kitchen to see if I have all the ingredients to make right away. This recipe was one of those and it did not disappoint. Here's one more chance to hold onto Summer's fresh fruit bounty. So what is this amazing recipe you ask?

Gluten Free Blueberry-Lime Bundt Cake

inspired by Jen at Use Real Butter but adapted to be gluten free

Cake:

8 ounces butter (2 sticks softened)

2-1/3 cups GF flour mix

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt

1-3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 tsp lime zest

6 ounces cream cheese (softened)

4 large eggs (room temperature)

1 large egg yolk (room temperature)

2-1/2 cups blueberries (room temperature)

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes.

Let's throw this masterpiece together. Start by placing the granulated sugar and lime zest in a food processor and pulse for 10-20 seconds

Here's where some of you may be ahead of the game. Take all that room temperature butter and cream cheese and mix it together for about a minute. Next add the lime-sugar and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the 4 eggs and 1 egg yolk to the butter/sugar mix one at a time until thoroughly incorporated. In a separate bowl, sift together the GF flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mix into the mixer. Finally, stir the blueberries into the batter.

Prepare a 12 cup Bundt cake pan by greasing with butter and flouring with GF flour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack for at least 10 minutes before inverting onto a cake plate.

The glaze is easy, mix the lime juice into the powdered sugar. Here's where I struggle. You're supposed to let the cake cool completely before applying the glaze. Seriously, how can I possibly wait for this thing to cool completely? I don't have that much patience.

All that's left to do is dig in. By the way, if you happen to top your piece of cake with fresh whipped cream, you may just take it to a whole new level. Enjoy responsibly!!!

Gluten Free Caramelized Onion Dip

2009-09-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

The theme for "What can I eat that's gluten Free?" this week is appetizers. I don't typically make many appetizers. However, occasions always arise that warrant an easy pre-meal snack. I first made this dip around Thanksgiving and Christmas last year to enjoy while all the other food was being prepared. I love the simplicity of this caramelized onion dip and the flavor is incredible.

Caramelized Onion Dip:

1 medium to large onion

1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon dried sage or 1 finely chopped fresh sage leaf

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Begin by slicing the onion thin and then quarter the slices. Heat butter or oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and sage. Cover the pan and cook for 20-30 minutes stirring about every 10 minutes. The idea is to slowly caramelize the onions, don't allow them really sizzle and saute.
The onions will begin turning a caramel brown and they will become translucent.

Allow the onions to cool. Mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Add the onions and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. The flavors really come together after resting for a couple hours. This can also be made the day before. Grab some chips, dip, and relax. Enjoy!!!

Garlic-Dijon Roasted Potatoes

2009-08-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

There are somethings that will never click in my brain no matter how hard I try. My wife has given up trying to explain to me the difference between the living room and the family room. I simply call it the TV room or the non TV room. My brain is equally unable to process portion sizes when dealing with potatoes. Why is it that a total of 3 baked potatoes is the perfect amount for my family of three, yet when making mashed potatoes, I find myself peeling a mountain of spuds? The same holds true for calculating how many potatoes equal 2 pounds for this recipe. I just scrubbed and chopped until 8 little red potatoes stared back at me.

Garlic-Dijon Roasted Potatoes:
2 pounds of red potatoes (I used 8 potatoes)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic (pressed)
1-1/2 tsp Herbes De Provence
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Bake at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes, turning once.

Chop the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients and mix well.

Place potatoes on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, turning once. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Pizza

2009-08-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

I thought I would turn the reigns over to my wife for a guest post about a subject close to her heart, Gluten Free Pizza. Here she is:
I hope I don’t disappoint any loyal fans of my husband, but I have decided to do a post!! Yes, the resident Celiac, who usually just gets to enjoy all of the wonderful cooking and baking done by my hubby, decided to “guest blog.” This post has been long overdue. Back in June, I stopped by a local pizza restaurant down the street from our home. I had heard that Bellagios Pizza now served gluten free pizza with many wonderful options. I had the opportunity to speak with the manager of our local Bellagios who gave me a great “look” into how they do pizza gluten free. The manager was also kind enough to let me take home a sample pizza to enjoy with my family for dinner that night. It did not disappoint!

For $13.00, you can enjoy a 10-inch pizza with a number of mouth-watering options. Some of these options include: Very Veggie, Margherita, BBQ Chicken, Mother Earth, Garlic Chicken, Pepperoni Plus, and Pesto Chicken. For a complete list of all of their customer favorites and a list of ingredients, check out Bellagios website and click on the Gluten Free link. Another option is to buy their Cheese gluten free pizza for $10.00 and then add your own choice of toppings for extra. I always like to try the combinations they create and I found Bellagios has plenty to choose from!

For dinner that night, I decided to try half a Bellagio Combo (mozzarella cheese, salami, pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, and green peppers) and half Garlic Chicken (mozzarella, chicken breast, garlic, feta, red onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, on a creamy garlic base sauce)….. yum!! They were both delicious. While my husband and I found the 10 inch pizza to be a little small to feed our family of three, we decided with a salad and/or another small side dish (or even a second pizza!), it would have been the perfect amount of food.

Bellagios was also kind enough to send me home with a sample of their frozen, gluten free, pizza crusts and pizza sauce. You can purchase this “Dough to Go” for $3.50 for one crust or $6.00 for two crusts. The crusts come with a single serving of their pizza sauce that (almost) covers the pizza crust (we added a little bit of our own sauce since we like a little extra).

(our homemade pizza on a Bellagio crust)

Bellagios has really done a great job of catering to the gluten free world with their pizza. It tastes (as much as I can remember) as close to “real” pizza as any I have tried and it also has that gourmet look and taste to it that I love. The gluten free pizzas are made in a dedicated gluten free area of their kitchen with the ingredients and utensils kept separate from their glutenous counterparts. I was very impressed with the knowledge the manager of this branch showed about the gluten free world of eating. I would highly recommend a stop by one of the 14 Bellagio Pizza branches in the Portland, Oregon area (with one in Vancouver, WA). If you do not have the good fortune of having a Bellagios near you, put in a good word on their website and maybe one will pop up in your neighborhood soon!

Thanks for letting me post! And now, back to the REAL blogger…

For my two cents, I'll say that Bellagios not only has great gluten free pizza, they also have great customer service with a friendly atmosphere. The staff also appears well versed in avoiding cross contamination. It's nice to have a great place nearby to enjoy pizza again.

Delicious Disaster

2009-08-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

Before I get started, let's get one thing straightened out. I can make others things besides dessert. Really, I can. But dessert is so fun! Butter and sugar dance in my head as I drift off to sleep at night. Unfortunately, butter and sugar also want to jiggle around my midsection during the day. It's a love/hate thing; I know you understand. Anyway, Cathy, over at Noble Pig has been tempting me with one snickerdoodle based concoction after another. I think it started with snickerdoodle muffins, then snickerdoodle ice cream, and finally, banana snickerdoodle cookies. Enough!!!! I surrender!!!! I set off to find a relatively easy recipe to convert to gluten free. The one I used had a great flavor, but tasted a bit more like a sugar cookie with cinnamon than a true snickerdoodle. Oh well, I'll just have to try another snickerdoodle recipe. In the meantime, these cookies are nothing to complain about. I did have a bit of an issue getting the cookies off the cookie sheet since I ran out of parchment paper.
Snickerdoodles (kind of):
4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 stick-softened)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup gluten free flour mix
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Cinnamon Sugar Mix:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
Bake at 350 degrees F for 7-9 minutes
Makes about 12 cookies
Start by creaming together butter, sugars, and salt. Mix in the egg. In a separate bowl, sift together gf flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Add 1/3 of the flour mix at a time until thoroughly mixed in.
In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Scoop about a tablespoon of dough into your hand, roll in to a ball and roll through the cinnamon-sugar mix. The dough is very soft.

Lightly press on to a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet and bake.

Here's my disaster! I ran out of parchment paper so I liberally greased my non stick cookie sheet. Despite this, every single cookie stuck to the pan and had to be scraped off.

When life hands you crumbled, gluten free snickerdoodles, make a snickerdoodle blizzard. We just mixed broken cookie pieces into vanilla ice cream. Crisis averted. Enjoy!!!

Let The Party Begin!

2009-08-05T00:38:00.000-07:00

The "What can I eat that's gluten free" theme this week is cool treats. Even with all the hot Oregon weather lately, I haven't made any cool treats. Instead, I'll refer you to one of my first posts about "Frozen Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate." (pictured above) This is the coolest of the cool treats. Thanks again to Cathy at Noble Pig for sharing this recipe.

Now, on to the Party. Yesterday was my wife's birthday. She was able to relax a bit during the day before the two of us went to a nearby outdoor concert featuring a local pianist and his band. A few days ago, I asked my wife what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday. She said "chocolate with vanilla frosting." I let that sink in for a minute and then I dragged her over to the computer. "What about this?" I said excitedly. "Or this?" "Or even this?" I was wide eyed and practically drooling at all the choices flashing before me on the Internet. I looked back at my wife. "What do you think?" She just shrugged her shoulders and said; "Can't you just buy one of Laurel's cake mixes at the store and top it with Pillsbury vanilla frosting?" Ok, if that's what you really want. So, I made a trip to the store and they were all out of Laurel's cake mix. Oh well. Instead, I had to make a cake from scratch. Before I give out this recipe, you may want to send small children or the elderly in frail health out of the room. Is the coast clear? It's just us now, right? Pssstt, this cake is not healthy for you. There is a ton of sugar, butter, chocolate, and calories. But hey, it's a birthday cake. A birthday comes around but once a year and by eating this cake, you'll prove to everyone that you have the strength to live another year. Besides, if cake were supposed to be good for you, it would be called broccoli, right? Here's the recipe:

Triple Layer Chocolate Cake with Ganache Filling:
Cake:
3 cups brown sugar (just close your eyes and throw it in the bowl)
1 cup butter (2 sticks-softened)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-2/3 cup GF flour mix
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cup sour cream
1-1/3 cup boiling water
Ganache:
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-1/4 cup heavy cream
2-1/2 tablespoons butter
2-1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Frosting:
Pillsbury Vanilla -per request

Begin by creaming together brown sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly before adding vanilla. After the vanilla is added, mix on medium high speed for about 2-3 minutes to a light airy consistency.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: GF flour mix, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

Alternate adding sour cream and dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Finally, add the boiling water and mix slowly, just until combined. Divide batter between 3 prepared 9 inch cake pans. Prepare cake pans by buttering and dusting with gf flour mix. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes. Mine baked for about 28 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 20-30 minutes before inverting onto a parchment lined baking sheet or cutting board. Place layers of the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.

Prepare the ganache by bringing the heavy cream, butter, and sugar to a boil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Place chocolate chips in a metal bowl, pour hot cream mixture over the chips and let sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir up the ganache. Cool to at least room temperature if not a little cooler. The ganache will firm up as it cools.

Remove the cake layers from the freezer. Spread an even layer of ganache between each layer of cake. Spread a very thin, "crumb layer" of vanilla frosting on. The crumb layer is meant to hold together all the dark chocolate crumbs so they don't show through in the final frosting. Stick the whole thing back in the freezer for another 15 minutes.

The impatient, wild lioness stalks her prey waiting for the right moment to attack when no one is looking. On to the frosting. Remove the cake from the freezer and apply the final coating of frosting.

Pipe on some left over ganche. I am not a professional decorator by any stretch, my hands shake terribly. "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday where's a knife, a fork, and my plate?"

Here's to another year. Happy Birthday Honey!!!
Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Vanilla Extract

2009-07-31T15:10:00.000-07:00

I have decided to embark on a little project to make homemade vanilla extract. I know this is not a ground breaking venture, however, it's something I've never attempted before. I first saw this over at Joy the Baker and decided it looked easy enough for a firefighter to handle. Not to mention this is an opportunity to use up some vodka that has been collecting dust in the cupboard.
I ordered some vanilla beans online from the Boston Vanilla Bean Company. According to their website, 24 grams of beans are needed to make 8 ounces of extract. So I ordered 24 grams of extract quality beans. As I looked for more extract recipes online, most called for 3 beans to make 8 ounces of extract. When my vanilla beans arrived there were about 9 beans in the package equalling 24 grams. I decided to use 4 beans. 80 proof alcohol is needed for the extract. Rum and vodka are usually the alcohols used in making extract. Theoretically vodka is neutral and does not alter the vanilla flavor. We had some 100% potato vodka in the cupboard, so that is what I used. To make the extract; slice the vanilla beans down the center leaving about a 1/2 inch at the top and bottom intact. Place the beans in a sealable jar and add 8 ounces of alcohol.

Store in a dark place for about 2 months. Shake the bottle periodically to mix up the extract. I'll report back on the progress of my extract. You should buy some beans and join me! Take care.

Gluten Free Pasta Salad

2009-07-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it back from our trip to Wallowa Lake in Eastern Oregon.

My daughter and her cousin enjoyed feeding all the chipmunks and squirrels from atop Mt. Howard overlooking the lake. There is a gondola that takes you to the top.

We tried our luck at fishing for the first time. We didn't catch anything, which probably wasn't too bad. I'm not sure what would have happened if my animal loving daughter saw a fish attached to the line she just reeled up.

I'm feeling kind of guilty lately. I haven't been posting as often as I would like. I'll blame it on summer. Here in Portland we are in the midst of a brutal heat wave. It was 103 yesterday and 106 today. Tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter. For the average, mild, rain soaked North Westerner, the heat is almost paralyzing. My family and I headed for the beach yesterday to avoid the hot hot weather. It was a rare moment on the Oregon coast where the ocean water actually felt refreshing and not just ice cold. So there it is, I've been a slacker lately. A hot kitchen is not the best place to hang out in the summer.

Summer or not, I still have to eat, so I present you with a gluten free pasta salad. I don't really follow a recipe for this, but I'll approximate amounts.
Pasta Salad
1 box of Ancient Harvest Quinoa Rotelle Pasta (prepare according to box-drain)
1/4 pound Italian dry salami (cubed)
1 medium cucumber (cubed)
3 Tbs sun dried tomatoes (diced)
4 ounces Feta cheese crumbles
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and refrigerate for about an hour prior to serving. Feel free to add any of your favorite ingredients. Olives and red onion would be a great addition.
Enjoy!!!