Living with a Picky Eater

When my oldest child was little, she was quite the picky eater. Certain textures would cause her to literally gag and spit out food. We trudged through those years, creating a mealtime rule that stated she must try one bite of whatever is being served. If she didn't like it, she didn't need to to eat it. If she did, great! Fill 'er plate up and on we go.

In the end, it worked out well. Our daughter is now a great eater who enjoys foods from all areas of the food pyramid (or is it the food dinner plate now?) and is practically a fruit addict. We had conquered the battle of the picky eater! We were seasoned veterans now. We could handle whatever came next.

Enter our son.

He has made our daughter look like an adventurous eater. He decided, right after baby food (which, by the way, he loved tremendously, except baby peas... gag) that all green food was evil. We had many battles at the dinner table as we tried to enforce the "one bite" rule. In the end, he would try it... with the end result usually being a "not liking it" vote. Once in while, however, we'd get a winner!

In general, he likes healthy foods. He loves fresh fruit (except kiwi, it's green!), yogurt, dried fruits, oats, eggs, etc... so we supplement with V-8's V-Fusion juice (it's got fruit AND veggie juice in it... shhhh, don't tell him) and he'll eat broccoli if it's hidden in a quiche. Just recently, he decided he likes cucumber, so things are looking up! Perhaps he is finally emerging from his picky eating phase?

One can only hope. And pray. And plead with the Lord that it is.

I decided to come up with a healthy homemade snack for him using foods I know he loves. I try to give the kids snacks that have a little protein in them, to hold them over until a meal. This time around, I came up with a homemade granola recipe that was PERFECT for him. It consisted of just 5 ingredients, all of which he loves: honey, almond butter, cinnamon, vanilla and oats.

I could just picture his chubby little fingers grabbing some crunchy granola as he played with his construction trucks.

I whipped up a batch in no time, allowed it to cool, gave it a try (YUM!) and called him over. I found the perfect little bunch of granola and handed it to my boy, waiting hopefully to see the look of enjoyment on his sweet little face.

I waited.

It never came.

Instead, he screwed up his little features into a grimace and said, through the granola he was chewing, "I don't like it". Then walked away.

Perhaps it's time to spend more time in prayer, pleading with the Lord.

The phase continues.

(By the way, my boy is completely nuts. The granola is amazing. My hubby doesn't even like oats and he was munching away on it last night. My mom was proclaiming its deliciousness all over the house, then ran downstairs to get a yogurt in which to add the granola. Add whatever you like to it once it cools... chocolate chips, craisins, nuts, etc... the sky is the limit!)

Gluten Free Almond Butter Granola

1/4 cup creamy almond butter (or peanut butter)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups oats (not quick cooking)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine the honey and almond butter. Microwave on high for about 20 seconds until the almond butter is slightly melted. Stir to combine.

Add the cinnamon and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Add the oats and stir until they are completely coated in the honey/almond butter mixture. Spread out in a thin layer on the cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes, stirring once until the granola is slightly browned.

Remove from oven and let cool on the cookie sheet until crunchy.

It's About the Give and Take...

There is one negative to having a recipe blog. In order to know that the recipes I'm posting are up to the standard I want them to be... I have to actually make them and taste them. Now, if that recipe happens to be an experimental dinner dish, there's no problem! We must eat dinner, so no harm done.

But what if the recipe is for something like cake or cookies? I can't just slap a recipe concept on the blog that hasn't been tested, tweaked or sampled! That just wouldn't be right.

Today is one of those problematic recipes. You see, two days ago I made another recipe for the blog that I haven't posted yet... mainly because my current recipe brought on the question I am about to ask.

How can someone maintain a blog full of yummy gluten free goodies, conduct a taste test on them, and then have a batch of said goodies in the house and not end up with thighs the size of Mount Rushmore?

Currently, I have a plea post out on Facebook... begging local friends to stop in a grab a goody. I probably sound like one of the snack vendors in sporting arenas: "Free goodies, get your free goodies here!"

But what I do, I do for you. It is for you that I will sacrifice myself and expose myself to the extra calories. It is I - your gluten free blogger friend - who will continue to nibble and snack and tweak recipes and nibble again to present to you a gluten free goody worth posting on my blog.

Because that's what relationships are about - give and take! I give you the recipes and I take the calories. I give my thighs permission to take over more space and I take full responsibility for their expansion.

In all honesty, I know the answer. The answer is to have one bite of the goody and one bite only. Then, I just need to bring the batch of yumminess to a meeting, or to church... or send them to work with my hubby! The problem lies in showing complete restraint from the time I bake them to the moment they leave the house.

But I suppose that's more about self-control than it is about blogging.

Maybe I should start a new blog... a support blog for recipe bloggers with thighs that are beginning to take over new territory.

Gluten Free Glazed Doughnut Muffins 

(adapted to gf from original recipe at www.sweetpeaskitchen.com)

Muffins:
1/2 cup veggie or canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix

1 cup milk (I used 1%)

Glaze:

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp hot water

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin papers or spray pan with non-stick baking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the oil and sugars until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. With the mixer on low, add in baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Beat to thoroughly combine.

Alternately add the Pamela's Mix and milk, starting and ending with the Pamela's Mix, Combine thoroughly.

Pour batter into muffin cups. Fill almost to the top (leave an 1/8 of an inch). Bake for 15-17 minutes until slightly golden and springy to the touch, rotating the pan halfway through the baking.

Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove muffins to a cooling rack. 

In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and hot water for the glaze. Whisk together until smooth.

While the muffins are still slightly warm, dip the crown of each one into the glaze and allow glaze to drizzle down the sides slightly and harden. If desired, dip crowns again once muffins have cooled.

Makes 12 muffins.

Dunkin' Good!

Doughnuts are one of those foods that I always felt very guilty eating. Well, at least, after I was done eating one. The guilt would creep in as I ordered a fat-laden goodie at the counter... then I would shut it down as I munched... but as soon as the last bite was gone, the guilt would return. I mean, seriously, one doughnut from the local doughnut shop probably has a week's worth of fat allowance in it.... and I just ate it in 3 minutes. I was afraid to listen closely for fear of actually hearing my arteries clogging.

I should mention that I would partake of doughnuts maybe 3 times a year. Still, the guilt would come.

I've seen recently seen, in stores, these nifty baking pans shaped like doughnuts. And every time I passed them I would think, "Huh. Gotta give that a try some time." I did that many, many times... walking by and thinking I would get one some time.

I'm happy to report that my dear husband, who had witnessed the walking and thinking routine probably one too many times, decided to take matters into his own hands and give me the pan as a Christmas gift. Yay! No more walking and thinking... at least about the doughnut pan.

I wasn't sure where to start... cinnamon sugar doughnuts? Pumpkin doughnuts? No, no, no.... BANANA doughnuts. Ah, yes.

My first baked doughnut experience! It was exactly what I'd hoped it would be. If only I had whistled whilst making them, it could have been a Disney movie. I'm digressing.

These little guys are soft and sweet and... banana-y.... delicious. One word of caution... make them the day you plan to eat them. The banana makes them so moist and lovely that they lose their doughnut texture after a while (meaning, the next day). So - make 'em for breakfast or brunch and munch away!



Low Fat, Gluten Free BAKED Banana Doughnuts

1 1/2 cups Pamela's Baking Mix
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup light sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a doughnut baking pan with non-stick baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the Pamela's mix, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, mashed bananas, vanilla and sour cream. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.

Spoon the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, about 3/4 of the way full. Baked 15-16 minutes until set. Let cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Cook another 5 minutes, then roll each doughnut in some granulated sugar. Let cool completely before serving.

Makes about 12 doughnuts.

Toads for Brunch, Anyone?

I was searching a recipe website the other day and came across a most intriguing recipe called "Toad in the Hole".

Toad. In the Hole.

OK...............

I read the ingredients and the directions and decided I shouldn't dismiss the recipe solely because it had a ridiculous name.

I'm mature like that.

Apparently, the origin of the name is very vague... some seem to think it's as simple as the sausage resembling a toad poking it's head up out of a hole. (But I still must ask, why a toad? Why not something cuter?)

Today after church, I came home and decided it was time to make this little guy for lunch. It was relatively easy, it basically worked (meaning, my tweaks to make it gluten free) AND it was really yummy.

The key to Toad in the Hole is the maple syrup. Don't skip this part... and DON'T grab your Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Butterworth's, either. For this... you need the real deal. Wouldn't hurt to warm it, either, before drizzling it on the finished product and digging in. Just sayin'.

I found my new "go to" brunch recipe... fast and easy and really delicious. Look past the name and give it a try.

Trust me. You'll find a new friend in that ol' Toad.

Gluten Free Toad in the Hole

1/2 cup fine ground cornmeal (I used Quaker)
1/2 cup gluten free flour blend (I used King Arthur)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter
10-12 uncooked breakfast sausage links
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup, plus more for drizzling after baked

In a medium bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the milk and eggs and whisk to completely combine.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until the butter foams. Add the sausages and cook, browning on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a large plate.

Whisk the cornmeal batter again, then pour into the same skillet. Arrange the sausages on top of the batter and drizzle the 3 Tbsp of maple syrup all over the top. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the batter puffs and is set in the middle, 15-20 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cut into wedges, drizzle with more maple syrup and serve immediately.

Finding Pinspiration

Have you discovered Pinterest yet?

"No, not yet. I just haven't gotten around to checking it out." STOP RIGHT THERE. Go. Now. Your life will never be the same again. Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration... but your closets will never be more organized, your preschooler will be wide-eyed at the fun ABC manipulatives his/her mommy has, you'll know how to get any stain out of any fabric and you'll finally learn the right exercises to get rid of those saddlebags. Do not proceed any further in this blog entry until you do! You'll thank me. (But - after you've spent hours and hours scouring Pinterest, please do come back and finish reading. I'll miss you.)

"Why yes, Katie, I have!" Don't you just LOVE it? It's like a world of inspiration right at your finger tips! How did we ever get on without it?? I'll follow you if you follow me! We could be Pinterest BFFs!!

I'm getting a wee bit out of control, aren't I. I apologize. It has that affect on me.

(But don't forget to find me on Pinterest.)

Now where was I? Ah, yes. September. As far as I'm concerned, September 1st is the beginning of Autumn. It marks the journey towards my favorite time of year.... cold weather. I'm happiest during the months of October to March, with times of giddiness in November, December and January. It's almost as though I get a new lease of life. The crisp air fills my lungs, the trees change colors and paint the landscape or better yet, the world is blanketed in snow... and I'm compelled to start baking.

Enter Pinterest.

I found today's recipe there... but in a glutenous, fattening version. I set to work last night, seeing how I could change it to gluten free and low fat. I put the pan in the oven and, about 1/2 hour later, decided it didn't matter if the recipe turned out right or not... because my house smelled AMAZING. Cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger... can you just imagine? I pictured pulling my sunken, mushy concoction out of the oven and just placing it on the stove for an hour or so... like an asthetically ugly version of potpourri.

When the hour of baking was up, I flicked on the oven light and was thrilled to see a loaf of bread! Risen in the middle, deep orange color... by jing, it worked!

And friends, it tastes good. Really, really good. Autumn-in-your-mouth good. We chose to top if off with a small swipe of low fat cream cheese... leaving the hubby to declare it as "blog worthy".

So, here you go. My gluten free, lower fat version of my Pinterest find, Pumpkin Gingerbread. If you are looking to transition your mind from summer to autumn, may I suggest baking this bread? You'll find yourself back on Pinterest, searching for new ideas in autumn decorating.

I'll probably being doing the same. See you there, Pinterest BFF!

PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Stevia in the Raw, Splenda or whatever sugar substitute you use
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/3 cup milk
1/2 (15- oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 3/4 cups all-purpose gluten free flour (I used Pamela's Baking Mix)
*1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
*1/2 teaspoon baking powder

*If you use Pamela's Baking Mix, omit baking powder and use 1/2 tsp baking soda. If you use another gf flour that does not have baking soda or baking powder in it, add the amounts in the ingredients list.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5″ loaf pan.

In large bowl, combine sugars, applesauce and eggs; beat until smooth. Add milk and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend with a whisk until all ingredients are mixed. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool.

How Low Can You Go?

Since my last post, I must confess I have spent much time wandering around the kitchen, scheming, with just one thought in my head. What else can I make low fat?

 Today I meandered in and glanced at the counter. There, in all of its glory, was a bunch of overly ripe bananas. By jing!

 Banana bread, in this house, lasts about five minutes. Alright, alright. Four minutes. Once that bad boy is cool enough to not burn the top three layers of skin from the inside of your mouth, it's fair game. My kids alone could eat an entire loaf. I suppose I should consider that a compliment... though I don't feel that warm and fuzzy feeling when I have dreams of banana bread for breakfast the next day, only to realize it is long gone.

But back to the kitchen counter and the overly ripe bananas.

How can I protect my latest recipe challenge from being inhaled by the residents of my abode? How can I keep them around long enough to examine the texture, moistness, taste? MUFFINS. Leave some out, freeze some. By jing times two!

I feverishly set to work, mumbling under my breath the ingenious substitutions I would cleverly use, all the while absolutely certain I had no idea what I was doing or whether it would even remotely resemble anything banana or muffin-like. (What? Did y'all think I just strutted into the kitchen, threw things together and instantly created a masterpiece? HA.)

These little muffins are sweet... and I mean that in the "dear little puffs of banana-ness" way... not the "my teeth hurt, use less sugar" way. I used half Stevia, half sugar. If you are not on the Stevia boat, feel free to use your own substitute or just use all sugar.

 Well, I'm off. I think I may have managed to hide one of the non-frozen muffins well enough to actually be able to sit down with a cup of tea and enjoy it. One can only hope!

Low Fat Gluten Free Banana Muffins

2 cups Pamela’s flour (if you use another gf flour mix, add another Tbsp of baking powder and a 1/4 tsp baking soda)
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 cups mashed banana
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup Stevia
4 egg whites, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup unsweetened applesauce 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 18 muffin cups with non-stick spray.

Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Mix together banana, sugar, Stevia, whites, vanilla and applesauce in a small bowl. Add to dry ingredients. 

Fill cups 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Pocket O' Chocklet!

Since my last post here, I have made up my mind to add one more condition to my recipes.... low fat. Seemed like an easy thing, just cut fat here and substitute there! Ha. Silly, silly me.

Because some of the gluten free ingredients used in cooking and especially baking are... finicky... gritty... stubborn... (you get the point)... that extra fat really is needed to moisten cake and give great texture to cookies.

I must admit, there have been some dismal failures in my new endeavor.

First up was a gluten free, peanut free brownie made with pureed pumpkin... which turned out tasting like a block of pumpkin with a little chocolate in it... the texture was horrible.

Next up... peach crisp. How can you mess up a low fat peach crisp, you ask? The answer would be... use Stevia instead of sugar. Wow. The crumble topping stayed dry and grainy, despite the fact that there was a little butter in it. And the aftertaste! I physically shuddered. Literally.

So... now we are up to my last attempt, courtesy of Pinterest (with a couple of Katie Tweaks). A low fat chocolate muffin using ground oats instead of flour, egg whites instead of whole eggs, lite sour cream instead of butter, applesauce instead of oil, and half sugar, half Stevia. (Lesson learned. Stevia and sugar want to share the spotlight.)

The results? A lovely little muffin that takes away the chocolate craving... and is truly low fat, gluten free and peanut free!

It is because of this little morsel that I shall continue my quest to create low fat yummies for you, dear readers! All is NOT in vain! We gluten free-ers CAN have yummy, low fat desserts! Can I get a "HOLLA!"??

I know, I know. Way too much enthusiasm for one little muffin. Gotcha.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins


1 3/4 cup gluten free oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Stevia (or other sugar substitute, like Splenda granular)
1/2 sugar
3 egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners or spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

In a food processor, pulse oats until they are ground. Add the rest of the dry ingredients (except for chocolate chips) and pulse to combine. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients from the food processor and stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Using half the chocolate chips, evenly sprinkle a few in each cup. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on. Sprinkle the remaining chips evenly over each muffin. Bake for another 5-7 minutes to finish baking.

Remove from oven, let cook for 3 minutes, then removed muffins to a cooling rack to finish cooling. (Leaving muffins and cupcakes in pans too long steams the bottoms and makes sogginess!)

Makes 18-24 muffins, depending on how high you fill them.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink....

You know that moment when you know you need to go grocery shopping but haven't yet gotten there and it's time to figure out something for dinner? It's usually around that time that I implement my method called "something that lets me throw whatever is left in the refrigerator together to make a meal fit for a king... or at least my 3-year-old". It's a highly complicated method that requires years of training and practice.

That, or a refrigerator full of compatible leftovers or scraps of odds and ends.

Enter the quiche.
Quiche is really just a pie with an egg base that allows you to throw anything you like into it. Literally. I've known people who threw leftover french fries into their quiche and loved it. Veggies, meat, cheese, fungus (aka mushrooms)... you name it, you can put it in there.

Have you heard the saying that baking is a science but cooking is an art? Well, here's the chance to stretch your culinary creativity. If you've never experimented with quiche, now's the time to start.

Most of all... have fun with your food. Remember... it's an art!

Gluten Free Mix-and-Match Quiche

8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp of whatever seasoning you want.... yellow mustard, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, etc...
6-8 oz of diced ham... or bacon, turkey, sausage, steak, etc......
1 cup steamed and chopped broccoli... cubed potato, mushrooms, artichokes, brussel spouts, etc........
1/4 cup finely chopped onion.... chives, scallions, shallots, etc.......
2 oz shredded muenster cheese.... monterey jack, colby, swiss, etc......
2 oz shredded sharp cheddar.... or any other sharp cheese you like!

Preheat oven to 374 degrees and spray a 9-inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and whatever seasoning you decide to add.

In the prepared pie pan, toss together the meat, veggie, onion and cheeses of your choice and spread evenly in the bottom of the pan.

Pour the egg mixture over everything and back for 40-50 minutes until golden brown on top and the center is set.

Serves 4-6 people.

Subtle Hints

As I write this post, the sweetest little muffins are baking in the oven. I actually rediscovered the recipe recently, surprised I had not yet posted this one on my blog. I almost feel as though I should apologize for withholding it from you.

I’m very sorry. (I feel better.)

It occurred to me, though, that my timing might be quite good. You see, Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Ah yes, Mother’s Day. A day set aside to honor that most praise-worthy position, motherhood. Personally, I think we should have a Mother’s Day once a week. Might help us get through the week a little easier knowing that breakfast in bed is a-comin’! But that is a discussion for another day.

The little confections currently baking in my oven are Strawberry Muffins. These are moist, slightly sweet muffins with bursts of fresh strawberry in it. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect companion to whatever else will be on your Mother’s Day breakfast-in-bed meal?

I realize there are some of you reading this and thinking, “HA! Mother’s Day breakfast in bed? What’s that?”

No worries, my friend. I have you covered.

Here’s what you need to do. You need to make a subtle, yet completely obvious, hint. Print out the recipe, write the words “WOW! Need to try soon!” on it and leave it someplace obvious… the dining room table, the bathroom mirror, the driver’s seat of his car. You get the point.

You could also leave this blog open on the computer screen. Scroll down to the paragraph below, hiding this paragraph and everything above it.

ATTENTION MEN: THESE MUFFINS WOULD MAKE AN AMAZING TREAT FOR YOUR GLUTEN FREE WIFE THIS MOTHER’S DAY. PART OF BREAKFAST. IN BED. WITH FLOWERS.

(You’re welcome.)

Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins

1 ¾ cups Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix

¾ cup sugar

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs, slightly beaten

½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt

¼ cup butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 heaping Tbsp strawberry preserves

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the Pamela’s Baking Mix, sugar and nutmeg.

In a larger bowl, mix together the eggs, yogurt, butter, vanilla and strawberry preserves. Stir in the dry ingredients until just moistened.

Fold in the fresh strawberries.

Fill 12-18 muffin cups lined with paper liners (or sprayed with non-stick spray) two-thirds full.

Bake for 18 minutes (until lightly golden brown on top) and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes, then serve warm. 

Please Don't Tell My Kids...

If you happen to bump into me in Wegman’s Market and my kids are with me, I beg of you, please don’t mention to them that they had yams for a snack. The look on their sweet little faces would give away the truth of the matter… that they had no idea they did, in fact, have yams for a snack.

You see, my three-year-old is probably the pickiest eater on the planet. He figured out, at a very early age, that green foods don’t necessarily taste as good as other foods. He won’t even try kiwi because it’s green! So, nary a green veggie… nary a veggie at all… has passed his lips in a long time. That is, unless I sneak it in there.

Butternut squash bread, pasta with chopped up wilted spinach, broccoli chopped up into molecular-level sized pieces in a quiche, I’ve even gone with V8 Splash juice… any way I can get some veggies into his tummy.

Sure, some of these aren’t as ideal as others… since something like butternut squash bread still has sugar in it. But a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do. I figure a piece of slightly sweet bread that also has squash in it has to be better than a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast for breakfast. Right?

Hence, today’s recipe. A way to get some yams into him. Yes, even delicious yams are on his no-no list. This is a gluten free sweet potato muffin (ok, ok… yam muffin) with a walnut crumble on top.

For the yam, I just microwaved it. Take your lovely yam, wash and dry it. Prick all sides of it with a fork and place it on a paper towel lined, microwave safe plate. Nuke that little guy for 2 ½ minutes. Flip it upside down and nuke it again for another 2 ½ minutes. In the end you should have yourself a nicely cooked, vitamin packed yam. Let it cool, then peel and smash it. Now you’re ready to make your muffins!

So, we have a deal? You won’t tell my kids they had yams for a snack and, if you try this recipe on your own kids (or picky husband!), I won’t tell them, either.

Let the veggie sneaking…er, snacking… begin!

Sweet Potato Muffins (aka Yam Muffins) with Walnut Crumble

Crumble:

¼ cup GF Bisquick

¼ cup light brown sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

2 Tbsp butter, cold

Batter:

1 ½ cups GF Bisquick

2 eggs

½ cup cooked, mashed yams

4 Tbsp butter, melted

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with 12 paper liners.

Crumble: In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and Bisquick. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Place in fridge until ready to use.

Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, yams, brown sugar, butter, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add Bisquick until incorporated. Divide batter into paper liners. Spoon tablespoons of crumble over each muffin until all crumble is dispersed.

Bake for 20-24 minutes until set.

One Lump or Two?

As I have mentioned before, I live very close to Amish country. Smack in the middle of that area is my all-time favorite tea room. This tea room makes THE best scones ever. I never asked about the fat content because I’m pretty sure I would faint upon hearing the answer. These scones were soft and luxurious… and served warm with jam, lemon curd and clotted cream.

Pardon me as I grab a napkin, I seem to be drooling a little.

Often, I would choose a white chocolate cranberry scone over their various desserts because I love them so. And if you are wondering, the answer is “yes”… I did have to go through a period of mourning over their scones.

Sure, I was sad I would never again have their bangers and mash or an English sausage wrapped in a delicate pastry. But the idea of never again having one of those scones… perish the thought!

King Arthur brand flour has come up with one doosey of a gluten free scone. Best of all, no heavy cream! Sure, there’s some butter in there… but you really can’t make a scone without butter. You can mix and match your additions to the scones to whatever your imagination conjures up… toasted coconut and white chocolate chips, dried pineapple (or any dried fruit for that matter!) or cinnamon chips! You could also cut down on the sugar and add chopped ham and some shredded cheese for a savory scone. The possibilities are endless! I went with dried cranberries and chocolate chips. I also sprinkled a little gourmet sugar on top to make it pretty.

Oh, sure. I still miss my tea room and all the possibilities that used to be there for me. But my sweet little baked good came in and filled that cobwebbed, empty space in me labeled “scone”.

I feel like I should break into a chorus of “Wind Beneath My Wings”.

Too extreme?

King Arthur Gluten Free Scones

1 ¾ cups King Arthur Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour

¼ cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp xanthan gum

½ tsp salt

½ cup cold butter

¾ cup additions of your choice (chocolate chips, dried fruit, toasted coconut, white chocolate, cinnamon chips, etc)

2 eggs

1/3 cup cold milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into dry ingredients. Add additions of your choice.

In small bowl, beat together eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Add to dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Drop by ¼ cup fulls (or, as I used, the largest Pampered Chef cookie dough scoop) on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Baked in preheated oven for 15-17 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack. Serve with jam, lemon curd and/or whipped cream.

Wow.

It’s snowing today. A beautiful, steady snow with big, fat snowflakes that practically plop when they hit the ground. It’s a winter wonderland!

Did I mention it’s October 29^th?

We were given an autumn treat today in the form of snow. It’s so beautiful… the changing colors of the leaves outlined by pure white snow. *happy sigh* Our family loves snow. We practically celebrate it! In fact, this morning we did that very thing. As the flakes began to fall, I got to work on a new recipe. (I wish I could take credit for this one, but alas, the wonderful people at www.thebakingbeauties.com came up with this one.)

My review of this new recipe is so complex and detailed that I found it difficult to really express it. How does one put into words the happiness that occurred with each bite? Instead, I decided to keep it simple. Here it is.

Wow.

This isn’t something to whip up on a busy Sunday morning. This is something to bring out when you want to celebrate a birthday or Christmas… or snow. It’s a little labor intensive and there is a waiting period as you let the buns rise before baking them, but it is completely, totally and utterly worth it. I promise.

The next time you check the weather report and it says snow is on its way, do yourself a favor. Run to the store. Forget the basics you usually buy in the event of a storm. Get the ingredients for these cinnamon buns. In the quiet of the morning, make a cup of tea or coffee and get to work on these babies. After that, there is but one thing left to do.

Celebrate!

Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns

Topping:

4 Tbsp butter

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp heavy cream

Pinch of salt

Dough:

2 ½ cups all purpose gluten free flour blend (without leavening or xanthan gum)

½ cup tapioca starch

1 Tbsp yeast

3 Tbsp white sugar

½ tsp salt

3 tsp xanthan gum

¼ cup instant vanilla pudding mix (dry)

1 tsp baking powder

4 Tbsp butter

½ cup water

¾ cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla

Filling (may want to double this if you like really thick filling):

2 Tbsp butter, very soft

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

½ cup raisins, chopped walnuts or pecans

Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.

For the topping: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir until the brown sugar loses its graininess, then add the vanilla and heavy cream. Remove from the stove and pour into the prepared pan.

For the filling: In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir with a fork until completely combined. Once combined, add the raisins, walnuts or pecans (if you choose to use them).

For the dough: In the bowl of the stand mixer, mix all the dry ingredients until combined.

Put the water and butter in a glass measuring cup and microwave until the butter has melted. Remove from the microwave and add the remaining wet ingredients. Stir to combine. With the stand mixer running (use the paddle attachment), pour the wet ingredients into the dry, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.

Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it out on a slightly dampened countertop or cutting board, so it covers an area bigger than 8” x 16”. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of sugar on the plastic wrap and lay the ball of dough on it. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and pat the dough down into a rectangular shape, approximately 8” x 16”.

Remove the top plastic wrap and spread the filling across the dough’s surface, leaving 1 ½” of space without filling on one of the long sides of the rectangle. This will seal your cinnamon rolls.

Starting along the long end, use the bottom sheet of plastic wrap to lift the edge of the dough and roll it up, forming a long cylinder. Start with edge that has filling on it (which will be the center of your cinnamon roll).

Using a long piece of thread, cut the long cinnamon bun log into 8 even pieces, about 1 ½“ wide. You do this by placing the thread under the roll, crossing it at the top and pulling the threads so they cross each other, pulling it through the dough.

Place the rolls, cut side up, in the topping in the pan, spacing them evenly. With damp fingers, flatten the rolls slightly.

Cover with a damp paper towel and allow the cinnamon buns to rise in a warm, draft free place for about 30 minutes, until nearly doubled in size. (I place mine in my second oven with the light on.)

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are a nice golden brown.

Allow the buns to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Invert a bun on a plate and scoop additional syrup from the pan over the bun.

Best served warm, but can be reheated in the microwave for a few seconds if they are a day old.

Makes 8 cinnamon buns.

Role Reversal

Once in a while, when all other forms of dinner have been exhausted and the thought of another forkful of chicken, beef, pork or even pasta just cannot be entertained… we go for breakfast foods. There is something quite comforting about having breakfast for dinner. Scrambled eggs and toast… pancakes… heck, even cereal every now and then! (Don’t think badly of me after that last part.)

Pancakes are extremely diverse little guys. You can throw basically anything into them and make yummy goodness. We will often grab a couple of ripe bananas and some vanilla extract to make Banana Pancakes. My dear friend shared her secret love of Chocolate Chip Pancakes with peanut butter spread on them rather than syrup. (By the way – FABULOUS.)

For the fall, it seems only fitting to celebrate the season with the flavors that capture it. Pumpkin Bread Pancakes smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice… and, of course, pumpkin. Just the process of making them immediately makes your house smell incredible.

There is brown sugar already in these, so no syrup needed. Maybe a little butter on top, but that’s about it. They are seriously that good.

But…

If one DID want to have some sort of syrup to put on top, one COULD - hypothetically, of course - heat up about 1 cup of apple cider and about ¼ cup of real maple syrup in a small saucepan until the cider reduces and becomes thick. One MIGHT enjoy the parade of autumn flavors that march on your palette as a tiny little band plays “Autumn Leaves”.

Just sayin’. Hypothetically.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Pancakes

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs

¼ cup canola or veggie oil

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp allspice or cloves

2 cups Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix

1 cup milk

In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Add Pamela’s Mix and whisk to completely combine. Add milk ¼ cup at a time, until smooth and completely incorporated.

Let batter sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken and to let flavors blend.

If using an electric griddle, set temperature between 300 and 325 degrees. Pour ¼ cup of batter on the griddle and spread to about 4” round circles. Watch pancakes carefully, as they don’t bubble as much as “regular” pancakes. Flip when golden brown on the bottom.

Makes about 15-18 pancakes.

Time to Make the Doughnuts...

There is an orchard near our house that makes the most amazing apple cider doughnuts. These are not the fluffy, airy puffs of dough covered in glaze that you get at a doughnut chain. These are dense, moist, cakey doughnuts, rolled in sugar. They are unreal. They are also completely off limits for this gluten free girl!

So when I stumbled upon a recipe for a doughnut that was quite similar in texture, I knew I had to tweak it! Hence… below you will find a recipe that will forever change your life. Ok, it won’t really, unless of course you eat more than one and your cholesterol levels go sky high. Then it actually WILL change your life.

My doughnuts are made with pumpkin puree… but that doesn’t mean you have to wait until the leaves start changing colors to make them. Make these bad boys for guests, a loved one’s birthday breakfast or to serve a friend with a cup of tea.

Be aware… the dough will be very fragile, so handle carefully when putting them into the hot oil. Once in, they become hearty! I suggest sliding each one on a spatula and then sliding it into the oil. To try and just pick them up will result in torn or oddly shaped doughnuts.

WARNING: The picture below reeks of sheer deliciousness. Please use caution and a paper towel to catch the drool.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Doughnuts

· 2 eggs

· 1 cup sugar

· 2 tablespoons butter, softened

· 1 cup canned pumpkin

· 1 tablespoon lemon juice

· 4 1/2 cups Pamela's Baking Mix (may need an extra ¼, if too sticky)

· 1/2 tsp salt

· 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

· 1 cup evaporated milk

· Oil for Deep Frying (I use canola oil)

· 1 cup sugar

· 2 tsp cinnamon

In a mixing bowl. beat eggs, 1 cup sugar, and butter. Add pumpkin and lemon juice; mix well.

Combine Pamela's, salt, and pumpkin pie spice; add to pumpkin mixture alternately with milk.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of Pamela's baking mix onto a clean work area. Use an ice cream scoop to measure dough for each doughnut (dough will be sticky). Drop each dough portion onto the prepared work surface. Gently turn until all sides are coated in Pamela's Baking Mix and dough is no longer sticky. Use your hands to gently shape each dough portion into a circle. Press your finger through the center of each dough portion all the way through to the work surface below; move your finger around so that you create a whole in the center of the dough, about 1'' in diameter. Gently transfer shaped dough to a floured cutting board.

In a cast iron dutch oven or deep fat fryer, heat oil to 350 degrees. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden, about 3 minutes (turn halfway through frying time with a slotted spoon). Drain on paper towel lined plates.

Combine 1 cup sugar and cinnamon; toss warm doughnut in mixture to coat. Makes at least 2 dozen, depending on size of doughnuts.

A Crumb-y Morning

When I have overnight guests, I love to have something out-of-the-ordinary to serve them for breakfast. But – that doesn’t mean I want to get up at the crack of dawn to make it! This recipe is one of my favorites, mostly because it’s downright ridiculously delicious, but also because I can make it the night before and warm individual servings in the microwave the next morning.

This is not your Entenmann’s Crumb Cake type of cake… 98% cake with some sad little amount of crumbs on top. This is New York Style Crumb Cake, where the ratio of crumb to cake is 50/50… ok, let’s be realists here, it’s more like 75/25! The crumb topping is sweet and rich… the cake is so moist but not as sweet, to balance everything into perfect breakfast harmony. All you need to serve with this cake is a cup of coffee and some fresh fruit. Oh, and a microwave.

GF New York Style Crumb Cake

Crumb topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted, and warm
2 1/2 cups GF flour blend (without leavening - I use King Arthur brand)

Cake
2 1/2 cups Pamela’s Baking Mix
12 TB unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 ¼ cups sour cream
1 ts pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass 9 x 13-inch pan.

Make the crumb topping

In a medium bowl, stir together both sugars, salt and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and whisk until combined. Fold in the flour until it is absorbed and set the mixture aside.

Prepare the Cake
Sift flour blend into medium bowl and set aside.

Using electric mixer, beat room-temperature butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy; add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla extract and beat just until blended. Add flour blend in 3 parts, beating just until incorporated after each addition.

Assemble the cake
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spread batter evenly. Use your hands to scoop up a handful of the topping and make a fist. The topping should hold together. Break off in chunks and drop them over cake. Repeat to use all the topping. Remember the topping will look very thick.

Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Rotate the pan two times during the baking process. Cool entire pan on wire rack for about 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.

To warm, place individual serving (3"x3" sq) on microwave safe dish and heat for 15-20 seconds on high. If needed, add more time, in 5 second increments.