Pinterest, I Thank You!

Oh, Pinterest... how I love thee. I mean loathe thee. No, I love thee... loathe, love, loathe, love.......

How is it possible that one website can simultaneously inspire me to new heights of baking, decorating, exercising and fashion (ok, maybe not so much on the fashion part) while reminding me that I'm just not very creative, my house isn't quite organized, my dinners are getting redundant and my exercising has taken a back seat?

Love and loathe, loathe and love. Such is the life of a Pinterester. (Just me?)

Today is one example. During our homeschooling time, I had a few moments to relax as I waited for my daughter to do some independent work. Rather than do the dishes, throw that load of laundry in, work on my photography projects, finish creating the end-of-year portfolio for homeschooling or price items for our upcoming neighborhood yard sale, I choose the most logical and efficient use of my time: Pinterest.

And what does that short time on Pinterest do? Amidst my attempts to not look at the perfectly decorated homes and neat-as-a-pin landscape ideas, I zoned in on a recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip muffins. Apparently, a side effect of being on Pinterest is all other things on the current "to do" list go right out the window and an all-consuming need to bake overtakes. (Again, just me?)

30 minutes later, I had warm Almond Butter Chocolate Chip muffins cooling on the counter... and not an ounce of guilt to be found.

Tried a muffin... it tastes like an almond butter chocolate chip cookie in muffin form. Basically, it's ridiculously yummy.

Still have that "to do" list to do.... maybe after another muffin.

Still looking for that guilt, too. Huh.

Gluten Free Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 1/4 cups Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup almond butter (I used smooth)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup mini-chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin pans with non-stick spray or line with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix together the Pamela's, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the almond butter and melted butter until smooth. Add the eggs and milk and combine thoroughly.

Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until completely combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop into muffin tins and bake for 17-20 minutes until completely set and golden around edges. Allow muffins to cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to finish cooling.

Makes 14-18 muffins, depending on size.

Thrown Together

Once in a blue moon, a recipe just works... the first time, without any real effort on my part. It's a lovely thing, really.

Tonight, my mom came upstairs, longing for a cookie. Have you ever just needed a cookie? One does not simply ignore the urge... because it's just not going to go away. One must hunt down a cookie at all costs.

There was only only problem. No cookies in the house. So, I rummaged in the back of my snack cupboard and found 2 or 3 piddly little gluten free shortbread cookies (Scharr brand). She happily snacked on her cookies with a cup of tea... you could almost see the cookie urge leaving her.

I began to plan dinner at that point, and opened a cupboard to grab a jar of marinara sauce. It was then I saw it... the can of crushed pineapple I had recently thrown into my grocery cart - quite recklessly, I might add - with the intention of trying a new recipe. I nonchalantly asked, "Should I make a pineapple cake tonight?" Immediately, actually I think it might have been before I finished the word "tonight", my mom answered with a swift, "YES."

I think maybe those 3 piddly gf shortbread cookies didn't quite cut it.

Now, I must remind you that the reason I had seen that can of pineapple in the first place was because I was starting to make dinner. It was dinner time... this is not the time to make a dessert, for Pete's sake! But rather than using common sense, I threw caution to the wind and turned on the oven.

The recipe was a "normal" one that I had intended to work on to make it gluten free. Usually, I will spend some time looking over the recipe, checking and double checking the changes I want to make. Not tonight. Tonight, I threw all the ingredients into the bowl, mixed it up and threw it in the baking pan. Into the oven it went! Back to making dinner I went.

40 minutes later I pulled a miracle out of my oven. A golden, perfectly baked cake. I even somehow managed to whip up some cream cheese frosting for it! (One can always make time for cream cheese frosting. Dinner can wait!)

Can I just? Can I? I must. I must herald the miracle of this cake. This completely unplanned, thrown together cake is so, so, so, so, SO GOOD. It's moist (even though there's not a speck of oil or butter in it). And the frosting... oh, the frosting! It just takes a delicious cake and puts it over the top.

This can be one of those "Oh dear, Susie is stopping by for a quick visit on her way from Princeton to Pittsburgh and I haven't a THING in the house, what shall I do?" kinds of cake. Because literally, you will just throw it all in a bowl, throw it in a pan and then throw it in the oven. It will come out, cool for a bit and then you'll throw together some frosting and throw it on top.

Did I mention it's good? It's so, so, so, so, SO good.

It's that good. Good enough to deserve 5 "so's". Maybe even 6. You decide!



















Gluten Free Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

For Cake:
2 cups Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
20 oz can crushed pineapple (with juice)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Mix all the ingredients above in a large bowl. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack.

For Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temp
4 Tbsp butter, softened to room temp
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add vanilla and beat to incorporate. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until completely mixed and smooth. Frost cake while it is still slightly warm.

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.

A Journey of Learning

I've been gluten free for about 2 1/2 years now. I remember those early days of trying to sort through all the information and recipes to figure out what to eat. Because seriously, I believed I was doomed to eat cheese and apples for the rest of my life. (I didn't say I was rational during that time.)

So much has changed since then. I am confident enough with my gf cooking to entertain non-gf friends in my home... and I serve only gf foods. It's been a journey of trial and error... of learning.

What I hope to do, through this blog... through connections on Facebook and through people... it to help ease the burdens of others who are on this gf journey, too. If I can help to navigate the recipes or walk a newbie through the local grocery store with a gf perspective, I will. It's a scary time, in the beginning, figuring out what is safe and what is not... mourning things you will never taste again... it feels like starting over in the kitchen.

One thing I have learned is that there is always room for improvement. Early on, I played around with a pizza crust recipe. The results were the best I had eaten up to that time and I was excited to share the recipe! Recently, though, I decided to work on it again. With just a little tweaking, I found I loved it more! The crust has more flavor, is chewier... and requires less time (no rising!).

We are on this journey together, my friend! May I encourage you to share what you know with others just starting out? In the meantime, I'll share my updated pizza crust with you.

You know it's because I love you, right? Good.

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

1 ½ cups warm water (around 110 degrees)

2 Tbsp sugar

1 packet of yeast

1 cup brown rice flour 

1 cup sorghum flour

2 cups tapioca starch

2 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp salt

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To prepare the crust:

In a 2 cup measuring cup, stir together the warm water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the yeast and give a quick stir. Let sit for 10 minutes, until a tan foam covers the top.

In the meantime, mix together (in a stand mixer bowl) the brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum and salt. Stir to completely combine. Add the yeast water and olive oil. Mix, using a  paddle attachment on medium high speed until the dough comes together, about 5 minutes.

To make the pizza:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly cover a pizza stone or pan with brown rice flour (to prevent sticking) and place the dough on the pan. Using your hands, work the dough out into a flat circle, leaving a little extra on the outer edge (like a ledge of dough around the circumference of the circle). Add sauce, cheese and any toppings you choose. You can also add a little Italian seasoning over the cheese for more flavor. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbled up and beginning to brown all over the top. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

The Way to My Heart

I know, I know. They say the way to a girl's heart is through chocolate. Think of all those chick flicks where the handsome guy shows up at the girl's door with a box of gourmet chocolates and a single rose, thus implying the girl will melt into his arms.

Not this girl.

Sure, I enjoy a piece of dark chocolate every day. And let's not get into brownies... I'm a sucker for brownies. But in the end, there are two things that I will choose over chocolate any day of the week.

First, anything vanilla. Really, truly. Vanilla fudge, vanilla cake, vanilla ice cream. Love it. Coming in just under the wire in second place? Lemon. Oh, lemon. Lemon filled doughnuts, lemon candy, lemon Life Savers... don't even get me started on lemon curd. Put it on cardboard, I'll eat it.

I'm not even sure that was an exaggeration.

Today's recipe is actually two in one. I have been looking to find a better gluten free pie crust recipe even though I have one I find acceptable. The problem is the word "acceptable". My goal is always higher than that... I aim for "delicious"! Well, I can honestly say that I found delicious. This pie crust is almost like a shortbread... so obviously, it's ridiculous. Here's the link: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/10/perfect-gluten-free-pie-crust-recipe.html. I must confess, I didn't let my pie dough rest in the fridge like the blogger insisted and it STILL was amazing.. and flaky... and wonderful.

Even more ridiculous is putting something lemony in a shortbread-like pie crust. Because shortbread and lemon are best friends. Well, they are my best friends. (Too strange?)

This is a Lemon Cake Pie. I can't explain it, but something magical happens when it bakes. Only one batter is poured into the unbaked pie crust, yet two distinct layers emerge from the oven when baking is done. The top layer is the "Cake" part of the Lemon Cake Pie... spongy and soft. The bottom layer is the "Pie" part of the Lemon Cake Pie... basically, it turns into lemon curd. Magic, I tell you.

Lemon Magic. (That's my kind of magic.)

Be sure to let this one cool completely... so eat it either at room temperature or cold. Trust me. I know I'm asking you to wait once the lemony goodness is done... but the reward will be worth it.

What's the way to your heart? Chocolate? Vanilla? Lemon? The gift of maid service?

















Gluten Free Lemon Cake Pie

1 unbaked 9" pie crust from this site: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/10/perfect-gluten-free-pie-crust-recipe.html
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup gf all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur...use one that doesn't have xanthan gum or leavening in it)
1/4 tsp salt
Grated zest of one lemon
6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups milk (I used 1%)

Position oven rack to the second lowest place. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Stir in the flour, salt, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the egg yolks and milk and stir to combine completely.

In another medium bowl, beat the eggs whites with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Gently fold eggs whites into the lemon mixture. Pour the filling into the unbaked crust. (There may be a little extra filling that doesn't fit into the crust. You can always bake the extra in a ramekin for the fun of it!)

Bake on the second lowest rack until the top is browned and the center jiggles slightly when the pie pan is gently shaken (45-55 minutes). Let cool before serving.

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.

The Snack of Perfection

Super Bowl Sunday.

A day for friends, football and food. Good food. Football food!

This year, we invited a bunch of dear friends over to have dinner and watch the game. I love the sound of my living room full of people that I consider family, laughing, cheering and snacking. I get a thrill out of knowing I've filled their tummies full of yummy food and provided a night of fun for them. From the planning stages to the very last moments of the night... I love it all!

Football food is fun. It's very casual and should be able to be eaten with just your hands. For example, dinner consisted of meatball subs, baked buffalo wings, fruit kabobs and chips. All can be easily eaten without silverware!

I'm not sure why Super Bowl food needs to be hand held... perhaps it helps us feel more connected with those larger, grunting men who are pushing and shoving each other to get their hands on the ball. They get their hands on the ball, we get our hands on our food.

In any case, this year's Super Bowl snacks were also finger foods. I presented my friend with these ridiculously good kielbasa bits that are cooked all day in applesauce, brown sugar, dijon mustard and garlic (*drool*... that's a post for another day), a popcorn mix that causes one of my friends to turn into a raving lunatic who lunges at any hands that attempt to grab a kernel (again, another post for another day)... and Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels.

Ah yes, salt and sweet, sweet and salt. A match made in heaven, as far as I'm concerned. And these babies only require 4 ingredients, one being the actual pretzels.

You'll be a Party Snack Queen (or King) with these... and I'll give you the recipe, if you promise not to divulge just how easy they were to make.

Deal?

Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

1 (14-16 oz) bag gluten free pretzels (I used Glutino brand)
2/3 cup canola or veggie oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Dump the pretzels into a baking pan, jelly roll pan or roasting pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the pretzels, then toss to thoroughly coat. Bake for 30 minutes, removing from the oven every 10 minutes to stir. Let cool completely before serving.