Gluten-Free Cinnamon Buns

Also from Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 C (325 mL) warm milk
• 2 tsp (20 g) sugar
• 2 tsp (10 g) unflavored gelatin
• 3 TBSP (40 g) active dry yeast
• 1/4 C (55 g) butter, softened
• 1/2 C (100 g) sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp (8 mL) vanilla
• 1 C (150 g) potato starch
• 3/4 C (105 g) cornstarch
• 1/2 C (66 g) white bean flour
• 1 C (132 g) white corn flour
• 3/4 tsp (6 g) salt
• 1 1/2 tsp (10 g) xanthan gum
• sweet rice flour

Filling Ingredients:

• butter, softened
• 1 1/2 C (300 g) brown sugar
• 2 tsp (5 g) cinnamon
• 2/3 C (100 g) nuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix together in a cup, the 2 tsp sugar and gelatin. Add warm milk and stir. Add yeast, stir again, and let proof until doubled
2. While waiting for yeast mixture to double, beat butter, add 1/2 C sugar, beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla.
3. Mix in proofed yeast.
4. Mix together dry ingredients and add all at once. Beat on high for 2 - 3 minutes.
5. Tape down plastic wrap to counter and sprinkle with rice flour. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap and knead lightly, using only enough rice flour to make the dough not sticky.
6. Roll out to 24 x 10 inches (60 x 25 cm). Spread lightly with softened butter.
7. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts and spread over the buttered dough, pressing lightly to set it on surface.
8. Loosen plastic wrap, lifting to make easier to roll up dough. Starting on long edge, roll dough as tightly as possible.
9. Pinch the edge of the roll, then cut into 24 slices that are about 1 inch thick, laying carefully in large baking dish, barely touching.
10. Let rise about 40 minutes.
11. Bake at 375 F/190 C until nicely browned.
12. Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes.
13. Spread with icing/glaze while warm, if desired.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Since I know many people in my world who are suffering from Gluten intolerance issues, or just trying to avoid eating gluten-laden foods, I thought I'd share this!!! I myself, suffer from a metabolic issue with wheat - not an allergy, not Celiac, but my body just doesn't metabolize wheat the way most others do.

From "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" cookbook:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C (75 mL) warm water
• 1 tsp (7 g) sugar
• 1 tsp (6g) gelatin
• 1 rounded TBSP (10 g) active dry yeast
• 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil
• 1/4 C (60 mL) milk
• 1/2 C (70 g) white bean flour
• 1/4 C (40 g) millet flour
• 1/2 C (80g ) potato starch
• 1/4 C (30 g) tapioca starch
• 1 tsp (10 g) xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp (5 g) salt
• sweet rice flour for rolling
• cornmeal for dusting pan

Directions:

1. Mix 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp gelatin in cup. Whisk in warm water and then yeast. Set the cup into a warm water bath to keep warm. Let proof until doubled.
2. Pour oil and milk into mixer bowl, add proofed yeast and mix lightly.
3. Blend dry ingredients well, add all at once to liquid mixture.
4. Mix on low until blended, then mix on high for 3 minutes.
5. Turn out on floured surface, knead lightly. (use your rice flour here!!)
6. Roll out to form a 13 inch/33 cm circle. Roll edge under to form a thicker crust edge.
7. Cut some parchment paper to fit your pizza/baking pan and dust with cornmeal.
8. Carefully transfer rolled crust to parchment paper.
9. Bake at 400 F/ 205 C for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from oven, cool slightly, spread with sauce and toppings.
11. Bake another 20 minutes or until pizza is done (melted cheese, hot through). If your edges brown too quickly, cover with foil strips.

I've not made this particular recipe yet, but I do know that the ladies who penned this book are awesome! So far, I've loved every one we've tried...

ALSO - a note for pizza making - I will pre-cook most of my toppings! Things like peppers or onions get sauteed or steamed briefly to help them be not quite so crunchy, and your pizza not be too soggy from the moisture level of the veggies! Obviously, if you're using ground meat, you'd want to season/brown it and drain it well first...cured meats like pepperoni or prosciutto don't need cooked.

We've also recently discovered the intense flavor of artichoke hearts on our pizza! A great way to boost flavor without having to use tons of cheese (if you're into avoiding fat or lots of cheese for some reason...)

Gluten Free Salted Fudge Bliss in a Brownie

I almost hesitate to post this here. I mean, my salted fudge brownies are to-die-for, and now that I've triumphed in making them gluten free, well, it seems like it should be a top secret thing. But no, my friends, if you have to be gluten free and you happen to adore chocolate baking, this is a sweet surprise. I still hope to experiment with switching out some of the butter for squash and a few other tweaks to make it super healthy but still blissfully delicious, but it is perfect for sharing right now in its gluten free state.

Without further ado, here is my one pot wonder for your tasting pleasure.......

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 c. butter
2 oz. chocolate, chopped
6 T. cocoa
1 c. white sugar (I've actually used sucanat with success in its place)
1/2 c. brown sugar (yellow sugar in Canada)
3 eggs, beaten with fork
1.5 tsp. vanilla
1/6 c. sorghum flour
1/6 c. GF millet flour
1/6 c. tapioca flour (also sometimes labeled tapioca starch - same thing)
1/2 c. brown rice flour
scant 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease foil lined 8" dish.

2. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat in medium sauce pan, stirring to combine well.

3. Remove butter and chocolate mixture from heat, and stir in cocoa and sugar until well blended.

4. Stir in lightly beaten eggs and vanilla until evenly incorporated.

5. Combine flours and xanthan gum in a small bowl, and then pour into sauce pan mixture. Stir gently to fully combine.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle half of the salt evenly over top of batter, and swirl through the batter with a knife. Then sprinkle remaining salt on top. (I confess to using more than 1/2 tsp. at times.)

7. Bake for 28-30 minutes. You want the edges to be set, but the center to be soft. (Soft does not mean soupy. I keep a thermometer in my oven at all times, so 28 minutes at exactly 350 worked well for me.) Don't bother testing with a toothpick because it will come out coated.

8. Cool in pan for a couple of hours. Gently ease foil out of pan and place on plate in refrigerator for a couple more hours. (It's okay to leave the foil on the cooling rack covered by a tea towel overnight instead.) Resist the urge to cut into them too soon, and give them time to completely set up. (And yes, I totally broke that rule in order to take a picture for you.) Cut into one inch pieces of bliss and enjoy.

You're welcome. =)

Gluten Free Pizza Link for You

So a few days ago after talking about it and wondering about it for a few months, my husband decided to go gluten free. Ironically, I had a loaf of bread and two hamburger buns made out of whole wheat flour cooling on my counter at the moment he said it. But anything to help him stay awake long enough each day to actually work and later on to play with our son seemed like it was worth trying.

I don't know if this will be a permanent lifestyle change, or if it's just temporary. But I do know that long-term success depends entirely on how well I adapt our favorite foods to be gluten free. I'll only be compliant if it's yummy and not making me feel all deprived. (Maybe that's why I had issues with wearing my head gear and retainers as a kid? Maybe they should have been chocolate flavored?)

Tonight was my first attempt to create a dish that is usually made with wheat in a gluten free manner. Man cannot live on meat and veggies, nor corn chips alone after all. I didn't realize I was jumping in the gluten free baking deep end until halfway through, so if I can accomplish this, apparently I can accomplish much more than I imagined. (But I'm still mourning the loss of wheat in our diets, even though I'm not a fan of looking six months pregnant after a bowl of pasta. Hopefully, I'll get over it soon enough.

I already knew the one trustworthy source I'd go to, and I was not disappointed. No, it's not wheat, and it's not my perfect homemade dough for the amazing pizza I love to make. But I have to admit that it is good enough to make again. My only comments on her recipe would be to follow it exactly as she says and pay attention to the note she includes with the instructions on forming the dough. As long as you remind yourself not to freak out, you'll be okay. In my case, I realized after my first try that I should have been brave enough to keep working with the dough a bit more to spread it out a bit more thinly. I didn't realize how much it would still rise, and I think this kind of crust is better if it's just a bit thinner. Oh, and after greasing the pan, instead of using gluten free flour to coat it, I used cornmeal as I usually do.

For our toppings, we just used traditional pizza sauce, and then I added kale, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and pepper that had been sauteed in a teensy bit of olive oil and salted. (It's important to saute your veggies so they are cooked enough since her baking times a lot shorter than traditional wheat dough times. At least that's my opinion.) Then I added some leftover avocado and pineapple before topping with cheese.You can find the link for the just about perfect pizza dough recipe by the Gluten Free Goddess.

You'll have to excuse me now. I need to go try to make some gluten free salted fudge brownies.

Not-Too-Sweet No-Bake Cookies

So I wanted a chocolate fix, and I had a kid over at my house who wanted to bake something while her mother was at a meeting. But there are no eggs in my refrigerator currently, which kind of puts a cramp in my baking style. (We really need to put chickens in our landlord's backyard. I'm sure he'd love it.)

No-Bake cookies can be a decent idea when these two factors come into play, but most often the ones I have had taste more of sickeningly sweet white sugar and cheap chocolate. After reading up on a bunch of different versions, I decided to come up with my own. I have to say it turned out pretty yummy, so it seemed like a good idea to share it here. It's easy and quick, and you'll have your chocolate fix in minutes. Plus you can feel all giddy inside because most recipes called for another 1/2 cup of sugar and double the butter. You can almost feel yourself getting skinnier just reading the recipe. =)

*****When I say "loosely packed" it means that you just take your 1/2 cup measuring cup and scoop it into your ingredient without packing it down or leveling it perfectly.

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 c. Brown Sugar (or Yellow Sugar if you are in Canada) loosely packed
1/2 c. loosely packed Cocoa
1/2 c. 1% Milk
1/4 c. Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Salt
2/3 c. (heaping) Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter
2.75 c. Quick Oats
1 c. Shredded Unsweetened Coconut

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In medium sauce pan, melt butter and peanut butter together over medium low heat.

2. Add in sugar, vanilla, salt, milk, and cocoa and stir to combine. Bring to a light boil for just a minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Add in oats and coconut, stirring to combine completely.

4. Using a small cookie scoop (about a tablespoon size), drop mixture on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Let set until solidified. If you are like me, eat two while the rest are setting up. Sigh contentedly that you have just eaten what could be argued as oatmeal with chocolate and peanut butter. Wonder if it could count as a healthy breakfast. I feel almost like saying "rinse, repeat" at this point. But I'll just say "the end".

Makes about 38 small cookies.

Crunchy Orange Roughy

This was my latest "challenge" recipe...usually, with fish, I either batter and fry it, or douse it with lemon, EVOO, and seasonings, and bake it...this was something a tiny bit different. BB and I enjoyed it immensely, but the kiddos said they didn't like the coating. I think next time, I'll halve the oregano, and maybe try something like paprika or cayenne for a teensy bit of kick.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 C lemon juice (I used the bottled stuff, as fresh are out of budget right now)
• 1 T EVOO (or other veggie oil)
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 C instant mashed potato flakes (DO NOT USE THIS MUCH UNLESS YOU ARE COOKING FOR AN ARMY!!!! I cut it by half and still had a TON left over)
• 4 - 6, 6oz roughy fillets, thawed, rinsed and patted dry

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray (I use my Pampered Chef mister and regular EVOO or corn oil).

Whisk together the lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper, and oregano in a shallow container. Place fish fillets in container and set aside to marinate while oven heats and you prepare your side dishes.

To cook, dip the fish in the potato flakes, and place on lined baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

* - I misted the coated fish with some more EVOO, and baked it close to the heat to get a good golden, crispy coating. The fish actually took about 10 minutes per side, so I think the original recipe might have left that part out.

Regardless, this produces a good, juicy fish with a delicate lemon flavor. It was a bit overwhelmed by the oregano, which makes me think that next time, I'll try subbing something like dill, and adding that dash of cayenne.

We enjoyed this with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Poor Man's Toffee

I admit, I haven't been here in quite a while & I've felt a bit guilty about it.  I'm so glad to see the renewed interest in the site & I hope things keep clicking along they way they have of late.

While scrolling through I've loved seeing the healthy recipes & adaptations you all have posted...and now I'm going to ruin all our resolutions to eat better in this new year.  This recipe is floating about the ether in a few forms but this is my favorite thus far.

You will need:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 sleeves saltine crackers
1 to 1 1/2 cup good chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate chips because they melt beautifully)


Heat oven to 350 degrees.


In a heavy sauce pan, melt butter and brown sugar together & bring to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes stirring often.


Line a jelly roll pan (or any sheet pan with sides) with aluminum foil and lay out saltines to cover the entire bottom of the pan. 


Pour butter & brown sugar mixture over the crackers & bake for 7 minutes.


After baking, remove from oven for 1-2 minutes then sprinkle with chocolate chips and return to oven for 1 minute.  Once chocolate chips have melted, spread chocolate over crackers with a spatula.  Let cool, then break apart or cut between crackers to eat.


Now, I will warn you, this stuff is rich and addictive.  I love it but can easily eat myself sick on it.  It's best made when you're going to have company to share it with.


Enjoy!