Auntie's Cutout Cookies



Auntie's GF Cutout cookie Paleo

Auntie's Cutout Cookies
Original recipe by Edna Schwandt
Gluten-Free Adaption by Peggy Klapperich

When using any flours/grains, nuts, seeds, etc - make sure they are labeled gluten-free. Gluten contamination of these products are very likely if they’re not produced in a dedicated facility.

To learn more about this, see
Grain-Free for the Gluten-Free

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.


Peggy's Aunt Edna makes
the best cutout cookies. Many years ago, Peggy learned how to make them. They continue to be holiday family favorites - except for me.

When I had to go gluten-free, this meant an end to these cookies. Since 2003, Peggy has been trying to replicate these beloved cookies. Many different custom blended and commercial flour mixes have been tried.

While the GF versions of this cookie have been good - they still weren't like Auntie's cookies - until now. These cookies are the closest version yet. They remain crispy on the outside, soft on the inside - even after freezing them.

Step aside
Almond Flour Sugar Cookies, there's a new favorite cutout cookie in town.


Cookie Ingredients:

4 cups
Bob's Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
1 1/2 cups butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Sprinkle of Salt


Potato or Tapioca starch (not flour) for rolling.


Frosting Ingredients*:

1/2 cup of butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 or 2 tablespoons of milk or almond milk

*The amounts listed are approximate. Adjust them until it's as stiff or loose as you like.


Directions:

In mixer bowl, cream butter, sugar & vanilla together.

Add eggs - beat until fluffy

Add dry ingredients - mix throughly - at least 2 to 3 minutes.

Chill dough over night (3 hour minimum)

Remove about 1/4 of the dough keeping the rest in the fridge.

Dust counter with starch. Coat dough until it's no longer sticky.

Roll dough to 3/8" thickness. It is best to keep these cookies on the thicker side. They are a bit fragile.

Cut out cookies and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Set scrap aside in the fridge. Do not add rolled dough to fresh dough

Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes - until edges start to brown. Note: cookies brown quickly. Don't let them get too brown.

Remove cookies from oven. Allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Place on waxed paper.

Repeat rolling & baking process until fresh dough is gone.

Combine dough scraps, re-roll, cut and bake.

Tip: Do not frost these cookies to far in advance. They will absorb some moisture from the frosting.


Yield: 6 dozen cookies


Almond Flour Sugar Cookies

Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
Original recipe by
Erin of MeaingfulEats.com

When using any flours/grains, nuts, seeds, etc - make sure they are labeled gluten-free. Gluten contamination of these products are very likely if they’re not produced in a dedicated facility.

To learn more about this, see
Grain-Free for the Gluten-Free

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.


We have tried a number of sugar cookie/cut out cookie recipes over the years. So far, this is the best one we have found. It’s our gluten-free holiday cookie go-to recipe. Refer to the original recipe for hints and tips for making these.

Cookie Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, ghee, or palm shortening, softened
1/4 cup softened coconut oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (Penzey’s)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (Arm & Hammer)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 1/4 cups blanched almond flour (Honeyville) (scoop and slightly pack it down when you measure it)
1/2 cup coconut flour (Bob’s Red Mill GF)

Frosting Ingredients*:

1/2 cup of butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 or 2 tablespoons of milk or almond milk

Directions:

Cream together the butter, coconut oil, and brown sugar in mixer bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract - mix well.

Combine baking soda, salt, almond & coconut flour in separate bowl - mix well. With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients 1 cup at a time. Beat well after each addition.

Place dough on plastic wrap and form into disk. Wrap dough and refrigerate for 30 min to overnight. Overnight is best.

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper

Sprinkle coconut flour on clean flat surface. Roll out dough until it’s 1/4” thick. It helps to roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper. If not, coat rolling pin with coconut flour.
Cut cookies with your favorite cutters. Work quickly so the dough stays cold. Use spatula to transfer cookies to baking sheet.

Gather the scraps. Ball, roll, and repeat. If dough gets too warm, refrigerate it again.

Bake for 13-15 minutes - until lightly golden. Baking these longer than typical sugar cookies. This allows the outside to get a little crispy, but the inside will be soft. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Frosting Directions:

Combine ingredients into mixing bowl. Mix with stand or hand mixer until fluffy.

*The amounts listed are approximate. Adjust them until it's as stiff or loose as you like.

Oatmeal Cake


Oatmeal Cake (1)
Oatmeal Cake (a.k.a “Crack Cake”)



The original recipe was designed for baking in a microwave. The directions here are for baking in a normal oven.

Most medical professionals say gluten-free oats can be tolerated in limited amounts [up to 1/2 cup per day for adults]. They also suggest restricting oats for one year for those newly diagnosed.

Some celiacs will react to the protein found in oats [avenin], just as they react to the proteins in wheat, barley, rye.

If you choose to add oats to your diet, please make sure they are gluten-free purity protocol oats.

To learn more, please read our
oats article.


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.


Cake Ingredients:

1 cup of purity protocol certified gluten-free oats (
GF Harvest Oats)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup favorite GF flour blend (
Krusteaz Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Mix)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Caramel Topping Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown sugar
6 tblsp butter
2 tblspn milk
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions Cake:

Cook oatmeal and water uncovered until mixture boils. About 3-4 minutes in microwave. Stir once and set aside.

Blend all ingredients well. Stir in oatmeal mixture.

Grease bottom of glass12x8 pan. Pour into pan.

Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes - until toothpick comes out clean.


Directions Topping:

Combine all ingredients and heat. When well blended spread over cake.

Topping may be put under the broiler for a few minutes till golden brown.

Twisted Chipsters

Twisted Chipsters Large

Chocolate Chip Cookie - A new twist on an old favorite.
Original recipe by Laurie Donaldson


This was Peggy's entry for the 2015 Cookie Daze Bake & Taste Contest. She tweaked
Laurie's Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe slightly; replacing some of the almond flour with coconut flour. This helped combat the humid weather we have this time of year.


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.


Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour (Honeyville)
1/4 cup coconut flour (Bob’s Redmill)
1 teaspoon baking soda (Arm & Hammer)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar with 1 tblsp water (consistency of honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla (Penzey’s)
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup chocolate chips (Nestles)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Mix together the dry ingredients: flours, baking soda & salt.

Mix together the wet ingredients: sugar, vanilla, egg, melted butter.

Combine dry and wet ingredients, then add chocolate chips.

Place tablespoon sized dough balls on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 325 for 14 -15 minutes or until edges lightly
brown.

After removing from the oven, allow cookies to cool slightly before removing from pan.



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Rhubarb Cupcakes

Rhubarb Cupcake
Rhubarb Cupcakes


Peggy converted
this gluten recipe from FineCooking.com, courtesy of Pinterest…of course.


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Cupcake Ingredients:

1-1/4 cup
Krusteaz GF flour blend
3/4 cup
Pamela's GF Artisan flour blend
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sour cream
4 oz. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 extra large egg
2 extra large egg whites
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups 1/4-inch-diced rhubarb (7-1/4 oz.)

Topping Ingredients:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon


Directions Cake:

In a large mixing bowl blend together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix well with mixer. Add rhubarb and mix to combine. Scoop into paper lined muffin tins. Top with sugar topping and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until top springs back to touch. Cool for 5 minutes in pan then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling. Makes about 18 to 22 muffins.

Peg notes: You can substitute your favorite gluten free flour blend. Use sugar topping to your taste.




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GF Funfetti Cupcakes

IMG_0551
Gluten-Free Funfetti Cupcakes


Peggy made 5 dozen of these for a gluten-free baby shower.


If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Note: Be extra careful - Pillsbury also makes a non-gluten-free Funfetti cake mix. Please read the box carefully. The GF version comes in a green box.

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 pkg
Pillsbury Gluten-Free Funfetti Cake Mix (17 oz)
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix (Baker’s Corner - Aldi Brand or Essential Everyday - Festival Brand)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream (Daisy)
1/2 cup coconut oil (liquid state)
3 tblspn milk
1 extra large egg
4 egg whites
1 tblspn vanilla extract

Frosting:
8 oz. package cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups heavy whipping cream (Deans)

Sunny Side Up Bakery Sparkling Sugar (Hobby Lobby)

Directions Cake:

Put all ingredients in bowl. Mix at low speed to combine. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Increase mix speed to medium. Beat for 3 minutes.
Fill lined muffin tin 2/3 full.
Bake in center of oven at 350 for 18-21 minutes
Transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool

Directions Frosting:

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla together until smooth.
In a separate cold bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff.
Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until well combined.
Frost cupcakes any way you desire.



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Pumpkin Pie

pumpkin pie

Pumpkin Pie

A standard pumpkin pie - gluten-free style. The crust portion is made from a Whole Foods recipe.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Pie Crust Recipe
Recipe by: Whole Foods

http://bit.ly/WFGFPieCrust

Crust Ingredients:

1/3 cup potato starch, plus extra for dusting
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup almond meal
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten

Crust Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Put potato starch, tapioca flour, millet flour, almond meal, sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and pulse again until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and pulse until completely combined to make a slightly sticky dough.

Turn dough out onto a large sheet of waxed paper dusted with potato starch. Sprinkle potato starch over dough and knead gently, working in about 2 more tablespoons potato starch, until dough holds together without being sticky but is still very pliable. Using your fingertips, press dough into a 10-inch circle.

Invert a 9-inch pie pan on top of the dough then quickly flip over both the pan and the dough so that the dough now rests in the pan. Gently peel away and discard wax paper and press dough into pie plate, patching it together, if needed. Crimp and trim the edges as desired then prick sides and bottom all over with a fork.

Peggy Tip: If you don't fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans, do not par-bake, just fill and bake it.

Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is just set and slightly dry around the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove parchment paper and pie weights, fill with pie filling and bake as needed. Alternately, for a pie that requires a pre-baked crust, return to oven and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes more.


Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie
Right off the can of pumpkin

http://bit.ly/1xgaduJ

Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1 9-inch Gluten-Free Pie Crust (see GF pie crust recipe)

Directions:
Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into gluten-free pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Pecan Pumpkin Pie

pecan pumpkin
Pecan Pumpkin Pie

This is a gluten-free version of a Penzey's recipe. The crust portion is made from a Whole Foods recipe.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Pie Crust Recipe
Recipe by: Whole Foods

http://bit.ly/WFGFPieCrust

Crust Ingredients:

1/3 cup potato starch, plus extra for dusting
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup almond meal
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten

Crust Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Put potato starch, tapioca flour, millet flour, almond meal, sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and pulse again until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and pulse until completely combined to make a slightly sticky dough.

Turn dough out onto a large sheet of waxed paper dusted with potato starch. Sprinkle potato starch over dough and knead gently, working in about 2 more tablespoons potato starch, until dough holds together without being sticky but is still very pliable. Using your fingertips, press dough into a 10-inch circle.

Invert a 9-inch pie pan on top of the dough then quickly flip over both the pan and the dough so that the dough now rests in the pan. Gently peel away and discard wax paper and press dough into pie plate, patching it together, if needed. Crimp and trim the edges as desired then prick sides and bottom all over with a fork.

Peggy Tip: If you don't fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans, do not par-bake, just fill and bake it.

Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is just set and slightly dry around the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove parchment paper and pie weights, fill with pie filling and bake as needed. Alternately, for a pie that requires a pre-baked crust, return to oven and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes more.


Pie Ingredients:

1 gluten-free pie crust (see crust recipe above)
1 15oz. Can of pumpkin
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon GF vanilla extract
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup of evap. Milk

Topping Ingredients:

1/4 cup of butter unmelted
1/2 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

Make GF pie crust per directions. Press or roll into 8.5" pie tin.

Preheat oven to 350
Combine pumpkin, brown sugar, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, vanilla, eggs & milk into mixing bowl. Mix well.
Pour mixture into unbaked GF pie crust.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Mix topping ingredients until crumbly.
After pie has baked 40 minutes, sprinkle mixture on pie and bake for another 25 minutes.
Cool and refrigerate for a couple of hours for best slicing.

Laurie's Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies



Laurie's Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is from our friend Laurie at Food For Primal Thought and teacher extraordinaire. If you are interested in learning more about Primal/Paleo lifestyle templates [and some great recipes], take a look 'round her blog. Good stuff! Be sure to check out the Frizzled Spicy Beef.

If there was room on the recipe title bar, I would've used her name for this cookie. I think you'll agree
"Gluten-free Not-So-Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies That Don't Taste Like Crap" is a much more creative [and descriptive] name.

These cookies have the ideal cookie texture for me - crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups almond flour (
Honeyville - gluten-free certified according to packaging)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar with 1 tblsp water (just enough to create the consistency of honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Mix together the dry ingredients: almond flour, baking soda & salt.

Mix together the wet ingredients: sugar, vanilla, egg, melted butter.

Combine dry and wet ingredients, then add chocolate chips.

Place tablespoon sized dough balls on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 325 for 14 -15 minutes or until edges lightly GBD (Golden Brown & Delicious).

After removing from the oven, allow cookies to cool slightly before removing from pan.



Until the next good eats - cook well and be well.

Al


Carrot Cake




Gluten-Free Carrot Cake


Peggy converted this recipe she got from a co-worker. We served this cake for GIG of ECW's 5th anniversary celebration.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients

1/2 cup GF coconut flour (Bob's Red Mill GF)
1/2 cup GF sorghum flour (Bob's Red Mill GF)
1 cup gluten-free flour mix (Jules GF Flour Mix)
1/4 teaspoon Xanthan gum (Ener G)
1 tsp double strength vanilla (Penzey's)
4 extra large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup coconut oil (Dr. Bronner's White Virgin)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 cups grated carrots
¾ cups organic raisins (Roundy's – nothing but raisins)
1 cup raw, unsalted pecans (Nuts.com - GFCO)
3 teaspoons cinnamon (Penzey's)
2 teaspoons baking soda (Arm & Hammer)


Frosting

4-5 oz cream cheese (softened)
3 tbsp softened butter
3/4 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla (Penzey's)
1 tsp milk


Cake Directions

In mixing bowl cream together eggs, oil & sugar. Add vanilla. Mix in shredded carrots. Add dry ingredients. Mix with mixer for 5 minutes. Fold in nuts & raisins.

Grease two 9” round pans. Add parchment paper to bottoms. Spoon mixture into pans.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 min. or until toothpick comes clean or golden brown and pulls away from sides of pan. Cool in pan on rack for 5 min, then remove cakes from pan and allow to finish cooling on rack.


Frosting Directions

Place ingredients in mixing bowl. With mixer whip ingredients mix for about 5 minutes or until fluffy.

Frost cooled cake. Refrigerate after it's frosted to firm up frosting.

Garnish with chopped pecans.

Note: Due to the coconut oil, refrigeration of the cake will result in it being firm. Best to serve at room temperature, unless you like firm cake.


Until the next good eats - cook well and be well.

Peggy & Al



Peg's Home Econ Banana Bread


Banana Bread


The original recipe is from my 9th grade Home Economics class. I've adapted this version so it's GF. I also modified the GF and the non-GF recipe to reduce the sugar.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:
1 cup Gluten-free Sorghum Flour
1 1/2 cups Jules Gluten-free Flour Blend
3/4 cup Gluten-free ground flax meal
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening (Earth Balance Baking Sticks)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
(can use un-sweetened applesauce if not enough bananas)
1 1/2 teaspoon Gluten-Free Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon Penzey's Vanilla Extract

Makes 2 regular sized breads or 6 mini breads.

Directions:

Cream butter, sugar, & eggs together well. Stir in bananas/applesauce. Sift dry ingredients together and mix with banana mixture. Pour into grease 2 bread pans or 6 mini bread pans. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes. Bread is done when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Peg

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore



Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore


Slow-cooker to the rescue...again! It's been pretty busy around the Al & Peg House as of late. Weekends are doubly-busy, so in order to make good eats, we need some help. Whilst we're scurrying around the house, the slow-cooker is doing all the hard work.

Peg found this naturally gluten-free recipe:
http://www.recipe.com/slow-cooker-chicken-cacciatore/?esrc=nwrc071212pinc

The original recipe calls for chicken drumsticks, but we used thighs instead - more meat on the thighs.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped carrot
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
1 green, yellow, or red sweet pepper, cut into strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 chicken thighs, skinned (about 3-1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste


Directions:


1. Combine mushrooms, celery, carrot, onions, sweet peppers, and garlic in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Place chicken on vegetables. Combine broth, wine, tapioca, sugar, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper; pour over chicken.

2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.

3. Remove chicken; cover to keep warm. Remove and discard bay leaves. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in undrained tomatoes and the tomato paste. Cover and cook for 15 minutes more. Serve vegetable mixture over chicken and cooked pasta or rice.





Until the next good eats...

Al & Peg

Pumpkin Bars




Pumpkin Bars


While they are called "Pumpkin Bars", it's really more like a cake. The finished product is about 2-3" tall - not flat like a brownie.

They guys are an annual fave around our house and with family & friends. In almost all cases, Peg makes these [the GF version] since they are indistinguishable from the gluten bars.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

4 eggs beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Penzey's cinnamon
1 tsp Arm & Hammer baking soda
1 tsp Calumet baking powder
1 cup of
Jules Gluten Free Flour (GFCO Certified Product)
1 cup of Sorghum Flour (Bob's Redmill)
1 tsp Xanthan gum

Combine all ingredients & mix well. Pour in to greased 11x15 pan.
Bake @ 350 for 25-30 min. 8 x 11.5 pan will work for 1/2 recipe


Frosting:
4-5 oz cream cheese (softened)
3 tbsp softened butter
3/4 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp milk

Mix & beat until fluffy. Spread on warm pumpkin bars.

These will freeze quite well.


Until the next good eats...

Al n Peg

Lemon Blueberry Bread





Lemon Blueberry Bread


It's a cool fall day, so that means baking, particularly when we are on vacation. While I was painting the bathroom, Peg was in the kitchen converting a gluten-full recipe to a gluten-free recipe. The cut loaf shown here didn't last long.

While this might look like a bread, it's more like a cake. Regardless of what you call it, it's darn tasty!

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Bread Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar (scant)
3 eggs
2 1/4 cup Jules Gluten free flour blend
3/4 sorghum flour
1/4 tsp xanthum gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp lemon extract
3/4 tsp double strength vanilla
2 tablespoons tightly packed lemons, zest of
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
8 ounces or so frozen blueberries

Icing Ingredients:

8 ounces powdered sugar (or 1/2 box)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons tightly packed lemons, zest of
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice


Directions:

1 - Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2 - Important: grease and flour two loaf pans.
3 - Cream butter and sugar.
4 - Add eggs and beat until smooth.
5 - Add buttermilk.
6 - Mix dry ingredients together and add to buttermilk mixture.
7 - Blend well.
8 - Mix in lemon juice and zest.
9 - Gently fold in blueberries and only mix until incorporated.
10 - Pour batter into loaf pans.
11 - Bake loaves on the middle rack of the oven for 60 to 65 minutes.
12 - Cool bread 10 minutes, remove from pan and place on a large cookie sheet, top side up.
13 - For icing: Combine icing ingredients in a bowl.
14 - Beat icing with an electric mixer until smooth.
15 - Drizzle icing over the warm loaves.
16 - The icing will harden when the bread cools to room temperature.

I halved the icing recipe and had plenty.

Original recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/lemon-blueberry-bread-69730


Until the next good eats....

Al n Peg

Brownie Bites with Raspberry Chocolate Topping




Peg first made non-GF Brownie Bites for her co-workers. Since they were such a hit, she decided to make a gluten-free version of them.

The outside is slightly crispy, but the inside is moist and chewy - like a...brownie. Kinda funny how that works...

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Gluten-Free Brownie Bite Ingredients

4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp double strength vanilla [Penzey's]
2 cups GF flour mix [Jules GF Flour Mix]
1/2 cup GF sorghum flour [Bob's Red Mill]
1/8 tsp xanthan gum


Brownie Bite Directions

Microwave unsweetened chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 8 min. or just until set. (Do not overbake.) Cool on baking sheet 1 min.; remove to wire racks or waxed paper. Cool completely.

Frost Brownie Bites with Chocolate Raspberry Topper (see recipe below)

Peg converted this original recipe.



Chocolate Raspberry Topper Ingredients

1/2 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
6 Tbsp Ball® RealFruit™ Classic Pectin
4-1/2 cups crushed red raspberries
6-3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
6 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands


Chocolate Raspberry Sauce Directions

Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

Combine cocoa powder and pectin in a medium glass bowl, stirring until evenly blended. Set aside.

Combine crushed raspberries and lemon juice in a large stainless steel saucepan. Whisk in pectin mixture until dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Ladle hot sundae topper into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Special thanks to Colleen for sharing this original recipe!

Cold Veggie Salad

Cold Veggie Medley - Kimberly

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

Any veggies you have on hand, today's mix included:

1 large onion
3 stalks of celery
1 pound each of corn, peas, green beans [all cooked, if frozen; otherwise 15oz can each is fine...especially if you're not cooking for an army!]
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Yellow Sweet Pepper
1 pound of your favorite beans [today's were garbanzo, but kidney or black beans add nice color]


Dressing:

1 cup oil
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground pepper
Dash of ground mustard

Put dressing ingredients in an a small-medium bowl and whisk together.

Put all veggies in a large bowl, pour on dressing and carefully mix ingredients together. Chill in the fridge.

German Chocolate Cake

A friend of ours was throwing a large 3 day birthday-bash. They had a large sheet cake lined up for all the gluten-eating guests, but nothing for herself (the birthday girl).

Our friend asked Peg if she could make a gluten-free German Chocolate Cake.

Instead of standard sized cake, Peg decided to make a doz. cupcakes and this mini-cake.

The cake was a hit! Our friend was so excited she dug into it immediately and shared it with a few other gluten-free guests.

Another gluten-free guest headed directly for the cupcake container after seeing the mini-cake.

Peg is becoming quite the Google Master. She found the recipe in a cake baking forum - without any help from me.



After reading through the forums posts, it appears this recipe is from The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free book by Anne Bryn. The premise of the book is to take ordinary [gluten-free] cake mixes, "doctor them up" and make them better! This is one cookbook we don't have.

Here is the cake recipe and frosting recipe

This mini-cake was made in 4 1/2" tart pans. We sliced the top off of the bottom layer to make it flat.

The rest of the batter went to make cupcakes.

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Peg's Primo Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookie

If you are making this recipe for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross-Contact.



Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup Skippy Peanut Butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla (McCormick's or Penzey's vanilla)
3 cups of your favorite GF Flour Blend (Krusteez)
2 teaspoons gluten free baking soda (Arm and Hammer)
½ teaspoon salt

Yield: 8 – 10 dozen

Cream shortening, sugars & peanut butters.
Add eggs and beat well
Sift flours, baking soda, salt – add to creamed ingredients. Mix well.
Refrigerate in a sealed container overnight.
Shape into balls - ½ tablespoon dough
Place on cookie sheet & flatten with fork. Dip fork in sugar first.

Bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes. Time may vary depending on your oven.


Peg Notes:

You can use a single gluten-free peanut butter of choice. I happen to like the Natural Peanut Butters.

If you don't live in a 100% gluten-free household, make 100% sure the peanut butter has not been "double dipped". The easiest way to do this is to use an un-opened jar. Crumbs from non-gluten-free bread will contaminate the peanut butter and thus making it off-limits to those following a gluten-free diet. The butter dish is another huge contamination risk - it's best to get out a fresh stick. The same contamination rules applies for the Crisco & the sugars (or any product) as well.

Yes, crumbs matter.

You can also use any gluten-free flour mix you wish. Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour Mix is readily available in most grocery stores. This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to the type of GF flours. I use the sorghum flour to slightly boost the nutritional value.


Peanut butter cookie - top


5/7/21 - update recipe