Peach Crisp

Ingredients:

3 large peaches, sliced

2 T cornstarch

2 T sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1/8 t ginger

Toss together in a 2 qt casserole dish.

1/2 c gluten free oats

1/4 almond flour

1/4 gluten free flour

2/3 c brown sugar

 pinch of salt

4 T butter

Mix the oats, flours, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter until crumbly.

Cover the fruit with the topping and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or 

until it's golden brown and bubbly and you just can't wait any longer. 

I baked you a cake

The sun can't decide if it wants to come out today. As soon as I see it, it goes back into hiding. It's a good day to bake a cake. I say that every day. I was so excited to see rhubarb at the market this weekend. This is my clue that it is spring. I didn't know this since the weather has barely changed since, well, since we moved here.

Speaking of moving, here we go again. We're ditching the apartment for an attached home with a yard. In a cul-de-sac. Did I mention it has a yard? The movers are coming in 2 weeks. I have so much to do. I'm packing up the kid's room today.

It has taken me a while to process this move. When we decided to move to California, we were just going to give it a year. That seemed doable to me at the time. Now our year is up and we're still here. I don't know how I feel about that yet. That is why my blog has fallen silent as of late. I'm not sure what to say. So for now, let's just eat some cake. This recipe is from the always amazing Smitten Kitchen. You can find it here.

Pink Lemonade for your Valentine

Pink Lemonade

1 pint blackberries or blueberries*

1 cup sugar

4 lemons

3 limes

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with 1 cup water. Add the berries, reserving a few for garnish. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat. Set aside to cool.
Juice the lemons and the limes, reserve one lemon to slice for the glasses. Pour juice through a sieve into a pitcher, add enough water to make 1 quart of liquid. Pour the blackberry mixture through a sieve into the pitcher, pressing on the fruit to get all the juice leaving the seeds behind in the sieve. Chill. Serve lemonade over ice, garnishing the glasses with a few berries and a slice of lemon.

*Note: It's easy to pretend in LA that it's summer in the middle of February. Elsewhere in the world, I'm guessing you could use frozen berries in place of fresh and then you could pretend that it's summer where you live, too.

I've heard it's best when you drink it out of a juiced lemon half with an itty bitty bendy straw. 

Eggplant Parm

Produce is amazing in California. That's a given isn't it? Did you know that we don't pay sales tax on groceries here? Our rent has gone up but my grocery bill has gone way down. When I found eggplant on sale at Sprout's I was decided to see if I could make eggplant parmesan gluten free. My kids love it! They ask for it all the time. Here's how you do it.

Slice up your eggplant into 1/2" slices and place the slices on a cooling rack. You need 1 eggplant for every 2 people. Sprinkle the eggplant with Kosher salt and let it sit while you get your breading station set up.

Bowl 1: G/F flour This is my new favorite  

Bowl 2: 2 eggs

Bowl 3: Breadcrumbs mixed with shredded parmesan cheese

I make my own breadcrumbs from leftover Udi bread that I chop in the food processor.  

Back to the eggplant. The salt we put on the eggplant draws out some of the liquid so dry them off with a paper towel. When dry, run them through the flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Place them on a sheet pan lined with foil that's been lightly oiled. Bake the eggplant at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. You want them browned and very tender.

While the eggplant bakes, mix up a simple marinara (or you can pop open a jar, I won't tell.)

1/2 c diced onion

2 cloves garlic

1 (28oz) can San Marzano tomatoes

1/2 t oregano

1/2 t basil

Saute the onion and garlic until soft. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of your spoon. Add spices and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until the eggplant is done. Server the eggplant with the sauce and a side of buttered pasta. Top with parmesan cheese. Yum.

Breakfast

I thought I would share what Jason and I have been eating for breakfast lately. I found the recipe on Pintrest.
Overnight Oats (adapted from pepperlynn.com)
1/2 c gluten free oats
1/2 c (8oz carton) vanilla yogurt
1/2 c milk
1 T  chia seeds
Combine all ingredients in a pint size mason jar. Tighten the lid and give it a good shake. Let it set in the fridge overnight. Eat it cold with a handful of fruit in the morning.

Energy Bites aka The Most Addictive Little Thing Ever

Gather: 

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla (not in the pic, sorry)

Mix this all together in a bowl and set it in the fridge for 1/2 hour. Then form it into little balls and devour. 

*recipe by smashedpeasandcarrots*

Chebe Cinnamon Rolls

Bella helped me make breakfast this morning. Yum-Yum.

My dessert tonight

Baked Apple with Granola

Anthony's Birthday Party

 It appears I only took pictures of the food. 

Mmmm.. gluten free birthday cake.

Milk and Cookies. 

Except for this shot of Bella actually showing some affection for her little brother. Priceless. 

Busy Day Cake

Despite the fact that it fell like nobody's business, this cake is so, so good. 

Click for Recipe.

This cookie is calling my name.

I bring you good tiding of great joy

Gluten Free Peppernuts

1/2 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 T baking soda (dissolved in 2 T hot water)

1/2 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t mace

1/2 t cloves

1/2 t nutmeg

1/2 t ground star anise

2 eggs

455 grams g/f all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c almond meal

Mix all ingredients. Chill for a few hours or overnight. Shape as you please and bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

I rolled my dough out sugar cookie style and cut it into little squares.

Eggnog Macarons

These are more like candy than cookies. 

So good.

You can find the recipe on Tartlette.

Gluten Free Thanksgiving

This year is will be my second gluten-free Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving more this year than ever. I'm enjoying the change of seasons, I feel good and I'm ready to overdo it on a lot of wonderful food. I have no fear of food this year. Over the past year, I have learned how to cook again. Gluten free cooking feels normal to me now. My mom takes good care of me with her cooking, too. I know I will not be leaving the table hungry.

I owe a lot of my confidence in cooking to Shauna at Gluten Free Girl and the Chef. When I started this new venture I didn't know anyone who was eating this way. I didn't even know what gluten was. Finding the Gluten Free Girl blog was like finding a new friend. Someone who could walk me through this new journey and show me the ropes.

Shauna is having a giveaway on her blog right now. To enter, I have to blog about what I'm making for Thanksgiving this year. This is my entry.

I love, love green bean casserole. I knew right away that this was the dish I needed to recreate for Thanksgiving this year. The original, made with cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions, is for sure a no. Last week, Pioneer Woman posted her homemade version. Perfect. Her recipe was easy-peasy to convert to gluten free.

I thickened the white sauce with Gluten Free Girl's all-purpose flour blend and chopped up a few slices of Udi bread for the crunchy topping. It was so good. I don't miss the original recipe at all.









Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole
-adapted from Pioneer Woman's Green Bean Casserole

2 lb fresh green beans, ends cut off (I used 2 12oz packages of frozen green beans, thawed)
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 T butter
4T gluten free all-purpose flour (you can find the recipe for the blend I use here)
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 t salt, adjust to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 cup grated sharp chedder cheese
1 (4 oz) jar pimentos, drained
1 cup gluten free bread, such as Udi whole grain bread, chopped fine to make coarse breadcrumbs

If using fresh green beans, cut them in half and then blanch: Drop the beans into a pot of boiling water. Let them cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the water and plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

If using frozen, place the beans in a large bowl and set aside.

Add bacon to skillet over medium high heat. Cook for 2 minutes and then add garlic and onions. Cook until bacon is done, but not crisp, and onions are starting to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour over butter in skillet and whisk constantly to evenly mix into butter. Cook for a minute or two and then slowly pour in milk and half-and-half. Continue whisking until mixture begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.Add salt, pepper and cayenne then add chedder cheese. Stir while the cheese melts. Turn off the heat.

Add pimentos to cheese sauce. Then add onion/bacon mixture. Pour over green beans and stir gently to combine. Transfer mixture to baking dish and top with breadcrumbs.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs are golden.

Apple Pandowdy

My throw together apple pie.

 I made this recipe twice this last weekend. I have been missing pie dearly since going gluten free. I have a pastry crust that I love, but it doesn't quite yield enough dough to make a double crusted pie. I saw a recipe for a pear pandowdy in the new Martha Stewart. So, I combined that idea with my favorite pastry dough from Gluten Free Girl and the apple pie filling from Better Homes and Gardens. The combination is delicious.

for the crust: (from Gluten Free Girl's recipe for rugelach)
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz butter
2 oz superfine brown rice flour
2 oz potato starch
3 oz cornstarch
1/2 t salt
2 t xanthan gum
1 egg
1 T water

for the filling: (from Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book)
6 apples
1 T lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 T gluten free all purpose flour (any blend will do)
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg

to make:
Cut the cream cheese and butter into 4 pieces and set aside. Throw dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and whir together. Add cream cheese and butter. Pulse a few times and then let it go until the dough starts to come together but doesn't form a big ball. Shape dough into a ball and stash it in the fridge while you make the filling.

Peel, core and slice the apples, tossing them with the lemon juice so they don't turn brown. Add remaining ingredients and dump it all in a 9"x13" pan.

Retrieve your ball of dough from the fridge and roll it out to a 1/4 inch thickness. You can dust it with some brown rice flour if it wants to stick. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into rectangles about 1.5" wide and 2" long. Or you could cut the dough into shapes with a cookie cutter. I think I'll make my into leaf shapes for Thanksgiving. Place the little pieces of dough randomly on top of your filling. Leave some small openings between the pieces to allow the steam to escape while it bakes. Combine the egg and water and brush over the top of the crust. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of sugar.

Bake in a 350 oven for 45-55 minutes or until it's nice and brown on the top and the filling is bubbly.

Mom's Birthday Pie

Rainbow Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for Bella's class on Friday. They were a lot of work, but so worth it.
We divided the batter (I used a white cake mix) into 6 bowls and tinted each one with food coloring. This was Bella's favorite part, by far. Then I spooned about a teaspoon of each color, spreading it out, in each muffin liner. Baked them up and piped on some white icing. Too cute.
Of course, by the time I got them to the school half of them had fallen over and the icing was all messed up. I don't think the kids cared, but I was pretty bummed. I'm going out to buy a cupcake carrier very soon.

Carrot-Chocolate Cupcakes

At 155 calories and 3.6 grams of fat, these cupcakes are guilt free. So much so that we've started calling them muffins so we can eat them for breakfast!

Carrot-Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from Cooking Light
I made just a few changes to the recipe when I made these. I didn't have any buttermilk (or regular milk) so I added 1 t vinegar to 1/3 c half and half to make a sour milk. I added dark chocolate instead of semisweet and I highly recommend it.

1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced (You can also just grate these too)
1 3/4 cup sugar
6 T vegetable oil
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 T powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place carrots in a food processor; process until finely minced
3. Combine carrots, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl. Combine flour, soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour to carrot mixture; stir until smooth. Stir in chocolate.
4. Spoon batter into 22 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Cool completely. Dust cupcakes with powdered sugar.

Orzo Salad

Here's the link to the recipe everyone has been asking me for. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_30848,00.html
I wish I could say I came up with it all by myself. Maybe one day I'll be able to think up good recipes like this, but that time is not now. I made this salad twice this weekend for two different potlucks. (The recipe for the dressing is enough for two salads) Both times I have come back with an empty salad bowl. That's a good feeling!