Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies ala CD

Since the oven was warm this evening from making home-made potato and sweet potato fries I thought I would make some cookies.

I did a quick search on the internet, it's always so handy to have the computer in your kitchen, and I came across an interesting recipe. I tweaked it quite a bit and even here the measurements won't be exact. Really, I'm just adding this for a reference next time.

Holy cow! I forgot the milk, no wonder they were a tad dry. Next time I will use Organic Unflavored Rice Milk!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup shortening
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
4 teaspoons milk
2 cups gluten-free flour mix (**see below**)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Directions:Cream first 3 ingredients, then add egg and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in milk.

Stir together dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture.

Divide dough in half and chill for one hour. Roll (slightly thick) out on lightly gluten free flour surface (You may need a little gluten free flour on the rolling pin if it sticks).

Bake on greased cookie sheet 6-8 minutes at 375F (I used parchment paper and just pulled off the parchment paper and let them cool on the parchment paper on a cooling rack).* Be careful as the cookies are fragile when warm.

I found that it took more like 10-11 min. to bake. The cookies weren't as fragile as I thought. Also, I didn't chill the dough. It stayed together quite nicely and I used a super sharp knife. My cookies were sort of in a rectangular shape. I wasn't going for looks, just taste! Also, I sprinkled some organic sugar on the top of the cookies before baking.

*My guestimation flour combo: 3 Tbsp. tapioca flour, 3 Tbsp. potato starch, 1/2 c. brown rice flour, 2Tbsp. rice bran, 1/2c. white rice flour, 1/2c. sweet rice flour

I might leave out the rice bran next time, but I like the idea of getting some fiber in my dessert!

Delicious Gluten-Free Blondies

Last night I got invited to go play Bunko and was asked to bring a dessert. I had a Namaste Blondie Mix and decided to give that a try. I added a 9oz. bag of Sunspire Semi-Sweet Organic Chocolate Chips. They were so great. The bunko girls ate them all up. I will definitely make them again. In fact, I may figure out how to make it from scratch. The mix had all sweet rice flour and I have some of that. In the long run I think it's cheaper to make from scratch, but for a great treat in a hurry the mix is a must have!!!

Pamela's Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix - Wheat Free Gluten Free

My oldest son (9 years old) started a dairy free diet about a week ago. He has been having a lot of stomache aches for about two months. I thought about taking him to the doctor but the pain comes and goes. Also, dairy intolerance runs in my family and there are some serious allergies on my husband's side. Taking him off dairy for a period of time as an experiment seems more realistic than wasting a $10 co-pay and have the doctor say "I don't see anything wrong....."

He's had a pretty great attitude about it. He likes taking responsibility for himself, in fact, he thrives on it. Also, he doesn't like his stomache hurting. He's remembered to tell people that he's with to check and see if there's dairy in it.

This morning was his first day back to school after Spring Break. He looked @ the lunch menu as usual and really wanted to buy. Today was cheese sticks. He was pretty bummed. We comprimised and I told him that if he does a good job staying off milk for about a month, then maybe next month when they serve cheese sticks again he could try it.

While we were making his lunch this morning, he was looking for some cookies or cake that were o.k. for him to have. So I made sure today that I would bake something special for him.

I am on a MSG/Wheat/Gluten/Dairy free diet myself. I bought some All Natural Pamela's Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix. They are baking right now. The package doesn't say dairy free because they are made on the same machinery that products w/ milk are made, but there is no actual milk in the ingredients. Even the dough tasted great! I'll get the final thumbs up/thumbs down as soon as they cool down enough for the troups to eat.

Gluten-Free Apricot Bread

Decided to whip up some Apricot Bread. I got the recipe from "The gluten-free gourmet" cookbook but have tweaked it as follows:

Ingredients:

1 c. organic apple/apricot babyfood

1/2 c. organic sugar

2 tablespoons non-dairy shortening

2 eggs

1 c. sweet white rice flour

1/2 c. brown rice flour

1/2 c. soy flour

1 TBSP. gluten-free baking powder by E N Er G

1/2 tsp. gluten-free baking soda

1 Tbsp. fresh grated orange rind

1/2 c. fresh squeezed orange juice

optional: 1 c. chopped nuts (i did not add nuts)

Directions: Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs and babyfood. Mix well. Add dry ingredients. Bake in stoneware loaf pan 8" x 5". Bake @ 350 for approx. 45 min. The bread is best ripened overnight.

Just took it out of the oven and didn't wait long enough to cool. Inside and top separated from the bottom leaving the bottom inside the pan. I didn't grease/flour or spray the pan but its stoneware and my food usually doesn't stick to stoneware. It could be my flour combination i used (was supposed to be soy flour and all white rice flour).....

However, very very tastey and flavorful. Has a spongey texture and the sides and bottom were slightly crispy. Excellent texture and taste! Very yellow, probably due to the soy flour.

I will definitely make this again!!

Gluten-Free Yellow Cake

Long time no blog....
Long story short, the neurologist has had me go on an elimination diet again.
I've been experimenting w/ wheat & dairy free recipes.

Here's one for yellow cake:

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups organic sugar
2/3 cup applesauce
1 cup rice milk
2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and rice flour 1 9x13" pan.

2. Mix the white rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and xanthan gum together and set aside.

3. Mix the eggs, sugar, and mayonnaise until fluffy. Add the flour mixture, milk and vanilla and mix well. Spread batter into the prepared pans.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 minutes. Cakes are done when they spring back when lightly touched or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool completely then frost, if desired.

I purchased some chocolate frosting in a mix. So to try the chocolate frosting I had to make chocolate cake! I found this recipe on the web but I have tweaked it.

Since I have also eliminated MSG, I don't eat anything w/ vinegar. That means mayonnaise. A quick tour of gluten-free recipes and I realized that they all call for mayonnaise. I have substituted with applesauce.

I haven't bought any gluten-free vanilla extract yet or baking powder. So I guess technically I haven't actually made a gluten-free cake. At least I will get a good idea if this is worth making again or not!!

Oh, my 9 year-old just started a dairy free diet, so my kids will be the final judge to see if I should use this recipe again!

Also, the original recipe called for 1 1/2 c. rice flour. I purchased some sweet rice flour so decided to divide it up between brown rice flour (healthy) and sweet rice flour!!!

well, the cake was a hit! put on the frosting a little too soon before the cake was completely cooled. It was hard to spread and was melting

but


the frosting was still awesome and it turned all soft and creamy.

You would NEVER know that the cake was gluten/wheat free.

This was definitely a hit!!!!!!!!!!!!