Gluten-free Gingerbread Cookies

Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies

 

 

3 cups gluten-free flour (I like "Oh My Gluten Free" best... available on the internet)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Directions:

1 In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
2 In a large bowl (KitchenAid's great for this) beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
3 Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
4 Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
5 Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
6  (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.) Preheat oven to 375°.
7 Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
8 Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.
9 Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
10 Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
11 Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
12 Cut out cookies with desired cutter-- the ginger bread man is our favorite of course.
13 Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.
14 Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies-- very good!).
15 Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
16 After cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like.

 

~ From food.com

BEST GLUTEN FREE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES EVER

Yes, these are the best, best, best cupcakes ever.  I think they are even better than gluten-laden cupcakes.  I'm not even kidding.  They are rich and moist and the perfect consistency.  The pudding mix and cocoa powder make a big difference.  

GLUTEN FREE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix
1/4 cup of dried instant chocolate pudding mix
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 cup milk 
1/2 cup softened butter (not melted, just softened)
1 cup Ghiradelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients with hand mixer for two minutes.  Pour into 18 cupcake holders.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until done.  Cool, frost with yummy frosting.  I recommend a buttercream like this one: Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Mmmmm!  

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Parmesan Cheese

SO GOOD.  You gotta try these babies.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan or romano cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, cheese, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and serve immediately.

Garlic Cheesy Roasted Red Potatoes

• Made these tonight for the first time.  (September 22, 2012... a date that shall be honored and commemorated for all time.)
• Sooooooo delish!

• Garlic Cheesy Roasted Red Potatoes
• 2 pounds red potatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Place potatoes in a 13 x 9 baking dish.
3. In a small bowl combine melted butter, garlic, salt and lemon juice; pour over potatoes and stir to coat. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over potatoes.
4. Bake until tender, golden brown and you can't wait anymore to eat them (40-50 minutes).

Gluten Free Scones (Made with GF Bisquick)

Yum!  Tastes like gluten-filled scones.  :-)  

GLUTEN FREE SCONES

2 cups Gluten Free Bisquick
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder


6 Tbsp cold butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix first three ingredients.  Grate cold butter with a cheese grater.  Stir the grated butter into the Bisquick.  (Looks like flour-coated grated butter.) 

Add:

3/4 cup milk (or cream if you are feeling decadent)
1 egg

Stir until the mixture starts to hold together, then gently knead the dough a few times with your hands. If the dough seems dry and won't hold together easily, add a teeny bit more milk/cream and knead it in.

Shape into scone shapes on baking sheet. (I just did little rectangles).  Top with fresh fruit (push the fruit into the scone a little bit so it "stays" there.  I used fresh peaches. (Amazing).  Would be great with blueberries, raspberries, etc.  My daughter used chocolate chips. (She takes every opportunity to add chocolate chips.)  Bake for 10-18 minutes, or until firm and lightly golden brown. (Keep your eye on them.)  Serve immediately.  Mmmmmmmm Mmmmmm MMMMMmmmm!

Gluten Free Donut Holes (made with GF Bisquick)

Gluten Free Donut Holes

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups Bisquick® Gluten Free mix
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten

Preparation Instructions:

1. In deep fryer or 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat 2 to 3 inches oil to 375°F. In shallow bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
2. In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients until smooth. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Carefully drop balls, 5 or 6 at a time, into hot oil. Fry about 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown on all sides; drain on paper towels. Immediately roll in cinnamon-sugar, or leave plain and eat with jam or lemon curd.  YUM.

Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

        

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups Bisquick® Gluten Free mix

1/2 cup powdered sugar

In large bowl, mix oil, chocolate, sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in Bisquick mix until dough forms. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets with butter or cooking spray. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat and shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kisses!

 Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kisses!

 3/4 cup granulated sugar

 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

            1/2

cup peanut butter

            1/2

cup butter, softened

            1 egg

            1 1/2

cups Bisquick® Gluten Free mix

            48

Hershey's® Kisses® Brand milk chocolates, unwrapped

In large bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg. Stir in Bisquick mix. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, place remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with 1 milk chocolate candy, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Gluten Free Muffins using Bisquick (Gluten Free)

I found this lovely recipe on another site and want to try it:

Basic Muffin Recipe

2c. GF Bisquick
1/3 c. butter ( cut into bisquick)

then add...
3 small eggs
1/2 c sugar
1c. milk
1 T veg. oil

And then add 1 cup blueberries or 2/3 c chocolate chips or 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Whatever you like.
Mix and bake at 400 degrees for 20 -30 minutes .

Sounds good to me!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

•                    Betty Crocker should totally put me on the payroll...
  
  You see, their gluten free yellow cake mix is so ridiculous (good) that I can't stop making stuff with it.  Hence, I give you:
  
  Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
  
  
  1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
• 1 cup Canned Pumpkin, (please note that this is one cup, not one can. also, it is pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice, or you can use cinnamon
• 3 large Eggs
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) Melted Butter, you can also use some kind of vegetable oil 
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  
  
  Place all the ingredients in a bowl, mix with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes, stir in either:
  chocolate chips  or
  nuts (pecans, walnuts) to the tune of about 1 or 1.5 cups.
  
  Scoop batter into 12-18 cupcake liners (placed in muffin tins)
  
  
  Bake at 350 degrees until done 
  
  
  Cool  (until cool)  ;-)
  
  
  Top them with cream cheese frosting:
  
  
  
  

  • (This here is the recipe for cream cheese frosting)

  • Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, (softened)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, (softened)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Directions:

  In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract

  Frost them.

  
  

  Eat them.

  
  

  Share them.  :-)

  
  

  

  
  
  
  
  
  

Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling

I created a new kind of yummy goodness this evening.  They are gluten-free, with the help of Betty Crocker's new (to me) yellow cake mix, and they are delicioso!  Here's the recipe for the amazing Gluten Free Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling:

1 box Gluten Free Betty Crocker Yellow cake mix
2/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
zest from one organic lemon
1/2 cup softened butter
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

You just mix all of this together, first on low, then on med-high for a couple of minutes, fill 12 cupcake liners and bake at 350 until done (around 20-ish minutes).  Cool and then take out a bit in the middle (I just used a little paring knife) and fill with lemon curd (YUM!) and then frost with a nice buttercream frosting.  I used this one from Sprinkles... yes, THEE famous Sprinkles as seen on Cupcake Wars!  I made a half recipe because we don't like our cupcakes loaded with frosting.
Sprinkles Vanilla Buttercream Link

Here are some cupcakes with the filling but without the frosting.
(Mine looked like these... I promise... but I didn't take this picture.  Just found it on the internet afterwards.  Who really takes pictures while they are in the middle of the process of creating a confection masterpiece?)

Here's one of the great things about the Betty Crocker Gluten Free mixes.  The Ingredients!!!  Here are the ingredients in the yellow cake mix:  Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Sugar, Potato Starch, Leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), Xanthan Gum, Salt.

Here's what they look like with the frosting.  So tart and tasty. 

Don't you just love that you can pronounce every last one of them and there are no funky things like in the regular commercial cake mixes?

I'm excited to try some variations I've seen online for carrot cake, banana cupcakes, sugar cookies and oh oh oh so much more.

Joseph, Oregon... heaven on earth

Just returned from a trip to Joseph, Oregon and Wallowa Lake.  I had heard from others that it was pretty.  Well, it was actually breathtaking.  And sweet.  The people were so nice it was kind of... well... almost weird, but weird in a really good way.

Joseph, Oregon

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - and World Peace...

My hubby and I spent our honeymoon in Chicago (this was May of 2010, kids). One of our best food moments was eating deep dish pizza at Giordano's.  

Emerile Lagasse has this recipe that I want to try soon.  Sounds pretty legit:

Deep Dish Pizza Recipe... (click here)

I didn't take this picture... found it on the web, but our pizza looked just like this.  Seriously, kids.  Not sure why I'm addressing my non-existent blog reader as "kids."  Perhaps because I just saw the Hunger Games and it disturbed me.  Made me think a lot about kids and our voyeuristic culture and the media and violence and our government which does a lot of covert things and... well, you see my train of thought.  So, on that note, let me go back to ruminating about deep dish pizza, :-)  my amazing honeymoon, ;-) my continually amazing husband, :-) my amazing kids who don't have to go to the reaping (hallelujah) and so on.  Ah... better now.

What if we could get our world's leaders in a room together and have them share some splendid deep dish pizza, sing a few gospel songs (a cappella, hand holding optional) and share photos of their children and grandchildren with each other? The world would be a different place, I tell ya.  I might start a foundation with these basic ideas as our goals.  The name of our organization? P.G.S.P.O.C.  Pizza, Gospel Songs and Pictures of Children.  It could change the world.

Gospel Choir of the Cascades

Here are the bright, shining, smiling faces of the Gospel Choir of the Cascades.  Love these people.   The choir is five years old now... started as this itty bitty thing meeting in people's houses.  I just wasn't sure what was going to happen... who would come, where it would go.

To look back for a moment at the people we've had in the choir, the concerts, the lives touched, the people inspired to sing and be joyful... well, I hate to quote Martha Stewart, but it's a really, really, really "good thing."  Amen.

Zen Time

Breathing in.  Breathing out.
           

Goals for the summer:

Spend as much time as possible in our canoe:

* Paddling (of course)
* Eating
* Reading
* Floating
* Laughing
* Fishing
* Kissing (each other, not the fish)

View from canoe at Drake Park - Summer 2012

(Our canoe actually IS red.)  :-)

So's I don't go forgettin', here are some recipes I wanna make for my sweet fam-fam:

Greek Style Beef Stew

Greek Chicken Recipe

Brazilian Lemonade Recipe

My next cupcake recipe is below.  Chocolate peanut butter.  Looks amazing.  Will make it soon... say... Friday night?  Yes, Friday night would be good.  A real T.G.I.F. as they say.  A real sweet start to the weekend.  Yessiree Bob.  Gonna make these.  Lookin' forward to Friday night now.  Not just for the cupcakes... also because it means I'm done working for a day.  Saturday off and all that good stuff.  The weekend with my sweet hubby.  Lots of fragmented sentences there.  Huh?  Yep.  Okay, okay, here's the link.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe


Here's the text for the ol' recipe-o.

CAKE INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING INGREDIENTS

• 10 ounces cream cheese (room temp.)
• 1 stick unsalted butter (room temp.)
• 5 cups powdered sugar/confectioners sugar
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixer bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add vegetable oil and sour cream and mix until blended.
4. Slowly add in water (to prevent water from flying out of your mixing bowl).
5. Add white vinegar, vanilla extract, and eggs, and mix until blended well.
6. Place paper liners in your cupcake tin, and fill each about three quarters of the way full.
7. Bake for around 20-22 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
8. While cupcakes are baking, begin making peanut butter frosting by combining the cream cheese and unsalted butter in your mixer. Beat until fluffy.
9. Add in 5 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
10. Lastly, add in the peanut butter and mix until it’s blended well. Make sure to scrape down the sides of your mixer bowl to ensure everything is combined.
11. When cupcakes have cooled, frost them.
12. Try to not eat all of the cupcakes in one sitting. Enjoy!

Here's the pic:

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

How much do I love this song?


Link is here... just click on the words...  Let's Celebrate by Stephen Hurd

So much.  It's powerful and so, so, so uplifting.  Raises your spirits.  I want to know if any neurologist peeps have done studies on the effect of really good gospel music on the neurons, synapses and dopamine levels.  You know, comparing great gospel music with, say, auto-tuned, bass-heavy pop music.

Drake Park Sunset
May 14, 2012

Sometimes you just have to shed the inertia.  You gotta get up on out of the house, y'all.  Can I preach here for a minute?  Sorry, I was just listening to Otis Moss III preach the other day - he's the pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago a.k.a. "Obama's old church."  That man is full of truth and love and passion, that Otis Moss III.  Anyway, back to getting off the couch.  Please see Exhibit A above (that photo of the sunset, the river, the mountains, the trees the reflections in the water...)  ***So glad we did.***

Increasingly going veggie

Eating more vegetarian meals lately.  Yum.


Here are a few great recipes:  Ratatouille (Easy, baked version)


Veggie burgers made with beans (delish, seriously)


Homemade pasta (made with eggs, flour, water) with all natural alfredo sauce 


Bon appetit!

Lily the Wonderdog.

Lily the Wonderdog.
Photo taken at Belknap Hot Springs on Jan. 16, 2012.