Gluten Free brownies

Be still my beating heart. I have a weakness, it is brownies. I don't like cake and I could do without a lot of different sweets but I just can't stay away from brownies. This recipe is awesome and even the hubby is raving about them and sneaking more. The trick is to let them cool completely or just about. I know, it is hard. I also cooked mine longer until my cake checker thingy came out clean. My oven is on its way out so times can be wonky. These will definitely be made again!

GHIRARDELLI GLUTEN-FREE BROWNIES

1 cup 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup whole almonds (or 2/3 cup almond flour)
1/3 cup brown rice flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line the pan across the bottom and up two sides with parchment paper. If using whole almonds, add them to a food processor with the rice flour and pulse until nuts are finely ground. If using almond flour, mix it with the rice flour. Set aside. Place the chocolate, butter and salt in the top of a large double boiler over barely simmering water. Stir frequently until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Stir in the eggs one at a time. Add the almond and rice flour mixture and stir until moistened, and then mix briskly, about 40 strokes. Stir in the walnuts or pecans if using. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the brownies are slightly puffed all over and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out moist but clean.

Cool the pan on a rack. Run a knife along the unlined sides of the pan to detach the brownies. Lift the edges of the parchment paper to remove the brownies. Cut into squares

You can substitute Ghirardelli Bittersweet 60% Chocolate Chips with 1-1/2 bar of Ghirardelli Bittersweet 60% chocolate, broken into small pieces.

Found them here: http://dyingforchocolate.blogspot.com/2011/03/ghirardelli-gluten-free-brownies.html

Homemade Wheat Sandwich bread

I have pretty much gone gluten free in all of my baking/cooking lately and decided today to treat the family (minus little missy) to some sandwich bread full of gluten. I found this wonderful recipe and just had to try it. If I had to do it again I would 1/2 the recipe as it got everywhere on my kitchen aid mixer (5qt). It is super yummy and has an amazing texture. The family gave it a five star rating and said they would rather this than any store bought bread.

Homemade Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
6 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
2 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons active dry yeast
4-1/2 cup very warm water (120°F to 130°F) cups very warm water (120°F to 130°F)
2 cups Spelt or white flour
4 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
Butter or margarine, melted, if desired

Instructions:
1. Combine coconut oil, honey and 4-1/2 cups water in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until the oil is melted.

2. Place whole wheat flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment, mix about 15 seconds on Stir. Continuing on Stir, add warm water mixture to flour mixture. Mix about a minute.

3. Then with the dough hook in place, add the spelt and all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition. Mix about 2 minutes, or until dough starts to clean sides of bowl, adding flour as necessary. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.

4. Place dough in greased bowl, and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched. Form your loaves and place them in buttered loaf pans to rise for about an hour.

5. When they look the right size, bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven. Remove immediately to a cooking rack, brush tops with butter, and try to wait a few hours before cutting into one. Serve warm or room temperature.

6. Freeze extra loaves and defrost as needed

This recipe was copy and pasted from http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2010/01/homemade-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread.html.

Caramel Puff Corn

I recently found this recipe on a scrapbooking recipe board and instantly knew I had to try it. It was yum at first try. I like this recipe far better than regular caramel corn because there are no seeds or hulls to have to worry about crunching on or getting stuck in your teeth. The only warning I will give is that it is very addicting!

Caramel Puff Corn

2 sticks of butter
1 c. brown sugar
½ c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
2 bags hull-less puffy popcorn (I bought Chester's Puffcorn, Butter Flavored, at Walmart or Winco)
Roasting pan (Deep and high sides)

If you want more caramel on the puffy popcorn, then use only 1-1/2 bags. I used 2 bags this last time I made it.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Use a non-stick cooking spray on the inside of your roasting pan. Put puff corn in roasting pan and set aside. In a medium large saucepan melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir over a medium to medium high heat until the sugar is all dissolved. When the mixture is just beginning to boil, add baking soda. Continue to stir as it foams and multiplies. Dump over puffy corn and stir well.

Bake at 225 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring well every 15 minutes. Dump onto wax paper, spread out and allow to cool. Carefully break apart and store in airtight containers. It freezes well, too.

GF Chocolate cake

This cake is extremely rich but oh so yummy! I have been searching for something yummy that can help with cravings but is GF. I will definitely be making this again!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 18 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 6 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease one 10 inch round cake pan and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the water, salt and sugar. Stir until completely dissolved and set aside.
3. Either in the top half of a double boiler or in a microwave oven melt the bittersweet chocolate. Pour the chocolate into the bowl of an electric mixer.
4. Cut the butter into pieces and beat the butter into the chocolate, 1 piece at a time. Beat in the hot sugar-water. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Have a pan larger than the cake pan ready, put the cake pan in the larger pan and fill the pan with boiling water halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
6. Bake cake in the water bath at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 45 minutes. The center will still look wet. Chill cake overnight in the pan. To unmold, dip the bottom of the cake pan in hot water for 10 seconds and invert onto a serving plate (I had to put it in hot water for closer to 30 seconds to get it to un-stick).

Gluten Free Waffles

These received great reviews tonight from the family. I made up both GF and regular Bisquick waffles and no one could tell the difference. The only difference I could tell was the GF ones were actually more fluffy and didn't fall like the Bisquick ones did. I liked them better. You can top with whatever topping you choose. I used a Belgium waffle maker, my newest Costco purchase. Worked like a charm! Here is the recipe

1 ½ cups rice flour (brown or white or combination)
½ cup tapioca flour
½ cup potato starch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (I substituted 3/4tsp. Agave nectar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, separated (I did egg substitute)
½ cup cooking oil
1 ½ cups milk (use whatever kind you want, I did coconut)

Mix all dry ingredients together with wire whip. Set aside.

Mix vanilla, egg yolks, oil and milk. Add to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with wire whip.

In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with beaters until peaks form. Gently fold into batter.

Cook in waffle iron as directed, spraying iron with cooking oil spray as needed.

I found this recipe here http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/KITCHENFRAUS-GLUTEN-FREE-WAFFLES-50022946

Gluten Free

I have taken quite the hiatus from my blog but I am back and have committed to getting this going. The past year and a half my youngest munchkin has been having stomach aches. Being the stellar mom that I am I thought she was faking it. In my defense, she would complain the most when she was asked to do something like take a bath, get ready for bed. You know all the stuff kids hate to do. This went on for literally almost two years. I took her to the doctor a few weeks ago determined to find out why my kiddo was faking it and come to find out, she cannot tolerate wheat, cows milk, egg whites (this one is still out to pasture on if it really affects her like the other items or not) and rye. We are doing the elimination diet right now to reset her little tummy and we will slowly reintroduce items to her. For now, I have cut out all wheat (gluten), cows milk and have been substituting egg replacement for eggs. Guess what? No tummy aches! I have officially taken over bad mommy of the year award. No worry ladies, it is mine for awhile! So now I am on the quest to find yummy everyday goodies, breads, comfort foods etc for my four year old without breaking the bank. Have you seen the prices of some of the stuff? Holy moly batman! I was in sticker shock as I put the $5 box of rice noodles on the check stand. I have since found Trader Joe's to be the most cost effective place to buy the noodles. Flours are great if you can purchase them in the bulk section. I am going to be trying out grinding my own flours but I will report back on how that goes. I purchased 25# of white rice and a huge bag of brown rice today so I am hoping it goes well or we will be eating a lot of rice. I have gotten some great advise from some wonderful ladies and I could not have taken the leap without all of your support. I will be posting GF (gluten free) recipes here that have worked for me so that if you decide to try out a GF diet or if you have to go GF for your health you will have some recipes to start with. One thing I have found very helpful is that I don't have to start from ground zero. So many people have so many allergies that a lot of leg work has been done for me! Yeah! I am very fortunate that Brooklyn doesn't have a nut allergy so if you have a nut allergy, please check recipes before you prepare them.