GF Yorkshire Pudding

Beating air into the batter for the Yorkshire Pudding is the secret for this Gluten Free recipe.


INGREDIENTS:
115 g gluten-free self-raising flour

142 ml milk
142 ml water (half milk and half water)
1 pinch salt (optional)
1 medium egg
30 g vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:
1.Heat the oven to 220°C or 425°F or Gas mark 7.


2.Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl: make a well in the centre with a wooden spoon.

3.Drop the egg and half the milk and water mixture into it.

4.Gradually work the flour into the egg and milk and water mixture to form a smooth creamy texture.

5.Slowly add the rest of the milk and water mixture and then beat well.

6.Heat the oil in 8-10 patty tins or in a 23x18cm tray (9x7-inch tin) in the oven.

7.When the oil begins to smoke, pour in the batter.

8.Bake in the top of the oven until well risen and brown; about 20 minutes for the small pudding or 45 minutes for the large pudding.

9.Serve immediately with your roast meal or serve it with golden syrup and cream.

Braided Bread

DOUGH:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs

TOPPING:
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

DIRECTIONS:
1.In a large mixing bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat water and oil to 120 degrees F-130 degrees F. Add to dry ingredients along with eggs. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.


2.Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

3.Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Set a third of the dough aside. Divide remaining dough into three pieces. Shape each into a 13-in. rope. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Divide reserved dough into three equal pieces; shape each into a 14-in. rope. Braid ropes. Center 14-in. braid on top of the shorter braid. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

4.Beat egg and water; brush over dough. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cover with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

New Find For Some of You!

For some of you, it is harder to bake as you have Celiac Disease. I have a sister and a sister-in-law who are both very careful of what they ingest because of being Celiac and Wheat intolerances.

If you, or someone you know is like that, then here are a few recipes they might enjoy that were passed onto me recently. I will also have my Sister's Sugar Cookie recipe on here soon.

Fabulously Perfect Gluten-free Shortbread
Gluten Free Donuts
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Pumpkin Custard Squares
Gluten and Dairy Free Pancakes
Breakfast Cookies

All of these links come from the same blog, called Gluten Free Green Mommy.

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
 
1.In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioners' sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.


2.Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

3.Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving.

Baked French Onion Soup

2 ounces of butter
1 pound of onions, sliced
1/2 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon flour
4 cups beef stock
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces of Gruyere cheese, grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 slices French bread

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onions. Slowly brown the onions. It is important to brown the onions VERY slowly. It takes about an hour to do. Just check them every once in a while. They should end up very soft, golden brown and transparent. Add the garlic after the onions have been cooking for about 45 minutes.

After the onions are cooked, turn up the heat to medium, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute or until the flour is golden brown.

Add the stock, and stir until it boils. Season with salt and pepper and simmer the soup for 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Mix the grated cheese with the mustard and pepper. Spread this on the bread slices and put one slice of bread on the bottom of each onion soup bowl, or put all of the bread in a large soup tureen. Pour the soup in. The bread will rise to the top.

Bake the soup in the oven, uncovered until the bread and cheese mixture is well browned and bubbling.

* at our house, we omit the mustard. It still tastes great, and that way everyone will eat it.

Sweet Potato, Corn and Kale Chowder Recipe

This vegetarian chunky soup filled with carrots, sweet potatoes, tomato, corn, and kale is hearty enough to be a main meal. The cashews add extra protein and thickening power. However, they may be omitted for those with nut allergies. The ingredient list may appear daunting, but this soup is extremely simple to make and does not take long. You do not have to be vegetarian to enjoy this one.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
•1 Tablespoon canola oil
•2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
•1 medium red onion, chopped
•1 rib celery, chopped
•1 red bell pepper, chopped
•1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
•1 sprig fresh thyme, minced
•3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
•1 medium tomato, chopped
•5 cups vegetable broth or water
•1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
•3 cups stemmed and chopped kale leaves
•Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
•Cayenne pepper, to taste
•1 Tablespoon cornstarch
•1 Tablespoon tepid water
•1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
•1/2 cup cashew pieces, optional

Preparation:


Heat oil in a large nonreactive pot over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, red onions, celery, bell peppers, and sweet potatoes 3 minutes. Add thyme and turmeric. Combine well with vegetables. Add tomatoes and broth; simmer 20 minutes.

Add corn, kale, salt, and white pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with cayenne pepper.

Thicken either of two ways: Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon tepid water. With soup simmering, stir in cornstarch mixture. Continue to stir and simmer 3 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.

Or, if using cashews, place nuts in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add cornstarch mixture and 3/4 cup warm soup broth; blend or process to combine. Return mixture to simmering soup, continue to simmer, stirring often, 3 minutes.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Per serving: (with cashew pieces) 162 calories, 35 percent calories from fat, 4 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total fiber, 6 grams total fat, .91 gram saturated fat no cholesterol, 35 milligrams sodium.

Per serving (without cashew pieces) 114 calories, 18 percent calories from fat, 3 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total fiber, 2 grams total fat, .22 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 34 milligrams sodium.

Recipe Source: The Whole Foods Market Cookbook by Steve Petusevsky (Clarkson Potter)

Potporri

For each recipe below, Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl. Then add the essential oil one drop at a time to the dry ingredients and stir together until well blended. Store each blend in an airtight container with a tight fitting lid. Keep your containers full of finished potpourri out of direct sunlight and away from any heat sources. When ready to use, pour out a small amount of potpourri into a decorative bowl or jar which can then be placed in a location such as a guest room or powder-room.
Spicy Lemon Fresh Potpourri Recipe

This formulation makes a spicy, refreshing, cleansing blend.

Ingredients:

•2 cups lemon verbena leaves
•2 cups chopped lemon grass leaves
•¼ cup whole cloves
•¼ cup dried lemon peel
•10 drops lemon essential oil
•10 drops clove essential oil

Holiday Spice Potpourri Recipe

This blend is nice to have on hand during the Thanksgiving holiday. Its wonderfully spicy scent imparts an apple pie-like aroma to the home.

Ingredients:

•1 cup dried apple peel
•1 cup dried orange peel
•½ cup cinnamon stick pieces
•½ cup star anise pods
•¼ cup whole allspice berries
•¼ cup whole cloves
•¼ cup tonka bean pieces
•15-20 drops clove essential oil

Pine Forest Potpourri Recipe

This blend is nice to use during the Christmas holidays.
Ingredients:

•1 cup whole bay leaves
•1 cup rosemary leaves
•1 cup patchouli leaves
•½ cup juniper berries
•½ cup cinnamon stick pieces
•¼ cup sandalwood chips
•15-20 drops rosemary essential oil

Spring Roll Wrappers

Spring roll wrappers can be hard to find if you don't live near an Asian market. This is a recipe for the standard flour and water wrappers used to make Chinese spring rolls. For best results, keep the filling chilled and don't make up the spring rolls until you are ready to deep-fry. Have a cornstarch and water paste on hand to seal the spring roll wrappers after they are filled. These wrappers can be frozen.

A great filling is the Pork Spring Rolls recipe found here.
Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
•1 cup all-purpose flour
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•3/4 cup water* (see note below)
•cooking spray, as needed

1. In a large bowl, stir the salt into the flour. Mix the water into the flour to form a batter. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
2. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and heat on medium low heat.
3. Turn the heat down to low and add a heaping tablespoon of the batter to the middle of the pan. Quickly spread the batter out evenly to form a circle 5 - 6 inches in diameter. Continue smoothing out the batter as the skin cooks.
4. Cook the skin briefly, until it is cooked on the bottom and the edges curl slightly. Take care not to overcook. Remove carefully and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use as called for in the recipe.

*The amount of water needed will depend partly on factors such as the age and dryness of the flour, the altitude you are cooking at, etc. The batter should be well mixed and fairly thick, but still thin enough to drop off the back of a wooden spoon.

Homemade Playdough (No cooking required)

Ingredients:

•4 Cups flour
•1 1/2 Cups water
•1 Cup salt
•Food coloring of choice

Directions:
1.Add a few drops of food coloring to the 1 1/2 cups of water. (Remember the water should be a deeper hue than the desired color of the dough.)
2.Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
3.Add the colored water and mix all ingredients together by hand.
4.Form dough into objects by hand or roll dough out and cut into shapes.

To make items last, bake them at 350 degrees for one hour, or let air dry. This dough will last for many future play sessions if placed in an air tight container.







Read more at Suite101: Homemade Clay and Play Dough Recipes for Kids: How to Make Play Clays for Children
Suite101.com http://parentchildcrafts.suite101.com/article.cfm/homemade_clay_and_play_dough_recipes_for_kids#ixzz0ZKNHvf8b

The Blob

1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons GFCF cream of tartar
Acceptable flavoring for smell e.g. pure vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients into a heavy pan. Add oil, water to above . Use pure vanilla extract for smell, or any other acceptable aroma. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture pulls away from sides of pan (almost immediately).

Tapioca Fingerpaint

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/2 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup Ivory flakes
1 tablespoon glycerin
Food coloring

Dissolve tapioca starch in cold water. Add the boiling water and cook the mixture until it is clear, stirring constantly. Add the soap flakes, and stir well. Remove from stove immediately, and cool. Stir in glycerin and food coloring.

Meatloaf

2 Tbsp mustard
3 "squirts" hot sauce
2 eggs
1/4 c salsa
1/4 c quick cook oats
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp seasoning salt
2-3 lbs ground beef

Mix all ingredients BUT the ground beef together in a bowl.
Add the ground beef, mixing well.
Add mixture to the crock pot.
Cook on low for 6-8 hrs, or high for 2.5 - 3.5 hrs.

Chicken Curry with Rice

•4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch strips or chunks

•2 large onions, quartered and sliced thinly
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•1 tablespoon soy sauce or Tamari
•1 teaspoon curry powder
•2 teaspoons chili powder
•1 teaspoon turmeric
•1 teaspoon ground ginger
•1/3 cup chicken broth or water
•hot cooked rice

Mix all ingredients, except rice, together in the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low from 6 to 8 hours, or until chicken is tender. Serve over rice.

Chicken Coconut Curry

This ingredient list looks long; but most of the ingredients are spices that are quickly added to the crockpot.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 9 hours

• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 Tbsp. grated fresh gingeroot 
• 2" cinnamon stick 
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder 
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
• 3-1/2 lb. chicken, cut up 
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 
• 2 Tbsp. cold water 
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves 
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions 
• 1/2 cup mango chutney 
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/2 cup chopped coconut

Combine the onion, garlic, ginger root, cinnamon, curry powder, and red pepper flakes in 3-4 quart crockpot. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange on top of onions and spices in crockpot. Pour chicken broth over all.


Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Remove chicken and keep warm in low oven, covered. Skim fat from crockpot. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir into juices remaining in crockpot. Increase heat to high and cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve chicken with sauce and chutney. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions to serve, and serve with peanuts, and coconut. 6 servings

Citrus Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)

1/2 cup orange juice

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup (uncooked) regular long-grain white rice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Orange slices

1. Cook chicken in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until browned. Set chicken aside.


2. Add broth, orange juice, onion and rice. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes. Return chicken to skillet. Replace cover.


3. Cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in parsley and top with orange slices.

Moo Goo Gai Pan

This recipe makes for four:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 pound snow peas
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 pound sliced bok choy
salt and black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
3/4 cup skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - thinly sliced
1 teaspoon white wine
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, snow peas, water chestnuts, and bok choy; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the wok and wipe the wok clean.
2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the wok. Stir in the garlic and ginger; cook a few seconds until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. Stir in the chicken and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, sugar, and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir into the simmering sauce. Once the sauce returns to a simmer, stir until thick and clear, about 30 seconds. Return the vegetables to the wok and toss until hot and coated with the sauce.

Easy Strawberry Thumbprint cookies

Savor the tasty prize of jam in the center of each cookie. Value the baker's time-saving prize of using a cookie mix!

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
3 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup seedless Strawberry jam
1 cup white vanilla baking chips
Red or green sugar, if desired

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg and flour until dough forms.

2. Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls; place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Using thumb or handle of wooden spoon, make indentation in center of each cookie. Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon jam into each indentation.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips on High 1 to 2 minutes or until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Spoon melted chips into small resealable plastic bag; cut small hole in corner of bag. Squeeze bag gently to drizzle melted chips over cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar.

*High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease butter to 1/3 cup. Increase flour to 1/4 cup.



*Thumbprint cookies can be made with many types of jam; try apricot, blackberry or blueberry.