Pizza/Dad's Birthday

Today is my dad's birthday. Although it is not considered a milestone like 18, 21, or 50, it is important to my family. It was not important because of how old my dad is today, but because of who my dad is. My dad and I have always been close. A couple days ago I asked my dad what he wanted for his birthday dinner. I expected to hear salmon or roasted chicken, but instead he said pizza. Now many of you in the gluten-free community know how difficult it is to have good pizza. Over the last year I have made countless recipes trying to perfect something that was a Friday night staple in our house when I was growing up. I thought that this day would never come, but about a month ago I discovered the perfect pizza crust. It took a lot of tweaking but I finally have a dough that you can touch with your hands, not spread with a knife. I am ecstatic that I was able to have the perfect pizza crust recipe for my dad's birthday this year. If you are anything like me, pizza is the one thing that you miss the most when going gluten-free. Here is the recipe that is the game-changer. Go ahead... it's ok if you dance a little after making this(I won't tell anybody.)

Ingredients  
~ 1 teaspoon sugar
~ 1 cup lukewarm water
~ 1 teaspoon dried active yeast
~ 1 1/4 cups rice flour
~ 3/4 cup potato starch, extra for dusting
~ 1/2 cup tapioca flour
~ 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
~ 1 teaspoon salt
~ 1 Tablespoon olive oil
~ 1 egg

Directions 
1. Preheat your oven to 500 ° F 

2. Add your flours, salt, and xanthan gum in a bowl and mix well.

3. In a second bowl, add yeast, sugar, and lukewarm water. Wait about 5-10 until the yeast has "proofed." 

4. Add to this(yeast mixture) the olive oil and egg and mix well. 

5. Form a well in the center of your flour mix and add the liquid gradually, incorporating it into the flour. 

6. Continue to mix until the ingredients form a dough ball.(I use a Kitchenaid) 

7. Remove dough from bowl and knead lightly on a dusted(with potato starch) board. This ensures the dough is thoroughly mixed. 

8. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a tea towel, and place somewhere warm for 20-30 minutes to allow the dough to rise.(It will not double in size like wheat dough, but it will poof up a little.) 

9. After the dough has been allowed to rise and divide the dough in half. 

10. Flatten out the dough using your hands or a rolling pin. You want the dough to be about 1/4 inch in thickness. 

10. Add a sauce(I use tomato but you can use pesto, olive oil, or anything you have on hand.) 

Pepperoni with spinach, olives, and artichoke hearts  

Meatballs(recipe coming soon), olives, spinach/vegetarian pizza on other half 

11. Add your toppings. I have even made this recipe to make a dessert pizza. I put apples, cinnamon sugar, and butter. 

12. Cook on a preheated pizza stone for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble and brown.(you can put the pizza directly on the stone or on foil for easy clean-up) 

13. Enjoy! 

Gluten-Free Biscuits

I love any kind of bread, including biscuits. However, when I discovered I had a severe wheat/gluten allergy I never imagined I would be able to have them again, let alone they be any good. This recipe is my third attempt at biscuits over the last year and I have finally achieved success. The first time, my biscuits turned out grainy and the second time, they were unpleasantly doughy. Since it was Thanksgiving, I thought I would give biscuits another try. I am so happy that I did because what I discovered was the perfect gluten-free biscuit, that is grain-free and not doughy(but not dry). I hope you all enjoy these as much as I do! :)

Ingredients
~ 2 cups of Better-Batter all-purpose flour
~ 1 Tablespoon baking powder
~ 2 teaspoons sugar
~ 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
~ 1/4 teaspoon salt
~ 1/2 cup of butter
~ 2/3 cup of buttermilk(you may need to add more, if you do- add 1/3 cup of regular milk) 

Flour mixture

biscuits baking

Finished biscuits

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. In a bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt.
3. Cut in the butter either with two knifes, a pastry cutter, or a paddle attachment for your electric mixer.
4. Add the buttermilk. If the mixture seems dry add a little bit of regular milk.
5. You should have a dough that is not too wet and not too dry. (You should be able to touch it without it falling apart, or sticking to your hands.)
6. Using a ice cream scooper transfer the biscuits onto a baking sheet.
7. Bake in a 450°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.
8. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Squash and Potato Smash

I love mash potatoes. I always have and I always will. I love them even more now that I am gluten-free. Since I eat potatoes almost 1-3 times a week, I wanted to mix it up a little since it was Thanksgiving. This is the easiest recipe and perfect for the holidays or the winter months. I love the evaporated milk in this recipe because it is a low calorie version of cream, and imparts a rich flavor without all the calories.

Ingredients
~ other half of evaporated milk from this recipe.
~ 1 stick of butter
~ 5-6 potatoes
~ 1 large butternut squash
~ salt/pepper to taste

Potatoes/Squash cooking

Squash and Potatoes smashed

Directions
1. Clean and peel potatoes and squash
2. Cut potatoes and squash into small pieces(you can pick the size, just make sure they are even.) 
3. Cook potatoes and squash over medium-high heat until tender
4. After the potatoes and squash are cooked, add the milk, butter, and seasonings and smash.
5. Enjoy!

XOXO,
The Gluten-Free Project

Pumpkin Crumble Cake

For all of you who know me personally you know I have kinda have a thing for pumpkin(in fact my nickname is pumpkin). Ever since I was little I would always have a big piece of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even my birthday. I figured when I went gluten-free I would not be able to have pumpkin pie again. Although this recipe is not the conventional pumpkin pie it tastes exactly the same... in fact I think it might be better! Although this is a cake it has the texture of pumpkin pie filling with a crumble topping. I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I did. :)

Ingredients
~1/2 bag of Pamela's vanilla cake mix; divided in half again
~ 1/2 large can of pumpkin-29 oz can(make sure it's the 100% pure pumpkin, not the pumpkin pie filling) 
~ 2 eggs  
~ 2 tsp. cinnamon 
~ nutmeg to taste
~ 1/2 can of evaporated milk(12 oz) 
~ 1/2 + 1/8 cup of packed brown sugar 
~ 1 cup of chopped nuts(you can use pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc) 
~ 1/2 stick of butter(1/4 cup) 

pumpkin crumble cake baking

pumpkin crumble cake(finished product)

Directions 
1. Preheat your oven to 350° F
2. Divide the half of the cake mix in half again(so you have 1/4 of the cake mix)
3. Combine 1/4 of the cake mix with the pumpkin, eggs, spices, milk, and brown sugar 
4. Blend until smooth in an electric mixer or by hand. 
5. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. 
6. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cake mix with the chopped nuts onto the cake batter. 
7. Drizzle with the melted butter. 
8. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
9. Enjoy!



 XOXO, 
The Gluten-Free Project

Happy Thanksgiving! /One Year

Happy Thanksgiving! Today is a day to give thanks for all of life's blessings. I thank God for my amazing, supportive family and friends who have never left my side even in the tough times. Besides today being a day of food, family, and friends.... today is my one-year anniversary of being gluten free. This year has gone by so fast and I have learned so much from experimentation and from other bloggers. I hope that in the years to come I will continue growing in my journey of freedom from gluten. Today was a special day filled with love, food, and most importantly no stomach aches(well... maybe from overeating, but that's another kind of stomach ache!) My family and I had grilled chicken w/ goat's cheese spread, butternut squash smashed potatoes, asparagus, biscuits, and pumpkin crumble cake. I would love to hear about all of your thanksgiving adventures. :)

Pumpkin Crumble Cake

Pumpkin Crumble Cake

Squash and Potato Smash

 XOXO,
The Gluten-Free Project

Peach-Apricot Scones

I know the name peach-apricot scones is not the most appealing names for a bake-good, but believe me these scones are not like the English ones that almost break your tooth(no offense if you like English scones, I personally just don't like them). I have been trying to experiment with more recipes since the weather is getting colder. When the holidays come around I always get in the mood to bake more. : ) Today I had some flavored Greek yogurt that needed to be used up, and as they say "necessity is the mother of invention." These scones are one of the recipes that you can eat them anytime of the day. They are not super sweet, but they are sweet enough that you can have them for dessert.

Ingredients
~ 1/4 cup of dried fruit(You can put more or less depending on your taste.) Note: I used dried apricots.
~ 2 cups of Better Batter All-Purpose Flour
~ 1/4 cup of brown sugar
~ 2 teaspoons baking powder
~ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
~ 1/4 cup of butter
~ 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
~ 2 egg yolks
~ 18 oz of Greek flavored yogurt(the one with the fruit at the bottom) Note: I used Chobani peach 0% yogurt)
~ 1 cup of old-fashioned oats
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 400°
2. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. After you have the butter cut in, add the oats. You can add the oats before you cut the butter in, but I think it is easier to add them afterwards.
5. In a small mixing bowl combine the dried fruit, yogurt, egg yolks, and vanilla
6. Mix the wet and the dry ingredients together.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
8. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have always loved chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate chip cookies are something that remind you of your childhood. You always see those commercials for Toll House cookies that have the mother or grandmother baking cookies with the kids. Since I have grown up with chocolate chip cookies giving me that "warm and fuzzy" feeling of home when I eat one, I was devastated when I went gluten-free almost a year ago. I told myself that I would never be able to have that feeling again. Well, I was wrong. I have found a recipe that is like my mom's homemade chocolate chip cookies that I was raised on. I have had a lot of people asking for this recipe, so here it is. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do. 

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups of butter(softened, not melted)
2 cups of sugar(you can use brown if you like the flavor)
2 teaspoons of vanilla(seems like a lot but I like vanilla- you can use less if you like)
1 egg
3 cups of Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix(be sure to sift!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups of chocolate chips(you can put more or less depending on how chocolate you like)
1 1/2 cups coconut

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F
2. Cream the butter and the sugar.
3. Then add the egg and vanilla.
4. Sift the baking & pancake mix(important step!)Then, add the flour and salt.
5. Next, add the coconut and chocolate chips.
6. Mix everything together until incorporated.
7. Scoop onto a greased aluminum foil with a teaspoon or small ice cream scoop.
8. Make for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven.
9. Enjoy!   
Yields: 2 dozen 

 Note:  
1. You can add dried fruit(for example cherries which are very good with chocolate) 
2. If you can't have chocolate you can use cherries, raisins, cranberries, etc. 
3. You can add orange or lemon yest if you add dried fruit instead of vanilla

"Gluten Free Please!"

I'm so sorry I haven't blogged in a while. My life has been crazy busy between school, babysitting, and college applications. Tonight, however, I had the pleasure of going to a bakery opening. This wasn't just any bakery opening though, this was the first gluten-free bakery to open in Fresno/Clovis area. Although I am a baker myself, having the option of someone else doing the work is nice. This new bakery is located on 435 N. Clovis Street, Suite 106 in Clovis, Ca. They also have a Facebook: www.facebook.com/gfpleasebakery

Any way... back to the important stuff: the food. Overall, the food was really good. They serve everything cupcakes(savory ones too!) to biscuits, and even bread by the loaf. While, they served only a few flavors of cupcakes tonight, I can tell already that they have a bright(and long) future in the Fresno/Clovis area. Although I HATE when people go on and on about all the things they didn't like, I do want to offer my honest opinion. I will compare them in a "pro/con" form to give a clearer picture.


PROS 
~ Their dairy-free vanilla and spice cake(with goat cream cheese frosting) are amazing! They are sooo moist and I will definitely be going there just for those two cupcakes.
~ They have the BEST gluten-free pizza I have ever tried. Over the last year I have been experimenting with different recipes, so I wasn't expecting to like it. It was so good that I forgot it was gluten-free(which is a huge compliment!).

Pepperoni/Cheese Pizza

Shortbread(bottom left), Dairy-free vanilla cupcakes, gluten-free stuffing

Spice cupcake with goat cream cheese frosting(yum!)

IN-BETWEEN
Note: There were a few bake goods tonight that were not awful, but needed a little help. Because of this, I decided to have an "in-between section."

~ I liked(not loved) the carrot cake. It was moist, but it didn't have enough "carrot" flavor for me.
~ Like the carrot, the chocolate was moist, but I couldn't tell it was chocolate(I wanted a "deeper" chocolate flavor)
~ The biscuits were good, they just need maybe something on top(maybe garlic salt?)
~ The snickerdoodle had really good flavor, but they were a little crumbly




CONS 
NOTE: I feel really bad for saying anything negative, because I hate being critical. However, I want people to know that I love their food overall, but I want to give constructive criticism to allow them to improve.
~ The shortbread was very dry(I know shortbread is dry but like a different kind of dry, if that makes sense). It also needed more butter-y/shortbread flavor. 
~ I want to first say that I made some french bread and it turned out the same way...crumbly and dry. I was really hoping that they had found the secret. However, that was not the case. I think that gluten-free bread is just really hard to get right. 
~ The business is small....more of a take-out place. I am hoping that they will continue to expand, allowing them to get a bigger place.

As a final note, I wanted to say that I enjoyed myself tonight. I got to meet other gluten-free bloggers and enjoy some really good gluten-free food. I am looking forward to trying their lemonade cupcake with strawberry butter cream and their savory cupcakes(my mouth is watering!)

Super Easy Indian Curry

In my family I have grown up with all different kinds of food. I have been exposed to everything from sushi to pizza(homemade not take-out). Although my family has never forced me to eat anything I did not want, I have been privileged to experience food from other cultures. The other day after seeing a Dr. Oz special on "Super Foods" I decided to try to come up with a recipe. According to Dr. Oz, turmeric is one of the top 10 super foods, and this is how my mock-curry was born. This recipe is not "authentic", but it is easier to make and you still get the same flavor.

Ingredients
- 1 small onion, chopped(you can also use granulated onion-remember to use less because it is concentrated in flavor.)
-2 cloves of garlic(or granulated garlic or garlic powder)
- 3 Tablespoons of curry powder
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon(NOT cinnamon sugar)
- 3-4 chicken breasts, cut into pieces(you can use more if you want, but my family is not that large)
- 1 Tablespoon of ketchup(this replaces the tomato paste and sugar in traditional curry)
- 3/4 cup of coconut milk(canned or carton)
- 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder(more or less demanding on how spicy you like it)
- 1 carrot, cut into small pieces
- frozen peas(or fresh)

Directions 
1. If you are using fresh onion and garlic you need to saute them in a little olive oil or butter until softened. 
2. In a medium sauce pan heat the coconut milk and the spices on medium-low(coconut milk is usually solid at room temperature and needs to be heated to become liquid.)
3. After the coconut milk has become liquid-y add your chicken and vegetables.
4. Let the chicken and vegetables simmer until cooked.
5. You can serve this over rice or with bread :)
6. You can also add some plain yogurt for some extra "tang."

Note:
1. This is a "BYOC" recipe(Be Your Own Chef). You can add beef, pork, or make it vegetarian by adding tofu.
2. You can also change the vegetables to whatever you have in the house.
3. You can also use rotisserie chicken if you don't like touching raw meat.

Homemade Beef Stroganoff

Yum. That's all I can say about this recipe. Well, actually I can say more than that but it would take more than one word. I used to hate beef stroganoff, like with a passion. The other day I got a craving for it for some reason, and so I decided to ask my mom to help me make a gluten-free version. After figuring out how to make it, we both can to the conclusion that I probably used to hate it because it made me sick. I never put two and two together about a lot of foods I disliked. I hated pretzels, cream of mushroom soup, even bread. What do all these fine things have in common: WHEAT. That one little word can do a heck of a lot of damage to a person. Now that I have had all those things gluten free, I LOVE them <3. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. :) 

 Beef Stroganoff 
- 2 cups of chopped or sliced fresh mushrooms(If you don't like fresh or they are not in season you can always use canned) 
- 1 lb of ground beef or shredded beef 
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cups of beef broth( I use beef bullion and add water) 
-black pepper
- salt  
-1 Tablespoon cornstarch
-1/2-1 cup of "ranch"sour cream(depends on how creamy you like it) 

Directions 
1. In a medium pan saute pan brown the beef until cooked(the point of this is to get extra flavor) 
2.  Next, add the onion until softened(you can use dried minced onion if you prefer-if you do just add it when you cook the beef)
3. Add the mushrooms until cooked(cook them as long as you like-some people like then firmer/softer than I do) 
4. Next either dissolve the 2 tsp of bullion in 2 cups of water(if you are using stock/broth skip this step) 
5. Add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to the broth before adding to pan
6. After the mixture has started to thicken, add the desired about of sour cream. (I use sour cream that has ranch packets in it because it adds a lot of flavor in not a lot of time)
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste
8. Serve with cooked rice, pasta, or even on a baked potato(I like mine with peas)
9. Enjoy! :) 

Note: Make sure to take the pan off of the stove before adding the sour cream or the sour cream with "separate." This makes the mixture have a funny color. If you don't want to buy the ranch packets you can always add parsley, garlic, and chives.(I would recommend using the ranch though) 

Gluten-Free Oatmeal-Raisin Chip Cookies

Gluten-Free Oatmeal-Raisin Chip Cookies... WOW that is a really long name, but it should be since this is such an extraordinary cookie that packs a big punch. This is actually my grandpa's recipe but I thought that I would still share it, since I fell in love with these cookies. I am very lucky to have understanding friends and family, who support me(and cook for me) gluten free meals and desserts. <3

Gluten-Free Oatmeal-Raisin Chip Cookies
3/4 cup of butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon(optional)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup of oat flour(you can make your own it's super easy,  but grind the oats in a food processor or coffee grinder)
2 cups of rolled oats
1 cup raisins(or snipped dried tart cherries)- optional
1 cup of semisweet chocolate(optional)
1/2 cup of shredded coconut(optional)

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 ° F.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and if you want the cinnamon.
3. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.
4. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.
5. Beat in the oat flour and then stir in the rolled oats.
6. Then if you want you can stir in some raisins, semisweet chocolate, or/and coconut.
7. Either using two spoons or an ice scoop(which I highly recommend) drop the dough into rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet.
8. Bake in a 375° oven for about 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden. 
9. After baked, cool on cookie sheet for a couple minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack and let cool.   
10. Enjoy! :)  

"Baked" Potato Soup

Ever since I went to Mimi's Cafe I fell in love with their Cafe Corn Chowder. I decided to make it one day, and ending up liking my version just the same. When I became gluten-free, it was during the winter months(November) and I was disappointed that I couldn't eat the soup anymore. I finally decided that I was going to try to make it gluten-free(and still taste the same). Although it is not identical to Mimi's(I don't like the sugar in theirs), I think it's pretty close. : )

Baked Potato Soup

4 Tablespoons of corn starch(if you can't have corn you probably can substitute rice flour.)
1/2 stick of butter(1/4 cup)- I know it seems like a LOT of butter but trust me it's worth it.
2 Tablespoons of chicken bullion/or stock
dried onion to taste(it really depending on what you like)
a dash of parsley(again however much you like) 
pepper/salt( If you are trying to cut back on salt, I sometimes add a little bit of celery)
4 cups of milk
1 can of corn(you can use fresh)
2-3 potatoes(depending on their size and how much you like)
bacon, ham, etc(optional) 

 Directions
1. Start by baking your potatoes. I do mine in the microwave for about 6 minutes. I like it because it's faster, but you are welcome to bake them in the oven.
2. Once your potatoes are done start to make a rue. Heat a pan on medium, and melt your butter. Then add your cornstarch and stir to form the rue.
3. Next add your milk and stir to combine with the rue(make sure their aren't any clumps)
4. You can begin adding your pepper, salt, onion, parsley, and bullion(or stock)
5. Cook this for a little bit to get cook out the cornstarch-y taste.
6. Cut up your potatoes into bit size pieces, then add.
7. Lastly, add your corn. Enjoy! :)


Note: You can add bacon, ham, or any other kind of meat you like. I like this soup on its own though. :)

Gluten-Free Oven Pancake

I am honestly in LOVE with this recipe. It took me making it about 5-6 times before I really felt I had it. I started out using milk, but I had some leftover buttermilk that needed to be used. BAM! I had a lot creamier version. I have literally eaten this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For breakfast you can put fruit or maple syrup, for lunch you can put some kind of sauce, for dinner you can eat it as your bread(along with your meat or veggies).

Puffed Oven Pancake

6 eggs(extra large)

½ cup of rice flour

½ cup of sweet rice flour

½ cup of tapioca flour

½ teaspoon of xanthan gum

1-2 Tablespoons of sugar(depending on how sweet you like it)

1 Tablespoon of vanilla

1 ½ cups of buttermilk

1-2 Tablespoons of butter

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 450° F
2. Combine yours flours and xanthan gum.
3. Combine your eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
4.  Combine your wet and dry ingredients. (It’s okay if there are lumps.)
5. Let your batter sit for a few minutes. This is an important step in order to ensure you won’t get clumps of flour in the final product.
6. Once you oven is around 180-200° F you can put your pan(preferably glass or ceramic dish… I use a oval dish.)
7. Once the butter has melted and is covering the bottom of the dish, pour your batter in.
8. Bake for about 20-30 minutes.
9. Enjoy! You can serve this with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or even yogurt

Super Peanut-y Butter Cookies

I have been baking more and more since I have finally gotten the hang of how to work with gluten free flours(and creating my own recipes.) This recipe was a favorite from before graduated from mixes. I couldn’t resist sharing it with you all. 

 

Peanut Butter Cookies

2 eggs

1 stick of butter

1-3 Tablespoons of milk (depending on where you live)

1 bag of Pamela’s Vanilla Cake Mix

Peanut butter

M & M’s, chocolate chips, etc

Directions

1. Cream the butter and eggs together.
2. Mix in the cake mix.
3. Then add your milk. It is important to not do this visa versa because you might add too much and have too wet of dough.
4. Then add equal amounts of peanut butter. I know it sounds like A LOT but trust be its worth it.
5. Add your M & M’s, chocolate chips, or whatever you like. This is about you being the chef and making the recipe fit your taste. You can even roll them in a little bit of sugar for some extra sweetness and crunch.
6. Heat your oven to 350 ° F and bake about 5-7 minutes until done. Your baking will vary depending on your oven and how much liquid you had to put in.
7. Enjoy! : )

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Waffles

Although my mom’s(and my) recipe for gluten-free waffles isn’t known world-wide, it’s sure a hit in our family. After trying gluten-free frozen waffles, these were a huge surprise. Being new to the gluten-free world I didn’t know that gluten-free food could actually taste good. When I made these waffles, the moment I put them in my mouth I knew that being gluten-free was going to be the most challenging, exciting ride of my life. I discovered that if I wanted my waffles, brownies, pancakes, etc to taste like when I was little, I would have to really work on it. : )

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Waffles
1 ½ cup of Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix
½ cup of Pamela’s Gluten-Free Baking & Pancake Mix
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon white sugar
3 whole eggs(extra large)
½ cup of vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla(good quality if available)
2 cups buttermilk

1.     Preheat your waffle maker
2.     Combine the dry ingredients
3.     Combine the wet ingredients
4.     Mix the dry and the wet together
5.     Cook your waffles in the maker
6.     Enjoy! :) 

Lemon Custard Cakes

Ingredients:
·3 eggs, separated
·½ cup white sugar
·1 TBS cornstarch
·4 tsp lemon zest
·½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 or 4 lemons)
·¾ cup milk
·Butter, for ramekins
·Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚ and bring a kettle or pot of water to boil. Butter 6 ramekins and place them in a glass or ceramic baking pan.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until fluffy and soft peaks form. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until yolks are light yellow in color. Add cornstarch. Then add lemon zest and lemon juice; beat on low until combined. Whisk in milk. Fold in egg whites by hand, being careful not to over-mix.

Pour the thin batter into the prepared ramekins. Add enough boiling water in the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 25 minutes, or until custard cakes are puffed and lightly browned. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm or cool.

Yield: 6

“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. -"Harriet Van Horne”

The 5 Stages of Grieving Gluten

A week ago, I baked for the first time in nearly a month; I struggled, I went slow, but I did it. It was perfect. I have been gluten-free for about 9 months now and only a week ago did I eat something that didn’t come out of a box marked ” gluten free.” I finally made waffles from scratch, just like before I was gluten-free! :) Any of you out there who have been on the gluten-free road for a while or have just found out that you can’t eat wheat/gluten will completely understand this passage. 

Have you recently been told you should avoid eating gluten? If you’ve been cruising along the highway of life and eating pretty much whatever your taste buds enjoy it may feel like a metaphorical death sentence in terms of losing your ability to eat the things you really enjoy.

Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross has named five stages of grief that people go through after experiencing loss, as follows:
1.    Denial
2.    Anger
3.    Bargaining
4.    Depression
5.    Acceptance

In the early days of going gluten free you may feel as though you’ve experienced a loss as you come to terms with the new, confusing, choices as you begin experimenting with a gluten-free diet. You may feel tempted to minimize your experience of loss. You may be thinking, “why am I feeling sad about this? It’s not like I lost my job or a loved one.” Don’t do this to yourself!  Your world has been turned upside down, dietarily speaking. Grieving is a necessary (and very healthy) component of coming to terms with gluten intolerance or Celiac disease.
If you’ve discovered that you simply can’t eat gluten without experiencing nasty side effects, or have been diagnosed with gluten intolerance or celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue disease), take heart! There is life after gluten. I promise. Minor adjustments, along with a little education and creative experimentation in the kitchen are in order.