Thick & Rich (and pretty darn healthy) Hot Cocoa

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." ~ Charles M. Schulz


INGREDIENTS:

- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- Splenda (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

- Combine all the ingredients
- Heat over medium heat, whisking often (while simultaneously restraining yourself from licking the whisk)
- Bring to a boil (while whisking constantly)
- Remove from heat
- Pour into your favorite mug (you know the one...) and...
- ENJOY


Those days where you have the time to get things done and be productive, but you get to the end of it and feel like you've gotten yourself no where at all. Maybe you even went backwards. Have you ever had one of those? I have. I do. I will.  I find that late at night I do my back-pedaling. My "oh man I should have done this" and my "why in the world did I do that?!" and my "I'm never going to get it all done" and my "woe is me" and my "who am I?" thoughts all clamor for room in my head.  So as I sat slumped under the weight of burdened thoughts tonight, I remembered that I am given rest if I ask for it...given rest if I grab hold of grace. I was also reminded that every moment is brand new and is mine to make mine. Make sense?? When I fall asleep at night, I can choose to let today be. I can choose to let tomorrow be. I know I am not alone right now, and that I can choose to meet tomorrow when it arrives because I won't be alone then either. So when I wake up, I'll shake off today and face the very next moment, knowing that it is my moment. But why wait until tomorrow?! I made this yummy cocoa tonight so I could indulge as I curled up to read myself to sleep. My moment is now. 

Nutrition:
Calories: 95, Total fat: 0g, Carbohydrates: 8, Protein: 1
(*NOTE: all nutrition information is estimated based on ingredients and is meant only as a guide)

Tres Leches Cake

Oh man oh man oh man. So we know GF baking can be a little tricky, but this cake is near fool-proof! Promise! I took the shortcut and used a cake mix, so I just tweaked the Betty Crocker recipe for Premium Tres Leches cake and...voila!

I couldn't be more pleased with how this lil' project turned out. I could eat myself sick on this...and will probably do so at breakfast tomorrow. That's right...I said it! BREAKFAST! *GRIN*

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
- (a few dashes of cinnamon - optional)
- 2/3 cup water
- 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 stick butter (softened)
- 3 eggs
- 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free in an attempt to make up for some of the gluttony going on here. Oh well!)
- 1 cup evaporated milk (again with the fat free; you can also use just plain ol' whole milk)
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 container of whipped dessert topping, thawed (Cool Whip, etc.)

DIRECTIONS:

- Heat oven to 325 degrees
- Spray/grease 9x13 baking dish
- Beat cake mix, cinnamon, water, butter, vanilla, and eggs for about 30 seconds at a slow pace then kick it up a gear and beat for approximately 2 minutes (or a minute and a half if your forearm starts to burn! I simply used a whisk, as I have no electric mixer. If you use an electric mixer - do the first 30 seconds on low speed then 2 minutes on medium)
- Pour into pan and bake about 25 minutes (keep an eye on it so it won't overbake!)
- Let the cake stand about 5 minutes.
- Using a long-tined fork (or whatever in the world you can find while rummaging through the kitchen drawer), poke holes all over the cake. (The more holes, the more the milk will get soaked into the cake = moist cake!)
- In a bowl, mix the condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whipping cream
- Pour the mixture carefully and evenly over the cake (yes - use it all!)
- Cover the cake and place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour until cake is entirely cool and the mixture has soaked into the cake
- Cover (frost) the cake with the whipped topping (you can use icing for this if you want a SUPER rich cake. For me, it's a little too much...plus it saves having to make your own GF icing!)

I top mine off by sprinkling cinnamon on top. This stuff is soooooo good. I have a weakness for moist cake, and this cake is anything but dry! It is just sweet enough without knocking your teeth out. Tres Leches is absolutely one of my favorites, so I hope this goes over as well at your house as it did at mine!

Something to consider: I made this as a birthday cake. My logic says that calories do not count on birthdays. So...go get the ingredients and bake, bake, bake! It's a birthday somewhere! Celebrate! *GRIN*

Fried 'Nanners

New favorite dessert. Period.

And talk about cheap!! YES! You can't beat a dessert made with something you can get for less than 45 cents a pound!

So easy. So yummy. So absolutely necessary. *GRIN*

The following recipe came about because I thought these three ingredients thrown together and cooked this way would be yummy. Boy was I wrong. It is INSANELY YUMMY. Oh m' goodness gracious me (for translation, see the explanation of this exclamation at the beginning of my Cajun Cabbage Rolls recipe).

I made this dessert one banana at a time. Make as many as you want *GRIN* but the recipe is set to make only one.

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 banana (still firm), peeled and cut in half
- 1/4 - 1/2 TBL butter (depending on how bad you want to be!)
- 1/2 TBL brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

- Melt the butter in a pan over low-medium
- Place the banana in the butter and cover it well on both sides
- Increase heat to medium
- As the butter and banana begin to fry, top the banana with the brown sugar
- Continue to cook the concoction until the banana is golden on both sides (and your kitchen smells DELICIOUS!)

My suggestion:

Serve the banana (and as much of the carmel sauce as you can POSSIBLY scrape from the pan short of licking the scalding pan and burning your tongue) on top of some Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream. If you don't have access to Blue Bell, my heart hurts for you, but your favorite ice cream will do the job!

And for the record...I am sitting here typing this blog just to keep myself from using the two remaining bananas to make more. YEEESH.

Caramel Corn

This is a great recipe to make if you're having some folks over and you just don't know what to make. To be entirely honest, my reasons for making this tonight do NOT include that excuse. Mine are as follows:

(1) Sam went to the movies; I was bored. When I get bored...I cook.
(2) I worked all afternoon long (all HOT afternoon, mind you) cleaning our garage. I didn't have the energy to do anything more exciting.
(3) I have had several mini-bags of popcorn lurking in the back of my pantry for about a year now...taking up room and bullying the other shelf inhabitants. Enough is enough.
(4) It sounded soooo gooood.

Now I just have to figure out who to share all this caramel popcorn with....

Yummy butter

I might have...MIGHT have....almost cried when I ate this.

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 TBL butter/margarine

- 1 TBL honey

- 1/4 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

- Mix it all together

- Eat this on top of Light and Fluffy Drop Biscuits

What a WONDERFUL dessert (or even breakfast, if you dare!) I used to always look forward to an evening out at Texas Roadhouse because of the cinnamon butter served with their rolls. Well...it is a bit more difficult to enjoy the butter sans rolls, so now that I found such great biscuits, it is high time to bring out the Yummy Butter!

Girl Scout(ish) cookies (Homemade Samoas)

I only wish I had the words. These are now my #1 favorite cookie. Hands down. That's it. Call the game, folks. It's over.

I was ALWAYS head-over-heels for Samoas, and I will admit a part of me may have died when I found out I could no longer eat them (or it died during Girl Scout Cookie Season, at least). What better way to make lemonade outta lemons that to make your very own Girl Scout(ish) cookies that are WAAAAAAAAAY better? (No offense meant to anyone). I am a fool for caramel and a sucker for white chocolate. What do you get when you add those together and stick them atop a yummy shortbread cookie?? A sucker of a fool. A fool of a sucker. Either way - I'm in!

And I know...another sugary thing?? Well...when your husband returns from a month away of in-the-field training, it never hurts to have something super yummy to share when he gets home!

So, as I mentioned, this is my version:

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 bag of Schar Shortbread Cookies (approx. 30 cookies)

(I had to use two bags because I bought mine on clearance, and well...they were a lil mushed. However, I believe this was THE BEST clearance buy I have ever made. These shortbread cookies are a phenomenal way to make the base for your cookie, and they really are great by themselves. The next time I make these, I will probably try using Kinnikinnick S'moreables Graham Style Crackers for a different taste. There are other gluten-free shortbread cookie recipes you can try, but, in my experience, none come out crunchy. I am typically a staunch soft-cookie supporter, but for these lil babies, crunchy does the trick.)

Topping:

- 3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

- 12 oz. chewy caramels (make sure they're gluten free! Sometimes these are processed on the same equipment as other candies that contain wheat. If so, make the decision YOU feel comfortable with).

- 1/4 tsp. salt

- 3 TBL. milk

- 8 oz. white chocolate bark (you can use milk, dark, or white - whatever you want! You could use chips, but I prefer to use the baking chocolate/bark - it works the best for me)

DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

- Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent any of the coconut from getting a sunburn! (NOTE: a baking sheet with sides is super handy here. If you stir the coconut without sides, it has a tendency to "run amuck." Can't have that.)

- While the coconut is toasting, unwrap the caramels (and try to refrain from eating too many of them. Or...just buy 14 oz. (which is what happened when I bought two 7 oz. bags) and properly dispose of the "extras")

- Put caramels, salt, and milk in a microwave safe bowl and melt on high for 3-4 minutes (stirring occassionally).

- When the caramel mixture is smooth, mix in the toasted coconut.

- Lay cookies out on wax paper.

- Top each cookie with 2-3 tsp (one spoonful in my terms) - BE CAREFUL! The mixture is H-O-T

- While the topping cools on the cookies, melt the white chocolate in a small bowl (I melted 3 squares of white chocolate bark. To prevent scorching, only heat the chocolate for 35-45 seconds at a time, stirring in between heating).

- Dip the base of each cookie in the chocolate.

- Place the cookies back on the wax paper.

- Using a spoon (or a ziploc bag with the corner cut out or a piping bag) drizzle remaining chocolate over the cookies.

- Let the cookies completely cool and the chocolate set and then dive in!

I think I might have already mentioned this, but these cookies are S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R in my book. For me, the white chocolate really tops it off. These store well in an airtight container in the fridge. I used to always like putting the Samoas in the fridge and eating them cold, so I don't mind! Beware, though: these can be a little hard to chew when first out of the fridge. I will absolutely be making these again, and again, and again. For those of you related to me: you WILL be eating these at the next family gathering :-D

Blueberry Breakfast Pound Cake

Alright folks. I need to apologize because it's been so long since I've shown my face. That's what happens when life gets hectic! ACK! Have no fear, though...I've been cooking and baking so I won't let you down!

This lil' dandy is well worth making. I can go on and admit that I'm addicted to this one (especially since, after sharing part of the cake with my aunt, she immediately sent me a text to let me know she was addicted and needed the recipe!!) *big grin* So...y'all ready?!

Originally, this is called Glazed Blueberry Pound Cake. I would LOVE to be able to tell you exactly what recipe I adapted this from, but it was copied out of a newspaper several years ago. This is the first time I have ever made it, and I adapted it to be GF. Now, that being said, I decided to make a truly more healthy version (not the "healthy" version where you add extra butter and sugar, even though I REEEEEALLY like THAT kind of healthy!) At the end of this I will include the glaze recipe. I am sure it's phenomenal (how can sugary glaze NOT be phenomenal?!) but I have not yet tried it. The healthy version was my attempt at making a delicious, enjoyable breakfast. For me, it worked out GREAT. Oh...and it makes a delicious, enjoyable brunch, lunch, afternoon snack, supper, and pre-bed snack, too *heehee*

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cup Amy's flour mix, plus 2 TBL. (or whatever GF all-purpose flour you prefer)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon (I'm a bit addicted to cinnamon, too, remember? So I use 1/2 tsp.)

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar (I use 1 cup of Splenda)

3 eggs

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup apple juice

1 1/2 cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if you use a glass loaf pan as I did, decrease the temp to 325 degrees)

- Whisk 1 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon

- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (the recipe recommends an electric mixer. For those of us that don't have that sort of fancy-smancy appliance, a regular whisk and a lot of elbow grease gets the job done quite well) *grin*

- With mixer on low (or with your hands moving the whisk a little slower because now you're worn out from creaming the butter and sugar), add eggs one at a time and mix well.

- Add lemon juice and apple juice and mix well.

- Add the dry ingredients and whisk (on low if using mixer) just until mixed.

- Place blueberries in a bowl and dust with the remaining 2 TBL of flour, tossing to coat evenly.

- Add the berries to the batter and discard excess flour.

- Gently fold in blueberries.

- Bake 40 - 50 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then move it to cook on a wire rack (or a kitchen towel on the counter like I did!) for about an hour

And let's be honest...there's nothing better than cake/bread that is fresh out of the oven and still warm. So ask yourself....do I REALLY have to wait the entire hour?

- Cut into thick slices and enjoy (and if you'd like...drizzle with the glaze and enjoy it that way)

Glaze:

Whisk 2/3 cup powdered sugar with 2 TBL of apple juice. Drizzle over cake slices.

I will absolutely be making this again. It is incredibly moist, and, unlike a lot of GF recipes, it doesn't crumble the second you touch it! Super excited about that one! I'd like to give it a try with fresh strawberries next time, and I bet you could add some mashed banana! You could add nuts or chocolate chips or whatever in the world you want to. If you have some good ideas and think something should be tried (and maybe you don't have the time to try it yourself first), leave me a note and I'll make it soon. Sam needs to try this good stuff, so I can use the two of us as your guinea pigs!

Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is made using the crescent roll recipe I use from Delightfully Gluten Free.

I mentioned that I'd be trying to incorporate the rolls into a few other recipes so....

Round One:

Sam's sister and brother-in-law came to visit us this weekend (along with their precious dog, Penny) and so I wanted to make us a treat for Sunday morning breakfast. This was the right choice! I'm here to say that these taste just like regular cinnamon rolls! They are not big and fluffy (such as Grands Cinnamon Rolls), but they have INCREDIBLE flavor and texture. Please go make these. You won't regret it at all. In fact, you'll only be sad that they're small and the recipe only makes enough for about 8 cinnamon rolls.

I will ABSOLUTELY be making these again. I need to get family to come visit more often so I have a good excuse to make them :-D

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 batch of crescent rolls

- 3/4 cup of brown sugar

- at least 1 tsp. of cinnamon (I like cinnamon a lot so I add more)

- OPTIONAL: 1/4 - 1/2 cup of raisins/nuts/etc.

DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees if using a glass pan)

- Roll out dough into a rectangle (approximately 14 inches long - give or take! You just don't want the dough too thin) Do this on a surface dusted with flour

- Sprinkle brown sugar-cinnamon mixture onto dough

- Roll dough into a log

- Cut the dough into 2 inch pieces (should make approximately 8 rolls)

- Place rolls into a greased baking dish (I use a Pyrex pie dish)

- Sprinkle remainder of brown sugar-cinnamon mixture on top of rolls

- Bake 20-30 minutes (rolls will be getting brown and crisp on the outside)

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, you can make the icing (and have time to lick the bowl)

- 1 cup confectioners sugar

- 2 TBL milk

- 1/8 tsp. vanilla

- 1 TBL honey

- Mix all the ingredients until smooth. Add or subtract confectioners sugar to meet desired consistency

- Drizzle the icing over the cinnamon rolls

"HEALTHY" VERSION (:-P)

- Melt 1 TBL butter and pour over half-cooled cinnamon rolls before topping with icing

Black Bean Brownies

You won't believe this.

You really won't.

I didn't.

I made them.

I didn't.

I ate them.

I didn't.

I ate them again.

I still don't.

INCREDIBLE.

Since going a bit more public with my Celiac Disease, friends have begun to suggest different recipes that they come across. During my time working as a Conservation Educator near the coast of Texas on a wildlife refuge, I was roommates with Evie, a lovely lady working on her M.S. research conducting bird research. Not only did I get to assist her with her research, but I gained a new friend. She thoughtfully suggested this recipe, and I just couldn't turn it down!

So about one week after making the Namaste Foods Gluten Free Brownies, I made these brownies. Admittedly, the others are a hard act to follow. Even then, the results of this recipe were INCREDIBLY impressive. The texture is certainly a bit different than the fudgy brownie AND the cakey brownie, but these black bean brownies have a spectacular texture and taste all their own. I told you once that I'd always be honest with you, and I am holding to that. These are genuinely good. My husband had no idea I had made them with anything but flour. After eating on them the first night, we covered the pan and kept them in the fridge. For the next several days we'd pull a couple out, top with some Homemade Vanilla Blue Bell Icecream, and thoroughly enjoy the delight. For all of you who are wondering: No...you do NOT taste any hint of "beaniness." The beans simply provide the bulk of the recipe (since there is no flour). This must have been the beginning of "flourless desserts" and, I must say, should definitely not be forgotten. I do believe you could serve these and no one would ever pose the question "what are these made of?" Take my word for it...it's absolutely worth trying. Thank you, Evie, for suggesting these! I'll definitely make them again!

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

- 3 eggs

- 3 TBL. oil

- 4 TBL. cocoa powder

- 1 tsp. vanilla

- 3/4 c. sugar

- pinch of salt

- 1/2 c. white chocolate chips (the batter is a little thin to hold the chips in place, so they sink to the bottom. Have no fear! They still taste great and are a good addition to the brownies if you like them)

DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- Pour beans into a blender, set on puree, and blend until smooth

(I took a picture on the slim, off-chance that you didn't believe that I was serious)

- Add the rest of the ingredients to the beans and blend until mixed evenly (since I used our Magic Bullet rather than a full-size blender, I emptied the beans into a bowl and whisked the other ingredients into the mix)

I felt that the mixing bowl deserved its own picture. On March 20, my husband and I had a wedding vow renewal ceremony on our one year anniversary. A couple weeks later, he gave this to me as a gift. It's THE BEST! I figure that food (especially desserts) are even sweeter when made when you're thinking about those you love. Sappy? Yes. Do I care? Nope! Just speaking truth!

- Pour the mix into a greased 8x8 pan

- Cook the brownies for approximately 25 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean

Clearly I did not have a toothpick in the house...

Not only will I make these again, but I would recommend the recipe to others (who aren't even GF!) How can you go wrong when incorporating veggies into a tasty dessert?! That's right...you can't! Not when it tastes this good.

I also added brownie icing to my pan of brownies. The brownies didn't need icing, but what brownies aren't even better with additional sugary goodness?

ENJOY!

Soy Nut (Peanut) Butter Cup Cake

So we all remember the Chocolate River in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, right? I'll admit - I kind of wanted to be Augustus and get to take a drink of it. I know I'm not alone! So...this dessert kinda gives me that feeling - with a kick of nut butter just for fun :-)

Before I started making my own flour mix (Amy's Flour Mix), I attempted using Pamela's baking mix. I have heard WONDERFUL raves of how great the mix is; however, I stand by the statement: to each his own. In my experimental baking experience, I was not pleased with the taste or texture of other mixes, so I've been sticking with my flour mix I mentioned above. I was OOOOOH so pleasantly surprised at the great taste and texture of this recipe with the flour mix - GREAT STUFF! That being said, use whatever mix you like best - make it work for YOU :-)

This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Stephanie O'Dea: Peanut Butter Cup Cake Recipe

In her blog, Stephanie mentions: "If you like peanut butter with your chocolate, or chocolate with your peanut butter, you will love this cake." I'll go right on ahead and second that!

I am supposedly allergic to peanuts, so I used soy nut butter as a substitute. Even if you can have peanut butter, I'd like to recommend using the soy nut butter for a change. The soy nut gives it the nut butter taste without it being overpowering - it is WONDERFUL!! When Sam first tasted it, he commented on how great it was that the peanut butter taste didn't knock you over. I enlightened him by explaining the use of the soy nut butter...and we both went back to eating :-)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar (divided - 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup. This is super duper uber important so don't get all trigger happy and just start dumping it in the bowl!)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup soy nut butter
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (EEEEEEK! I love white chocolate so I added this. It's a sickness - I just can't help myself...)
1/2 cup milk (I use fat free but whatever you have in the fridge will work!)
1 TBL canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 TBL unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS: I used a 4 qt. slow cooker. If you have one that is much larger, I would put a small baking dish inside the slow cooker to make this recipe

- Coat the crock pot with cooking spray
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt
- In another bowl, microwave soy nut butter for approximately 30-45 seconds (until you can easily swirl it with a spoon)
- Add the soy nut butter to the dry ingredients and combine with milk, oil, vanilla, and white chocolate chips



- Spread this mixture in the bottom of the crock pot (the mix will not be pourable - it's thicker than cake batter)



- In another bowl (yet another one...) mix 1 cup of boiling water with 1/2 cup sugar and cocoa powder (like a chocolate shot for hummingbirds - so close...)



- Pour this mix evenly over the the batter in the crock pot



This is going to appear a little weird. You're thinking "Now I've got a layer of watery chocolate on top of a cake batter that doesn't even have eggs or anything like that. I knew this lady was a lil' off her rocker but....seriously?"
Yep. Seriously.
As it cooks, the cake more or less floats up to the top and you end up with a gooey goodness underneath the cake layer (think thick, non-flowing Chocolate River back at Wonka's place). Ever try the Molten Chocolate Cake at Chili's?! Welcome to your own personal, full-access pass to that happy-land! I don't want to toot my own horn but...*toot toot*...I really think this is way better :-)

The original recipe says to cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours. Keep a CLOSE eye on yours. Mine cooked in about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Cook it until a toothpick or knife can be inserted in the cake portion and come out clean. Don't push it all the way down and expect it to come out clean...it'll be a long night and you'll have to burn the molten chocolate layer to get to that point! Before you serve, let the crock pot sit, uncovered and unplugged, for about 20 minutes (this lets the chocolate firm up enough to scoop!) Just a note: this stuff is good warm OR not!

Here's where it gets serious; I added icing. DOUBLE EEEK! You can make the cake with a sweetner such as Splenda to cut down on carbohydrates and all that good stuff, so go on and splurge on the icing - it MAKES the recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 3/4 TBL butter, softened
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 TBL honey
- 3 TBL milk

DIRECTIONS:

- Combine all ingredients together and mix until smooth.

Serve this whole fantastic mess in a bowl and drizzle with the icing. It's a life-changing experience. After I tasted this, it was another moment when I was thankful to have found another way to treat myself. Occasionally, you get an overwhelming urge to eat a big cookie or chow down on some bread, but you know you can't. It's the little things in life, and being able to successfully bake a great dessert that makes even my husband stop and shake his head while uttering "Wow, honey. Now that's good..." really is an encouraging feat. Try this for a splurge for yourself...I promise it's great :-)

One promise I can make is that I'll always be honest about how the recipes turn out (and everything else, too), so here we go...
This is what happens when a recipe is just flat-out, down-right, knock your teeth outta your mouth, good:



You never get it into a bowl. It starts innocently enough - I taste test the result to make sure it's suitable for serving. Well...then Sam walks in the door and I have him taste it. SPECTACULAR. We leave the spoon in the pot and we end up taking a bite every time we walk by. Do we even drizzle the icing? NOPE. Just getcha a spoonful, dip it in the icing, and fly that airplane on home. When a recipe hits the sweet spot, it just happens :-) And really makes me feel good!

And just for a happy ending....finally made it to a bowl :-)

Chocolate fans, listen up!

Alright folks....this is worth hearing about. So put everything else down and listen up (pick up a pen and paper, too) and write this down....

Namaste Foods Gluten Free Brownie Mix

I would write it again to reiterate the importance, but just know that I spoke it again, directly to you, as I typed this.

My birthday was last week (*HAPPY BIRFDAY TOOOOOO MEEEEEEEEEEEE!*), and a good friend of mine, Megan, brought me some GF goodies as a gift. I was sooooo humbled and couldn't believe how thoughtful she was!! Sam was coming home on Sunday from two weeks out in the field and I wanted to have a little extra for us to share, so I started cabinet shopping. One of the treasures Megan gave me was this brownie mix. (I took a picture for you...let it burn into your brain so you'll be sure to know it when you see it). GF baking can be a shot in the dark on the first go-around with any recipe/mix so, I had my fingers crossed (and made them early enough in the day that I could dash to the store for something reliable if need be!)



Back when I was still on the gluten train, I pretty much refused to eat cakey brownies (alright...refuse is a strong word and, let's face it...chocolate is chocolate...but....) My absolute favorite are more fudge-like: soft and even a little gooey. So, yes, some of that comes from baking time, heat of oven, making sure you measure the water correctly and all those bits and pieces, but you can't overcome the barrier of a recipe or mix that just gives you cakey brownies!

Since having to bail off that gluten train 7 months ago, I pretty much had to forego being all that judgmental because it's harder to find a brownie mix that tastes exactly the way it should. I am not a picky eater by any stretch of the imagination, but when you can still remember what a brownie ACTUALLY tastes like, it's hard to be head over heels for anything less.

Namaste Foods GF Brownie Mix (write it down again) *Enter stage left*

By pure luck, Megan happened to pick this mix off the shelf, and I am forever thankful she did!
The important thing here is just to follow the directions on the bag to the letter, and everything should turn out just right!

Alright...if you got lost in all my raving above, listen up again because this is saying something:
These brownies taste EXACTLY like good ol' glutened-up brownies. PHENOMENAL.
Now, you put any ol' brownie in a bowl full of Blue Bell homemade vanilla icecream and you have bits of heaven right there on your spoon. Same is true here, but these are still mmmm-azing all by themselves.

I made only one minor change to the mix:

I added a few dashes of cinnamon (that's my mom's fault...we're all into the cinnamon thang...)

After I placed the pan in the oven, I was a bit worried about the final product (oh ye of little faith, I know...) so I decided to make icing to top them off. Gotta say...hard to make something this good much better, but the brownies are great with this addition, too.

INGREDIENTS:

3 TBL butter, softened (do the real thing...go on...)
1 TBL honey (this is the real kicker - so good!)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
Optional: 3 TBL unsweetened cocoa powder (I didn't go this route because am a fan of vanilla icing, but I know it would be great. Oh...and I didn't have any cocoa)

DIRECTIONS:

- Combine all the ingredients (brilliant, I know!)
- Frost brownies while they are still warm (I know what you're thinking: "No! You ALWAYS wait until things have cooled to frost them. I don't want a gooey mess!" But believe me...this time you don't wait. Not only does it help this amount of frosting cover the whole pan, but it creates the perfect icing layer and cools just right. Don't wait! Jump in!)

I only frosted half of the brownies so we could try both versions. BOTH ARE GREAT.



So let me explain...the edges are pretty roughed up in this picture. That COULD possibly-maybe-almost-sorta-pretty-much be the fault of ME who, wanting to get the dishes washed, pulled them out of the pan too early. That COULD also be the fault of ME because I kept pinching off the edges as I took them out of the pan. I am NOT taking responsibility...just sayin...

NOTE:
The real trick is this:
When you're ready to cut the brownies, use a plain ol' cheap plastic knife (the brownies won't stick to the knife and pull). Of course, I did not have a plastic knife at home and wouldn't dream of waiting until I did to cut these. So..."do as I say, not as I do"

I know there are wonderful GF recipes out there for spectacular brownies, but I wanted to share this great find with you, because sometimes you just need life to be a little more simple! I am absolutely making these for the next family function and probably won't tell that I made them - I bet no one will know! :-) Sneaky, sneaky (alright...except for the family members that read this...)

Shhhhhhhhh....

Ingredients:

- White baking chocolate (you'll have to do label reading to make sure the kind you get is GF, but I use the HEB brand)
- GF Chex cereal (or any other sort of GF cereal. I also use GF Glutino pretzels, and let me tell you..(as my mother says) it'll make you want to slap your grandma (twice, if I do say so myself!) We served the white chocolate covered pretzels at our one year anniversary wedding vow ceremony and they were a HUGE hit!)
OPTIONAL: add in some marshmallows - or whatever else you can think of!

NOTE: Our absolute FAAAAAAAAAAAVORITE is the Honey Nut Chex. Something about the honey nut and the white chocolate just takes the cake...can't beat it. However, for this batch I also used the Cinnamon Chex. I have made it using the chocolate version, too. AAAAAALL delectable. There's also a Strawberry Chex that is great, but is really hard to find unless you're in a big city. Because of that, I have yet to make this candy with it, but I bet it's awesome!



If you're shocked that I'm making such a big deal out of some candy that only has a measly two ingredients, it's only because you haven't tried it yet. Don't worry...I'll forgive you for doubting me.

Directions:

- Melt the baking chocolate in a big, microwave safe bowl until it is entirely smooth (according to directions on package).





- Pour in the cereal. (Don't add too much at first, because then you'll have to go get more chocolate, and since you can't just waste what you've made, you'll have to take the bowl with you to the store and eat it on the way, when you get back in the car, and the whole way home. Ya can't waste perfectly good food because of a simple mistake....)



- Gently mix the chocolate with the cereal.





- If there is still a lot of extra chocolate floating around unattached, add in some extra cereal (don't want anyone getting lonely!)
- Place some wax paper on a table/countertop
- Place clumps of the mixture on the wax paper and leave it to cool (I would tell you that this will take about _____ minutes, but I'd rather you have an excuse to keep walking by the table and grabbing a piece to see if it's cooled yet. I'm here for YOU)



- While you're waiting for the candy to cool, lick the spoon....bowl...counter where you laid the spoon...whatever.
- Once they're cooled, place in a container or ziploc bag (or don't, and just eat them all right there!)

Alright...go forth and share the yummy goodness with everyone you know (just don't tell anybody!)
What?!?

Banana Pudding!!

Well Sam and his cousin are off picking up a couch for our living room (YAAAAAAAAAY for having a place for visitors to sit and sleep!! FINALLY!). I figured this would be a small treat (with BlueBell homemade vanilla icecream, of course!) for after supper tonight. Well...I thought it sounded like a good excuse at least...
I have always been a big fan of banana pudding (that's my dad's fault, I think), but I was afraid it wouldn't be the same without Nilla Wafers...and that would just be tragic. But, believe it or not, we're pleasantly surprised at what a great job the Mi-del GF Arrowroot Animal Crackers do as a replacement. Try it for yourself :-)
To be honest, I was pretty near heartbroken when I realized I would no longer be able to delight in the greatness of BlueBell Banana Pudding icecream (if you don't have Celiac Disease...stop reading this and go buy some...I'll be here when you get back). It does, though, feel good to say that this is an AWESOME way to indulge that banana pudding craving (don't lie...you know you have them too...I'm not the only one...)

INGREDIENTS:

1 heaping TBL GF flour mix (and I mean heaping!)
1/2 cup sugar (it's okay...you can put a lil' more...go on)
2 cups milk (I use whole milk for this particular recipe even though I usually have skim)
2 eggs
1 TBL butter
1/4 tsp vanilla (if you put too much it will start to have a chocolate taste)
GF animal crackers
Bananas (2-3 depending on how many you decide you want)

DIRECTIONS:

- Mix flour and sugar in a saucepan
- Add eggs and mix well



- Turn on the burner (I keep mine on Medium heat)
- Slowly add in the milk a little at a time and continue stirring constantly



- Continue stirring until the mixture thickens (do this until it is the consistency you want. It will boil before it gets thick enough so don't forget to keep stirring! I stirred with a whisk the entire time but used a spoon here to try and show the consistency? Futile effort??)



- After it thickens, add butter and vanilla to taste (I recommend 1 TBL butter and 1/4 tsp vanilla, but add to your heart's desire)

- Layer animal crackers and banana slices in a dish or just throw it all in a bowl (I use an 8X8 Pyrex baking dish)



- Pour the pudding mixture on top of the animal crackers and banana slices





- Crumble extra animal crackers on top


- Place in refrigerator until cold (generally several hours or even over night)

DONUT DAY!!

So I know this is a bit of a rush....but I couldn't help but go ahead and put this post up. Seriously...How can I keep this yummy goodness for myself? That would just be down right selfish..wouldn't dream of it!

Alright...so with Celiac Disease you kinda lose out on the convenience aspect of today's world since you can't always run down the street and pick up a donut...BUT...doesn't mean you can't still partake in the yumminess of food (usually after a bit of experimentation...favorite part!)!! So because I'm home and can't drive myself around after the little surgery, I decided to step out on a limb this morning and try GF donuts. ROCK N' ROLL (well, after I realized I had no eggs and Sam had to drive to the convenience store up the road to get some...BLESS the man). They're REEEEEALLY tasty and not too bad to look at either :-) (more of a miracle than you know if you've never cooked gluten free from scratch). So just wanted to share my success story. YAAAAAAAAAAAY for DONUT DAY!! (Recipe adapted from Cannelle et Vanille)

Ingredients:

1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 C milk
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBL butter, melted
1 3/4-2 C flour mix
Vegetable oil for frying

NOTE: For me, this recipe made 7 donuts and about 15 donut holes (most of which aren't in the final picture because I had to make sure the recipe was good before serving it. Otherwise, how could I call myself responsible?! )

Toppings:

I used powdered sugar for half of the donuts and cinnamon and sugar mix for the others.
Next time I make these (which will be this Saturday for company, so stay tuned!) I'm going to make glazed donuts :-)

Directions:

-Mix together egg, milk, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and butter
-Add flour and mix (you may need incorporate it with your hands at end of mixing).
-Cover and refrigerate for about an hour (to firm up dough)
(Let's have a little heart to heart for a moment, shall we? I wanted donuts. And when I say I want donuts....need I say more? I wasn't about to wait a whole hour before getting to start these morsels of heaven. You'd have to be outside your mind! So...I stuck mine in the freezer for about 15 minutes while I prepped the oil, etc. and then I got right down to it. My dough behaved just fine, and if it did get a little out of line (started to stick when I rolled it out) I just used a bit more tapioca flour on the cutting board)

-Prepare to roll out the doughnuts. I dusted a cutting board with flour and rolled out and cut out the dough there. Based on a suggestion from several other websites, I used tapioca flour for this--it won't add graininess to the dough.
-Roll out the dough to 1/2" thickness (be sure it's not too thin)



-Cut out donuts with a biscuit cutter and donut holes with smaller biscuit cutter



(Heart to heart - Take #2: I know what biscuit cutters are but I definitely do not own any, much less two different sizes of them. They're on the wish list but that may be a while, and remember...I don't wait for donuts! So...I simply floured the lip of a plastic glass and used that to cut out my donuts. I did want to make some donut holes (because when I ate donuts for the first time in MONTHS I wanted them to look like real donuts...plus donut holes have always been my favorite and they're so much fun to eat!) All I did was cut out a circle from the inside of each donut and - TAHDAH!)



- Place oil in a pan and heat to around 360 degrees. (For those of us without a candy thermometer, I put mine on just over medium heat). You need to have enough oil so that the donuts are completely submerged in the oil when you place them in the pan.
- Prepare a plate with paper towels on it as a place to put the donuts once they are done cooking.
- Before just jumping in with both feet to this thing, test the oil. Drop a small piece of extra dough into the oil to see if it fries. If it starts frying immediately, then the oil is ready.
-Carefully place donuts into the oil. I set each piece of dough in a large spoon and set them into the oil gently since I am not a big fan of splashing hot oil. They should drop into the oil and start frying.



- After cooking a couple of minutes, the donuts will rise to the surface of the oil. This is a good time to turn them to make sure they are cooking evenly.
- Once they are golden brown you are ready to rock n' roll! Take them out of the oil and place them on the paper towel covered plate you set out earlier.
- After they cool slightly, dust them with the toppings you have. I placed the powdered sugar and cinnamon/sugar mix into separate bowls the placed the donuts in the bowls and covered them completely (I mean..if you're gonna do this...you gotta commit! No simple "dusting" here!)





AND ENJOY!!!