If you’re looking for a fun and relaxing way to spend the holidays, check out this cute Christmas coloring book. I just got this bold and easy coloring book and love it!
Fun food . . . that requires no cooking!
Hey friends, I’ve taken up a new hobby to relax – super easy coloring books for kids of all ages. Just started on this Bold & Easy Fun Food Coloring Book and love it!
– L
Ring out the old, ring in the new
from the wordpress annual report
I was going to write a Top Posts of 2012 post, when along came a report from wordpress. Just as I suspected, the post about vanilla extract being gluten free was still the most read piece here. But – and this is good news for disco fans – the most popular single day post was How The Bee Gees Inspired A Gluten Free Thin Mints Recipe!
While being popular is great, some very worthy posts fell under the radar. So here’s one more list to ponder:
5 Least Popular Posts of 2012
As 2012 closes, so does this blog. Because it’s moved here. Hope you’ll continue following the blog at it’s new location, friends. Have a very happy and delicious New Year!
– Linda 
Really Great Chocolate Chip Cookies
Classic chocolate chip cookies
Who can resist a chocolate chip cookie? Wish I could on occasion.
This gluten free chocolate chip cookie is the perfect treat for any gathering. Use your favorite all purpose flour, like the one from King Arthur, or create your own custom blend. These cookies are crazy good with a few tablespoons of mesquite used as part of the total flour. Maybe they’ve carried it for a while, but I just saw today that Whole Foods in St. Louis sells mesquite flour. Definitely worth checking out.
You’ll want to mix the dough the day before you plan on baking cookies. Chilling the dough overnight gives the flour a chance to absorb all the goodness you’ve mixed in. Your reward for waiting a day or two before baking? A better looking (more evenly browned) and better tasting (hello, caramelization) cookie.
But I want a cookie right now.
Waiting is hard. We all know that thanks to Tom Petty. Take care of your needs with an instant cookie while this dough spends some time in the fridge.
To be honest, I’d rather have a chocolate chip cookie without extra peppermint bits sprinkled on top. Sorry, candy canes.
Really Great Chocolate Chip Cookies
Combine the dry ingredients and set aside:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
In mixer, cream:
1¼ sticks butter (10 tablespoons)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
Add to bowl and mix:
1 egg
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
After mixing thoroughly, stir in:
1 cup chocolate chips or chunks
Cover dough and refrigerate overnight. To bake, preheat oven to 325. Use a #40 disher to scoop uniformly sized dough balls. Place dough on parchment lined pans (12 cookies will bake comfortably on one pan). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Yield: 30 small cookies
Great, but what will everyone else eat?!
– Linda
Favorite Recipes: Holiday Cookies and Treats
Ready to start baking for the holidays? Me too! Here are a few of my favorite gluten free treats for any occasion.
Gluten free Gingerbread Cookies
Fudgy Brownies
Gluten Free Thin Mints
Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Twinkies
Brownie Cookies
A Very Basic Cupcake Recipe
Cocoa Crinkle Cookies
Double chocolate chunk cookies with black sorghum
Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Gluten Free Pie Crust Recipe
-Linda
How to make a chocolate cake in 2 minutes
Microwave chocolate cake, because sometimes it’s an emergency.
Due to the popularity of a recent post, it’s time for another round of microwave fun. Like I neglected to mention about that cookie, this chocolate cake isn’t nearly as cloying as a traditional one. Confession: I’m a big fan of not overly sweet gluten free treats. Shocking?!
Vary the flavor of this vegan, dark chocolate cake by using a different extract, subbing ripe banana for the applesauce, adding a tablespoon or so of chocolate chips, or zapping as cupcakes instead. About the paper towel suggestion in directions – you’ll know if you need one after you’ve made the cake once or twice in your microwave.
Use your favorite all purpose flour, like the one from King Arthur Flour, or create your own custom blend. I love hemp milk for baking, but use whatever milk or yogurt suits your fancy . . .
2-Minute Microwave Chocolate Cake
Melt in a microwave safe cup:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Add to melted oil and stir well:
2 tablespoons milk or yogurt
1 tablespoon applesauce
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Add to cup and stir more:
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of each: salt and cinnamon
Pour batter into a greased 6 oz. ramekin or mug. Set on a paper towel (just to be on the safe side because it will puff up and potentially spill over) in microwave and cook for 45 seconds at full power (in a 1500 watt oven). Cook time will vary depending on how powerful your microwave is. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and let cool a bit before digging in. Really great topped with yogurt or ice cream. Yield: 1 dark chocolate cake or 2 cupcakes
Doily = Fancy
– Linda
Chocolate Twinkies with Magic Shell Topping
Light and fudgy, these gluten free twinkies are the kind of cake you dream about. Especially when they’re topped with a magic shell drizzle that works equally well poured over ice cream. If you don’t have a twinkie pan, make muffins instead. You really can’t go wrong when it comes to this much chocolatey goodness.
The filling is unnecessary. But it makes for a nice pic, huh?
Chocolate Banana Twinkies ~ gluten free
Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl:
¾ cup flour
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of cinnamon
Combine the wet ingredients, then add to dry:
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup ripe banana, mashed
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Fold in:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill greased twinkie pan about half full with chocolate batter, then drop 2 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture in the center of each. Top with remaining chocolate batter. Bake for about 24 minutes, until tester inserted remains mostly clean. Let cakes cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan. Chill twinkies in freezer for 15 minutes before drizzling with magic shell topping. Yield: 8 chocolate twinkies
Magic Shell Topping
In a microwave safe cup, melt:
2 teaspoons coconut oil
Add and stir until combined:
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
Drizzle topping over chilled twinkies. Sauce will harden in about a minute. Magic shell topping can also be used on ice cream.
~ Notes ~
- A combination of gluten free flours usually gives the best result. For this recipe, I used ½ cup black sorghum flour and ¼ cup tapioca flour. Black sorghum looks just like cocoa powder, so it’s especially enticing in chocolate baked goods, but awesome in breads, too. Here’s more info on gluten free flour blends.
- No buttermilk? Sour hemp or regular dairy milk by pouring 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar into a measuring cup and adding milk to measure 1/2 cup. Stir and let sit for about 10 minutes.
- If you don’t have a twinkie pan, batter can be baked into muffins. Fill 12 greased or paper-lined muffin tins, using a number 16 disher to scoop batter evenly.
- Make sure the oven is preheated. Twinkies like that sort of thing.
- Recipe can be doubled. Freeze extra twinkies to enjoy as needed.
Chocolate drizzle is magic.
-Linda
How to make a cookie in 2 minutes
2-minute cookie
Did you know it’s National Cookie Day? As if anyone needs to be reminded about the importance of cookies. Since it’s so warm here in St. Louis, I thought it might be fun to share a recipe that doesn’t require turning the oven on.
Raw dough after mixing in cup
Since it’s zapped in the microwave, the finished cookie won’t have the crispy, browned exterior of a cookie that’s baked in an oven. Does that matter? Remember, if you judge cookies, you have no time to love them. The good news: you’ll have plenty of time to mix and bake more traditional cookies, like thin mints, cocoa crinkles, sugar cookies and double chocolate chunk cookies.
Vary the flavor of this vegan breakfast cookie by using a different extract, subbing ripe banana for the applesauce, or adding quinoa flakes instead of instant oats. Use your favorite all purpose flour, like the one from King Arthur Flour, or create your own custom blend.
2-Minute Microwave Cookie
Melt in a microwave safe cup:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Add to melted oil and stir:
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon applesauce
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Add to cup and stir:
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons quick cooking oats
Pinch of each: salt and cinnamon
1 tablespoon chocolate chips
Scoop dough onto parchment paper, flattening slightly into a patty shape. Microwave on high for 45-50 seconds (in a 1500 watt oven). Cook time will vary depending on how powerful your microwave is. Let cookie cool (if you can) before enjoying. Yield: 1 large cookie
Well-rounded breakfast
Need cake in a hurry? Try this 2 -minute chocolate cake recipe.
– Linda
Pumpkin Cheesecake Twinkies
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Twinkies
I know what you’re thinking.
What’s up with all the pumpkin recipes?
Oh. I thought you were going to ask about the plethora of twinkie action here of late. Guilty conscience. But I can explain.
~ The Twinkie Defense ~
Making iconic snack cakes is addictive. There’s something about the pan itself that makes you want to fill it. If you have leftover pumpkin and lots to do, why NOT procrastibake a pumpkin twinkie with cheesecake filling?
No twinkie pan? Bake the batter in a cupcake pan. You’ll end up with a dozen muffins. But no twinkies.
I won’t judge you.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Twinkies
Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl:
1¼ cups gluten free flour
½ cup brown or raw sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon each ginger and nutmeg
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Combine the wet ingredients, then add to large bowl:
½ cup hemp milk
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup melted butter or oil
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling
Blend until smooth:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill greased twinkie pan about half full with pumpkin batter, then drop 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture in the center of each. Top with remaining pumpkin batter. Bake for about 24 minutes, until tester inserted remains mostly clean. Let cakes cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan. Yield: 8 pumpkin twinkies
Notes
- If you have extra cheesecake filling, blend with a bit of leftover pumpkin, a sprinkle of cinnamon, then bake in paper lined muffin cups.
- A combination of gluten free flours usually gives the best result. Pick up a ready to use flour blend like King Arthur Flour or use your favorite all-purpose mix. Here’s more info on gluten free flour blends.
- Recipe can be doubled. Freeze extra twinkies to enjoy anytime.
- Hemp milk is great for gluten free baking, but dairy milk can be used in this recipe as well.
- Make sure the oven is preheated. Twinkies like that sort of thing.
Wonder why I’m never hungry for dinner . . .
-Linda
Free Range Cookies 