Cheesy Yellow Squash Casserole (Gluten Free)

Cheesy Yellow Squash Casserole (Gluten Free)

This Yellow Summer Squash Casserole is SO easy and cheesy that it will quickly become one of your family’s favorites! It pairs nicely with a fresh green salad and your favorite protein…a perfect accompaniment for my Maple Glazed Salmon! Enjoy 🙂

  • 2-3 Large Yellow Summer Squash, thinly sliced ((or 5-6 Medium Squash))
  • 1 Tbsp Canola Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Salted Butter (I use Land O Lakes)
  • 1 Large Vidalia Onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (I used Medium Cheddar, but Mild or Sharp works, too!)
  • 1/2 Cup Lite Sour Cream
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 – 3/4 Cup Gluten Free Italian Bread Crumbs
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish; set aside.
  3. In a large skillet, heat the Oil and Butter over medium heat until the butter is melted.
  4. Saute the thinly sliced Squash and Onion until both are soft. Sprinkle with the Salt and Pepper.
  5. Transfer the Squash and Onion to the prepared casserole dish and add the Parmesan, Cheddar and Sour Cream. Mix gently until well combined.
  6. Sprinkle the Bread Crumbs evenly over the top.
  7. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and the top is a light golden brown.
  8. Serve with a fresh green salad and your favorite protein….pairs lovely with the Maple Glazed Salmon!
Side Dish




Sunshine Lemon Cooler Cookies (Gluten Free)

Sunshine Lemon Cooler Cookies (Gluten Free)

This copycat recipe for Sunshine Lemon Cooler cookies earned 5 Stars with our family! Growing up, these were my favorite cookies!!! I was SO sad when the Sunshine Company stopped making/selling them 🙁 I have tried many copycat recipes over the years, but this one from “Dixie Crystals” is by far the best (a HUGE “Thank You” to dixiecrystals.com). I simply swapped out the regular flour with “Better Batter All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix” and voila! the memories came flooding back as these crunchy, lemony morsels of Heaven dissolved in my mouth 🙂 Enjoy!

The Powdered Sugar Coating:

  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Envelope Kool-Aid Powdered Lemonade (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)

The Cookie:

  • 2 Cups Better Batter All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix (I find that this brand works best)
  • 2 teaspoons Gluten Free Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temp (I use Land O Lakes)
  • 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1/3 Cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg (lightly beaten)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Directions for Making the Powdered Sugar Coating:

  1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the 1 Cup Powdered Sugar with the Kool-Aid Powdered Lemonade; set aside.

Directions for Making the Cookies:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line 1-2 cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix the GF Flour Mix, Baking Powder and Salt; set aside.
  4. Using a Stand Mixer, combine the Butter and Sugars until smooth and creamy.
  5. Next, add the Egg, Vanilla, Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice to the Butter-Sugar mixture, blending well.
  6. Add the Flour Mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, to the dough, mixing on the Low setting until just combined.
  7. Using a small cookie scoop (or spoon and rolling the dough into balls), scoop out the cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, placing them 2″ apart. Using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass, slightly flatten each cookie to form disks.
  8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on your oven. I bake mine for 14-15 minutes, because I prefer these cookies to be slightly crunchy, like the original Sunshine recipe.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for about 5 minutes.
  10. Carefully toss 3-4 cookies at a time in the powdered sugar mixture, coating each cookie well.
  11. Place the powdered cookies on a cooling rack to continue cooling.
  12. Enjoy!
Desserts, Snacks




Chocolate Pudding with Cookie Crumbles & Fresh Whipped Cream (Gluten Free)

Chocolate Pudding with Cookie Crumbles & Fresh Whipped Cream (Gluten Free)

Pudding is one of my favorite comfort foods. However, I must confess…I always made it from a box 😉 So, I decided to make it from scratch to see if there was a big difference and YES there is! Homemade chocolate pudding is definitely worth making 🙂 I added the chocolate cookie crumbles in the bottom after finding a wonderful recipe by Ree Drummond (thank you, Ree!) Let me know what you think…box or homemade?

Ingredients for the Cookie Crumble (optional):

  • 22-24 Gluten Free Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (if not GF, use Oreos)
  • 4 Tbsp Salted Butter, Melted (I use Land O Lakes)

Ingredients for the Pudding:

  • 1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Gluten Free Corn Starch
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 3 Cups Skim Milk (You can substitute with 1%, 2%, Whole or any non-dairy milk)
  • 4 Large Egg Yolks
  • 6 1/2 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate
  • 2 Tbsp Butter, salted
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Ingredients for the Whipped Topping:

  • 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (very cold)
  • 2-3 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Making the Cookie Crumble:

  1. In a food processor, pulse the melted Butter and Sandwich Cookies until finely crushed. Then spoon desired amount into the bottom of your serving dishes/cups (reserving some for garnish). Note: I spoon about 2 Tbsp into the bottom of each glass.

Making the Pudding:

  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the Sugar, Cornstarch and Salt until well-blended.
  2. Add the Milk and Egg Yolks to the Sugar mixture and whisk well.
  3. Heat this mixture over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly so mixture doesn’t burn or clump. Immediately remove from the heat once it starts to thicken (like pudding ;))
  4. Add the Butter and Vanilla to the pudding mixture, stirring until butter is completely melted and blended.
  5. Pour the mixture into desired serving bowls/cups. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Making the Whipped Cream:

  1. Just before serving the pudding, make the Whipped Cream by combining the Heavy Whipping Cream, Powdered Sugar (1 Tablespoon at a time) and Vanilla Extract using a Stand or Handheld Mixer. Beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form (about 4-5 minutes)
  2. Spoon desired amount on top of each pudding and add a few Cookie Crumbles for garnish. Yum!
Desserts, Snacks
American




Rustic Strawberry Tart (Gluten Free)

Rustic Strawberry Tart (Gluten Free)

We look forward to Spring every year because we get to make jam, jelly, frozen yogurt pies and yummy tarts with our buckets of fresh, plump Strawberries! This recipe was adapted from two of my favorite cooks/bakers/chefs….Ree Drummond (aka: The Pioneer Woman) and Kim (“letthemeatgfcake”). I simply swapped out the “regular” pie crust with Kim’s recipe for Gluten Free Pie Crust and filled it with a GF version of Ree’s Strawberry Filling. Topped with freshly whipped cream, this tart is out of this world!!! Enjoy 🙂

The Gluten Free Pie Crust:

  • 1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Butter (Chilled and Cut into 1/2″ pieces)
  • 3 Cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend (this blend must include Xanthan Gum )
  • 1 Large Egg (beaten)
  • 1 Tbsp White Vinegar
  • 7-9 Tbsp Ice-cold Water
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 Large Egg (for outside of crust)
  • 1 Tbsp Water (for outside of crust)

The GF Strawberry Filling:

  • 4 Cups Strawberries (cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour (plus more for dusting work surface)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Lemon Zest
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/3 Cup Orange Marmalade (This is for using as a glaze for the strawberry filling; you can use just about any preserves, jams or marmalades that you have in your frig ;))
  • Splash Water

The Fresh Whipped Cream:

  • 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (cold)
  • 3-4 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Making the GF Pie Crusts:

  1. NOTE: This recipe makes 2 pie crusts. You can refrigerate any unused & uncooked dough for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months, well wrapped. To thaw the dough, move it to the refrigerator overnight, then let dough warm a little for about 20-30 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Gather the ingredients for the pie crusts.
  3. In a food processor, pulse together the GF Flour Blend and Salt until well combined.
  4. Next, add the Cold Butter pieces to the food processor and pulse until the butter is in large chunks.
  5. Add the Beaten Egg and Vinegar to the Butter/Flour mixture and pulse until just combined.
  6. Slowly add the Ice-cold Water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, to the dough mixture while pulsing. Note: depending on the humidity, you may not need all of the water. Pulse until the dough comes together.
  7. Divide the dough in half (I weigh mine) and wrap each half in plastic wrap, flattening the dough into discs. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Making the Strawberry Filling (while the Pie Dough is chilling):

  1. Gather the ingredients for the filling.
  2. Place one of your oven racks in the center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the cut-up Strawberries, Sugar, GF Flour, Vanilla Extract, Lemon Zest and Juice until the Strawberries are well coated. Set aside while you roll out the pie dough.
  4. Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper and place one of the pie dough discs on top. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into an oval shape about 19″ x 11″ (thickness of dough should be about 1/4″).
  5. Transfer the rolled-out dough and the Parchment Paper to a baking sheet and spoon the Strawberry filling onto the center of the dough. Spread the filling evenly out, leaving a 1-2″ border of dough.
  6. Very gently fold the edges of the dough over the Strawberries, pinching together any folds in the dough.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Large Egg and 1 Tbsp of water. Brush this egg wash onto the folded edges of the dough.
  8. Bake on the center rack for about 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to evenly bake.
  9. While the tart is baking, warm the Preserves (or Jam/Jelly/Marmalade) with a splash of water (to help the Preserves spread).
  10. Once the crust is a golden brown, remove the Tart from the oven and gently brush the Strawberry filling with the warmed Preserves. Cool completely.

Making the Whipped Cream:

  1. Using a Stand Mixer, fitted with the Whisk attachment, whisk the Heavy Whipping Cream, Powdered Sugar and Vanilla Extract on Medium-High until soft peaks have formed.
  2. Serve the cooled Tart with a large dollop of freshly made Whipped Cream and watch it disappear!
Desserts, Lunch, Snacks
American




Lemon Love Notes (Lemon Bars) – Gluten Free

Lemon Love Notes

I have been making these ooey, gooey and crunchy Lemon Bars since I was a child! I have always LOVED Lemon-flavored anything, so this dessert is (and always has been) #1 on my Favorites list!!! These yummy lemon bars are so simple to make and quickly disappear, so you may want to make 2 batches 😉 Enjoy!

Ingredients for the Crust:

  • 16 Tbsp Salted Butter, Softened ((2 sticks))
  • 2 Cup All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour, Sifted (Must be sifted to cut down on graininess (you may substitute regular flour, if you’re not making GF))
  • 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

Ingredients for the Lemon Mixture:

  • 4 Large Eggs (slightly beaten)
  • 2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 4 Tbsp All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour, Sifted (You may substitute regular flour, if you’re not making GF)
  • 1 tsp Gluten Free Baking Powder
  • 5-6 Tbsp lemon juice (Fresh or bottled)
  • 1 Lemon Zest ((optional))

Topping

  • Powdered Sugar ((optional) as much or as little as desired)

Making the Crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Very lightly grease the sides of the 9″ x 13″ baking pan. Set aside.
  3. Using a Stand or Handheld Mixer, fitted with the Paddle attachment, combine the Softened Butter, GF Flour and Powdered Sugar until thoroughly blended.
  4. Press this mixture into the prepared baking pan to evenly cover the bottom.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool a little while you prepare the Lemon topping mixture.

Making the Lemon Topping/Mixture:

  1. Using a Stand or Handheld Mixer, fitted with the Whisk attachment, beat the Eggs until light.
  2. Gradually add the Granulated Sugar to the Eggs and beat until thoroughly blended.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients to the Egg-Sugar mixture and mix thoroughly, until completely smooth.
  4. Pour over the baked Crust.
  5. Bake in the 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until set (no longer jiggling). Note: if the top starts to get too dark, cover pan with foil.
  6. Let cool and then sprinkle with Powdered Sugar. Enjoy!
  7. Enjoy!
Desserts, Snacks
American




Italian Sandwich Bread (Gluten Free)

Italian Sandwich Bread (Gluten Free)

I panicked when I found out that I was allergic to Gluten…that meant NO BREAD!!! 🙁 I tried the frozen GF Breads in the grocery store, but they all tasted wrong! And the texture was well, also wrong!! So, I decided to hit the internet and cookbooks for a good GF Bread Recipe. I had tried SO many different recipes and was just about to give up when I discovered a wonderful GF Bread Flour Blend by Kim (“letthemeatgfcake”). Everyone in my family couldn’t believe that it was Gluten Free…it tasted JUST like “regular” gluten bread 🙂 I bake at least one loaf per day…sometimes 2….yes, it’s THAT great!!! Now, I can have my GF Bread and eat it, too 🙂
A HUGE “Thank You” to Kim @ “letthemeatgfcake.com” for sharing this delicious recipe!

  • 3 Cups + 3 Tbsp (453 g) GF Bread Flour Blend (recipe in the notes*)
  • 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
  • 2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 2 tsp Quick Rise Yeast (Instant)
  • 2 Cups Milk (You can use Whole, 2%, 1%, Skim, Rice Milk, Cashew Milk, Oat Milk, etc.)
  • 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (melted; You can also use a dairy-free butter, such as “Earth Balance”)
  1. Thoroughly coat the bread pan/pans with shortening and then a dusting of GF Flour, being sure to bang the pan to get rid of any extra flour. Set aside.
  2. In a small microwave-proof bowl, melt the butter and set aside.
  3. Using a stand mixer, combine (on Low) the GF Flour Blend, Sugar, Salt and Yeast until completely mixed (about 1 minute).
  4. In another microwave-proof bowl, heat the milk for 45-60 seconds or until just slightly warm.
    Note: I use a 2-Cup Glass measuring cup with a pour spout to make it easier to add to the flour mixture.
  5. Pour the melted butter into the luke-warm milk.
  6. Turn the mixer on to Low and slowly pour the Milk/Butter mixture into the Flour blend until completely combined.
  7. Scrape down the sides of bowl and increase the speed to Medium-High and beat for 5 minutes.
  8. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the bread dough into the prepared bread pan and spread dough out evenly.
  9. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
    Note: I place my breads on top of our cable box since it is nice and warm 🙂
  10. Once the bread dough is ready to bake, place one oven rack in the lowest position and the other rack in the middle position of your oven. Next, place an oven-proof baking pan/dish on the bottom rack (off to one side, so it isn’t directly underneath where the bread will be baking – you don’t want to block heat to the bread above it); add about 1 cup of water to the pan (this is for producing steam for the baking bread).
  11. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  12. Remove plastic covering from bread loaf and bake for 35-40 minutes. Bread is done with it starts pulling away from the sides and it makes a hollow thud sound when you thump it lightly.
    Note: if bread starts to get too dark on the top, cover with foil – start checking at about 15 minutes.
  13. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack while still in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, remove bread from pan and continue cooling on the wire rack.
  14. Enjoy with butter and honey or fresh strawberry jam or with your favorite sandwich fixings 🙂

Before I start with the recipe for the Gluten Free Bread Flour blend, I need to point out a few things:

1st, kitchen scales would be very helpful since the ingredients in this recipe have to be weighed (in grams).

2nd, weigh each ingredient separately and then add to the storage container or ziploc baggie used to keep the flour fresh.

3rd, I have found that it is much easier to store my flours and flour blends in large plastic containers with tight-fitting tops – easy to scoop from 😉

GF Bread Flour Blend Recipe (makes 5 Cups):

  • Potato Starch – 280 grams
  • Superfine White Rice Flour – 245 grams
  • Tapioca Starch/Flour – 75 grams
  • Whey Protein Isolate (unflavored) – 75 grams
  • Xanthan Gum – 15 grams
Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Snacks
American, Italian




Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Coffee Cake (Gluten Free)

Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Coffee Cake (Gluten Free)

Do you like Coffee Cake? Are you Gluten-intolerant or have Celiac’s and miss eating yummy treats, like Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coffee Cake? Well, now you can have your coffee cake and eat it, too 🙂 This is truly one of the BEST Coffee Cakes I have ever eaten!!! A HUGE “Thank You” to Audrey from “Mama Knows Gluten Free” for sharing this delicious recipe…my entire family thanks you 🙂

The Cake Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour, Sifted (I use King Arthur brand; sifted)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum (if your GF Flour Blend doesn’t already have it)
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 4 tsp Baking Powder (make sure it’s GF)
  • 1 1/2 Cups Whole Milk (you can also use Almond, Rice, Cashew or Coconut Milk for a dairy-free option)
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted (or use Earth Balance brand for a dairy-free version)

The Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Topping

  • 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened (or Earth Balance for dairy-free)
  • 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 2 Tbsp GF All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon

The Glaze Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 5 Tbsp Whole Milk (or dairy-free milk of your choice)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Making the Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking pan (preferably glass) with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  3. Gather the ingredients needed for Cake.
  4. Melt the Butter and set aside.
  5. Using a stand or handheld mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the GF Flour, Xanthan Gum, Salt, Sugar and Baking Powder on Low until thoroughly blended.
  6. Add the Milk, Eggs and Vanilla to the Flour mixture, blending until thoroughly mixed.
  7. Slowly drizzle the Melted Butter into the Flour-Milk mixture, mixing until fully incorporated.
  8. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Set aside while you prepare the Brown Sugar topping.

Making the Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Topping:

  1. Using a Stand or handheld mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened Butter, Brown Sugar, GF Flour and Cinnamon until thoroughly mixed and creamy.
  2. Drop this Brown Sugar mixture by spoonfuls onto the coffee cake batter in the baking pan making sure to cover the surface equally.
  3. Using a sharp knife, thoroughly swirl the Brown Sugar mixture throughout the coffee cake batter.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes, checking after 30 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Making the Glaze:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the Powdered Sugar, Milk and Vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over the warm Coffee Cake and let set for about 10 minutes. Slice into desired-size pieces and Enjoy with a glass of ice-cold milk :)!

Store in an air-tight comtainer. Re-heat slices in microwave for about 10-15 seconds 🙂

Breakfast, Desserts, Snacks, Sweet Breads
American




Gluten Free Chicken Quesadillas

Gluten Free Chicken Quesadillas

I absolutely LOVE these Chicken Quesadillas! The crispy tortilla wraps paired with the spicy chicken, veggies and cheese really give these Quesadillas an authentic Mexican taste! And, they are surprisingly easy to prepare and oh so delicious 🙂

The Quesadilla:

  • 3-4 Large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (Cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2-3 Tbsp Gluten Free Taco Seasoning (I use McCormick Gluten Free Taco Seasoning Mix or make my own)
  • 1 Large Onion, diced
  • 3 Large Bell Peppers, seeded & diced (I use whatever peppers I have on hand)
  • 1-2 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice (Freshly squeezed over the top of Chicken and Veggies)
  • 1-2 pinches Freshly Ground Pepper
  • 3-4 Cups Shredded Cheese (Monterey Jack & Cheddar combination is wonderful)
  • 12 Gluten Free Tortilla Wraps (I use “Mission” brand)
  • 10-12 Tbsp Salted Butter (I usually use softened butter and spread desired amount on one side of each Tortilla Shell for frying)

Toppings:

  • Sour Cream (I use Lite)
  • Pico de Gallo (This is wonderful either by itself or mixed with Ranch Dressing for dipping)
  • Ranch Dressing (either store-bought or homemade (see recipe below in the Notes)
  • Shredded Cheese (any variety)
  • Fresh Cilantro, chopped (or Parsley)
  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. In a large skillet, heat about 1-1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil over medium heat.
  3. Add the Chicken pieces, Taco Seasoning and Ground Pepper to the skillet, gently stirring/tossing until chicken is well-coated with the seasonings. Cook until chicken is done (about 5-8 minutes). Remove chicken from the skillet with a slotted spoon/spatula, placing it into a bowl to rest. Set aside.
  4. In the same skillet, lower the temperature to medium-low and add another 1 -1 1/2 Tbsp Olive OIl and the diced Onion and Peppers. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
  5. Once the veggies are done, reduce temperature to low and add the cooked chicken. Stir to mix well. Add the Fresh Lime Juice at this step.
  6. In a separate skillet, melt about 1/2 Tbsp Butter over medium-low heat and place one Tortilla Wrap/Shell in the skillet.
  7. Next, start building the Quesadillas by sprinkling some shredded cheese to cover the shell; then add some of the chicken & veggie mixture; then place more shredded cheese on top of the chicken/veggies; top with a second tortilla shell.
  8. Once the bottom tortilla is starting to get crispy and golden brown, lift the Quesadilla using a large spatula, and drop another 1/2 tbsp of butter into the pan. Now, carefully flip the Quesadilla onto the other side and cook until crispy and golden. Repeat these steps with the remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.
  9. Cut each Quesadilla into quarters and serve with a fresh salad and an assortment of the toppings.
  10. Enjoy!

This recipe can easily be cut in half or doubled, depending on the desired amount.

Fresh Homemade Ranch Recipe: https://smallthymecook.com/recipe/homemade-ranch-dressing-dip/

Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
Mexican




Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake

Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake

This Lemon Pound Cake turns out moist, tasty and delicious every time! Made with Fresh Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest puts this GF Lemon Pound Cake over the top! I have learned to make TWO cakes, since my family tends to inhale the first one within a few hours 😉
A big “Thank You” to America’s Test Kitchen for creating this recipe 🙂

Cake Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 Cups King Arthur Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour (Sifted)
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum
  • 1 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Zest (about 2 lemons)
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (from the Lemons used for Zest)
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 1/2 Cup Cream Cheese (softened)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter (Melted)

Glaze Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tsp Lemon Juice

The Cake Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease and flour an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Xanthan Gum until blended. Set aside.
  4. In a food processor, combine the Granulated Sugar and Lemon Zest until thoroughly mixed (about 7 pulses).
  5. Next, add the Lemon Juice, Eggs, Softened Cream Cheese and Vanilla Extract to the Sugar mixture. Process until completely blended (about 20-30 seconds)
  6. With the Food Processor running on Low, slowly drizzle the melted Butter into the Cream Cheese mixture. Continue processing until mixed completely (about 30-40 seconds).
  7. Add this Cream Cheese mixture to the Flour mixture in the large bowl. Whisk until thoroughly blended and smooth.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Decrease the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes, or until cake is a light golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and continue cooling on the wire rack until completely cooled (about 1 1/2 hours).

The Glaze Instructions:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the Powdered Sugar and Lemon Juice until smooth, adding more sugar if not thick enough.

Putting it all Together:

  1. Once the cake is completely cooled, drizzle the Glaze over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides. Sprinkle fresh Lemon Zest on top and let Glaze set for about 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy 🙂

Store cake at room temperature in a large plastic baggie, sealed tightly.

Breakfast, Desserts, Snacks, Sweet Breads




Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie-Cream Sandwiches

Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie & Cream Sandwiches

These little treats are sinfully rich, moist and delicious 🙂 They are certain to please any Gluten-Free Chocoholic! I converted this recipe from The Pioneer Woman’s (aka: Ree Drummond) “Chocolate Devils,” which were intended to be a cake-like consistency, but to our delight the Gluten-Free version turned out to be a moist, brownie-like consistency. A 5-Star hit in our household 🙂

Brownie Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour, sifted (must be sifted to reduce grittiness)
  • 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 Cup Butter, salted (2 sticks)
  • 4 Tbsp Cocoa (heaping Tbsps)
  • 1 Cup Boiling Water
  • 1/2 Cup Buttermilk
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Large Eggs

The Cream-Filling Ingredients:

  • 5 Tbsps All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour, Sifted (again, must be sifted to reduce grittiness)
  • 1 Cup Whole Milk
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Cup Salted Butter, Softened ((2 sticks))
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar

The Ganache Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups Heavy Cream
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 4 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Making the Gluten-Free Brownies

  1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Gather the ingredients.
  3. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper as well. Set aside.
  4. In a stand mixer, combine the Flour, Sugar and Salt on low. Set aside while moving to the next step.
  5. In a small or medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the Cocoa Powder and mix until completely combined. Add 1 Cup boiling water to the saucepan, mixing well and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 30 seconds. Add this mixture to the Flour mixture and blend on low until combined. Let cool slightly.
  6. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the Buttermilk, Baking Soda, Vanilla and Eggs until thoroughly combined. Pour this into the Flour-Butter mixture and blend on low until completely combined.
  7. Scrape the Brownie mixture into the prepared cookie sheet, spreading evenly over the parchment paper.
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely! This is very important – if brownies are not cooled all the way, the cream filling will just melt and turn to goop 🙁 If I have the time, I let mine cool overnight.
  9. Once completely cooled, cut the brownies into 2″ squares and place on a wire rack on another cookie sheet (you can use a square cookie cutter if you have one). Set in a cool spot while you prepare the cream filling.

Making the Cream Filling:

  1. In a small saucepan, whisk the GF Flour and Milk together and heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until very thick (like pancake batter). Remove and cool completely. Add the Vanilla and blend thoroughly.
  2. Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened Butter and Sugar until VERY light, smooth and fluffy.
  3. Next, add the completely cooled Flour-Milk-Vanilla mixture to the Butter-Sugar mixture and beat on medium to medium-high for about 5-7 minutes – you want it to look like whipped cream.
  4. Using a pastry bag or plastic freezer (these are thicker and sturdier than regular ones) baggie fitted with a large star tip, fill the bag with the Cream Filling and pipe onto one of the cooled brownies. Place another brownie on top and press down gently. Repeat with the remaining brownies, reserving a small amount of the cream for the tops of the brownies. Set aside while you prepare the Ganache.

Making the Ganache:

  1. In a large saucepan, heat the Heavy Cream over medium-low until VERY hot. Add the Vanilla and Chocolate Morsels and stir until all of the chocolate is melted and blended completely.
  2. Remove Ganache from the heat and ladle over each Brownie Sandwich. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  3. When ready to serve, top each Brownie Sandwich with some of the Cream and perhaps a cherry or raspberry 🙂
  4. Enjoy!

I know that there are a lot of steps involved, but believe me it’s well worth it!!!

Desserts, Snacks