GFCF Sugar Cookies

GFCF Sugar Cookies
350 degrees 10-12 minutes

2 1/2 c. Featherlight mix (if you don't already have a Bette Hagman cookbook, I highly recommend it!)
1 t. baking powder
2 1/2 t. xanthan gum
1 t. salt
(mix these together in a small bowl)

1 c. sugar
1 c. crisco, earth balance sticks, whatever you use for shortening
cream these in mixer bowl, then add...
1 egg
2 t. vanilla

Mix in dry ingredients. You may need to add potato starch or corn starch to form a nice ball and roll out to 1/4" thickness.
Rolling tip: put plastic wrap over the dough before you roll it, then peel wrap off to cut out shapes. Makes approx. 2 doz. cookies.

Frosting:
GFCF shortening (I like to use Earth Balance sticks)
water
powdered sugar
GF vanilla extract

You can add meringue powder to make it stiffer.

Suggestions for natural coloring:
* avocado- mash a small section of an avocado and mix in to create a soft green
* blueberries- add the juice from several slightly thawed frozen blueberries to make purple
* turmeric- mix in a pinch or two of this spice to create yellow
* spinach- puree thawed frozen spinach and add a small amount for green
* pomegranate juice- add a small amount to create red (too much will result in thin frosting)
* carrot juice- add a small amount to create an orange hue
* jarred organic baby food - Try carrot, spinach, blueberry, and squash.
(http://pies-cookies-squares.suite101.com/article.cfm/healthier_sugar_cookies)

GFCF Thanksgiving recipes

Here are some recipes we love:

Turkey: Cuban style (Delicious!!)
2 t minced garlic
1 T black pepper
1 T ground cumin
1 T dried oregano
1 t. salt
6-8 oranges, depending on turkey size*
1 c. dry white wine
1/8 c. lemon juice

1. Peel oranges and stuff turkey cavity with peeled oranges.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, pepper, cumin, oregano, salt, lemon juice and juice from any leftover oranges.
3. Using a sharp knife, pierce holes in turkey to pour marinade into. Fill holes and cover turkey with marinade.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and cook as the package directs. Average is 325 degrees F for 5 hours.
*save out 2 T. orange juice for sweet potato casserole.

Green Beans Disney Style:
I learned this on our trip to Disney. They have the best food and all the parks are very accommodating. We had this particular side at the Garden Grill in Epcot.
1. Steam green beans and matchstick carrots.
2. Toss in 1 T. olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper or Mrs. Dash as desired.

Stuffing:
1 small loaf GFCF bread (aren't they all? LOL)
1 can Swanson's chicken broth
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
2 T olive oil
1 t. sage
1/2 c. craisins
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley

1. Chop the bread and let it dry out. Cook celery and onion in olive oil until tender.
2. Place bread chunks in a large bowl. Pour broth evenly over bread chunks; mix with hands.
3. Add remaining ingredients as desired (they are all optional); season with salt and pepper.
4. Cover and bake for 45 min. I use a casserole dish sprayed with GFCF cooking spray.

Sweet potato casserole:
4 sweet potatoes
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 T. orange juice
1 package Jet-puffed mini marshmallows

1. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Boil them until tender - approx. 15 min.
2. Drain potatoes, place in mixing bowl. Using a mixer, add orange juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Spread into rectangular baking dish. Top with marshmallows and bake for about 25 minutes - until marshmallows are golden brown on top.

Pie Crust:
2/3 c. rice flour
1/4 c. + 3 T. corn or tapioca starch
1 t. xanthan gum
1/4 t. salt
1 T. sugar
1/4 t. baking powder
6 T GFCF shortening
1 egg yolk
3 t. cold water
1 t. apple cider vinegar

1. Blend dry ingredients, cut in shortening.
2. Add egg, water, and vinegar. Mix well.
3. Roll into ball and chill 1 hour.
4. Roll dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. remove top layer of plastic wrap and turn crust into pie pan. Keep bottom piece of plastic wrap to pat crust into pan evenly. When finished, remove plastic wrap and fill with your choice pie filling.


Pumpkin Pie Filling vegetarian
for one 9" pie - filling looks funny but tastes really good
1 package firm tofu
2 c. cooked pureed pumpkin (Libby's is GFCF)
2/3 c. honey
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cloves

Mix all ingredients with a mixer, and pour into pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour.
Refrigerate leftover pie.

Grandma's GFCF Pumpkin Pie Filling
for one 9" pie -
2 c. (1 can) cooked pureed pumpkin (Libby's is GFCF)
1 1/4 c. milk substitute (I use vanilla rice milk)
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1 t. allspice

Mix all ingredients with a mixer, and pour into pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour.
Refrigerate leftover pie.

A great 'from scratch' recipe:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Pumpkin-Pie-Filling-256585

And some pie recipes from a friend of mine:
GFCF Crustless Pumpkin Pie from Kimberlee

• 1 can (or 2 cups) of pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups milk substitute
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp GFCF margarine
  
• 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup GFCF flour (I use a rice flour blend)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum

*If you are not on a GFCF diet, you can use milk, your choice of butter or margarine, and an all purpose flour and omit the xanthan gum.

Beat all ingredients together, pour into a greased pie pan, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes. Cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.

GFCF Crustless Apple Pie from Kimberlee

• 6 apples peeled and thinly sliced (I usually make really small apple chunks.....my favorite apples to use are either Fuji or Gala apples)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup GFCF flour (I use a rice flour blend)
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup GFCF margarine
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*If you are not on a GFCF diet, you can use your choice of butter or margarine and an all purpose flour and omit the xanthan gum.

1. Peel and slice apples and mix with lemon juice.
2. Beat eggs well on medium speed (about 5 min, or until fluffy). Add and beat in sugar, vanilla extract, and GFCF margarine.
3. In a separate bowl mix together flour, xanthan gum, nutmeg, salt, and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and blend together.
4. Add apples to mix and fold in. Pour into 9" greased pie tin and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.

Mashed Potatoes Substitutions
instead of milk, use rice milk
instead of butter, use smart balance light buttery spread or Earth balance sticks
I also add some garlic and parsley to punch up the potatoes and 'hide' the rice milk flavor. No one ever knows they are GFCF :)

Donuts / Apple Orchards

So exciting!

While I was shopping today, I found Kinnikinnick GFCF donuts in the freezer section at Better Health. Maple glazed.... mmmmm........

My son's class always goes to the apple orchard, and now he gets to have a donut, too. There's a gluten-free bakery where I have purchased donuts before, but it's pretty far from here. Apple cider should be safe, but I always ask for the ingredients and processing procedure before I let him have any.

Back to school!

First of all, it WILL be okay. You can send a child to school and be successful with the GFCF diet. I had mine written right into his IEP so that there would be something in place, legally. Plus, all his staff have read and signed it, so it's an easy way to talk to them all at once.

I make sure to send list upon list of what he can and can not have, talk to the staff about contamination, and also 'please only feed him things I send in'. Last year, the teacher made signs and placed them all over the classroom.
My son has a snack basket in the room which I stock as needed. That way the teacher can offer him a choice at snack time, just like the other kids. I also told her to please let me know if anything special was going on so that I could send in a GFCF option for Willie. IE, they made puppy chow one day and so I sent in Rice Chex, they used the pb I already sent in from the snack basket, and then I sent in appropriate chocolate (toasted carob powder or Enjoy Life choc. chips) and vanilla. Sometimes I have to rush to the store and even cook something that night but that's really important to me
For birthdays, I send in a few GFCF cupcakes for Willie. The teacher was always good about letting me know. I hope this year's teacher is on the ball, too. At Christmas, I also sent in cookies because they decorated cookies, so I sent in stuff for Willie to do that as well.

Don't forget about the Play-Doh and paste.
http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/...keyword=gluten

TACA's back to school list:


(they do make GFCF "Cheerio's"... Perky O's and Cer O's are good.)
(also, teachers do things with pasta... suggest beans, rice, rice pasta and lentils instead)

Some lunch ideas for packing GFCF lunches:
main dish:
-Organic natural pb or cashew butter and pure fruit preserves on tapoica loaf (EnerG)
-rice or corn pasta with red sauce or rice vinegar/olive oil and veggies, like a pasta salad
-GFCF taco meat with a corn tortilla
-kosher hot dog (we get Sinai Kisher for a good price at Costco)
-GFCF pizza (recipe below)
-goulash
-hamburger patty
-turkey bacon

starch:
Fritos scoops
Mary's gone crackers
Tostitos scoops
Lay's potato chips
SnapPea crisps - PLAIN/original
Salsa Verde rice chips
Rice cakes - plain (I usually send jelly)
rice crackers - you have to read labels to make sure they are GFCF
rice chips - there's this awesome kind we get at Better Health with seaweed and sea salt - Willie loves them.

Fruit/veggie:
I think you can figure this out yourself
Willie will eat whole fruits so I get off easy here, too, I just throw in a peach, plum, apple, banana, whatever I have.

Drinks:
100% natural juice
Rice Milk - I send in 1 qt. each Monday

Gluten-free Casein-free Pizza

CRUST:
There are several crust options for pizza... Pre-made crusts: EnerG (grocery aisle) and Kinnikinnick (7" 4-pack in the freezer section).
You can also buy a mix that you add wet ingredients to, or you can make your own from scratch.

SAUCE:
1 can diced organic tomatoes
1/8 c. chopped onion or 1 T. minced onions
1 T. honey (optional)
1 T. oregano
1/4 t. dried marjoram (optional)
1/4 t. dried basil
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
2 cloves garlic (or pre-minced garlic or garlic powder)

to add more zing:
add a little cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (or both!)

Bring ingredients to a boil then let them simmer for about 20 minutes. When the sauce thickens up to desired consistency, it's done :)

CHEESE:
marinade:
1 T. apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
3 T. olive oil
1 T. oregano
1/4 t. dried basil
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper

Mix marinade together. I use a Tupperware shake and pour. Pour the marinade over 1 pack tofu, firm or extra firm, crumbled. Shake contents or mix well with hands to ensure 100% coverage.

OTHER TOPPINGS:
We have used green peppers, mushrooms, GFCF hot dogs sliced thin. If you have some suggestions, please leave a comment :)
Spiced ground beef: I made a pepperoni style topping with ground beef by adding red pepper flakes, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and Mrs. Dash regular. Yummy! (updated 12/21/08)

After individual portions are cooled, I wrap them in aluminum foil and re-freeze for later use. Batch cooking is a huge time saver for us.

GFCF Brownies

Gluten-free Casein-free Brownies by Kimberlee A., my sister in the Lord

2/3 cup Featherlight mix*
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp xanthan gum
2/3 cup GFCF margarine
1 cup sugar
1 bag Enjoy Life chocolate chips
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 eggs

1. Melt butter and chocolate chips either on low heat on top of the stove or in the microwave using 30 second intervals.
2. Beat eggs 5 minutes at medium speed. Add sugar and beat at low speed until blended. Add vanilla and melted chocolate and beat on low speed until smooth.
3. Blend dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to chocolate mix and blend thoroughly.
4. Pour batter into greased 9' x 13' pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
5. Allow to cool and cut into 16 squares. Enjoy.....

* If you don't already have a Bette Hagman cookbook, you should invest in one or check your local library!

Make your own GFCF ice cream! Summer fun :)

What you'll need for dairy-free ice-cream:

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 c. Almond Breeze or Rice milk
  
• 1/4 teaspoon organic GF vanilla (omit if using vanilla milk)
  
• 6 tablespoons rock salt
• 1 pint-size Ziploc plastic bag
• 1 gallon-size Ziploc plastic bag (or a coffee can with a lid)
  
• Ice cubes

How to make it:

1. Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
2. Fill the large bag or coffee can half full of ice, and add the rock salt.
   
3. Place the small bag inside the large one and seal carefully.
4. Shake until mixture is ice cream, about 5 minutes.
5. Wipe off top of small bag, then open carefully and enjoy!

Tips:

To make chocolate, use Chocolate Almond Breeze - YUMMY! or add cocoa powder or toasted carob (1 t.)

You can also cut off the corner of the baggie and just slurp it out!

If you don't have rock salt, water softener pellets work if you have those (about 12-15)

Try fruit juice instead of milk and vanilla.