Every now and then I experiment with a baked product using other flours, flours that are higher in fiber and protein. This one is a keeper! I'm SO impressed. These biscuits don't have a taste that needs to be acquired. They're GOOD!

I even froze the first batch to see how they'd do. Once thawed they tasted just as great! 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup SunFlour (sunflowerseed flour)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup arrowroot starch or potato starch (I made it both ways and couldn't tell the difference)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 stick butter 
1/2 cup (plus 1 Tablespoon if needed) almond milk (I'm sure any kind of milk would work). ​

Preheat oven 400 degrees
1) Blend all dry ingredients
2) Add butter in small pieces
3) blend butter between fingers

4) add milk and stir until all dry ingredients are blended. 
5) drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheet. (for a total of 10 rolls)

Ingredients
Dough:
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk (room temperature) (I used almond milk)
1 packet yeast (1 Tablespoon)
1 egg
1/4 cup oil (I use olive oil)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup potato starch
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp xantham gum
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
topping:
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 8oz brick cream cheese
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup powdered sugar

​5) Dollop the dough into the pie plates, evenly dispersing the dough, half in each pie pan (because it really wouldn't make sense to put 3/4 in one and 1/4 in the other.)

​6) Set pie plates aside and place the cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg and vanilla in the bowl of your heavy duty mixer. Don't bother cleaning it out after removing the dough. Why mess with that? Just throw it all in. Blend on low until all mixed up, then set it to high while you go to step 7.

​7) Gently press the dollops of dough into pie plates. Don't worry if there are empty spaces, they'll fill in when backing. I did use the rubber spatula to bring it up slightly around the edges though.

8) Empty canned cherries on top of dough, half per dish again, of course. ​

10) Bake for 25 minutes. ​

​To those who aren't gluten free but who seek recipes like this one in order to bake for a special friend or family member:

It isn't always easy to understand, but for the person with celiac or nonceliac gluten sensitivity, a crumb can make a difference. Your efforts in cooking and baking for someone who needs to be gluten free are appreciated more than you'll ever know. It is very important for you to understand, however, that all items used must be free from any possible cross contamination. Just pour one of your cake mixes into a bowl and watch how far that flour spreads, or dip a knife back into a stick of butter after you used it on your Wonder bread. Contamination city!

Its best to just clean all bowls and utensils before starting and use disposable baking pans if your pans have been used for nongf foods. (you know how those corners of baking pans never come clean.) Please use fresh butter sticks, peanut butter or mayo jars. And please don't use your colander that you used for regular pasta. Very difficult to avoid cross contamination with that.  

And when you offer your special gluten free someone a surprise gluten free treat, tell them what ingredients you used and tell them what you did to take care to avoid cross contamination. Its so hard to ask someone who went to the effort and love and kindness of making something special what all the ingredients were or what they did to keep it 100% gluten free. Can we say awkward? If you ever have questions---always ask your gluten free person.

2.)  (follow mixing instructions on box).
For 2 mixes you need:
*shredded cheese (you can follow amounts suggested on box.  I just add one 1 1/2 cup pkg of Parmesan cheese)
*4 eggs
*4 Tablespoons (or 1/4 cup) oil
*1/2 cup water.  (hold a couple tablespoons or so back.)

Blend, adding water until dough sticks together well but isn't tacky.  Should feel like nice soft play doh without sticking to your fingers.

1.) My two favorite pizza crusts to date are Udis and Chebe.  Of course, how nice to have a premade Udis crust in the freezer.  But sometimes I just make and freeze my own.  And when I do that, I use the regular All Purpose Chebe mix. 

I start with 2 pkgs regular Chebe mix.  I then add 3 Tablespoons ground flax (to add some fiber). Use preground flax or grind it in a coffee grinder on 'fine').  Add to Chebe mix in your heavy duty mixer if you wish.

4.)  Put silpats on cookie sheets and put into preheated 375degree oven. 

6.) Now you have a nice, thin, premade pizza crust ready to top with your favorite toppings.

5.)  Bake for 7  minutes.  Use wide spatula and flip the whole silpat over on cookie sheet, peel silpat off (to cool silpat and start rolling out more crusts) and bake crust (that is now directly on the cookie sheet) for another 7 minutes.  (The time you bake will vary depending on how crisp and/or thin/thick you like your crust.)

 

7.)  Top and bake at 400degrees for about 8 minutes or so (depending on how melted you like your cheese). 

8.) Enjoy! 

Ingredients:
1. Cooked quinoa per package instructions
(1/2 cup quinoa + 1 cup water at 12 minutes)

2. 1 lb cooked and drained breakfast sausage

3.  4 eggs - beat well

4. 1/2 cup shredded cheese (colby jack or cheddar or whatever your fav)

Blend all ingredients.
Oil (regular size) cupcake pan (12 cupcakes)

Spoon mixture to fill each cup 1/2 way.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.  yum!

I started with 2 glass pie plates, 2 eggplants, eggs (3? or so. Start with 2 and add as needed), Zatarain's, shredded Italian cheese combo (mozzerella, parmesian, and ... whatever you like, about 3 cups, give or take, depending on how much cheese you like.), red sauce, and a can of artichokes that I chopped.

Peel and slice the eggplant.

Dip eggplant in the egg and then coat with Zatarains and fry in a few tablespoons or so of oil in a skillet stove top until golden brown. (don't know how I missed those pictures :)

You might want to stop here and just eat them like this (which I did :)  Yum! SO good!

Coat the bottom of your pan with your favorite red sauce (after spraying with Pam or oil) and then add a layer of the yummy eggplant, cutting some in half and quarters to fit, resisting eating those little pieces that are so yummy.

This picture turned out blurry. Sorry. Must have been greasy fingers from eating too much of the eggplant.  Coat the first layer of eggplant with red sauce and then add the chopped artichoke (I put 1/2 a can's worth on each lasagna). Add a layer of your shredded cheese.

Add another layer of fried eggplant.  I ate too much so didn't have enough to finish the job, haha, but it still looked nice. :)

More red sauce and cheese and bake at 350 for about 30 to 45 minutes.  I baked my first one for an hour and it was too long - too brown on top.  So just start checking it after a half hour.

Darn - didn't have a pic of the final lasagna - but you know what melted cheese looks like.  Enjoy :)

Carol Fenster's Chocolate Chip Cookies 
 Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter 
3/4 cup brown sugar 
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract
1 extra large egg
3/4 cup white or brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xantham gum (a touch less for flatter cookies)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups gluten-free chocolate chips

 Texas Potato Casserole
*2 lbs Frozen Hash Browns, (the southern style cubes), not shredded.
*Bacon cooked, crumbled to taste
*½ cup mayonnaise 
*½ cup  sour cream
*½ tsp salt
*2 cups shredded cheese (I use colby jack)
*1 small onion, chopped
*1 can GF chicken broth

 Combine all ingredients except potatoes and mix.  Add potatoes and stir.  Pour into greased 9x13 pan.  Cook for 1 hour at 350°F.
Cool, cover and freeze.
(I like to put the chicken broth in a blender with the onion and blend - so much quicker than chopping onions)

          Brownie Bites
Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten-free flour blend (I use 2 parts rice flour, 2/3 part potato starch, 1/3 part tapioca starch)
  
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine (melted)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup hot water
   (or - your favorite GF box mix)
  

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Insert papers into mini cupcake pan. Stir together gf flour blend, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients and hot water.. Mix until just blended. Mixture will be somewhat thick. Add approximately 1 tablespoon to each cup.
Bake approximately 15 minutes (give or take.)

(My friends dusted them with powdered sugar and added strawberries to the platter for a beautiful effect :)

      Mini Cheesecakes
I think this is the recipe I used (?)
2 (8-ounce) packages gf cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
*Cookies and butter for crust
1 (21-ounce) can gf cherry pie filling or other pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of muffin pan.

*Cookie crust - Sorry, I don't have exact recipe.  I used Kinnikinnick K-toos (chocolate and vanilla for variety.)  Blend in food processor and add melted butter a tablespoon at a time until you can press it together - It doesn't take much. I did not add extra sugar.

Press small amount into each cupcake paper lined cup.

Beat cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, 1at a time, beating well after each addition. (I added mini choc. chips to about1/2 of them - some with vanilla crust, some with chocolate.)

Spoon cream cheese mixture over crusts. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely.  Friends of mine heated and assembled food while I was busy getting married.  They added a cherry to the tops of 1/2 the cheesecakes, assembling them on the platters.  Gotta say - They did a FABULOUS job - and I couldn't have done it without them!

3/4 cup white rice flour
2/3 cup corn starch
2/3 cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons potato flour (I omit this)
2 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp Egg Replacer
1 tsp salt
2 tsp unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup dry powder milk (or nondairy substitute)

1 T. sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 T. dry yeast granules
1 tsps dough enhancer (I use apple cider vinegar)
2 egg whites
1 1/2 T vegetable oil (I use olive oil)

(I mulitiply this recipe by 5 or 6 in a large plastic container and shake and mix well.  To make a bat ch I then measure 3 cups flour mix to the wet ingredients (using 2 T oil instead of 1 1/2 T.)

Chocolate Layers
Ingredients: 1-3/4 c. GF flour   (2 parts rice flour, 2/3 part potato starch, 1/3 part tapioca flour).  
1/2 t. xanthan gum
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1-1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk (optional: add 1 t. vinegar to sour)
1/2 c. oil
2 t. vanilla
1 c. boiling water

 Directions: Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and mix. Beat eggs well, add milk and oil. Mix together both dry and wet ingredients. The batter will be thin. Pour into greased and floured 13" x 9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

FROSTING
Put about 1/2 cup (or so - I don't measure) Crisco in mixing bowl.  Add about 4 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.  Blend with electric mixer, adding a couple T. water  at a time until creamy.  I made 3 or 4 of t his recipe in order to frost both cakes.

Pictures of the white cake on Facebook - click here.  O.K.... gotta make one tomorrow. Doesn't this look SO GOOD!?!!

White Layers
I wanted to use my favorite white cake recipe that I found a few years ago (don't know where it came from) - but it just wasn't cooperating.  I ended up just using a box mix - which was fine.

Here's the White Cake recipe I like a whole lot more though:(very moist and tender)
4 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups sugar plus ½ cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 cups rice flour mix (I use Bette Hagman’s 2 parts rice flour, 2/3 part potato starch, 1/3 part tapioca flour, but I’m sure any good blend would work fine)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Baking spray

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans cake pans with wax paper or parchment paper. Very lightly grease and flour sides of pan with baking spray and approximately 1/2-teaspoon rice flour.

Beat egg whites until foamy in a large clean mixing bowl. Gradually add 1/2-cup sugar and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in another large bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, blending each one in before adding the next. Add flour, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum, milk and vanilla (and almond extract if using); beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Fold in 1/3 of beaten egg whites to lighten batter. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until no stripes remain.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Place in center of oven and bake for about 28 minutes (for 8" rounds) until a toothpick inserted into center comes back clean (about 24 minutes for 9" rounds).

Cool on rack for 7 minutes. Using a small knife, cut around pan sides to loosen layers. Invert layers onto rack. Peel off parchment paper and cool completely before icing. To slice each layer in half (in order to make four layers if you wish) chill layers until very cold.

Recipe can be cut in half to make only one layer.
~~For a 9" x 13" size, lower oven temperature to 350°, and cook for about 30 minutes.

         Apple Pie

*Disclaimer - (I'm not chef, or a baker - just an everyday person who cooks for my family using 'this and that' measurements.  So mine are not recipes you'll find in a cook book - just what I find success with.)
I was going to make something somewhere between an apple pie and apple crisp - but went straight up apple pie.

I don't do well with pastry crusts - but it didn't turn out too badly... 

I used Bette Hagman's Vinegar Pastry crust recipe.  Rolling it out between 2 pieces of plastic wrap is the trick  - although I still have issues with connecting top and bottom crusts. lol - not the most beautiful.

Once bottom crust is securely in place,  I added 4 cups sliced apples, then sprinkled on about 2 heaping T. gluten free flour (I use a rice, pot. starch, tapioca blend).  2 T sugar and 2 T butter, chopped - and a tsp cinnamon.  Add top crust - smoosh together around the edges (see, told you I'm not a chef), using cold water to seal and bake at 375 for about an hour (or more) - til golden brown.

Next time I'll probably add another T  sugar and mix the sugar, cinnamon flour and butter in with apples before dumping into shell. Also - I like mine cold - so I know it will taste even better later tonight.

It also caved a bit when I cut into it, cracking the crust, as you can see. :(

But, its still pretty yummy!