Sweet Rolls

I've been gluten free for two and a half years. That's long enough to learn how to cook, start a recipe blog, and find a way to safely enjoy a delicious but gluten free version of almost all of the glutenous foods I behind. But despite my best efforts in the kitchen, I still hadn't mastered sweet rolls and I was starting to get pretty desperate. I love Eleanor's Bake Shop and their delicious cinnamon rolls, but I just don't make it there very often. I needed to be able to make my own sweet rolls for special occasions like Christmas morning.
I'm happy to announce that I finally have a recipe good enough to use myself on a regular basis and good enough to post here. I'll divide the credit for this amazing recipe between the Pioneer Woman and Grandpa's Kitchen.
(You might be tempted to alter the ingredients or process just a bit because you have skim not whole milk, margarine not butter, or another flour mix, or because you are in a bit of a hurry. Do so at your own risk. And don't say I didn't warn you if they don't turn out because you didn't follow my instructions.)

Basic Dough (makes 12 rolls)
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon yeast (invest in the good stuff, and keep it in your fridge)
5 cups Grandpa's Kitchen Flour blend, plus extra for rolling out the dough
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Mix milk, sugar, and oil in a large pot. Heat over medium heat until very warm but not boiling. Remove from heat and allow to cool until warmer that lukewarm but not hot. Test it on your wrist. If it feels hot, you're not ready for the next step. Be patient!
2. Sprinkle yeast over the surface of the liquid, then add 4 1/2 cups of flour. Stir gently until totally combined. Your dough will be very wet and sticky. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to sit for one hour.
3. Add 1/2 cup of flour, as well as the salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix until combined. Refrigerate dough, covered, until you need it. (Refrigerating the dough makes it easier to handle.)
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a large baking dish generously.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Roll into a rectangle. Roll as thin as possible.
6. Top with filling of your choice - see below.
7. Beginning at the side furthest from you, roll dough toward you until it's in the shape of a tight log. Tuck as you go so the roll stays tight. Pinch the edges to seal the seam shut. With a sharp knife, slice into 1/2 inch tick rolls and lay the slices, cut side down, into the buttered baking dish.
8. Allow to rise 20 minutes, then place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown on top.
9. Top with frosting while warm and enjoy!

Filling ideas:
- Cinnamon rolls: butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar (raisins optional)
- Lemon blackberry: butter, zest of 2 lemons, sugar and one cup blackberries (blueberries or raspberries would work too)
- butter, sugar, and orange zest
- butter, apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg

Original Pioneer Woman recipe found here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/11/blueberry-lemon-sweet-rolls/

Breakfast Ideas

This afternoon my roommate and I talked about the possibility of her going gluten-free and it reminded me how hard transition can be. As I explained to her, I felt like I lived on corn tortillas, cheese, lettuce, ice cream, and potato chips for 2 months when I first got diagnosed. It took me a while to figure things out, and breakfast was one of the hardest things for me to get used to. Here are a few of the things I learned and my favorite options.

Cereals: I love cereal in the mornings and for snacks because it is so easy and fast. Luckily, there are quite a few cereals available now that are gluten free. In addition to the specialty gluten free stuff (expensive and some of it tastes horrible in my opinion), most Chex varieties are gluten free (not Wheat Chex), Pebbles (Chocolate, Fruity, etc) are gluten free, and Rice Krispies are available gluten free (but make sure you buy the ones that say gluten free on the front because the regular box still has gluten).
*One special note about cereal: Some people with Celiac Disease, especially if they are newly diagnosed and/or healing, have trouble tolerating milk. I personally have less trouble with yogurt so recently I've started using a plainer Chex with a flavored yogurt and fresh fruit or slivered/chopped nuts on top.

Granola: You can buy gluten free granola or make your own. One caution here is that some people have trouble tolerating oats. If you do, avoid the granola altogether.

Smoothies: Sometimes I have to do breakfast on the go or I have to be to work or an appointment extra early so I try to do breakfast in 2 rounds. Smoothies work perfect on these days. I blend one yogurt, 1 cup of fruit, and 1/2 cup of sugar-free juice. I like tropical flavors but use any combination of flavors you like. You can also add gluten free protein powder, use greek yogurt for extra protein, or even add a cup of spinach.

Eggs: I don't take time to cook eggs often but they are an awesome breakfast because they are full of protein and budget friendly. If you get bored with your eggs, play around with them. Try scrambled, fried, hard-boiled, omelets, etc. Also add different toppings: cheese, fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, etc), green onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, ham, bacon etc. You can even mix eggs with your favorite toppings then bake them in a muffin tin in the oven and freeze them to grab on a hurried morning.

Frozen waffles: Van's makes a couple of gluten free varieties of frozen waffles. I've seen them carried in most major grocery chains and they are pretty good for frozen waffles. (Just don't cook them in a toaster used for gluten products.)

If you are up for a little more work, check out the "Breakfast label" which has lots of delicious recipes.

Pear and Apple Relish

2 apples
2 pears
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Wash, core, and chop apples and pears.
2. Combine all ingredients in pan. Bring to boil, cover, and cook 20 minutes.

This relish is delicious as a topping for crepes and pancakes.

Cheesecake Pancakes

3 oz. cream cheese
1 cup gluten free Bisquick
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 egg
1 cup fresh sliced strawberries
whipped cream

1. Freeze cream cheese overnight.
2. Combine Bisquick, milk, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and egg.
3. Slice cream cheese into 1/4" pieces and add to pancake batter.
4. Cook using frying pan/griddle.
5. Top with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

*I used GF Bisquick but you could use substitute your favorite pancake recipe and just add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and cream cheese.

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

1 loaf gluten free bread

8 whole eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla

1/2 cup gluten-free flour (any will be fine)

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold butter, but into pieces

fresh fruit (optional)

1. Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

2. Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight.

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and but into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.

4. When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you're using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

5. Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/cinnamon-baked-french-toast/

Pancakes

1/2 c. cornstarch
3/4 c. white rice flour (or more if batter is too thin)
1 T. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 c. milk
3 T. melted butter

1. In one bowl, mix dry ingredients.
2. In a second bowl, combine wet ingredients.
3. Mix wet and dry ingredient together just until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Pour batter onto hot griddle or frying pan to form 6" pancakes. Allow pancakes to cook until golden brown on bottom, then flip and allow to cook until golden brown on top.
5. Top pancakes with butter, jam, or maple syrup.

* These pancakes are great with chocolate chips, peanut butter, or peanut butter chips. They are also the base recipe for Dessert Pumpkin Pancakes.

Breakfast Egg Bites

12 eggs
3 green onions, chopped
24 pieces lunch meat (I like ham or turkey)
cheese (as much as you like)
salt and pepper (salt and pepper to taste
any other goodies you want to add (bacon, peppers, etc)

1. Line a muffin tin with lunchmeat (2 slices per cup).
2. Combine eggs, green onions, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Pour mixture over lunchmeat in muffin tin. Top each cup with cheese.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (or less, depending on how you like your eggs).

This recipe makes a great on the go breakfast and freezes well.

Quinoa - What is is and how do I make it?

One of my new favorite foods is quinoa. It's becoming very popular because it is so healthy. It's the only grain that has all of your essential amino acids. It's also super easy to cook and goes with lots of different flavors. You can find quinoa at most grocery stores. I recommend buying it in bulk or at Costco.


Basic Recipe:
1 c. quinoa
2 c. water

1. Rinse quinoa using a mesh strainer.
2. Dump quinoa into a saucepan or rice cooker. (The rice cooker makes it much easier!)
3. Add 2 cups water.
4. Bring water to a boil then reduce heat to lower. Simmer until quinoa is soft and water has been absorbed. (Or just turn your rice cooker on).


How to use it:

• Substitute quinoa for rice in most recipes (Asian Braised Slow Cooker Pork, Pineapple Pork Tenderloin, Basil Red Pepper Chicken)




• Warm it up with cinnamon and brown sugar for breakfast




• Make a salad (Quinoa Taco Salad)

Product Review: Gluten Free Bisquick

I love pancakes. I mean, I pretty much lived on them one semester of grad school. And I craved them a lot after I went GF but no matter how many homemade pancake recipes I tried, I couldn't find one I actually liked. Until I tried Gluten Free Bisquick.

Yes, it really is that amazing. The pancakes absorb syrup more than the regular Bisquick pancakes do, but that is my only complaint. They taste like regular pancakes and they have good texture.

I haven't tried yet, but I hear they make good waffles and bisquits. I also recently learned that you can make cinnamon rolls with Bisquick and I'm perfecting a GF cinnamon roll recipe using GF Bisquick.

Granola

3 cups gluten free oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
other seeds/nuts/dried fruit you want (have fun!)
2 tsp (or more, to taste) cinnamon
2 tbsp butter, melted
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheet with wax paper.
2. Melt butter. Add maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix well.
3. Combine dry ingredients.
4. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Coat dry ingredients well.
5. Cook 25-30 minutes, stirring 3-4 times to avoid burning. Bake until brown. Store in airtight container.

Adapted from Gluten Free Gobsmacked: http://glutenfree.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/gluten-free-granola-vanilla-maple-granola/

Crepes

1 1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup cornstarch
2 eggs
2 T olive oil or melted butter
pinch of salt
1 T sugar
1 t. vanilla

1. Whisk together all ingredients until smooth.
2. Pam a small nonstick frying pan. Heat pan over medium-high heat.
3. Pour batter in pan, enough to cover pan with a thin layer of batter. Swirl the batter around the pan until the batter starts to solidify and can't be swirled any longer. (I try to swirl thicker around the outer border of batter to make turning easier later on.)
4. Cook until edges appear light golden brown (20-40 seconds).
5. Quickly and carefully flip the crepe and cook an additional 15-20 seconds.
6. Repeat until all batter is used. (My recipe made approximately 15 8" crepes.) Spray pan with pam as needed to prevent crepes from sticking.
7. Serve with your favorite toppings. We enjoyed fresh strawberries, powdered sugar, and whipped cream. You could also use any fresh fruit, cream cheese, jams/fruit sacues, scrambled eggs, ham, cheese, etc.

This recipe is a combination of my grandma's Swedish pancake recipe (not GF) and Gluten Free Easy Crepes found here: http://glutenfree.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/gluten-free-and-easy-crepes/

Breakfast Casserole

1 large bag frozen hash browns (make sure they are GF)
1/2 c. butter, melted
12 eggs, beaten
1 lb ground sausage or 1 cup ham or 1 cup bacon (cooked and drained)
about 3 c. cheddar cheese
1 bunch diced green onions

1. Put hash browns in greased 9x13 pan. Drizzle with butter. Bake for 25 minutes at 425.
2. Put down meat, green onions, eggs, and cheese in layers. Cover with foil. Bake another 30-40 minutes.
Serves 12-15

I haven't tried it yet, but this recipe would likely be amazing with chopped bell peppers added to the layers of meeat/onions/cheese.

Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Risotto

½ cup butter
4 medium Granny Smith apples, diced
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups rice
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
4 cups apple juice at room temperature (or 2 cups apple juice and 2 cups water)
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Cook and stir 2 to 5 minutes or until apples begin to release juices. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Add rice and stir to coat. Sprinkle with brown sugar; add apple juice and vanilla. Cover; cook on HIGH 1 ½ to 2 hours or until all liquid is absorbed. Ladle risotto into bowls and serve hot. Top with almonds and dried cherries and drizzle with milk if desired.
Makes 6 servings
Adapted from "Incredibly Easy Gluten Free Meals" cookbook