**Contest Closed** Winner Selected: Rita

Enjoy your milkshakes Rita!!!!!

The weeks before Christmas, my good blogger friend, Rebecca hosted a giveaway for the WEBstaurant Store, the #1 online source of restaurant supplies.   I entered, hoping to purchase a new waffle iron that Rebecca had featured some time ago.  What better place to get a [...]]]>

**Contest Closed**
Winner Selected: Rita

Enjoy your milkshakes Rita!!!!!

The weeks before Christmas, my good blogger friend, Rebecca hosted a giveaway for the WEBstaurant Store, the #1 online source of restaurant supplies.   I entered, hoping to purchase a new waffle iron that Rebecca had featured some time ago.  What better place to get a new waffle iron that the leading online Restaurant Supply Store?  You see, in July when I was diagnosed with Celiac I had to get rid of a lot of my kitchen supplies, including the waffle iron my mom gave me shortly after I was married.  I was also hoping to get a cream whipper since The Husband has an unreal addiction to real whipped cream, which isn’t a big deal to make, but how convenient to have it all ready in the refrigerator when he wants to top off his ice cream, brownie, spaghetti, olives… I kid, I kid! (sort of).

Fortunately, I won a $200 gift to the WEBstaurant Store on December 23rd and was over the moon excited.  Gluten-free waffles… coming right up!  Unfortunately, in my absolute excitement I told everyone in my family and informed them that I’d be ordering a waffle iron and a cream whipper… whoops. Christmas presents spoiled! Those things were already sitting under the tree!   I ended up ordering two huge boxes of items to fill every nook and cranny of my kitchen, now it’s your opportunity to win $200 from the WEBstaurant Store!

All you have to do is go to the WEBstaurant Store, shop around for a bit and tell me what you’d buy with $200! Earn an extra entry by “liking” WEBstaurant on Facebook (but you have to come back here and tell me that you liked them)!

Might I recommend a few of the items I purchased?

Rectangle Tart/Quiche Pan with Removable Bottom (used to make the Nutella Tart shown above!)
72 Piece Tartlet Set
11″ Crystal Presence Bowl
8 oz Round Au Gratin Dish (I got 12 and cannot WAIT to make individual Pot Pies!)
Ice Cream Spade,  Just like my Grandpapa’s!
Precut Parchment Paper, Seriously… has become my BEST tool in Gluten-Free baking!
Canoli Forms, trying to nail down a fool-proof gluten-free recipe before sharing with y’all

I ordered so many more items, but these have quickly become major players in the Whiskey kitchen.  Tell me what you’d buy… I feel like shopping again!

*Giveaway sponsored by WEBstaurant Store, but the opinions are truly my own. I LOVE the stuff I bought!

A few months ago, my mom and I attended the CSA Conference in Kansas City.  To say I learned a wealth of knowledge during the conference would be an [...]]]> Capone’s Bolognese Sauce
The additional step of cooking the garlic separately from the sauce makes ahuge difference, this sauce is beyond compare.
*Served with gluten-free spaghetti

A few months ago, my mom and I attended the CSA Conference in Kansas City.  To say I learned a wealth of knowledge during the conference would be an understatement.  At the end of the second day, the gluten-free exhibit opened for a private viewing for those of us who attended the conference.  The next day the exhibit would be open to the public and a general free-for-all.

Mom and I traveled the exhibit room, sampling bits and bites of the offerings from many of the major companies approved by the CSA organization.  New to this whole gluten-free thing, I was only familiar with the big label brands that are sold at my local grocery store’s health market.  I had no idea there are so many incredible companies that have delicious products and flour blends.

Maya’s Caramel Apple Crostata
I used Mary’s recipe for Italian Shortbread Crust and turned the Crostata into a tart.
We’ve made this several times, in fact… we have it sitting in the fridge right now.   The flavor is intense, but not overly sweet.  Perfect.

Besides meeting a rep from Woodchuck, my favorite part of the exhibit was meeting Mary Capone, the founder of  The Wheat Free Gourmet and Bella Gluten Free Products.  The Wheat Free Gourmet is a cooking school dedicated to teaching much beyond the basics of allergen cooking, Mary enables people to live a gluten-free life without the stress that comes with not understanding how it all works.

When I met Mary I was smitten at first sight.  The most gracious, kind, down-to-earth woman looked me in the eyes and I knew she was a kindred spirit, completely warm and welcoming.  At the time, I had no idea she was what I would soon refer to as The Gluten Free Princess.  She handed me a cookie tart filled with a lemon curd which melted in my mouth, then… she gave me a slice of warm cinnamon raisin bread that was so delicious I actually yearned for more.  It was bread and pastry perfection.

Mary graciously sent me a copy of her cookbook along with a bag of her multi-grain bread and all-purpose baking mix just before Thanksgiving.  In the rush of the holidays and then a never-ending virus The Husband and I have been passing back and forth, I am long overdue for this review.  Saddest of all, I feel like I’ve done a great disservice by not extolling the virtues of this incredible cookbook and flour blend sooner.

Stuffed Flank Steak
There are no words to describe this dish.  I served it with Mary’s Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi.
I made the entire steak up, even though it was just for The Husband and I.  The recipe yielded 6 Stuffed Steaks for me.  I had 2… but the serving dish was empty at the end of dinner.
The Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi were packed with flavor, I was a little skeptical at first, knowing that a traditional gnocchi would be made from potato but these turned out to be one of my favorite recipes from the book.

The cookbook itself is an incredible collection of recipes and stories from Mary’s childhood that she has converted to gluten-free.  Not only are the recipes easy, they are explained in a way that even a novice could follow.  The life behind the recipes makes you long to make them, hoping for a glimmer of the lifestyle she leads, where families still gather and traditions are upheld.

Between the two of us, The Husband and I have made almost twenty recipes from the cookbook and all have been nothing short of incredible.  In fact, I’ve made several of the recipes more than once… knocking some of my “go-to” recipes out of rotation and replacing them with Mary’s recipes (the bolognese sauce simply cannot be beat).

The Bella All Purpose Baking mix is delicious, and these days, I’m finding myself drawn to 100% Natural ingredients more and more.  Thankfully, the mix is not only 100% Natural, but it’s delicious and SO easy to use!  The xanthan gum is already included in the mix, making it a cup-for-cup substitution for all purpose (wheat) flour.  The baking mix doesn’t have any funky after-tastes as well as ensuring no grainy, gritty textures.

What I love most about the cookbook is the fact that Mary opens not only her heart into what she does, but she gives you the tools to do it all on your own.  Included in the first few pages is a complete guide to gluten-free flours, where they come from and what uses are best for each.  Then, instead of holding on to the recipe for her success, the All Purpose Gluten Free Flour, she gives the recipe so it’s easy to duplicate at home.

I cannot recommend this cookbook enough.  You can find it at Mary’s website (where it’s on sale!)or on Amazon.  Take yourself on a gluten-free journey and get in the kitchen.

Mary has graciously offered to give away a package of her All Purpose baking mix and because I believe in it so much, I’m going to buy a copy of the cookbook for her to throw in for a lucky winner.  You can leave a comment here, telling Mary & I what your favorite Italian dish is, or drop me a line on Facebook.  I’ll announce the winner on Friday, January 28.  Happy Cooking!

Additional recipes we made but were used during dinner parties (therefore, not photographed):
Wedding Soup with Turkey Meatballs: Incredible. I made it with Mary’s Garlic Soup Stock.   The best Wedding Soup I’ve ever had or made.

Cheese and Garlic Breadsticks: Unbelievably delicious.  I made them using Mary’s recipe for her own baking mix.  They were a huge hit.

Italian Flatbread (The Focaccia with Rosemary and Olives Variety).  Again, I made this using Mary’s recipe for her own baking mix, but the recipe called for additional flours in addition to the baking mix.  I omitted the chickpea flour, substituting it for Sorghum.

Potato Gnocchi: Super easy and delicious!  Served it with Capone’s Marinara Sauce, and another variation of the Italian Flatbread.

Easy Oven Risotto: This took all of the guess work out of the Risotto dishes I’ve made in the past.  So easy. So delicious… and the taste was just as good as the traditional method of cooking.

So, it’s the New Year… and the “New You”, right?  Last year I didn’t make New Year’s Resolutions and I decided that was a really excellent way to start the new year, no goals… just expectations to concentrate on what I already am good at and try to be even better.

One thing I’ve become better [...]]]>

So, it’s the New Year… and the “New You”, right?  Last year I didn’t make New Year’s Resolutions and I decided that was a really excellent way to start the new year, no goals… just expectations to concentrate on what I already am good at and try to be even better.

One thing I’ve become better at is making main-course salads.  My propensity to pile a plate high with fresh cut veggies makes for a very filling dinner, but in all reality, you have to be careful about what you’re throwing together to make a “healthy dinner.”  A little known fact: I have a morbid obsession with reading articles about disgusting things people unknowingly put in their bodies.

Take, for example… a salad that I used to love (pre-Celiac days) at my favorite mass-chain restaurant: Grilled chicken, cheese, tomatoes, corn relish, cilantro, tortilla strips and a citrus-balsamic dressing served with a cheese quesadilla to sop up all of those puddles of flavor after you’ve munched your way through the lettuce.

Grilled chicken: protein on a salad… perfect!  Cheese: everything in moderation.  Tomatoes: what’s wrong with those?  Corn relish: oh, come now… it doesn’t get better than corn relish!  Cilantro: what’s a salad without fresh herbs?  Tortilla strips: well… no croutons… so of course some tortilla strips for crunch!  Citrus-Balsamic vinaigrette:  it’s a vinaigrette!  Perfection!  Sadly, this “perfection” of a salad packs 1400 calories, EIGHTY EIGHT grams of fat, 26 grams saturated fat, EIGHTY EIGHT carbs, and the killer of all killers… 2320 mg of sodium.

Whoops.  It was a salad! Healthy lunch!

So now I put a little more weight into what I throw on the plate for our main-course salads.  We always have freshly chopped veggies in the fridge and usually, those veggies are great on a salad.  Last weekend we had a Make Your Own Darn Stir-Fry lunch and we weren’t too hungry that night, so the leftover raw veggies remained.  The next day after church, I came home and chopped up a huge amount of lettuce and then tossed it together with the leftover stir fry veggies.  Really, this was heaven on a plate.

Stir Fry Salad
Delta Whiskey

For the Salad:

4 cups Lettuce, chopped
1/4 of a cabbage, shredded
1 sweet bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
10 baby carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup freshly shredded cheddar
1 cup leftover stir-fry meat, reheated

For the Dressing:

2 T sour cream
2 T olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic
Salt & Pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

When I make salad at home, I get my big cutting board out and chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces.  I always start with the lettuce because it gives me a good gauge on how much I need of the additional ingredients.  Also, this salad dressing should be used up, as the fresh (raw) garlic will overpower the flavors if you leave it to the next day.

Prepare the salad by tossing all of the salad ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  Set aside.

For the dressing, I use a mini food-processor to ensure everything is smooth (and because I’m lazy).  Throw everything in a blender, food processor, bowl with an immersion blender… whatever your weapon of choice and blend all of the ingredients until smooth.

Transfer the salad to a few plates (two if you’re serving this as a main-dish dinner, 4 if using as a side), top with the dressing and warmed-through meat.

I’m thinking it might be absurd that the last thing I shared with everyone are some really fabulous pumpkin scones.  Where did the year go?  How did Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years pass me by so quickly, to leave me waking today to discover that it’s my anniversary?  Eight years ago today I made the [...]]]>

I’m thinking it might be absurd that the last thing I shared with everyone are some really fabulous pumpkin scones.  Where did the year go?  How did Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years pass me by so quickly, to leave me waking today to discover that it’s my anniversary?  Eight years ago today I made the best decision I’ve ever made, I married my best friend.

It’s hard to celebrate an anniversary at this time of year, so soon after the jam-packed schedule that comes with the holidays but it had to be done this way.  I met my husband 14 months before we married and the only stipulation my parents had: we were to know each other for four whole seasons before making such a commitment to each other.  A week after we met, we traveled to southern Missouri for The Brother’s wedding, which was also the week of Thanksgiving… so obviously we couldn’t get married in November.  December brings the crush of holidays and travel, so we decided on the first weekend of the new year, praying that everyone’s schedules would allow them to be there.

Sadly, we don’t have any of this Italian Cream Cake at home to celebrate tonight.

I actually made this for my mom’s birthday… at the beginning of November.  Now, having just been diagnosed as a celiac, my taste buds are still pretty sensitive to funky flavors and textures.  I can attest to you, this is the most fabulous cake I’ve ever eaten.  I got the recipe from Cakes & Bakes, then doubled everything for a very impressive cake.

Gluten Free Italian Cream Cake
Slightly adapted by Cakes & Bakes from 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster

1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature, seperated
1- 1/2 cup Carol’s Sorghum Blend*
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Frosting:
8 oz  cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pecans and/or toasted coconut for decoration

Place a rack in the middle of the oven.  Preheat to 325 degrees.  Generously grease two 8″ or 9″ cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper or wax.  Grease again, set aside.

To make the cake: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth.  Gradually beat in the sugar until smooth.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In another bowl, sift together the sorghum blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a measuring cup, whisk  together the buttermilk, vanilla and coconut extract.

With the mixer on low speed, beat the sorghum blend into the egg mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, ending with the sorghum mixture.  Add the pecans, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat just until smooth.

In a clean large bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.  Fold the egg whites into the batter and spread the batter evenly in the pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tops of the cake are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool the cakes in the pans for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove the cakes from the pan, discard the paper and cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the Frosting:

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Gradually beat in the powdered sugar on low speed.  Add the vanilla and beat well.  Taste and adjust according to desired sweetness, adding more sifted powdered sugar if needed.

Place 1 cake layer, topside down, on a serving plate; spread with one-third of the frosting.  Top with the other cake layer, topside up.  Spread remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.  Garnish with coconut and pecans as desired.

*Carol’s Sorghum Blend (which is literally, my favorite blend)

1-1/2 cups sorghum flour
1-1/2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour

Each year I look forward to the pumpkin scones at Starbucks.  The cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg warming the pumpkin to form a triangle of perfection, then lightly coated with a sweet vanilla sugar glaze.  There’s just something so magnificent about them, lightly dunked in a steaming hot latte to give [...]]]> Originally posted at Wives of Faith

Each year I look forward to the pumpkin scones at Starbucks.  The cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg warming the pumpkin to form a triangle of perfection, then lightly coated with a sweet vanilla sugar glaze.  There’s just something so magnificent about them, lightly dunked in a steaming hot latte to give a little moisture to the mass-produced scone.

I actually started making my own a few years ago when the air turned decidedly chilly too early in the year for Starbucks to think about pumpkin scones.  It was suddenly up to me to find a suitable alternative, and find it, I did.  In fact, the scones I came up with in my own kitchen blew the Starbucks scones out of my taste bud memory bank completely.  I was hooked on this moist spicy scone at first bite.

Since I can no longer partake in the Starbucks version (sadly, Starbucks does’t offer gluten-free scones), I consider myself pretty lucky for having that long-ago craving for a scone in the middle of August.  I’ve adapted my original recipe to be gluten free using my favorite flour blend.  So you’re not gluten free?  That’s okay!  Just swap the funny flours for all purpose and omit the xanthan gum and you’ll be in pumpkin scone bliss quicker than you can imagine.

Gluten Free Spiced Pumpkin Scones
Original Recipe by Delta Whiskey

3/4 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup potato starch (or corn starch if you prefer)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I’ve made this with both light and dark)
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup pumpkin
3 tablespoons heavy cream (milk will be just fine too)
1 egg

Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream (again, milk will be just fine)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
Freshly grated nutmeg or confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients for 90 seconds with a whisk, making sure to get all of the flours and xanthan gum incorporated.  Cut in butter until it is about the size of peas.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

In another medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients then fold them into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon, taking care not to over beat.

Using a large cookie baller (mine is about 3 tablespoons), scoop the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 15-17 minutes, until lightly golden on the bottom.  Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the glaze.

Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a small bowl, adding cream or powdered sugar to get the consistency of glaze you want.  Glaze the scones once they have cooled slightly.

Enjoy!

I just spent the most fabulous weekend with my mom.  You see, my life is so hectic and packed right now that I actually had to schedule time to spend with her.  Seriously.  I had a calendar reminder and everything!  We shopped until we dropped, barely making it home before the frigid temperatures nipped our [...]]]>

I just spent the most fabulous weekend with my mom.  You see, my life is so hectic and packed right now that I actually had to schedule time to spend with her.  Seriously.  I had a calendar reminder and everything!  We shopped until we dropped, barely making it home before the frigid temperatures nipped our backsides.  Most everyone on my list is taken care of now… except my mom!  How did that happen?

Even worse, how is it that another year has escaped me?  It’s December!  How can that be?  It seems that just yesterday was Easter.  The temperature outside, however, will not allow me to believe it’s still March and I’m walking around in a crazy time-capsule dream.  It’s cold, and my world will turn white with blankets of snow soon.

To me, there’s no better time to have a big pot of mom’s chili simmering on the stove than these frigid days.  Regardless of where I am, the flavors here bring me right back home to the good ‘ol Midwest.

Whiskey’s Mom’s Chili
Adapted to be Gluten-Free

1- 1/4 lb ground beef
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if you like it hot
4 cans kidney beans, rinsed (I used both light and dark)
1 (46 oz) bottle V-8 ORIGINAL Vegetable Juice*
Toppings:
Diced red onion
Shredded cheddar cheese
Dijon mustard
Sour Cream

In a large stockpot over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking up as you go with a little olive oil until browned.  Season with chili powder, cumin, coriander and cayenne peppers.  Stir in the V-8 juice and beans, reduce heat to low and simmer for as long as you can stand it… but I recommend at least an hour, 2 or 3 hours is always better.

Garish with fresh shredded sharp cheddar, a drop of sour cream, some diced red onion and a smidge of Dijon mustard.  You will not be disappointed.

This is the only way I ate chili growing up, I actually had no idea that chili could mean so many different things to so many different people.  Of course, now I make a variety of chili, but this one will always have the favorite spot in my heart, it couldn’t be easier to throw together and I’ve yet to meet a person who didn’t love it on first bite.

*Alright.  As for the V-8 juice.  I’ve tried the Low-Sodium version several times (the one I drink) in this chili recipe and it just didn’t taste right.  I’ve grown incredibly sensitive to salt since I’ve been gluten-free, so I tried it again with the low-sodium and it still didn’t taste right.  For best flavor (I can’t believe I’m recommending this!) use the Original.

Originally posted at Wives of Faith.

There are few things in life that elicit memories as much as taste.

When my husband and I met, he was stationed in South Korea, living the single life, his first duty station after Tech School.  Life was good. As soon as he washed up from being on the flight-line all day, he’d [...]]]>

Originally posted at Wives of Faith.

There are few things in life that elicit memories as much as taste.

When my husband and I met, he was stationed in South Korea, living the single life, his first duty station after Tech School.  Life was good. As soon as he washed up from being on the flight-line all day, he’d head into town where he’d feast on Chicken on a Stick, Chicken Bulgogi, Beef Bulgogi, Kimchee and countless other things that he can no longer pronounce.  The flavors were incomparable to anything he’d ever had stateside.

Fast forward a few 6 years and he’s in Afghanistan, sharing a base with the Koreans.  The phone calls I’d get from him were short.  I’d always ask, “What are you doing tonight?”  The same answer.  Every week.  ”One of the troops and I are going to go hit up the Koreans for some bulgogi.”  I’d laugh and make sure he’d take the bag of cookies I sent for this weekly exchange of tastes.

I know by the time he finally left Afghanistan, there were some very happy Koreans, filled up on “American Cookies!”, but my husband sorely missed his weekly bulgogi.

I finally nailed down a recipe that he says is “even better than authentic,” but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to challenge his opinion.  He always takes a moment to relax and reminisce on the days of old when I make it though.

I’m including notes on how to make this (not) gluten-free as well.  Try it out on your husbands who have had the privilege of serving in Korea and let me know what they think!  It seems fussy, but I promise it’s a breeze to throw together; it just takes a tad of pre-planning.

Chicken Bulgogi
An Original Recipe

Notes: To make this glutenful, simply swap the Liquid Aminos for a dark soy sauce (Tamari).  If you can’t find Tamari, feel free to use regular old soy sauce.  I actually want to encourage you to try Liquid Aminos anyway.  The flavor cannot be beat.  The punch of flavor you get from soy sauce is all there with the bonus of 16 additional amino acids and the absence of preservatives and added salt.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened to 1/2″
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 scallions, minced
1/2 cup Liquid Aminos
2 Tablespoons sugar
1- 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper flakes
Hot cooked rice, to serve

Flatten the chicken breasts by placing them, one at at time, into a plastic bag and beating it with a heavy object.  I use a meat tenderizer, but a heavy skillet, rolling pin, etc. will work too.  Flatten the chicken to 1/2″ thickness.  Remove to a glass pie plate, casserole pan… whatever you have that is non-reactive (not metal), rub the chicken with the lemon juice.

Meanwhile, lightly toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet set over low-medium heat until golden brown and fragrant.

In a small bowl, combine the liquid aminos, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sugar, pepper, red pepper flakes and one tablespoon of the toasted sesame seeds.  The amount of red pepper flakes you use is up to you, we like things a little spicy so I add a healthy sized pinch.  Pour this mixture over the chicken, making sure to turn the pieces so they get a good dose of the marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours, up to 24 hours.

After marinating, warm about a tablespoon of light oil in a stovetop grill or a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Once hot, cook chicken about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through.  Keep a close eye on the chicken while it’s cooking, between the soy sauce and the sesame oil, you’ve got a combination that loves to go from perfectly cooked to charred beyond recognition in no time.

Serve with hot white (or brown!) rice, garnish with remaining toasted sesame seeds.

The Husband received some [...]]]> I feel like after such a long absence, I should be bringing more to the table than a raspberry peanut butter.  The truth is, things have been busy, I’ve lost motivation and… I just don’t have a good excuse other than extreme business and an unbelievable desire to maintain radio silence.

The Husband received some more bad news regarding his situation this past week.  Because of his age, he will not be able to compete for a pilot slot.  We have exhausted every resource, from the top down.  The answer is the same, a resounding NO.

I think we’re both in shock.  A little depressed.  A little more than depressed.

We’re walking zombies, really.  The spunk knocked right out of both of us.

He’s in the process of another application process, we’re hoping he’ll hear something soon… but at this point, does it matter how long we wait for an answer?  Yes.  It does.  We’d like to know if he’ll be picked up for a training phase that will determine if he’s fit for this job.

He’ll be good at this.  Strong enough.  Willful enough.  Passionate enough.  More than passionate.  If you can, please keep us in your prayers.

There’s just a few remaining months left here before the Air Force sends us packing to another place… another experience… hopefully a good one… one that will allow The Husband to fulfill his desires and dreams.

I pass the time running like crazy.  Spending time with friends, family, working, cooking, cleaning, exercising, the list goes on and on.  It seems like just as one demand for my time has been met, I’m met with four more things that need attention.  My favorite escape is in the kitchen, preferably with friends or family milling about filling the room with laughter.  Since the celiac diagnosis, I’ve been trying desperately to learn as much as I can about what’s going on with me, how to makes things the way I used to…

Never one to snack, I find myself leaning more on several small meals a day instead of the main ones.  My favorite snack right now is raspberry peanut butter with gluten-free pretzel sticks and fresh cut celery.  There’s just something magical about the sweet and salty combination that makes me forget the 1,001 things on the To Do list.

Raspberry Peanut Butter
A Delta Whiskey Recipe

1 (12 oz) package frozen raspberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

2 cups roasted, salted peanuts

In a medium saucepan, bring the raspberries, sugar and water to a boil.  Turn heat to low, simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl, discarding the seeds and reserving the raspberry liquid.

In a food processor, pulse the peanuts until broken down, then run the processor constantly until a thick butter forms.*  Add raspberry juice and pulse to combine.

Refrigerate up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

*If you don’t like “chunky” peanut butter, you can add a little vegetable oil at this point, starting with a tablespoon and increasing until you reach the consistency you desire.

Serve with pretzel sticks and fresh cut celery.

Brownies are their own language, aren’t they?  I’ve yet to meet a person who didn’t have a preference or strong opinion on brownies.  Some people’s opinions are so intense that you’d be better off slicing the brownies with a machete so you’d have protection if needed.

There are the fudgy brownie people.  The cakey brownie people. [...]]]>

Brownies are their own language, aren’t they?  I’ve yet to meet a person who didn’t have a preference or strong opinion on brownies.  Some people’s opinions are so intense that you’d be better off slicing the brownies with a machete so you’d have protection if needed.

There are the fudgy brownie people.  The cakey brownie people.  The edge eaters.  The middle eaters.  The cocoa brownie eaters.  The dark chocolate and butter eaters.  The burnt eaters.  The batter eaters.  Me?  I’m an equal opportunity brownie eater.  Big surprise, right?  Miss “Wants Everyone Happy” is content with whatever piece the overly opinionated leave on the plate as if second-rate brownies.

I’m a self-proclaimed chocolate-hater, but when it comes to chocolate cake and brownies… I’m in love.  Love.

The first batch of gluten-free brownies I made were good.  Not GOOD… but good enough to squash the craving.  These brownies?  These are unbelievable.  They’d make a non-gluten-free eater a believer.

Gluten Free Brownies
A Delta Whiskey Recipe

1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
4 ounces 60% chocolate (I used Ghirardelli*)
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the butter and chocolate together in small saucepan over low heat.  Set aside and let cool slightly.

Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with non-stick spray.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk the flours and xanthan gum together for 90 seconds (again, I’m neurotic).  Set aside.

Instead of using my stand mixer, I do this by hand or with my hand-held mixer so I can keep an eye on the thickness.  In a large bowl, beat the eggs for about 30 seconds, slowly add the sugar and vanilla.  The mixture will become thick within a minute or so.  Slowly add the melted chocolate and butter, then mix in the flours just until moistened.

Pour into prepared 9″ x 13″ baking pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

I started playing around with coconut flour a few weeks ago and have found amazing results.  To keep fiber and nutrition high, I use the brown rice flour as well.  The coconut flavor is mild, just lending a little unexpected sweetness.

*Ghirardelli Chocolate*

I’ve baked with Ghirardelli for years and was saddened to see that it wasn’t on the gluten-free list.  Puzzled, I emailed the company for explanation.  This is what I received in response…

Thank you for contacting Ghirardelli Chocolate.  In June 2008, the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company started production of a new milk chocolate bar, Milk Chocolate Luxe with Crisps, which has a product containing barley malt as an ingredient.  As a result, the line on which our chocolate bars and squares are produced, will now share a common line with barley gluten.  The chocolate chips (60% Bittersweet, Semi-Sweet, and Milk Chocolate) line and powder line (hot chocolates and baking cocoas) will remain free of gluten ingredients.

Ghirardelli takes the following measures to reduce cross contamination on our production lines: lines are cleaned between the changing from one product to the next.  The first two batches of any product made are disposed of and not packaged.

To me, that’s a pretty darn safe product.  The cross-contamination seems to be taken care of with the sanitation and the discarding of the first two batches of chocolate, so I still use the 60% bars when baking.  It is up to you.

There’s a fruit farm about 20 minutes from our house that I love.  You can either walk into the rambling old barn and pick up a pound, a 5 pound bag or a whole bushel of apples, or… you can go pick them yourself.  I’ve never had the opportunity (or the time) to pick my [...]]]>

There’s a fruit farm about 20 minutes from our house that I love.  You can either walk into the rambling old barn and pick up a pound, a 5 pound bag or a whole bushel of apples, or… you can go pick them yourself.  I’ve never had the opportunity (or the time) to pick my own apples, which is fine because knowing my city-girl instincts, I’d pass right by all of the apples with spots and dots.  Instead, I grab a half bushel of apples (25 pounds for $11!) and spend my time in the air conditioned confines of my kitchen whipping various things up with the spotted and dotted apples.  

The fruit farm is also known for their cider donuts and cider slushies.   When I told The Husband I was headed to the fruit farm, he jokingly said, “If you don’t come back with the donuts, don’t come back at all.”  I laughed, then headed out the door determined to make it back with a half dozen for him to devour and me to drool over.

Sadly, since I’ve started sleeping again, I didn’t make it to the fruit farm until well after 10:00 11:00 a.m., which is practically dinner time to farmers.  The cider donuts were gone, not even a cinnamon-sugar crumb to tuck in a ziploc bag for The Husband to sniff.  With that in mind, I grabbed a half-gallon of the site-made cider and decided I’d make donuts that both of us could enjoy.

As a dedicated donut-hater, I have to admit, there is something about cake donuts that makes me happy.  I blame it on my grandfather and his love for those wax chocolate coated donuts that come wrapped in a sleeve from the vending machine.

I’ve always loved the cider donuts from the fruit farm and never considered making  my own until faced with the reality that I’d never have them again.  These donut holes are so close to the original that it’d be hard for anyone to discern which are glutenous and which are not.

Try  making the dough and the holes the night before, storing in the fridge for a (somewhat) fuss-free breakfast.

Gluten-Free Cider Donut Holes
Delta Whiskey

1- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 -1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 cup apple cider
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Oil for frying
Roller:
2 cups sugar mixed with 1 -1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk the flours, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg  for 90 seconds.   Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs, 1 at a time until combined.  Mix in cider and buttermilk, then mix in the flours.

Using a medium cookie scoop (1 -1/2 tablespoon scoop), scoop the dough into balls, place on a waxed cookie sheet and freeze for 20 minutes.

I have a mini-fryer that I love, but it’s totally unnecessary (especially considering I lived 29 years without one) using a fryer or a large, heavy-bottom pot, heat about 4-5 inches of light colored oil to 375 degrees.

Test your oil by dropping one donut hole in the oil, cook 7 minutes, allowing the hole to do it’s business, remove to a wire cooling rack then break it open to make sure it’s not doughy, but cooked through. You don’t want to crowd the pot, working with 4 or 5 holes at a time.  Mine cooked perfectly after 7 minutes, but depending on the temperature of your oil, you may need a little less or a little more time.

Prepare your rollers by whisking the remaining 2 cups sugar and 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in one shallow bowl, then placing the 2 cups confectioner’s sugar in a separate shallow bowl.  Set aside.

Once cooked, remove to a wire rack, cool 1 minute then roll in desired sugar.  We really loved the cinnamon-sugar mixture as a roller, it seemed to have more of a fall taste, but the powdered sugar was great too.

Makes 36 (HUGE – 2″) donut holes.