GlutenFreeBaking.com

Easy Baked Gluten-Free Wings

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

February 2, 2012

There must be a million recipes for hot weeks--published this week alone. And since all the cool kid's are going it, I'm sharing my favorite recipes for easy wings!

Since these wings are baked, not fried, the oven temperature is important. Baking the wings at 475�F ensures they are crisp on the outside with a moist and juicy interior.

Drying the wings before baking also helps to crisp them up. Do you remember the scene in "Julie and Julia" where Julia Childs instructs that the beef for her boeuf bourguignon be patted dry before searing? Same theory applies here. By drying the chicken wings really well before baking, they won't steam in the oven.

As for the hot sauce, I like it hot. Since you can't go wrong with Frank's Red Hot Sauce, I doctor it a bit. While the wings bake, I cook a generous amount of garlic, add ground chipotle chili, and then the sauce. It simmers for a bit, getting a little thick. That's it!

Easy Veggie Chili from How to Cook Gluten-Free

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

February 1, 2012

On my kitchen counter right now sits a copy of my new cookbook. I still can't believe it. After almost two years of work, the book's real. It no longer lives solely in my mind. Or in the e-mail exchanges between my editor and myself. It's here!

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Well, I should say, "It's almost here!" The book's release date is early March. But since it's sitting on my kitchen counter, I wanted--no, I needed to share a little bit of it with you today.

But what to share? I love all of the recipes! From the crisp waffles to the chipotle chicken wraps. This cookbook's meant to live on your kitchen counter. The recipes are perfect for weeknight meals with a few weekend (read: longer to prepare) recipes thrown in for fun.

After much deliberating, I decided to share two recipes. This one's for my Easy Veggie Chili. (And, yes, I know that some folks bristle when someone uses the name "chili" for a meatless dish. But to me, chili it is!) And I can't share my chili recipe without sharing the recipe for my Cornbread Chili Bake. It uses leftover chili and tops it with a light, fluffy cornbread.

But first, Veggie Chili!

Cornbread Chili Bake

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

February 1, 2012

Some people are magicians when it comes to turning leftovers into a brand new meal. I'm not one of them. My usual approach to leftovers? "Reheat and eat."

But for every rule there's an exception. My exception is chili. After making a pot of chili, the leftovers turn into this simple cornbread-topped chili bake.

For the recipe, I use my veggie chili recipe as the base. Since it's meat-free, I sometimes brown one pound of either ground turkey or ground beef and add it to the chili. Then I spoon cornbread batter over the chili and bake.

The cornbread bakes up light and fluffy but doesn't overpower the robust spices and flavors of the chili.

However, the cornbread doesn't need to fade quietly into the background. Adapt it to suit your tastes and enhance the chili you use for the casserole. Some nice modifications are adding whole corn kernels, scallions, or ground chili spices.

I recently shared this recipe with the lovely folks at WNYT. The video's after the cut.

Gluten-Free Pigs in a Blanket

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

January 31, 2012

At football parties, few things frustrate me more than a plate of piping hot pigs in a blanket that I can't eat. (My team losing would be the #1 thing that frustrates me. I'm looking at you Green Bay.) A few years ago, I grew tired of this--it was time for a gluten-free version.

Traditional wheat-based pigs in a blanket are often made with store-bought dough, usually crescent dough or puff pastry. Those of us on the gluten-free diet currently don't have the option of using pre-made dough. While not as easy as popping open a can of dough, this gluten-free pastry isn't tough to make.

To prepare the dough, simply cut some butter (or shortening) into dry ingredients, add an egg and some milk and stir until a firm dough forms. That's it.

These can also be made ahead of time and frozen. After wrapping each wiener in dough, place them on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about three hours, until they're firm. Then place the pigs in a blanket in a plastic bag and return to the freezer.

When you're ready to serve, preheat the oven and bake from frozen.

Gluten-Free Croque-Monsieur

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

January 3, 2012

Recently it occurred to me that some of my favorite sandwiches are seasonal sandwiches. I eagerly await the first BLT of the summer and come winter I can't wait for a croque-monsieur. Of course, unlike the BLT, there's nothing really seasonal about this sandwich. Bread, ham, cheese and white sauce are available all year round. Yet tucking into this hearty sandwich during a warm season just doesn't appeal to me. (Probably because I am too busy eating BLTs.) Come the cold nights of January, however? I'm ready for a dressed-up ham and cheese sandwich.

While this French sandwich has been around for at least a hundred years, it's fairly new to my culinary repertoire. For years I avoided it because the thought of a sandwich topped with béchamel sauce sauce didn't sound appealing to me. I imagined the bread would turn unappetizingly soggy. However, I was wrong. Terribly wrong. After one bite, I knew why this sandwich was a classic. It's a comfort food sandwich! How did I miss this before? Warm cheese, salty ham, and tangy mustard. As for the bread, as long as it's well toasted (which is key with gluten-free bread.) the bread doesn't get mushy under the thick sauce.

Since the sandwich takes a little time to prepare, I usually don't make it for lunch. Instead I serve it for dinner along with a peppery green salad and a gluten-free beer.

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Eleven: Make Your Own Bark

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 20, 2011

Make Your Own Chocolate Bark

One of the easiest (and tastiest!) homemade gifts to make is chocolate bark. One of the great things about bark is that there's no limit to the way you can make it! Two of my favorites are peppermint bark (One layer of dark chocolate, one layer of white chocolate that's topped with crusted candy canes.) and dark chocolate cherry bark (one layer of dark chocolate, sprinkled with dried cherries and white chocolate chips.)

Use this recipe as a guideline to encourage your own creativity.

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Ten: No-Bake Chocolate Orange Cookies

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 19, 2011

One of my favorite flavor combinations, chocolate and orange, becomes a little more popular this time of the year thanks to those "chocolate oranges" that you whack on the counter. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find out whether or not those chocolate novelties are gluten-free. That's okay because these orange-chocolate dipped cookie more than makes up for it!

For this recipe, I dip the cookies in confectionery coating. Like any ingredient, quality varies greatly from brand to brand. I use

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Nine: Gingerbread Boys

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 14, 2011

No matter how many carols I hear, cards I send, or gifts I wrap, it doesn't feel like the holidays until I make gingerbread cookies. And those gingerbread cookies? They need to meet two requirements:

They can't spread. It's always disappointing to put cute cut-outs into the oven only to be greeted with weird amoeba-like shapes after baking; I like my gingerbread boys and girls to hold their shape!

They must taste like ginger. Too often gingerbread cookies taste like molasses cookies with the ginger flavor lost to the other spices. If I want a molasses cookie, I'll make a batch. When I want a gingerbread cookie, I want ginger to be the prominent flavor.

This recipe succeeds on both counts. The dough retains its shape well enough that you can use it to construct a gluten-free gingerbread house. And, thanks to the tablespoon of ground ginger, it's a tasty, spicy ginger cookie.

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Eight: Sugar Cookies with Video

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 13, 2011

I love sugar cookies! And these are some of the easiest sugar cookies to make. They don't require cookie cutter *and* they come out of the oven already decorated!

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Seven: Buttermilk Pound Cake

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 12, 2011

Remember the old Sara Lee commercials? They always popped up during the holiday season. Well, I thought I knew those commercials. So, let me tell you, my mind was recently blown when I learned that jingle in those songs said, "Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee." I always, always thought they were singing, "Nobody does it like Sara Lee." Because, as a kid, Nobody Did It Like Sara Lee. At least for pound cake in our house.

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(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Six: Almond Maple Granola

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 8, 2011

As much as I love giving cookies, candy, and bread as holiday gifts, it's fun to do something a little different. And homemade granola always fits the bill. This sweet, cinnamon-scented recipe makes perfect holiday gifts! And it only takes minutes to make. (Perfect for last minute gifts.)

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day FIve: Gluten-Free Cut-Out Cookies

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 7, 2011

This time of year leaves me feeling a little like the Cookie Monster: "Me want cookies!" And I don't want just any cookie, I want cut-out cookies. I love cookie cutters. I might love them too much. My 200-plus cookie cutter collection even boasts an�armadillo-shaped cookie cutter.

When I want to make use of my excessive cookie cutter collection I turn again and again to my recipe for basic cut-out cookies. As written, it makes delicate vanilla-scented cookies that strike a nice balance between sweet and buttery. But like most, I like to play with my food. This recipe welcomes change! If you crave a more

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Four: Doughnuts Bites

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 6, 2011

As a kid, I knew one thing about Hanukkah: it included latkes and doughnuts and Christmas didn't. This made me more than a little sad that my family didn't celebrate the holiday. In my opinion, even the best Christmas cookie can't compete with a latke or doughnut fresh from the fryer.

Thankfully my mom's friend Judy provided all the laktes and doughnuts I could eat. This year I asked for her doughnut recipe--I didn't want to spend another holiday season jelly doughnut-less.

The doughnuts Judy made were jelly doughnut bites. "They're not�doughnut holesbecause I don't make the full-size doughnut!" Judy told me after I asked for her "doughnut hole" recipe. (When I mentioned that jelly doughnuts don't actually have a hole, Judy�laughed�at me.) Thinking it might be a family tradition, I asked why she made�doughnut "bites" and not full-size doughnuts.�Did her mom make doughnut bites?

Her reply showed Judy's no-nonsense nature: "Tradition? No! My mother made regular doughnuts.�Bites are just easier.�I got the idea from Dunkin Donuts' Munchkins. They were new at the time and my kids loved 'em."

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Three: Homemade Eggnog

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 5, 2011

I think eggnog might be the candy corn of the Christmas season. People either love it or loathe it and, just like candy corn, they'll passionately tell you which camp they're in. Me? I love eggnog. Love it. But the last few years, disappointment instead of delight accompanied my annual eggnog purchase. The reason? High fructose corn syrup IHFCS). Health reasons and the HFCS debate aside, I just don't like the mouth feel it brings to beverages. I find eggnog (and even soda) made with HFCS to be, well, syrupy, instead of smooth. (For soda, I find sugar-based sodas "crisper" than their more prevalent HFCS-sweetened cousins.

Then this year, hope of a HFCS-free eggnog sprung up! My friend Rachel mentioned that a local creamery (which will remain nameless because I usually love their stuff) was offering eggnog. She said it was was the best nog she'd ever had. After hearing this, I ran so fast to the store to pick up a glass bottle of the stuff that it could have qualified as a cardio workout. Then I scanned the ingredients and saw....high fructose corn syrup. I.was.so.bummed. "That's it! I'm making my own!" I muttered to Greg.

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day Two: Salted Marcona Almond Cookies

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 2, 2011

While munching on a handful of slightly salty marcona almonds, I thought, "I need to bake with these." What the heck took me so long? As a lover of salty-sweet desserts (chocolate-covered pretzels? salted caramel brownies? yes please!), I set out to create cookies with the marcona almonds.

But my favorite salty-sweet desserts are still more sweet than salty, so I needed a cookie that stood up to the almonds without overpowering them or being overpowered by them.

The result: part brownie, part cookie that highlights the salty almonds but is still a dessert in a decidedly rich, chocolate body.

During testing, I made a batch with almond paste in an attempt to boost the almond flavor, but it was too almondy and the chocolate was lost. (Plus, if you're allergic to almonds, you can omit the marcona almonds from the recipe. With almond paste, making them almond-free wasn't an option.)

Thanks to melted butter and chocolate, the dough comes together quickly. (I even whipped up several batches using a fork.) After mixing, the dough resembles brownie batter; so be sure to chill the dough before baking. Once it chills for four hours, roll it into balls. I like a single almond pressed into the center of each cookie. If you desire a more robust almond flavor, stud the cookies with several almonds before baking.

(12 Days of Holiday Sweets) Day One: Lemon Bars

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

December 1, 2011

Welcome to December! I can't quite believe it's here, can you?

For the next 12 days, I'm posting recipes that make the holiday season sweeter. These are my 12 Days of Holiday Sweets and Treats.* And at the end? There's a sweet little surprise for you.

*I know that the traditional 12 Days of Christmas run from Christmas Day to the Epiphany but I thought this would be fun.

Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

Sure a tall, icy glass of lemonade makes summer sweeter but I really love citrus in winter. These lemon bars are great made with lemon, of course, but they also work with any tart citrus. Try the bars with grapefruit or lime juice.

If you plan to give these as gifts, cut them into squares and separate the bars with a little square of parchment paper to keep them from sticking.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

November 24, 2011

I really do believe that gratitude is the best seasoning. I am so grateful for you! If you are reading this, I really do mean you. Thank you for reading, using my recipes, and sharing your life--and your table---with me. Enjoy today!

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving: Last Minute No-Bake Turkey Cookies for Kids

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

November 23, 2011

I know these are late! BUT I had to share these cute cookies with you. Colleen Bosco, a mom of a food allergic�(dairy and peanuts)�kid, created these cute cookies using a sandwich cookie and

(video) Gluten-Free Thanksgiving: Easy Cherry, Cranberry, and Chocolate Pie

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

November 22, 2011

(video) Gluten-Free Thanksgiving: How to Make Gluten-Free Gravy

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

November 21, 2011

Making gluten-free gravy is SO easy! Here's how it's done!

(video) Gluten-Free Thanksgiving: How to Make Gluten-Free Stuffing

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

November 21, 2011

The nice folks at Price Chopper asked me to do some gluten-free cooking and baking vidoes*. This is my first one!

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving: Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

November 21, 2011

For the last few months, I've been playing with gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free recipes for Thanksgiving. One of the bigger challenges turned out to be pumpkin pie. Several times I wondered if I could make a tasty custard, and that's what pumpkin pie filling basically is--a custard.

After making many pies, I finally created one I loved. How much do I love it? It'll be the only pumpkin pie on my Thanksgiving table.

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving: How to Make Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

November 21, 2001

A few years ago, when one of my readers asked me to create a gluten-free version of Campbell's green bean casserole, I was excited. Until then, I had never eaten the classic Thanksgiving side. After perfecting the recipe, a funny thing happened: several of my friends revealed themselves to be secret green bean casserole lovers. Now I make this for Thanksgiving every year. Another huge part of the tradition is munching on the freshly fried onion strips.

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(Free Recipe) Baked Squash with Onions and Apples

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0800

October 24, 2011

The other day on Facebook I mentioned that my dinner felt like "fall on a plate." The autumnal feel came mainly from one side dish: baked squash with onions and apples. Magic happens to onions and apples during the baking processes-- they become soft and as sweet as candy.

For the recipe, I used one acorn squash and one carnival squash. But that's just because that's what I had kicking around the house. Use whatever winter squash is handy.

(Free Recipe) Salted Caramel Chocolate Apples

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0800

September 30, 2011

After making the chocolate-coated apples, I decided to make one more apple: a caramel wrapped, chocolate-dipped, sea salt-sprinkled apple. Sounds like a mouthful, right? They are! In the best way! And, not surprisingly, these turned out to be my favorite.

The process for making these apples is fairly similar to the "plain" (read: not carmel-wrapped) apples.

(Free Recipe) How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Apples

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0800

September 30, 2011

The other day, I got the BEST e-mail from a friend! She wanted to know how to make chocolate-covered apples. YES! Are you as excited as I was? Let me say that again, chocolate-covered apples. If you've enjoyed a chocolate-covered apple before, I bet you know two things: 1. They are delicious. 2. They cost a fortune! Seriously, I've seen some of these treats going for $15.00 per apple. The good news? They are easy to make at home!

(Free Recipe) How to Make Gluten-Free Funfetti Cake

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0800

September 19, 2011

A few months ago, someone asked me to make a gluten-free version of Pillsbury's Funfetti cake. This was a bit of a problem. At its heart, Funfetti cake's just a sprinkle-studded white cake. And white cake's always been a bit of a nemesis of mine. You think it'd be easy: gluten-free flour, sugar, eggs, and fat. Simple, right? Not the case!

I've created more flops of white cakes than just about anything else (including gluten-free bread). Before creating another too-dense/too-heavy/too-dry white cake, I went to the supermarket to do some research.

When re-creating a box mix cake, one needs to read a box mix! I noticed that all wheat-based boxed cake mixes contain shortening cut into the flour. Hmm. Could this be the secret to a light gluten-free white cake?

Shortening, when cut into flour, creates

(Free Recipe) How to Make Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0800

September 15, 2011

Remember the "You Donate. I Bake." post? Well, it ended up raising over $700! Over the last few weeks, I sent hundreds of gluten-free shortbread cookies into the world. Thank you to everyone who donated! Your generosity amazed me.

Several folks asked for the recipe for those simple shortbread cookies. I'm more than happy to share it And I'm more than please (tickled really!) that several of the folks who received cookies are NOT gluten-free and still wanted the recipe!

Since starting the project, I've learned lots about these simple cookies! Here's what you need to know before whipping up a batch:

1. Don't overmix. Shortbread cookies are dense affairs. Over-mixing the butter causes their texture to become too light and crumbly. When preparing the dough, don't cream the butter and sugar so much that it becomes light and fluffy.

2. Take your time. Since these cookies contain no eggs, there's no moisture to coax the ingredients quickly into a dough. Once the dry ingredients are added to the butter and sugar paste, it takes a little while for a dough to form. At first the dough seems incredibly sandy--you might even worry that it's not coming together--don't fret like I did the first time I made a batch! The dough does come together after two or three minutes of mixing. Don't rush it and don't give up. The wait's worth it.

3. Re-rolling is welcome. With no gluten to make things tough, you can roll and re-roll this dough until every last piece is used. Since these cookies are so rich, I make about two dozen 2 1/2-inch cookies from one batch, gathering and re-rolling the dough as needed to get this many cookies.

(Member Recipe) 30 Minute Pasta e Fagioli

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0800

September 13, 2011

Growing up, I was what one might charitably call a bit of an odd kid. My favorite television show wasn't Sesame Street. Oh no! It was a toss up between Bob Ross' The Joy of Painting and PBS' Great Chefs. And my favorite food? My grandmother's pasta e fagioli. At the time, this bean and pasta bean dish wasn't really considered kid food. But I loved it--and that settled that.

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Since going gluten-free about three years ago, I haven't eaten pasta e fagioli. Why? I'm finicky about the pasta part of pasta e fagioli. Of course it can be made with any kind of pasta. Of course it can. But when a dish is inextricably linked to childhood, you want it the way you remember. Period. And my grandmother made pasta e fagioli with ditalini--which are these little pasta tubes that are just perfect for pasta e fagioli and other soups. Without ditalini, pasta e fagioli just didn't taste right to me. For a long time, there wasn't a gluten-free version of ditalini. So I didn't make it. Silly, right?

Then the other day magic happened. I saw a box of DeBoles "Kid's Only*" Tubettini. This pasta is as close to gluten-free ditalini as I've seen. Close enough that I quickly grabbed a box off the shelf for one reason: it was time to make pasta e fagioli!

Of course, I wanted to make my grandmother's pasta e fagioli and discovered something of a family secret: my grandmother was a bit of a semi-homemade cook. YES! Long before Sandra Lee, my grandmother used shortcuts to get dinner on the table. And who can blame her? With six kids to feed, making a quick version of pasta e fagioli just made sense. So instead of soaking beans and making a special sauce, she used canned beans and leftover thinned tomato sauce.

While recreating her recipe, I found that

(Free Recipe) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0800

September 6, 2011

Hailing from the birthplace of Ben and Jerry's ice cream (Burlington, Vermont), my mom has strong feelings about their famous Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream. She hates it. She always says, "Who wants to eat gobs of raw dough in perfectly good ice cream?" Her daughter, that's who! I love the stuff.

When I thought about making gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough, I knew I could make it by folding cookie dough pieces into soft, freshly churned ice cream. But what if someone doesn't have an ice cream maker, or just doesn't feel like making a batch of ice cream from scratch? Is it still possible to make this ice cream? I needed to find out.

My first attempt was a total flop. Halfway through making it, I couldn't stop laughing. Melted ice cream, everywhere. I even managed to get some in my hair. The reason it flopped? I allowed the ice cream to get really soft then attempted to fold the dough balls into the softened ice cream. Don't do this. Trust me. The ice cream gets way too melty.

But there is hope--I discovered an easier, much less messy way to make this ice cream. Simply allow store-bought vanilla ice cream to soften slightly. Then transfer the softened ice cream into a freezer-safe container. As you do, dot the ice cream with little balls of chocolate chip cookie dough. That's it!

Here's how to do it

(Free Recipe) How to Make an Easy Shrimp Boil

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0800

September 2, 2011

Shrimp boils always seemed almost perfect to me. *Almost* perfect because while I love the ingredients, shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn, each shrimp boil I ate included overcooked corn and shrimp. So I wanted to make a shrimp boil that did NOT include overcooked ingredients. Happily, it's easier than I thought. You just need to change the order of things.

A classic shrimp boils goes something like this

You Donate. I Bake.

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800

August 24, 2011

I'm offering homemade gluten-free shortbread cookies to raise money for Jennifer Perillo. You donate. I bake. It's that simple.

(Free Recipe) How to Steam Potatoes

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800

August 22, 2011

Steamed potatoes. Don't they sound, I don't know, kind of boring? Truth is, steamed potatoes are not something I'd made--or thought about--until recently.

For my friend's birthday party, her husband made an incredible clam steam. Along with the clams, sausages, and corn, there was, you guessed it, steamed potatoes. At first I thought I'd give the steamed potatoes a pass. I mean, they were just potatoes! Better to save tummy room for those clams, right?

Well, after I'd eaten my share of clams, I still had a wee bit of room--perfect for half a potato. Since these were large white potatoes, I asked my husband to share with me. (Spoiler: This does not end well for Greg.) I cut the potato in half, poured some melted butter on it and gave it a generous sprinkle of salt. Oh my! This potato was so good! It's flesh was creamy while the skin remained almost "snappy" without being tough. When Greg decided to nab his share of the potato, I, um, decided I didn't feel like sharing!

I wondered if I loved the potatoes so much because they steamed above clams and sausages or if perhaps steamed potatoes were just that good. After making several batches this summer, I can affirm: they are just that good.

Here's how to make them.

(Free Recipe) Gluten-Free Tomato Tart

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800

August 19, 2011

Are you inundated with summer tomatoes? That's a good problem to have isn't it? When my garden starts churning out tomatoes, I always eat the first few tomatoes right from the vine with a whisper of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt." But after that? It's tart-makin' time!

To say I await tomato tarts all year is not an exaggeration. In fact, I blame my love of tomato tarts for the ridiculous number of tomato plants in my garden each spring. Just the promise of a tart influences my tomato selection. I'm always thinking, "How will this kind look/taste in a tart?"

I think any tart is only as good as

(Free Recipe) How to Make Gluten-Free Grilled Cheese

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800

I love getting e-mails from readers! Recently this one popped up in my in-box:�

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Elizabeth--

HELP! I don't know how to make grilled cheese! I grew up eating grilled cheese made with American Cheese. The cheese always melted. Now when I try to make grilled cheese on gluten-free bread with cheddar cheese, my bread browns before all the cheese melts. Whenever I cut into the sandwich, the middle is NEVER melted. What am I doing wrong???

I am using Udi's white bread and grated cheddar.�

Thanks for your help! I knew you wouldn't laugh at me even though I have no idea how to make grilled cheese, the easiest food in the world!�

Catherine

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This is such a great question! And of course I'm not laughing! Sometimes the "easiest" things to make in the kitchen require a bit of know-how that no one ever talks about. Well, I'm talking!�

Here's how to make a great gluten-free grilled cheese.�

(Free Recipe) Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Pie

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800

August 12, 2011

Today, for the first time ever, I made a peanut butter pie. What took me so long?

Mike Perillo, husband of blogger Jennifer Perillo, nudged me into the kitchen. I'll have to send a little word of thanks into the universe for Mike to hear. See, Mike died early this week.

On Monday morning, my first day back from vacation, I caught up on my Twitter feed. I saw several tweets mentioning Jennifer. I quickly realized that her husband had passed away. I paused. I shook my head. I re-read. Perhaps I'd misread? I didn't. My heart sank.

Jennifer isn't someone I know personally. But in my on-line circle, she's someone I know. And you know how that feels right? Think about the people you've met on-line. I'm sure there are some "big names," like blogger Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. But I bet there are other smaller, but no less important, people too. On Facebook alone I've connected, and re-connected, with lots of folks. These folks are no less "real" to me than the person I chat with at my local grocery store. Community is community. That I know for sure. And in 2011, a part of our community might be "virtual" but it's still community.

When I learned that Jennifer lost her husband suddenly, my heart broke open for her and her family. And I wanted to do something. But, for the moment, there wasn't anything practical I could do. Then Jennifer posted a simple request: make a peanut butter pie to remember Mike. Jennifer shared that this was his favorite pie and she kept meaning to make it "tomorrow" for him.

Ah, "tomorrow". It gets us doesn't it?

(Premium Recipe) How to Make a Gluten-Free Tomato Zucchini Galette

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800

August 11, 2011

I love tomato tarts! The other day I shared a recipe for a caramelized onion and tomato tart with a Parmesan crust in my "Gluten-Free Tuesday" column on SeriousEats.com. (Do you read my column there? I hope so!) As I said in that piece, I love (love, love, love) tomato tarts. So today I want to share another one of my favorite tomato tart recipes with you.

This time, however, it isn't a exactly a tart. Let me explain.

Galettes, sometimes called "rustic tarts" or "open faced pies" are made by piling a filing (sweet or savory) into the center of a piece of pastry. The type of pasty used is up to you. For sweet galettes (like apple or blueberry), I often use a pie crust-tart hybrid. For savory galettes, I use a sturdy short-dough. Unlike traditional short doughs which contain lots of butter, this dough contains only four tablespoons. Since a galette is baked on a flat baking sheet, and not in a tart or pie pan, the dough needs enough integrity to hold it's shape while baking. And this dough does just that. In fact, thanks to the zucchini and fresh mozzarella (which gives off lots of liquid during baking), my galette "leaked" a little during baking. The crust, however, was fine. It didn't get soggy at all--even with a little cheesy goodness running out of the top.

Here's how to put together a galette

(Free Recipe) Chocolate Zucchini Whoopie Pies

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800

August 10, 2011

After spending two weeks reviewing the edits on my upcoming cookbook (and what a week that was!), my husband and I headed to Maine for a week.

Do you know what culinary treat is all over Maine? (Beside lobsters and blueberries, of course.) Whoopie Pies! I LOVE whoopee pies and having to pass them up everyday ignited a desire in me that I've rarely experienced since going gluten-free.

While we'd rented a hotel with a kitchen and I cooked every day, I wasn't about to bake while on vacation. I mean, the beach called. Not the oven. But when I got home? Different story! It was time to bake.

Before making a batch of whoopie pies, I glanced at my "to bake" list. On the list? Chocolate zucchini bread! Hmm�Chocolate zucchini bread. Whoopie Pies. Inspiration hit: Chocolate Zucchini Whoopie Pies. I couldn't get into the kitchen fast enough.

To create the recipe, I kept the cinnamon-scented notes from chocolate zucchini bread and the dense, moist texture from whoopie pies. The resulting whoopie pies are some of the best I've ever eaten. And I've eaten a lot of whoopie pies.

(Free Recipe) Corn Chowder

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0800

August 9, 2011

You know those foods that you just prefer a certain way? I'm like that with chowder. I like my chowder thick but not ultra rich. Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Let me explain.

Often chowder's richness comes from cream. When too much cream is used in the recipes, I find the flavor of the chowder a little blunted. To get around this--and still enjoy a thick consistency--up the amount of flour in the roux to thicken the soup. Instead of a 1:1 ratio of fat to flour, I use a 1:2 ratio and omit the cream altogether. This lends a nicely thick soup without being too rich. If you prefer a thin chowder, add an additional cup of chicken or vegetable broth.

By the way, this chowder has a little spicy kick under the sweetness of the corn. If you'd prefer chowder without the kick, just leave out the hot sauce.

(Premium Member Recipe) How to Make Summer Jam Tarts

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0800

July 8, 2011

Sure pies are fun but for a picnic, I prefer these easy jam tarts. They are easy to tote, easy to serve, and easy to eat!

(Free) How to Make Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0800

July 7, 2011

Chocolate graham crackers make a great base for gluten-free ice cream sandwiches!

(Free Recipe) How to Make Gluten-Free Red, White, and Blue Cupcakes

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0800

June 29, 2011

Thanks to a mix, it takes only minutes to whip up a batch of these cute cupcakes for the Fourth of July.

(Premium Member Recipe) One Pan Sausage Bake

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0800

June 28, 2011

The other night I wanted to serve grilled sausages for dinner. The darn weather didn't cooperate! It-- as I am sure you guessed-- rained! Woe! While my husband has no problem grilling in the rain, I don't love standing outside getting soaked. So I did what any sensible person would do: I whined for a few minutes about the weather and then I turned on the oven.

(Review) Kellogg's, Zatarain's, and Enjoy Life

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0800

June 24, 2011

During the last month, three companies sent me new products to try. Yay! New stuff! I don't know about you, but new food that I'm not allergic to always makes me excited.

First up, Kellogg's Rice Krispies

(Member Recipe) How to Make Fresh Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0800

June 22, 2011

It's easy to make fresh gluten-free bread crumbs. All you need is, you guessed it, bread.

Introducing the Gluten-Free Lookbook @ GlutenFreeBaking.com

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0800

June 21, 2011
Early in 2011, inspired by my love of "visual eating" and fabulous gluten-free bloggers, I set out to create a place on GlutenFreeBaking.com where gluten-free eaters could come and, well, eat with their eyes.
Today I'm proud to introduce the Gluten-Free Lookbook @ GlutenFreeBaking.com!
Here's how it works

How to Roast a Chicken

Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 -0800

May 25, 2011
I love roasting a whole chicken. Here's how to do it, step-by-step.

How to Skin Salmon

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 -0800

May 10, 2011
Later this week I'm sharing a recipe for a quick salmon dinner. But before I do, I wanted to show you how to skin salmon

How to Make Parmesan Crisps

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 -0800

May 9, 2011
Parmesan crisps are as pretty as they are easy. And since they only require one ingredient and a hot oven, making a few for the top of a salad is a simple kitchen task. Here's how to make them!

How to Make Easy Gluten-Free Pizza

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0800

May 3, 2011
During the ten years I've taught gluten-free baking classes, two questions are asked more than any others:�"How do I make bread?"�and�"How do I make pizza?"�Bread and pizza. My favorites.�
�

You want a great, easy pizza crust, right? Here's what to do:�