Gluten Free Donuts

We had a Gluten Free Donut Party!

We hosted the 3rd annual Harvest Party, last November.

Yes, you read that right.

November.

Ok, I've been busy.

But here are the recipes now!

And you are going to love them.

We started the donut making tradition one year on Halloween.  

All the festivities happened the weekend before Halloween and as adults we needed something to do, that would include babies and young children of course.

So I dug through some cookbooks and found some GF donut recipes.

They turned out ok.

But it was more fun because all our friends came over and ate delicious circles of deep-fried dough with us. 

It doesn't get better than that.

The next year, all the husband's had finals on and around Halloween.

So to carry on the tradition, we had the donut frenzy a week later and called it a fall harvest party.

The next year we moved during the fall and didn't throw one...

don't judge.

(I was also preggo and even thinking about hot oil, or cooking for that matter, made me run for the sink!)

But this last fall, we threw the biggest donut party ever! 

It was amazing.

And so were the donuts.

Want to throw your own?

Here's how:

Invite all your friends over for a Harvest Party.  Thanks to Facebook and mass texting this is easy.

(Keep everything as casual as possible)

Then make donuts!

Have everyone eat donuts until they are in a sugar coma.

Eat some more donuts while drinking sparkling cider, apple cider + dry ice.  Cool effects and delish.

Eat another donut and watch the football game (if you are a boy) or chat with all your friends (if you are a girl).

Be sure to make your kiddos matching Turkey Shirts.

They can also wear them at Thanksgiving.

So for this next week watch for some great donut recipes coming your way!

We have:

Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze

Oven-Baked Apple Donuts

Spiced Pumpkin Donuts 

and

Apple Cider Doughnuts

Joint Forces

Guess what!!

This is really exciting!

I have joined with some friends and other foodies on a great blog called

"Oh So Delicioso!"

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Seriously good eats over there.

You might remember Aubrey, she posted during our Christmas series those yummy little meatballs.  She is on the co-founder of Delicioso.

And Shunae, where I have had gotten many recipes also posts occasionally.

So check it out!  

You'll love it!

And don't worry, I'll still be keeping this blog up too.

You can't get rid of my that easy....

Gluten Free Brown Rice and Lentils

Brown rice, lentils, veggies...doesn't get much healthier than that.
But don't think that because this might be labeled as "health" food that its not good.
Because trust me, this is a casserole that is full of flavor, easy to make, and dirt cheap.

Gluten Free Brown Rice and Lentils

This recipe has been made quite a few times around our house.  

Lentils are named as a belly-flatting food, because they fill you up, not out.

Gotta love that.

The best part...

it changes every time you make it depending on what veggies you have laying around.

We've tried many different combos, some we like some we don't.

Good veggies to add in are:

- corn

- peas

- red pepper

- green pepper

- onion

- green onion

- asparagus

Veggies not to add in:

- zucchini

- squash

- mushrooms

(They just get too mushy)

Not only can you add anything to casserole you there's also many different ways you can serve it.

You can serve it like a casserole, with a green salad on the side, use as a sandwich filling or my personal favorite, as taco filling with a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Brown Rice and Lentils

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup dry lentils

1/3 cup brown rice

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups mixture of your favorite veggies, chopped 

(peppers, corn, peas, etc...see list above)

1 t. Italian seasoning

1/4 t. garlic powder

1 cup cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together except cheese and sour cream in a baking dish.

Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until rice is tender.

Remove foil, add cheese and bake for another 15 minutes.

Serve with sour cream.

Make tacos and wrap in corn tortillas,

or make a sandwich with GF bread, 

or just serve beside a green salad.

Gluten Free Vanilla Syrup

My favorite way to eat on of my favorite breakfast foods.

Vanilla Syrup

Let's be honest here.

This stuff is amazing.

I don't know the secret.

I'm just considering myself lucky to have the recipe.

(This is another great one from my friend, Shunae.

Thank you, I owe you my first born child...)

Now you can drown your favorite pancakes, waffles, french toast, whatever you like in this delicious syrup.  It seems weird to put in the baking soda, but it adds such a nice froth, don't think it's a typo, it's absolutely correct.

Enjoy!  Making this for breakfast makes it worth getting up in the morning!

Gluten Free Vanilla Syrup

1 cube butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk + 1/2 T. vinegar 

1 t. baking soda

1 t. vanilla

In a large sauce pan, melt butter.  Add sugar and milk/vinegar over medium heat.  Stir often.

Bring to a boil then remove from heat.

Add baking soda and vanilla.

Serve with your favorite breakfast foods.

Gluten Free Sour Cream Peach Pie

Sometimes the dead of winter has me wishing for summer.
And thinking of summer it makes me think of this delicious peach pie!

Now, this recipe won a lot of money in a contest, $2,500 to be exact.

So you know it has to be good.

Sherrel Dikes made up and submitted this recipe to the Great American Pie Show and was featured in the Taste of Home Magazine.

(That's how I got the recipe, and you can find the other winners on-line).

It originally was not GF, but with a little modifying we reap the benefits.

The thing I love about this pie is the crunchy top and the creamy middle.

And the sweet peaches of course.

And if you're hankering for a slice today, make with frozen peaches that have been thawed.

Not quite as good, but it'll get you through til next fall.

Here's a quick guide for peeling the peaches.  Makes it super easy:

Blanch the peaches. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add peaches (Be sure that the peaches are covered with water).  Boil for exactly 1 minute.  Do not over cook.  You only want the outside to be cooked, not the entire peach, it would result in a mushy mess, and that would be a sad ending to the beautiful cobbler.

When peaches have boiled for only 1 minute, drain peaches and place in a bowl of ice water for 1 minute.  This will stop the peaches from cooking.  Then just pinch the skin of peach with your fingers and the skin should just peel off.  Make it your personal goal to get the skin off in one piece, a fun game to keep things interesting.

Gluten Free Sour Cream Peach Pie
by Sherrell Dikes

1 Gluten Free Pie Crust
4 cups sliced, peeled peaches
2 T. peach or apricot preserves
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup GF mix (straight rice flour is too grainy)
1 t. vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 cup GF mix (or rice flour)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
3 T. pecans (I've never used because I have picky dessert eaters around here, but I think the pecans would make it delicious!)
1/4 cup cold butter

Line a 9-in. pie plate with pastry; trim and flute edges.
In a large bowl, combine peaches and preserves.  Transfer to pastry.  In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, sour cream, egg yolks, flour and vanilla.  Pour over peaches.
Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the flour, sugars, pecans (if using) and cinnamon.  Cut in butter until crumbly; sprinkle over pie.  Cover edges of crust to prevent overbrowning.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a knife in the center comes out clean and topping is golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.  Then refrigerate.  Serve when well chilled.

Gluten Free Pasta Tips

Tired of a puddle of mush under tomato sauce?

Here's some of my Gluten Free pasta making tips!

I love a big bowl of noodles covered in a delicious sauce.  

Any sauce, I'm not picky...

marinara, pesto, Alfredo, browned butter...

It's all good.

But the first thing that we need to cover is how to get that spectacular bowl of noodles.

Pick noodles that you like the best.

I personally like brown rice pasta the best.

Quinoa and corn taste a little too grain-y for me, but they do hold their shape better.

The first key to making good noodles, is to not overcook.

Bring the water to a boil, then add the noodles.  

I set the timer for the shortest amount of time on the directions.  When the timer goes off I test the noodles with a fork to see if they are the right texture.  

If they need more time, I let them cook for 1 more minute, then test.

Repeat until the texture you would like.

One minute might seem tedious, but the second you boil your noodles too long, you have mush.

And no one likes mush.

Next, lets move on to flavor.

Before adding the noodles (yes, I'm jumping around on you) throw in a big handful of kosher salt to the boiling water.  

The starchy noodles will soak up the salt water and add a lot of flavor.

Also add a drizzle of olive oil.

This will add flavor to the noodles, make the sauce "stick" to the noodles better, but it will also not let the water boil over and create a huge mess.  

When your noodles are done, drain and rinse them in a colander/strainer.  Rinse with cold water, then place them directly back into the pan.  Place the pan back on the stove over a low heat.  Add your sauce and using a set of tongs, flip the noodles around, coating the noodles with sauce. 

Serve your noodles with pride!

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Cupcakes

Need a healthy treat?

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Cupcakes!

Still doing good at your New Year's Resolutions?

I am, and I hope these help! 

Everyone needs a little treat once in a while, and like the name implies there's carrots and zucchini packed into these moist cupcakes.  (Semi-healthy right!?!)

These little babies have a lot of texture and has a punch of citrus flavor thanks to the frosting.

I found the original recipe on Pinterest, made into bars.

We took these to a party, and I thought cupcakes would be easier to eat, especially for the kiddos.  I also only used half the oil (replaced with applesauce).

Here's to staying on track with your New Year's Goals!

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Cupcakes

3 eggs

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup honey

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup shredded zucchini (if you want to see the zucchini shreds leave the peel on, if not peel before shredding)

1 1/2 cups GF mix

2 t. xanthan gum

1 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, honey and vanilla.  

Fold in the carrots and zucchini.

Add in the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir together until just combined.

Pour about 1/3 cups of batter into prepared cupcake cups.

Bake about 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Frost with the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz package Cream Cheese, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 t. lemon zest

Beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.  Add in lemon zest, beat until fluffy.

Frost cupcakes as desired.

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes.