A Dessert for the Fall.

Apple Crisp

This particular recipe is a family heirloom from my adorable wife's family. It originally had oats, but she substitutes for those with Quinoa flakes, and almond slices.

Slice and peel apples and place in the bottom of baking dish. Shake sugar and cinnamon over apples.
Blend
 1/2 cup Mighty Fine Flour.
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
Add to the blend
3/4 Quinoa, and almond slices.
Cover the apples with the blend.
Bake 350 degrees, for about 40 min, or until golden brown.

We often enjoy this dessert with vanilla ice cream

This dessert is a favorite for special events in the fall including birthdays, anniversaries, remodeling completion, parties, and just because!

Can you make chocolate cake in a blender?

It may seem strange but yes. The best chocolate cake I have eaten in years, perhaps even my whole life is made in a blender!  My adorable wife found a recipe for a Quinoa Chocolate cake in the book Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood   It is moist and rich and smooth. 

It is also very good with some vanilla ice cream which compliments the cake quite well. If your a Black Forest fan then put some cherry pie filling on top.

Pigs on Pillows

My adorable wife made an incredible casual lunch recently! It was a cornmeal muffins with hot dogs snuggled into the top.  .  This was like coming home to an old friend.

She uses Bob's Red Mill cornbread mix, places it in a muffin tin and then pushes a hot dog across the top.

Mighty Fine Flour Updated

I have found the commercially available GF flours are getting better. I actually had one I prefered to my MFF mix recently (it had better texture) . So I decided it was time to try to improve.  This morning I made a batch with just a small tweak. I added a little more white rice flour.  It did improve the texture.

• 3 cups brown rice flour
• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1/4 cup soy flour
• 1 1/3 cup nonfat milk powder, I prefer the non instant variety.
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl, about 4 quarts, Mix thoroughly.

I usually double this recipe because that is what fits in my flour canister. I have also made it smaller batches but then it is harder to get the proportion's right.

Coconut Pancakes

My daughter who does not need to eat GF believes that these are the best pancakes ever...
I think my wife and I prefer buckwheat pancakes.  They are both very good.

2 Cups Mighty Fine Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Tablespoon Flax Seed (optional)

1/4 Cup Unsweetened coconut flakes

2 Cups Water

1/2 Cup Oil ( I typically use canola oil)

4 Eggs


Mix dry ingredients, add oil, eggs, and water.  Cook on medium - medium high heat, Turn when bubbles begin break on the top.   If you like a thick pancake reduce the water. 

A new world twist on an old world favorite

I was standing in the health food section of a local grocery store, looking at the frozen health foods. I saw it. A pizza crust. The smell of warm pizza drifted into my mind, and I was getting even hungrier! So opened up the freezer and pulled out the box two 9 inch pizza crusts for six dollars.... I was hungry but when I started to think of how many boxes of crust I would need to make pizzas form me and for the two kids who are eating gluten free. Sadly I put the box back and went home. For a few weeks I lamented the thought of being able to easily afford making pizza.

This was something that I resisted forcefully because one of the key principles I have found in dealing with a gluten free diet is that I usually enjoy food more if I try to choose foods that are naturally gluten free. So I was faced with a dilemma, I resisted for a couple of weeks, then learned that a Pier 49 had gluten free pizza's, Eventually I gave in and spent $15 for a ten inch pizza and enjoyed it.

But really $15 for small pizza. I did not value it enough to go back for that. I wanted alternatives and eventually I got them! I make this pizza in two styles a traditional style and one with a Mexican twist. I love them both some of the kids prefer the Mexican style and others the traditional

Mexican food style pizza

Use the traditional style recipe, substitute Kirkland Signature Salsa for tomato sauce and pizza seasoning

Traditional Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Pizza Seasoning
• Pepperoni (about 30 slices)
• 6 Corn Tortillas
• Olive oil
• Cheese (mozzarella or Kirkland Signature Monterry Jack/Cheddar blend)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees (or as near as possible).
2. Mix Pizza Seasoning and Tomato sauce
3. Spread about 2 drops of Olive oil on each side of each Tortilla (or if you have an olive oil sprayer spray lightly coating both sides).
4. Lay out tortillas on a cookie sheet.
5. Spread just under 1/4 cup of Sauce on each tortilla. (I find the bottom of a cylindrical measuring cup works well for this.
6. Spread cheese over tomato sauce.
7. Place about 5 pieces of pepperoni on each pizza.
8. Bake for 10 minutes.
9. Six pizza's feeds two adults.

Buckwheat Beauty Pancakes

Buckwheat Beauty Pancakes.

If you want a great texture and a little bit of a nutty flavor to your pancakes try this variation.  One of my favorite breakfasts.  My kids however prefer the plain pancakes.

I use
1 3/4 Cup Mighty Fine Flour
1/4  Cup Buckwheat Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Flax seed. (optional)

2 Cups Water
4 Eggs
1/2 cup oil

It s really simple from here
Mix dry ingredients.   Add the wet ingredients.  Cook on an oiled griddle or pan.
I find 1/4 cup batter makes a nice medium size pancake.

Great with peanut butter and syrup or Cinnamon and Sugar as well as Syrup.