Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies...

As I mentioned in a previous post, one of my co-workers is a celiac (AKA allergic to wheat), so he complains bitterly whenever I bring baked goods into work as they always have flour in them. I have told him for some time that if he purchased some gluten-free flour I would bake for him.

He has experimented with many different "flour" combinations, but none of them really tasted right. (Truthfully I think they have tasted pretty nasty) The other day after one of our many gluten-free discussions, I was searching the internet and ran across Jules' Nearly Normal All-Purpose Flour and was very intrigued as all the reviews said it was used cup for cup as normal flour, and people truly couldn't taste a difference. Thus, my co-worker ordered a ton of it and delivered me a 5 lb. bag to play with yesterday.

In trying to decide what the best thing to try first would be, I figured the ultimate test for cookie would be the original Nestle Toll House cookies. I was a tad worried when the dough was REALLY sticky (perhaps I should have added more of the flour), but the dough tasted good (a great start!). My only real complaint is that the cookies spread really thin, making the chips look like giant craters, and they were very light and fragile. However, the taste was great! I've saved a few for Brad - we'll see if he can tell that they are gluten-free!


A guy at work said they looked like giant poop cookies... though he still ate them (and liked them).

Amish Friendship Bread

I recently got a Friendship bread starter from my good friends, The Savages. You have to keep it in a gallon sized container for 10 days, un-refrigerated, kneading it and sometimes adding things to it before splitting the batch up and baking it on the last day. According to legend, only the Amish know how to make the original starter so the only way to get it is by having someone pass it to you. I was totally fascinated by it, kneading it every day, and watching the bag grow from it's contents (I don't know for sure but it must have some type of yeast in it). I finally got to make it the other day, and it is so delicious! Imagine a really soft breakfast bread that is cinnamon and vanilla-y....


The batch made 4 mini loaves and about 8 cupcakes... it was fun sharing the good with friends and family, and hopefully I'll get another starter in the near future!

Valentine's Day Cupcakes

Since Brad is such a sugar lover it was only fitting that I make him something sweet for Valentine's Day. I debated what I should make him and finally settled on Red Velvet Cupcakes. In the search for the right recipe, I found this one from Paula Deen of The Food Network. I was a bit nervous as I have watched her show and her food tends to be full of butter and fat, but I followed the modifications that reviewers had suggested, and I was really happy!

The recipe called for 2 Tablespoons of red food coloring -- That's a ton!!! Boy were they red though...


I finally made my own frosting (I usually just buy some) and I'm so glad I did! It tastes heavenly and was really easy! Now I have a ton left over - guess I'll have to make something else for it to go on!



Brad seemed genuinely touched (esp. when he found out I accidentally burned my arm on the stove in the process) and my co-workers loved all the extras!

My frosting / decorating skills still need some work, but it's the taste anyhow, right?

12 Days of Baking -- failure

Well it looks like I wasn't successful with my 12 days of baking. Perhaps it was too much to do at Christmas time, and 12 days in a row! If I do try again next year I think I'll choose to do 12 days of baking in the whole month of December - and cook smaller batches. While it was great to share all my goodies with friends, family and co-workers, it really was a bit much. I think my holiday weight gain was completely my own fault. That many yummy goodies around is just not a good idea! =)

Hope you all had a very happy holiday season!

Post Holiday "Family" Dinner Party

I really wanted my parents to get to know my "adopted" parents (and sister), so I decided to host a dinner party for everyone. It worked out nicely that Brad was back in Mississippi visiting his family for the holidays b/c my teeny apartment really couldn't hold anymore people! Christy doesn't really eat much so I was really worried what I would serve that she would like, but I was convinced not to let that limit me! I also wanted to try some new recipes (despite that my mom tells me you should never do that with company), so I prepared the following menu:

Appetizers:
Spinach and Blue Cheese Gratin w/ Crackers

Mixed Vegetable platter w/ Ranch

Sides:
Sourdough Rolls
Mixed Green Salad*
Cauliflower Soup

Carrots w/ Garlic and Maple Sauce*

Main Dish:
Parmesan Crusted Chicken w/ Sage Butter Sauce

Dessert:
Lemon Meringue Tarts**
Riesling Wine

* Made by my mom
** Made by Christy

The food was superb (if I do say so myself), and we really enjoyed each other's company!

After dinner we played a rousing round of Pittsburgh Rummy. It was a lot of fun and we all hope to do it again soon!


I am willing to share any of the recipes if you so desire!

On the 7th Day of Baking...

Day 7 -
Another thing Brad has requested me to make was haystack cookies (candy?) as his mom used to always make them for him. I had been given many different variations of this recipe over the years (and could eat them until I made myself sick) but had never made them before. Turns out they are beyond simple, so Brad and I whipped up a quick batch before heading out to dinner with a friend Friday night.

Haystacks
1 package butterscotch chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
2 small packages of chow mein noodles

• Heat peanut butter in deep pot at medium heat. Then stir in butterscotch chips, reducing heat to low.
• Remove pot from burner, adding in noodles a little at a time while stirring the mixture.
• Once all ingredients are coated, spoon out onto wax paper and allow one hour for them to set.

Notes of Interest:
--- A lot of people like peanuts and / or marshmellows added to these. Personally I would have loved some marshmellows but Brad said they were best plain.
--- Whatever you do, keep stirring this mix. If you don't it will burn and be funky. I was actually think doing a double-broiler would have been better than just straight heating this, but I figured I would follow the recipe.

On the 6th day of Baking

Day 6 -
Since a crazy snow storm stopped me from returning home to my kitchen to bake last night, I missed the official day 6 of baking (chronologically anyway). I am, however, back safely and baking with zeal! I was excited to try some new cookies I found on the Food Network (have I ever mentioned how obsessed I am with the Food Network - or perhaps I should say was, as I no longer have cable) that got 4 stars. I was pretty exhausted and a bit skeptical of these since they had coconut, but I dove in anyway.

Toffee Crunch Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 (10-ounce) bag toffee candy bits
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
1 cup chopped whole, skinned almonds

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla.
• Beat the eggs slightly; then add to the butter mixture and mix well.
• In a medium bowl, sift flour, salt and baking soda; then add slowly to the moist ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• Mix in the toffee bits, oatmeal, coconut and nuts.
• Drop dough by the teaspoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Notes of Interest:
--- Out of personal preference I substituted pecans for almonds and it worked just fine.
--- This dough may possibly be the best dough I have ever tasted. I should stop and say this is not implying that anyone should ever eat raw dough with eggs in it. I know this is a very bad habit (and completely grosses Brad out), but alas it is my favorite part of making cookies. Anyhow, this dough is like soft granola bars... with toffee... and brown sugar, and, well, it's pretty much heaven. I was so excited that I had found my new favorite cookie. Sadly, when it cooked it just got too hard (or more literally crunchy) for my preference (I'm a soft fluffy cookie person) -- it still worked for me while the cookies were hot, but once cooled the cooked toffee spreads through the cookie and hardens it up. It is still a great tasting cookie though.
--- Ignore the listed direction to bake these cookies for 15 minutes. Whoever wrote that should be kicked out of the kitchen! I personally believe most baked goods (brownies, cookies, pies) taste best slightly undercooked - so these worked for me about 11 minutes, but if you didn't I wouldn't leave them in any longer than 13 minutes max. The toffee will burn quickly and it will make the cookie rock hard.

*** Pics are coming soon of the last few cookies -- I may have lost my card reader and 1 of my SD cards on my work trip. I hope to update at least this one soon but I have to find another card reader first. =(