Hummingbird Cupcakes!

The Gluten Free Mommy does it again! I'm currently stuffing my face with Hummingbird Cupcakes. They are amazing. And I think I'm in love with Millet Flour.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/2 cup millet flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 2 tbs of Flax Seed Meal - my addition for more fiber
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas mashed (about 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (if you are trying to reduce sugar you can get away with reducing by 1/4 cup if you wish)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained (you can add a little juice depending on thickness of batter)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded coconut, ground (food processor works well)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 sticks butter or butter substitute
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure the rack is in the center of the oven. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Grind the almond meal and coconut. Set aside.
3. In a med. bowl, sift together the flours, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and xanthan gum.
4. In your stand mixer, cream together your butter and sugar- about 3-4 minutes. Add vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy- about 3 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine pineapple, banana, and coconut. Add to the batter. Stir in flour mixture.
5. Divide batter evenly among cupcake tins. This batter will make at least 24 cupcakes but maybe a little more. Only fill the cupcake tins about 2/3 full.
   My cupcakes took about 20 minutes to bake, but I would recommend setting your timer for less in case yours bake faster.
6. Once your cupcakes have cooled, frost them with your favorite gluten-free frosting.
   Makes about 24 cupcakes (maybe more)

Aunt Gussie's Gluten Free Cookies

Yesterday, while my husband was at work, he stopped by the local 7-11 for some coffee. While waiting on line, he spied a cases of Aunt Gussie's Gluten-Free Cookies. When he asked the cashier if he could buy it, the cashier asked him if he *knew* what kind of cookies these were. Ant told the cashier that they were gluten-free cookies for celiacs. The cashier was impressed and let my husband buy them. Nice.

I have never seen this brand, let alone see gluten-free goodies at 7-11. I'll report back on them!

Ant's Gluten Free Pizza

I love my husband. He's an amazing man. One thing that I love about him is that he is an excellent cook. He rescued me from my Redbull & Ragu days. He learned how to cook at home, but also at work. He worked in both a pizzeria and a salumeria since he was 12. Since going gluten-free he has been frustrated in not knowing how to make a good gluten-free pizza. He made both New York & Chicago-style pizza all of his life and now had to switch gears and learn how to make gluten-free pizza. We bought mixes. We bought a new pizza tray. We tried recipes. We bought a new pizza stone. We threw away a ton of pizza.

Then I made the famous sandwich wrap. You know the one that Cindy on the Delphi Forums Celiac Boards made famous? You know the one that Kate @ Gluten-Free Gobsmacked perfected? Yes, that wrap.

I made it the other night. After I took it out of the oven, Ant tried it. He said it would be perfect for pizza. So, we made it last night.....

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fine brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 Tablespoon instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 c. water
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 Tablespoons sweet rice flour (for dusting pan/hands)

Directions

1. Mix together all dry ingredients except sweet rice flour (brown rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, xanthan gum, yeast and salt).
2. In a heavy mixer, combine wet ingredients (water, vinegar, oil, and eggs).
3. Slowly add dry ingredients to well blended wet ingredients. Beat on medium/medium high speed for 4 minutes.
4. Oil the bottom of a pizza stone and lightly dust oiled stone with the sweet rice flour
5. Scrap dough onto oiled/dusted stone and press as thinly as possible (fill pan)
6. Using a fork, tap indentations across the entire dough.
7. Place dough in a warm spot, allow to rest/rise for 35-40 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 425F.
9. Bake for 7 minutes
10. Place your favorite toppings on the crust - we used sauce, cheese (shred your own), oregano, and basil
11. Place back in the oven and bake until the cheese is nice and melty
12. Take out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes
13. Serve and enjoy!

Why I need a Whole Foods in the Shaolin

Staten Island needs a Whole Foods. We really need a Whole Foods. I travel to New Jersey twice, sometimes three times a month to shop at Whole Foods (w/Bridge & Highway Tolls). Yeah, there are natural food superettes on Staten Island - but they don't have the selection and/or quality that Whole Foods offers. Yeah, there are supermarkets on Staten Island, but they have no idea what good quality healthy food is. Then there is the whole gluten-free angle. I wanted to make millet-oatmeal bread. The health food store was out of GF Millet and GF Oat Flours. None of the supermarkets had millet or oat flour (even non-gluten free). Let's not even talk about the Beer. There is one restaurant on the Island that I know I can get a fantastic GF meal w/ a nice GF beer (LOVE YOU TUTTORISO). There is only two liquor stores on the Island that sell GF beer (Redbridge) and a six pack costs over $10.00. I'm paying over $10.00 for a six pack of Bud.

At WF, I can get Redbridge for under $10.00, plus Bards Tale, Greens, etc.

When we go to Whole Foods, I'm practically in tears when I walk in the door. The produce, the meats, the fish, the GF goodies, the marshmallows (my family LIVES on their marshmallows), and everything else. Let us not forget the awesome staff at Whole Foods. They will help you find what you need. They are always smiling. They care.

Please, Whole Foods open up on Staten Island. I'll bake you brownies. Please?????

TeriyakiChicken al a Crockpot

Stephanie, the Crockpot Lady, makes it all seem effortless. So, for dinner tonight, I channeled her, to make Chicken Teriyaki. Okay. It's chicken marinated in Teriyaki sauce - not Chicken Teriyaki.

Ingredients:

• Chicken - I used 4 frozen thighs and 8 wings (gotta love Sam's Club)


• LaChoy Teriyaki Sauce (Gluten Free) - I used two bottles. In retrospect, less would do, but I made this at 4:30AM.

Directions:

1. Dump the chicken in the crockpot;



2. Pour in the LaChoy goodness;



3. I put the crockpot on for low for 10 hrs for a few reasons - the chicken is frozen & I don't get home until 4:30-5PM. If you had thawed chicken I'd say 4-6 hrs and frozen 8-10 hrs.

We ate it around 5:15pm....and threw it away at 5:20pm. It was really gross. It dried out. It was way to salty (my fault). The sauce congealed. Yuck. I ended up having some Blue Diamond Nut Thins instead.

Yogurt Cream & Berries

This past weekend, the wee one spent time with my parents. They took him swimming, to a small amusement park, and to the playground. When we went to pick him up on Monday, I helped my mom pick up some provisions for dinner. Some of the things that I picked up was for Yougurt Cream & Berries.

I found this recipe @ the PioneerWoman's website. I made it the other week for dessert and my husband went gaga over it. So simple, but so good, he said. This was the perfect dessert to cap of a summer weekend down the shore at my parents.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups of plain yogurt
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups of brown sugar (Use a good quality brown sugar for this)
• Assorted fruit (I used assorted berries, grapes, and peaches)

Directions

1. Mix the heavy cream and plain yogurt in a bowl;
2. Liberally sprinkle the brown sugar on top;
3. Cover in plastic wrap & refrigerate;
4. After a few hours, take it out of the fridge;
5. Remove the plastic wrap (When you remove the wrap, you'll notice that the mixture looks gross - it's okay)
6. Mix up the yogurt cream, making sure that the brown sugar is mixed in;
7. Serve

When I made this at home, I served this parfait-style. At my parents, I just took out some ice cream bowls, coated the bottom of the bowls with the Yogurt Cream, added the fruit, and then added heaping amounts of the Yogurt Cream on top. Yum.

Muddy Buddies

1. Anything easy is for me. It's not that I'm lazy. I'm just impatient and have an extremely short attention span. Sad, right? Ah well.

2. Since Rice Chex has gone gluten-free, I've been devouring them. Plus, the Chex website has a whole bunch of gluten-free recipes.

3. You add these together? This equals muddy buddies.

What are muddy buddies? They are chocolate & peanut butter goodness that my husband and I love. My son, on the other hand, is repulsed by them and throws them away any chance he gets. From what I understand, a lot of people ate these when they were kids - except for my husband and I......

Muddy Buddies from the Chex Website

Ingredients:

• 9 cups Rice Chex® cereal (gluten free)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation Directions:

1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Guidos and the like....

There has been some recent press regarding comments that the mayor of Belmar, New Jersey wrote in a newsletter for his town. (check out http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/staten-islanders-answer-ridicule-from-jersey-shore/ ) I think this is hysterically funny. The whole lot of it. Mind you, I live in Staten Island, but I'm born and bred in Jersey. And my husband is from Brooklyn.

There is a stereotype of Staten Island people. Big hair, orange skin, and Italian. Also, horrendous accents. Granted, they do exist - in different forms. Some aren't Italian. Some don't have big hair. But, they are around. Some are nice - some are jerks. Most people from Staten Island are actually not like that. Just hard working, civil servants. Plus, the same stereotype exists about people from New Jersey - but we should just add in the mafia stereotype!

I never had the urge to get a summer share. Most of them are nasty. A friend had one a few years back in Belmar and the shower was outside. I can't stand clubs. There is always tensions between the year around residents and the summer people. To me, it was always a waste.

People flood the Jersey Shore from all around the tri-state area and Philly. Yeah, tourists suck, but they money they pay funds police, schools, and fire departments. I remember after September 11th, walking in Times Square and noticing how empty it was. You'd read in the paper about the financial hit the city was taking since there wasn't any tourist dollars coming in. This whole mess probably stems from tourists (which it truly doesn't matter where they are from - when Americans are tourists, they suck) being jerks and townspeople being above them.

Plus, it probably has something to do with Jersey being the butt of all jokes - so they pick on Staten Island....

Tamale Cake ala Whole Foods

I can honestly say I have never had a Tamale, let alone a Tamale Pie. Today, I was writing my weekly letter begging Whole Foods to come to the Shaolin and I surfed over to their recipe section. Lo and behold, one of their "4 under $15" recipes was labled gluten-free!!!! That means I had to try it. Tonite. We liked it. The next time we have it, we are going to add more buttermilk & butter, though. The cornbread was a little dry.

Whole Foods calls it a Tamale Casserole, I tinkered with it and call it a Tamale Cake (mainly because I can't find my casserole dish and used a cake pan)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15-ounce) can of light kidney beans
• 1 jar medium salsa
• 1 (12-ounce) box gluten-free corn bread and muffin mix (I used Gluten Free Pantry)
• 1 egg
• 1 1/3 cups low fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced mild green chiles (optional)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a large sauté pan, brown meat, breaking up any large pieces. Drain well and return to stove.
3. Add beans and salsa, stir to combine and simmer over medium heat 5-7 minutes.
4. Let cool slightly then spoon into a 9x12-inch cake pan.
5. Prepare cornbread batter according to package directions, using the remaining ingredients above.
6. If desired, mix drained green chiles into batter.
7. Carefully spoon over top of beef mixture. Smooth out to cover.



8. Bake 15-20 minutes until cornbread is lightly brown and filling is bubbling.

Christmas In July...Martha Style

from Martha Stewart Living

One of my favorite recipes of recent is Martha Stewart's Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Trifle. The last time I made it was this past Christmas for my office holiday lunchon - it was a hit. Now it's time to start to tinker with it to make it gluten-free.....and I'll need your help! Look below and look at Martha's recipe. Please email me with your ideas.....

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for the syrup)
• 1/3 cup chocolate flavored liquor, such as Godiva
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 12 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped peppermint candies or candy canes
• 8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped peppermint candies or candy canes

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Make the cake: Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray.
• Bring milk and butter almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Put eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale and fluffy.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
• Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low.
• Add hot milk mixture in a slow, steady stream.
• Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined.
• Pour batter into pan.
• Bake until center springs back when lightly touched, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack. Remove parchment; let cool completely.
• Halve cake horizontally.
• For the syrup: Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
• Let cool completely.
• Stir in liqueur.
• Make the mousse: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside.
• Bring 1 cup cream just to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Place white chocolate in a food processor; with machine running, pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth.
• Transfer to a medium bowl set in ice-water bath.
• Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes.
• Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups cream to nearly stiff peaks.
• Fold into chocolate mixture, then fold in candies.
• Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thickened and almost firm, 4 to 6 hours.
• Make the pudding: Put chocolate into a large bowl; set aside.
• Bring cream almost to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Whisk yolks in a bowl.
• Pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking.
• Pour mixture back into pan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.
• Pour through a fine sieve over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Set bowl in ice-water bath.
• Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes.
• Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
• To assemble: Spread one-third of the mousse into bottom of a glass trifle bowl that is 8 to 10 inches in diameter.
• Top with a cake layer, and brush with half the syrup.
• Top with half the pudding, then another third of mousse.
• Place remaining cake layer on top; brush with remaining syrup.
• Top with remaining pudding, then mousse.
• Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 12 hours.
• Beat cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
• Top trifle with the whipped cream, and sprinkle with candies.

Sit Back and Enjoy the London Broil

Both my husband and I grew up eating London Broil. We both love it. My mom would throw it in the oven, slice it up, and serve it on open-faced sandwiches with a butter-garlic sauce (I'll post this later). My mother-in-law would grill it up and put it on Kaiser rolls. Since we (meaning me) are gluten free, we changed things up a little. And we also served corn and Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes during this meal...

Ant's Sit Back and Enjoy the London Broil

Ingredients:

1 good sized London Broil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Oregano
Basil
Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Combine Kosher Salt, Fresh Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Oregano, and Basil in a bowl. Yes, there isn't any amounts. You are making a dry rub and seasoning levels are up to the cook. Just make sure in whatever ratio you use you have enough.

2. Rub the above mix onto the London Broil well.

3. Drizzle the rubbed London Broil with olive oil on all sides.

4. Kick up the grill on high.

5. Once the grill is nice and hot, sear both sides of the London Broil.

6. Afer searing, shut down the burners (or at least some of them) to get a temp of 200 to 300 degrees (at max). You want your London Broil to grill via indirect heat.

This meal ROCKED. It really rocked. It was AMAZING. I'm still thinking about this meal. Yum.

Nacho Goodness & Sam's Club

Living in Staten Island is supposed to have the benefits of living in a big city with the creature comforts of living in the suburbs. But it doesn't. None of the supermarkets in the borough have a great selection of gluten-free goodies. So, we travel to Jersey to go food shopping in Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, & Wegman's. There is one warehouse store - a Costco in town. Since there is only one, the entire population shops there. It's udder craziness there daily. So, we shop at BJ's & Sam's Club in Jersey.

Last night, we went to Sam's Club to restock our freezer and some other essentials. We ended picking up chopmeat, chicken breasts, chicken wings, chicken thighs, beef ribs, and tilapia. Plus, a bunch of staples! I love getting good deals.

Then for dinner, my husband made easy peasy nachos:

Ingredients:

1 Packet of McCormick's Taco Seasoning (gluten-free!)

1 lb of ground beef

1 bag of Tostidos (make sure they are the corn ones)

Onion

Tomato

Shredded Cheese

Hot Peppers (optional

Directions:

1. Chop the onion & tomato;

2. Brown the beef & onion;

3. Add the seasoning packet (also, add the water the seasoning packet requires. I forget how much)

4. Place a layer of tostados on an oven safe dish.

5. Once the meat & onion mixure is done, add a layer of it on top of the tostados. Then add another layer of tostados and meat;

6. Place the shredded cheese & optional hot peppers on the chips & meat;

7. Put the nachos in the oven at 350 till the cheese gets nice and melty. Yum.

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Yummy.

Is it wrong for me to assume that all of you watched our girl, Stephanie aka the Crockpot Lady, on Rachel Ray today???? She rocks. I originally wanted to make something in the crockpot today in honor of her, but I remembered while I was at work. So, I made something from the recipe box of Natalie @ Gluten-Free Mommy, Pantry Beef Cassarole. It was fantastic. Granted, it wasn't the best choice to turn on the oven on a hot July day, but it was worth it.

Give it a whirl! Check out her recipe.

As a beat myself in the head....

My better half and I stink at menu planning. As in, a half hour ago he asked me what did I want for dinner. Granted, this is a common occurance! And this carries over to work. I generally forget to bring lunch. I'll remember when I'm a block or so away from work. I've been able to navigate some lunch places pretty well, but others I avoid, especially chinese - which is the top lunch pick. Today, I was asked to join in the order...I said sure, but where first. The answer: chinese. I said, thanks, but no thanks. Then I get stuck having to explain why I don't eat chinese for the 84th time. *sigh*

But, we decided on BBQ Chicken for dinner....

A Yummy Holiday

Happy Belated 4th of July! We had a blast in our lil' corner of NYC. We went to the parade, had a bbq, and had an all around good time. But, yesterday, I made ribs. Yes. Ribs. The hubby loves ribs. He really loves them. I'm not a great fan of them. Well, I'm not a fan of pork ribs. I'll eat beef ribs, but I can't find them all the time.

Since it was hot, I went to Stephanie at http://crockpot365.blogspot.com and made her Korean Ribs

Was it a hit? Let's just say my hubby enjoyed it so much that we went through a pack of baby wipes!