Awesome Gluten Free Pizza!

I know its been forever since I posted but here is a pizza recipe that I came up with. It tastes fresh and has lots of fun tasty veggies on it. This recipe was inspired by weird cravings due to pregnancy and me trying to eat healthy.

Quick n Fancy Pizza

1 Gluten free Pizza crust (I use gluten free mama's crust...its amazing)

Pesto Sauce

Gruyere cheese (just enough to cover the pesto lightly) *You can use another cheese, but I would stick to thin layer of a bold flavored cheese*

fresh spinach sprinkled over the top (not the very top, it needs the moisture from being lower down on the topping food chain or steam til slightly wilted and put on top after the other toppings cook)

Mushrooms

Chicken (if you like it, I've made it with and without)

Artichoke hearts (I used marinated ones), cut into bite size pieces

.... You can also add a slice of fresh tomato right before ingestion :)

How much you use of each of each thing depends on your taste and how big of a pizza you make :)

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I love cookies! and this recipe has become my favorite. It is adapted from Rachel Carlyle-Gauthier's book 'Gluten Free Mama's Best Baking Recipes', I did not come up with this wonder! I just changed a few things to make it work for me :) I strongly suggest trying her flours, mixes and heck go buy her book!

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1 ¾ cups GF Flour (I use Gluten Free Mama Almond blend)
1/3 cocoa powder
1 ½ to 2 tsp Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum (cheaper and it’s the same as Xanthan)
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

½ cup butter, room temp
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 ¼ cup sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs

Add as many Chocolate chips as you like :) I probably use more than I should….

Cream the butter and peanut butter together, then add sugar and vanilla, beat it all up, add the eggs. Combine the dry ingredients and mix them up, once the wet ingredients are combined slowing add the dry ingredients. Add in the Chocolate chips. The dough looks odd, like it’s too dry but it is fine. Make small to medium sized balls, flatten a little bit and bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 mins.
*if you have a GF flour you already use and it has xanthan or guar or some other thickener in it you don’t need to add the xanthan/guar gum again.

New Gluten Free Items Database!

http://www.zeer.com/
Zeer.com is an online database for gluten free food items, it tells you if the item is GF, thought to GF(by the ingredients) or if the product is unsafe. It boasts having 30,000+ items and it looks cool! you can search by category(i.e 'Soy Sauce') or by brand.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Super Tasty!
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• 2 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter or margarine (softened)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding (I use instant pudding mix)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (12 ounce) package chocolate chips
• 1 cup nuts (optional)
***I added a 2 tablespoons of Dutch cocoa for a little bit of flavor and color. I also threw in some white chocolate chips.*****
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Mix flour with baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugars and pudding mix.
4. Beat until smooth and creamy.
5. Beat in eggs and vanilla; gradually add flour mixture.
6. Stir in chips and nuts.
7. Roll into balls and flatten slightly or drop by teaspoon full on a non greased cookie sheet.
8. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes.
9. Note: You may use instant chocolate pudding instead of vanilla pudding for a chocolate chocolate chip cookie.

Hamburger Buns!

Gluten Free Mama’s Hamburger Buns!
**This recipes belongs to the Gluten Free Mama, I was just lucky enough to make it :) **
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (105º-115º)
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
3 cups GFM’s Rice Almond Blend Flour
1½ tsp. xanthan gum
¼ cup powdered instant milk
(or dairy free alternative)
¾ tsp. salt
1 egg
¼ cup honey
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. cider vinegar
(optional)
*egg white and 1 Tbsp. milk
*sesame seeds
*minced onion (for dried minced onion,
soak in 3 Tbsp. of water for 5 min.)]
Prepare baking pan by spraying with non-stick spray. In a liquid measuring cup mix together warm water, yeast and sugar. Set aside for about 5 minutes until foamy.
In a stand mixer bowl combine flour, xanthan gum, instant milk and salt. Mix on low speed until combined. Break egg in bowl and measure out honey. Melt butter in microwave safe bowl covered with waxed paper for 15 seconds. Measure vinegar and add to butter.
With mixer running on low speed, slowly pour yeast mixture into dry ingredients. Pour in honey, butter and egg. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Beating 3 minutes will allow buns to develop a texture similar to regular hamburger buns.
Scoop ⅓ cup dough onto cookie sheet or bun pan, forming a 4 inch circle. Smooth out tops. Gently cover with a light weight towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1½ hours, or until doubled.
For a shiny crust, lightly brush egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon milk over tops of buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or onions. Bake in preheated 375º oven just above center rack for 15-18 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Super Tasty! No Bake Cheesecake :)

My friend Katie gave this one to me, it was very easy and very tasty!

No Bake Cheesecake

1 package cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 container cool whip
1 can your choice fruit pie filling (optional)
(recipe for crust following)

1. beat cream cheese till smooth
2. add sugar, blend in sour cream and vanilla
3. fold in cool whip
4. blend well
5. spoon into crust
6. chill at least 4 hours
7. top with fruit if desired


Cookie Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups crushed lucys cinnamin cookies (or gf graham crackers)-I used Pamela’s Ginger Cookies. Very Yummy!
1/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons melted butter

1. mix cookie crumbs and sugar
2. add butter and mix with fork till completely moistened
3. press mix into bottom of pie pan and 1/3 sides
4. in fridge one hour before filling

Gluten Free on Good Morning America!

Hey all!
Elisabeth Hasselbeck talked about being gluten free this morning, it was pretty cool! they did keep referring to it as an allergy which was a little off but hey its good to get the word out. She is also coming out with a book.

Here is a link to the video!
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7496178