A Day of Meals--Extended Version

My husband has celiac disease; our two children and I do not. I try to make gluten-free eating simpler by finding recipes and foods that are naturally gluten-free. Here is a typical day around our table.

Breakfast. We are a cereal family, and B has tried it all. For a long time he ate either Envirokidz or Nature's Path corn flakes. Van's Frozen Waffles have been another staple: B likes them okay cooked in the microwave and topped with any syrup. These are not as good as homemade, so if you try these before you try making gluten-free waffles, don't be discouraged.
Currently, we have been thrilled about Rice Chex and yesterday, I brought home a box of Corn Chex. These are the best--they're cheaper and easier to find than the specialty products, and stay crisper longer in milk. I have to say, though, I have never had to go to a health food store to find any of the above products. They have all been available at Smith's, Fred Meyer, and sometimes even Walmart. Ordering products you really like from Amazon.com is another option.
Another happy discovery: gluten-free oats. There are several brands out there, and all seem to be truly safe. Our favorite: Bob's Red Mill. Bob is like one of our best friends, actually--his mixes and flours are wonderful. More on that in a minute. We like Bob's oats because they are more like quick-cooking oats than the tougher steel cut oats, and B is mastering making his own granola. We haven't tried cookies with these oats yet, though I imagine they will be tasty.
Other breakfast ideas: breakfast burrito (scrambled eggs, any veggies, and cheese on a steamed corn tortilla); yogurt and fruit; smoothies; Instant Breakfast (any except malt).

Lunch. I try to send B to work with leftovers from dinner the night before. Lunch and snacks can be a tricky business. B sometimes takes soup or chili. Stagg(Hormel) and Pacific Natural Foods are favorites. We especially love Pacific Natural Foods' Tomato soups and broths. Again these products area widely available. We've also had good luck with Progresso soups. They don't say gluten-free, but if they don't have any gluteny ingredients, they seem to be safe.

Snacks (this might be more helpful for sack lunch ideas). We have tried several snack products, and I seem to like more of them than B. Rice crackers (available at Costco), and rice cakes go great with cheese, meat, spreads, and tuna. In bar form, we have many delicious options: Larabar, Mrs. May's (they have many other tempting gluten-free foods available), and KIND bars. Tiger's Milk bars are another classic option. All of these are available at Amazon.com, and I've seen many at Costco as well. These are kind of expensive to have everyday, but are worth knowing about. Another great option: trail mix. It's easy to make your own mix of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, coconut, chocolate chips...premade mixes are hit or miss, so always check the ingredients list. (The issue tends to be cross-contamination). Deli meat, cheese sticks, and Yoplait or Stonyfield Farm yogurts are favorites.

Dinner. There seems to be a basic formula for the ideal dinner: protein, grain/starch, at least 1 vegetable and hopefully 1 fruit (maybe for dessert). Learning to cook gluten-free has been the perfect excuse to cook from scratch, and because I do this everyday, I try to find simple meals. Following the above formula leaves the door open for plenty of options. We all eat gluten-free for dinner, with the exception of some mixed meals. If we're having spaghetti, for instance, I'll make two pots of pasta--1 GF, 1 wheat, and then serve with the same sauce or toppings.

Protein. every kind of meat is naturally gluten-free. The only thing to look out for is preseasoned or cooked meat. Costco sells labeled gluten-free rotisserie chickens, as do many grocery stores if you're in a hurry. Many marinades and salad dressings are gluten-free as well. We love barbecue chicken or pork, made in the crockpot. (recipe bel0w). We always have to check sauce and dressing ingredients, but we have always found something that works. Brianna's is always a favorite; Kraft also has an excellent selection.

Grain/Starch. Rice. We love medium grain Calrose (it also makes excellent flour); brown has more nutritional value and a nuttier flavor; jasmine and basmati are treats for special occasions (jasmine is what they serve with Thai food; basmati goes with Indian), and are great with anything. Wild rice is delicious (We've fallen for Lundberg, who also make different rice cakes) and also has more nutritional value. Rice noodles go well with stirfries, or as a substitute for pasta noodles. The best gluten-free pasta in the world is Tinkyada. A simple solution for mixed family dinners: make wheat pasta for the wheaties, and cook Tinkyada separately for the gluten-freebies. We have separate colanders to be especially careful. Tinkyada makes all kinds of shapes and sizes, and it never gets mushy. It also doesn't taste as much like rice as regular rice noodles.
Other starch options: baked or mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams; quinoa; polenta; and grains like millet and amaranth. And of course, corn tortillas. Steamed, fried, or baked.

Vegetables & Fruits. Salads with gluten-free dressing. Anything roasted or steamed. Vegetables (and fruits) are one area we can really relax in--they are all gluten-free! I recommend finding out what's in season. It will save money and taste better. Right now great options would be artichokes, asparagus, peas, green beans, carrots, and cabbage, among many others. As mentioned, most salad dressings are fine, but it's always good to read labels. Canned fruit, jams etc, tend to be gluten-free. Strawberries, plums, apricots are a few of the delicious offerings that come in the spring.

A word on Casseroles. There are GF casseroles out there, though I'm not as familiar with them. Basically anything with a rice base will work, just beware of using cream of anything soups--the common ones thicken with flour. If casseroles like this are a staple at your house, you may want to explore more dinner options to save yourself from cooking two meals every night. You may also find it worthwhile to look for gluten-free creamy soups, or to make your own from scratch a la Bette Hagman.

A word on Baking. The biggest hole in a celiac's life is probably baked goods. But bread and cookies and cakes do not have to be completely absent. Our house was established as a gluten-free baking zone, which means I don't bake anything with wheat. Cross-contamination is a concern, and in a mixed kitchen, that will be your biggest enemy. I still think it's possible to pull it off, if you must. There are many mixes on the market. Need a gluten-free chocolate cake or brownies? Bob's Red Mill has mixes for you. I've also heard great things about Pamela's mixes. Both companies also make mixes for cookies, bread, pancakes and waffles. If baking is still too daunting, we recommend products from the gluten-free bakehouse at Whole Foods, MiDel gluten-free cookies, and products from Wild Oats.
Flourless cakes and cookies are another option. There are countless recipes for flourless chocolate cakes, pavlova, macaroons, or these peanut butter cookies:
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2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter

Beat eggs. Mix in sugar and peanut butter. Form into balls and drop onto a cookie sheeet. press with a fork, if desired. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.
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Crockpot Barbecue Meat
Pork roast (tenderloin does well) or chicken pieces
Gluten-free BBQ Sauce of choice
1 onion, chopped, if desired

Place meat on top of onion in a crock pot. Drape the sauce over the meat, covering plus a little more. Add a little water, if desired.
Cook on high 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8. Meat should fall apart easily when it's done. Serve with baked or mashed potatoes (or sweet potatoes for more nutrition), gluten-free cornbread (made from Bob's redmill mix or Hodgson mill gluten-free cornmeal+rice flour), roasted vegetables, corn on the cob, etc.
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Nonfood Allergies & Wacky Cake

J's results came back--as of now, she does not have celiac disease (phew?). We will really be able to celebrate once we have done the genetic test. I am relieved for now, but my eyebrows are raised. A negative test now means she doesn't have it now, but it doesn't mean she won't ever have it. We'll keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.
J's allergy test panel came back as well, revealing that J is allergic to...dust mites. Severely allergic, it turns out. I was so busy preparing myself for my worst case scenario ("J can eat wheat, but nothing with corn, rice, or soy") that I was a little surprised by this result. Then, of course, it makes perfect sense. She coughs more in bed (a haven for dust mites). her wheeze worsened as the week with the humidifier progressed (mites love warm, humid spaces). And she didn't develop the allergy until we moved to a temperate, humid place (as opposed to high desert dryness that makes her itch like crazy).
I am so grateful that she does not have a separate food allergy we'd have to worry about at this time. Just thinking about it made me appreciate more what people with multiple food allergies have to go through everyday. Sure celiac disease is hard, but also subtracting milk products or eggs?
We faced this kind of dilemma for G's first birthday party. A dear friend of ours is allergic to peanuts, eggs, and milk. Her mom sent me this recipe called Wacky cake. It comes from the site kids with food allergies. You can find the site and the original recipe here.
I have not worked with this recipe to make any successful changes, but I'm intrigued by the possibilities of baking without dairy or eggs.

Wacky Cake
1 3/4 cups rice flour, or gluten-free blend
3 Tbsp cocoa powder (optional)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vinegar
5 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup water
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Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl and stir to combine.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until you get a smooth batter. Do not beat.
Pour into greased and floured pan (8" square or 9" round) or 12 cupcakes. Bake in oven until tests done - about 35 minutes for cake, about 20 minutes for cupcakes.

If dairy is an option, any icing will be great. If not, a basic icing of powdered sugar and water will work beautifully.

The Bakehouse: Gluten-Free Cookies, Muffins, and More Cookies

I have been on a roll with both baking and blogging this week, and thought a great way to finish off would be to share some of the results.



First, we made green sugar cookies for st. patrick's day. I have shared the recipe before, and it is still a winner in our book. Below I will share the Quick Icing we used to decorate the cookies (ok, we dipped the cookies in the frosting while they were still warm.)


Gluten-free honey poppyseed muffins.

I have been experimenting with Bette Hagman's Quick and Easy Muffins this week. I have tried recipes from Bob's Red Mill and Whole Foods, but when we're in a hurry, Bette's muffins can't be beat. This week I've toyed with using honey instead of white sugar. More on that to come.
The best news of the week: I successfully adapted another cookie recipe. Their texture and flavor is addictive, which is the main reason I can't make these again anytime soon.
But I still want to share them with you.
If you are looking for some gluten-free, decadent, chocolatey cookies that hold together, here you go.



Gluten-Free White Chip Chocolate Cookies
Nestle Tollhouse

• 2 1/4 cups rice flour, OR *1 3/4 cup rice flour, 1/4 cup sorghum flour, & 1/4 cup coconut flour (see note below)
  
• 2/3 cup Saco Premium Cocoa (any gluten-free baking cocoa will do)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (gluten-free)
  
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsel (or the chip of your choice)
  

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Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Stir in morsels.
Drop by well-rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are set.
Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Enjoy with a nice glass of milk.

TO FREEZE: Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and stick in freezer until set, about 15 minutes.
Remove from sheet and place in an airtight freezer container or bag (squeeze all air out of the bag)
Store until ready to bake, then preheat oven to 350, drop dough balls on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake.**

*I am still investigating whether it was this flour mix I used or the cocoa that made the texture of these cookies soft and less ricey. We have always been fine using all rice flour in place of all-purpose flour.
**Frozen cookie dough drops may need an extra minute or two in the oven, but we have successfully frozen cookie dough twice now and found no difference in the taste or texture. The cookie dough is also excellent in ice cream.

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Quick Cookie Icing
The Joy of Cooking

An easy, quick icing great for cookies or pound cakes. It is naturally gluten-free.

2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, or 3 Tablespoons hot heavy cream

3 to 4 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
food coloring (optional)
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In a medium bowl, beat sugar and butter together on medium speed.
Add milk, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth.
Add additional milk or powdered sugar as needed to correct the consistency.
To store, cover the surface of the icing with a sheet of plastic wrap. This keeps for up to 3 days at room temperature, up to 3 weeks refrigerated, or frozen for up to 6 months. Soften and stir or beat until smooth before using.

When the Sweet Tooth Aches (GF Crepes)

That's how my sweet cravings feel, sometimes--this longing, aching for sweet and chocolatey and delicious.
So what's a person to do in the face of such cravings?
I heard once that eating a piece of fruit and drinking water can help satisfy the sweet famishment (also I wanted to use the word famishment).
I've found pairing something sweet with something whole grain (and thus more filling) helps.
Fruit desserts are always winners.
Jell-O Instant pudding, especially with fruit.
And here's a new one for the list:
Crepes.

Gluten-free crepes are so simple, every time I make them I wonder why we don't make them more often. If you haven't tried them, you should! They're delicious and fat free and very versatile--great with everything from fresh fruit and yogurt to pudding or cool whip and bananas. And that's just the sweet stuff.
Crepes. Try some today. Here's how.

Gluten-Free Crepes
(I don't know where the recipe originated, but it wasn't with me. Thank you, whoever you are.)

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rice flour
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1. Beat the eggs just until blended. Add the salt, milk and flour. Whisk until smooth.
2. Cover the batter and let rest 15 minutes. The batter should be thin. (Just enough to coat a spoon dipped in it.) Add more milk if the batter is too thick.
3. Heat a frying pan with butter or vegetable oil to grease the pan.
4. Working quickly, pour 1/4 cup of batter for a small crepe, or 1/3 cup batter for a larger crepe, into the hot pan. Tilt the pan so that the batter spreads out evenly. Cook on one side (it cooks quickly), turn with a spatula and cook the other side.
5. Pile the cooked crepes on a plate. Refrigerate if not using immediately. These may be prepared up to a day ahead of time.

Ideas for filling:
It works best to use a combination of creamy, fruity, and if you choose, a garnish.

Creamy
sweetened sour cream (start with 2 Tablespoons sour cream per serving; add brown or white sugar to taste. The cream will become runnier as you add more sugar.)
cool whip (a low-fat, low calorie option. Not exactly health food, but mmm. Especially with bananas)
yogurt

Fruity
berries
berry syrup
jam or fruit preserves
poached fruit, such as pears or peaches
bananas
fruit salad mix--diced berries, mango, kiwi
even canned fruit--mandarin oranges, pineapple, peaches, pears...

Garnish
citrus zest (lemon and orange are tasty with berries)
chocolate sauce
shaved chocolate
a drizzle of poaching syrup
fruit juice
whipped cream or cool whip
toasted nuts or coconut
drizzle of caramel sauce

There's no way I have all the options here--what do you or would you add?

Coconut Flour and Blitztorte! (gluten-free lemon cupcakes)

I always feel that German titles should end with an exclamation point, especially when the title happens to mean "quick lemon cake!" Oh, so this one gets an exclamation point in English too.
Week two of the pancake themed-tradition and I'm already changing the subject. Cupcakes aren't exactly the health food I have been trying to feed my family either. But in the name of culinary science, I carry on.
The original recipe comes from The Joy of Cooking, and chances are, it's fantastic. The thing is, this is my first time making this cake, and I've already strayed from the recipe quite a bit. Here's what I've done. I'll let you know how it works once they've cooled. They're out of the oven, they're lemon scented (as promised), but also with a hint of coconut. And they did not rise above the top of the pans...
Coconut flour. I happened upon its existence on a website the other day. The writer glorified coconut flour as a gluten-free sweet savior of sorts, so off the PCC I went. I am excited to see all the different kinds of flour Bob's Red Mill produces (and labels so clearly): almond, hazelnut, carob. I've known about tapioca and potato (hello delicious pizza and scones), but green pea and black bean? Intriguing. Anyway, in my new-food excitement, I bought some coconut flour. Because I would love to make a light, fluffy chocolate cake for my son's first birthday next month.

Gluten-Free Blitztorte Cupcakes
3/4 cup rice flour
1/4 coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (about one lemon; you'll have left over zest)

1/3 cup chopped or sliced natural (unblanched) almonds or other nuts (optional, for topping)
1 heaping Tablespoon sugar (optional, for topping)

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour one 8x2" round pan or line the bottom with wax or parchment paper, or prepare cupcake pan
Whisk together the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy, about 30 seconds.
Gradually add the sugar and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 3 to 5 minutes.
Beat in eggs one at a time.
Beat in the zest and lemon juice.
Stir in the flour mixture just until smooth. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. If desired, sprinkle the top of the mixture with 1/3 cup chopped or sliced natural almonds or other nuts and 1 heaping Tablespoon of sugar.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle, about 30 to 35 minutes, about 20 minutes for cupcakes. For a real treat, try baking cupcakes in ice cream cones (bake for about 25 minutes). Let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan.
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The verdict: When they were warm, they were a little too soft and moist, but the flavor was delicious. As promised, the coconut flavor was not too noticeable. The next day Brad told me the cupcakes were delicious and worth making again. Next time I'll try the topping or a different icing (not cream cheese, it's too heavy) and mixing sorghum in instead of some of the rice flour.
Overall, delicious and easy. And I think coconut flour is here to stay.

I Am My Own Worst Enemy: Gluten-Free Brownies

Saco Chef: is that a devilish grin?

**Warning: these brownies are really easy to make. And really good.
Brownies have been a special treat at our house. We tend to save them for moments that are worth spending the money on a Bob's Red Mill Brownie Mix because these have been our favorite GF brownies.
One day I noticed the recipe on the Saco Premium Cocoa box and decided to try adapting it. The bad news for me: they came out excellent. And unlike some brownies, only take 25 minutes to bake. And don't require chocolate chips. The bottom line: I can have hot, chewy, gluten-free brownies in about 40 minutes. Now, so can you. But don't say I didn't warn you.

Fudgy Cocoa Brownies
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup SACO premium Cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup rice flour (all-purpose flour for you wheaties)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8x2-inch pan.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter or margarine (or in the microwave in a one-quart container).
Removed melted butter from heat, ,add cocoa, and stir until well-blended.
Add sugar and mix well.
Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well.
Stir in vanilla, flour, and salt. DO NOT OVERBEAT. Fold in nuts, if using.
Spread in prepared pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Mmmmm...Homemade Pudding

I love Everyday Food. It's a magazine and also a show on PBS. And once a week, it's a little newsletter in my email. This week one of the recipes was chocolate or vanilla pudding, and since I had all the ingredients on hand, I thought I would give it a shot.
Homemade chocolate pudding is very good, it turns out. Though Brad and I agreed, if you have a box of instant pudding, it will does just fine; homemade requires some planning since it has to chill for 3 hours, plus the thirty minutes it took to cook it. It was better than instant though, and there's something magical about making food from scratch. Plus, it's worth checking out what you can make if you make this pudding. And oh yeah, it uses corn starch and is naturally gluten-free.
Here's the recipe for all to enjoy. It really is simple if you're vigilant, patient, and ready for pudding...in about three hours.

From Everyday FOOD

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (if making chocolate pudding)
2 1/2 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. If making chocolate pudding, add cocoa powder. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
2. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding.
3. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, whisk pudding until smooth; divide among four serving dishes.

Sugar Cookies for Cassie

Back in good old Utah my sister-in-law Cassie and I had some grand baking adventures. One treat that eluded us in our Gluten-free baking: sugar cookies. You might even call it our holy grail. There are recipes out there, sure, but they are impossible to roll out let alone cut out in fun shapes, and their texture is tragically coarse. Read: you cannot eat a cookie without a fork or spoon. Diana's sugar cookies were so soft, I thought she might hold a key for good gluten-free cookies: cream cheese.* These may not be perfect, but so far, this is the best gluten-free sugar cookie Brad and I have tried.
For this experiment I didn't use the sweet potato, although that would make them more tender and somewhat healthy. That will be the next phase of the experiment.
Cassie, these cookies are for you. With ginger frosting on top.

1pkg (8oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup (1and a 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 1/4 cups rice flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar, vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium-low speed until well blended. Add flour, xanthan, and baking soda: mix well.

Roll dough or flatten with your hand to 1/4-in. thickness on parchment or wax paper. Cut into
assorted shapes using 3-in. cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes; they will not brown on top. Let cool on sheet for a few minutes, then transfer cookies to wire rack; cool completely before icing.

Good Kitchen Karma

Today I finally took some action to reverse my bad kitchen karma. I've been sick the last couple days, and just generally through the pregnancy the tidiness of the kitchen has sometimes been questionable (shame, shame, I know). I've decided that the best way to reverse bad kitchen karma is to flush it down the disposal and bake something tasty. Today's treat: Pumpkin Bread with Ginger Frosting. I highly recommend trying the ginger frosting--we were inspired by Da Vinci Bakery and concocted this recipe with the help of the Joy of Cooking and a couple handy tasting fingers. It came out pretty tasty, actually.


Good karma, for two.

If you're not GF, it should be easy to find a good pumpkin bread recipe. If you are, this bread recipe comes out soft and tall. The frosting is pretty sweet, so you probably don't need the chocolate chips and raisins. But only you know what you need...

Pumpkin Bread
Susan Singley

350°

1 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup cooked pumpkin
½ cup salad oil
2 eggs

2 cups regular rice flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
¼ cup water
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Combine the sugar, brown sugar, cooked pumpkin, salad oil and eggs. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine rice flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Mix well.

Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Add raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, and water.

Bake in two small loaf pans at 350° for 60 to 70 minutes. Muffins estimate: 30-40 minutes. Use your best judgment.

Ginger Frosting

Here are some measurements for guidelines, but they're not exact. You will have to taste it (darn) and decide how thick you want it. Add more powdered sugar and/or butter, or milk for the right consistency.

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
2 Tablespoons butter, softened

2 Tablespoons milk
a shake of salt
fresh finely grated ginger or powdered ginger, to taste. Note: powdered ginger is strong!
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Combine the powdered sugar and butter in a medium bowl and beat together until smooth.

Add milk, salt, and ginger, and beat until smooth.

Add more sugar, butter, and ginger until you like the flavor and consistency.

Enjoy over a nice slice of pumpkin bread or over top of a muffin. Now that's good karma.

Diana's Sneaky Sugar Cookies

Perfect for Halloween, and any cookie occasion, really. My friend Diana modified this recipe from Kraft Foods with a little inspiration from Jessica Seinfeld's new book. I still need to see how this works gluten free...


Some things you don't have to sneak.

DIANA'S SNEAKY SUGAR COOKIES

1pkg (8oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened (I use low fat)
3/4 cup (1and a 1/2sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2tsp. Vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda

***my secret ingredient****1/2 cup pureed sweet potatoes (not yams--see below)

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Beat cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar,
vanilla ***and sweet potato puree*** in large bowl with electric mixer
on medium speed until well blended.
Add flour and baking soda: mix well.
Roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into
assorted shapes using 3-in. cookie cutters. Place on greased baking
sheets.
Bake 10 to 12 min. or until edges begin to brown. Transfer cookies to
wire rack; cool completely before icing.

For the icing I just used a store bought kind and whipped it up with
about a 1/2 cup of carrot puree--that could use some improvement. (The rest of us thought it was great. The carrots gave the icing a light orange color.)

Sweet potatoes are white or yellowish in color and have a firmer flesh than the orange yams we see at Thanksgiving. In case you were wondering.

You Can Always Make Brownies

Ghirardelli. Need I say more? Here's an excellent choose your own adventure recipe. You can use it to make the cookies, which sound delightful, or to make brownies, or rich little cupcakes. And of course, you can always use good old fashioned chocolate chips of your choice (Western Family, anyone?) I especially like this as a gluten-free recipe--it's not coarse or gritty, at least as brownies and cupcakes. It's not as cake-like as Bob's Red Mill Mix, but a lot richer and a little cheaper.



Ghirardelli Ultimate Double Chocolate Cookies
1 bag (11.5 oz) Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (For a sweeter dough or batter try semi-sweet or other dark chocolate. I think this is better for brownies, personally.)
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour OR rice flour (go GF!)
a little xanthan gum (Optional GF ingredient. I believe the ratio guideline for xanthan gum and rice flour is 1 teaspoon to 1 cup flour, so you can use your best judgment. It's probably fine without xanthan as well.)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 bag (12 oz) Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (optional)
1 cup (4 oz) chopped walnuts (optional)

In double boiler or heat-proof mixing bowl over hot water, melt the bittersweet chocolate chips and butter.
In large mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until thick (note: for brownies, mix less). Stir in the chocolate mixture.
In small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder; stir into chocolate mixture.
Gently mix in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
FOR COOKIES: On a plastic wrap, form dough into two logs, each 2 inches in diameter and about 8 inches long. Wrap tightly; refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm. (Dough can also be frozen; thaw in refrigerator before proceeding with recipe.)
Preheat oven to 375. Unwrap dough; with sharp knife, cut into 3/4-inch slices. Place slices 1 1/2 inches apart on greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until shiny crust forms on top but interior is still soft.
Cook on baking sheet. Enjoy the moment of timeless pleasure.
FOR BROWNIES or CUPCAKES: Pour batter into a pan or muffin tin. Bake at 375 for about 40minutes (time will vary depending on type of pan and your oven; I'd start with 25 minutes, then add any additional time you need after that). A knife or cake tester inserted in the center should come out with crumbs, not wet batter.
Let cool completely before serving.