Grampa Cookies

I modified a few recipes to make a Mandie-safe version of the cookies my dad always made while we were growing up.  Dad even sent several batches to my best friend after she went off to college since she missed them so much.   We always called them "Dad's Cookies", so now they're "Grampa Cookies".

Grampa Cookies
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
 2 tsp. xanthan gum
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup corn oil
 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. water
 2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cups chocolate chips
3 1/2 cups gluten free oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  In a separate bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. water + 2 Tbsp. vinegar + 2 tsp. baking powder.  On medium speed, beat oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until well blended.  Stir in the flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended and smooth.  Stir in chocolate chips and oats.  Using a small cookie scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheets.  Flatten just a bit.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are set in the middle.   Cool on sheets for 3 minutes before removing to racks to cool.  Store in an airtight container.

Harvest Day Cake

2 1/2 cups gluten free cake flour blend *
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs (or egg sub of choice)
15 oz pureed pumpkin (I used freshly made)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cups chopped toasted pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 inch pan, or 2 round cake pans.  Combine flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.   Beat oil and sugars in an electric mixer on medium speed.  Beat in eggs (or egg sub.) .  Beat in pumpkin until combined.  Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until batter is smooth.  Stir in cranberries and pecans.  Pour batter into pan(s).  Bake rectangle pan 45-55 minutes, rounds 35-38 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean and internal temperature registers 200 degrees.    When cool, top with powdered sugar or cream cheese frosting.

*Gluten Free Cake Flour Blend
(adapted from Artisinal Gluten-Free Cooking by Kelli and Peter Bronski)
1 1/4 cups gf oat flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup potato starch
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. potato flour
1 tsp. xanthan gum
Combine well and store in an airtight container.

Vanilla

1 bottle of Smirnoff vodka
2 vanilla beans

Using the tip of a sharp knife, make a slit in each vanilla bean from end to end.  Place beans in the vodka and replace the cap.  Leave on counter for 30 days, shaking the bottle every time you walk past it.  After 30 days, use as you would any vanilla.  Beans can be re-used for 10-12 months, or unitl they no longer have any scent left. 

S'More Cookies

What do you do when you and your family really want to make S'Mores, but you can't find a pre-made graham-style cracker that is free of all of the allergens you are avoiding?  If you're an allergy mom, the answer is simple.  You create one!  This is the recipe I created that's free of Mandie's allergens.  (I'll take and post photos the next time I make them.)  The cookies taste a bit like a cross between snicker doodles and cinnamon graham crackers.  They are flat and crisp, and soften up just a bit when they are stored in a zip lock bag overnight.  They turned out to be the perfect size, and were just pliable enough that they didn't crumble when you took a bite with all of the chocolate and marshmallow inside.  Mandie and I used the Milk Chocolate flavor of Enjoy Life's Boom Choco Boom bars http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/our_foods/chocolate_bars.html   for ours.  YUM!

S'More Cookies
2 cup oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. flaxmeal dissolved in 9 Tbsp. hot water (or 3 eggs)
2 tsp. vanilla extract (I use homemade)
1 Tbsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups sorghum flour
2 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour

Combine oil, sugars, and baking soda.  Beat until combined.  Add flax goo (or eggs) and vanilla.  Combine.  Add flour.  Mix well.  Drop by large rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until crisp.  Let set on cookie sheets for 2-3 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool.  Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

White Chili

Tonight's dinner was my favorite White Chili - which I modified from a friend's recipe.  It is a yummy soup that is quick to put together for those nights when you need a hearty dinner in a hurry with very little fuss.  Pair it with my Cornbread for a quick, delicious meal.

White Chili

1 lb ground turkey, cooked
1 cup turkey or chicken broth (I use my homemade turkey broth)
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup salsa
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, rinsed and drained

Combine all ingredients in a pot and simmer for about 30 minutes.  It pairs well with cornbread. 

Corndog Nuggets and Potato Chips

Once in a while I just get a real craving for "junk food" for dinner.  One of our favorite quick junk food dinners before multiple food allergies was corndogs and fries or potato chips.  With Mandie's multiple allergies, including wheat/gluten, store bought corndogs are out (as are most potato chips).  That certainly takes quick out of the equation, but corndogs and potato chips are very easy (if a bit time consuming) to make.  Here's what I do . . . .

Potato Chips
6-8 potatoes, scrubbed
oil for deep frying
sea salt for sprinkling on chips

Warm your oil in your fryer (we use corn oil).  Using a mandolin, thinly slice potatoes and pat dry.  Drop chips into fryer and fry until lightly golden brown.  Use a slotted spoon to remove to a paper towel lined plate.  Sprinkle with salt.  When they've cooled for a bit, put them into a bowl.  Yum!

    
Corndog Nuggets
1-2 packages hotdogs of choice (we love Jennie-O Turkey Dogs)
2/3 cup cornmeal
1 cup gluten free flour of choice (I use 1/2 sorghum flour and 1/2 rice or bean flour)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. oil of choice  (we use corn oil)
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
1 egg, slightly beaten (or equal amount of flax goo)
oil of choice for fryer (we use corn oil)

Preheat your oil to approximately 375 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients.  Add water and oil, mix well.  Add egg.  Cut hotdogs into thirds.  Dry well.  Dip in cornmeal mixture and coat well.  Drop into hot oil - about 6 per batch - and fry for 2-3 minutes or until nuggets are golden brown on all sides.  I've found that a double batch of batter coats 3 packages of hotdogs.  My kids love to have extras to eat for lunch the next day. 

Cornbread (free of gluten/dairy/soy)

Tonight I made ham and bean soup and cornbread.  Both were so yummy!  For the soup I pre-soaked two pounds of soup beans, then this morning I put them in the crockpot with a ham, some tomato juice, fresh crushed tomatoes, a diced onion, and water to cover it all.  I cooked it on high for about 8 hours.  Everything was done to perfection!  Here's my cornbread recipe.

Cornbread
2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (we use BRM)
2 cups cornmeal
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
4 beaten eggs (or egg replacer of choice)
2 cups water
1/2 cup oil (I use corn oil)

Grease a 9x13 inch pan.  Combine dry ingredients.  Set aside.  In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, water, and oil.  Add to dry ingredients and combine.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes until tester inserted into center comes out clean and top is slightly browned. 
I serve it with a variety of toppings such as maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, sorghum, and molasses.