She's so cute when she's sleeping.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Daring to be Dairy Free
Ok, I have avoided saying it out loud, because then it's true, but dairy has been giving me issues lately. Prior to my diagnosis with Celiac I had realized that I was lactose intolerant, which is common in Celiac prior to healing. Many Celiacs can go back to eating dairy 6 months to a year after a strict gluten free diet because the villi in your intestines start to heal and you are again able to breakdown lactose. I felt that I had achieved that, the lactose intolerance symptoms had subsided. I was however experiencing different issues. If I didn't cook almost entirely myself in a entirely gluten free house I would have questioned whether or not I was glutening myself, but i know that wasn't what was happening. A few experiences were hard to ignore. My boyfriend and I went to our local gluten free restaurant, Hawthorne Fish House, and had the fried cheese curds within 30 minutes I had an incredible headache and bloating issues similar to what I experience with gluten.
Well, I have toyed with the idea of dairy free before, I had already switched to Almond milk for as many things as possible. But damn it I really like cream in my coffee. I have finally found a product that will ease my switch to dairy free - MimicCreme. It is incredible, perfect for coffee creamer and has been an incredible substitute for cream in recipes. All is not lost. I had the most incredible creamy mushroom soup the other day. I made it and fed it to two unsuspecting victims without telling them it was 'dairy free". The boyfriend knows it is at least gluten free, but he didn't suspect the rest. It was delicious, no one could tell it wasn't dairy. I am using the left overs for baked chicken and rice.
The great thing about the MimicCreme is it isn't just dairy free( casein free) it is also gluten free and SOY free. It is unheard of for something to be both casein free and soy free. I really have to avoid soy as well, which has always been a stumbling block for going dairy free as most milk alternatives are based on soy. MimicCreme is based on Almonds, Cashews and rice starch. I have no idea how they made it taste like cream but they did. They sell it in unsweetened (which I use in my coffee and cooking) but they also sell a sweetened and a sugar free sweetened. I am anxious to make some ice cream with the sweetened.
Between MimicCreme, and the Better then Sour cream / cream cheese products, I can do this dairy free thing. Cheese however is a challenge, I really like cheese, I really like GOOD cheese. Oh well, if they can make great dairy free creamer then I am sure some one is soon going to come up with a good dairy (casein free) cheese.
Here are some photos of the yummy mushroom soup.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Gluten Free Christmas Cookies
Well here it is, my first Christmas since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I finally have located a flour substitute that I was confident enough with to attempt to convert the family Christmas cookie recipes. Gluten Free baking can be a challenge, even with a gluten free recipe but trying to convert regular recipes to gluten free is an act of faith. Don't expect failure but be ready for that possibility. I was lucky and succeeded fairly well. After you have been doing this long enough you will start to get a sense of which recipes are more likely to convert with success. My two resounding successes were Chocolate Crinkles and My grandmothers Oatmeal Rice Krispie Coconut Cookies.
The Oatmeal/Rice/Coconut ones were the bigger challenge. I had to make some tweaks along the way. The dough was very crumbly but held when pressed together. I just added more butter which helped. The second tray was better then the first and the third was better then the second, see that means I was learning.
The best part about these is these cookies were the first time since diagnosis that I have had oats. Recently Bob's Red Mill started selling Gluten Free oats, which means they are grown and handled in dedicated fields, so no chance of wheat contaminating the harvest. I have had these oats on my shelf for over a month, I was too chicken to try them. I kept saying I was saving them, well I was, I was saving them for these cookies. They were my favorite growing up.
They really needed to be pressed together because the mix was so crumbly, but they held together fine once baked. The ladies in my Celiac cookie exchange said "Oh my your cookies were actually chewy, they were so good" Best feed back ever. It is true a chewy gluten free cookie is something to get excited about.
Here is a photo that shows about the size of the "pucks" that I made, this size seemed to work best. You don't really want to make balls, they don't spread much so if you place balls on the sheets you will end up with mounds that aren't quite cooked in the middle. Mini hockey pucks is the way to go.
Here is the recipe, as determined by me. This is from one of my grandmothers recipe cards, she was infamous for not putting enough info on the cards, just an ingredients list. I determined that 350 degree oven for 14-16 minutes worked best, but you may change that after your first tray. Cook one sheet of cookies, eat one, adjust if necessary. If in doubt eat two, in the name of science of course.
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine substitute
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (cup for cup substitute, or you will need to add Xanthum gum, 1 tsp per cup of flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups oats
2 cups Rice Crispies (gluten free brand, since regular are NOT GF)
2 cups coconut.
Mix softened shortening and butter with eggs, vanilla and sugar, until creamed. In seperate bowl mix flours, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix flour into butter/sugar mixture. Stir in oats, rice crispies and coconut.
Press into "hockey pucks" and bake.
NOTES: I am thinking the sugar in this recipe could be cut down. They seemed too sweet to me, but maybe I am just getting older. I would start by reducing both the brown and white by a 1/2 each. This is what I am going to try with my next batch. Also the original recipe only called for 1 cup shortening, but I had to add more because the mixture was too dry and crumbly, so I added the 1/2 cup butter.
Now the Chocolate Crinkles, these too can be an effort, but very worth it. Hey Christmas only comes once a year.
For these I made the standard Chocolate Crinkles recipe with no substitutions other then a good cup for cup substitute that already had the Xanthum gum added (Better Batter Gluten Free Flour). Worked wonderful, these turned out very gooey yummy.
Enjoy
The Oatmeal/Rice/Coconut ones were the bigger challenge. I had to make some tweaks along the way. The dough was very crumbly but held when pressed together. I just added more butter which helped. The second tray was better then the first and the third was better then the second, see that means I was learning.
The best part about these is these cookies were the first time since diagnosis that I have had oats. Recently Bob's Red Mill started selling Gluten Free oats, which means they are grown and handled in dedicated fields, so no chance of wheat contaminating the harvest. I have had these oats on my shelf for over a month, I was too chicken to try them. I kept saying I was saving them, well I was, I was saving them for these cookies. They were my favorite growing up.
They really needed to be pressed together because the mix was so crumbly, but they held together fine once baked. The ladies in my Celiac cookie exchange said "Oh my your cookies were actually chewy, they were so good" Best feed back ever. It is true a chewy gluten free cookie is something to get excited about.
Here is a photo that shows about the size of the "pucks" that I made, this size seemed to work best. You don't really want to make balls, they don't spread much so if you place balls on the sheets you will end up with mounds that aren't quite cooked in the middle. Mini hockey pucks is the way to go.
Here is the recipe, as determined by me. This is from one of my grandmothers recipe cards, she was infamous for not putting enough info on the cards, just an ingredients list. I determined that 350 degree oven for 14-16 minutes worked best, but you may change that after your first tray. Cook one sheet of cookies, eat one, adjust if necessary. If in doubt eat two, in the name of science of course.
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine substitute
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (cup for cup substitute, or you will need to add Xanthum gum, 1 tsp per cup of flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups oats
2 cups Rice Crispies (gluten free brand, since regular are NOT GF)
2 cups coconut.
Mix softened shortening and butter with eggs, vanilla and sugar, until creamed. In seperate bowl mix flours, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix flour into butter/sugar mixture. Stir in oats, rice crispies and coconut.
Press into "hockey pucks" and bake.
NOTES: I am thinking the sugar in this recipe could be cut down. They seemed too sweet to me, but maybe I am just getting older. I would start by reducing both the brown and white by a 1/2 each. This is what I am going to try with my next batch. Also the original recipe only called for 1 cup shortening, but I had to add more because the mixture was too dry and crumbly, so I added the 1/2 cup butter.
Now the Chocolate Crinkles, these too can be an effort, but very worth it. Hey Christmas only comes once a year.
For these I made the standard Chocolate Crinkles recipe with no substitutions other then a good cup for cup substitute that already had the Xanthum gum added (Better Batter Gluten Free Flour). Worked wonderful, these turned out very gooey yummy.
Enjoy
Monday, November 12, 2007
The spice of life
Ok, this came up this weekend since I spent a bit of time organizing my spice cupboard. I have always loved to cook, but after being diagnosed with Celiac cooking has taken on a new "need". I love eating foods outside the standard fare - I love Asian, Indian, Thai etc. All of these come with their inherent issues if I wanted to eat them out at a restaurant. They all have standard ingredients that do or can contain gluten, so if I want them without worry I have to make them. This leads to the need for an extensive spice selection.
Do your pocket book and your mouth a favor, buy spices in bulk. Even our local "one stop shopping" store, Fred Meyer, has a bulk spice section now. It is in the natural foods section and the selection isn't as extensive as other stores, but it has all the standard fare. For more unusual spices I have had to go to local health food stores or co-ops, which isn't an issue since I shop there at least semi-frequently for other items.
This allows you to buy only the amount you will need. Don't do what our mothers did and keep the same bottle of parsley flakes for years on end. I remember spice bottles that my mother moved from house to house each time we moved, that stuff was YEARS old. I try to never keep spices longer then 6 months, ideally 3 months. They just loose so much flavor after a few months. Buying in bulk allows you to just buy a Tablespoon full if that is all you need for a recipe and don't see yourself using it again anytime soon.
It is also WAY cheaper. You can buy enough spices to refill a standard spice jar, often for less then a dollar, unless it is a less common or expensive spice. This is compared to $4-5.00 for a bottle of spice.
Of course this has also led to my spice jar "collection". I have found some great antique spice jars.
That is my two cents for today.
Do your pocket book and your mouth a favor, buy spices in bulk. Even our local "one stop shopping" store, Fred Meyer, has a bulk spice section now. It is in the natural foods section and the selection isn't as extensive as other stores, but it has all the standard fare. For more unusual spices I have had to go to local health food stores or co-ops, which isn't an issue since I shop there at least semi-frequently for other items.
This allows you to buy only the amount you will need. Don't do what our mothers did and keep the same bottle of parsley flakes for years on end. I remember spice bottles that my mother moved from house to house each time we moved, that stuff was YEARS old. I try to never keep spices longer then 6 months, ideally 3 months. They just loose so much flavor after a few months. Buying in bulk allows you to just buy a Tablespoon full if that is all you need for a recipe and don't see yourself using it again anytime soon.
It is also WAY cheaper. You can buy enough spices to refill a standard spice jar, often for less then a dollar, unless it is a less common or expensive spice. This is compared to $4-5.00 for a bottle of spice.
Of course this has also led to my spice jar "collection". I have found some great antique spice jars.
That is my two cents for today.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Homemade Hot Dog Bun Pans
Ok, I have not really gotten this blog ball rolling, but in my defense I moved and tackled a couple other issues. I am ready to get started. The next post will be about my new garden, yeah. This is however another post about Gluten free baking.
I big issue with gluten free eating is the bread and buns in the store are, in my opinion, inedible. Easy enough, make your own. This was easily solved for hamburger buns, several places sell English muffin rings that work great for hamburger buns. Hot dog buns however are a different subject. They sell pans for this but they are expensive. I don't eat enough hot dog buns to justify the cost. So I went to the 99 cent store and managed to fold some tin pans for this purpose.
The above photo would be the first bend. Just find how wide you want the bun cavity to be and pull the edges out while making a fold in the tin. Then repeat on the other side.
The above photo shows both sides with the first folds that create the cavity size, now to make the middle "wall".
I just push the middle up, the photo above shows what this stage looks like from the bottom of the pan, the photo below shows what this looks like from the top of the pan.
Now just clean up the folds
At the stage on the photo above you need to deal with the "ends" of the pan., to make them stand back up, the photo below show the fold I use to accomplish this, sorry the photo is a bit blurry.
And below are the finished pans.
When and if you do this, the first pan you fold will proably look awful, but they will probably still work, unless you mange to poke a hole in it. I can say I pretty much tortured these pans a couple times and never had one blow out. They are very forgiving.
Here is everything ready to go in the oven, 8 hamburger buns and 4 hot dog buns. For this time around I used the Crumpets recipe from Bette's Gluten Free Gourmet Bakes Bread book. I have to say they turned out very yummy, I like the recipe, but I think for "buns" I like my previous use of a regular bread recipe better. I how ever am looking forward to my crumpets being used as biscuits and gravy for breakfast, they are really nice compared to my previous attempts at gluten free biscuits.
Here is my Saturday morning of baking. Two loaves of Millet bread (going to be used for stuffing mix in a couple weeks). I really liked this recipe, my crust came out a bit dark so I am anxious to try it again. The flavor and texture were great. It passed the gluten eater test. He hasn't liked anything with bean flour, which I am also not yet a "fan" of. The Millet bread recipe was also from Bette's Bakes Bread book. Really a keeper. One loaf I made per the recipe, then the other I used a variation she listed which added almond meal to the mix, it was a nice touch, these are going to make great stuffing.
The total yield for my morning of baking - [8] Hamburger bun, [4] Hot dog buns, [1] foccacia loaf (front right, from Carol Fenster's book), [5] Pita Bread rounds (also from Bette's Bakes bread book) and [10] Dinner rolls (Carol Fenster's recipe). Admittedly [1] hamburger bun and [1] Hot dog bun didn't make it to the freezer, they turned out to be runts and had to be cut from the herd, they were tasty though.
I big issue with gluten free eating is the bread and buns in the store are, in my opinion, inedible. Easy enough, make your own. This was easily solved for hamburger buns, several places sell English muffin rings that work great for hamburger buns. Hot dog buns however are a different subject. They sell pans for this but they are expensive. I don't eat enough hot dog buns to justify the cost. So I went to the 99 cent store and managed to fold some tin pans for this purpose.
The above photo would be the first bend. Just find how wide you want the bun cavity to be and pull the edges out while making a fold in the tin. Then repeat on the other side.
The above photo shows both sides with the first folds that create the cavity size, now to make the middle "wall".
I just push the middle up, the photo above shows what this stage looks like from the bottom of the pan, the photo below shows what this looks like from the top of the pan.
Now just clean up the folds
At the stage on the photo above you need to deal with the "ends" of the pan., to make them stand back up, the photo below show the fold I use to accomplish this, sorry the photo is a bit blurry.
And below are the finished pans.
When and if you do this, the first pan you fold will proably look awful, but they will probably still work, unless you mange to poke a hole in it. I can say I pretty much tortured these pans a couple times and never had one blow out. They are very forgiving.
Here is everything ready to go in the oven, 8 hamburger buns and 4 hot dog buns. For this time around I used the Crumpets recipe from Bette's Gluten Free Gourmet Bakes Bread book. I have to say they turned out very yummy, I like the recipe, but I think for "buns" I like my previous use of a regular bread recipe better. I how ever am looking forward to my crumpets being used as biscuits and gravy for breakfast, they are really nice compared to my previous attempts at gluten free biscuits.
Here is my Saturday morning of baking. Two loaves of Millet bread (going to be used for stuffing mix in a couple weeks). I really liked this recipe, my crust came out a bit dark so I am anxious to try it again. The flavor and texture were great. It passed the gluten eater test. He hasn't liked anything with bean flour, which I am also not yet a "fan" of. The Millet bread recipe was also from Bette's Bakes Bread book. Really a keeper. One loaf I made per the recipe, then the other I used a variation she listed which added almond meal to the mix, it was a nice touch, these are going to make great stuffing.The total yield for my morning of baking - [8] Hamburger bun, [4] Hot dog buns, [1] foccacia loaf (front right, from Carol Fenster's book), [5] Pita Bread rounds (also from Bette's Bakes bread book) and [10] Dinner rolls (Carol Fenster's recipe). Admittedly [1] hamburger bun and [1] Hot dog bun didn't make it to the freezer, they turned out to be runts and had to be cut from the herd, they were tasty though.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
The Breadman comith
I just got the notice, the Breadman has shipped. I am very excited for this new step in the journey. I have always enjoyed making bread, but making Gluten Free bread seemed daunting. From everything I have read it is much easier and more successful with a bread machine. This one even has a Gluten Free setting which should go even further towards almost guaranteed success. For anyone who has never tried GF (Gluten Free) bread, the stuff at the store is NOT bread. Some one puts "bread" on the label but I would rather use it as a coaster on the coffee table then eat it. I have read over and over that the stuff you can make yourself comes much closer to the real thing AND is actually edible.
I bought all the ingredients, and there are alot of them for Gluten Free baking. Starch this, starch that, and a million different flours. Well I have them all, I am ready, now I just need the new toy to arrive in the mail. Off I go to bread heaven.
I bought all the ingredients, and there are alot of them for Gluten Free baking. Starch this, starch that, and a million different flours. Well I have them all, I am ready, now I just need the new toy to arrive in the mail. Off I go to bread heaven.
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