Cherry Walnut Shortbread Bars

A good friend of mine, Mary, shared this recipe with me. I thought I would try it out, as I love maraschino cherries and shortbread. They are delicious and I want to start making them every Christmas. Enjoy!

Cherry Walnut Shortbread Bars

Shortbread base:

2 1/4 cups GF flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup butter

Cherry walnut mixture:

2 eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I ground mine up very fine)

1/2 cup chopped Maraschino cherries

Frosting:

1 TBSP butter

1 cup powdered sugar

Cherry juice to blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the shortbread by mixing the flour, sugar, and butter and press into a 13"x9" pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Next, make the cherry walnut mixture by combining the eggs, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Next, add the walnuts and cherries, then pour over the shortbread crust. Bake for an additional 25 minutes.

Let the bars cool completely before frosting. Make the frosting by combining the butter, powdered sugar, and enough of the cherry juice to make a spreadable frosting. Spread onto the cooled bars, then cut into pieces. Enjoy!

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

I like making these at Halloween time. They are perfect for giving away or making for a Halloween party. I found the recipe here. 

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats
INGREDIENTS
6 cups Cocoa Krispies (I use GF kind)
5-¼ ounces, weight Reese's Pieces
3 Tablespoons Butter
⅓ cups Peanut Butter
10-½ ounces, weight Mini Marshmallows

HOW TO PREPARE:

Grease a 9×13” pan.

Pour the Cocoa Krispies and Reese’s Pieces in a large bowl.

Melt the butter and peanut butter in a saucepan. Add the marshmallows. When almost completely melted, pour over the Cocoa Krispies. Quickly combine the mixture and pour into the prepared pan. Press down (you may need to put a plastic bag over your hand so your fingers don’t stick).

Cut into squares or desired serving pieces.

Pumpkin Bars

It's no secret that I love pumpkin. From a young age, pumpkin pie was a huge favorite of mine. I was told that I even ate a whole pumpkin pie by myself at the age of 5! When I tried these bars about 10 years ago, I couldn't believe something so delicious had existed that I didn't know about, so I got the recipe and am sharing it with you. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups GF Coconut Flour Mix or other GF Flour mix that contains xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 can pumpkin (15oz)

HOW TO PREPARE:
Mix eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Add other ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees in a greased, 13x9 inch pan for 30-35 minutes or until done.

Icing: 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp milk, 3oz cream cheese, and ¾ stick butter (softened). Mix and frost when bars are cooled.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar

I had been missing a chocolate chip cookie bar and wondered if my regular recipe would work after I made it gluten free - the results were delicious! Recipe found here.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups Pamela's flour

1 cup Manini's flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups chocolate chips

HOW TO PREPARE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flours, 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 and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. 

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan or 13 x 9-inch pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

I made this for my birthday this year. It was a hit amongst all my family! I found the recipe here.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

My photo.

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE

1 cup + 2 tablespoons gluten free flour

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)

11 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3/8 teaspoon kosher salt

3/8 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sour cream, at room temperature

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 egg + 1 egg yolk (out of shell) at room temperature, beaten

1/2 cup + 1 TBSP warm water (about 95°F)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup warm water

10 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

HOW TO PREPARE:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch round springform baking pan and set it aside.

Make the cake. In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and sugar, and whisk to combine well. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the sour cream, oil, eggs and water, mixing to combine after each addition. The batter should be very thickly pourable. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth into an even layer and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out mostly clean or with a few moist crumbs attached (about 30 minutes). Do not overbake. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate mousse. In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder into the warm water until it dissolves completely. Set it aside. In a small, heat-safe bowl, place the chopped chocolate and chopped butter, and place over a small saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Melt the chocolate and butter over the simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.  Alternatively, you can melt them together in the microwave in short, 30-second bursts, stirring well in between. Remove the melted chocolate and butter, and whisk the cocoa powder dissolved in water into it until smooth. Set the bowl aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar, and whip again until stiff, shiny peaks form. Pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl of whipped cream slowly, carefully folding the ingredients together and taking care not to deflate the whipped cream more than necessary. Fold until no white streaks remain.

Assemble the cake. Spoon the chocolate mousse onto the cake, and smooth the top. Refrigerate the cake until the chocolate mousse is set (about 2 hours). Slice and serve chilled.

Lemon Bars

I love lemon bars. I used my regular recipe and turned it into a gluten free version and was THRILLED with the results. My daughter, Anna, said that the GF ones are better than the regular ones. There you have it, folks!

Lemon Bars
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups plus 6 tbsp. flour, divided (I used half of Maninis flour and the other half I used this flour)*
Pinch of salt
1 cup room-temperature butter, sliced into 8 pieces
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
6 tbsp. lemon juice
Grated rind of one lemon

HOW TO PREPARE:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13×9-in. baking pan.
2. In a food processor, blend confectioners' sugar, 2 cups flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Press into pan and bake for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, beat eggs, 2 cups sugar, 6 tbsp. flour and lemon juice until well combined. Stir in lemon rind. Pour on top of hot crust and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Cool completely, then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.

*If you use a flour that doesn't already contain xanthan gum, you will need to add some to that flour. I wanted to use Maninis because it isn't a rice-based flour and I find that when I use only rice-based flours that the results are more grainy in nature, so I like to use half of a rice-based flour and then use Maninis for the other half.

Fantasy Fudge

Fantasy Fudge
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups sugar
¾ cup butter
1 small can evaporate milk
1 bag 12 oz chocolate chips
1 7oz marshmallow crème
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup nuts (optional)

HOW TO PREPARE:
Heat sugar, butter, & milk until reaches 234°F. (stirring constantly) Stir in chocolate chips & crème. Add vanilla & nuts. Spread into pan immediately.

Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

This recipe is fabulous. Try it and see.

PB Caramel Corn

By Aunt Zelda

INGREDIENTS:

3 to 4 quarts popped corn

½ cup Karo (this brand is gluten free) corn syrup

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup JIF (this brand is gluten free) peanut butter

HOW TO PREPARE:

Cook until sugar dissolves. Add 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp butter. Pour over popcorn & mix. 

Mint Rice Krispie Treats

My mother-in-law, Melanie, made these for me two years ago and I was hooked. I have always liked Rice Krispie treats but these were even better!

Mint Rice Krispie Treats
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 bag of chopped Andes mints (found in the baking aisle; can also use the Andes peppermints)
40 large marshmallows
5 cups Gluten Free Rice Krispies

HOW TO PREPARE:
Melt butter in large bowl in microwave. Add vanilla and then pour Andes mints in top of melted butter and vanilla. Top with marshmallows. Microwave until marshmallows are puffed. Stir until mixed together. Working quickly, stir in Rice Krispies. Pour into greased 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Wet a rubber spatula with water and then press down the Rice Krispies until solid. Wait until cooled and then cut into squares. Enjoy!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Blueberry Pavlova

We were having some company over for dinner this past week and one of them has celiac's disease. I decided to find something for dessert that was gluten free. I had blueberries so I googled a Blueberry Pavlova and I found this recipe here. So tasty and my kids absolutely LOVED it. And so did I. :)

Blueberry Pavlova
INGREDIENTS:

4 organic large egg whites
Pinch fine salt
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, or any fresh fruit, plus more for serving

HOW TO PREPARE:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine egg whites, salt, and white vinegar together in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Combine the 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl and add to the egg whites in thirds, whisking each addition in completely. Add the vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon the meringue in 8 big spoonfuls, using a spoon to spread them in a circle, and then make an indent in each. Bake for 10 minutes, lower the heat to 200°F, and bake for another hour. Turn off the heat and cool the meringues in the oven for an hour, propping the door open with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, whip the cream together with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. In a small bowl, crush 1/2 cup of the blueberries with a potato masher or a spoon to release their juice. Fold those and the rest of the blueberries into the cream if you like, or use as a topping over the egg whites and cream. Evenly distribute the cream on the meringues, filling in the indentations. Top with juicy blueberries and serve.

Rocky Road Fudge

I found this recipe just as I was switching over to gluten-free eating. I made it for Valentine's Day and it was a HUGE hit! I found the recipe here.

My picture.

Gluten-Free Rocky Road Fudge
48 Servings

Prep: 15 min. Cook: 5 min. + chilling

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon butter, divided
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups salted peanuts
1 package (10-1/2 ounces) miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:
Line a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan with foil and grease the foil with
1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, milk and remaining
butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is smooth.
Remove from the heat; stir in peanuts. Place marshmallows in a large
bowl; add chocolate mixture and stir well. Note: some of my marshmallows

started to melt a little bit. Spread into prepared pan.
Refrigerate until firm.

Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Cut into 1-1/2-in. squares. Yield:
about 2-1/2 pounds.

Strawberry Valentines Chex Mix

My husband is loving this recipe. He keeps grabbing a handful and saying how good it is. Proud wifey right here! I found the recipe here.

My pictures.

Gluten-Free Strawberry Valentines Chex Mix
INGREDIENTS:
6 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 bag of white chocolate baking chips (12oz) - I used Almond bark because I had some.
1 box of Strawberry Creme Jell-O Pudding (I couldn't find this so I used cheesecake pudding)
Valentines M&M's, sprinkles, food coloring- whatever you'd like to make them more festive!

HOW TO PREPARE:
Measure out 6 cups of Chex into a large bowl.

Dump white chocolate chips into a glass dish. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir gently.

Return to the microwave and melt for an additional 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave another 30 seconds and
even though the chips still hold their shape, once you stir it, you'll see that they are in fact melted!

You can add about 1-2 tsp of shortening to the chips and it will help the consistency be slightly thinner and smoother. It's easier to cover the cereal when you use a little shortening, however it's optional.

Add 4 TBSP of the strawberry creme pudding into the white chocolate and stir gently until smooth. You can also add a bit of food coloring if you'd like. Since you added the pudding, it tastes like strawberry, but it doesn't actually add any color.

I opted to divide mine, making most of it pink, but leaving some white.

Dump the chocolate mixture over the Chex cereal and stir gently until the cereal is coated in chocolate.

Add any Valentines candy, sprinkles, etc.

Lay out on pieces of wax paper to cool and solidify. I found the M&M's looked better if you sprinkled them on top, once the mixture is laid out to cool. The candy sticks to the Chex cereal but it doesn't get coated so you can still see the colors.

Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

This recipe is from a friend of mine, Julie, and it is incredibly delicious. Once I tried it, I had to have the recipe. Thanks, Julie!

My picture.

Gluten-Free Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup popcorn kernels

½ cup brown sugar

2/3 bag mini marshmallows

2 sticks butter

HOW TO PREPARE:

Pop 3/4 cup of popcorn and put in a large bowl. My air popper only allows ½ cup of kernels at a time, so I had to pop it all in two batches. Meanwhile heat 1/2 C brown sugar, 2/3 bag mini marshmallows, & 2 sticks of butter in a pot until boiling. Then pour over the popcorn and gently stir. I added some red food coloring to the recipe to make the pink ones. After stirring, use a ice cream scooper and form popcorn balls. Let cool on wax paper.