Best Homemade Gluten Free Pizza Crust

I found this recipe on Pinterest and we were thrilled with the results. I have tried about 3 other recipes prior to this one, but I couldn't have imagined how good this one would be! I'm so glad I gave it a try!

My son, Calvin, showing his pizza - topped with smoked sausage, cheese, and corn. 

My son, Keith, made his pizza dairy-free and he was asking to make pizza again the next day. It was a hit!

Best Homemade Gluten Free Pizza Crust

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/3 cup gluten free all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading the dough
1 envelope fast acting dry yeast
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp sugar

HOW TO PREPARE:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Allow to sit on the counter for 10 minutes, or until the yeast “blooms” (foam will start to form on the surface).

Add flour and salt to the water.
On a floured surface, knead the dough until a nice ball is formed.

In another clean mixing bowl, cover the dough ball with the olive oil (making sure to cover the entire ball).

Cover the bowl with a towel.

Let the dough rise in a warm area in the kitchen for 2 hours,

After two hours, punch the dough down, cover and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.

On a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spread out your dough with a spoon (you can either make two round pizzas or one large rectangular pizza or 3-4 individual-sized pizzas) - the dough is very soft, like thick cake batter. Don't worry - it bakes nicely!

Top with pizza sauce and toppings. 

Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes (about 18 for individual pizzas), or until the edges are browned and your cheese is bubbly.

Oatmeal Cookie Bars (dairy free)

These are gluten-free and dairy free. Simply good.

Oatmeal Cookie Bars (dairy free)
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 cups oats
2 cups gluten-free flour

Blend sugars and oil together. Add in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Mix together. Spray 9 x 13" pan and pour in cookie dough, spreading it out evenly (dough is thick).

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until done.

Ham Potato Corn Chowder

This recipe takes some work, but everyone who sampled this recipe only raved about it...including a friend who stopped by the day afterward and had it for lunch. It is THAT good. I altered this from the original recipe and made it gluten free. I hope you enjoy.


Photo found here.

Ham Potato Corn Chowder
INGREDIENTS:
3 thick cut slices of bacon (chopped)
1 ham steak (cubed)
1 medium yellow onion (chopped fine)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
(3) 10 oz. cans of sweet corn (drained)
8 oz. original cream cheese (room temp)
1 can condensed cream of celery soup* (gluten free recipe below)
1/2 cup white grape juice
4 cups water
2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence (dry spice)
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
about 2 tablespoons of butter
about 6 large red skin potatoes (diced into bite sized pieces)

HOW TO PREPARE:
In a large soup pot, melt about two tablespoons butter on medium-high heat. Add in your chopped bacon and render the fat from the bacon, stirring often with a wooden spoon.

Once the bacon looks cooked through and crispy, and you have a good amount of bacon fat in your pot, add in the white grape juice to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pot. Add your chopped onion and garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir often.

Now add in your ham and corn and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir often.Add in your cream cheese, cream of celery soup, and give everything a stir. Lower heat to low setting, add in your Herb de Provence, bay leaves, chicken bouillon cubes, about a teaspoon of salt, and fresh ground pepper, and 4 cups of water. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes on low (**about half way through, remove lid and taste for seasonings. Since the bacon and ham are salty we don’t want to add too much salt, but you may need more, so taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed)

In a separate large pot, boil some water. Add potato chunks and boil until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and add to the other pot. Stir and serve. 

*Homemade cream of celery soup*
INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup finely-chopped celery
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
8-ounces 2% evaporated milk
1 teaspoon onion powder (can substitute 1 tablespoon chopped onion)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon celery salt or table salt
Pinch of sugar

HOW TO PREPARE:
Saute celery (and onion if substituting for powder) in hot oil in skillet over medium heat.
When vegetables are softened, add milk, then whisk in remaining ingredients. Stir constantly and cook gently until thickened.

I found this recipe here. 

Perfect Potato Soup (Dairy free option)

I'm always looking for more potato soup recipes to try. I came across this one and it was a big hit with my whole family! My son, Keith, was recently diagnosed as lactose intolerant. I'm not going to lie - this has been tricky, as I love me some dairy. I realized that this recipe worked out because there's a time towards the end where I can scoop some soup out into a bowl for Keith before adding the yummy dairyness for the rest of us. And Keith LOVED the soup - so it's a win-win! WARNING: This soup makes enough for a small army.

Potato Cheese Soup
INGREDIENTS:
10 pound bag of potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 bag of carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
1 gallon water
12 chicken bouillon cubes
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
Salt
Pepper
------------------------------------
1 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup GF flour
3 pints from a combination of half and half and/or whole milk and/or whipping cream
1/2 tsp pepper
12oz shredded cheese

HOW TO PREPARE:
In a 9 quart pot (or larger) add potatoes, carrots, water, and bouillon cubes. Boil for ten minutes. Stir in frozen corn. Sprinkle in salt and pepper. Continue boiling until carrots and potatoes are tender. At this point, the dairy free soup is finished. Scoop out however much you want and enjoy. TURN OFF THE HEAT.

In a large saucepan, add minced onion and butter and cook on medium heat until the onion is softened. Whisk in flour. Stir in milk/half and half/whipping cream. Whisk until smooth. Continue cooking on medium heat until thickened. Once it has thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the cheese until melted. DO NOT BOIL. Stir in the cheese sauce into the pot with the potatoes and carrots. Serve hot.

Serve with bread, if desired. Enjoy!

Homemade Hamburger Buns (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

There are just some things I have had to do without since beginning this gluten free journey three years ago. The last time I had a hamburger on a bun was at the Cheesecake Factory and they had an Udi GF hamburger bun. It was big and dry and not great. After that? I just avoided hamburgers, period. I would think about making my delicious teriyaki burgers from time-to-time, but then I would remember...no buns. For hot dogs, I use corn tortillas as a replacement, but with hamburgers you really need that fluffy bun. Well, I have news for you. This recipe was fluffy, SOFT, and flavorful. And it really isn't hard to make, especially compared to regular rolls that I used to make. Enjoy!

Homemade Hamburger Buns
(Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Recipe found here.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
1 & 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
6 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp potato starch
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp tapioca starch
1 & 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp onion powder
2 eggs
extra oil for the tops
(optional: sesame seeds for the tops)

HOW TO PREPARE:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Put parchment paper on the cookie sheet.

Whisk together the yeast and warm water. Add in the oil and sugar. Cover with a towel and allow to double in size while you measure out your dry ingredients. 

In a mixer combine the brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan, salt and onion powder. When the yeast mixture is ready, add it and the eggs to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds then turn up the speed to medium and continue mixing for 2 & 1/2 more minutes.
Immediately scoop rolls in the size of 1/3 to 1/2 cup dough onto the prepared pan. Using wet fingers (and continually wetting them) touch up any bumps on the rolls to make them smooth. Using an oil brush or a oil mister, coat the rolls with a bit of oil. (If using, sprinkle on the sesame seeds.) 

Allow the rolls to sit 5 minutes than bake 8-12 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Allow the rolls to cool completely before storing in a ziplock bag. I try to use these within 1-2 days, otherwise they tend to dry out. They also can be frozen for later use! Simply freeze them the day you make them for optimal freshness.

Chicken Noodle Soup Using Edamame Pasta

Last week we were sick with a virus. My good friends, the Grovers, brought us a big pot of this soup. It was so delicious that I asked for the recipe. Now I need to figure out where to buy some Edamame noodles.

Chicken Noodle Soup Using Edamame Pasta

INGREDIENTS:
2 12-oz. cans of chicken (or cooked chicken, cut up or shredded)
4 cloves of garlic or 2 tsp of minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning (or basil, parsley)
2 bay leaves
8 C water
1 tbsp chicken bouillon

HOW TO PREPARE:
Two handfuls of edamame pasta (break it as you put it in the boiling water)

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil and then garlic, onion, celery and carrots to the heated oil and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the dried herbs, bay leaves, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. (At this point, you can let the pan sit in the fridge overnight.) Next you put two handfuls of edamame pasta in boiling water for 4 minutes, drain it and add it to the soup along with the chicken. For variety you could add 1 C salsa and/or shredded Parmesan cheese.

Beef Shepherd's Pie

I made this recipe last October and it was so delicious, that it's been on my mind ever since. I am making it again tonight and that is my cue to post the recipe on my blog! I found the recipe here. I double this recipe and today I am trying it out in the crockpot - I will post how that goes.

Photo found here. 

Beef Shepherd's Pie

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 5-6

4 cups mashed potatoes

garlic salt

1lb ground beef

1/3 cup onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tablespoons GF flour

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 can (14.5oz) chicken broth

2 cups frozen vegetable medley

salt & pepper

HOW TO PREPARE:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown ground beef, onions and garlic in a large

skillet on med-high heat. When meat is completely cooked, stir in flour and cook for

1-2 minutes.

2. Stir in tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and chicken broth. Simmer

for 5-6 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Turn the heat off and stir in frozen

vegetables and salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Pour beef mixture into a large, oven-proof casserole dish. Top with mashed

potatoes and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle garlic salt on top of mashed potatoes.

4. Place casserole dish on a large sheet pan (in case the sauce overflows) and bake for

20-30 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Ladle and serve!