Gluten Free Crack Pie

Today I bring you; (drum roll please.......................) another dessert. But this is not just A dessert, it is THE dessert. I bring you Crack Pie, slightly modified for gluten free enjoyment. Crack Pie is the dessert that all other desserts will now be compared to. For example; a friend may say:"Wow, I had this amazing chocolate cake for my birthday! My husband made the chocolate himself from scratch using organic cocoa beans flown in from South America. It was soooo amazing!!!" Then you would say; "Was it better than Crack Pie?" Your friend; "no......no it was not."

Just for clarity, Crack Pie derives it name for the addictive nature of this dessert, not because of fissures forming as it bakes. I have never actually tried real crack cocaine, so I can't give you an accurate side by side comparison between Crack Pie and real crack. But here is my breakdown; real crack is a dirty little rock, crack pie is a brown monochromatic mess. I imagine real crack gives you a euphoric high, followed by crushing guilt and self loathing. Crack pie- same. Real crack-illegal, Crack Pie-legal for now. Real crack- need to find shady people to get a fix, Crack Pie- need to go to the grocery store. Enough already, lets make this thing.

I will warn you, if you are faint of heart, the butter and sugar quantities may cause palpitations.
Gluten Free Crack Pie
from Christina Tosi @ Momofuku Milk Bar modified to be GF
Oat Cookie for the Crust:
6 Tbs unsalted butter (room temp)
4 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs granulated sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs GF oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup GF flour mix
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
heaping 1/4 tsp salt
Crust:
Oat cookie- crumbled
3 Tbs unsalted butter- melted
1-1/2 Tbs brown sugar
Filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 brown sugar- packed
1 Tbs non fat dry milk powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter- melted
6-1/2 Tbs heavy whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar for dusting
Makes one 9inch diameter pie
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Start by making an oatmeal cookie for the crust. Using a stand mixer, combine 6 Tbs of room temp butter with 4 Tbs of brown sugar and 2 Tbs of white sugar. Mix until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Next, beat in one large egg.
In a separate bowl, combine the gluten free oats, 1/2 cup of gluten free flour mix, 1/8 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp baking soda, and a heaping 1/4 tsp of salt. Stir the dry ingredients a little at a time into the mixing bowl with the butter, sugar, and egg. Mix thoroughly. Line a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick spray. Spread the batter out evenly in the pan. This can be a little tricky because everything wants to slide around and the batter is pretty gooey. Do the best you can, if you have gaps or holes in the batter it's OK, everything will melt together as it bakes. Pop the cookie in the preheated oven for 17-18 minutes or until golden brown. My cookie baked for about 12-13 minutes. Remove the cookie from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. I mean it, don't sit there and pick at it, I know you'll want to.
When the cookie is completely cool, crumble it with your fingers into a medium sized bowl. Next, add 3 Tbs of melted butter and 1-1/2 Tbs of brown sugar. Mix everything together with your fingers and then press the mixture evenly into a 9inch baking pan, go up the sides as well.
For the filling; in a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar, 1 Tbs of nonfat dry milk powder (you can find this in the baking section of most groceries stores and it's cheap) and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 1 stick of melted butter and whisk until blended. Finally, add 6-1/2 Tbs whipping cream, 4 egg yolks, and 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract. Whisk until well blended.
Pour the filling into the crust. Place the pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet and into a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue baking for 15-20 minutes or until the filling is brown in spots and set around the edges but the center should move slightly when shaken gently.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate any left overs.
Crack Pie is meant to be served cold. However, if you have no will power like me, it may not make it to the refrigerator in one piece. I think this pie is actually served best a little warm. It's not very pretty but trust me, one bite and you'll be hooked. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Carne Asada

I don't know about you, but for my wife and I, Mexican food may as well be one of the essential food groups. My taste for Mexican food has certainly been shaped by my wife's Celiac disease. I love all the fresh flavors incorporated into Mexican cuisine as well as the ability to make easy gluten free meals. Here in the Portland area, you can buy meat in the grocery store labeled as carne asada. Other names for carne asada are; skirt steak or flank steak. Carne asada is simply a lean cut of beef sliced very thin. Let the meat marinate for a while and throw it on a hot grill and you are in business for an easy and delicious meal.
Gluten Free Carne Asada:
From Simply Recipes
2-3 pounds of carne asada meat
Marinade:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seed
1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
Start by lightly toasting cumin seeds until fragrant. Grind the cooled seeds into a powder. You could also use powered cumin if you don't have whole seeds.
Next, in a large bowl, combine the rest of the marinade ingredients.

Add the carne asada meat to the bowl and thoroughly coat each piece with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4-5 hours.

Preheat your BBQ to 375-400 degrees f. Cook each slice of carne asada for 2-3 minutes per side. Carne asada is very thin so be careful not to overcook it and turn it into shoe leather.

Let the meat rest for about 2 minutes and then slice it across the grain. Because the meat is so thin it cools down very fast. So, after slicing the meat, I threw it in a pan on the stove top to reheat. I also sauteed some bell peppers and onions to go with my carne asada.

Wrap it all up in a warm corn tortilla with some fresh salsa verde and sour cream and you have just created a little Mexican masterpiece. Enjoy!!!

For more gluten free meal ideas, visit Linda over at The Gluten Free Homemaker

Gluten Free Lemon Cake

Have you completely given up on me yet? I know it's been a while. I guess I just needed a little break and what better time to take a break than during the Summer. I've been busy with other things besides my blog. My family went to Lake Chelan in central Washington to celebrate my parents 40th anniversary back in mid July.
My daughter had a great time playing in the water and hanging out with her cousin.
My wife's birthday was a few days ago and since I let off with a cake post, I thought I would start back up with one. I made a nice little lemon cake by following one of Martha Stewart's jailhouse recipes, with a few alterations. It was delicious. There was a nice balance of sweet and tart from the lemons.
Gluten Free Lemon Cake:
From Martha Stewart modified to be GF
For the Cake:
2 1/2 cups GF flour , plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
For the Lemon Syrup:
1 large lemon sliced thin and seeded
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Follow this link for the Lemon Curd filling
For the frosting:
I used Betty Crocker GF Lemon frosting per the birthday girl's request
Baking Directions:
2- 8 inch round cake pans buttered and floured with gf flour
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes
Start by making the lemon curd for the filling. I know the lemon curd recipe link is about waffles, which are delicious by the way, just follow the recipe for the lemon curd portion. Then, whisk together the gf flour mix, baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, and lemon zest in a medium bowl, set aside.
Next, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs and yolks. Add the 2 Tbs of lemon juice to the buttermilk. Alternate mixing in the buttermilk and the flour mix until thoroughly combined. Prepare two 8 inch round cake pans by buttering and flouring them with gf flour. Divide the batter between the two pans. Place in a preheated 350 degree F oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. When the cake comes out of the oven, allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack. While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup. For the lemon syrup, thinly slice and seed one large lemon. Next, place 1/2 cup water and a 1/2 cup of sugar in a sauce pan over medium high heat, bring to a boil. Add the lemon slices and simmer for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the lemon slices and place them on parchment paper. Finally, stir in 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice into the syrup and set aside. To assemble the cake, start with the bottom layer of cake. Use a toothpick to poke several holes in the top of the cake. Brush half of the lemon syrup over the top of the cake. Next spread an even layer of lemon curd over the cake. Place the top layer of cake on, poke holes in the top and brush on the remaining lemon syrup. I also found that the top layer wanted to slide off of the lemon curd filling, so I pushed a couple toothpicks down through the top of the cake to stabilize the two layers. Just make sure your guests don't eat the toothpicks when you cut them a piece. I frosted the cake with Betty Crocker Lemon Frosting which is GF. I placed my candied lemon slices around the outside and then I wrote Happy Birthday with the neatness and pizazz of a 1st grader learning to write. Delicious Lemony Goodness. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

I don't often get wild cravings for food that just won't go away. However, carrot cake has been on my mind for weeks now. I'm not even sure if I have ever made one before and it certainly is not my favorite cake. Any cake with chocolate in it takes the top honors for me. But somehow, visions of carrot cake have danced in my mind as I drift off to sleep. While I'm awake, the wind whispers;"carrot cake, carrot cake." I can't take it anymore. I must make a carrot cake to appease the voices in my head. I turned to one of my favorite recipe resources for all things dessert; joyofbaking.com.
Gluten Free Carrot Cake
from joyofbaking modified to be GF
Cake:
1 cup (100g) pecans (toasted and finely chopped)
2-1/2 cups (340g) finely grated carrots
2 cups (260g) gf flour mix
1 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 large eggs at room temp
1-1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240ml) vegetable or canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
Baking Directions:
Divide batter between 2 well greased 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for25-30 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. This cake can also be made into a single layer 9x13 cake, simply increase baking time to 30-40 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter at room temp
8 ounces (227g) cream cheese at room temp
2 cups (230g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
finely grated lemon zest from one lemon
Start by toasting the pecans in a 350 degree F oven for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and chop finely. Next, finely shred 2-1/2 cups of carrots. I used my handy Eat Smart scale to weigh out all the ingredients. Finally, combine the gf flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl, set aside. Beat the 4 eggs on medium speed for about 1 minute, reduce the speed and slowly pour in the granulated sugar. Once the sugar and eggs are combined (about 3-4 minutes) slowly pour in the oil and vanilla. Next, add the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Finally, use a spatula to fold in the carrots and toasted pecans.
Divide the batter between two well greased 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.
While the cake is cooling, beat together the butter and cream cheese. Next, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Beat until thoroughly combined. Place one layer of cake on a platter, spread an even layer of frosting on top of the cake. Add the second layer of cake. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Eat up and banish your cravings. Refrigerate any leftovers. Enjoy!!!

Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables and Prosciutto

We have had a couple nice bursts of sunshine here in the Portland area lately. My daughter and I made it to the zoo a couple times and I was able to go fishing with my parents at a nearby lake. I love this time of year as spring creeps toward summer. With the brief warm temperatures, I took advantage of dusting of the BBQ and grilling up a nice meal. Quinoa with grilled vegetables isn't exactly rocket science but this dish was light and full of wonderful flavors.
Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables and Prosciutto:
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Quinoa (rinsed and drained 2-3 times)
1 small zucchini
6-8 stalks of asparagus
2 green onions
3-4 sprigs of cilantro
1 medium slice of Prosciutto
Olive oil
Sea salt
Prep the zucchini and asparagus for the grill. Peel and slice the zucchini into spears and trim the ends of the asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Grill the vegetables until they are tender, about 8-10 minutes on my grill.
For the quinoa; bring the chicken broth and 1/2 tsp of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until done, about 15 minutes. While the quinoa is cooking, finely chop the cilantro, green onions, and prosciutto.
Coarsely chop the grilled vegetables and add them to the cooked quinoa along with the cilantro, green onions, and prosciutto. Serve alongside just about anything you like. For us, it was a great accompaniment to our BBQ chicken. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Doughnut Muffins

The theme this week for "Gluten Free Wednesdays" is muffins. Gluten free muffins are so easy to make and there are many flavors to choose from. I think my top three muffin choices would be; corn muffins, banana nut muffins, and blueberry. However, a newcomer to my muffin making repertoire could easily break into the top three favorites. I present you with the doughnut muffin. The flavors in these muffins taste just like a doughnut and by dipping them in butter and sugar, you ensure that the calorie count is right up there with a real doughnut as well. But they are oh so worth it. Let's get started.
Gluten Free Doughnut Muffins:
from Noble Pig modified to be GF
Makes 12 muffins
Muffins:
1-3/4 cups gf flour mix
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
Jam of your choice
Topping:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Baking Time and Temperature:
350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes In a medium bowl, whisk together the gf flour mix, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the oil and milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into a well greased or lined muffin pan. Add a small scoop of your favorite jam, about a teaspoon each, to the center of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. While the muffins are baking, prepare the topping. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. In another small bowl, melt the butter just before the muffins come out of the oven.
While the muffins are still hot, quickly dip the top of the muffin into the melted butter followed immediately by a dip into the cinnamon sugar mix. Repeat for each muffin. Allow to cool slightly and then dig in to your little doughnut-flavored treasure. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

Yes, Yes, I'm still alive. It has been a trying couple of weeks. My car broke down and had to have the engine rebuilt and then my wife got strep throat. I figure I'm about a six pack of beer and a lost dog away from a good Country Western song. Here in the Portland area the weather can't seem to decide what to do. One day it's sunny and warm, the next it is cold, windy, and rainy. It's best just to whip up some comfort food and stick close to home this time of year. I don't usually get too crazy with macaroni and cheese. Simple is often best. However, I saw an episode of Barefoot Contessa where Ina made up some mac and cheese that looked delicious, bold, and easy. So, I had to give it a go.
Grown Up Macaroni and Cheese:
courtesy of Ina Garten, modified to be GF
4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
8-12 ounces GF elbow pasta (I use Ancient Harvest Quinoa)
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons GF flour mix
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices GF sandwich bread (I use Whole Foods Brand)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves Cook the pasta per directions on the package. Drain well and set aside. Cook the bacon, coarsely chop and set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and add the gf flour. Stir to combine. Whisk in the milk until it become smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow the milk to boil. Add all of the cheese and stir until smooth and creamy.
Add the chopped bacon, pepper, and nutmeg.
In a food processor, add the gf bread and basil. Pulse until combined into crumbs.
Mix the pasta and cheese sauce together. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish or several smaller baking dishes. Cover with bread crumb mixture. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until the bread topping is golden brown. Enjoy!!!