Raspberry Buckle

We got a new oven this week. Our last one broke so bad it was cheaper to just get a new one. The best part, we just got a new fridge the beginning of June. Anyway, between being out of commission for the last few weeks and the broken oven I have been having the shakes about baking. So when we picked our raspberries yesterday I decided to find a recipe I could make in my gas oven. When I found this recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook I thought it was perfect and seemed easy enough to adapt to Gluten Free. I added the non-GF recipe at the bottom. Having never cooked with gas it ended up a little over cooked, but it was delicious. I made a GF one and regular and I think I preferred the texture of the GF one to the regular, go figure! I also halved the original recipe since it is only for one person and cooked it in a loaf pan. Double and cook in an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 for the original recipe.

Raspberry Buckle
1 C GF flour*
1 3/4 tsp baking powder*
1/2 tsp xanthan gum*
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 C shortening
3/8 C sugar (6 T)
1 egg*
1/4 C milk
1/8 tsp vanilla
1 c fresh or frozen raspberries
1/4 C GF flour*
pinch Xanthan gum*
1/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter or margarine

1. Grease the bottom and 1/2" up the sides of an 8x4 loaf pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In another mixing bowl beat the shortening for 30 seconds and add the 3/8 C sugar beating on med to high until until light and fluffy.

3. Add egg and beat well. Combine milk and vanilla. Add milk mixture and dry mixture to batter, alternating between the two and beating until smooth after each addition.
4. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

5. Sprinkle with raspberries. Combine the 1/2 C flour, a sprinkle of xanthan gum (if using), and cinnamon. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
6. Sprinkle mixture over raspberries.
7. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes** or until golden brown. Best served warm.
Makes 4 servings

*NON-GF VERSION: Use regular flour, omit xanthan gum, use 1 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1 egg.
**45-60 minutes for 8x8x2/9x9x2 pan.

Cheese Stuffed Hamburgers

I love grilling! Or more precisely, I love food that is grilled. The last few weeks I haven't done much but care for baby, read and watch TV while recovering from my C-section. One day I was watching The Food Network and they featured a hamburger contest. When I saw the hamburgers with cheese in them, they looked so good I had to try it and it was yummy, although I still need to perfect my technique. NOTE: the bun above is not GF, we were out so my daughter just ate it plain. Sometimes we put it on her bread, but our oven has been broken and I haven't made it to the store to get her some bread.

Cheese Stuffed Hamburgers
2 lbs hamburger
Steak Seasoning (opt.)
1/3 C diced or grated cheese, divided into 5 portions

Before I divided the cheese, my husband and I had pepper jack, and the kids cheddar.

1. Divide the hamburger into 4 -5 equal portions.* Lay the cheese in the center of the burger.

2. Gently fold the burger around the cheese, fully encasing the cheese inside. If there are any cracks or if the wall of the burger is too thin, the cheese will leak out while cooking (this is the part I am perfecting).
3. Spread about 1 Tbsp vegetable oil on a plate and place burgers on the plate turning them so both sides are coated in oil.
4. Grill until done.

*Another method to encase the cheese is to divide the hamburger into 8 equal portions and then "sandwich" the cheese between two portions of meat for 4 burgers.

Quick Sauteed Mushrooms

I love sauteed mushrooms and often order them at restaurants. That said, I don't often have fresh mushrooms around, when I want sauteed ones I cheat and use a can of mushrooms. While not exactly the same, it is delicious! I like to eat them on hamburgers and as a side.

Quick Sauteed Mushrooms

1 Tbsp butter
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Dash of onion salt
Dash of garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1. In a small skillet, melt butter over med heat.
2. Add remaining ingredients and saute for about 3-4 minutes.

Sauteed Squash & Onions

I love summer because of all the fresh fruits & veggies from our garden. One dish I really look forward to is sauteed squash & onions. My mom use to make it for us growing up. Often she would toss in breadcrumbs as well, but since going gluten free, I don't do that often. If I do, I take out some for my daughter before adding the crumbs. It is a pretty simple recipe but delicious!

Sauteed Squash & Onions

2 Tbsp butter or oil
1 zucchini, halved & thinly sliced
1 crook-neck squash, halved/quartered & thinly sliced
1 sm onion, halved & thinly sliced
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet melt butter over med-high heat.
2. Add squash & onions, and salt & pepper
3. Saute until squash is cooked through and onions are translucent.

Divine Chocolate Pudding

I haven't been posting for a while, because, frankly, I haven't been cooking. I had my baby last week and ended up with a C-section so I was too tired before and after others have been cooking for me. That said, on Monday it was my turn to choose a treat for our Family Night and I wanted Chocolate Pudding. My mom found this recipe for pudding in the Lion House Desserts cookbook that sounded delicious! Oddly enough it didn't use eggs and we thought we should try it. The cookbook is a collection of recipes used at The Lion House, a restaurant in downtown Salt Lake. Everything I have tried in it has been divine and this proved to be no exception. The original recipe was for vanilla pudding, but mom changed it to chocolate. She added the maximum amount of cocoa & sugar listed and it was really rich. If you like less chocolatey flavor add the smaller amount of cocoa & sugar


Divine Chocolate Pudding
2 C milk (2 % is best or evap +skim, or whole fat coconut milk)
1/3 T butter
1/3-1/2 C granulated sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/4-1/3 C cocoa
1 tsp vanilla

1. Heat milk and butter in a heavy pan until very hot. Stir often so it doesn't burn
2. Meanwhile, mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cocoa in a bowl and add 1/2 C of the hot milk. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly add the mixture back into the remaining milk, stirring constantly.
3. Continue stirring until the pudding thickens and is smooth, it will take about 3 minute. Cover and cook 5 more minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
5. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap is touching the entire top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
6. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
Makes 4 C of pudding or fills 1 9" pie.