Snow Cone Syrup

 

Last month I taught preschool as a part of a preschool with a group of mom's.  Our topic was snow and for our treat we had snowcones.  I got a snowcone maker a few years ago and have had a lot of fun with it.  But this was my first attempt at making my own syrup.  I made the syrup the way I make my maple syrup and it turned out too thick.  That said it was delicious.  Here is the recipe with a thinner syrup.

Snow Cones (printer friendly)
2 C water
2 C sugar
Candy flavoring

1. In a saucepan combine the water and sugar.  Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 1 minute.  Remove from stove.

You can flavor the whole batch or separate into different bowls for flavoring.  Add about 1/8 tsp flavoring to each bowl.  Taste and add more flavoring as needed.  Color with food coloring if desired

I made, pina colada, lemon, and raspberry.

Chocolate Carmeled Cookies

I can not take credit for this recipe, my 7 year old son dreamed this up with his friend the other day and I came into the kitchen in the middle of them making it.  I have to say, they came up with a delicious recipe.  Basically, it is a twist on Rice Krispie treats.  The name is also a result of my son as he named them.

The Concoction (printer friendly)
4 C miniature marshmallows
1 C chocolate chips
10 caramels, unwrapped & quartered
1/2 C coconut
2 T butter
5 C corn or rice check
1/3 C whole almonds

1. In a large microwave bowl combine the marshmallows, chocolate chips, caramels, coconut, and butter.

Microwave for about 2 minutes.  Keep an eye on it so it doesn't go over the bowl.

2. Meanwhile, chop the almonds.
3. When the marshmallow mixture is done, stir it and add the Chex.  After it is mixed well, sprinkle with chopped almonds and stir again.
4. Place spoonfuls on wax paper and allow them to cool (if you can wait that long).  Makes about 2 doz.

Aloha Bread

I love sweet breads, with the exception of fruit cake, I have yet to find one I don't love.  When I found some 1/2 dead bananas at the store the other day I immediately thought, I NEED banana bread.  So I bought some thinking I had enough for a GF batch and a regular.  OOPS, only enough for one batch -- who knew banana bread takes so many bananas.  So I went looking for something else to do with the bananas, because I didn't want my daughter to go without, or for us to eat all her treats.

I was looking in my Lion House Desserts cookbook which I LOVE.  On a side note these recipes are wonderful and since The Lion House is a restaurant in Salt Lake City all the recipes are created for high altitudes, which if you live in Albuquerque is a must.  I really need to get all their cookbooks because they are fabulous!  I have already adapted others for to be gluten free like their doughnut balls (which we had for an after-school snack yesterday), butter-pecan squares, or their wonderful, egg-free chocolate pudding.  In case you are wondering, I plan to continue until just about every recipe has a GF version written to the side of it!

Anyway, they had this recipe which called for just 1 C of mushed banana and then added pineapple, pecans, and coconut -- which if you've seen my carrot cake recipe you know is the trifecta of goodness so this recipe was just begging to be made.  After a little consideration I adapted it for GF and here it is.  I personally think it turned out fabulous and my daughter ate a whole loaf herself in about 2 days.  She loved it toasted for breakfast, and as an after school snack, in her lunch, etc.  I have some left in freezer that is waiting for me to surprise her with later.

Aloha Bread (printer friendly version)
1 C butter
2 C sugar
5 eggs
1 C mashed bananas
4 C GF flour mix
2 tsp xanthan gum
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 C chopped pecan
1 C coconut

1. Preheat oven to 325.  Grease 2 large 9x5-inch loaf pans and set aside.  In a medium size bowl mix the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, soda, and salt.  In a separate large bowl cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs and beat well.  Stir in the bananas.  Add dry ingredients and blend well but do not over mix or else there will be tunnels and a coarse texture.  Add pineapple, pecans and coconut and mix together on low until blended.  Pour into the prepared pans (they should be about 2/3 full, use a 3rd pan or make muffins if necessary and cook a little less).  Bake for 60-80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pans about 15 minutes and then dump onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Moist, Delicious, Fudgy Brownies

I know what you are thinking, moist and gluten free, is that really possible.  Well it is.  My best baking recipes have come from regular recipes that I have adapted and this is no exception.  This one comes from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook and is one of my 2 go-to recipes for brownies.  Last night we had some GF company who also had a daughter with a dairy allergy so I made this version since it is the easiest to make dairy-free.  One of these days I'll post my other one.  I love making brownies, they mix up quick and in about 40 minutes you have warm, fresh from the oven brownies.  Try them!

Moist, Delicious, Fudgy Brownies (printer friendly)
1/2 C + 2 T dairy free margarine, or butter
6 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 C GF flour blend
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 C chopped nuts, opt

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees and grease an 8x8 pan and set aside.
2. In a microwave safe mixing bowl add margarine and chocolate.  Melt in the microwave until butter is very soft, but not liquidy - about 30 seconds then stir and another 30 seconds.
3. Add sugar and mix, then add eggs and vanilla.  Combine flour and xanthan gum and add to chocolate mixture and mix until no flour streaks remain.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on it.  Allow to cool (if you can wait that long) and enjoy.  The original recipe says it makes 24 brownies, but that is just too small of brownies for me so I just cut it into 16.  Enjoy what you want and then individually freeze the remaining brownies for later.  YUM!

Doughnut Balls

For my daughter's class Christmas party they were serving doughnuts.  She really wanted some, but I wasn't up for rolling out and the raising, etc.  But I remembered this recipe in my Lion House Desserts cookbook that I quickly checked just to see what it was.  Come to find out it was a dump, stir, fry recipe which was up to my cooking level for the day.  I was quickly just raised the baking powder a little and added some xanthan gum and voile, we had GF Doughnut Balls that were delicious!  In fact they turned out so good we decided to change our Christmas breakfast tradition to Doughnut Balls.

Doughnut Balls (printer friendly recipe)

2 C rice flour mix
1/2 C sorghum flour*
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 t xanthan gum
2-2 1/2 eggs**(or substitute)
1 1/2 C sour cream (or substitute, Tofutti makes a good one)
2 T sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 C vegetable oil for deep frying***
Powdered sugar
Cinnamon Sugar (recipe below)
Chocolate Glaze (recipe below)
Vanilla Glaze (recipe below)

1. In a large bowl combine rice flour mix, sorghum flour, baking powder, xanthan  gum, eggs, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt -- The batter will be soft, like a thick muffin batter.
2. Heat oil to about 350-degrees.
3. Place tablespoons of dough

I used my cookie scoop, it made it really easy.

into the fryer

Drop carefully so you don't splash oil on yourself.

Fry about 3-4 at a time

I love this photo, I think it is so pretty.

Fry doughnuts for about 3-5 minutes or until golden brown all around.  Remove from pan/fryer with a slotted spoon or basket.  Drain on paper towels.

Don't they look yummy already?

Toss with powdered sugar in a ziploc bag

or toss with cinnamon sugar

or drizzle with glaze.

Anyway you eat them -- plain, sugared or glazed -- they are de-li-cious!

 
*Or just 2 1/2 C rice flour mix-- if you don't want GF just use regular flour and omit xanthan gum.
**to do a 1/2 an egg I scramble and egg and dump approx 1/2 in the recipe.
***or if you have a deep fryer use its directions

Cinnamon Sugar

1 C sugar
1 T ground cinnamon

1. Stir together until fully combined.

Vanilla Glaze

(also from the Lion House Desserts cookbook)
1 C powdered sugar
2-3 T milk or cream
1 tsp vanilla

1. Combine the powdered sugar with enough milk to make the mixture slightly runny.  Stir in vanilla.

Chocolate Glaze

(adapted from TheUltimate Southern Living Cookbook)
1 T butter
3 T cocoa
1 C powdered sugar (sifted if you want, I never do)
1 1/2-3 T boiling water
1 tsp vanilla

1. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the butter and cocoa.  Cook over low heat until the butter melts and the cocoa is fully incorporated.  Cool for 3-4 minutes.  Add sugar and combine together.  Add water until it reaches a slightly runny consistency.  Add vanilla.

Banana Cream Pie

My husband's favorite pie is Banana Cream.  It is also my daughter's.  I have been working on perfecting the recipe for several years and I think I am almost there.  Earlier this week my daughter had a church activity where she was to bring her favorite Thanksgiving recipe and, if she wanted, a sample to share.  She had a hard time choosing between mashed potatoes (apparentely mine are the BEST, even though they are pretty basic) and Banana Cream Pie.  She eventually chose the pie.  Then that evening I also had a church activity and had volunteered to take a pie - before I knew my daughter would need a pie the same day.  Then my husband, when he heard I would be making pies hoped there would be some for him.  Soooo, I made 3 Banana Cream Pies.  Each a little different, but all delicious.  This is the version I liked the best, for now.

Banana Cream Pie (printer friendly recipe)

1 8-9" Cookie Crust
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 T sugar
1 6 serving pkg Banana Cream Pudding
2 1/2 C milk
1/3 C whipped topping
1 banana
Whipped Cream

1. In a medium size bowl combine cream cheese and sugar.

Beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

2. In a separate bowl combine the milk and pudding and beat on high for 2 minutes.

3. Add about 1/4-1/3 of the pudding to the cream cheese mixture and stir together. 

4. Slice banana into the bottom of the prepared crust.

5. Pour cream cheese mixture over the bananas making sure all the bananas are covered.

6. Pour about a 1/2 C of pudding over cream cheese layer and smooth out.

7. Add the whipped topping to the remaining pudding and cover the pie.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow it to set up.  Top with whipped cream, if desired

YUM!

Cookie Crust

This is a crust my mom created that is heavenly.  Basically it is a sugar cookie.  We use it for cream pies, refrigerated cheesecake, strawberry pie, and, my husband's personal favorite, banana cream.  Perhaps the best part is that it the GF version just requires a change in flour, no xanthan gum necessary.

Cookie Crust (printer friendly)
1 C flour (GF or regular)
1 stick of butter*, chunked
1/4 C powdered sugar

1.  In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients

With your fingers, mix together until the consistency of dry sugar cookie dough.

This works best if your hands are cold and you just use the tips of your fingers.

Press into an 8"or 9" pie pan.

2. Refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes.  Cook for 10 minutes on 400-degrees. Allow to cool completely before filling.
 
This crust is great for strawberry pie, any cream pie, and no cook cheesecake. 

*Use salted or add a little salt if using unsalted.

Apple Pie Filling

Don't these bottles look pretty.  Yesterday I made apple pie filling for the first time and it turned out fabulous (except for the one bottle that boiled all over the place, but I choose to forget that).  A friend gave us some as a Christmas present a few years ago and I have been wanting to do some ever since.  This year a neighbor let us pick apples from their tree so I was over flowing in apples and decided to give it a try.  Let's just say I will be doing this every year from now on.  It turned out so yummy.  I figure I can use it for pie filling, apple crisp, ice cream topping, oatmeal topping, to eat just plain, add to yogurt, etc., etc., etc. 

Apple Pie Filling (printer friendly recipe) 

Yield: 7 quarts

4 1/2 C Sugar

1 C cornstarch

2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

10 C water

3 T lemon juice

1 t salt

5 1/2 - 6 lbs. apples

1. In a large pot on medium heat, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and water.  Allow to cook, stirring until thick an bubbly.

 Isn't this pretty?

2. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and salt.

3. Peel/Core/and Slice the apples.*  Place them tightly into quart jars.

4. Pour the sauce over the apples leaving a 1/2" space at the top.  If the sauce is too thick to go down, heat over low until it is a little warmer.  I kind of dilly dallied in getting the apples done and this happened to me and after I heated it slightly it worked just fine.

 5. Wash rims and place two piece lids on as directed on the box.

 6. Process in a boiling water canner for 40 minutes. 

*I own an apple peeler/corer/slicer that I used to peel the apples.  I didn't core or slice with this tool since the slices would have been too thin.

 

I then used an apple wedger to make the wedges.

 

You could do the peeling, coring and wedging by hand, it would just take a little longer.

Cookie Dough Brownies

Can you think of anything that could possibly be a yummier combination than brownies & uncooked cookie dough???  I think not!  I got this idea at from the National Cookie Network which led me to Let's Get Cookin' that had the recipe.  Once I saw it I had to try it and it was DIVINE!!  I ended up making the non-GF brownies too thick so the GF ones tasted the best.  I used my version of Carol Fenster's brownie and it is delicious!  Then I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe to make the dough. I realized as I wrote this I have never posted these two recipes, a travesty that MUST be addressed.  Look for individual posts of these in the near future (after my daughter finishes these brownies and the Chocolate Cookies to Die For that are currently in the freezer).

I do have to admit that the original recipe called for a 9x13 pan of brownies, but my GF brownie recipe makes an 8x8 pan.  I didn't really want to do much math so I just baked it in an 11x7 pan and then had a little thicker cookie dough, nothing bad about that.

If you have your own chocolate chip cookie dough you love just take the recipe and use the same amount of butter, sugars, vanilla, salt & flour.  Then sub 1/4 C milk for each egg.  Don't use the baking soda or powder since they are a part of the recipe to help the cookies bake well.  You also don't need xanthan gum since it also helps the BAKED cookie hold together and the dough doesn't need that.

Cookie Dough Brownies (printer friendly)

11x7 or 9x13 pan of baked brownies

3/4 C butter, softened (or substitute)

3/4 C brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt (opt.**)

1/3 C sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 C milk (or substitute - I'd use coconut for this recipe)

1 2/3 C flour

1 C chocolate chips - mini would be best,

3/4 C flaked coconut

3/4 C walnuts, chopped

1. Allow your brownies to cool.

 

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugars, salt (if using), and vanilla.  Beat in the milk.  Gradually add the flour until it is fully mixed. 

3. Add chips, coconut and walnuts.

4. Spread dough over the brownies

 

I plopped the dough on and then spread it out.

YUM!

5. Refrigerate until the dough is firm.

**I used salted butter so I omitted the salt.  If using unsalted butter you will probably want to add salt.

Apple Crisp sans Oatmeal

A friend of ours has a bunch of apple trees and offered us some if we came and picked them.  It turned out to be a great family night activity.  That said, we now have almost 4 bushels of apples that need to have something done to them.  So Monday night we had Apple Crisp.  I went looking for a recipe since I don't have one I am in love with and found one in my America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook which was mostly GF, which I thought was wonderful and so I had to try it and it was delicious.  I still think I like it best with oatmeal, but this was really good and everyone loved it.  Note to self, watch the timer and the temperature in the oven.   I was making this the same time I made Twisty Cheese Sticks and I ended up under cooking the cheese sticks and over cooking the apple crisp.  That said, it was delicious still.  Basically, it turned out a little more caramelly (if that's a word), the only thing missing was ice cream. I did 2x's the recipe and cooked it in a 9x13 pan.

Apple Crisp sans Oatmeal (printer friendly recipe)

3 T rice flour blend
3 T sorghum flour
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
5 T unsalted butter (or substitute), cut into 1/2 pieces and softened*
3/4 C finely chopped walnuts or pecan
------
3 lbs apples (6-8), peeled, cored and sliced
1/4 C sugar
1 1/2 T lemon juice

1. For the topping combine the flours, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Add the vanilla and butter and stir to coat the butter.  With your fingers squish the butter and flour mixture together until you get a mixture that resembles "wet sand" (love that description).  Add the nuts and stir to combine.

Doesn't it look like wet sand?

Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees and make sure the oven rack is on the 2nd to lowest level.

3. Combine the apples, remaining sugar, and lemon juice and dump into an 8x8 pan or 9" deep-dish pie plate.

I love the look of the apples, so shiny and pretty.

4. Crumble the refrigerated topping over the apples so it covers evenly.

 5. Bake for 40 minutes (1 hour if doubling and using a 9x13 pan) or until the fruit is bubbly and the topping is deep golden brown (not dark like mine).  Let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes.

*I just microwaved my butter for 10 seconds and cut it up

Mini Turnovers & Pies

 

I know I have mentioned this before, but I just really love pie.  So when I saw these teensy-weensy turnovers I just had to make them.  Well I ended up making the GF pie dough a little too dry (still working on the crust) and the crust didn't bend well so I ended up just making mini-pies.  I filled them with peach pie filling , pear-raspberry-strawberry jam (a variation of this recipe), and a simple pecan topping.  They were delicious!  If I hadn't made GF & regular ones they would have been fast also.  I am thinking of making fried pies next time.

Mini Turnovers & Pies

(Printable version)

1 recipe 9" pie crust (I used this one)

Pie filling

Egg white

White Sugar

Glaze (recipe below)

1. Roll pie crust between parchment or wax paper to 1/8" thickness.

 

Use a circular cookie cutter or top of a cup to cut "crusts."

I used a 1-1/4" cutter

2. Place "crusts" on a cookie sheet.  If you are doing turnovers, prick each crust with a fork just above the middle.  If you are doing "pies" prick every other "crust".

3. Place a little filling (about 1/4 -1/2 tsp) in the middle of each crust for the turnovers and every other crust (the one not pricked with a fork) for the pies.

Peach & Jam filling shown

4. Rub a little water around the edge of the crusts and fold over for turnovers or place the pricked crust on top of the filling pressing down slightly at the edges.  For an extra touch you can indent with a small sucker stick or something like it.  Beat egg white with a fork until foamy and brush on each pie.  Sprinkle with a bit of white sugar.

5. Bake in a 375 for 10-12 minutes.

 

Aren't they pretty?

Glaze

4 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Milk (enough to be thin)

1. Stir together and drizzle over cooked turnovers.

Simple Pecan Topping

I came up with this when I wanted a pecan pie type filling for mini-turnovers and mini-pies.  This was what I came up with.  It is delicious and I think I am going to serve it on some ice cream tonight with some of the smooth peach pie filling.

Pecan Topping

(printable version)
1/2 C chopped pecans

1 T corn syrup

1 T brown sugar

1. Combine in a small bowl.  Serve as pie filling or on top of ice cream.

Smooth Peach Pie Filling

 

I originally made this for mini-turnovers and mini-pies since a regular pie filling would have been too chunky.  Thankfully, it turned out pretty yummy and would be great to make a smoother pie filling, or to use as ice cream topping or cheesecake topping, or, I just thought of this, top a cracker with some cream cheese and add some peach filling.  I am definately having that for my midnight snack.

Smooth Peach Pie Filling (printable version)

5-1/2 C peeled, & diced small*

1 C sugar

6 T cornstarch

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

dash of salt

3 T butter or margarine

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Combine peaches, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a saucepan.  Let sit about 30-45 minutes or until a syrup forms (you won't see a syrup if you use a food processor).

2. Bring peach mixture to a boil; reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until the peach pieces are tender.  Stir often.  Allow to cool.  I placed the filling in a bowl and set the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and stirred occasionally.  Took about 1 1/2 hours.  Use for ice cream topping, pie filling or anything else that sounds good.

*I put my peeled peaches in my food processor and pulsed a few times