Root: Skin Care – A Review

A couple of months back I reviewed Root makeup products. If you aren’t familiar with Root you should check out my previous post and their website. They have many fantastic products you will want to try out.I thought I would post a follow up review on several of their skin care items they have been coming out with over the last few months. I hope this helps you on your quest to find natural skin care items that are actually good for your body. I adore each and every one of these products and highly recommend them.R&R Makeup RemoverHaving being using Root products for a while I tried several different makeup removers while using them. One of the best thing about Root products is that they don’t move (especially the mascara and liners). The only problem with this is getting them off. I tried regular makeup removers, coconut oil and olive oil each with varying degrees of success.This product is by far the best thing I’ve tried to get the Root Liners off my eyes. Since it is specially formulated to work with Root products there is no need to scrub your delicate eye skin. This is a bonusFresh Face CleanserEver since I changed my birth control method last year I’ve had lots of trouble with acne and breakouts. This has been quite a stressful thing for me since for the first 25 years of my life I never dealt with any sort of acne. I’ve been trying everything I could to get rid of it but with no luck.That all changed when I found this cleanser though. The formula contains activated charcoal along with many other fantastic essential oils that have cleared my skin right up! I highly suggest trying this cleanser out if that is something you also deal with.Organic Peppermint TonerThis is by far my favorite Root product I’ve tried so far. Before this I’d never tried a toner, but now that I’ve tried it I’m never going back! The purpose of the toner is to tighten your pores while deeply cleansing your skin. This toner by Root is a fantastic product. You can notice a difference after the first use. When used with the Fresh Face Cleanser and the Beauty Sleep Serum you get a complete skin care routine that is wonderful for your skin.Since this product is made by Root it is gluten free, vegan and paraben free! This toner also has the most fantastic, tingly peppermint essential oils in it. It is truly a treat for your skin. If you are only going to purchase one of their skin care products I highly suggest this one. Your skin will thank you!Beauty Sleep Perfecting SerumOriginally I was on the fence about getting this product. I’d heard so many reviews and it seemed like such a miracle product, I was sure it was too good to be true. However I decided to give it a try since you actually get quite a bit of product in the small container.I have to admit, this product is as incredible as it sounds. It is the perfect overnight moisturizer for your face. Even after my first application I saw brighter skin that had a fabulous glow about it. I even converted my Mother when I had her try this product. The serum is chock full of anti-aging and moisturizing oils.The product itself is a dry oil that you put on your skin nightly. You can put it on during the day, but I’ve found if I cover it right away with makeup my face feels very oily. However, when used overnight this product makes the absolute perfect base for my other Root makeup products. I use this as a final step in my skin care routine and my skin has never been clearer!Organic Coconut ScrubThis scrub is amazing. It is a fantastic way to get some exfoliation on your face and lips. And since it is also made of all natural ingredients it is good enough to eat (although that is not recommended)! I typically use this once a week to exfoliate my facial skin. This is often enough for me. My only complaint is that this product doesn’t come in other “flavors”. I’d love a grapefruit or lavender scrub too.Fresh Lavender MoisturizerThis is an incredible moisturizer. I use it almost daily on my cracked hands. I also use it when I wear shorts to cut down on friction between my thighs. The smell for this moisturizer is incredible. It seriously smells like a field of lavender. It is fantastic to use right before bed since lavender is a calming smell.One thing to note on this moisturizer, since it is made with all natural ingredients it will not last forever. It is shelf stable for about 3 months. I don’t have any issues using the small tub within three months, but you might. You can put it in the fridge to get a little more time out of it, but you will simply want to use it often. Once you try it though you’ll have no trouble using it daily.

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Disclaimer: This post has not been sponsored, all opinions are my own.  I have not received compensation in any form for the writing of this post, I simply found products that I really love and wanted to share with you!

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How To: Frosting Cupcakes

I had someone ask me the other day how I got my cupcakes to look so professionally frosted, so I though I’d do an entire post on it so you can learn too! There are of course different ways people do this but this is the easiest way I’ve found. You will need a few basic supplies to frost cupcakes this way.Supplies:Piping BagsFrosting TipsRubber Bands or Piping Bag Ties (optional)I prefer to use Wilton brand piping bags and piping tips. I’ve tried a couple of different brands and I just feel the Wilton tips hold up better than some of the off brand/other brands I’ve tried. You can of course use whatever brand of tips and piping bags you want though. I personally use disposable piping bags. I’ve tried using the reusable ones, but I find them hard to clean adequately and they don’t last forever. I normally purchase the 24 pack from Michaels and this gives me several months of piping bags.If you have problems with icing coming out of the top of the piping bag when you are working you can use a rubber band or piping bag tie to close the top. This is completely optional. I personally don’t use one because I don’t mind if my hands get dirty while piping. However this is completely up to you and what you prefer.There are four basic piping tips I use. I find these give my cupcakes the most professional look and feel. These tips are (in order L to R) 4B, 2D, 1M and 1A. They are all Wilton brand icing tips. These tips are the large variety so you do not need to use couplers with them. My personal favorites, and the ones I most often use are the 1M and 1A. The 1M give the professional swirl look and the 1A give the beehive look. I actually have two 1M tips, one that is normal and then one that I’ve opened the tines on. This give the same basic look but you can pipe chunkier frostings through it without problems. The opened top is the best for things like my Ginger Orange frosting since it contains pecan chunks.Frosting the top of the cupcakes is very easy. You simply use a swirling motion while squeezing frosting out of the bag onto the top of the cupcake. This will take some practice before you become really good at it. If you want a small amount of frosting you can simply hold the piping bag in place while squeezing out the desired amount of frosting. With either of these frosting techniques you need to make sure the frosting is centered on the cupcake. The stiffer the frosting the better it will hold up to using a pronged icing tip. If you have a very thin frosting you probably want to use the 1A and do a circle of frosting on top.Happy Frosting!

Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins

Continuing on my most recent kick of adapting breakfast options to be gluten free, I decided to turn my sights on a chocolate breakfast muffin. These muffins are perfect for a Saturday morning breakfast or a quick morning during the week. They are amazing when served hot, but quite good cold too!These muffins are fluffy and filled with chocolate. I’ve used min-chocolate chips but you can use any you have on hand. I wouldn’t suggest using giant chips because they would overpower the rest of the muffin. I’ve baked these in a regular muffin tin since I don’t have a giant muffin pan. I would have used one for these if I’d had one.

You will notice that this recipe uses cream of tarter in it. I’ve seen it before in some gluten free recipes and finally researched to see why it was necessary. Cream of tarter is an acid, and it helps trap air in the baked goods to make them lighter and fluffier. It is one of the base ingredients in baking powder, and when used alongside baking powder it increases the fluff factor of my baking. I’ve started adding it to certain recipes where I want the gf item to have better lift.

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Gluten Free Pizza Crust

I love this pizza crust recipe! I’ve been making this for several months and it is my go to gluten free pizza crust recipe. I found the original recipe on the Minimalist Baker. I love her suggested flour blend. I really feel like it gives the best possible base for the pizza. However, you can use whatever gf flour blend you prefer. I’ve also adapted this recipe into a whole grain pizza crust. I’ll post that at some point in the future but I felt like you guys needed to experience this basic recipe first.

This recipe makes one large 14” crust. I typically bake it in a deep dish pizza pan but you can make it in any pizza pan you wish. The crust is pretty thin, not cracker thin, but less than a half inch once it’s all been pressed out. If you prefer a thinner crust you can reserve some of the dough and press it out thinner.

I really love to let this crust sit in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It gives it a slightly sourdoughey taste the longer you let it sit. The only drawback is that it is harder to press out when you let it sit. One additional perk of this crust is it makes the perfect gluten free frozen pizza! If you follow the directions through the prebaking step this crust freezes perfectly. I prefer to top the baked crust with toppings, then wrap the pizza in plastic wrap and put in the freezer. When you are ready to bake simply remove the plastic wrap and put in a preheated oven. The baking time is pretty much the same and the pizza turns out great!

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Source: Adapted from: Minimalist Baker

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Gluten Free Chocolate and Salted Caramel Cupcakes

I have finally figured out the perfect gluten free chocolate cupcakes! I’ve made several iterations of gluten free chocolate cupcakes and these are by far the best. I’ve taken the best of several different cupcake recipes and these are pretty close to perfect.

They are not crumbly like you find with some gluten free cupcakes. They are also very moist and will stay perfectly springy for several days. These cupcakes paired with my salted caramel frosting create the perfect pairing. They are pretty much heavenly and something you need to try.To garnish these I used salted caramel candy melts from Hobby Lobby. The package is listed as gluten free so I decided to use them as a garnish. I melted them and reformed them with a star candy form. If you decide to do this there are great instructions included on the candy melt package. You could also leave the cupcakes as is after adding the ganache.

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Homemade Caramel Sauce

I typically find making caramel sauce difficult. I don’t always have the best of luck getting it to turn out right. I often burn the caramel so I don’t make this often. However, I prefer knowing what is going into my caramel sauce when I bake. Especially since store-bought caramel sauce isn’t always gluten free. This recipe is completely gluten free and is fantastic for use in gluten free baking recipes.

This is my favorite homemade caramel sauce recipe that I’ve found to date. It requires the use of a candy thermometer or instant read thermometer. You will need to have one of these to make this recipe. If you don’t you won’t be able to tell when the caramel is done.Be very careful that you don’t burn the sauce. If you do you will be able to taste it in the finished product. The best way I’ve found the keep it from burning is to stir continuously. This keeps everything moving and doesn’t give it time to burn. You will want to let the sauce thicken and cool before using it in any recipe.

 

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[amd-yrecipe-recipe:53]

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Source: Adapted from: Annies-Eats

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Crockpot Piri Piri Pork

I saw a recipe for Piri Piri Pork on Jamie Oliver’s  website. However the original recipe calls for 2.5 hours of baking time and there is no way I had so much time to cook! (Can I get an “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”) I decided to adapt the recipe to work in the crockpot so it could get all the cooking and I wouldn’t have to do much of anything!

Alex and I have never had piri piri sauce on anything. We weren’t huge fans of the taste. The basis for a piri piri sauce is Middle Eastern, we don’t typically enjoy that type of food. I found the sauce to be a little bit on the spicy side, and Alex found it not spicy enough. So it’s probably a “normal” person’s spicy level. If you are worried about how spicy it might be, simply use a pepper lower in capsaicin and leave out the cayenne seasoning.

The amount of sauce in this recipe is perfect for a larger amount of pork. If you are only going to be making 1lb of pork you should halve the sauce recipe. This will give you a better meat to sauce ratio. I used an Anaheim pepper when making this since it was all my local grocery had. This recipe is gluten free when served over a bed of rice or gf pasta. If you don’t need to eat gluten free you could serve it with bowtie pasta or a crusty bread.

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Flourless Chocolate Cookies

I first had these cookies when they were made by my sister. She did a fantastic job and I just knew I had to have the recipe so I could make them too! They are gluten free and so amazingly rich and chocolaty. If you need a chocolate fix these are the cookies you want.My sister always makes these cookies with Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips, however you can make these with any chocolate chips you have on hand if you don’t have additional dietary restrictions to take into consideration.  I prefer to add some vanilla extract to the batter. I think it make the flavor a little more complex. However if you have trouble with extracts you can simply leave this out.You will want to make sure the batter is stiff before you go to roll it. If the batter is runny in the slightest your cookies will not turn out the way you want. Make sure that the egg whites form a soft peak before you add any additional ingredients. Once everything has been added simply make sure there is no liquid left in the bowl at all.

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Flourless Chocolate Cookies:1 Cup Chocolate Chips (melted and cooled)3 Egg Whites2 Cups Powdered Sugar½ Cup Cocoa Powder1 Tablespoon Corn Starch¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract½ Cup Chocolate ChipsPowdered Sugar (for rolling)Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the egg whites on high until soft peaks form.Gradually beat in 1 cup of the powdered sugar.Whisk together the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar, cocoa powder, corn starch and kosher salt.

With the mixer on low blend the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture.Gradually beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract, once everything is in beat on high until the mixture is stiff.With a spatula fold in the remaining chocolate chips.

Roll scoopfuls of dough into a ball, then roll in the powdered sugar until it is completely covered.Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for a least 10 more minutes.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:47]

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Source: Adapted from Recipe Lion

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How to: Make any boxed cake mix taste like it was homemade!

I’m sure we’ve all been there, we have people coming over soon, and they’re expecting a delicious homemade treat, and you have NO time to make anything yummy from scratch. I ran into this a couple weeks ago. We had people coming over the next day and it was 11 at night. I needed a delicious dessert but I had absolutely no time to make anything.I decided to make a boxed cake mix (gasp, I know!). I never make cake mixes because they are never as good as anything I can make from scratch. However in this instance I needed an amazing dessert and I needed it quickly so I could go to bed.I’ve done this several times in the past when I didn’t have time to make anything. The final result is a moist delicious cake that people will never believe came from a box mix! It simply takes a few alterations to the recipe to take it to the next level. This will work with just about any cake mix you might have in your pantry. I’ve placed the recipe below for the box I used this time around so you can get a feel for what a finished recipe looks like. Don’t hesitate to experiment on your own with the basics below.

In order to make a boxed cake mix taste like a homemade cake you want to first replace the oil with melted butter. This will give you a better crumb to the cake. However if you are running short on butter or want less calories you can skip this step. If you skip this step the cake will still be incredible, just slightly less incredible. If I had to pick one step to leave out this would be it. If you do leave it out simply use the amount of oil the recipe calls for.The real way to take a boxed cake mix from drab to fab is instead of adding water to the mix is to substitute milk and sour cream. Take the amount of water call for in the recipe and halve it. Add that much both milk and sour cream. So if you recipe calls for ¾ Cup of water add ¼ Cup and 2 Tablespoons of both milk and sour cream.Add the exact amount of eggs called for in the recipe. Eggs help the structure of the cake to remain intact and so you need to make certain to keep that portion of their recipe the same. This will insure your cake has the correct structure, not to dense and not too crumbly.The final way to make these cakes amazing is to add a little bit of extract to the batter. This will fill out the taste of your cake. I chose to add vanilla extract to my chocolate cake. Depending on what type of box mix you start with you can choose the extract that will best compliment your cake. The same goes for chocolate chips. You don’t have to use them but if you do your cake just has a little more pizazz to it.I always love to bake cakes in a bundt pan. I feel like this really gives the cake a flair it doesn’t get with a regular pan and it also makes it look WAY prettier with minimal effort.  A lot of cakes baked in a bundt pan will be perfect if paired with powdered sugar as a simple dusting. Happy baking!

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Homemade Tasting Boxed Cake1 Box Madhava Organic Chocolate Cake Mix½ Cup Sour Cream½ Cup Milk½ Cup Butter (melted)3 Eggs2 Teaspoons Vanilla ExtractWhite Chocolate Chips (optional)Powdered Sugar (for garnish)Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 12 cup bundt pan.

Mix together the cake mix, sour cream, milk, butter and vanilla. Stir until no lumps remain.Stir in the chocolate chips if using.Transfer to the prepared bundt pan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.Sprinkle with powdered sugar once the cake has cooled.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:48]

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

I guess breakfast food is what I’ve missed most about going gluten free. Last week I posted a recipe for gluten free mini-doughnuts and this week I’ve made cinnamon rolls! These things were incredible. They really hit the spot. They had the fantastic gooey caramel oozing out of them and they were soft and fluffy. You need to make sure you prepare these the night before because they require an overnight stay in the refrigerator before baking.I baked these in a 6 count muffin tin. However next time I make these I will probably make them in a 7x11 pan or a jumbo muffin tin (if I get one before then). These rolls needed some additional space to rise. They did ok in the small muffin tin but I think they would be better with more space to puff up.

There is this little trick I use when cutting cinnamon rolls that I wanted to share with you. I use unflavored dental floss to easily cut them without flattening them. The trick is to get the floss underneath the long roll and then draw the strings across each other until they cut all the way through the dough. This will keep your cinnamon rolls perfectly shaped and will give you an easy clean cut. Simply repeat this at each interval to cut them.I ran out of time before I could make a glaze or frosting for these. They would be fantastic though with a cream cheese frosting spread over the hot cinnamon rolls if you have time to make it. Otherwise they are amazing without anything on top. You won’t regret trying these.

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Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls:3 Tablespoons Butter (melted and cooled)2 Tablespoons Sugar1 Egg and 2 Egg Yolks¾ Cups Buttermilk1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract1 ½ Cup Gluten Free Flour1 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt½ Tablespoon YeastFiling:¾ Cup Brown Sugar2 Tablespoons Butter (melted and cooled)3 Teaspoons Cinnamon1/8 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Add the egg, egg yolks, buttermilk and vanilla, mix until smooth.Slowly add the gf flour, xanthan gum, salt and yeast. Beat until the mixture becomes thicker and elastic signifying that the xanthan gum has activated.

If the mixture is too sticky add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it you are able to handle it with some maneuvering.Grease a 6 cup muffin pan or a 7x11 baking dish. Set out a piece of parchment paper on the top of the counter. Place the dough on top of it.

Place an additional piece of parchment paper on top and roll out into a rectangle.In a separate bowl combine the filling ingredients until they form a rough paste.

Spread this paste over the top of the prepare dough.Using greased fingertips and the edge of the parchment paper roll the prepared dough into a log.

Using unflavored dental floss cut the log into 6 equal pieces. Place each piece in a separate well of the muffin tin.Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.Place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 and remove the plastic wrap from the rolls.Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown on top and there is caramel bubbling up around the sides.Frost if desired and serve immediately.

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Source: Adapted from: Gluten Free on a Shoestring – Nicole Hunn

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Gluten Free Chocolate Mini-Doughnuts

I have been seriously in the mood for doughnuts the last couple weeks. But since they aren’t gluten free I had to pass every time. So I decided to track down a recipe that would let me eat a doughnut! These are quite yummy and very fluffy. The glaze on top is a great addition and really completes the entire taste. The best part though is the nutmeg in the dough. It really gives the doughnuts that “dough-nutty” flavor you look for.

I’ve baked these in a mini-doughnut pan and the yield is about 2 dozen. I have no idea what that would translate to in a regular sized doughnut pan, however my mini pan says to put ½ Tablespoon of dough in each spot, so you can do the math on it.

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Gluten Free Chocolate Mini-DoughnutsFor Doughnuts:¾ Cup Gluten Free Flour4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder¾ Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda¼ Teaspoon Cream of TartarDash of Kosher Salt¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg1/3 Cup Brown Sugar2 Tablespoon Butter (melted and cooled)2 Tablespoons Olive Oil1 Egg¾ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract¼ Cup plus 3 Tablespoons Milk½ Teaspoon Xanthan GumFor Glaze:1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder1 Cup Powdered Sugar2-4 Teaspoons MilkTo make the doughnuts:Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a mini-doughnut pan.

In a medium bowl combine the gf flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, nutmeg and brown sugar. Whisk until well combined.In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter, oil and egg. Beat on high until well combined.Add the vanilla and milk and beat well.

Add the dry ingredients, stir until combined. Add the xanthan gum and beat until the batter is slightly elastic.Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.

Following the directions on your doughnut pan fill the cavities with batter.Bake for 10 minutes until the doughnuts are set and the bottoms are slightly browned.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool and repeat with the rest of the batter.To make the glaze:

Whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add the vanilla and stir well.

Add the milk ½ teaspoon at a time until the glaze is at a spreadable consistency.

Working quickly, dip the tops of the cooled doughnuts into the glaze, swirl the doughnut around and then remove to a wire rack with a piece of wax paper underneath.

Garnish with sprinkles if desired.Store the glazed doughnuts at room temperature and any unglazed ones in an airtight container.

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Source: Adapted from Gluten Free on a Shoestring, Quick and Easy – Nicole Hunn

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Iowa Superbowl Dip

This is apparently quite a popular dip here in Iowa. I had no idea about it until Alex had it at work and decided that I needed to make it. He loves this dip because it is cheesy and spicy and is fantastic for dipping on crackers or chips. When I talked about it with some of our friends they gave me the name as “superbowl dip”.When I made this I halved the recipe and heated it in the microwave. If you are pressed for time you can do it that way and either serve it immediately or put it into a crockpot to keep warm. If you have extra time before your event just put everything in the crockpot and stir once the cheese has melted. The quantities mentioned here in the recipe will make a fairly large pot of this dip, so be sure to pair it down if you won’t be serving a large crowd.

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Iowa Superbowl Dip1 Brick Velveeta Cheese2 Cans Rotel1lb Browned Ground Beef or Italian SausageCut the velveeta into 1 inch chunks.

Combine all ingredients in a greased slow cooker.Serve when the cheese has fully melted and everything has been stirred together

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Gluten Free Salty Crackers

Since I was making crackers this week I wanted to be sure to include one that I could eat. These are super easy crackers and will only take you about 45 minutes total. These crackers are fantastic! They are crispy and perfect for dipping or using for cheese.I’ve used Trader Joe’s Himalayan Pink Sea Salt to top them, but you can feel free to use regular sea salt or Kosher salt if you prefer. I simply wanted to give them a little bit of a fancier feel when they were finished.

When transferring these on to the baking sheet you can either follow the method I’ve laid out here, or you can use an offset spatula to move the crackers. I found that the spatula method is more difficult and tends to crumple the cracker dough.

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Gluten Free Salty Crackers1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Flour¼ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda1 ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar2 Tablespoons Shortening1 Tablespoon Butter1/3 Cup WaterTrader Joe’s Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (for garnish)Preheat your oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paperIn the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Pulse to mix well.Add the shortening and the butter, pulse the food processor until the mixture has a sandy texture.

With the food processor running add the water slowly. Once all the water has been added the dough should be smooth and shiny but not wet.

Prepare your counter top by placing a large sheet of parchment paper down on it. Place the dough on top. Spread an additional sheet of parchment paper over the top of the dough. Roll the dough out to be ¼ inch thick.Remove the second piece of parchment paper from the top. With a pastry wheel or pizza cutter cut the dough into rectangles that are about 1 ½ inch by 2 ½ inches.

Place your prepare cookie sheet over top with the silpat liner on the dough and the sheet inverted on the counter.Turn the entire stack over so that the parchment paper is on top and the dough is on the silpat liner.Carefully remove the parchment paper from the dough.

Pierce each cracker a few times with a fork. Sprinkle water over top of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the pink Sea Salt.Bake for approximately 8 minutes or until the cracker edges are just beginning to brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet until firm.These are best served immediately when made, however you can wrap the extras and store at room temperature for a few days if needed.

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Source: Adapted from: Gluten Free on a Shoestring, Quick and Easy – Nicole Hunn

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Gluten Free Salted Caramel Brownies

When I saw the original recipe for this I just knew I had to make it. So I decided to turn the recipe gluten free so I could enjoy it too! Between the gooey caramel and the dark chocolaty goodness these brownies are amazing.I am typically reticent to make caramel sauce because it can be so finicky and difficult to actually get right. However I thought these brownies were an exception to that since the recipe is based so heavily dependent on this caramel. Also, since the caramel is made from scratch it is completely gluten free.

The finishing touch for these brownies is the combination of fleur de sel and turbinado sugar on the top. You can spread this topping to your taste but it really pulls together all the flavors. This is a must try recipe, just make sure that you have several friends around to help you finish the entire pan! You really don’t want to have these tempting brownies around for very long.

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Gluten Free Salted Caramel Brownies:Caramel Sauce:1 Cup Sugar¼ Cup Water2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup½ Cup Heavy Cream1 Teaspoon Fleur de Sel¼ Cup Sour CreamBrownies:1 Cup Gluten Free Flour1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt1 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder10oz Chocolate Chips1 Cup Butter1 ½ Cup Sugar½ Cup Brown Sugar5 Eggs2 Teaspoons VanillaTopping:1 Teaspoon Fleur de Sel1 Teaspoon Turbinado SugarTo make the Caramel Sauce:

Heat the sugar, corn syrup and water until it measures 350 on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.Slowly whisk in the heavy cream, drizzling it down the side of the saucepan.

Once all the heavy cream has been added, add in the salt and sour cream whisking until well combined. Set aside and let cool.

To make the brownies:Preheat the oven to 350, and grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.In a separate bowl combine the gluten free flour, xanthan gum and cocoa powder, whisking until well combined. Set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl combine the chocolate chips and butter. Heat in the microwave in 30 second increments until everything is melted. Stir until combined. Let cool slightly.Transfer the melted chocolate mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, sugars and vanilla. Beat until well combined.

Slowly add the dry ingredients, beating well after each addition. Once everything has been added turn the mixer on high and beat until it becomes thicker and slightly elastic.

Spread half of the brownie mixture on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread the caramel sauce mixture on top making sure there are no peaks. Spread the remaining half of the brownie mixture on the top of the caramel.

 Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is crackly and the brownies don’t jiggle in the middle, let cool completely.

To make the topping:Combine the sugar and the salt in a small bowl. Spread half of the mixture evenly across the top of the brownies. Spread the rest of the topping to taste.

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Source: Adapted from Annies-Eats

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Pao de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread

When I first saw this recipe I immediately thought it was one I had to try. Besides being gluten free the combination of cheese and bread looked amazing. These are incredibly easy to make and are delicious warm right out of the oven. Alex said they taste like cheese-it crackers in biscuit form.

Making these is really odd. The tapioca flour is an odd ingredient to work with. When you add it to the liquids it turns into a gelatinous mess, then as you beat it the mixture becomes reminiscent of cookie dough. The finished dough is very soft and does not resemble bread dough. It feels and scoops like a very soft cookie dough. You will want to grease anything you use to touch the dough or it won’t come off very easily.

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Pao de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread:1 Cup Milk½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 Teaspoon Salt2 Cups Tapioca Flour2 Eggs1 ½ Cups Shredded Parmesan CheesePreheat the oven to 450 and line two baking sheets with silpat liners or baking parchment.

Boil the milk and oil until there are large bubbles coming up through the oil.

Remove from the heat, add the tapioca flour. Your mixture will be soft and gelatinous.Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a greased paddle attachment. Cool the dough by beating it until you can hold your hands on it for several moments.

Beat in the eggs until well combined.Beat in the cheese until thoroughly combined.

Using a small greased cookie scoop portion the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Place the cookie sheets into the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 350. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

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Source: The Kitchn

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Chocolate Seafoam Cookies

These are incredible cookies. They are light, fluffy and filled with chocolaty goodness. These bad boys are also gluten free! You will want to make these in a stand mixer. If you don’t have one you can still make them, but it will take much longer and be more difficult if you do it by hand or even with a hand mixer.

I instruct you to use Baker’s sugar in this recipe. However, regular sugar will work but you will have to beat it longer to get it to dissolve. Baker’s sugar is a super fine sugar that dissolves easier in baked goods and provides you with a smoother finished product. I highly suggest using it in recipes like this, you will taste the difference in the finished cookies.

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Chocolate Seafoam Cookies:4 Eggwhites (at room temperature)1 Teaspoon Cream of TartarDash of Salt1 Cup Baker’s Sugar2 Teaspoons Vanilla2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder½ Cup Chopped Pecans1 Cup White Chocolate ChipsPreheat the oven to 300, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue to beat until the mixture forms soft peaks.

Add the sugar, vanilla and cocoa powder a little at a time and continue beating until the mixture holds stiff peaks and the sugar is dissolved.

Gently fold in the pecans and white chocolate with a spatula.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.Bake for 25 minutes.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:36]

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Source: Adapted from The Cookie Party Cookbook – Robin L Olson

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Amish Pizza Soup

My sister sent me this recipe several months ago. Since she lived in the middle of Amish country she was constantly getting wonderful recipes from the Amish cooks who lived and worked nearby. She told me that Alex and I HAD to try this recipe. I don’t really know why it took me so long to try it, but after we had it I was sad I hadn’t made it sooner.The original recipe calls for using Tomato soup. However, since tomato soup contains wheat ingredients I had to make a couple of changes. If you don’t need to eat gluten free you can substitute the tomato sauce for two 10oz cans of tomato soup and two cans water.

 The finished product is an amazingly rich and full flavored soup. It really seems like you are eating a pizza! Ideally if you were serving a multiple course meal this would make an amazing soup course. You could also cut down the ingredients and just serve it as a marinara sauce. It would be a delicious topping for breadsticks or garlic toast.

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Amish Pizza Soup:33.5oz Tomato Sauce1 Cup Water2 Teaspoons Oregano2 Teaspoons Basil¼ Teaspoon Parsley½ Teaspoon Onion Powder½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder1 Teaspoon Salt5 Tablespoons Sugar1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar½ Cup Mozzarella (shredded)¼ Cup Parmesan (shredded)¼ LB Sausage (cooked)¼ Cup Pepperoni (chopped)

Combine the tomato sauce, water, seasonings and sugar in a 5qt Dutch Oven. Cook until boiling. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cheese and meat to the pot. Cook until everything is heated through and the cheese is just starting to melt.

Serve with breadsticks or garlic toast.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:33]

Gluten Free Brownie Pie

This is the most amazing brownie pie I’ve ever tasted. I think the magic ingredient is the sour cream you put it. This gives the pie a creamy texture the compliments the chocolate. This is about the richest pie you will ever taste. One small piece is plenty and ice cream would make it an even more decadent treat.

If you prefer plain brownies don’t use the extra chocolate chips or nuts. However if you like brownies chock full of yumminess go ahead and add them. I’ve tried this pie both warm out of the oven and cooled to room temperature. Surprisingly I prefer to eat this pie at room temp. I feel that it gives it a much stiffer consistency which is much tastier.

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Gluten Free Brownie Pie:6 Tablespoons Butter2 Cups Chocolate Chips½ Cup Gluten Free Flour¼ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum½ Cup Cocoa Powder1/3 Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt3 Eggs1 Cup Sugar½ Teaspoon Vanilla½ Cup Sour Cream1 Cup Chocolate Chips (optional)½ Cup Chopped Nuts (optional)Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a deep dish pie plate.

Place the butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the contents in 30 second increments until the chocolate chips have melted. Stir to combine, set aside to cool.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the chocolate mixture, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined.Add the dry ingredients, reserving about ¼ of a cup for later. Beat until  well combined.

Add the sour cream and beat until the batter becomes thicker and more elastic.

Stir in the optional chocolate chips and nuts if using and the remaining dry ingredients. Stir until everything is evenly distributed.

Spread into the pie plate. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Cool to room temperature before serving.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:32]

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Source: Adapted from Gluten Free on a Shoestring – Nicole Hunn

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Shredded Buffalo Chicken

I’m always keeping an eye out for new recipes to try and when I came across this one I knew Alex would love it. He adores spicy food and I don’t make things “spicy enough” very often because I don’t care much for it. These however, were WAY too spicy for me so Alex LOVED them!This recipe is an easy dinner solution that your family will love. Using your crock pot makes dinner super easy. Once you put the ingredients in the crock pot in the morning you don’t have to worry about it until dinner time again.This recipe is gluten free if you make your own Ranch seasoning mix. I’m working on perfecting the one I have and will post it in the future. However there are many different places you can get recipes to make it. The ranch mix give the chicken a fuller flavor. If you don’t use it you will only have the buffalo sauce and no other flavor. I highly suggest using it in this recipe.

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Shredded Buffalo Chicken:3 Large Frozen Chicken Breasts1 Cup Buffalo Sauce1 Cup Water1 Teaspoon Ranch Dressing Mix1/3 Cup Water3 Tablespoons Corn Starch1 Tablespoon Butter

Lightly grease your crock pot and put the frozen chicken in the bottom.Whisk the buffalo sauce, water and ranch dressing mix and pour over the top of the chicken.

Cook on low 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4, until the chicken is cooked through.Shred the chicken in the crock pot.Combine the water and corn starch in a cup. Stir until completely combined. Pour into the shredded chicken mix. Add the butter.

Stir to combine everything in the crock pot and cook for 30 minutes more.Serve with cheese on buns or gluten free bread!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:31]

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Source: Adapted from Greens & Chocolate

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Grain Free Pizza Crust

I’m continuing to experiment with my Coconut flour and I thought, what better thing to try than a pizza crust?! Alex has been getting tired of the gluten free crust I normally make and I wanted to try something different. The taste of this crust is absolutely fantastic! The different seasonings really make this crust pop and it is an amazing Italian party in your mouth.I expected great things out of this recipe and I was sadly disappointed. However, this would be a fantastic crust if you prefer a sauceless pizza. I found this crust to be pretty soggy when all was said and done. But if you prefer just veggies ect on your pizza this crust is for you.

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Grain Free Pizza Crust:3 Eggs1 Cup Milk½ Cup Coconut Flour2 Teaspoons Onion Powder½ Teaspoon Baking Soda1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning¼ Teaspoon Garlic PowderToppings of choice

Preheat the oven to 375 and prepare a pizza pan by lining with parchment paper and olive oil.Whisk together the eggs and milk until well combined.

Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until there is no dry coconut flour.Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so that the coconut flour can absorb the liquid.

Spread onto the parchment paper, the mixture will be reminiscent of pancake batter but slightly thicker.Bake the crust for 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip over. I used a cooling rack to flip it over. Let the crust cool for 5 minutes.

Put the crust back into the pan and top with your toppings.Bake until the cheese is bubbly.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:30]

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Source: Adapted from Gluten Free Bread

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