Irish Chocolate Potato Cake

I wanted to do a traditional Irish recipe for St Patrick’s Day so I searched high and low to find a unique recipe to share with you. I wasn’t sure about this cake when I first started. I really didn’t think that the potato in this recipe would actually taste good. I was so surprised by the finished product though! This cake is an amazing combination of flavors and you absolutely cannot tell that this recipe has actual potato in it. This is a must try recipe!

You will need to sieve the potatoes prior to starting this recipe. The sieved potatoes must be fully cooled before you add them to the cake batter. If they are even slightly warm the cake has the potential to not rise, or only rise part way.You will need a good kitchen scale to make this recipe. I have chosen to give you the European measurements for all the ingredients. This will give you more of a standard result if you choose to do it this way. You also will need to use superfine sugar, also known as Baker’s sugar. This gives you a smoother finished product.

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Irish Chocolate Potato Cake:225g Unsalted Butter450g Superfine Sugar4 Eggs (divided)90g Grated Chocolate50g Ground Almonds150g Sieved Potatoes (cold)300g Flour½ Teaspoon Cinnamon2 Teaspoons Baking Powder½ Teaspoon Salt1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract150ml MilkPreheat your oven to 350. And prepare a Bundt pan by greasing the inside paying special attention to the crevasses.

Grate the chocolate and almonds in a food processor (separately). Set aside.

Sift the flour once, then sift again, this time with the baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy.

Separate the eggs. Add the egg yolks to the mixture until smooth.

Stir in the chocolate and almonds. Then add the cold potatoes and stir.

Alternate adding the flour and the milk to the mixture, beating gently until smooth after each addition.

When the batter is complete transfer to a separate bowl.

Beat the eggwhites in the bowl of your stand mixer until the whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold the whipped whites carefully into the cake mixture.

Transfer the cake batter into your bundt pan. Cook for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and let cool. If the cake doesn’t come out right away gently shake the cake until it releases from the pan.

To finish the cake use a mesh strainer to dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

(Chocolate sauce is also an excellent topping for this cake.)

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Source: adapted from European Cuisines

Green Velvet Cupcakes

Green Velvet cupcakes are an exciting twist on the traditional Red Velvet cake. Not only do you get a twist on a traditional cake you also have a great dessert option for St Patrick’s Day. This recipe will make one dozen cupcakes. The frosting recipe will be enough to generously frost the entire batch. If you are worried about having too much frosting you can cut the recipe in half, this will be enough to put a medium amount of frosting on all the cupcakes.

I chose to leave the cream cheese frosting its plain white color and then sprinkle the top with Gold Wilton Pearl Dust.  This creates the Irish flag’s color scheme on top of the cupcakes.

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Green Velvet Cupcakes:½ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Oil½ Cup Buttermilk1 Eggs1 ½ Tablespoons Green Food Coloring½ Teaspoon White Vinegar½ Teaspoon Vanilla1 ¼ Cup Flour¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar½ Teaspoon Baking Soda¼ Heaping Teaspoon salt½ Tablespoon Dutch Process Cocoa PowderPreheat the oven to 350 and prepare a cupcake pan with liners

Mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, vinegar, buttermilk, green food coloring, milk and oil in a large bowl.When well combined add the baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well.

Add the flour and mix well.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.Let cool for 2 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting:4oz Softened Unsalted Butter8oz Softened Cream Cheese2 Cups Powdered Sugar½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Cream the butter and cream cheese together until soft and creamy.With the mixer on low add the powdered sugar, making sure to scrape down the sides.Add the vanilla extract.Mix on medium speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

When the cupcakes have cooled top with the cream cheese frosting.

I chose to sprinkle gold Wilton Pearl Dust on top of the frosting to complete the Irish color scheme.

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Source: Cake adapted from Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies

These cookies are a fantastic dessert and are sure to impress your audience. These sugar cookies are fantastic and they are my go-to recipe whenever I need a great cutout cookie. The cookies have a fantastic blend of vanilla and almond flavoring.

I’ve used Royal Icing to decorate the tops of the cookies. I’ve posted a step by step tutorial here on the blog that you can follow if you are new to Royal Icing. I’ve also covered the tops of some of these cookies with glitter dust in order to give them a special look.

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Sugar Cookies:1 Cup Butter1 Cup Powdered Sugar1 Egg1 ½ Teaspoons Almond Extract1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract1 Teaspoon Salt2 ½ Cups Flour

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.Blend in the egg, salt and extracts.

Beat in flour. Mix until completely combined.

Chill dough for at least 1 hour until firm.

Taking one half of the dough ball at a time roll the dough to a 1/4” thickness on a lightly floured surface.Cut with cookie cutters.

Place on a cookie sheet covered with a Silpat liner or a piece of parchment.Bake at 375 for approximately 7 minutes.Cookies should not brown.Let cool overnight before decorating.

Using a batch of Royal Icing decorate the cookies – here is a step by step how to.For these cookies I used Wilton Gel Icing colors Kelly Green, Ivory and Golden Yellow.

Once the icing has set on the cookies take a tablespoon of vanilla extract (you can also use vodka) and mix with Wilton pearl dust (I used Ivory).

Using a small (food only) paint brush mix the dust and extract then lightly brush onto the cookies. Let the cookies sit until dry.

How to: Royal Icing

This is pretty much the best way to decorate cutout cookies. The icing looks so professional and put together. If you’ve never done royal icing before it is actually pretty easy, just mostly time intensive.  Because all the ingredients for Royal Icing are gluten free you can use these on GF cutout cookies.List of what you’ll need:One batch of cutout cookiesOne batch of Royal IcingGel Food ColorsPiping bags fitted with connectors and tipsSqueeze bottlesAirtight containers (one for each color you will be using)SpoonsSpatulasToothpicks

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Royal Icing:4 Cups Powdered Sugar2 Tablespoons Merengue Powder5.5 Tablespoons Water

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until the icing has a matte finish. Separate the icing into air tight containers (divide into as many containers as colors you need).

Taking one container at a time, mix an additional tablespoon of water into the icing. This should be a good consistency for piping. If it still seems too thick mix additional water into the icing one half tablespoon at a time. Mix thoroughly before using.

Once you have the icing at a good piping consistency mix the colors into the icing. Using gel colors will get the best results. If you use liquid colors it can change the consistency of the icing and make it unusable. I am partial to the Wilton Gel Food Colors. You can easily mix these into the icing by using a knife to remove a bit of gel coloring from the tub and mixing thoroughly into the icing.

When your icing colors are prepared, take piping bags prepared with connectors and icing tips (I prefer to use a Wilton Circle #3 tip). Using a spatula spoon a good amount of the icing into the prepared piping bag. Squeeze the bag to remove excess air and move the icing down into the tip. Prepare each of the colors in separate icing bags. Cover the extra icing so it does not dry out.

Taking the prepared piping bags, pipe an outline around the entire cookie. Let the outline sit for at least an hour before moving onto the next step.  Once you have outlined all of the cookies take any extra icing out of the bags and put back into the airtight container.

When the outline has set, prepare the rest of your icing. Add approximately an additional two tablespoons of water the icing. The icing should fall off the back of a spoon in a smooth ribbon. If you happen to thin the icing too much you can add powdered sugar to thicken it up. Pour the prepared icing into squeeze bottle. Flood the area inside the outline with the thinned icing.

If the icing does not go all the way to the edges you can use a toothpick to move it around. You also can use the toothpick to pop any bubbles that might appear in the flooded icing. The goal is to have the icing be as smooth as possible. Let the icing dry overnight before serving the cookies.

You can use additional piping icing to decorate the tops of the cookies once the icing has set.

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Source: adapted from Annies-Eats

Gluten Free Pork Chops and Rice Casserole

My mother has made this dish for as long as I can remember. It is a fantastic blend of pork chops and flavored rice. However, when I decided to eat gluten free this was one dish that I couldn’t make at first since cream of mushroom soup has wheat in it.

I’ve been keeping an eye out for a gluten free version of the creamy mushroom soup and my local store finally updated its gluten free offerings to include it. I used Progresso brand creamy mushroom soup, but you can use whatever brand works best for your diet. The can I used was 24oz. You need to make sure and add an additional half cup of water to make sure that there is enough liquid in the mixture to actually cook the rice.

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Gluten Free Pork Chops and Rice Casserole2 (5oz) Pork Chops1 Can Gluten Free Creamy Mushroom Soup (I used Progresso)1 Cup Instant Brown Rice½ Cup Water2 Tablespoons Onion Soup Mix

Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly oil an 8x8 pan.Place the pork chops in the greased pan.

Mix the rice, soup and water in a bowl.

Pour the rice mixture over the pork chops.

Sprinkle the onion soup mix over the top of the rice mixture.Cover with tin foil and cook for 90 minutes.

Homemade Onion Soup Mix

I am always on the lookout for ways to make my own seasoning mixes. Not only is it healthier than the purchased ones it is also much cheaper in the long run. When I looked online I mostly found mixes that included beef bullion powder, and I didn’t really want to use that.I decided on this recipe since it didn’t have any beef bullion. It has a beautiful yellow color from the turmeric. This will be a fantastic replacement to a store bought mix, but I wouldn’t use it to make a chip dip. I don’t think it would have the right flavor. Because you are using pure spices this mix is completely gluten free.

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Onion Soup Mix2.57oz Minced Onion3 Teaspoons Parsley Flakes2 Teaspoon Onion Powder2 Teaspoons Tumeric1 Teaspoon Celery Salt2 Teaspoons Celtic Sea Salt1 Teaspoon Sugar1 Teaspoon Ground White Pepper

Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

Four tablespoons of this mixture equal one packet of Onion Soup Mix.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

The idea for these cupcakes came to me when I was cleaning out my pantry. I found a jar of Amish peanut butter in the back and wanted to make something very special with it. Amish peanut butter is an amazing Amish creation! I was introduced to it by my sister at her wedding (she and my brother in law live in the middle of Amish country).  They mix peanut butter and marshmallow fluff together and you get this amazing, light peanut buttery spread. If you don’t have Amish peanut butter (or any way to get it) you can always substitute some regular peanut butter or even a little bit of the buttercream frosting.I paired the Amish peanut butter with chocolate cupcakes. I used the peanut butter as a filling for the cupcakes to create a flavor reminiscent of a peanut butter cup. I created a peanut butter buttercream for the frosting and finished it off with a chocolate ganache drizzle and a mini-peanut butter cup.This cupcake is super rich and sugary. It is the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Since you drizzle ganache over the top of the cupcakes I’ve found it best to set them on a wire rack with wax paper underneath. Once the cupcakes have dried I like to put another paper liner underneath to keep the cupcakes from leaving a chocolate ring wherever I set them.

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Chocolate Cupcakes¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar1 Cup Flour¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Dutch Process Cocoa Powder½ Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract1 Egg½ Cup Milk¼ Cup Oil½ Cup Boiling WaterPreheat the oven to 350 and prepare a (12 cavity) Cupcake pan by putting paper liners inside

Mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, milk and oil in a large bowl.

When well combined add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well.Add the flour and mix well.

Slowly add the boiling water and mix well, being careful not to splash the liquid around.Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.Let cool completely before filling and icing.Amish Peanut Butter (for filling):

Once the cupcakes are completely cooled fill the center of the cupcakes with peanut butter.To do this: cut a small cone from the center of the cupcake. Remove most of the cone leaving only a small lid. Scoop the peanut butter into the center of the cupcake and replace the top.Peanut Butter Buttercream:¾ Cup Unsalted Butter3 Cups Powdered Sugar¼ Cup Peanut Butter (Creamy)2 Tablespoons Milk

With an electric mixer cream the butter until fluffy.Slowly add the powdered sugar until completely mixed.

Add the peanut butter and milk, beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.Put into a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Ice the cupcakes as normal.Chocolate Ganache:½ Cup Heavy Cream4oz Chocolate Chips½ Teaspoon Vanilla ExtractIn a small saucepan bring the cream to a light boil.Once boiling remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Whisk the mixture until the chips have melted.Add the vanilla and whisk until it is combined.Let cool slightly then spoon over the iced cupcakes.

Top the cupcake with a min-peanut butter cup.

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Source:Cake Adapted from: Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

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Gluten Free Crepes with Nutella and Raspberry Curd

I decided that I wanted to try something new for breakfast so I decided to try my hand a crepes. However, when I decided to make them I didn’t realize that Alex had eaten real French crepes when he visited France. I didn’t learn this until I was halfway done making them. I was super self-conscious about them when I finished them since I was sure that nothing would measure up to his real French experience. When he tasted them he said they definitely tasted just as good as the ones he had eaten in France.These are adapted to be gluten free and I filled them with Nutella and raspberry curd. Be certain to just put a thin layer of Nutella on the crepe, any more will drown out the raspberry flavoring. You also need to let the batter sit for about five minutes before you put it in the pan. Since the gluten free flour has a difference consistency you need to let it rest and absorb the liquid in the batter.

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Gluten Free Crepes with Nutella and Raspberry Curd:2 Eggs6 Tablespoons Milk2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil¼ Teaspoon Salt2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Flour¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Teaspoon Xanthan GumMelt the coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl.

Whisk together the eggs, oil, milk and salt.

Add the flour, baking powder and xanthan gum, mix thoroughly.

Let sit for approximately 5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened slightly.Heat an 8” skillet with a little bit of Olive Oil.

Pour an eighth of the mixture into the pan and swirl quickly to cover the bottom of the pan.Cook until the edges are bubbly and the bottom has been lightly browned. Flip and cook the other side.Remove from the heat and let cool.

Top with a light layer of chocolate-hazelnut spread and raspberry curd. Roll the crepe up tightly and serve.

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Source: Crepes adapted from: All Day I Dream About Food

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Raspberry Curd

I decided that I wanted to try something new for breakfast and I decided to try making crepes. I wanted to make a delicious topping for the crepes and I realized I had a container of raspberries in the freezer! I decided to make some raspberry curd.This raspberry curd is light and airy. It has a fantastic tangy yet sweet raspberry flavor. It is less thick than a lemon curd but it still holds it shape very nicely.  It is gluten free and can be put on just about anything from yogurt to pancakes. You could also use it as a filling in a cupcake or a glaze on top of a cake. It really is a very versatile topping.

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Raspberry Curd:10oz Frozen Raspberries6 ½ Tablespoons Unsalted Butter10 Tablespoons Sugar1 Tablespoon + 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice5 Egg YolksPinch of Salt

Melt the butter in a saucepan.

Whisk in the remaining ingredients.

Boil until the mixture thickens, approximately 7-10 minutes.

Press through a fine mesh sieve.

Mix the liquid until uniform.

Put plastic directly over the top of the curd and refrigerate.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will stay good for approximately a month.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

I had a huge craving for pumpkin muffins recently. They seem to have the perfect mix of cinnamon and other fall spices. I haven’t had them in ages and it just seemed right to make them again. However, since I’m trying to eat gluten free I needed to make some changes to my Mother’s recipe. This recipe has been passed down from my Mom and I’ve made these for years. They are the perfect combination of pumpkin and fall spices.I cut this recipe in half from the original. It should make approximately one loaf or a 12 cavity pan of muffins. You need to be very careful not to over mix these. When you bake with gluten free flours it is easy to over-mix the batter. Mix until everything has just been incorporated. If you over mix you’ll end up with muffins on the gummy side. As you can see from the photos I ended up over-mixing mine slightly. The gluten free flour mix I made myself, recipe from here.  I used pumpkin pie spice since the one I have is certified GF. If you don’t have a gf spice mix you can simply use the amounts listed below of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

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Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins1 ¼ Cup Sugar½ Cup Olive Oil2 Eggs1 Cup Pureed Pumpkin1 ½ Cup Gluten Free Flour1 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum½ Teaspoon Baking Powder1 Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice OR Alternative Spices:¼ Teaspoon Cloves½ Teaspoon Cinnamon½ Teaspoon Nutmeg1/3 Cup + 2 Tablespoons WaterChocolate Chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350, oil a 12 cavity muffin pan.

Mix the sugar, oil, eggs and pumpkin in the bowl of an electric mixer.

Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and xanthan gum. Mix until just combined.

Add the water and chocolate chips, mix until just combined.

Place the batter in the greased pan, bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Gluten Free S'mores Pie

I made this pie as a gluten free offering for a recent family gathering. I wanted something that would be delicious and that I could eat. I used gluten free graham crackers for the crust since I couldn’t find a gf version premade.The filling is a simple chocolate pudding that you make from scratch. They key is to boil it until it is very thick. I’ve made this filling multiple times but for some reason I didn’t get this filling quite thick enough. If this happens the pie won’t quite hold its consistency when you cut it. If you cook the pudding too long it will start to separate.I used premade marshmallow fluff for the topping and used a brulee torch to brown the top. You need to put the fluff on top right before you serve it. If not the fluff will expand and will end up as a mess. If you wanted you could make a marshmallow fluff from scratch and put it on top. In order to crisp the top you can either use a brulee torch or you can stick the pie under the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until the top is crackly and brown.

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Gluten Free S'mores Pie8 Gluten Free Graham Crackers1 ½ Tablespoons Sugar3 Tablespoons Melted Butter

To make the crust grind the cookies and sugar in a food processor, add the melted butter and pulse until moist.

Press into a 9inch pie plate and bake for 18-22 minutes. If you have pie weights you will want to use them. If you don't your crust will slide down the sides of the pie plate.Cool before filling.For the Filling:2 Cups Milk½ Cup Sugar¼ Cup Cornstarch½ tsp Salt4 Egg Yolks2 Tablespoons Water¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract4oz Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks

Heat the milk in a large saucepan until hot but not boiling.

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl then add the egg yolk, water and vanilla.

Whisk half of the hot milk into the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. This will take approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat once it thickens and stir in the chocolate.

Transfer the mixture into another bowl and let it cool, whisking it every so often to prevent a skin from forming.

Pour into the pie crust and press plastic wrap onto the top and let it cool in the refrigerator. I found it was best to leave it overnight in the fridge. The original recipe calls for at least 4 hours.

When you are ready to serve top with marshmallow fluff and brown the top with either a brulee torch or by putting it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.

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Source:Adapted from: “Sweet: Our Best Cupcakes, Cookies, Candy, and More – Editors of Food Network Magazine

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Salted Caramel and Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes are heavenly! They have a super light and fluffy chocolate cupcake base, then a salted caramel buttercream frosting and a drizzling of chocolate ganache over the top. I chose to top my cupcakes with Trader Joe’s Chocolate Covered Sea Salt Butterscotch Caramels. I pick these caramels up every time I’m at Trader Joe’s and they are simply addicting.

When you drizzle the chocolate over the cupcakes I’ve found it easiest to set them on a wire rack that has wax paper underneath. Once the ganache has hardened it is best to set the finished cupcake in another cupcake liner. This will keep you cupcakes from leaving chocolate rings everywhere you set it.

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Salted Caramel and Chocolate CupcakesChocolate Cupcakes:¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar1 Cup Flour¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Dutch Process Cocoa Powder½ Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract1 Egg½ Cup Milk¼ Cup Oil½ Cup Boiling WaterPreheat the oven to 350 and prepare a (12 cavity) Cupcake pan by putting paper liners inside

Mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, milk and oil in a large bowl.

When well combined add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well.Add the flour and mix well.Slowly add the boiling water and mix well, being careful not to splash the liquid around.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.Let cool completely before icing.Salted Caramel Buttercream:¾ Cup Unsalted Butter3 Cups Powdered Sugar1/3 Cup Caramel Sauce¼ Teaspoon Salt

With an electric mixer cream the butter until fluffy.Slowly add the powdered sugar until completely mixed.

Add the salt and caramel sauce and beat until the mixture is light an fluffy.

Put into a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Ice the cupcakes as normal.

Chocolate Ganache:½ Cup Heavy Cream4oz Chocolate Chips½ Teaspoon Vanilla ExtractIn a small saucepan bring the cream to a light boil.Once boiling remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Whisk the mixture until the chips have melted.Add the vanilla and whisk until it is combined.Let cool slightly then spoon over the iced cupcakes.

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Source:Cake Adapted from: Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

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Gluten Free Soft Pretzel Bites

We have a weekly game night with some friends and this last week I really wanted to kick out snacks up a notch. One of our favorite special snacks to make are soft pretzel bites, but since I’m trying to eat gluten free I needed to find a new recipe to make.I recently got Nicole Hunn’s book “Gluten Free on a Shoestring”. She has fantastic recipes in her book that make cooking gluten free easy. If you haven’t heard of the book you should check this one (and her others) out! This was the first recipe I had made from her book and I’m looking forward to trying more recipes.I used King Arthur Flour’s Gluten Free mix for this recipe, I found that it worked fairly well. Next time I go to make this recipe I will probably try the flour mix I made on my own. I served this with a cheese sauce made from Velveeta, cheddar and parmesan cheeses mixed with a little butter and milk. You can make whatever cheese sauce works for your family. If you want an even better flavor coat the pretzel bites with butter before you  serve them and sprinkle with a little bit of additional kosher salt.

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Soft Pretzel Bites2 Cups Gluten Free Flour Mix1 ½ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum1 Tablespoon Yeast2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar¾ Teaspoon Kosher Salt¾ Cup to 1 Cup Warm Water1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil2 Cups Warm Water plus 2 Tablespoons Baking SodaKosher Salt (for sprinkling)

Combine the flour, xanthan gum, yeast sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor.

Slowly add ¾ Cup of water while pulsing the food processor until the dough comes together in a ball. If the dough is still dry add up to an additional ¼ Cup of warm water.Press the dough into a disk.

Place the dough disk into a medium bowl and drizzle olive oil over it to coat it.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for approximately 1 hour, or until its doubled in size.After it has risen, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least an hour.While the dough is chilling, take the remaining water and the baking soda and bring it to a boil. Preheat the oven to 450.

Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into pieces. I find it best to cut the disk into pie shaped slices, then roll those slices into logs and cut the logs into bite sized pieces.

Place in the boiling water/baking soda mixture, poach for approximately 30-45 seconds.

Remove from the water and place on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher saltBake for 8-10 minutes or until the pretzel bites are golden brown.Serve with cheese sauce.

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

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Crockpot Italian Beef

I use the crockpot all the time to make dinner. Before I was working from home it was a lifesaver. I would put something in there before I left for work in the morning and when I came home at night dinner was ready! I love using it to make all sorts of meals. It really seems like you can make just about any dish in one.This is a staple at our home. Both Alex and I enjoy it. It has terrific flavor and is very easy to make. The key to this recipe is using Zesty Italian dressing mix. I’ve tried it with the plain mix and the zesty and the flavor from the zesty mix makes the dish have a far bigger flavor. If you only have a packet of plain Italian dressing seasoning on hand you can make it zesty by adding a teaspoon of red pepper flakes per packet.

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Crockpot Italian Beef:3lb Roast3 (1oz) packets Zesty Italian Dressing Seasoning20oz Water4oz Pepperoncini Peppers (with liquid)

Put your roast into a crockpot, pour the seasoning over top and then the water.Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5.

When it has finished cooking use forks to shred the meat, add the pepperoncini peppers and liquid and stir.Continue to cook the meat and peppers on low for an additional 30 minutes.Tastes best when served with a nice fresh crusty bread.

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

These cupcakes have a light summery taste to them. You start with an airy lemon cupcake, fill it with raspberry jam and finish it off with a complimentary almond cream cheese frosting. This is definitely a cupcake to remind you of warmer days!These are filled cupcakes. In order to fill them I cut a small cone from the center with a pairing knife. I cut the bottom off the cone (leaving a small portion of the top) and discarded the excess. I then used a spoon to scoop the jam into the cupcake and then replaced the top. I then iced as usual. The technique I use to fill these comes from Annie-Eats. Check out Annie’s blog to get some fantastic ideas on how to fill cupcakes.

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Lemon Cupcakes:1 ¼ Cup Flour1 ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Teaspoon Salt6 Tablespoons Butter¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar2 Eggs¼ Teaspoon Vanilla1 Teaspoon Lemon Extract½ Cup + 2 Tablespoons MilkLemon Zest (Optional)Yellow Food Coloring (Optional)Almond Cream Cheese Frosting:4oz Cream Cheese (Softened)2oz Unsalted Butter (Softened)1 Cup Powdered Sugar¼ Teaspoon Almond ExtractRaspberry Jam (for filling)Raspberries (for garnish)Preheat the oven to 350 and put paper cupcake liners into 1 (12 cavity) cupcake pan.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Once combined add the eggs, vanilla, lemon extract and milk.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest and yellow food coloring if using. Mix until well combined.

Separate into the prepared cupcake pan.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Allow to cool completely.

Once completely cooled fill the center of the cupcakes with jam.

To do this: cut a small cone from the center of the cupcake. Remove most of the cone leaving only a small lid. Scoop the jam into the center of the cupcake and replace the top.

To make the frosting:Cream together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.Add the extract and combine thoroughly.Add the powdered sugar and combine until fluffy.

Put into a piping bag and ice the cupcakes.

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Source:Cake: Adapted from Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

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Gluten Free Chocolate Lava Cakes

These lava cakes are amazing! They are completely made from scratch and when you dig into them they have a rush of chocolaty goodness that just oozes out. In order to make these gluten free I used Enjoy Life chocolate chunks and King Arthur Gluten Free flour. If you aren’t eating gluten free you can substitute chopped chocolate and 2 Tablespoons of regular flour when baking.Using bakers sugar, it’s also known as super fine sugar, will give you a smoother cake. You can use regular sugar but you will have a grainier end product. I suggest investing in bakers’ sugar if you do a lot of baking. It will come in handy if you want super smooth finished products or if you ever make crème-brulee.

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Gluten Free Chocolate Lava Cakes3oz Chopped Chocolate4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter2 Eggs1 Egg Yolk8 Teaspoons Bakers Sugar (Regular sugar will work ok too)1.5 Tablespoons Gluten Free Flour¾ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract1/8 Teaspoon SaltPowdered Sugar for sprinklingPreheat the oven to 375 and lightly butter two ¾ cup ramekins.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan until completely combined. Let cool slightly

Using an electric mixer combine the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until slightly thickened. Then add the flour.

Add the chocolate mixture, salt and extract.

Divide the mixture between 2 or 3 ramekins.

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until the edges are set but the center is still shiny and moves slightly.

Remove from the oven, and after running a small knife around the edges invert onto a plate.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Gluten Free Granola

I love having granola with yogurt for breakfast or even as a snack during the day. When I decided to start avoiding gluten I looked for gluten free granolas. Unfortunately I haven’t actually found one that I enjoyed. I found the texture of most of the ones I tried to be pretty unappetizing.I’ve been making this granola recipe for several years and Alex and I have really come to love it. It only took a few adaptations to make it gluten free, the biggest being purchasing gluten free rolled oats. I found a 2lb bag of gluten free rolled oats at Trader Joes the last time I was there and they made an excellent base for this recipe. I used the applesauce I canned at the end of last summer. When I make it I put it in a container with just enough for this recipe. Also, my applesauce has no added sugar so that is a bonus when it comes to making this.This granola has a light apple cinnamon taste and makes a lovely pairing with greek yogurt. It also goes well on its own if you prefer it as a healthy snack. If you like you can add some dried fruit after the granola has cooked and before you store it. The granola will store well in an airtight container for several weeks to a month.

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GF Apple Cinnamon Granola4 ½ Cup GF Rolled Oats1 Cup Raw Slivered Almonds¼ Cup Whole Flaxseed2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed Meal1 ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon1 Teaspoon Salt¾ Cup Applesauce2 Tablespoons Olive Oil¼ Cup Honey1/3 Cup Brown Rice Syrup¾ Cup Brown SugarPreheat the oven to 325, and grease a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl combine the oats, almonds, flax, ground flax, cinnamon and salt. Stir together.

In another bowl mix together the applesauce, honey, oil, rice syrup and brown sugar.

Once thoroughly combined mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until everything is wet.Spread onto the cookie sheet.

Bake for 30-40 minutes stirring every 15 minutes. Make sure to break up any clumps while the mixture is still warm.

Once you remove the granola from the oven it will continue to dry and get crisp. Store in an airtight container.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:7]

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Source: Adapted from The Joy of Baking

Kale and Wild Rice Salad

I had some wild rice left over this week when I made wild rice soup, so I decided to see what other type of side dish I could put it in. Since we also have an abundance of kale on hand I decided to see if I could combine them both. I found an excellent looking recipe from Iowa Girl Eats that combined all the basic ingredients.  I didn’t have some of what she called for on hand so I adapted the recipe to fit our tastes and what I had in the kitchen. We also tried the dressing on the original recipe but it didn’t really fit with what we enjoy.This is a nice light side dish that will go along with just about anything you might want to serve it with. It is a nice combination of sweet and savory. If you prefer you could substitute honey for the brown sugar, the combination simply gives you a more complex flavor combination.

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Kale and Wild Rice Salad4 Cups Kale2 Medium Red Potatoes, Chopped2 Sweet Peppers, Chopped½ Medium Onion, Chopped1.5 Cups Wild Rice, Cooked2 Tablespoons Butter2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar1 Tablespoon HoneyWhite PepperSea SaltWash the kale thoroughly, and cook the wild rice.

Put the kale in a large skillet and cover with water. Boil for 4-5 minutes until the kale is soft.  When the kale is cool enough to handle squeeze the excess water, crumble, and set aside.

Melt the butter in the skillet, add the chopped potatoes, onion, sweet peppers, honey and brown sugar.

Cook until the potatoes are soft and the onions translucent.

Add the wild rice and kale, cook until warmed through.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Sauteed Kale

Kale was on sale at the store this last week and I decided that we needed to try it. Neither Alex nor I had ever had it and I’ve read so many good things about it. There have definitely been some interesting recipes on the internet, it seems like kale goes with all manner of odd foods. I found that kale tastes a lot like spinach to me, which is good because spinach is one of the few green foods that I actually kind of enjoy.This recipe is a fantastic way to eat kale. It has a distinct garlic and onion flavor that lends itself to being quite tasty. I chose to saute the kale in extra virgin olive oil, but you can use whatever you  have on hand. You want to make sure and “bloom” the flavors in the oil before you add the kale. This will give you a more full bodied flavor without the kale becoming too soft.

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Sauteed Kale:2 Cups Shredded Kale3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil5 Cloves Garlic Minced1 Green Onion ChoppedSea SaltWhite Pepper

Wash your kale and shred it into medium sized chunks. Soak the kale if it is especially gritty.

Spread the EVOO in a large skillet and add the minced garlic and green onion.Let simmer until the oil has fully absorbed the garlic and onion flavor, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the kale and constantly turn until the kale is soft about 1-2 minutes.Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

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Source: Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

Perfect Valentines Cake

I know you’re looking for the perfect dessert to go with your Valentines’ day plans tomorrow. This cake is sure to impress your Valentine, and the best part is even the least experienced of bakers can create this elegant dessert.This cake is delicious and super easy.  You start with a basic chocolate bundt cake, you then cover it with a wonderful vanilla cream cheese frosting, strawberries and to top it off you cover the entire cake with chocolate ganache.  It not only combines the best flavors of the season it looks fantastic too!If you don’t have the option of using a bundt pan you can use  a couple of round cake pans and alternate layers of frosting and strawberries.

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Chocolate, Strawberry and Cream Cheese Bundt CakeChocolate Cake:1 ¾ Cups Sugar2 Cups Flour¾ Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder1 ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder1 ¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda¾ Teaspoon Salt2 Eggs1 Cup Milk½ Cup Oil2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract1 Cup Boiling Water

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a bundt panMix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, milk and oil in a large bowl.When well combined add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well.Add the flour and mix well.Slowly add the boiling water and mix well, being careful not to splash the liquid around.Bake for 45 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.Let cool for 15 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.Let cool completely before you ice, at least one hour.Cream Cheese Frosting:4oz Softened Unsalted Butter8oz Softened Cream Cheese2 Cups Powdered Sugar½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Cream the butter and cream cheese together until soft and creamy.With the mixer on low add the powdered sugar, making sure to scrape down the sides.Add the vanilla extract.Mix on medium speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.Spread evenly over the cooled cake.

Chocolate Ganache:½ Cup Heavy Cream4oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

In a saucepan heat the heavy cream until just boiling.Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips.Whisk vigorously until the chips have melted.Add the vanilla and whisk until combined.Pour over the iced cake.

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Source:Cake and frosting recipes: Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

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