Corn Bread - Gluten Free

Even my gluten-loving family enjoys this corn bread recipe! It's a winner with all of us.

1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup masa (corn flour)
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup rice flour (I've used brown or sweet white)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 TB sugar
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
2 cups milk plus 2 TB apple cider vinegar (or 2 cups of buttermilk)
2 beaten eggs

Mix together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix together the milk and eggs in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until they are smooth. Quickly stir in the melted butter.

Pour batter into a greased 10x13 baking dish. Bake at 400* for 20 minutes or until the edges are a golden brown.

This recipe will also work without the xanthan gum. The texture will just be more crumbly without it.
Masa can be found in the ethnic section of the grocery store, with the Mexican foods.
This bread does not store well. You'll have to break out the honey-butter and eat it now!
This is a wonderful option for gluten-free stuffing at Thanksgiving.

Stovetop Kettle Corn

This post is for Mom! It originates from Our Best Bites.

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons oil (coconut oil is divine here)
1/3 cup popcorn kernels
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Kosher salt

Directions:
Heat the oil in a LARGE pot with a tight fitting lid over a medium-high heat. While it's heating, combine the popcorn kernels and sugar together in a bowl.  When the oil is hot, pour the sugar and kernels into the oil, give it a quick stir, and promptly put the lid on! Hold the handles and the lid down (use something to protect your hands from the heat) and give the pan a shake from side to side and up and down.  Do this every 20 seconds to keep the sugar from burning and to coat the kernels evenly.  Continue doing this until you can tell that everything is almost done popping (the popping will slow down considerably as it nears the end). Remove the lid and stir it.  Add as much salt as you would like, toss it into a bowl and serve!

Tip: If the kernels don't start popping after a few minutes, try cracking the lid open to release some pressure, then put it back on and continue shaking the pan around.  Most likely that will help things along.  :)

Stovetop Granola

This recipe is for Jenny! I'm pretty sure this is the one I used to make your birthday jar...pretty sure. Umm, at least it looks like it. :) I know I added more oats than it calls for, 'cause I like my granola that way. And I like pecans over almonds if I have the choice. (This comes from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oats then cook and stir until starting to brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and spread out on a cookie sheet to cool.

2. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat. Stir in the honey and brown sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Return the oats to the pan. Cook and stir for another 5 minutes or so. Pour out onto the cookie sheet and spread to cool.

3. Once cool, transfer to an airtight container and stir in the almonds and dried cranberries. Any additional nuts and fruit can be stirred in at this time also.

Truly Whole Wheat Pancakes

Scott often prepares breakfast on Saturday morning. These pancakes are delicious and rank right up there with his hash-browns. Delicious!

1 cup whole wheat (wheat, not flour)

2 cups water

The night before, soak the wheat in the water.

1 1/4 cups milk (approximate)

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup canola oil

2 TB baking powder

Add the pre-soaked wheat to a blender. Pour the milk into the blender. (There should be enough milk to cover the wheat.)

Turn on the blender and allow the mixture to blend for aobut 3 minutes.

Add teh eggs salt and canola oil. Blend for aobut 30 seconds.

Add the baking powder and blend. Transfer to a bowl. (Have your bowl ready, because the mixure will expand radidly in the blender.)

Allow mixure to sit in bowl for about 3 minutes.

Stir the mixture before cooking; pour pancakes onto preheated griddle.

Cook until golden brown on each side.

Credit for this recipe goes to Chef Bryan Woolley of KUTV Channel 2 News.

Granola

My granola recipe is ever evolving. So, this version includes many years of editing. I'm sure that there will be more versions in the future, too.

4 cups rolled wheat

8 cups old-fashioned rolled-oats (not "quick")

1 1/2 cups ground flax seed
3 cups sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 1/2 cups sunflower seeds, hulled, roasted, not salted
3/4 cups raw wheat germ
1 cup honey
6 TB canola oil
ground cinnamon OR vanilla extract
3 cups dried fruit of choice (dates, cranberries, apples, blueberries, chopped apricots)

In a large mixing bowl, combine wheat, oats, flax, almonds, coconut, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ. Stir to combine ingredients.

Combine the honey and oil in a sauce pan. Warm gently to combine; do not boil or overheat. Add ground cinnamon or vanilla extract as the mixture is taken from the heat. (The fruit I choose to add later determines which flavor I use here.)

Pour honey mixture over grain mixture and stir well to combine. The mixture will appear crumbly and not very moist.

Divide the cereal into three greased jelly-roll sheets. Bake in a preheated 300* oven. Bake each sheet for 20 minutes. Then remove the pan from the oven, stir the granola and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Add the dried fruit to the granola after it has cooled completely. Store in a sealed container in a cool, dark place.

I make granola about monthly. Scott says that it sticks with him and lasts longer than cooked cereals. I will often change what nuts I am using by what I have on hand: pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans, almonds. To make the granola chewy, add some applesauce to the honey and oil mixture.

September 2013...True to form, I have made another change in this recipe. For the past year I have been trying to find ways to use coconut oil in order to incorporate more medium-chain triglycerides in our diet. This is the perfect place to do that! I have been using this recipe, replacing the 6 TB of oil with 1/2 cup of coconut oil. It is a great improvement! 

Quinoa with Chard and Cheese

This recipe was an adaptation; I was looking for ways to incorporate quinoa. I rarely have all of the ingredients for a recipe, so I have a tendency to use what I have on hand. This time it was delicious!

I had been trying to find ways to use quinoa because it is good source of protein. I have read that it is the only complete vegetable protein. Does anyone have a good recipe for quinoa they would share?

Olive oil

1 diced yellow onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1-2 cups left-over, cooked quinoa

2 generous cups chopped Swiss chard

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

In a large skillet, cook the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent and frangrant. Stir in the quinoa to heat it up. Add the chard next and cook over medium heat until the leaves are wilted. Remove skillet from heat and add parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Thanks to Jenny for this recipe, which comes from the "Everyday with Rachel Ray" magazine. We made it for a quick, easy Saturday lunch and it worked great! It could become a weekend tradition. I doubled the recipe and cooked it in twelve regular sized muffin pans. I think we should try it out for a party sometime.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounced cut up pepperoni
1/2 cup store bought pizza sauce
2 Tablespoons chopped basil
1 red bell pepper, sliced.

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350*. Grease a 24 mini-muffin pan. Mix together flour and baking powder; whisk in milk and egg. Stir in cheese and pepperoni. Let sit for ten minutes.

2. Stir the batter and pour into the muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, until puffy and golden.

3. Microwave pizza sauce to warm, and stir in 1 Tbsp. basil. Remove pizza puffs from pan and sprinkle with other Tablespoon basil. Serve puffs with red pepper slices on the side and sauce for dipping!

Pineapple (or Other Fruit) Skillet Upside-Down Cake

By popular demand, here it is, from Rick Bayless' "Mexican Everday" cookbook.

So YUMMY!

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 1/2 cups pineapple, or berries, or peaches, or apples, or nectarines, or... you get the picture
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (or soured milk) or plain yogurt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*. Melt butter in a 10" skillet with an ovenproof handle, preferrably non-stick, over a medium heat. Swirl it around until it turns nut-brown then pour into a medium bowl. Without wiping the pan out, sprinkle the brown sugar into the skillet and top with a fruit layer.

In a bowl, mix together the flours, salt, soda and baking powder. Mix the white sugar in with the browned butter. Add the egg and mix; then add buttermilk/yogurt and mix. Pour into the dry indregients and whisk together.

Pour batter over the fruit. Put skillet in oven and bake 35 minutes or until cate is golden brown and springy to the touch. Remove and cool 10 minutes.

Put a plate over skillet, and using oven mitts, flip them over together in one quick movement. Remove the skillet and serve cake!

Marion Cunningham's buttermilk pancakes

This recipe has become our favorite when we make pancakes, which is quite frequently. I'm not sure what makes them so good, since it's very similiar to other recipes, but it works for us! The author says it doesn't work well to multiply the recipe, but you can double a batch and have it still turn out.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp. butter or oil for the pan

Directions:

1. Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Crack egg into the center and pour the buttermilk over the top of the egg.
2. With a fork or whisk, stir until it forms a lumpy batter and all flour is absorbed. Pour in melted butter and stir until buttter is just dispersed. DO NOT OVERMIX.
3. Spread 1 Tbsp. butter/oil on the griddle. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter on to form pancakes. Turn when bubbles form on the top. Brown the other side.
4. Eat!

No buttermilk? Just add a Tbsp of vinegar to a measuring cup, then pour in milk until it reaches 1 cup mark. Stir, let sit a few minutes, then proceed as normal. :)

Amish Oatmeal

I can no longer find the original recipe for Amish Oatmeal. However, I remember that the first attempts had extravagant amounts of sugar and butter. No wonder it tasted so good! This version is the one that we often use now and it still tastes great. We love it served with yogurt or milk and fresh or dried fruit.
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, this is a great way to start the day!

6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sugar or 1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup applesauce
3 eggs
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix oats, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix liquids in a separate bowl: milk, honey (if not using sugar), applesauce, eggs. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix in the melted butter. Spoon the thick mixture into a buttered 10x14 casserole dish, or several smaller dishes. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes. Serve hot or cold for a great breakfast cereal.
This recipe freezes very well. I like to make it once and serve it multiple times. It's also great to feed a crowd.
Another delicious option is to add fresh, diced apples, frozen blueberries or chopped nuts to the mixture before it is baked.