You say potato I say polenta

BS"D

It was a hot and well, hot day. I wanted something easy for dinner and decided on hamburgers and sauteed onions. I never feel just a hamburger on the menu is enough, and filled out the menu with corn, pickles and tomatoes. But I still felt I needed a starchy side dish. I rifled through my freezer looking for the bag of fries I always keep there. O.k. I guess it's not always. I quickly remembered the tube of polenta I had picked up at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago. I'd been meaning to experiment with polenta fries and so it went.

I have a deep seated fear and general dislike of deep frying, as I feel it makes the whole house smell like a fast food joint, I only do it 2 or 3 times a year. So, I decided to oven fry the polenta "fries". I'm a big oven fryer. It involves putting the food in question, on a very non-stick surface, spritzing with PAM or brushing with oil and baking at a very high temperature, usually 400F degrees or higher. Since polenta is on the bland side, I also coated it with seasoning.

Well it worked great and Lillie even gave a "It's Yummy!" Something that's hard to come by with my pint sized critics. I was pleased with how it turned out and there were even calls for seconds. When you have the summer kitchen "blahs" and don't feel like doing much in the way of cooking, try this option. The polenta fries definitely mixed things up, got me out of the kitchen quickly and are quite a bit healthier than regular fries to boot!

Spices can be adjusted to your taste. Any spice blend can be used. About 1/2 teaspoon per tube of polenta works fine, although with herbs, you should use about 1 1/2 teaspoons. Try Italian, Cajun and Provence herb and spice mixtures.

Spicy Polenta Fries

1-18 ounce tube shelf stable or refrigerated polenta
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

Pre-heat oven to 425F degrees.

Cut polenta in tube in half or thirds then, then into 3"x1/2" sticks, resembling french fries.

Place cut up polenta in a medium sized mixing bowl, and toss with olive oil and seasoning.

Spread in a single layer on a non-stick cookie sheet (or use Reynold's Non-Stick Aluminum Foil on any baking sheet). Bake for 15 minutes per side, for a total of 30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings

Variations:

For spicy fries: add 1/4 teaspoon (or more to taste) cayenne pepper

For Rosemary and Garlic fries: Ass 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed, and 1 clove crushed garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Cakes-a-Poppin'

BS"D

***Scroll Down To Enter Free Book Giveaway***

Have you noticed desserts are getting smaller these days. Although the classic small dessert, the "Petit Four", has been in style for a few centuries, the cupcake has really taken off as the dessert of choice in the last half of the 20th century. The 21st century has gone even smaller with the cake pop sensation that is sweeping the nation. Angie Dudley, a blogger that goes by the name "Bakerella", has popularized these cute little cake balls on a stick. And, she bumped them up a notch, by designing pops that look like everything from owls to mini-cupcakes. Her book "Cake Pops" gives step by step instructions for pops for just about every occasion you can imagine.
The new trend may be a good thing health wise as you're able to get your dessert in a couple of bites of cake instead of a big piece. I like the idea of the cake pops not only because they are visually stunning, but because you can have a bite of fudge cake, a bite of red velvet and a bite of vanilla without investing in the calorie count of three slices!

But how do these cakes work out for the gluten free baker? I wasn't sure at first as gluten free cake tends to be crumbly, but the secret to the cake pops actually works out very well with gluten free cake. The process involves crumbling cake (with GF cake you are halfway there out of the oven), mixing in prepared frosting, which acts like a glue for the crumbs, then encasing them in candy coating. The pops can then be dipped in sprinkles, nuts, coconut, crushed cookies, or decorated according to the instructions in the book. I suggest watching Dudley's how-to video on Amazon.com.

My first attempt is pictured here. I dipped green pops in flower sprinkles and stuck them in Styrofoam inserted in a flower pot. The effect was springy and fun, and needless to say the kids loved them! I used Shufra brand gourmet baking bar for the candy coating as I needed a non-dairy alternative for the Candy Melts (Wilton brand), which seem to be the candy coating of choice in the book. They worked beautifully. Regular chocolate chips would work too, but they tend to be thicker than candy coating, and so you may need to add a teaspoon or two of solid vegetable shortening before melting to achieve a glossy coating and silkier consistency for dipping.

I wanted to use a boxed cake for added convenience in this project, but the eggs required in the boxed mix are a problem for Rosie. On the Internet I found a number of recipes using a can of soda and pudding as a substitute for the eggs and fat in boxed cake mixes. I tinkered around and came up with the recipe below. Link to Bakerella.com to use this cake or anyone of your choosing in a variety of eye catching cake balls and pops.


Enter to win a copy of "Cake Pops" (which was generously supplied by Chronicle Books). Leave a post below with your e-mail address (in case you win), and tell me what you like about cake pops. The contest ends July 31st, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be randomly selected from all posts. Good luck!

Check back in August, as I will continue the theme of small desserts with a review and giveaway of the just released Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakes by Kelli and Peter Bronski.

You can make this recipe with any flavor soda or plain seltzer. The soda flavor should compliment your cake, like cherry with chocolate cake or lemon-lime with yellow cake, etc.

Instantly Vegan Cake

1-15 ounce box Gluten Free cake mix
1-1.7 ounce box instant pudding (any flavor), or 1/2 -3.4 ounce box instant pudding
1-12 ounce can soda (any flavor) or seltzer (additional as needed)
1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

Pre-heat oven to 350F degrees. Spray an 8 or 9-inch round baking pan with non-stick cooking spray, and line with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan, or line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until well blended, or vigorously mix by hand with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended and smooth. Additional seltzer or soda may be needed to achieve a cake batter consistency. Add a couple of tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake according to package instructions, but check 10 minutes before the end of the suggested cooking time, as this cake generally needs less cooking time than that indicated on box.

Place on wire rack to cool completely. The top of the cake may crack as it cools. Store covered.

Yield: One 8 or 9-inch cake layer

Snap, Crackle, Gluten Free!

BS"D

Well, it's official, Rice Krispies Gluten Free Cereal is here! I heard a rumor that the cereal was in the works, and I mentally ran through the ingredients, realizing that the only thing they really had to get rid of from the original was malt flavoring. Yet, I figured this was under tight wraps in a super secret food lab in Battle Creek, and would be made public perhaps in the next few years. So, what a great surprise when I went to amazon.com to see an ad for Rice Krispies Gluten Free Cereal. It sells for just under $4 a box. In our house gluten free crisp rice cereal has been a luxury in recent years. Ringing up at about $5 a box at the health food store, I reserved the precious puffs for our favorite confection Chunk-a-Chews and other specialty recipes. I would cringe when the kids would request it for breakfast, pour a big bowl and they would take 2 bites then abandon the cereal for playtime. The Kellogg's website has printable coupons for $1 off any Rice Krispies, so that certainly sways me to buy their brand over the brand I could only buy at the health food store.



It's just nice knowing that more and more brands are available on our supermarket shelves with "gluten free" emblazoned over already familiar logos. I literally did a double when I walked past the Tasteekake display recently and saw "Gluten Free Cookies". "No, can't be" I thought. Maybe I just need another cup of coffee. But when I backed up my cart and stared at the boxes among the squishy snack cakes we've known and loved for years, I saw it was true.

Even thought these items are a bit pricier than their glutenny counterparts, and I don't expect sales on them anytime soon, it's comforting to know they are there and we now have options.


Have you been missing that classic childhood treat Rice Krispie Squares? Well you can have it again made with the genuine article. I use eggless marshmallows to accommodate Rosie, they are also know as "vegan marshmallows". I like Lieber's brand and stock up at Passover time when I find them in abundance.

Gluten-Free Treats®
from Kellogs.com

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine*
1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows* - or - 4 cups miniature marshmallows*
6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® Gluten Free cereal

Directions
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES Gluten Free cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS: In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary. Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Make and Take

BS"D

Mother's Day is today, and in my mind it kicks off a season of celebrations, fun in the sun and barbecues. Least of all we want to worry about are vomiting and crippling stomach pains the next day. In previous blog entries (click on this link), I've given some tips for successfully navigating celebrations. They all take planning and effort on your part, such as speaking with the host to verify what can be eaten and bringing a dish that everyone can share. But, to quote Robert Burn's, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry". Such as the hostess believing what she made is gluten free, or the delicious gluten free casserole you brought being "contaminated" by a serving spoon from the macaroni salad. You get the picture. In fact, I recently read a gluten free blogger's child was "gluttened" for the first time in 11 years at a party that was supposed to be entirely gluten free!

So, the only 100% safest route is to bring your own meal. You don't have to lose out on any of the fun of the party, nor do you have to lose out on taste. Bringing your own food doesn't have to be a bologna sandwich in a Hello Kitty lunchbox. I recently developed a loaf pan lasagna that makes 2 servings. And the best part is, it's lower in fat and calories than most lasagnas. You can certainly "plump it up" with full fat cheeses and more of them, but it's delicious as is too! It's easily transported in the loaf pan in which it's made (disposable may be used), freezes well, and can be heated up easily in a microwave (out of the metal pan) or an oven. You can even make a few of these at once, using up the entire box of lasagna noodles, and freeze so you are ready to go at a moments notice. You can even use some fresh herbs which are starting to come up at this time of year. This particular recipe struck me as perfect to take to a Mother's Day brunch.

For added convenience, the lasagna may be assembled up to 8 hours in advance. Pour in the water before baking. If you aren't counting calories, add 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese to the spinach mixture. For a vegan version of this dish, substitute soft tofu for the ricotta cheese, soy cheese for the mozzarella, and omit the egg.

Skinny and Single Vegetarian Lasagna

1-10 ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 egg white
1/2 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 Tablespoon fresh, chopped)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1/2 Tablespoon fresh, chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup marinara sauce
3 gluten free lasagna noodles (such as Tinkyada), uncooked
1/4 c. low fat mozzarella cheese*
1/4 cup water

Pre-heat the oven to 350F degrees.

Squeeze spinach between hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Place in medium sized mixing bowl. Add egg white, ricotta cheese and spices. Stir until well combined.

Spray a 1-lb. loaf pan (8.5x4.5inches) with non-stick cooking spray. Spread 2 Tbs. of marinara sauce on bottom of pan. Layer 1 noodle, 1/2 of spinach mixture and 1/3 of sauce. Repeat. Top with remaining noodle and sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Pour water around around edges of pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Serves: 2 (or 1 person who has seconds)

*You may use more mozzarella cheese and sprinkle over each layer.

Road Maps

BS"D

I was cleaning out a cabinet today and found a class picture from Lillie's 2 year old play group. She seemed so small, staring at the camera with a short mop of red curls and the then ever present pony tails sticking straight up from both sides of her head. A row back the boy who insisted on wearing his sister's skirt that day. The absurdity of his act preserved for eternity. I glanced back at Lillie and noticed how thin she looked, and pale. Very pale. I never really was concerned with it until the first gastroenterologist we went to for her persistent stomach aches mentioned it. I knew she was pale genetically, but because she wasn't absorbing iron and other nutrients, never occurred to me. I silently kicked myself again for waiting over a year to take her to a specialist. Kicked myself twice since I don't even need a referral. Her pediatrician recommended a few crackers in the morning to settle her stomach and assurances that 50% of all children her age have stomach pains. Celiac wasn't even on my map at the time. Then of course, we took a detour.

We just marked the 2 year anniversary of Lillie's celiac diagnosis. At the time, I needed a new road map for the area we were thrust into. In modern terms, I would say my GPS had to recalculate. She was diagnosed a few days before Passover. My freezer was full of (wheat) matzo meal cakes and kugels. My husband ran out to get her the oh so expensive Oat Matzo ($25 per box), and I scrambled to make her dishes she could eat, while trying to figure out what she could eat exactly. I felt like not only had I been sent on an annoying detour, but my car went off the road into a forest, and I had to find my way out.

By the end of the first day of her diagnosis I had already ordered several cookbooks and general advice books. One of the first books I read on living with celiac disease was "Gluten-Free Girl" by Shauna James Ahern---who writes an eponymous blog. It is a combination guide for celiacs, memoir and cookbook. Given that Ms. Ahern, is a writer and teacher of creative writing, the book was very well written and wildly popular. It was not only informative for those seeking a gluten free lifestyle, it was just a good read, plain and simple, about one woman's journey in health, life and love. Like most Americans suffering from celiac disease, she didn't get diagnosed overnight. It took time, it was a process. A painful process. But she found her way in the gluten-free world, as well as her way into the heart of a great chef who learned about cooking gluten-free. At one point her husband to be even cooked everything in his restaurant gluten-free, in order that Shauna would be able to eat everything there (if that's not love, I don't know what is!).

The culmination of the Aherns experiences together navigating the gluten free foodie world is a second book, Gluten-Free Girl and The Chef. Although this is a cookbook, there are essays in between the recipes that give a glimpse into their lives and love. The photos in the book are lush and the prose even lusher.



Gluten-Free Girl and The Chef is definitely a book for foodies, filled with recipes centered around locally grown/raised, organic, slow food. Recipes include, "gourmetified" classics like smoked-salt caramel ice cream, tuna-noodle casserole with cremini mushrooms and thyme, house cured salmon, and sloppy joes with piment d'Espelette and veal stock. Some of the ingredients may seem daunting, such as kefir lime leaves or white-truffle honey, which, perhaps are readily available to the Aherns in Seattle's bustling Pike Place market, but not at your local supermarket. Nevertheless, there is something for everyone. If you don't have time or desire to make your own gluten-free pasta as the Aherns do, you can certainly sub store bought pasta in their dishes. And when you have the time to do cook something slow, it is worthwhile to try a recipe from this book.

The recipes I selected from the book to present are perfect for the upcoming Passover holiday. They are two of the more simpler recipes, with ingredients that should be fairly easy to come by.

Have a tasty and happy Passover!

Daniel Ahern, "the chef" learned to make this from Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern. I thought it looked similar to Sefardi style charoset. Either way, it can be used for passover, and would make a nice accompaniment to meat or chicken, and would certainly be a great spread for matzoh!

Fig Chutney
from "Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef" by Shauna James Ahern and Daniel Ahern, p. 145

3 pints fresh figs
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup ruby red port

Remove the stems from the figs. Quarter them and set them aside.

Set a large saute pan over low heat and pour in the oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook until the herb and spices are fragrant in the kitchen.

Add three-quarters of the fresh figs. Pour in the port and stir. Raise the heat to medium and cook the chutney, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until it is reduced and starts to thicken, 15 or 20 minutes; however, do not over stir the chutney, because you want the figs somewhat chunky. Stir in the remaining figs and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Chill the chutney in a long, shallow casserole dish, so it can chill evenly; if you put it in a deep container, it will keep warm and continue cooking, and the bottom will be hot and turn sour faster.

Yield: 2 cups


Everyone seems to buy a big horseradish root for the seder plate, then not know what to do with it the next day. You can use it in this dish, which makes a lovely appetizer for the holiday meals. Use mayonnaise instead of sour cream if you are serving it with a meat meal. During the year you can sub-Tofutti sour cream or silken tofu for the non-dairy eaters amongst your guests. If you are serving someone who is both dairy and egg allergic, omit the horseradish cream and make their stacks with tomatoes, salmon, lemon and herbs.

Smoked Salmon and Tomato Napoleon with Horseradish Sour Cream

from "Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef" by Shauna James Ahern and Daniel Ahern, p. 177

1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh horseradish
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
4 large ripe heirloom tomatoes (in season)
8 ounces sliced smoked salmon

In a food processor, combine the sour cream (or mayonnaise), prepared horseradish, grated horseradish, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth and then stir in the chives by hand. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the tomatoes to roughly 1/4-inch thickness. Season with salt.

Start with a slice of tomato. Dollop some horseradish sour cream on top. Nestle a piece of smoked salmon in it. Repeat, going all the way up until you cannot eat any higher.

If you are presenting these on a platter, drizzle the sour cream sauce around the plate.

Yield: 4 servings

Alice in Cookieland

BS"D


BS"D

Before Jacques Torres was wowing the American public with mousse filled chocolate desserts shaped like antique wood-stoves, Alice Medrich set up shop in Berkeley, California. Her goal was to educate the American Palate that there was more to chocolate than the milky bars that came in the ubiquitous brown and white wrapper (although I will take one of those any day still!). Her cookbooks further wooed the hearts of Americans unable to make the trip to her famed store, Cocolat. Alice's creations always contain high quality ingredients, and are also high in creativity, for instance using garam masala in a cookie! I flipped through her latest book, Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich, not expecting to find anything I could make for Lillie and Rosie, but find it I did...in spades.


I experienced the joy of the unexpected discovery, when I found both gluten free, dairy-free and eggless selections (although not all free of everything) in the book, including: Cocoa Nib Wheat-Free Rugelach, Spicy Carrot Masala Macaroons and Wheat-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. I especially liked that she incorporated oat flour into many of her wheat-free selections. I have been trying of late to re-incorporate whole grains into Lillie's diet. Before she went gluten-free, we ate largely whole wheat pasta and breads. Once she went gluten-free the only varieties of gluten-free breads and pastas she found palatable were the white flour ones. This distressed me somewhat, although I wanted to feed her what was appealing since she felt deprived of so much at that point. Alice Medrich's decision to include gluten-free and allergy friendly desserts in her book has given me hope that the culinary world is truly recognizing and accommodating special diets.


With Purim just around the cornier, I have been getting a lot of hits for hamantaschen. As an alternative to last year's recipe, you can also use these butter cookies from Alice Medrich. For a change from jam filling, Ms. Medrich includes a nice chocolate filling recipe for the hamantaschen, or use 1 cup chocolate chips melted with 1 Tbsp. margarine or shortening in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirred until smooth (as Lillie and Rosie did in picture above). These are also great for cut-out cookies.

Wheat-Free Butter Cookies

from Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich, pp. 44-45

1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon white rice flour, preferably superfine
1 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoon. oat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
2 oz. cream cheese, cut in chunks (Tofutti cream cheese or pureed soft or silken tofu may be substituted)
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted, butter, softened, cut in chunks (or non-hydrogenated, non-dairy margarine such as Earth Balance)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt, and baking soda, and mix thoroughly with a whisk or fork. In a large bowl, using the back of a large spoon or an electric mixer, mix the sugar with the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla just until smooth and creamy. Add the flour mixture and mix just until it is incorporated. Do not over mix.

Divide the dough between two sheets of wax paper and form two- 8-inch logs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap them tightly in the wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably longer or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

Use a sharp knife to cut eh cold dough log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place the cookies at least 1 1/2 inches apart on the lined or greased baking sheets*. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown at the edges and well browned on the bottom. The tops will remain fairly pale. Rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through baking time to ensure even baking. For lined pans, set the pans or just the liners on racks to cool; for unlined pans, use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to racks. Cool completely before stacking or storing. May be kept in an airtight container for at least 2 weeks.

*For hamantaschen: At this point, dip the bottom of a glass in gluten free flour or granulated sugar, and flatten cookie dough rounds slightly. Fill with 1/2 tsp. jam, prune lekvar, ganache or date paste. Pinch to form 3 corners and continue as above. May need to bake a extra few minutes. Dough may also be rolled out to 1/4-inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters.

Yield: 3 dozen





I made this recipe with gluten-free flour, and it came out fine, except I had to bake it about 10-15 minutes longer than the time called for. I also omitted the nuts due to Rosie's allergies and the vegan caramels b/c I've yet to find vegan caramels--perhaps in Berkeley they are in every supermarket!

Dairy-Free Caramel Rocky Road Squares
from Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich, pp. 210-11

1 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum*
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon distilled vinegar
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6-oz. dairy-free semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into shards or pieces or use store-bought chunks or chips
1 cup broken or very coarsely chopped walnut or pecan pieces
3 ounces purchased vegan caramels, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
12 marshmallows, quartered

*If using a flour blend without xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum to the mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or fork.

In a small bowl, mix the next four ingredients. Pour the liquid over the flour mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatulas just until smooth. Add half of the chocolate, half of the walnuts, and all the caramel, and stir to incorporate.

Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Distribute the marshmallow quarters all over the brownies an poke them into the batter, leaving the tips exposed. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate and nurse around the marshmallows.

Bake for 20-25 minutes (I found I needed to bake about 35-40), or until the batter no longer sways or jiggles when you nudge the side of the pan. Cool on a rack. Lift the edges of the foil to transfer the squares to a cutting board. Slide a slim metal spatula under the cake to release it from the foil. Cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

May be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Yield: 16 2 1/4-inch squares

Have your cake and eat it too!

BS"D

One of the things I mourned when I both had to give up eggs in my baking, and later went gluten-free, was the convenience of cake mixes. Although I am an avid from scratch baker as well, I enjoyed using the cake mixes as a "jumping off point" for recipes, such as my favorite, the iconic Tunnel of Fudge Cake. Similarly Anne Byrn author of the "Cake Mix Doctor" series made a career out of "doctoring" store bought mixes to make beautiful Bundts, magnificent muffins and creative cookies. She has now tackled the gluten-free market with her latest book, "The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free". I can honestly say if I recommend one gluten-free baking book, it would be this one. Although dairy-free substitutes are provided for each recipe, they are not egg-less. But, ones own experimentation can be done with various egg substitutes.



Although normally from scratch baking is cheaper than using store bought mixes, it is not necessarily the case with gluten-free baking. Most recipes call for a blend of flours, sometimes as many as five (or more), each one may cost 5-7 times that of all-purpose wheat flour. Plus there is xanthan gum which can cost $13 a packet. And if you bake infrequently, these items will go bad over time (I store mine in the freezer to help prolong their freshness). Since Betty Crocker unveiled her line of gluten-free mixes, including cakes, cookies and brownies, the cost of gluten-free baking has gone down significantly. The Betty Crocker mixes are less than $4 (in my supermarket), and taste great. I particularly like the brownie mix, the texture and flavor are great. Although there are more and more gluten-free bakeries cropping up, most of us have to buy frozen or bake our own gluten-free cakes and cupcakes. So, the convenience found in these mixes is a boon to us. Anne Byrn puts a spin on the store bought mixes by adding ingredients to create such treats as Seven Layer Brownies, Snickerdoodle Cake and Lemon Bundt. She even gives step by step instructions for creating a gluten-free wedding cake! The cookbook is uncomplicated and yields great results. With just a few additions, Ms. Byrn shows you how you can elevate the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Along these lines, my friend Shuli recently threw a gala third birthday party for her son. Shuli's brother was diagnosed with Celiac disease as an adult, and she makes a great effort to accommodate his dietary needs. Catering the entire party on her own, she wanted to make the dishes as quick and easy to prepare as she could. She decided to make a spread of bagels, providing Udi's brand for her brother, flavored cream cheeses, hard cheeses, smoked salmon and salads (including a Caesar with gluten-free croutons and a rice noodle pasta salad). In this way, the gluten-free guest could enjoy all the dishes along with everyone else. For dessert, Shuli made a dessert bar that was entirely gluten-free! For this she gets the Gluten Free Maven's "Hostess with the Mostest Award" for 2011. Since she isn't cooking gluten-free on a daily basis, and did not wish to complicate things with buying a half dozen different flours she would use only once, Shuli decided to stick with mixes and store bought baked goods, which she "doctored". Being that the party was on Super Bowl Sunday, and her son was born the day our home team won the Super Bowl, she decided to make football shaped brownies. She used the Betty Crocker Brownie mix which she frosted with Duncan Hines Whipped Chocolate Frosting (gluten-free and dairy-free). Then, she cut out the shapes with a football cookie cutter (Shuli told me you could also bend a tin can into a football shape if you don't have a cookie cutter). Putting white frosting in a zip-top plastic bag, she snipped one corner and added the lacing to the footballs. The result was a big hit! She also made a decorated cake, individual trifles (see pic. above) using crumbled cake and decorating store-bought black and white cookies to look like a little boy's face. Adding a tray of fruit kebabs made her gluten-free dessert bar a spectacular looking and tasting success!

While we unfortunately don't all attend so many gluten friendly parties as this, we can still take along a dessert or dish to add to the festivities, and be enjoyed by all---gluten-free or otherwise.


The author recommends using Betty Crocker or Gluten Free Pantry brand mixes.

Chocolate Cloud Cookies

from The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free by Anne Byrn, p.p. 266-7

1 package (15 ounces) chocolate gluten-free cake mix
2 Tablespoons chocolate instant pudding mix
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter or vegetable shortening, melted
1 large egg
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Set aside 2 ungreased baking sheets.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, melted butter, and egg in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients nearly come together in a ball, 45 seconds. Place the confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl. With your hands form the cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball of dough in the confectioners' sugar and arrange 12 balls on each baking sheet 2 to 3 inches apart.

3. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake the cookies until they are puffed up , firm around the edges, but still slightly soft in the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely, 15 minutes longer. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Store the cookies in a cookie jar or tin at room temperature for up to a week. Freeze the cookies, wrapped in aluminum foil or in a resealable plastic bag, for one month. Let the cookies thaw on the kitchen counter overnight before serving.

Optional: Fold in 1/2 cup of miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips into the cookie dough before rolling into balls.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen


This Caesar salad has a dairy-free dressing, and can be made egg-free by substituting a soy based mayonnaise substitute, such as Nayonaise.

Shuli's 1-2-3 Caesar Salad

Dressing:
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tablespoon olive or canola oil
5 Tablespoons white or cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise or Nayonaise
salt and pepper, to taste

Croutons:
3 slices Udi's bread
non-stick cooking spray
salt, to taste
1 Tablespoon garlic powder (more or less to taste)

1 head romaine lettuce, washed patted dry and torn into pieces

1. In a small bowl, stir together dressing ingredients until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Lay bread on a cookie sheet. Spray both sides generously with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and generously with garlic powder. Bake at 350 until browned. Cut into cubes when cooled.

3. Place lettuce in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing over lettuce, and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with croutons. Serve.

Serves: 6-8