Chewy, Flexible, Crunchy Gluten Free Pizza Crust!

I loooooooooooove pizza because I loooooooooooooove bread.  LOVE IT!  I can not stress my affection for bread enough.  During my trials of eating Raw Vegan, Gluten Free, and now Paleo, I can easily say chewy, artisan, crispy, wheat, gluten loaded bread is by far what I jones for the most.

When I have a "cheat meal," I try to keep some sort of goodness intact, so the other day I decided to make pizza with a homemade gluten free pizza crust when I came across this recipe on Pinterest.  I noticed in the post the blogger said she would eventually like to tinker with adding psyllium husk and reducing the starch level, so my first go around with this recipe, I did just that...but I wasn't totally "on" with my proportions.  Since it was my cheat meal, and I was willing to deal with the starch content, I decided to not be too concerned with the starch level and simply "improve" (IMO) on the original crust's texture by adding my new favorite ingredient, psyllium husk powder.  I love the "chew" this ingredient adds to GF breads.

Well, after some trials, the following recipe is an alternative to Zen Belly's recipe that I've come up with it...and I think it's amazeballs.  It's light, it's chewy, it's got some crisp to it, it rises beautifully, it stays thin crust, is easy to spread/shape, and has baking properties of "normal" bread.  Let me know what you think!  And, NO NASTY XANTHAN GUM!

Gluten Free/Grain Free Pizza Crust (nom, nom, nom, nom...)

• 2 1/4 tsp. yeast (1 packet)
• 1 Tbs. raw honey
• 1/2 cup of very warm (not scalding hot) water
  

• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 3/4 cup tapioca starch
• 2 Tbs. psyllium husk powder
• 1/5 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. kosher/sea salt
  

• 1 Tbs. olive or coconut oil or Ghee
• 1 egg white (slightly whipped)
• 1.5 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Directions:
In a liquid measuring cup, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey.  Stir until all is dissolved, and set aside to activate and become foamy (appx 10min).

In a stand mixer, or stand alone bowl with hand mixer, add the dry ingredient.  Quickly mix to incorporate.  Add oil, egg white, and vinegar to the yeast mixture.  Stir to combine, and then add to the dry ingredient in mixing bowl.  Mix all ingredients together.  The mixture will be VERY wet, but this is necessary because the psyllium husk will "gel" over time causing the mixture to thicken substantially.  Add pizza dough to a greased bowl, and set in a warm spot to rise appx. 1-1.5 hours.

 very wet after just mixing

much firmer after rising for a little over an hour

risen dough turned out onto parchment lined baking sheet.  See those bubbles and texture?!

Simply use your hands to spread the dough between parchment paper and plastic wrap (I used Press N' Seal") into your desired shape.  The plastic wrap will peel right off.

 (The crust needs to be pre-baked before loading with toppings.  Do so at a fairly high temp like 425F until the crust browns over.  You do not want to under-bake this crust.  The pysllium husk keeps the bread VERY moist.)

Once pre-baked, load it up with yumminess, pop it back in a very high heat oven, and finish off with a broil on top!  I like my pizzas well done, but I can assure you the crust was NOT over-cooked, was still VERY "foldable", but yet had a great crunch on that outer ring.

SO.  GOOD.

Coconut Creamed Tomato Basil Smothered Chicken

Last night I posted an Instagram pic of a plate of one of my favorite dinner meals as of late and received requests for the "recipe."  Well, in my savory cooking, I never have a recipe, but I tried to piece one together for you.  In Layman's terms, this dish is basically sauteed chicken and mushrooms smothered in simple Italian based red sauce creamed up with coconut milk.  So, run with it as you want; modify it to your likes/dislikes/preferences...I don't care.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken thighs (could certainly use breasts, but thighs are best!!!  Dark meat > white meat)
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms sliced
• 1/4 chopped onion
• 2- cloves minced fresh garlic
• 1- cup chicken stock (for deglazing pan; could certainly use red wine here, too/instead)
• 1- can fire roasted diced tomatoes roughly blended in a blender/ food processor/hand immersion blender)  
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil or ~ 2 tsp-1 Tbs. of dried basil
• ~2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1/2 can full fat coconut milk
• salt/pepper/onion & garlic powder to taste

In a large cast iron skillet/saute/sauce pan on med/high heat, brown salted/peppered chicken pieces on both sides.  They don't have to be completely cooked through at this point.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add additional olive/coconut oil to pan, and saute mushrooms, onion, and garlic until slightly browned and caramelized (salt this mixture).  At this point, your pan should have quite a bit of caramelization on the bottom.  With heat still on med-high, add the chicken stock/red wine/mix of both to deglaze the pan scraping up all those brown bits and juices.  That liquid should reduce fairly quick.

Add blended can of tomatoes, parsley, basil, honey.  Stir to combine with mushroom mixture and return chicken to the pan.  Chicken should be mostly smothered with mixture.  You'll probably need to add additional water to the mixture in order for sauce to almost cover chicken.  Don't fret; it will eventually cook out.  Cover and simmer on low to cook chicken and tenderize for about 15-30 minutes (depending on how long you have; chicken thighs don't need much time to cook or tenderize).

Then, uncover and continue to simmer in order to reduce the sauce quite a bit.  Once sauce has reduced to a pretty thick consistency, add 1/2 can of coconut milk.  Stir to incorporate, and turn off heat.  Season to taste (will need to add salt again most likely).  Let cool a bit, and serve!


I suck at writing savory recipes.  In a nut shell:

• saute and season everything, deglaze pan, add tomaters and herbs, cook and reduce, add coconut milk...done!  

If you want tasty food, then SALT IT!  The difference between "edible" food and "amazing" food is salt.

Paleo/GF "One Minute Muffin"

I'm a bread freak.  Nothing makes me happier than a glass of red wine and some chewy, crusty, artisan bread.  Well, that becomes a problem when I'm eating trying to eat grain free.

Back during my first go around with Gluten Free, I hunted high and low for a GF bread, and I finally found one that was pretty good....but pretty void of good ingredients.  It wasn't grain free, either.  So, back to the interwebs I went in search for a healthy, grain free bread alternative, and I came across this magic "one minute muffin."  I gave the first recipe I came across a go, and was pleasantly surprised!  But, in usually CiCi fashion, I knew I could tweak it to make it just a little bit better.  This is by-far the closest "bread" recipe I've come across, and it just so happens to be ridiculously easy!

I love this "bread" option!  Here's why:

• it contains good wholesome ingredients
• it makes a single serving (which is good for this single gal)
• it's FAST
• it's EASY
• you don't waste ingredients testing out a full bread loaf recipe only to have it fail (expensive!)
• the taste is pretty darn good, and the texture is actually light and fluffy!

The one downside of this bread is only for those who are microwave haters.  For me, I don't sweat it.  I've got bigger worries...like how I can finally enjoy a freakin' sandwich again!!!  The microwave is actually key to this recipe because it creates an awesome steamy atmosphere.

CiCi's Paleo/GF "One Minute Muffin" Bread
(modified from this recipe, which is good, as well, but includes flax, which some prefer to avoid)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup almond flour (finely ground!)
• 1 Tbs. Psyllium Husk powder (can be found at many grocery stores in fiber section and at Natural Foods stores)
• pinch of kosher/sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder (could probably reduce to a 1/4 tsp)
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbs. water
• 1 tsp. coconut oil/olive oil/ghee...a good fat!

Directions:

Lightly oil/spray a ramekin (preferably shallow and wide) or wide base bowl (see mine below).  Combine and thoroughly mix dry ingredients in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Whisk egg, water, and oil together in another small bowl.  Add egg mixture to the dry ingredients.  Mix until just incorporated; add to sprayed bowl/ramekin.

According to my microwave, microwave uncovered on HIGH for 1 min. 30 sec.  Your microwave may be stronger than mine and require less time.

Let cool for a minute in the bowl, then run a knife along the edge and invert onto cooling rack.  After cooling for a bit, I take a sharp knife and split mine.  I always toast mine before eating, but you certainly don't have to.

(base of bowl is about 4in. in diameter)

Paleo/GF/Refined Sugar Free...Coconut Flour Banana Muffins

As an avid baker, I'll be the first to admit that gluten free/grain free baked goods will never beat the texture of its "traditional" wheat predecessor.  BUT, that doesn't mean GF baked goods have to be horrible; it just means I have to work extra hard in finding those "diamond in the rough" recipes for you...you're welcome. ;-)

I've been playing around with the Paleo food lifestyle for the past week or so, and so far so good.  I'm not going to go in to any Paleo dogma right now as 1) I'm still not well versed in it, and 2) I'm soooo over debating ANYTHING right now, but I did come across this wholesome and easy recipe the other day I felt needed sharing.

If you're following a gluten free (GF) or Paleo lifestyle, give these banana muffins a go.  They are STUPID EASY, tasty, very moist, wholesome, refined sugar free, and grain free.  The recipe below is almost an exact replicate of this recipe, except I've halved it (yields 6 muffins), omitted the nutmeg suggestion as I thought it did NOT compliment the flavor, and added a touch of honey as I needed them a little sweeter.  Did I mention those are stupid easy?!?!?!  Here we go...

GF/Paleo Banana Muffins
(yields 6 or 7 muffins)

(mine were a little darker than this picture portrays)

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas*
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup natural nut butter (almond, peanut, macademia, cashew...whatevs)
• 1 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1 Tbs. raw honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• good pinch of kosher or sea salt (about an 1/8 tsp.)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour* 
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional- add to flour mixture)

* with the addition of the honey and depending on banana size, you may find you want to add another teaspoon or two of coconut flour due to the extra moisture.  Coconut flour is a dense, lumpy flour, so all of our measurements will be slightly different, and your 1/4 cup measurement may already have the extra teaspoon mine may have lacked.  Just play with it if you feel your muffins need more structure.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Sift together coconut flour, baking soda and powder.

Add the remaining ingredients (first 7 in list above) in a blender.  Blend until it's completely homogeneous and looks like smoothie consistency.  While blender is still running (go to a lower setting), gradually add the flour mixture.  It will need some help blending as it thickens fast; use a spoon or flat spatula to help it along).  It should look like this:

Pour mixture evenly into 6, possibly 7, paper lined muffin cups.  Bake for appx. 20 min at 350F.  Cool for a bit in the pan, and then move muffins to a cooling rack.  They will contract some as most GF baked goods do.

The Mad Scientist...Fermented!

I've gone mad!  MAD, I tell you!  At least that's what my friends and family tell me.  I can admit I have an addictive personality.  Thankfully, this trait has never left me crippled in the midst of drug or alcohol abuse, but I do often find myself taken prisoner by the excitement of learning a new craft or study.  I love to learn, I love to try, and I love to master...until I completely wear myself out.  So, fermented drinks have become my recent obsession!

Kefir, kombucha, beer, wine, etc.  I know you all know about beer and wine, some probably know about kombucha, and maybe a few of you have heard of kefir.  I observed S make beer once, and it was a cool process, but also a rather large and lengthy feat.  I'll save beer and wine making for another day.  As for now, I'm obsessed with Kefir and Kombucha...

MILK KEFIR:
Right before I moved back to NB a little over 6 months ago, I bought some milk kefir grains from Cultures for Health.  I honestly don't remember how I became exposed to and curious about milk kefir; there have been way too many Google searches and poo-obsessed conversations since that initial moment of awareness.  Milk kefir is much like a loose yogurt in consistency with a larger probiotic profile. Click HERE to read more about milk kefir.  One can buy milk kefir products at Kroger, HEB, and your local health food store.  So, in usual fashion with me and my culinary interests, I immediately started researching how I could begin making milk kefir.  If it can be bought, I WILL learn how to make it.  So, I put on my mad scientist coat and began researching and buying tools.

Honestly, I don't feel like writing out the process to making milk kefir, but below is a great video from Cultures For Health on how to make milk kefir.  Once you obtain milk kefir grains from a friend or rehydrate bought kefir grains, making milk kefir is really simple.  Add kefir grains to milk and wait.  Booya.  Milk kefir can be flavored, consumed alone, added to smoothies, and a multitude of other applications.  I added a couple of my own photos below the video.

CC tips and pointers:  milk kefir grains love whole milk, raw milk (if you can find it), and NOT organic milk.  I also strain my final product straight into the blender to whip it up to eliminate any separated parts.

 (some of my own photos)

WATER KEFIR:

After milk kefir, and a recent switch to veganism for a bit, I got curious about water kefir!  Click HERE to read more about water kefir, and buy water kefir grains HERE.  Water kefir is great for those avoiding dairy. It can actually yield a product very similar to a carbonated natural soda.  Fun, right?!  Making water kefir was very frustrating to me when I first started as it was hard for me to tell when it was "ready," and what to expect, and why I wasn't getting carbonation.  The information out there on water kefir was not always consistent and/or thorough.  But, I recently came across this GREAT video which I think it covers most of the questions I had and mistakes I was making when I first started.  I've had the best luck with making coconut water kefir, and it gets so fizzy!  Just don't forget to alternate batches with sugar water so your kefir babies stay well fed.  Check out this video and blog post on how to make water kefir...

CC tips and pointers:  don't be discouraged by the first ferment!  It won't be fizzy or look much different.  Coconut water kefir makes the most fizzy product, and the grains prefer fresh non-pasteurized juice over pasteurized.  Dried fruits are a good addition, as well.  Air tight bottles are key; I like to use recycled Synergy kombucha bottles. 

  

 (some of my own photos)

(I write the start day on my bottles with a dry-erase marker)

There are many websites loaded with information and blogs of people who are "kefiring."  Cultures For Health is a great informative website.  Also, check out youtube if you're a visual person.  And, simply experiment with what works for you and your environment.  You can always bring your questions to me, and I'll answer them if I can, or I'll lead you in the direction of where you can find an answer.  These little kefir babies are pretty resilient little suckers.  Just keep 'em fed, and you'll be fine.  Have fun!  Kombucha tails up next...

Keep it fizzy,
CC

GF Chocolate Cupcakes *Coconut Flour*

OMG!  My dear friend, Lindsay, heard my pitiful plea and came to the rescue!  Seriously, tears were shed when I received a package of coconut flour on my front door step a few weeks ago.  It's the little "sweet nothings" received from friends that keep us trekking along in this world.  As you know, I have been whining about wanting to try coconut flour for quite some time, but I couldn't bear to buy it because it's expensive, and I am so poor right now.  THANK YOU, LINDSAY!!!

As some sort of payback to Lindsay for her generous gift, I have spent the past few weeks dedicating my baking time to creating the perfect chocolate cupcake made from coconut flour.  I finally came up with what I believe to be a moist, non-gritty, dependable GF cupcake.  I won't go into the details of my trials while on this journey, but I do want to shed some light on some super cool aspects of this recipe....

One, no need for xanthan gum!!!  Finally, a lickable batter for GF'ies!  Next, due to coconut flour being the most "thirsty" flour in the world, you only have to use a very small amount; therefore, the "expensive" bag of coconut flour really turns out to be not that expensive at all.  Seriously, I still have the same bag of flour, and I have made at least 10 batches of cupcakes...and I still have at least 3 more batches left in the bag.  And finally, I love how this recipe only makes 8-9 cupcakes.  That's the perfect amount for a family needing a sweet treat for a couple days.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup-  Coconut Flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs-  Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 tsp-  Salt
• 1/4 tsp-  Baking Soda
• 3-  Large Eggs
• 1/2 cup-  Sugar (or Coconut Sugar)
• 4 Tbs-  Canola Oil (or Coconut Oil)
• 1/2 tsp-  Vanilla Extract

Directions:


Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Sift together coconut flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a small'ish bowl or on a sheet of wax/parchment paper (makes for easy dumping later).  Add salt.  Set dry ingredients aside.

In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs until they just come together.  With the speed on medium, gradually pour in the sugar.  Once the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer on high, and whisk until the mixture becomes very pale yellow, and doubles in volume.  This step is very important, and takes appx. 3.5 minutes in a stand mixer.  Add oil and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk until just combined.  Mixture should still contain a lot of air.  Dish into 8 or 9 paper lined cupcakes, and bake for appx. 15-16 minutes.  They will contract some upon cooling.  This is typical for a chiffon-type cake, which this recipe mocks...sorta.  Leave in pan to cool a good deal before transporting them to a wire rack; otherwise, the will collapse.

(the stupid cupcake liners I bought did not want to cooperate)

Arriba! Arriba!~Salsa

Ahhh, to be in the salsa business making $4 a jar for this super easy cheap thing to make...wait, what?!?!  Yep, peeps, we have all been conned into buying these jars of less than par salsa for many years simply due to our ignorance of how to make the stuff.

As you know, my family is from Texas, and we all still live there except my sister.  She and her family live in Colorado.  Whenever they come down to TX, they buy this massive amount of restaurant salsa, freeze, and fly home with it.  All for salsa?!?!  Yes, this absurdity is true.  I've discovered there are too many people out there like my sister fretting over hard-to-find-authentic-fresh-way-too-expensive salsa, and decided to offer a very simple base salsa recipe to you all.

Note the word "base".  This is my favorite kind of salsa~ fresh, spicy, and crisp; BUT, one can certainly modify this recipe.  Some folks like chili powder and cumin in their salsa (shame on you, by the way), so add that if you want it.  You could also roast a head of garlic, or add adobe style smoked jalapenos (which would be good).  If you're brave enough, why not add some habanero peppers (now, that's just for the crazies)!  Once you know how to make a base salsa recipe, you can let your creative juices fly.

My only word of advice here...DON'T USE FRESH TOMATOES!  They're too watery, mealy, and dull.

*UPDATE*  I have been making this salsa lately replacing the serrano pepper with two chipotle jalapenos (canned in the adoboe sauce) and replacing the fresh garlic with one HEAD of oven roasted garlic.  I know that seems like a lot, but trust me, roasted garlic does not have near the intensity raw garlic has.  It's actually very sweet and mild.  Sometimes, I add an additional 1/2 clove raw garlic just to give it that raw bite, but you don't have to.  I also reduce the lime a little when making it this style.  Have fun with creating your favorite salsa!

Basic Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 can Hunts "fire roasted" tomatoes (my fave, but any canned tomato will work)
• 1/2 small onion (appx. 85grams or a heaping 1/2 cup chopped)
• 1 very large clove fresh garlic, or 2 small cloves
• 1 serrano pepper seeds and pod removed (or jalapeno; serranos are hotter)
• juice of 1 large lime
• 1/4 - 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 3/4-1 tsp tsp kosher salt (1/2 tsp if using regular table salt)
• 1/2 tsp sugar (optional...but it's just a tad to bring out the slight sweetness of the tomatoes)

Directions:

In a food processor, PULSE onion, garlic, and serrano/jalapeno.  Mixture should look like a small/fine chop.  Pour in canned tomatoes and remainig ingredients.  Again, PULSE until salsa comes together to a consistency you like.  Store in the refridgerator, and enjoy!  Give those ingredients time to marry together; you'll notice it will taste best after a few hours in the fridge.  Remember, the amounts of each ingredient can fluctuate to meet your own taste preference.  Here are some photos of the process for you slow ones out there ;-)

GF Mocha Cupcakes (aka: "The Steven")

Oh.  My.  Gawd.  Have I ever mentioned how oat flour is the best thing to ever happen to the GF world?  No grit, no falling apart, no "off" taste, and SO moist.  This is one of the best devils food cup cakes I've ever made, GF or not!

Even though this is a classic mocha style cup cake, I'm calling it "The Steven" for a couple reasons.  One, I made these yesterday for Steven because he was starting to buy Chips A'Hoy cookies since there have not been homemade chocolate goodies around for him to eat.  I can't have that.  Also, he loves this coffee/chocolate combo.  And, finally, I sent Steven to the grocery to get cup cake liners, and he came home with robot themed ones.  Yay.  

Before you rush off to make these, I want to get on a little soap box regarding creaming sugars and fats.  People, listen.  "Creaming" is a HUGE step when making baked goods from scratch.  Creaming does not mean simply combing the fat and sugar until they come together.  It goes beyond that.  You keep the mixer on until it changes color and texture.  It will become very light in color, very fluffy, and almost double in volume.  This step can take up to 5 minutes, or longer, of running your mixer.  This step is IMPERATIVE for a light and fluffy cake!  I can not stress that enough.  Here's a pretty good little video on proper creaming technique.

Now, on to the recipe.  I just slightly modified this recipe from "Gluten Free Mommy."  As you can see, she uses butter, and I use butter crisco.  Also, she uses rice flour, and I use oat flour in it's place.  I also increased the salt since I thought 1/4 tsp resulted in the cake being just a little flat in taste.  I also want to note that creaming 1.5 cups of sugar into just 1/2 cup of butter/crisco is quite a feat for that little bit of fat to handle.  Be patient, and continue to run your mixer.  It will come together.

Gluten Free Mocha Cupcakes

Devils Food Cake/Cupcake:

Dry Ingredients

• 3/4 cup oat flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 3/4 tsp. xanthum gum
• 1.5 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter crisco (room temp) + 1 Tbs. water
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs (room temp.)
• 1.5 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/3 buttermilk--or--soured milk

Directions:

Pre-heat over to 350F.  Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.  Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

In another large bowl, or stand mixer, cream the crisco.  Slowly add the water and vanilla until it's one homogenous mixture.  Then, and sugar slowly to butter while mixer is running, and continue to beat at medium high speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.  Turn the mixer on low, and alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk both starting and finishing with the dry mixture.  Basically, you'll add your dry ingredients in three parts and the buttermilk in two parts.

Spoon mixture into muffin tins filling about 1/2 - 2/3rds full.  Bake in oven for about 15 minutes.  Completely cool on wire wracks, and then frost with cappuccino frosting or you frosting of choice.

Key Lime Pie Sorbet

Well, 103F degrees made me do it...again.  It's too damn hot in Texas.  Plain and simple, this is why Texans are fatter than people living in other states.  We can't go outside anytime after 9am and before 9pm unless we're going to work, the grocery store, or to a body of water.  One will fry, literally.  So, we trap ourselves inside our dark houses, watch t.v., pray our A/C's don't die, and eat ice cream.  I'm not kidding, either.


So, while I was watching my movie for the day I started browsing through my Epicurious app on my phone, and luckily, I came across this little jewel of a recipe.  If you like key lime pie, you will love this!  It's very tart and very sweet.  I made a couple minor adjustments; but, if you want an even tarter version, go with the original recipe linked here.  I guarantee you my version is plenty tart; the original is eye squint worthy.  Or, if you find this is too sweet and tart for you, I'm sure you could just increase the water in the recipe.    


*Claire's Notes - Use ONLY key limes, not regular limes!  You will use almost a full 1 lb bag of key limes.  Unless you want to have permanent hand cramp from squeezing that many key limes, invest in a cheap hand held citrus press.  It goes by really fast with one of those.  Just cut them all in half, and start pressing!

Key Lime Pie Sorbet
(You get ugly ice cream cones when you don't have an ice cream scoop)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup key lime juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
Bring 3/4 cup water and sugar to a slight simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Turn off heat, and whisk in sweetened condensed milk, then lime juice. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; place over large bowl filled with ice and water and cool, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Add vanilla to cooled mixture. Refrigerate overnight!!!

Process lime mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to medium container, cover, and freeze until firm.
SO GOOD!
CC

I'm Kinda Nutty (pun intended)...Almond Butter!

I'm pretty nutty in the kitchen.  I'm seriously happiest when I'm in the kitchen locked-in to making something that would be much easier to buy...but, not tastier!  Who gives a damn about making their own nut butters?  Me, that's who.  I think it's so fun to make a food we normally buy already processed.  Plus, when you make it on your own the flavor options are limitless!

I was getting all aggravated the other day with natural peanut butter because it's just not salty enough for me (surprise, surprise).  I wanted to make a jazzed up nut butter to my liking...not someone else's.  So, being the completely impulsive cook I am, I jumped in my car headed to Costco this morning to buy a big @ss bag of almonds.  Steven was not thrilled about driving all the way over there (15 min) just for almonds, but they have the best deal!  3 lbs for $9!  And they have many other nuts besides almonds: pecans, macadamias, walnuts, etc.  And, the other cool thing about making your own nut butters is that you can make butters using exotic nuts and unusual combinations.  Almond was on my mind.

I have photographed every step of this process.  Try making your own one day...it's the best!  Here's what you'll need for this recipe:

Almond Butter!

• 1.5 cups raw unroasted almonds
• 1 tsp. neutral oil (like veggie or canola)
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. kosher salt  (optional...I guess)
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar or honey (optional)

Step 1:  Buy your raw un-roasted nuts and measure out 1.5 cups

Step 2: Blanch the nuts in boiling water for 1 minute, not a hair longer.  Immediately drain nuts into a colander.   

This process will help to remove the skins.  You can make almond butter with the skins on, but it will have a more bitter taste.

Step 3:  As soon as your drain the nuts, spread onto some paper towels.  Now we peel!

Peeling almonds is actually very simple as long as you blanched them correctly.  You will notice the skins have already shriveled from the nut.  The nut will push through the pointy side of the almond if you squeeze the nut.  Give it a little push with your thumb from the other hand.  Watch out, them are slippery little suckers!  This shouldn't take long at all, and will make a wonderfully smooth butter as a result.

Step 4:  Roasting time!  Roast at 350F on a lightly "Pam" sprayed cookie sheet until lightly golden brown.  Give them a toss every few minutes for even roasting.  Do not burn the nuts!  If you're unsure if their ready, take them out as opposed to chancing burning them.  

The first photo is pre-roasting, and the second photo is post-roasting.  Let them cool completely after roasting!  They will crisp up once cooled.  You can make a nut butter with the unroasted nuts if you wish, but if you want a more traditional peanut butter roasted taste, then roast them.  

Step 4:  Place the cooled nuts in your food processor, and PULSE until a rough meal is formed.

Step 6:  Once you get the nuts as fine as you can simply pulsing them, turn your food processor on, and let it run!  Eventually, the oils from the nuts will release and cause the nut mixture to start to form balls in a cookie dough type texture.  Keep running the food processor.  If you're afraid your food processor will over-heat, you can give it a little break.  At this point, you can add a neutral oil 1 tsp. at a time to help this process along.  You will NOT need more than 1 Tbs. of oil.  Once you reach a creamy consistency, you can add your salt, sugar, honey, cinnamon, etc.

And here's the yield!  Yummy!  I'm so pleased with MY idea of a perfect almond butter!  Store in the fridge.

Poo on Rice Flour!

Rice flour sucks.  Bottom line, it's gritty.  I'm slowly substituting all recipes calling for rice flour with a mix of sorghum and oat flour (and probably coconut flour once I'm rich enough to afford it).  Like rice, oats have a lot of starch which is good for binding and "chew" in GF recipes.  Plus, it has fiber, and it just taste good.

Did you know how easy it is to make some of these flours, especially oat flour?!  Buy some certified GF oats from good ol' hippie Bob, and buy an electric coffee grinder (they're cheap), and get on it!  Luckily, I'm not highly sensitive to gluten like many are, so I do fine with regular store bought oats; but, always know you can buy the certified gluten free oats.  Other companies sell them, too.

Directions?  Well, put some oats in your coffee grinder, and get your grind on!  Grind to a super fine consistency, and that's that.  I'm sure you can find some you tube video on this process...

With that said, keep an eye on my recipes, because I modify them constantly when I find what I believe to be an improvement on the original.

Word to the oats,
CC Bloom

I SCREAM...

...for ICE CREAM!  I love ice cream, especially homemade ice cream.  One of the best kitchen tools I've acquired (besides my actual Kitchen Aid, itself) is the ice cream bowl attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer.  Ice cream is expensive, and good ice cream is even more expensive.  That's why I like to make my own.  Also, homemade ice cream is hands down the absolute best tasting!

Philadelphia style vs. French style?  One has a custard base using eggs (French), and the other one does not use eggs (Philly).  It comes down to preference; and really, there's a time and place for both.  Personally, I like Philadelphia style best most of the time, especially for classic vanilla ice cream.  It has the cleanest, most crisp, pure flavor.  Yum, yum, yum, I already can't wait for dessert at lunch as I type this!

Yesterday, I decided to play with a classic Philly style vanilla ice cream recipe and a French style toasted coconut ice cream recipe in hopes of producing a philly style toasted coconut ice cream.  Well, success was achieved!  Holy crap, this ice cream is IN-SANE good...seriously...not lying, here....nom, nom, nom.

Toasted Coconut Philadelphia Style Ice Cream

Note: this is not my photo due to to the fact I'm too lazy to get a pretty picture of my ice cream; this photo is linked to its original poster.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (<--per original recipe, but I used sweetened flake coconut you buy at the grocery, and the results were great)
• 2 cups half-and-half
• little pinch of kosher salt
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon sugar (<-- there were some ciriticsms on Alton's recipe about this ice cream being too sweet, and it is very sweet, so if you want to reduce the amount, I'm sure you can)
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped  -OR-  2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring it frequently so it toasts evenly. Be careful; it will burn easily and fast! Remove it from the oven when it's nice and fragrant and golden brown.

Combine ALL ingredients (including the bean and its pulp) in a large saucepan and place over medium heat (if using vanilla extract, do not combine with heated milk mixture until it is in the cooling stage). Attach a frying or candy thermometer to inside of pan. (see note below) Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to 170 degrees F. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract if necessary, cover with lid or foil, and allow to steep with the coconut and come to room temperature. This will take an hour, so.  Remove the hull of the vanilla bean, pour mixture into lidded container and refrigerate mixture overnight to mellow flavors and texture.

Pour chilled mixture through a mesh strainer to remove coconut, and freeze mixture in ice cream freezer according to unit's instructions. The mixture will not freeze hard in the machine. Once the volume has increased by 1/2 to 3/4 times, and reached a soft serve consistency, spoon the mixture back into a lidded container and harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving.

NOTE: If you do not have a thermometer, bring the mixture just barely to a simmer. As soon as you see a bubble hit the surface, remove it from the heat. Do not let it boil.

Reverse (or Choco-Choco Chip) Cookies

I love a reverse chocolate chip cookie.  It's pretty much the only time I like white chocolate.  As I'm sure you've noticed, the majority of the recipes I post involve chocolate.  I swear, it's not my fault...it's Steven's.  The boy won't eat a sweet unless it contains chocolate.  In fact, when I'm on a chocolate chip cookie phase he gets mad because there's just not enough chocolate in a choco-chip cookie to satisfy him...hence, the reason for this cookie recipe.  It's the closest thing to a brownie without technically being one, and I still left the regular chocolate chips in the batch you see below in hopes of slaying Steven's chocolate monster; BUT, I would put the white chocolate chips in there if they were strictly for me.

Oat flour is becoming my favorite flour to bake with besides the starches (yeah, yeah, yeah...trace gluten from the mills...blah, blah, blah).  Buy it "certified GF", and get over it.  If super-hippie Bob says it's GF, I believe it.  I hear coconut flour is amazing, but that sh!t is expensive, and I can't afford it right now.  Another thing, my baking recipes are NOT healthy; so, don't come here looking for non-hydrogenated this, or agave nectar that.  GF baking needs all the nasty help it can get.  Plus, it's not like cookies are the main staple food of your diet.  You eat one or two a day; at that rate, you can afford the nasties.  You may not get skinny eating my baked goods recipes, but you will get a smile on your face..."I guarantee it." :-P

I'm testing out white cake recipes, now.  I've done a couple, and am pleased with one...but, I'm not sure it's the best.  Anyway, that's next to come.  It's all about getting the basics done when first entering a new food lifestyle.

GF Reverse Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Just some minor tweeking from the regular choco-chip recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter flavored crisco
• 2 Tbs water
• 7 ounces white rice flour
• 3.5 ounces certified gluten free oat flour
• 1.5 ounces cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 ounces cornstarch
• 1/2-ounce tapioca flour
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 12 ounces semisweet or white chocolate chips (I personally use half to 3/4 a 12 ounce bag)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, sift together the rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour, xantham gum, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream the butter crisco, water, and both sugars until light and fluffy.  Wisk the whole egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract together in a small bowl, and add to creamed sugar and crisco.  Cream those together thoroughly.  Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop onto parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 11 minutes.  Move the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.