#RandomRecipe: #GF All Purpose Flour Mix

Here is my go to GF all purpose flour mix:


5 1/4 cups (25 oz) fine white rice flour
1 cup (7 oz) potato flour
1 cup (3 1/2 oz) tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch)

I use a food scale and weight out my flours rather than measure out in a cup.

I found this recipe in Phil Vickery's Gluten-Free Baking, he calls it Basic Flour Mix A.  In that book Vickery limits the uses of this mix to cakes and cookies (I think) but I honestly love it for most of my applications rather than spending tons of money buying a pre-made all purpose mix.  There were some other good recipes in this book so search ISBN: 9781554078110 for your own copy.  I borrowed it from my local library and like I said I love this flour mix.

If the recipe calls for an all purpose mix with xantham gum, you can add 1/4 tsp of xantham gum per cup of this flour mix.

I borrowed this book from the library and Phil Vickery has no clue who I am so I have not been compensated for the post at all.  I love this flour mix and why spend tons of money on an expensive mix when this one works so well?

I spent  $6 on two bags of white rice flour (24 oz each), $4 for one 24 oz potato flour, and $4 for one 24 oz tapioca flour.  The potato flour and tapioca flour will both stretch into another batch and you'll only need one bag of rice flour the next time so I think this is pretty thrifty since you get about 7 cups of mix per batch. 

Randon Recipe: #Glutenfree Pancakes

I've tried lots of pancake recipes and mixes and I've hit on one that I really like so here it is:

1 1/2 cups of brown rice flour
2 tsp. of baking power
1 egg slightly beaten
1 cup of milk
pinch of salt

Optional (depending on your taste)
1/2 cups of sugar
1 tsp of vanilla

I say play with the sugar and vanilla amounts.  I like a sugar cookie-like pancake but I think you make this more savory by changing up the add ins.

Mix up the ingredients.  put it on the hot griddle til they are ready. 

You might need to add more rice flour if they are too running.  Most recipes start you with 1 cup of flour but that ratio seems to running for gf pancakes.  This recipe gave me fluffy pancakes which is what I missed most from regular pancakes.  Enjoy!

 

The pancake on the left had 1 1/2 cups of flour and the one on the left only had 1 cup.  

Random Recipe: #glutenfree Dirt Cake

Dirt Cake-

2 packages of Schar Chocolate O's Cookies (5.8 oz)

1package cream cheese (8oz) soften

1/2 stick butter soften

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 large cool whip (16 oz) thawed - I just buy two 8oz tubs

2 small (four serving size) instant vanilla pudding

2 cups of milk -- can use a little more if it seems thick up to 3 cups

(Check your ingredients to make sure they are gluten-free!)


Crush cookies, i suggest you crush each package one its own then use one for top and one for the bottom) and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix butter, cream cheese and sugar and set this aside. In medium mix milk, pudding and cool whip. Fold into cream cheese mixture. In a medium casserole dish, layer cookies, pudding mixture ending with cookies. You can top with spoonfuls of cool whip and candy flowers or gummy worms. KEEP REFRIGERATED.

This is a special recipe. It is based on one from my friend Brianna, may she rest in peace. By the way it was so good my nemesis actually ate seconds and he hates gf food!

Random recipe: Wheatless 'playdough'

So as you Wheatless folks know regular dime store playdough has wheat. There is a Wheatless product called Moon Dough that is safe for Wheatless kids to use. It I find it get everywhere. I love the texture but it is so hard to keep together. I will say I've only used the old formula so it is possible that the newer version does not have this problem.

After a bit of researching I came across a recipe for glutenfree playdough on About.com. I have tweaked it just a bit since mine kept coming out too gummy. Here is my final version:

1/2 cup White Rice Flour
1/2 cup Cornstarch
1/2 cup Salt
2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1 tsp oil
3/4 cup of water ( they called for 1 cup)
Food coloring

Mix then put over heat until it forms a ball, about 3 mins. Cool then play!

I found a recommendation to use hot water and I find that cuts down on the time over heat. One person said they don't have to heat it at all if they use hot water. I out mine in the fridge to cool off but don't leave it too long as it will dry out. Learned that the hard way!

Have fun.

Random recipe: glutenfree cheesecake

So this cheesecake is the result of my need for cheesecake and my random trying of various recipes I have found on-line. It combines two different recipes all while making it my own. Things to note: read the ingredients on all of your items to make sure there is no gluten in them and if at first you don't succeed, you still have a decent enough cheesecake so enjoy. :)

Preheat oven to 325.  You'll need a 10-inch springform pan.

Crust:
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten-free Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 cup butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I love cinnamon so I try it in everything, so it makes more like a Snickerdoodle crust)

Mix everything in a bowl until a soft dough forms. mold into your 10-inch springform pan. Go up about an inch or go all the way up and have an extra bit of cookie crust.  Now time to make filling.

Filling:
3 packages of 8oz cream cheese, softened
1 & 1/4 cups sugar (regular stuff)
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs

Beat cream cheese and sugar together on slow until blended.  Beat in vanilla and eggs one at a time.  Pour into crust.  Bake for about 65 - 75 mins until puffy and light golden brown.  Let cool and enjoy!

I think the hardest part is the crust.  The dough doesn't always want to stick to the pan or will try to fall apart.  It's gluten-free so keep in mind it's not exactly like 'regular' cookie dough.  Play with the recipe.  Add chocolate, avoid the cinnamon, but most importantly enjoy.  I've made this three times and each time it goes faster than the first.

Random Recipe: Wheat-free Cinnamon Pecan Pancakes

So I'm starting to get more adventurous with my cooking.  I'm a follow the recipe kind of person but I'm trying to adapt my old recipes for wheat-filled things for my new wheat-free life.  I'll be posting my experiements, successes and failures.  We learn from everything so we'll see how much I learn :)

I have always loved pecan pancakes.  So I dusted off the recipe and gave them a wheatless whirl.  Word of caution, I'm labeling things wheat-less not gluten-free because I live in a mixed house.  Cross contamination heaven to say the least.  Besides I read labels and look for wheat not gluten so read your labels!

Martha's Wheatless Cinnamon Pecan Pancakes
2 cups Bisquick Gluten-free Mix
2 cups Whole Milk
2 eggs
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
3 handfuls of pecans chopped via food processor

Mix.  I added the pecans last but I don't think order really matters.  Cook and serve.
This yielded about 14 pancakes.

I put lots of butter and syrup.  I would post a pic but I was lucky to get any to eat so forget the pics.  My personal feelings where they were great but next time I will add a bit of sugar and a dash of vanilla.  My dad and DH both said for me to cut the pecans out.  My mom enjoyed them plain with nothing but a bit of butter and normally she hates pancakes.  So that's the skinny on the pancakes.  Let me know if there are tweeks or suggestions to make them better.