Gluten Free Chocolate Sheet Cake

Boy oh boy....do I ever have a treat in store for you :) This is the most amazing, chocolatey, EASY, gluten free cake ever! Like ever!!! I have been experimenting on a chocolate sheet cake for my munchkin's upcoming birthday to serve guests and last night I hit pay dirt. Is that even a saying? I don't know, I'm a bit too tired to think of something more clever. So the basis for this cake is pretty much The Pioneer Woman's Best Chocolate Sheet Cake I just de-glutified it and even through in a a good mix of brown rice flour (whole grain and it's GOOD for you :) Not like chocolate ISN'T hehehe. I'll tell you, I've never wanted sweet treats, cookies, cakes, and such more now that I can't just pop a couple oreos...or go to a local ice cream joint. Taking corn out of the picture really limits what I can eat. SOoooo I just make my own now :) 

Whats great is that most of these ingredients are already in your kitchen

(Jeeeez, so I appologize for the blurry picture. I really didn't realize it was at the time, I promise!) Oh and I have verified that Molina Mexican Vanilla Extract (a Utah company) and Saco Cocoa Powder are gluten free :) Start out by making yourself some buttermilk. Add 1/2 a tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 cup milk. Or just go buy yourself some buttermilk. After the insanely busy day I had and visiting the Walmart returns desk twice in one day going back to the store was simply out of the question...

Next measure out 1 cup brown rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, and 1/2 cup sweet rice flour and place in a large mixing bowl. Stir in 2 cups sugar and1/4 teaspoon salt. Sift and stir ingredients with a fork until they are comfortable and nicely blended.

Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, melt 2 sticks of butter.

Now stir in 4 heaping Tablespoons cocoa powder to the butter.

Once cocoa powder and butter are thoroughly mixed, pour in 1 cup boiling water and boil mixture for 30 seconds then remove from heat. 

While cooca mix is cooling, beat 2 eggs and add to the buttermilk, then stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Once the cocoa blend is cool, stir it into the dry ingredients like so....

Once the cocoa mix and dry ingredients are mixed to a lovely velvety smoothness, pour in the egg/buttermilk mix.

Now, pour into a regular sheet cake (ungreased) and bake on 350 for 20 minutes or until it passes the "toothpick" test.

While the cake is baking, whip up your frosting by melting 1 1/2 sticks butter then stirring in 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder. Remove from heat and allow to cool then mix in 3ish cups of powdered sugar (just add the amount that creates your desired texture and thickness), 6 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Now, you SHOULD wait until the cake and frosting cool before plopping it all on a plate. It would have made for a better photo....

Ok, here is the recipe breakdown:

Chocolate Sheet Cake

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

2 cups sugar

2 sticks melted butter

4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 beaten eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together brown rice flour, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour, and sugar then set aside. Melt butter in saucepan then stir in cocoa powder. Once incorporated pour in boiling water and boil for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from heat and cool. Beat eggs and add to buttermilk. Then stir in salt and baking soda. Once cocoa mix is cooled stir in flour mixture and mix well until smooth. Then stir in buttermilk mixture. Pour into ungreased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Frosting

1 1/2 sticks melted butter

4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

6 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3ish cups powdered sugar

In medium saucepan melt butter then stir in cocoa powder. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Spread onto cooled baked cake.

**I have to add a note, there was no need for xanthun or guar gum for this recipe. It holds together well and in my opinion, does not need the additional binding agent :)

So another thing I have to add....this is how my family spent the time waiting on my cake experimentation.

Yep.....dancing with dogs....

Coupon! Coupon!

Just a quick little post to tell my celiac friends about a WONDERFUL coupon! Udi's bread is seriously one of the best tasting store bought gluten free breads out there. I was able to find TWO $1 off prinable coupons. You will need to download the coupon printing software. 

Let me know if you have any questions. Here be the coupon link (the coupons are on page 2):

Udi's Coupons

I WILL be back to post some more recipes. Just been a tad bit insanely busy lately :)

Quinoa Spinach Quiche Bake

This here is a great side dish FULL of flavor and healthy stuff. I mean, you really can't get healthier than the "mother grain" quinoa and everyone knows that Popeye was onto something by scarfing up that little leafy veggies spinach. I threw this little number together by googling some quinoa recipes online. I was looking for a filling side dish for when I had some family members over for dinner. Since I am SO tired of a side of rice (which I am sure most celiacs are). I really wanted something different. Well my friends.....this is different lol! Good....and most definitely different :)

First cook 1 cup rinsed, rinsed, rinsed, and rinsed some more quinoa. Great thing about this little wonder grain is it cooks up just perfectly in a rice cooker. I love that I can throw it in my trusty little red rival and walk away.

While the Quinoa is cooking, blanch 1 cup spinach for about 10 seconds in boiling water then immediately immerse in ice water.

Next saute on medium/high heat for about 10 minutes 1 tablespoons olive oil,1/2 diced onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, dash of red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon thyme with about 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Once the onion is nice and tender set aside.

In a medium size mixing bowl, blend together 1 cup room temperature cream cheese and 2 eggs. Once blended well, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 cups cooked quinoa, onion mixture, and strained spinach. 

Place in a small greased cassarole dish and bake on 350 for 45 minutes.

I am really happy how this recipe turned out. I am SURE you can get quite inventive with this recipe. You could substitute the Quinoa for rice or potatoes, add different seasonings, or add different meats. It was a great way to incorporate protien and two nutritional powerhouses and it was pretty danged scrumptious with a shot or two of Tabasco :)

Here be the recipe breakdown:

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 lb spinach (blanched then rinsed and drained)

1/2 diced medium onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon rosemary

1/2 teaspoon thyme

dash red pepper flakes

1 cup cream cheese at room temperature

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Saute on medium heat olive oil, onion, rosemary, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Once onion is tender set aside. Blend together the cream cheese and egg then stir in spinach, quinoa, and onion mixture. Stir well then place in a greased casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Sharla's Clam Chowder

Happy Friday Folks!

This post is devoted to my wonderful and cherished friend Sharla :) We met online and first became buddies from our love of horses. Next we found we both LOVED art and the friendship grew. THEN we both found that we loved all things food. I just can't say enough good things about this girl. The funny thing is....we have never met. She lives in Arkansas right now and well...I'm in Utah. We talk most every day and one of our most favorite pastimes (aside from taking pictures of cool or extra yummy things we find to eat) is to share recipes. Let me tell ya, this girl can COOK! This is really one of the best clam chowder recipes ever and thanks to Sharla, I can eat it whenever I want and share it with you :)

We start with our ingredient lineup

Start out with a large pot and on medium heat, fry up 2-3 pieces of bacon that has been halfed. Once the bacon in nearly cooked, add 2 diced celery stalks and 1 diced small onion. Stir occasionally until the veggies are tender.

While the bacon, celery, and onions are cooking, dice up 3-4 potatoes. Now I know y'all don't need to see what a bowl full of diced potatoes look like, but I just thought the little red taters and the blue glass bowl looked so pretty :)

Once the celery and onion are nice and tender, whisk in 1 cup water, 1 bottle of clam juice, and 1 cup chicken broth. (Now you can omit the chicken broth and use another bottle of clam juice if you prefer). Then stir in the 4 cans of clams and the potatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Now add 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1 bay leaf. Simmer until the potatoes are just about cooked. Now this recipe originally calls for flour or starch as a thickener and it was VERY easy to change that to my new favorite Gluten Free cooking staple....Sweet Rice Flour. Neat thing about sweet rice flour is that you can buy it for a lot cheaper at Asian markets. It is a very popular flour for sauces, soups, and thickeners. Anyway, while your soup is simmering, make a slurry of a bit of water and 3 Tablespoons sweet rice flour.

When the potatoes are tender but not all the way cooked yet, stir in 1 can of evaporated milk (now Sharla I KNOW your recipe calls for half and half, but I almost never have any on hand and evaporated milk adds such a nice rich taste :). Then slowly whisk in your slurry. Simmer on low medium until soup reaches the desired consistency. 

Nothing better on a cold winter day then a savory bowl full of comfort. Thank you Sharla for my favorite clam chowder recipe and for being my bestest ATNB :) Love you girly!!!

Recipe Breakdown:

2-3 pieces of bacon halved

1 diced small onion

2 diced celery stalks

3-4 diced potatoes

3 tablespoons sweet rice flour
2 tablespoons cold water

4 5oz cans clams

1 cup water

1 cup chicken broth

1 8oz jar clam juice (can use 2 bottles and omit the chicken broth)

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons parsley

1 can evaporated milk
 

Saute bacon in large pot over medium heat and add the onion and celery when bacon is almost crispy. Cook until the celery and onion is tender. Next whisk in 1 cup water, 1 8oz bottle of clam juice, and 1 cup chicken broth. Then add the potatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Add the bay leaf, thyme, and parsley. Once potatoes are just about softened, make a slurry of 3 tablespoons sweet rice flour and 2 tablespoons cold water. Stir the evaporated milk and canned clams into the soup, then slowly whisk in the slurry. Keep simmering on low/medium until the soup reaches the desired consistency.

* You can use 2 8oz jars of clam juice and omit the chicken broth if desired.

ENJOY!!!

Give a Kid a Cupcake

Give a kid a cupcake...

And she'll want to decorate it pink.

Then you hand her some sprinkles thinking you are quite smarty....

Now she wants a party.

Ok, so I am not the best poet, rhymer, or literary master, but I gave it my best.

I did however come across a FAB recipe for a yellow cake. I will be making a pineapple upside down cake for my step sis-in law this weekend and I wanted to be sure that I had a good yellow cake. So I figured, what better way to experiment and try out a recipe by halfing it and making cupcakes?

Start with 3/4 cups of the following:

Sweet rice flour

Brown or white rice flour

Tapioca flour

Place all in a medium bowl then mix in 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon xanthun or guar gum, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 3 teaspoons baking powder. Blend all dry ingredients well.

In separate mixing bowl place 4 eggs, 1 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoon gluten free vanilla and 3/4 cup mayonnaise. Blend on medium/high with hand blender until mixture is light and fluffy. Slowly stir in flour mixture. Next stir in 1 cup milk. Bake at 35 for about 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed with a finger.

Now, I didn't really take any pictures during the cake making process...I figured it's pretty darned explanitory and basic. Plus, the final product is much funner to look at....and EAT hehehe ;)

Arroz con Pollo. EASY PEASY folks. Easy peasy.

Well as tonight I was severely lacking in the motivational department I needed an easy but filling easy dinner.  Not to mention my produce draws in the refrigerator is starting to look a bit barren. I decided to pull out my recipe book and let IT be the inspiration and motivation I needed to get food in the belly. Now I ALMOST decided on some chicken pot pie, but as I mentioned earlier, the motivation factor was just not there and making a pie shell was not on my agenda. Now as I always have rice handy and a frozen bag of chicken tenders I decided a batch of skillet Arroz con Pollo would be just spiffy.

I do have to mention, having a big bag of frozen chicken has saved me MORE than a time or two when in a dinner pinch. Great thing is you don't even have to de-thaw the little strips of poultry. They will actually turn out juicier and more tender if you throw em in your pan frozen and cook on med/high heat :)

So to start throw a few frozen or fresh chicken tenders (or 2 chicken breasts sliced in half) on a large skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil on medium/high heat. Salt both sides while cooking.

Now if frozen, keep turning them once every 3 minutes or so until thoroughly cooked.

While the chicken is cooking, dice up 1/2 cups worth of an onion and carrot.

Once your chicken is cooked, remove from skillet and set aside. Then add another tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and add the carrots, onions, and about 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic. I LOVE to use bottled garlic. It keeps forever and is such a time saver.

Cook the onion, garlic, oil, and carrots for a good 5-8 minutes until onion starts to become translucent and garlic starts to brown.

Next add 2 cups chicken broth, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon dried cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup rice to the skillet and bring to a boil. Once broth is boiling cover the skillet and lower the heat to low (not ALL the way low...but you want to keep a steady simmer). While the rice is cooking, try to resist being a nosey netty and peaking under the lid. Just leave it alone for a good 20 minutes. Once the 20 minutes is up and the rice just about cooked and there is a little liquid remaining still, add 1/2 cup of sliced bell pepper and cooked chicken tenders to the mix, cover and steam for another 5 minutes.

That's all there is too it :)

Here be the recipe breakdown for y'all:

4 chicken tenderloins or 2 chicken breasts sliced in half

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried cilantro (or 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro) this ingredient is optional

1/2 cup thinly sliced bell pepper

Cook chicken tenders in a large skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and lightly salt each side. Once chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove from heat. Add additional 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, garlic, onion, and carrots and saute on medium heat for about 5-8 minutes and garlic begins to brown and onions start to become tender. Pour in chicken broth, salt, paprika, cilantro, and rice to the skillet. Bring to boil, cover, then lower heat to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes. When rice is almost cooked and there is a small amount of liquid remaining add cooked chicken and bell pepper. Cover and steam another 5 minutes.

How to make a happy toddler. Easy flourless Peanut Butter Cookies.

So lately Kassidy has been just a wild and crazy kid in the evenings. Tonight was no different. So, in effort to CHANNEL some of that rambunctiousness I figured we could make some cookies together.

Step one to the "happy toddler". Assemble the child, cooking utinsils, and apron.

Note the wild and crazy hair to go with the semi-feral child.

Step two: attempt a small counting lesson by measuring 1 cup sugar, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 egg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.

Then I realize that wasn't much of a counting lesson. Oh well. Moving right along....

Step three in the taming of the tornado: Scooping out approximately 1 Tablespoon measurements and rolling them into balls and place onto a wax paper lined baking sheet.

It's amazing how the simple act of making and creating something together calms even the most rampant of tempests. I just LOVE that look of concentration as she tries SO hard to make her cookies. 

Next, bake on 350 for 8-9 minutes or until the cookies flatten and start to split. Once cooled. remove from the baking sheet and call the kiddo into the kitchen.

Cookies are created and memories made.

Recipe Breakdown:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Blend all ingredients together and roll approximately 1 Tablespoon measurments into balls and place onto a wax paper lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 8-9 minutes or until cookies flatten and start to split.