Sunday, May 31, 2020

Stuffed Mushrooms

In this simple appetizer recipe, tender white mushrooms are stuffed with creamy filling and topped with crunchy panko. These little bites of heaven are perfect for any occasion, served piping hot from the oven!


Stuffed Mushrooms
Yield: 1  1/2 dozen

Ingredients
For Mushrooms:
  • 24 oz package large whole white mushrooms
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 cup shredded cheese
For Topping:
  • 1/4 cup gluten free panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tsp dried parsley

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Wipe mushrooms with damp paper towel to clean. Gently remove stems and set aside. Arrange mushrooms caps in baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Finely chop mushroom stems. In small skillet over medium-high heat, cook stems and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add cream cheese, onion powder, and shredded cheese. Stir until well combined and cream cheese is completely melted. Fill each mushroom cap with creamy mixture.
  4. In small bowl, combine topping ingredients. Sprinkle over filled mushroom caps.
  5. Bake 25 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender and topping is golden brown.
  6. Serve hot from the oven!

Recipe adapted from The Two Bite Club and The Gay Globetrotter.

Coconut Cupcakes

These special cupcakes, topped with cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut, are the perfect way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, holiday, or any other important milestone event!


Coconut Cupcakes
Yield: 1 dozen

Ingredients
For Cupcakes:
  • 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 Tbsp butter, softened
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
For Frosting:
  • 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • 6 Tbsp butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • additional sweetened shredded coconut

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer running on low, add eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
  3. In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In three parts, alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to batter, beginning and ending with dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in coconut.
  4. Line muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each cup to the top with batter.
  5. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until tops are brown and toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove to baking rack and cool completely. Then prepare cream cheese frosting.
  7. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, blend together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth, scraping down bowl as needed.
  8. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with additional coconut.
  9. Store covered in refrigerator.
Note: Cupcakes are best prepared one day in advance to allow frosting to set.

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa.

French Toast Casserole

Instead of making traditional French toast on the stovetop where you can only cook a few servings at a time, try baking this casserole in the oven so that everyone can sit down at the table together to enjoy brunch at the same time!


French Toast Casserole
Yield: 8x8 pan

Ingredients
For Casserole:
  • 6-8 cups cubed gluten free bread (I used this recipe)
  • 1 1/4 cups almond milk
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 6 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
For Topping:

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Evenly layer bread cubes in prepared dish.
  3. In medium bowl, whisk together almond milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour mixture over bread.
  4. In separate bowl, mix together topping ingredients with fork. Crumble over bread.
  5. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until center is set and topping is browned.
  6. Serve hot from the oven topped with maple syrup. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Sweet and Simple Living.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Snickerdoodles

My middle daughter has been learning about fractions in math class, so her teacher tasked the students with preparing a recipe in the kitchen (with adult supervision, of course!) to reinforce the concepts they learned throughout third grade. What a fun, and delicious, way to end the school year!


Snickerdoodles
Yield: 6 dozen

Ingredients
For Cookies: For Rolling:
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • 3 tsp cinnamon

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats; set aside.
  2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
  3. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; mix just until combined.
  4. In small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon for rolling.
  5. Roll dough into balls the size of small walnuts (about 1/2 Tbsp). Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated. Place 2" apart on prepared baking sheets.
  6. Cook 8 minutes. (Cookies puff up at first, then flatten out.)
  7. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Made in loving memory of my husband's late Aunt Barb who shared my love of baking!

Honey Bread

I've been craving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich lately, so I figured I would pick up a loaf of gluten free bread at the store to get my fix. Unfortunately, I couldn't stomach the $6 price tag, so I decided to bake my own bread instead!

This aromatic loaf is the perfect canvas to build any type of sandwich, whether you're in the mood for something sweet (pb&j) or something savory (chicken salad), and could even be used to make french toast!


Honey Bread
Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and grease with nonstick cooking spray again; set aside.
  2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon; set aside.
  3. Mix instant coffee with boiling water; add to flour mixture.
  4. Blend in oil, honey, and eggs.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  6. Cover loosely with tin foil (to prevent over browning) and bake 30 minutes.
  7. Remove tin foil and cook additional 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
  8. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then lift from pan, discard parchment, and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Store wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to keep fresh.

Recipe adapted from Nature Nate's.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Cake Batter Cookies

These soft, chewy cookies are simply the portable form of this delicious Funfetti Sugar Cookie Cake! Personalize the recipe with your choice of sprinkle colors to celebrate birthdays, holidays, sports teams, or school mascots. This is also a fun recipe for kids to help with in the kitchen!


Cake Batter Cookies
Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/3 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup sprinkles (jimmies, not nonpareils)


Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined.
  3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix until combined.
  4. Fold in white chocolate chips and sprinkles until evenly distributed.
  5. Use small cookie dough scoop and roll dough between hands before placing 2-3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
  6. Bake 9 minutes, or until edges are set and dough is no longer shiny. (Cookies will brown just slightly.)
  7. Cool on baking sheets 3 minutes, then remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from What the Fork.