Best Gluten Free Biscuits

 These are my favorite gluten free biscuits.  From King Arthur Flour

These gluten-free biscuits are flaky, buttery, and just plain good. Biscuits are particularly well suited to being frozen before baking. If you have a stash on hand in your freezer, you can pop them straight into the oven and enjoy fresh gluten-free biscuits with any meal; just be sure to allow for an additional 5 minutes of baking time.

Prep: 15 mins, Bake: 15 to 18 mins.  Yield: nine 2 1/2" biscuits

 

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups (259g) King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pats

1/2 cup (113g) buttermilk

2 tablespoons (35g) honey

INSTRUCTIONS

Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda.  Cut in the butter until it's in chunks about the size of a nickel using a biscuit cutter.

In a separate bowl stir together the buttermilk and honey and add, all at once, to the dry ingredients. Stir until the dough comes together with only a few dry crumbs remaining.  You may need to add another 1-2 tablespoons of buttermilk.  Take care not to overwork the dough.Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper that's been dusted with a little cornstarch.

Use the paper to fold the dough over on itself eight times, patting it to a thickness of 1/2" between folds.

After the last fold, pat the dough 1/2" to 3/4" thick, and cut with a 2 1/2" biscuit cutter. Stack the scraps on top of each other and pat down again, repeating the cutting process until all of the dough is used.  (Or make square shaped biscuits and cut into equal pieces with a knife).

Place the biscuits on a prepared baking sheet.  Brush the tops with some milk or buttermilk, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

TO FREEZE:

To freeze for later:  place the cut biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, and place them in the freezer for 15-45 minutes.  Then wrap any extra biscuits once they're frozen, and bake them as you need them later on.  Remove the biscuits from the freezer while the oven preheats.  Brush the tops with milk or buttermilk and bake until golden brown abour 15 minutes.

Variation:

For gluten-free cheese biscuits, reduce the butter in the recipe to 1/4 cup; and add 1 cup of any grated cheese you like: cheddar, Parmesan, and pepper jack are all good choices.

Gluten Free Challah Bread

 Gluten Free Challah Bread

Delicious gluten free challah bread: soft and fluffy, delicious flavor, and a dough that handles beautifully so you can braid it!   Adapted from The Loopy Whisk.

Prep Time:1hour hour, Chill Time: 1 hour, Bake Time: 30 minutes, Proof Time: 1hour.  Total Time 3hours hours and 30minutes minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Gluten free challah dough:

▢20 g (4 tbsp) whole/rough psyllium husk (If using psyllium husk powder, use only 17g.)

▢345 g (1¼ cups + 3 tbsp) lukewarm water

▢215 g (1¾ cups + 2 tbsp) tapioca starch (You can use an equal weight of cornstarch (US)/cornflour (UK), potato starch or arrowroot starch instead.)

▢135 g (1 cup) millet flour, plus extra for flouring the surface (You can use an equal weight of finely milled/ground brown rice flour instead.)

▢80 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) oat flour (You can use an equal weight of sorghum flour, light buckwheat flour or white teff flour instead.)

▢50 g (¼ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar

▢8 g (2½ tsp) instant yeast (If using active dry yeast, use 10g.)

▢8 g (2 tsp) baking powder

▢7 g (2½ tsp) xanthan gum

▢7 g (1¼ tsp) salt

▢1 US large/UK medium egg, room temperature

▢2 US large/UK medium egg yolks, room temperature

▢40 g (3 tbsp) sunflower oil, or other neutral-tasting oil of choice

Later you will also need:

▢1 US large/UK medium egg, whisked, for egg wash

▢1-2 tbsp poppy seeds, for sprinkling the challah before baking (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Making the dough:

In a separate bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and lukewarm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (if using), whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, oat flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.

Tip: If using active dry yeast instead, you need to activate it first. Mix it together with a tablespoon of the sugar and 120g (½ cup) of the water listed in the recipe (note that that means you'll use less water to make the psyllium gel). Set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture starts frothing. Then, add it to the dry ingredients along with the rest of the wet ingredients.

Add the egg, two egg yolks and oil to the psyllium gel and mix well to combine.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel-egg mixture.

Knead the dough using the dough hook of a stand mixer until smooth and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for a further 4-5 minutes (if using a stand mixer) or 6-8 minutes (if kneading it by hand). Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour. Tip: This extra kneading time will make the dough EXTRA smooth, which is the key to a beautiful gluten free challah.

The final dough will be slightly sticky to the touch – that’s okay, you’ll be working on a lightly floured surface so it shouldn’t be a problem. Ideally, chill the dough in the fridge for about 1 hour before proceeding to the next step. This will make the dough firmer, less sticky, and therefore easier to handle.

Shaping & braiding:

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball, then divide it into four equal portions, each should weigh about 250g.  (NOTE: I like the 4 strand braid as posted in the original recipe, go to her post to see directions.  But I want to try the 5 strand braid next time I used to do with my regular glutenous challah bread).

Take one portion of the dough and shape it into a ball (keep the others covered with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film or a clean dish towel to prevent them from drying out).

Roll it out into a rough rectangle – the exact dimensions don’t really matter, aim for a size of about 8x5 inches (20x12cm).

Working along the wider end, fold the dough over itself and press down gently to seal. Continue folding the dough over itself (and pressing down to seal), you’re essentially rolling it up into an approximately 8-inch (20cm) log. Pinch the seam together to seal it.

Use the palms of your hands to roll the dough back and forth until you reach a length of about 15-16 inches (38-40cm). While you’re rolling it, make sure that you also create a slightly tapered shape, with the ends of the rope/strand slightly narrower than the middle.

Repeat with the other three portions of dough, until you get four 15-16-inch (38-40cm) ropes or strands. Transfer them to a large sheet of parchment/baking paper – you’ll braid the challah on the paper, it’ll make it easier to transfer it to the baking sheet.

Braid the four-strand challah loaf. Always start with the strand farthest to the right and and weave it towards the left through the other strands using the pattern: over-under-over. Repeat this pattern, always starting with the strand farthest to the right, until you have a fully braided loaf.

Note that gluten free dough is a bit more fragile than regular dough made from wheat flour, so you do have to be a bit more gentleb with it. I usually start braiding at the top third of the braid, braid towards the bottom, then rotate the challah by 180 degrees and finish off the other end – this tends to give me the prettiest end result. (See the blog post for detailed step-by-step photos of the braiding process.)

Once you’ve finished the braid, tuck the ends underneath the braided loaf for a more polished final look.

Proofing:

Use the parchment/baking paper underneath to transfer the challah onto a large baking sheet (trim the paper as needed to make it fit the baking sheet).

Lightly cover the challah with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film (to prevent it from drying out) and proof in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

Tip: If your kitchen is on the cold side, put a cup of boiling hot water into your (turned-off) oven – that will create the perfect warm, slightly humid proofing environment.

Baking the challah:

Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

Once the challah has doubled in size, brush it gently with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).

Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 28-30 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown. If the loaf starts browning too much or too quickly, you can cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil, shiny side up.

I like to check the doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf, much like you would with a cake: if your toothpick comes out with raw dough on it, the challah needs a bit longer in the oven.

Immediately transfer the baked gluten free challah to a wire rack to cool – this prevents any condensation from forming underneath.

Enjoy warm or cooled completely to room temperature.

Storage:

This gluten free challah is definitely at its best fresh, on the day of baking, but it also keeps well for 3-4 days at room temperature in a closed container or well wrapped (to prevent it from drying out). I recommend toasting or reheating it on days 3 and 4.

Softest Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

The Softest Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls adapted from The Loopy Whisk recipe.

These are the softest, squishiest, gooiest gluten free cinnamon rolls you’ll ever make – in fact, they’re so ridiculously good that even non-gluten-free folks will love them. The dough handles beautifully: you can knead it and roll it out without any problems whatsoever. And there’s also an overnight, make-ahead option, so you can prepare them the night before and have them for breakfast the next day!  You can double the recipe to make 12 cinnamon rolls that fit perfectly into a 9x13-inch baking pan.

Prep Time 45minutes mins plus 30-60 minutes of chill time, Cook/Bake Time 35minutes minutes, Proof Time 1hour hr 15minutes minutes, Total Time 3hours hours 35minutes mins

INGREDIENTS:

Gluten free enriched dough:

▢15 g (3 tbsp) whole/rough psyllium husk (If using psyllium husk powder, use only 13g.)

▢180 g (¾ cup) warm water

▢160 g (1⅓ cups + 1 tbsp) tapioca starch (You can use an equal weight of arrowroot starch, cornstarch or potato starch instead.)

▢135 g (1 cup) millet flour, plus extra for flouring the surface (You can use an equal weight of finely milled/ground brown rice flour instead, but your rolls might be slightly less fluffy.)

▢25 g (3 tbsp) sorghum flour (You can use an equal weight of light buckwheat flour, white teff flour or oat flour instead. Use the latter only if you're not sensitive to oats.)

▢50 g (¼ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar

▢6 g (2 tsp) instant yeast (If using active dry yeast, use 8g.)

▢6 g (1½ tsp) baking powder

▢5 g (2 tsp) xanthan gum

▢5 g (1 tsp) salt

▢100 g (⅓ cup + 1½ tbsp) whole milk, warm

▢1 large egg, room temperature

▢35 g (2½ tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Cinnamon Filling:

▢85 g (¾ stick) very soft unsalted butter (The ideal butter texture is somewhere in between softened and melted butter – it should be quite soft and easily spreadable, but not completely liquid.)

▢100 g (½ cup) light brown sugar

▢1 tbsp ground cinnamon

For baking the cinnamon rolls:

▢½ tbsp unsalted butter, softened, for buttering the skillet or baking pan

▢100 g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) heavy/double cream, warm

Icing:

▢3 tablespoons (43 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature

▢6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, softened to room temperature

▢1 ¼ cups (143 g) powdered sugar

▢¼ to ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or I like mix 1/4 teaspoon maple extract and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla).

▢pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Gluten free enriched dough:

Make the psyllium gel: In a small bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and warm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.  Set aside.

In the bowl of the stand mixer, whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.  

Tip: If using active dry yeast instead, you need to activate it first. Mix together the active dry yeast, 1-2 tbsp of the sugar and the warm milk. Set aside for 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture starts frothing. Then, add it to the dry ingredients along with the psyllium gel, egg and melted butter.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel, warm milk, egg and melted butter.

Knead the dough until smooth using the dough hook and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for a further 5 minutes (if using a stand mixer) or 8-10 minutes (if kneading it by hand). Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour. This extra kneading time will make the dough EXTRA smooth, which is the key to beautiful gluten free cinnamon rolls.

The final dough will be slightly sticky to the touch – that’s okay, you’ll be working on a lightly floured surface so it shouldn’t be a problem. Resist the temptation to add more flour to the dough, as that can make the final rolls too dense and dry.  Ideally you will chill the dough for 1 hour in the fridge to make it easier to handle.  This will give the flours in the dough time to properly hydrate and also firm up the butter in the dough – both of these factors will make the dough firmer, less sticky, and therefore easier to handle.

Cinnamon filling:

In a bowl, mix together the very soft butter, light brown sugar and ground cinnamon until you get a soft, spreadable paste.  (If it's too thick to spread easily, you can soften it slightly in the microwave (in 2-3 second bursts, mix in between). If it's too runny, you can chill it briefly in the fridge until it thickens to the right consistency. Set aside until needed.

Assembling the cinnamon rolls:

Lightly butter a 10-inch round baking pan, and set aside until needed.  (If doubling the recipe use a 9x13 inch pan). Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Roll it out into a roughly 11×15-inch (28x38cm) rectangle.Spread the cinnamon filling out into an even layer across the rolled-out dough, all the way to the edges.

Cut the rectangle lengthways into seven 1½-inch (4cm) wide strips, so that they’re 15 inches (38cm) long.  (If doubling the recipe you will make 12-14 rolls). I like to use a pizza cutter for this, but a sharp knife will also work well. Roll up each individual strip into a roll – this will give you the perfect swirl. Arrange the cinnamon rolls in the buttered skillet or baking pan, they should only just touch each other.  Then proof the cinnamon rolls: Proof the cinnamon rolls in a warm place for about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until about doubled in volume. Lightly cover them with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film to prevent them from drying out during proofing.  You can proof them in a warm oven, or even add a cup of hot water inside the oven.

While the rolls are proofing, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).  Once the cinnamon rolls have doubled in volume, pour warm heavy/double cream evenly all over them.  The addition of cream makes these gluten free cinnamon rolls extra rich and soft. It’s important that you use warm cream (not cold from the fridge). Cover the skillet or baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake the cinnamon rolls at 350ºF (180ºC) covered with the aluminum foil for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and continue baking until the cinnamon rolls get golden on top – about 15 minutes more. Allow the baked cinnamon rolls to cool for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the cream cheese icing.

Icing

To make the icing, beat the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl, whip until creamy. Add the milk or cream and vanilla (and maple extract). Mix again. Add about half of the powdered sugar mix.  Scrape down the sides.  Add the rest of the powdered sugar and whip until light and creamy.  Spread the warm rolls with icing.

OVERNIGHT, MAKE AHEAD OPTIONS:

Option 1: You can prepare the dough and then keep it in the fridge overnight (in a closed container or in a covered bowl). You can then roll, shape, proof and bake the cinnamon rolls the next day.

Option 2: You can make the dough and shape the cinnamon rolls, and then keep the tightly covered skillet or baking pan in the fridge overnight. The next day, bring the rolls to room temperature. If they haven’t doubled in size by the time they’ve reached room temperature, proof them for a while longer –this took almost 3 hours for me.  Once double in size, pour over the heavy/double cream and bake according to the recipe.  

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

This tastes just like the classic.  Best served the same day or freeze any leftovers.  Recipe is easily double.  Makes 2 dozen.

 INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (I use Jiff for this recipe)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 cup gluten-free 1:1 all purpose flour blend (I have used King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill Baking Blend successfully with this recipe, if your gluten free flour blend does not have xanthum gum, add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthum gum.
• 3 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, reserved
• 24-30 Hershey Kisses

Mix shortening, softened butter, and peanut butter.  Add the sugars, eggs, and vanilla and mix until well blended and lighter in color.  Add baking soda, salt, and baking powder.  Mix.  Then mix in the flour.

Put the 3 T of granulated sugar in a small bowl.  Scoop the dough and roll into small balls (1/2-3/4 T each).  Roll each dough ball in the sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment of a silpat.  Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes.  Don't over bake.  Right as the cookies come out of the oven add a Hershey's kiss on top.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

 Adapted from the America's Test Kitchen How Can it Be Gluten Free Cookbook.  

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 

2 oz (2/3 cup) cocoa powder

7 oz ATK all-purpose gluten free flour blend*

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

10.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) sugar

1 cup whole milk

4 cups frosting/filling

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, making sure oven rack is in the middle.  Line four 6-inch rounds with parchment and spray with nonstick spray.  (Note you can also use 2 nine-inch round pans).

2.  Microwave the oil, chopped chocolate, and cocoa powder on 50% power in 1-minute intervals stirring in-between until melted.  Whisk together until smooth.  Set aside.

3.  In a separate bowl combine the flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt with a clean whisk.

4.  In the mixer whisk the eggs and vanilla together and then add the sugar until well combined.  Pour the chocolate mixture and the whole milk and combine.  Then slowly add the flour blend mixture until the batter is smooth.  

5.  Divide batter evenly between pans (I use my kitchen scale for this).  Then bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  For the 9-inch size increase baking time to 28-32 minutes.

6.  Let cakes cook on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Loosen the sides with a knife and then turn out to finish cooling completely.  Level, frost, and fill as desired.

*Can also sub 7oz King Arthur gluten-free multi-purpose flour, but may be more starchy.

Costco Copycat Vanilla Mousse Cream Filling for Cakes and more

 6oz cream cheese softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted 

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups heavy cream

1 package instant vanilla pudding (dry power only, 3.4 oz or 1oz sugar-free)

1.  Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and beat on low until well incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl intermittedly.

2.  Slowly add the vanilla and cream and whip on slow until well incorporated and smooth.  (I switched to the whisk attachment for this).  Scrape down the bowl and whisk again.

3.  Pour in the powdered pudding mix.  Increase the speed and whip for 2-3 minutes until the filling is thick.  If it get too thick, you can add 1/4 cup 1/2 cup of more cream or even 2 tablespoons of milk until you reach the desired consistency.

4.  Use a filling for cakes.  If the filling isn't super thick, you may want to pipe a frosting edge around the cake before filling with the cream mousse.  

Doctored Vanilla White Cake & Vanilla Buttercream (Cream Cheese) Frosting

 I am not a huge cake eater.  There are so many other desserts I enjoy more.  And if I am going to eat cake--I usually want chocolate or carrot cake.  But most of my kids enjoy vanilla cake.  And so often vanilla cake can be too stodgy or dry.  This doctored cake mix was fabulous.  

CAKE

1 cup of buttermilk

1/2 cup neutral oil (canola, vegetable, grapeseed, etc)

2 tsp vanilla extract 

3 eggs

1 box of white cake mix* 

FROSTING

½ cup butter, softened to room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

16 ounces powdered sugar, about 3 ½ cups

pinch of salt

¼ cup heavy cream

CAKE DIRECTIONS:

Line baking pans with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Preheat the oven for 350.

Mix buttermilk and oil in a stand mixer until blended.  Add vanilla.  Add cake mix and stir on low.  While still on low, add eggs one at a time.  Then increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.

Spread the batter evenly between the baking pans.  Bake for 30-34 minutes for two 8-inch rounds, 28-32 minutes for three 6-inch rounds.  

*I used Pillsbury Moist Supreme White Premium Cake Mix, 15.25oz, the recipe recommended Betty Crocker Super Moist Delights French Vanilla Cake Mix, 

FROSTING DIRECTIONS (adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe):

In a mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until it is light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla.  Using a fine mesh sieve or sifter, sift the powdered sugar with a pinch of salt in a separate large bowl.  Gradually add the powdered sugar to the creamed butter mixture about 1 cup at a time and mix on low before adding the next.  Mix until creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting in light and fully.

Oven Pancakes, aka "Snow Pancakes" aka Dutch Baby aka Swedish Pancake

 

SERVINGS: 2 TO 4

 TIME: 30 MINUTES 

SOURCE: SMITTEN KITCHEN

We usually double this recipe and make two 9x13 pans to feed our family.  A breakfast for dinner favorite!

2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large eggs

1/2 cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk (ideally whole milk but most varieties will work)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

If savory: Freshly ground black pepper, wilted spinach or sauteed greens, bacon or ham, cheese, herbs or comte, herbs (shown here with ham, gruyere, and chives)

If sweet: powdered sugar to finish, lemon juice, syrup, fresh berries, shaved chocolate, or chocolate sauce

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Put the 9x13 glass pan into the oven. 

In a large bowl, beat eggs thoroughly with a whisk or fork. Add salt and flour, whisk until lumps disappear. Add milk, whisking until smooth. 

When oven and baking vessel are fully heated, wearing potholders, carefully remove skillet(s) or baking dish(es) from the oven. Melt butter 2T in the hot pan and roll it around so it goes up the sides, too. 

Pour batter into buttered dish(es) and return it to the oven. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes to start, and then in additional 1 to 2 minute increments until the edges are deeply golden brown and the centers are just beginning to color. 

The yield here is intended for one 12-inch round ovenproof skillet, two 9-inch round ovenproof skillets, the equivalent sized baking dishes, or even 9x13 pan.

Fluffy Zucchini Cornbread

We love this cornbread!  Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

INGREDIENTS

 1/2 cup (3 ounces) yellow cornmeal
 3/4 cups (3.75 oz) all-purpose flour

 3/4 cup (3.75 oz) whole wheat flour
 1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) granulated sugar
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
 3/4 teaspoon salt
 1 cup buttermilk or milk
 2 eggs, lightly beaten
 4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
 2 cups unpeeled shredded, drained zucchini (8 ounces)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x9 inch metal baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Gently stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter (or coconut oil) and zucchini. Stir just until combined.  Don't overmix.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 30-32 minutes until the top springs back lightly to the touch and/or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Charred Cauliflower Quesadillas with Taco Slaw

So flavorful and filling.  Yield: 6 quesadillas, serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 small or 1 large fresh poblano chiles
1 small head cauliflower, cored and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking quesadillas
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely grated Monterey jack cheese
12 small (7-inch) flour tortillas (to make gluten-free, use corn or almond tortillas)

1.  Char peppers: Over a gas burner turned to high, hold the poblanos over the flame with tongs and char them until they are black and blistered all over.  (Or you can use the broiler, turning often).  Put the poblano chiles in a bowl and cover tightly with foil. Set aside to steam and let their skins loosen while you cook the cauliflower.

2. Char cauliflower: In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat heavy 12-inch pan over high heat until almost smoking.  Add cauliflower cook until each piece has a few black spots but is not mushy, turning and moving it frequently to ensure even cooking for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

3. Mix filling: When poblanos are cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin (with your fingers or paring knife).   Pull out and discard stems and seed clusters, and slice peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Add to cauliflower on board and give both a rough chop together, reducing the cauliflower to no bigger than 1/2-inch chunks. Return cauliflower and peppers to the large bowl, add scallions, lime juice and salt to taste. You should have about 2 cups of cauliflower filling.

4. Assemble and cook quesadillas: Put a 1/3 cup cauliflower filling and 1/3 cup shredded cheese on each tortilla. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Cook quesadillas until lightly browned about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with your choice of fixings. 

Cumin-Lime Crema

1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
A few gratings fresh lime zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together, adjust seasonings to taste, and serve alongside quesadillas.

Lazy Taco Slaw

1 bag coleslaw mix or (as used here) 3 cups finely shredded red cabbage and 1 coarsely grated carrot
Coarse salt
Juice of half a lime
2 scallions, sliced thin
A dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt
A dash of hot sauce (optional)
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley leaves

Mix cabbage salt and lime together in a large bowl.  Set aside for 5 minutes (it will shrink a bit).Then toss together with scallions, then yogurt and hot sauce. Adjust seasonings/ingredients to taste, add cilantro.  

Dark Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting

This recipe is adapted from Cakes By Courtney.  It's our favorite chocolate cake recipe.  We love this salted caramel frosting.  But we also love the cake with vanilla, chocolate, whipped chocolate, or peanut butter buttercream.

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 3/4 cups  plus 2 tablespoons (225 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups  minus 2 tablespoons (375 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups (88.5 g) good quality dark cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) kosher salt
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL & FROSTING

• 6 oz of Trader joe's salted caramel (or make from scratch), room temperature
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar sifted*
• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly softened*
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

1. Gather ingredients--buttermilk and eggs need to be at room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 360 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, then spray the pans again. Set aside. 

2. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
3. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, eggs, water and vanilla.
4. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

5. Evenly fill the batter into the prepared pans (I weight the batter and then divide between the number of pans).

6. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
8. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.  Level your cake layers to ensure a completely even surface for frosting and stacking.

FOR THE FROSTING

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, powdered sugar and 6oz of the caramel together in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. 
2. If the icing seems to thick or stiff, add 1-2T of cream or milk a little at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.

ASSEMBLY

1. Place the first cake layer bottom-side down, in the center of the cake board. Using an offset palette knife, spread about 3/4 cup frosting evenly across the cake layer. If desired, Drizzle with about a tablespoon or two of the extra caramel sauce.
2. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top of the second cake and optional drizzle with another tablespoon or so of caramel.
3. Place the third cake layer, top side down, on top of the frosting. 
4. Crumb coat the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting and freeze for about 10 to 15 minutes to set.
5. Once the crumb coat is set, continue to frost the cake with the remaining frosting, and then use the remaining caramel sauce as a drip. 

*FROSTING NOTES/TIPS:  

Sifting your sugar helps make sure the frosting is silky smooth.  Measure powdered sugar first, then whisk it through a mesh strainer.

Semi-Cold Butter.  You don't want your butter too soft when making frosting.  Take it out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before making the buttercream.  

Cinnamon Rolls, Gloria's

These are amazing cinnamon rolls.  They make a ton (24-30 big cinnamon rolls)!  Perfect to share or freeze for later.  

INGREDIENTS

ROLLS:

 4 cups milk (whole milk is best, but not necessary)
 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
 1 cup sugar
 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
 1 3/4 tablespoons instant yeast (see note)
 4 large eggs
 11-13 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or half white whole wheat)

FILLING:

 3/4 cup butter, softened 

 1 1/2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

 1/2 t cardamon or all spice (optional)

FROSTING:

 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
 1 teaspoon vanilla
 2 teaspoons maple extract/flavoring
 Pinch of salt
 2 pounds powdered sugar
 Cream or milk for consistency

INSTRUCTIONS

For the dough, scald the milk in a medium saucepan (heat the milk until right before it simmers/boils - it little bubbles will form around the edge of the pan and steam will rise). Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric stand mixer.  Add the butter, sugar and salt. Mix until the butter is melted.  Let the mixture cool until warm but not hot (<120 F).

Add the yeast and eggs and mix until combined.

Add the flour about 1 cup at time.  How much you add will vary, so watch for when the dough clears the sides of the bowl (about 12-13 cups, but sometimes more or less).  The dough should be soft and just slightly sticky without leaving a lot of residue on your fingers. Let it knead for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled (about an 60-90 minutes).

On a lightly floured counter, divide the dough in half. Roll or pat each portion of dough into an 18-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Spread 6T of softened butter over each rectangle.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and spices. Sprinkle half on each rectangle of dough. Pat it down gently. Starting with one long end, roll up the cinnamon rolls as tightly as possible, pinching the seam lightly to seal.

Take one roll and divide into 12 equal pieces.  I like to cut it in half, then cut each half in half again (forming four equal portions).   And then cut each of those pieces into thirds.  

Evenly spaced on a parchment-lined or silpat lined rimmed baking sheet about 11X17-inches (or 12X18-inches).  Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until double (about an hour). 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake the rolls for about 18-22 minutes until slightly golden on top.  Let the rolls cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.  I like to then transfer to a cooling rack (optional) so the bottoms don't get soggy.  

To make the frosting, in a large bowl, whip together the cream cheese and butter. Add the vanilla, maple and salt and mix until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until thick and creamy. Add cream or milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and spreadable to your liking.  Spread the cinnamon rolls with frosting once mostly cooled.

NOTES:

To make ahead of time: 1. Place shaped rolls on lined baking sheet.  Cover with lightly grease plastic wrap and put them in the fridge for up to 24 hours.  Remove and bring them to room temperature and to rise until double in size (this takes about 2-3 hours).  Bake as directed above.

To freeze already cooked and frosted rolls, let them cool.  Place in a ziploc bag. To reheat, remove the roll from the bag.  Place one roll at a time on a plate in the microwave for about 1 minute.

Oreo Pie

 This pie became a family favorite when I was pregnant and very sick.  I bought the No Bake Oreo dessert so Kevin could make a birthday treat for Anne...it's now become the most-often requested pie by our kids!  The recipe is no longer on the box, so here's my best attempt at recreating it.

No Bake Oreo Dessert

• 1 No Bake Oreo Dessert Mix
• 3 T melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1/2 tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. Make an oreo pie crust, combine oreo crumbs (bag 1) with melted butter and press into a 9-inch pie plate.  (Optional you can bake the crust for a more toasted flavor.  Bake at 350 for 8 minutes, let cool completely before filling).
2. Beat pudding mix (bag 2 approximately 5.75 oz of pudding mix) and milk in large bowl with wire whisk for 2 minutes until thick.  Fold in whipped topping.  Fold in half of the chopped oreos (bag 3).
3. Pour and smooth out in pie crust.
4. Refrigerate 4-24 hours or until firm.  Top with remaining whipped cream (optional) and chopped oreos before serving.  Keep refrigerated.

Oreo Pudding Option

• 2 packages (4 oz each) cookies 'n creme instant pudding
• 2 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 tub (8oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed divided
• 1 nine inch oreo pie crust
• 5-6 oreos chopped

1. Beat pudding mixes and milk in large bowl with wire whisk for 2 minutes until thick.  Fold in whipped topping.
2. Pour and smooth out in pie crust.
3. Refrigerate 4-24 hours or until firm.  Top with remaining whipped cream (optional) and chopped oreos before serving.  Keep refrigerated.