Gluten Free Dumplings

I love chicken and dumplings and I make good dumplings -- light and fluffy. I have memories of my mother peeping over my shoulder to see how I made mine because she claimed that hers were never as good. I have been putting off trying to make gluten free dumplings, afraid that they would not be good enough and I would be disappointed. Today I had a powerful craving driven by dental work and I just needed the comfort of soft dumplings and savory chicken broth. Let me just say -- I can eat chicken and dumplings again!

 

1 cup all-purpose gluten free flour (I use my brown rice mix)

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup milk (low fat but not nonfat)

 

1. Make your favorite chicken broth recipe. I used the leftover chicken pot pie filling and just added more chicken stock to make it more watery and it was perfect. It had shredded chicken, celery, carrots, potatoes and onions already in it. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer.

 

2. In a small bowl, mix flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt with a whisk until well combined. Add the milk in a steady stream whisking as you go. Whisk until the batter is smooth.

 

3. Drop the dumpling batter by tablespoonful into the shimmering soup, allowing for room to expand. Cover the pot partially and allow dumplings to cook through for 7 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.



Lemon Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb. asparagus, cut into 2 -3 inch pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

2/3 c chicken stock

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp grated ginger

1/4 c lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

salt & pepper

olive oil

 

1. Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and place shrimp in a single layer, sprinkle salt on shrimp and cook for three minutes on each side. Remove shrimp and place on a platter.

 

2. Return the pan to the heat, add another tablespoon of olive oil, and asparagus and garlic and saute until cooked but still crisp.

 

3. While asparagus is cooking, whisk chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice and zest and ginger in a bowl, and set aside.

 

4. Add chicken stock mixture to asparagus and cook until thickened. Add shrimp to pan and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

 

5. Serve over steamed rice. Makes 4 servings.



GF Chocolate Fudge Cake/Cupcakes

Couldn't believe it when hubby took a bite of these cupcakes and said he couldn't tell that this was gluten free! These are chocolatey and light and fluffy and there is no need for another chocolate cupcake made with wheat.

4oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 3/4 c Brown Rice Flour Mix

1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 c canola oil

1 1/2 c fat-free milk

2 c granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9-inch round layer cake pans with parchment or wax paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. If making cupcakes, line 24 cupcake pans, set aside.

2. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, until completely melted. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

3. Put flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum in medium bowl and whisk to mix. Set aside.

4. Place canola oil and milk in a measuring cup and whisk thoroughly. Set aside.

5. Beat sugar and eggs in a large bowl of electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add dry and wet ingredients in two additions at low speed, and then mix at medium speed for 1 more minute.

6. Pour batter into prepared pans. Place in center of oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake 18 - 20 minutes for cupcakes.

7. Cool cake layers in the pans on a rack for five minutes. Use a small knife to cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Invert cake layers onto a rack, peel of paper and cool completely.

8. Frost with buttercream or chocolate fudge.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled

1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened

2 c powdered sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate and mix well.

2. Fold in powdered sugar gradually, beating until sugar is completely incorporated. Add vanilla and beat well. Frosting should be soft and spreadable. Frosting will stiffen slightly at room temperature.



Cheese and Spinach Tart

 

Crust:

8 tbsp. cold butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp English mustard powder

1/2 tsp paprika

large pinch of salt

4 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

 

Filling:

1 lb frozen spinach, squeezed dry

1 onion, chopped

pinch of grated nutmeg

6 oz (1 cup) cottage cheese

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

2/3 c light cream

salt & pepper

 

 

1. In a medium bowl mix flour, mustard powder, paprika and large pinch of salt. Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the grated cheese.

2. Using one tablespoon at a time, add cold water to flour mixture, until dough just holds together.

3. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

4. Put the spinach and onion in a pan, cover and cook slowly. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside to cool slightly.

5. Add the remaining filling ingredients.

6. Roll out two-thirds of dough on floured board and use it to line a 9-inch tart or pie plate.

7. Roll out the other one-third of pastry and cut into strips.

8. Spoon the spinach filling into the pastry line plate. Using the pastry strips, create a lattice top on filling. Brush with beaten egg glaze.

9. Place pie plate on sheet pan and place in a 400 degree preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

 

Note: This pie freezes well. Slice pie, wrap individually and freeze.



Gluten Free Pizza Crust

I've tried several pizza "crust" recipes and this one is definitely a keeper. Hubby said he would eat it again, gladly, and that is a ringing endorsement! He knows that if he doesn't tell the truth, he will have to eat it again.

 

1 cup Brown Rice Flour Mix

1/2 cup Buckwheat flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp granulated sugar

1 packet (1/4 oz) dry quick-rise yeast

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp water, heated to 110 degrees Farenheit

 

 

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl of electric mixer. Pour olive oil and warm water into mixing bowl; mix until just blended.

 

2. Scrape bowl and beaters, and then beat at high speed for 2 minutes.

 

3. Spoon dough into center of prepared pan (I used a round baking stone). Use a cake spatula to move dough from center to outer rim of pan. Make the dough as thin as possible.

 

4. Cover with a light cloth and let dough rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes. Pizza crust should double in height.

 

5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees while pizza dough is rising.

 

6. Bake pizza in pan for 15-16 minutes. Pizza shoule be light golden in color. Remove from oven and cover with pizza sauce and topping of your choice. I used marinara sauce, spinach, mozzarella, and crisp bacon.

 

7. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10  minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing.



Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes

These are some seriously good cupcakes! Thank you Annalise Roberts.

 

 

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups Brown Rice Flour mix

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners ina 12-cupcake baking pan.

 

2. Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until mixture is light lemon in color.

 

3. Add flour, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum, oil, milk and vanilla, and beat at medium speed for 1 minute.

 

4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place in center of oven and bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until center springs back when touched lightly.

 

5. Cool on rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan onto wire rack and cool completely.

 

6. Frost with favorite frosting or glaze.

 

 

Note: This recipe can be halved. Cupcakes can be frozen up to three weeks.



Lemon-Lime Pound Cake

My sister's mention of using 7-Up in cakes during the 70s brought back many pleasant memories of the marathon baking that we used to do for Christmas as the Monsoon rains pounded the windows. And as luck would have it, Southern Living's February issued featured this Lemon-Lime Pound Cake on the front cover, tempting me -- "bake me ... bake me" ... it called out to me.  And this weekend I gave in.

1 1/2 cups (12 oz.) butter, softened

3 cups sugar

5 large eggs, room temperature

2 Tbsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup lemon-lime soft drink (7-Up/Sprite)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla extract.

4. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with lemon-lime drink, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition.

5. Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.

6. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean. Check on cake after 40 minutes to make sure that cake doesn't brown too quickly (tent with foil if it does).

7. Cool cake in pan for 10 - 20 minutes; remove cake from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.

8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or make a glaze with powdered sugar and lemon juice (I use 1 cup of powdered sugar and about 3 tsp. of lemon juice -- add a teaspoon at a time).