Showing posts with label Desserts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Desserts. Show all posts

11/5/13

Apple Pecan Crumble

My little brother is great! I occasionally mention him in my blog because he is one of my trusted taste testers. As I've been experimenting with this new (to me) gluten free way of life, it's been nice to have his opinion on many of my trials. I can always count on him giving me an honest (but kind) review of my food.

Recently he broke his hand in two places and was stuck in a cast for three weeks, but he didn't let that keep him down! While in his cast, he brought over a whole bunch of apples that he had picked himself... one-handed. The following recipe is using some of those yummy apples! I might be posting a few other apple recipes in the future, not just because I have apples to use up, but because I love apples!
The Apple Layer:
2 C diced fresh apples
2 TB sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TB molasses

The Crumble Layers:
1 C brown rice flour
3/4 C pecan meal (Easy to make in a food processor. Just grind up some pecans!)
1/3 C sugar
1/1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 TB olive oil
4 TB water
1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir the apple layer ingredients well until the apple pieces are evenly coated and set aside.
Mix all of the crumble layer ingredients together until well blended. It should have a crumbly texture to it, but if pressed together, it should clump. Evenly and gently press about half of the crumble mixture into the bottom of a greased (or parchment paper lined) 8x8 baking dish. Pour and spread the apple layer mixture on top of the crumble layer, then evenly spoon the remaining crumble mixture over the top of everything. Using a fork or other implement, evenly press the top layer of the crumble mixture so it is nice and even across the top. This will also allow the mixture to push down into the apple mixture and help hold things together once cooked. Bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Let cool before serving. Serve warm or cool with or without ice cream.
After making those delicious Maple Pecan Pancakes last week, I wanted something else with pecans and I decided apples and pecans should be friends. I was right, this turned out great and while my little brother hasn't test tasted this one yet, others have and the responses have been good. I do need to have my brother over soon though so he can enjoy some of this.

My husband liked his best warm, but I liked mine cooled. Either way it was delicious! It tends to be more crumbly when warm, and although I would recommend a fork, when served cool, these do hold up fairly well! I admit to just grabbing a slice by hand and munching it that way too, then licking the crumbs off my fingers. Such bad manners! Ha ha!

This post was featured here:
AllergyFreeWednesdayshttp://www.scratchmommy.com/mostly-homemade-mondays-linky-party-week-55/
Recipes and Ramblins with the Tumbleweed Contessa

Waste Not Want Not Wednesday at Poor and Gluten Free
Allergy Free Wednesday at Tessa the Domestic Diva
Gluten Free Wednesdays at The Gluten Free Homemaker
Lovely Ladies Linky at Life With the Crust Cut Off
Work It Wednesday at The Happy Housie
Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life
Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours
Four Seasons Blog Hop at Easy Life Meal & Party Planning 
Gluten Free Fridays at Vegetarian Mamma
Home Sweet Home at The Charm Of Home
The HomeAcre Hop at Black Fox Homestead
BFF Open House at The Answer is Chocolate
Clever Chicks Blog Hop at The Chicken Chick
Sunday Linky at Suburbs Mama
Silver Pennies Sundays at Finding Silver Pennies
Creative Home & Garden Hop at Little Homestead On The Hill
Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do
Monday Funday at Lines Across My Face
What'd You Do This Weekend at Tumbleweed Contessa
Gluten Free Recipe Linky at Musings of a Housewife
Mostly Homemade Mondays at Homegrown & Healthy
Manic Monday at Serendipity & Spice
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10/17/13

Sweet Potato Pie Brownies

Combining different tasty food items is not always a success. Strawberries, eggs, dill pickles, and milk for example. Or maybe vanilla, green beans, pumpkin, almonds and onions. If those sound good to you, I apologize. To me they sound disgusting!
Here's another odd sounding combination: garbanzo beans, cream cheese, quinoa, dark chocolate, and sweet potatoes... This combination is different! They may not seem like they should go together, but they definitely do! Don't believe me? Try this recipe! You won't regret it!
Brownie Layer:
1 1/2 C dark chocolate chips (melted)
1 C garbanzo beans, cooked, drained, and cooled
1 C cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa)
2 large eggs
1/2 C sugar
1 TB olive oil
1/2 tsp baking powder

Sweet Potato Layer:
1/4 C sugar
1 C sweet potato puree
3 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp nutmeg

In a food processor, blend together: melted chocolate, garbanzo beans, quinoa, sugar, oil, and baking powder. Once they are blended well, add the eggs and blend some more until everything is smooth.

I do it in this order because I don't want egg to come into direct contact with freshly melted chocolate if it's still hot at all. Once the chocolate is blended in, the other ingredients will cool it down enough to avoid partially cooking the eggs. It might be just fine to blend everything at once, but I'm paranoid because I once had a roommate accidentally cook parts of the egg in her cookie dough when she poured hot melted butter in it. Those cookies were not very good. Anyway, on to the next step...
Also check out my tutorials on making grapevine wreaths and creating brown paper bag leaves.
Pour the brownie batter into a greased 9x9 or similar sized baking dish and smooth it out evenly. Next, mix together all of the ingredients for the sweet potato layer. Spoon the sweet potato layer evenly over the top of the brownie layer. Give it a few stirs if you want to create a marbled effect. Smooth out the top. Bake in the oven at 350 F for approximately 45-50 minutes. Eat warm or chilled. Store, covered in your fridge. I think I enjoy them chilled best and with a dollop of whipped cream, the same way I like my sweet potato pie!

These brownies are gluten free, packed with fiber, protein, and other great nutrients, but they don't taste healthy to me! They are rich and fudgy. So far the non-gluten free people I've fed these too have enjoyed them too. I always make them guess what's in them and they can never tell! I hope you enjoy them!


This post was featured!
Thank you My Simple Country Living & White Wolf Summit Farmgirl
The Little Homestead on the HillAllergyFreeWednesdays

Shared at these great blogs:
Gluten Free Fridays at Vegetarian Mama
From the Farm Blog Hop at Sunny Simple Life 
Farmgirl Friday at Deborah Jean's Dandelion House 
Sunday Linky @ Suburbs Mama 
Clever Chicks at The Chicken Chick
Silver Pennies Sundays at Finding Silver Pennies
Creative Home and Garden Hop at Little Homestead on the Hill
Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do
Monday Funday at Lines Across My Face
What'd You Do This Weekend at Tumbleweed Contessa
The Backyard Farming Connection
Tuesday Link Party at A to Zebra Celebrations
Tuesdays With a Twist at Stone Cottage Adventures
Allergy Free Wednesday at Tessa The Domestic Diva
Gluten Free Wednesday at The Gluten Free Homemaker
Waste Not Want Not Wednesday at Poor and Gluten Free
Down Home Blog Hop at Tilly's Nest
Work it Wednesday at The Happy Housie
Lovely Ladies Linky at Life With The Crust Cut Off
Home & Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life
Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours
The HomeAcre Harvest Hop! 
Feature Friday at Blissful and Domestic 
BFF Open House at The Answer is Chocolate 
Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest
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8/23/13

Banana Coconut Macaroons

Recently, I noticed that I had a couple of very ugly brown bananas. Now, for some people that might be a distressing realization, but not for me. An unsightly over-ripe banana is something I find inspiring! It's an excuse to bake something really delicious!

I though about making some banana bread, or some muffins (I'm practically obsessed with muffins!), but I've been thinking about coconut macaroons for a little while now and I was really in the mood for some kind of cookie. Coconuts and bananas are both tropical and delicious, so naturally they should go together!
Banana Coconut Macaroons:
1 medium very ripe banana
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C butter (room temperature)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 C brown rice flour
3/4 C almond flour
1 C (be generous!) sweetened shredded coconut

Cream together the banana, sugar, butter and vanilla. In a separate container, stir together the flours and salt, then add to the banana mixture. Blend well. Stir in the shredded coconut until well incorporated. Chilling in the fridge for at least a half  hour is very helpful if your dough is too soft. Place spoonfuls of dough onto a greased cookie sheet, or use parchment paper. The cookies will not change shape with baking. Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes or until bottoms are well browned, tops are barely browned, but cookies are still soft. Let cool then eat.
I love how these turned out. Crisp at the edges, chewy and soft in the middle. They are very sweet, so if you don't like your cookies very sweet, you might consider using unsweetened coconut instead. I don't eat a lot of sugar, but every once in a while, I want something sweet and these are delicious! We've been practically fighting over them here. No one cares that they are gluten free! That's how good they are!
My brother stopped by the next day, and I pulled out a plate full of these macaroons... He was only here for a few minutes, but by the time he left the plate was empty! Not even a crumb was left! My husband admitted later that he had snitched three of them... My brother ate the rest! I'll take that as a compliment!
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8/16/13

Blackberry Mango Crisp

In my post about wildberry sauce, I mentioned the blackberries I brought back from my wonderful trip to Oregon. My little brother and sweet husband picked them for me on the last day I spent in Oregon. I was sick in bed with the flu. It was not a fun way to spend the last day of vacation, but I'm really glad it didn't happen at the beginning of my trip! As soon as we got home, my sweet husband washed them up and froze them so they wouldn't go bad. He doesn't like blackberries, so they were safe from snitching until I was over my illness and ready to use them. I have been thinking about those blackberries a lot. I wanted to make something special, but I wasn't sure what.

My inspiration came earlier his week when I came across a fantastic deal on mangoes while grocery shopping. I love mangoes! I love blackberries! It seemed like fate! I came up with this delicious crisp that uses both of these fruits. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I have more blackberries left, so I'll be making some other great treats with them in the future.
Fruit Filling:
2 large mangoes pealed and chopped (about 2 C worth)
2 C fresh or frozen blackberries
2 TB lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TB brown sugar
3 tsp corn starch

Topping:
1 C oats (certified gluten free if needed)
1/2 C almond flour
1/3 C brown sugar (packed)
2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/3 C water
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
Extra TB brown sugar

Gently mix together the filling ingredients until the fruit is evenly coated. Spread into the bottom of a 9X9 baking dish (I used two 5x8 dishes) and set aside.
Stir together the oats, almond flour, sugar, spices, and salt until well blended. Add the oil and water and mix until everything is well incorporated. Sprinkle the topping mixture into the baking dish over the top of the fruit. Sprinkle the extra tablespoon of brown sugar evenly over the top.
Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling up on the edges and the topping is just slightly browned.
Serve warm or chilled; it's great either way! Ice cream or whipped cream is a nice addition if you'd like, but it really doesn't need anything.
I loved how this turned out! The crisp topping was perfectly sweet with a hint of spicy clove. The mangoes cooked up so smoothly and the two fruits complimented each other well. The color was beautiful too! I love when my food is visually appealing as well as delicious!

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8/12/13

Oregon Coast Wild Berry Sauce

Recently, I spent some time at the Oregon coast. I grew up in Northwestern Oregon and lived very near the coast for several years, so it's nice to go back sometimes. While I was there, I couldn't resist spending some time in the woods picking a variety of edible wild berries. I've really missed the berries since moving away. Most of them were devoured as soon as they were picked, but I kept a few to bring back home with me.
Beautiful red huckleberry bushes loaded with tasty berries!
I brought back some salal berries and two different varieties of huckleberry: Red huckleberries (Vaccinium parvifolium) and Evergreen huckleberries (Vaccinium ovatum). Salal berries (Gaultheria shallon) are native to western North America and plentiful in the coastal forests of Oregon. They are a lesser known, but delicious edible berry. I also brought back some blackberries, but I'll talk about them later... Today I'm sharing what I made with my huckleberries and salal berries.


Oregon Coast Berry Sauce:
1 cup wild berries (I used a mix of salal and huckleberry)
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 TB honey
1 tsp water
1/2 tsp lemon juice


In a small sauce pan, add berries, sprinkle with cornstarch and stir until they are evenly coated. drizzle with honey, add water and lemon juice. Stir well. Heat berries over medium heat stirring constantly. Smash some of the berries as they cook. Simmer 2-4 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken and berries are smashed to your desired consistency (you can smash them all, or just a few. It's up to you!). Serve warm or cold on pancakes, ice cream, Greek yogurt etc. Store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze to use later. This is really simple, but really tasty! You can use whatever berries you want, so it's super versatile. I hope you enjoy it!

You guys, the Oregon coast is gorgeous! If you've never spent time there, you should! And if you want suggestions of neat places to explore, I know some; I'm happy to share! I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer!
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7/22/13

Ginger Peach upside down cake

Peaches are in season here and I'm loving them! I'm also loving this recipe I put together for Ginger Peach Upside Down Cake. Spicy ginger and sweet peaches are simply meant to be together. Think of them as best friends. They are awesome on their own, great with others, but when the two of them get together...Wow!
It makes me think of one of my best friends. She's like the ginger in our relationship, but not because of her gorgeous red hair- that's just a coincidence. I have always been drawn to her outgoing, spunky, personality. Whenever we get together, it's a fantastic time and crazy things can happen. I remember one time when we were young, she helped me smuggle home a kitten. My dad who was driving us didn't know, even when it began yowling! To this day, we still laugh at the idea of how crazy my dad must have thought we were as we suddenly began meowing and giggling uncontrollably in the back seat of the car! We have so many fun memories together; I can't help smiling when I think of her.  ...Ginger Peach Upside Down Cake is kind of like that, only in cake form. You will definitely smile when you taste it!

I made my cake in a 7x5 dish and it was the perfect size for me to enjoy with a friend and still have leftovers.  You may wish to double the recipe if you're making this for a larger group.

Share some with some of your best friends. It's fantastic with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!

Ginger Peach Upside down Cake:

Approx. 2 small peaches sliced
1TB sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TB finely chopped crystallized ginger
1TB molasses
1TB butter melted

Line bottom of a greased baking pan with sliced peaches. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, molasses and melted butter and pour evenly over the top of the peaches. then mix together the batter:

1/2 C almond flour
1/4 C white rice flour
2 TB sugar
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2TB milk
2TB butter softened
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla


Mix well and gently spoon over the top of the peach mixture and smooth out the top using the back of the spoon.
Bake at 350 F for approx 25 minutes
Serve warm with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.


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6/7/13

Millet Almond Oat Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are a necessity in my house! However when you have special dietary needs, it can be difficult to find a chocolate chip cookie that satisfies. Since going gluten free, I've tried a few different chocolate chip cookie recipes and not all of them worked. In fact, the first recipe I tried was so disappointing that I nearly cried! This recipe is one I will make again. It is sweet enough to be yummy, but is low in sugars. Plus, my little niece who can't have milk or eggs can also enjoy them! Replace the honey with agave syrup or another plant-based sweetener and this recipe is vegan!
Millet Almond Oat Cookies: (original recipe here)
Mix together the following ingredients in a bowl and let them sit for a minute or two so the flax meal can become squishy.
2 TB warm water
1 tsp flax meal
2 TB oil
4 TB honey

In a separate bowl mix together:
1/4 tsp ginger powder
pinch of salt
2 TB sugar
1/2 C ground oats (gluten free)
1/4 C millet flour
1/4 C almond flour

Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then stir in:
1/3 C chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)

Spoon into greased cookie sheet and smooth dough into flattened cookie shaped patties (cookies will not noticeably change shape). Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned on the bottom. Let cool before eating.
These cookies hold together really well, which can be a problem with some gluten free cookies. No problems here! They are great in lunches and I've taken them on hikes and they don't turn into crumbs!
I made a large batch earlier this week and froze them because sometimes during the summer I want a treat, but I don't want to turn on the oven. These cookies thaw out very nicely!

Note: I made my own oat and millet flour using a food processor which doesn't make a perfectly smooth flour (but is much less expensive!). I personally like the texture of these, however for a smoother cookie texture, you may want to use finer milled flours.
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5/2/13

Strawberry Crisp in a Mug

I absolutely love strawberries! I'm really lucky because I am the only one under my roof that likes them. Crazy, right? I'm not going to complain, though, because that means I get to eat them all myself! This recipe I came up with is perfect for my situation because it makes a serving for one person.
It takes only a few minutes to prepare, so anytime I have a craving for something warm and delicious using one of my favorite fruits, I know what to make! With a spoonful of ice cream or whipped cream, this makes a tasty dessert. However, I couldn't resist making this for my breakfast this morning. Why not? Oatmeal and strawberries are healthy ingredients!
Strawberry Crisp in a Mug
Stir together, pour into a microwave safe mug or ramekin, and set aside:
1 cup chopped strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 Tb sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ginger powder
dash of cinnamon

Mix together and pour into mug on top of strawberry mixture:
1/3 cup gluten free oats
2 Tb almond flour
1 Tb sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tb oil or melted butter
Microwave for approximately 2 minutes or until strawberry mixture gets nice and bubbly. Let cool for several minutes to help the juices set up (and avoid burning your mouth!). You may want to set your mug on a plate or saucer while microwaving to catch any juices that may bubble over. Using a mug with taller sides also helps. If you are apposed to using a microwave, I'm sure this can be used with a toaster oven as well. Feel free to modify to your personal preferences.

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4/1/13

Strawberry Lemon Shortcake in a Mug

 My little brother dropped by for an afternoon visit the other day. I wanted something quick and easy to make for him. He does not need to be gluten free, but I wanted his opinion on one of my latest creations. I knew he'd be honest if it was awful, but I also knew he was going to love it! He liked it so much, that he's been begging me for the recipe ever since.  So, my dear brother, this post is especially for you! Enjoy!
I found the inspiration for this recipe here, but I added a few modifications and I think it's even better! This is the perfect treat for two. It can be easily whipped up when you have an unexpected guest; it takes practically no time at all to make! Enjoy it with a friend over a cup of tea or while playing your favorite game. lemon essential oil kicks the flavor up a notch. Try it; you won't be disappointed!
Making the Shortcake:
3/4 cup almond flour
2 TBL sugar
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
2 TBL lemon juice
2 TBL melted butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2-3 drops pure lemon essential oil

In a medium bowl, whisk almond flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add lemon juice, butter, egg, and lemon essential oil. Stir until well combined. Divide mixture between two microwave-safe mugs and microwave separately for 1 minute & 30 seconds (cooking time may vary with microwave types). Remove from microwave, gently remove cake from mug if desired (you can also eat it right out of the mug!). Top with strawberry sauce and whipped cream. If you don't have or don't want to use a microwave, you might try this in a toaster oven. Feel free to modify it to your personal preferences.

Making the Strawberry Sauce:
4-5 large strawberries chopped (and thawed if using frozen berries)
Sprinkling of sugar (use more or less depending on how sweet you want it)
1 small drop pure lemon essential oil.
Mix together until sugar is dissolved completely. Serve over shortcake.

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