Random Cooking Tips 2

There is a "part one" to this from the long long ago. 

So after thinking, reading, and trying new things, figuring out short cuts, tricks or switches, I decided to "part two" the tips post. In no particular order...

Gluten Free and Healthified Tricks

Ideal (xylitol) can be substituted for sugar in almost any recipe with good results. See the website for more info.  It helps control my candida actually. Plus its good for your teeth and (for those with constipation) it helps you "go". 

Honey can successfully be used to make whipped cream. I just did it. As can agave nectar. Don't buy the crap that has corn syrup if you do not have to. 

Oat flour (certified gluten free) hides well in most recipes. I have not gotten to where I prefer it. Also, it helps you "go", and lowers cholesterol. They say people who eat it regularly have a leaner body than those who do not.

Try Micro-plane grating certain veggies (carrots, zucchini, etc), or liquefying spinach, or adding avocado to certain recipes. Examples? I do this in my fish cakes (healthified off take of my mothers salmon patties) and in my chocolate muffins. Chocolate hides a lot of them very well. If your like me, and not fond of certain vegetables, you should try it!

Try cottage cheese or ricotta as an ice cream or cheesecake!

Fat content is not as bad as sugar or simple carb content. Simply to to limit over processed fats. Watch out for trans and saturated fats.

Baking Tips

Adding HOT water to recipes containing alkalized cocoa helps to activate the powdered chocolates flavors.

Room temperature ingredients make great cheesecakes! Also, try using you chopper/food processor instead of your mixer, as mixers are created to add air in. Refrigerate well, but after it cools down for a while in the oven. Never refrigerate a hot cheesecake. Never cook it until it "looks" done.

Try using higher grade flours, and "proper" flours when baking. Cake flours, pastry flours, etc. They are not all the same. They very in protein levels, which effects gluten production.

Grow your own yeast! Well, yeast stater for baking. Try.

To keep chocolate or other chips from falling in batter, coat them in flour before adding.

Did you know that roses, tulips, gardinas and daylilies are edible? You should look at all the edible flower options you have! and try out "sugared flowers" for decoration on cakes and baked goods!

Other Tips

Make sure your cooking (stove top) with the right temperatures, oils and pans. Know your oils "smoke point" and try to stay in that area! Also, I hear that the "hot pan, cold oil" chef mantra is actually NOT a myth. So try that out.

Store tomato sauce in glass containers if you can, the acidic nature of the tomato eats away at most plastic containers. Or try oiling it first, but not guaranteed to stop the staining.

Fresh herbs are fantastic. Fresh spices too. Try cooking with fresh when you can!

Melt Chocolate slowly, with liquids in at first melting. Adding water based or cold ingredients after can cause seizing.

Adding a bit of heavy whipping cream to hot chocolate makes it richer. Also try melting marshmallows in while its on the stove top also.

You can make butter with ultra pasteurized heavy cream. I've done it.

From my friend Luisa, use orange juice with jalapenos in your salsa for wonderful flavors!

Try adding lemoned butter to your steak after for "restaurant" like results.

I have quite a few more tips, but alas, I do not wish to make this longer than what people are willing to read. I'll do another later on. 

Better Batter Bread Bomb?

Gluten Free-ified Crescent Rolls

PLEASE NOTE THE ABOVE PIC ARE NOT MY RESULT! THEY ARE TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT I HAD BEEN AIMING FOR. 

Took a recipe off ALLRECIPES.COM for SWEET DINNER ROLLS, it was high rated, and tried to make it with my BETTER BATTER ALL PURPOSE FLOUR. 

Well.....

guess what? It was a total bomb. 

Well, not total. but the BLANDEST TASTING rolls ever. They were soft enough, and the dough felt good, but it just was off. Not to mention my skills in rolling out crescent shaped rolls is way below amateur hour. They turned out quite unattractive! More-so than these....

by a country mile!

I was a tad upset I wasted the flour on it. 

I read a blog on bread/baking tests a gluten free blogger did (find it here), on three major GF flours. And she actually adores BB flour. And rates C4C well also. I have not yet tried the C4C (CUP 4 CUP) flour myself, but I am thinking I should. 

I'd really like to bridge the gap between this ....

and the gf versions...

that just don't turn out the same. 

There are those who make super fantastic GF breads. Some even attractive.

You can always get good tips from these, figure out what they do that works. 

Like at ART OF GLUTEN FREE BAKING. 

I will keep trying to get better at my GF bread making. But until then, since I'm only "intolerant" and not celiac, I might have to cheat a bit on occasion to get my baking crazies out. 

Find more info and recipes @ http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/recipes/

have a good day.

Belated Better Batter Review

Better Batter Review

Ok, If your eating Gluten Free, then perhaps you have began to hear the buzz about this stuff! I had, in the past, posted that at some point I wanted to try it and C4C (cup for cup). I have not tried C4C yet, but better batter fell into my arms from a local store shelf and is now my best pal!

What is Gluten free? Avoiding foods containing Gluten, typically due to an intolerance or Celiac disease. Generally, its not done without cause though. Its an expensive pain in the booty!

What is it about better batter that is different? I suspect its the lemon derived pectin. I've used gelatin, xanthan and etc but seems pectin is the winner winner carby dinner on this one. 

Now, besides having a distintively adorable container, BETTER BATTER has a name for itself in the world of gluten free for one bigtime "miracle"! BISCUITS! 

The Gluten free mom that took and made these biscuit beauties basically said she about cried when she ate them, realizing it tasted like a real biscuit and not a grainy crumbly mess. I have also made the pretty lil' biscuits. I can vouch, they are gluten free miracles. Remind me alot of chickfila's biscuits actually. I plan on playing more with the recipe but am very happy!

This picture (above) is why we are so happy! Anyone who has ever used normal gluten free dough knows how crumbley and messy it is. Enough to make you give up! But BB's dough FEELS LIKE REAL DOUGH! You can squish, kneed and mold it! ITS FANTASTIC! I mean you can make almost ANYTHING with this stuff!

The website has a ton of recipes that are pre-measured for the mixes. However, you can use it in almost any recipe you find. With yeast breads its been suggested you double the liquids however. But I myself have made soft lovely pancakes, beautiful biscuits, fudgey brownies, cake donuts, and etc. Its really great stuff. I can't imagion the C4C being able to be better than this batter, but I say bring it on! 

The mixes can make life a lil' more convenient. I'd have to say my only 3 gripes really are as follows....

1. Size is small per box is about-ish 3-4 cups.

2. not sold enough places, I'm lucky to find it at Homegoods

3. health factor, wish they could incorporate healthier gf flours in the mix. white rice takes the lead.

Besides that, I am impressed!

More pics to come when I experiment more, keep an eye open for more food blogs containing the words "better batter".  As for the ones on this page, not mine, but all made with this lovely flour!

happy cooking!

Gluten Free Cake Donuts

RECIPE IS ADAPTED FROM BON APPÉTIT'S "SOUR CREAM DOUGHNUTS"

Gluten Free Cake Donuts!

Now, I don't dabble in photography, I do not have any stuff or conditions to do so, so try not to be to sad that my donut pics or blogs pics are not of as cute of pics as some are.

The recipe included in the link, plus these changes....

1. all purpose - use better batter all purpose flour

2. cinnamon - 1/2 the cinnamon, grate FRESH REAL CINNAMON BARK and add a dash of nutmeg.

3. sourcream - 1/4 sour cream, 1/4 greek yogurt, 1/2 buttermilk

4. vanilla - that plus itsy splash of rum

5. oil - i had to use a mix (low on oils) but mine was mostly avocado oil, I'd recommend trying grape-seed or nut oils. Or even coconut if you are into that sort of thing.

the instructions list a maple glaze and streusel mix, sounded very good. I lacked the stuff, so did a normal glaze (warning normal donut glazes set better on yeast donuts than the texture of cake ones)

and I did some in a mix of cinnamon and powdered sugar. MY FAVE! 

Everything else is really just following the instructions they give. Really with BETTER BATTER you can use any recipe and very easily make it gluten free. 

I even dipped a few extras in chocolate! I do not have pics of them, but seriously yummers!

I implore you to try making them! 

Want healthier GF donuts? Bake, use substitutes for fats, use all yogurt instead of sour cream, use  splenda instead of sugar, whatever flours you want, oat or whatever, and even the fake egg stuff. 

I read an article on REAL SIMPLE that said that a cake donut, almonds and chocolate milk are a decent breakfast. THATS ALL I NEED TO HEAR!

Though in the future I'd like to mix in protein powders and other nutritious vitamin filled mixes and use a mix of xylitol and agave. You know, better morning donut, healthy. But its my first set of donuts, like...ever. So i'm pretty happy :) 

So was hubby! 

Happy cooking all!

WS Oatmeal-Craisin Cookies

I can't really tell you the exact recipe, its in one of my many William Sonoma books (and not one from online), the "Cookies" book. But it was what I started with. I used my homemade cultured (healthier) butter in the cookies, rolled oats, walnuts, craisins (in some) gluten free flours (healthy ones like bean and brown rice) an egg, etc. And not very much brown sugar in it either. And vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon in it to. 

THEY TURNED OUT SO WARM AND YUMMY! I will definitely be making them again! Maybe try them out a sugar free way (using IDEAL sugar). And with real cranberries instead of dried ones for added tartness.These will be our breakfast cookies! 

NOM NOM NOM!

I do recommend WS books, if you see them, you should buy one and try out some of the recipes. Also, remember if the flour is under 1 cup, you can fairly easily switch it with gf flour!

Battle of the Gluten Free Flours

Battle of the GF Flours

I've tried making my own blends, gets to be a pain in the butt. I've tried Bob's Red Mill and Pamela's (both baking mix and vanilla cake mix) and like both well enough. But they are better with cakes, cookies and "quick breads". Not biscuits, rolls, pizza, etc. I aim to find flour I can make (huge huge challenge) FLAKY LAYER BISCUITS for Jacob. He simply adored the America's Test Kitchen recipe for Flaky Layer Biscuits I made him. They were better than canned could ever be, since the bread had a fresher "just baked" kinda texture. 

HOWEVER, Biscuits are the more IMPOSSIBLE goal, one that most gluten freer's don't ever seem to reach a happy place with. Its difficult to do breads and biscuits due to gf flours tendancy to get a "grainy" texture. I made one half decent one and they were half breed gf. Not 100%, I had to mix normal with gf to get them. The 100% GF ones were awful, like a corn bread textured biscuit. 

Now I did make fabulous gf cinny rolls, but I made my own flour blend and used quite a bit of garbanzo bean flour in them, which resulted in a much better texture. 

I have big plans in my future for popovers, yeast rolls, pie crusts, flaky puff pastries, biscuits and breads. I wish to find the flour that can handle it. 

The TOP Contenders?

Seems for this type of thing the top names floating around are King Aurther, Jules, C4C, and Better Batter. Now Better Batter has quite a cult following. Its been around long enough and impressed alot of people with the results. The other one I'm quite curious about is C4C. It is created by reputable chef's, and is now sold in one of my favorite stores, Williams Sonoma. Which, to my knowledge, are not known for carrying that sort of thing. Making it a very impressing option. Jules has a following, but I've heard more of BB, and King Aurther is truelly King in the normal flour world, but about mid level in the gf world. Probably equal to Bob's and Pamela's.  So IF I do choose to pick new flours to begin a "BATTLE OF THE BLENDS", I am thinking those two, C4C and BB, are my picks for the fight. Fight for who is the best bread (and biscuit) flour.

Addendum

Found a few links to try:

GF Puff Pastry

Crescent/Dinner Rolls

GF Popovers

Double Dark Chocolate Muffins

Double Dark Chocolate Muffins

I warn you now, these are serious milk muffins! 60% Cocao Ghirardelli Chocolate chips both in the batter and in the muffins. Along with Hershey Special Dark Cocoa Powder. I won't make "from scratch" chocolate baked goods without melting and adding real chocolate. Cocoa Powder is a good mix in, but would never be the chocolate backbone of my recipe. 

These muffins will kill your chocolate craving for sure. And since they are GLUTEN FREE, they fill you up quick, I warn you, one is enough. 

I used Pamela's baking mix, again, and spring boarded off her recipe. I could not for the life of me find any gf dark chocolate muffin recipes (worth crap) so here is mine!

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1/4 cup oil (or melted butter)

1/4 cup Half n' half

1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, 1 white
1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4's bag of (ghirardelli) dark chocolate chips 

1/3 cup Hershey Special Dark Cocoa

- water if needed to thin out, added by tbsp, until not to thin, not to thick-

Directions

Yield: approximately 6 to 7 muffins.

Melt half the bag of chocolate chips, with some of the cream if needed. Mix all the remaining ingredients together, then add chocolate slowly stirring then mix in about 1 cups of remaining chocolate chips (or more) and spoon 2/3 full into greased muffin pan (or use paper muffin cups) Or to top if you want, I did. Bake in preheated 350º oven for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees in preheated oven. Let cool, then remove. 

Pineapple Updside Down Cake

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This turned out a bit too tantalizing, for though I'm not into pineapple, even I had to try some. Smelled Fantastic! Tasted SO GOOD! Def worth the burned flesh I got during the brown sugar melting part. 

Recipe? Its two recipes. One "altered slightly". First Williams Sonoma Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipefrom the fruit cookbook we bought, the methods and everything minus the cake mix, which was Pamela's GF Baking Mix's recipe for Yellow Cake. Basic gist would be yellow cake or vanilla cake mix or recipe. Start by buying sliced pineapple or fresh and slicing. Melt 1/4 cup butter on medium/medhigh heat, add 3/4 cup brown sugar mix and cook till small bubbles form, pour in lightly greased pan, place fruit on top, then cake mix, then cook 350 for 35+ mins. I'd suggest a cake recipe that has 2 or more eggs, or add if using mix. I'd suggest whipping egg whites to stiff peaks and folding in at end before pouring in pan.

Changes? Well, not many. I added about 1/4 ground pineapple (I had slices left) to the cake mix, and instead of milk I used a mix of half n half, heavy cream, and yogurt. That was for moistness, though not needed as the brown goo and fruit from the pan provide plenty, so I'd suggest just following directions. But a pinch or dash of cinnamon in the brown sugar butter mix was a great idea, I'd def recommend doing that, and the mashed pineapple thing. 

Enjoy! (serve warm)

Hubby sure did, he had seconds! :)

Would have had more but he complained about us being out of milk to drink, he loves his milk. We go through a gallon in about 3 days. He prefers milk with sweets, so do I. Kinda cuts the sugar.

LD

Bestest Brownies - Part 2

LANI'S DARK FUDGE (GF) BROWNIES

Hi, Have you met me? My name is Lani and I can not EVER leave well enough alone! Even if I get rave reviews from everyone, and hubby loves it, I must continue trying to PERFECT it. This "it" was my brownies. I desired them to be more brownie-ish and slightly toned down on the "punch you in the face fudge" texture. But still deeply chocolately. 

THESE ARE 100% GLUTEN FREE! YIPPY! 

But not 100% guilt free, lol, dark as they are, there is sugar and crisco/butter involved! 

3 eggs

1 cup white

3 tbsp dark brown

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup Pamela's GF Baking mix

1/2 cup butter/crisco

+ 1 tbsp butter or oil ...

to add in melting chocolate if desired

2 oz semi and 2 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped

(or even one ounce more if you like)

1/4 cup dark cocoa powder

large pinch of salt

nuts, add ins and espresso or coffee optional.

pre heat oven to 400

prepare square pan with foil tightly wrapped both ways, spray.

set up your double boiler, once water in pot boils turn off - add glass bowl on top and put in chocolate. stir stir stir. on the side, sift together flour, salt, and cocoa. set aside. keep eye on slowly melting chocolate. now cream together butter, and sugars, until ...well ...creamy, lol. then add vanilla and eggs, mix together. add flour mix in parts, stiring in, then slowly stir in melted chocolate. 

pour into prepared pan and cook, 25 mins. (varies by pan, oven, altitude, etc) test with toothpick, quickly, then cover with foil. let sit 30 mins, then remove, wrap with plastic and let cont cooling to the touch with saran wrap. cut with pizza cutter or knife, whatever. wrap well, and save or serve. 

serve warmed with cold vanilla icecream, yum!

Random Cooky Tips

I don't claim to be an expert. But I do have some advice. ;)

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Gluten Free Tips?

Try mixing some pudding mix in your cakes and cake-like baked goods.

Try using unflavored gelatin to help act as a "binder"

Try adding extra eggs where you can

Use rich flavors, good quality foods and products, natural and fresh when possible

Try using healthier fats and sugars

Check labels! If your celiac, or intolerant enough,

you need to be careful of hidden gluten!

Practice makes perfect, gf cooking is not easy, but it doesn't have to be hard.

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Dinner Tips?

If your busy often, and have no thinking time, try keeping egg noodles (or gf version) on hand. Keeping quick cooking noodles on hand regularly can help in tight spots! Egg noodles are an easy go-to noodle because than are very versitle! Regular items my husband and I keep around are...

bags egg noodles

jars of alfredo sauce

jars of herb tomato pasta sauce

bags of frozen veggies like broc, green beans, spinich, etc

chicken meat seperated in dinner sized portions, frozen

Same with beef and fish (any other meats)

--- this way meat can be defrosted easily. just pick a meat the night before to through in the fridge to defrost by dinner time ---

I like to keep fresh bread in the house, a good general go to is italian steak rolls (like sub/hoagie rolls)

Butters and oils

Herbs and spices

cream ofs, broths, etc

a few good cheeses, we like mozzarella and feta

a gf (or norm) flour blend - self rising/all purpose

salad blends (big cont last about a week in freshness)

With those items you can make a variety of fairly quick pasta type dishes. Our 3 faves that include the chicken and egg noodles?

Chicken Broc Alfredo

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken "Spagetti" Pasta

All three are fairly easy, under 30 mins a pc. I use those 2 ingriedients 2 times a week now.

If nothing else pick a meat and veggie, cook and serve. ex: salmon filet and a salad.

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CASSAROLES AND BAKES

can be a life saver. find a meat, a few mix ins, and "liquid", and a topping. Through it in the oven to cook.

SLOW COOKERS

these are a godsend! Endless ideas, and easy to operate. You can put it together before you leave, set in on low, and have dinner ready when you get home!

GROUND MEAT/SHREDDED MEAT

not just for beef anymore, any (non fish) meat can be turned into bbq, burgers, chili, meat loafs, etc!

play around and experament!

SOUPS AND STEWS

These can be fun, like liqid food confetti! You can do sooooo many things with soooo many ingridents! You can buy broth, or make your own broth. These can be done in a pot, or slow cooker.

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Baking tips?

Well one of my all time fav life saving, or food saving, websites is

cook's thesaurus

It can help if you are out of something you need to make your dish!

Also, with regards to the oven, ALWAYS WATCH.

Not everything gets done the same. Oven temps by brand, age, type, and allitude can effect cooking time. If you have an electric oven, try keeping a moisture to it. By either spraying the walls, or leaving a pan of shallow water. Electric ovens can remove moisture in a dish.

Try this website for further tips - Cooking Tips

Thats all, for now!

xoxo

ld

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HERE IS A BONUS - BEEF MEAT MAP: