Boston Cream Pie

Drumroll please...I know this is the one that you have been waiting for, and it is finally here! Boston Cream Pie. Oh so scrumptious and delicious, and beautiful as well. I went above and beyond with this recipe and used agave nectar as well. But you don't have to, if you don't want to. So I will write the original recipe down and then note the changes for using agave nectar.

Ingredients:

"Butter Cake"

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1/2 potato starch

1/2 cup tapioca starch

2 tablespoons chickpea flour

2 tsp. gluten free egg replacer (I used flax seed meal or you can use 2tsp. mashed banana)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. xanthan/guar gum

1/4 tsp. salt

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup sugar (3/4 cup agave nectar)

4 eggs, room temp--very important that it's room temp (or 3 eggs if you use agave nectar)

1 tsp. vanilla

4 tsp. milk of choice

Vanilla Pudding:

2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/3 cup light cream or milk of choice, divided (I used whole milk)

1 egg yolk, beaten

1/2 cup sugar (or 3/8 cup agave)

pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Chocolate Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream or coconut milk (not lite) (I used coconut milk, yummy)

8 ounces dark/bittersweet chocolate chopped

What to do:

"Butter" Cake

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-9" round cake pans. Dust w/ flour (I used 2 tablespoons of my first 5 ingredients to dust.) Set aside.

Step 2: In a separate bowl, cream butter until it's white. Add sugar (or agave) and continue creaming until fluffy (about 5 minutes.) Add eggs to butter, one at a time, beating until smooth.

Step 3: Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture. (If the eggs are cold or not well incorporated, the batter may appear curdled. To rectify this add an additional tablespoon of the flour blend.) Add vanilla and milk.

Step 4: Pour batter into pans. Bake on middle rack 15-20 minutes (toothpick coming out clean indicates that it's done). Let sit 5 minutes in pans before removing. Allow to cool completely on rack. To assemble, spread vanilla pudding on one cake layer (all the way to the edges...I didn't quite get this right). Gently place 2nd layer on top. Brush off any crumbs and top with chocolate ganache.

Step 5: Enjoy!

Vanilla Pudding:

Step 1: Dissolve cornstarch in 1/3 cup cream. Whisk in egg yolk. Set aside.

Step 2: In saucepan, mix together sugar (or agave), salt, and remaining 1 cup cream. Bring to a boil.

Step 3: Slowly whisk 1/4 cup hot mixture into yolk mixture. Then slowly whisk back into pan. Over medium heat, stir until thickened. Remove from heat, add vanilla.

Step 4: Strain pudding into a clean bowl (I didn't strain, because I'm lazy...but you can!) and cool slightly. Cover pudding. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Chocolate Ganache:

Step 1: Bring cream to a boil.

Step 2: Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Step 3: Set mixture aside until it begins to thicken. (let it cool a little while, mine was too runny when I put it on my cake, but later it thickened nicely)

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps and Egg Drop Soup

This meal was so scrumptious. It has so many fun flavors and it's super easy to make. The egg drop soup is the best I've ever had.

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps: (Serves 5 people, two lettuce wraps each)

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey

1 pkg. (16 ounces) frozen stir fry vegetable blend, thawed

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (make sure it's gluten free)

14 cup hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 green onions, chopped

10 lettuce leaves (Boston, Green Leaf, Romaine, etc.)

What to do:

Step 1: Cook turkey in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat until no longer pink.

Step 2: Chop stir-fry vegetables and add to the pan. Stir in the teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, peanut butter, ginger, vinegar, and oil. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Step 3: Remove from the heat; stir in green onions. Place about 1/2 cup turkey mixture on each lettuce leaf. Fold the lettuce over filling.

Egg Drop Soup (Serves 5 people)

Ingredients:

5 cups chicken broth (make sure it's gluten free)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup sliced fresh spinach

2 green onions, sliced

What to do:

Step 1: Boil Broth and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Step 2: Reduce heat to low. Drizzle beaten egg into hot broth. Remove from the heat, stir in spinach and green onions.

Rainy Days...

Usually, I love rainy days. The days where you turn up the girly music and open up the blinds and enjoy the drizzle on the window panes. But sometimes, rainy days make me feel a little blue. Chocolate strawberries are the perfect answer for those days. My daughter helped me by drying the strawberries. I think more made their way into her mouth than into the chocolate.

1 cup chocolate chips

1 Tablespoon shortening

Heat for 1 minute in the microwave at 100%. Stir and dip.

I hope that your blue days pass by quickly. We have so much to be thankful for and look forward to.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingrid Michaelson has been one of my favorite musicians for quite some time.  My husband was looking through the paper and found this recipe along with an article about her.  I guess this is one of her favorite recipes to make for parties.  This chocolate cake is so much different than any other chocolate cake.  The exterior ends up being kind of crunchy and the interior is like a very fudgy brownie.  This is always a hit when I make it too.  It doesn't end up looking very pretty, which is why I put strawberries on top.

You Will Need:

7 ounces really good semisweet chocolate (45-50% cocoa)
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar, divided
4 eggs, separated
Fresh fruit for topping, optional
powdered sugar, optional

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler.  (I always put mine in the microwave on half power at 30 second intervals...works great!)

2. In a separate bowl, stir together half the sugar and four egg yolks.  Add this to melted chocolate concoction.

3.  Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites; slowly add remaining 1/2 cup of sugar until stiff peaks form.  (Usually this works great for me, but my electric mixer was broken and they never formed stiff peaks...but hey it still turned out just fine!)
4. Fold mixture into chocolate. Pour into greased 9 inch cake pan (which you can remove later) or pie pan if you just want to serve it from the dish.

5. Bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few wet crumbs on it.  Cool 30 minutes before removing from the pan or topping.  Dust with powdered sugar or top with fresh fruit.

Quinoa With Chicken

I am always looking for good quinoa recipes.  When it's something you eat all the time, you definitely get tired of the cold "summer salad" type quinoa dish.  That is why this one really stuck out to me. This is a one dish meal and it is pleasing to the taste-buds as well as the eyes because of all the colors.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

You Will Need:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/4 cup chicken stock or water, boiling hot
pinch of salt
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 medium yellow pepper, diced
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
1 medium carrot, diced
8 ounces of asparagus or green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Lemon Roasted Garlic Dressing
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
dash of salt
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon of honey or more

What to Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Soak quinoa for one minute in cool water, stirring to loosen any dirt particles.  Pour into strainer and rinse.  Place in a small baking dish.  (I used a 8x8 inch baking dish and this ended up being kind of crowded. I recommend something a little bigger.)
3.  Bake quinoa in preheated oven for about 8 minutes.  Stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bake an additional minute.  (I had never thought of doing this before, but it gives the quinoa a really nice texture.)
4. Carefully add chicken stock or water and salt to quinoa, stirring to blend.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  (Be careful when you put it in the oven not to slosh the dish because then you'll get quinoa all over the bottom of your oven, oops.)
5.  Heat remaining olive oil in a pan and saute chopped pepper and chicken strips.  Set aside.
6.  While that is sauteing begin making Lemon Roasted Garlic Dressing.  Place garlic cloves in a foil pouch.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and salt.  Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  (Instead of doing this I used store bought minced garlic and skipped the whole roasting step.)  Place roasted garlic in a blender.  Add lemon juice and honey and process until smooth.  With blender running, slowly pour in remaining olive oil until dressing emulsifies.
7. Steam carrots and asparagus or green beans for 1-2 minutes until brightly colored and slightly tender.  Drain and submerge immediately in cold water for 30 seconds.

8.  When quinoa is done, remove baking dish from oven.  Add pepper, chicken, carrots, and green beans/asparagus, stirring gently to combine.  Drizzle with Lemon Roasted Garlic Dressing and serve.

Tilapia Po'Boys

I always crave southern food in the summertime.  I don't know if it's the warm weather or maybe if it's just here because I'm almost living in the south, but this sounded so delicious.  And it was!  I used the buns from the previous post for this recipe.  I am so happy to be baking and blogging again.  

What you will need:

Cajun Mayo:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon cajun seasoning*

*I didn't measure any of the seasonings.  I tossed in some chili powder, white pepper, cayenne pepper, black pepper, thyme, garlic salt, and even allspice which tasted yummy.  The point is, put in whatever you want.  

Sandwiches:

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup GF flour (for this I used King Arthur Gluten Free Multi-purpose Flour) 

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon Seafood seasoning

2/3 cup buttermilk

4 tilapia fillets

Vegetable oil for deep fat frying

4 buns

What to do:

Step one: In a small bowl combine the mayo ingredients and set aside.

Step two: In a shallow bowl (I used a pie pan), combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, and seasonings.  Place buttermilk in another shallow bowl.  Dip fish in buttermilk, then coat with cornmeal mixture.  

Step Three: In a skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil.  (To know when it is hot enough the oil needs to be even more "fluid" than when you put it in.  Flick a little bit of water into the oil and if it sizzles it's ready.  If the sizzle made you jump...it's too hot.) Cook fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Drain on paper towels.

Step Four: Place mayo mixture on bun bottoms and put fish on top of that.  Add in whatever toppings you desire.  I chose avocado, tomato, and lettuce.  

Step Five: Enjoy!

Buns!!!

 Success at last!  I was determined to find a recipe for hamburger buns and I recently received my August/September issue of Living Without.  I have thoroughly enjoyed being subscribed to this magazine and all of their recipes are delicious!  With a few slight changes to one of the recipes I was able to make hamburger buns!  I used these as buns for dinner that night and buns for breakfast the next morning. Scrumptious!  I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did.

What you will need:

2 cups rice flour (possibly more)*

1 cup cornstarch (possibly more)

1 cup tapioca flour/starch (possibly more)

3 teaspoons xanthan/guar gum

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 extra large egg + 1 extra large egg white **
2 cups warm milk (any milk will work)

*I say possibly more because it depends on the altitude you are baking at, the humidity, and the consistency of the dough.  Add more if it needs it, don't add more if it doesn't.  :)

** I don't buy extra large eggs.  I used a large egg and a large egg white.  I didn't seem to need more, but if yours does, put a tablespoon of mushed up banana in.  It will be enough to act as an egg but not too much to change the taste.

What to do:

Step One: Spray two baking sheets and set aside.
Step Two: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment place the rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour/starch, xanthan/guar gum, cream of tartar, and salt.  Mix on low speed until well combined.  Add the yeast and mix again until well combined.

Step Three:  Add the oil, honey, and eggs, and mix until wet ingredients get incorporated into dry mixture.
Step Four:  With the mixer on low, add milk to the mixture in a slow, steady stream.  Once the mixture has started to come together, turn the mixer up to half speed and beat for about 6 minutes.  The dough should be thick and smooth, but tacky to the touch.  If it seems too wet, add more flour by the tablespoon and mix well until you reach the right consistency. It is about here that I realized my dough was not thick and smooth or tacky.  I started adding in tablespoon by tablespoon alternating between my three flours/starches.  2 rice:1starch:1starch.  I ended up adding in the equivalent to about 3/4 cup more flour.  But after doing that the dough was thick, smooth, and no longer "sticky" but tacky.

This is before I added any extra flour.

Step Five: Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured flat surface.  Pat down the dough into a mound about 1 1/2 inches tall and divide into ten balls.  Roll each ball between wet palms (which worked wonderfully) to make a proper ball.

Step Six:  Divide the balls of dough between the two prepared pans, spacing them evenly.  They will be relatively close together.  Cover the pans with sprayed plastic wrap (spray the "bun side" of the plastic wrap with vegetable oil spray so that it doesn't stick) and place them in a warm spot.  Allow the dough to rise for about 30 minutes or until the rolls are about 1 1/2 times bigger than originally.

Step Seven: While the rolls are rising preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Step Eight: Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until they are lightly browned.
Step Nine: Enjoy!