Gluten Free Cornbread

We like a sweeter cornbread, so this is doused in warm butter and honey. Tonight we had chili and cornbread because it is my husband's favorite. If you haven't seen Rachel Ray's beer chili recipe, check it out- it's amazing. I only had Bud Light and not a stout beer, but it was still great. Back to the cornbread...SO good. It is VERY difficult to tell this is gluten free. Our kids

fight over this, which means you definitely need to try it!

Gluten Free Cornbread

1 cup Jules or other all purpose gf flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

3 T. sugar

2 1/2 t. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

1 T. butter

2 beaten eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter-melted

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Mix dry ingredients and whisk

3. Mix eggs, milk and 3/4 c. melted butter

4. Mix dry ingredients slowly into wet ingredients until just mixed-do not over stir

5. Place the 1 T. butter in your round baking dish and place in hot oven until butter is melted (about 1 minute)

6. Pour batter into buttered round pan

7. Bake 15-20 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean!

***I don't recommend using any type of electric mixers...Wooden spoons and spatulas work great and prevent over-mixing which just gets you heavy brick-like baked goods.

This delicious recipe comes from http://glutenfreemommy.com/

GF Cinnamon Rolls

I think it's the same for all of us. We walk past Cinnabon in the mall and immediately start salivating. What is it with the smell wafting out? Butter, cinnamon, frosting, puffy, soft bread...Take your pick. Last week we passed by Cinnabon and my GF husband almost wept. So I was determined to make a gluten free cinnamon roll that was at least par with Cinnabon. No small feat. This is my very first attempt at GF cinnamon rolls. I think they turned out perfectly! The ONLY thing I would have done differently is to bake them in a smaller pan so they are all touching and kind of bake together. Mine turned out great for making individual servings all perfectly rounded. This is a great recipe and definitely worth the different steps.

I like to use saran wrap to roll out gf dough so it doesn't get sticky.

Then you can also use the saran wrap on the bottom to roll the dough.

Here the rolls have doubled in size and are ready to bake. I let them sit for about an hour and a half. Again, next time I'll use a smaller pan so they grow together more.

This is why you flip the pan out onto your serving platter...The gooey stuff stays on top and dribbles down over the rolls.

They smell this good while baking.

Recipe for GF Cinnamon Rolls

ROLLS:

1/4 c. water (warm for proofing yeast)

1 T sugar

1 pkt. yeast

1 t. vanilla

1 t. salt

2 eggs

4 T. melted butter

3/4 c. milk

3 c. GF flour ( I prefer Jules)

1/4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

***All items should be at room temp.

FILLING:

4 T. melted butter

1 c. packed brown sugar

2 1/2 T. cinnamon

FROSTING:

3 oz. cream cheese

1/4 c. butter

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

1/8 t. salt

THE HOW TO:

1. Proof the yeast in warm water with 1 T. sugar about 5 minutes or until good and frothy

2. In small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and baking powder

3. In large mixing bowl, beat vanilla, salt, eggs, melted butter and milk

4. Add yeast mixture, scraping down sides

5. Add flour mix little by little until all incorporated

6. Line counter top with layer of saran wrap and spray with PAM

7. Dough in center and use hands to flatten out, then place second sheet of saran wrap on top and roll into a 10"x 18"-ish rectangle

8. Remove top layer of saran wrap (you may not even need it if the dough isn't sticky) and spread with the 4 T. melted butter for the filling.

9. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the dough

10. Begin rolling on one end of the dough by pulling up the saran wrap under the dough and helping it along.

11. Slice in 8-10 equal pieces and place in a greased baking dish.

12. Cover with saran wrap and place in a warm place to allow the dough to rise. It should double in size.

***Can also put pan into fridge at this point to bake the next day.

13. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top and bottom are golden

14. Flip out the entire pan onto a serving platter to allow the cinnamon sugar that has run out to coat the top.

15. Mix up the frosting by blending all together and spread on rolls. You can let them cool first or just glop it on the hot rolls. Either way it's Heaven!

Hope you Enjoy!

Gluten Free Sandwich Bread/Parmesan Grilled Cheese

We have been craving really good grilled cheese for awhile so I thought I would try making sandwich bread. It was really easy and tasted soo good. Much better than the loaves I have been buying at the store. When you buy GF bread at the store it is heavy, brick-like and crumbly. Not very inspiring. This bread came out light and chewy and tasted delicious when brushed with butter (obviously) and sprinkled with parmesan before grilling. We also had it toasted with jam this morning. No need to miss good bread anymore. I will be making this a lot!

Recipe for GF Sandwich Bread

Prepare 8"x 4" bread pan with Pam spray or line with parchment paper (I prefer to line with paper for ease of removal)

Proof

1 pkg. yeast

2 T. Sugar

1 cup warm water

Sift in small bowl

2 1/2 cups Jules or any all purpose flour

1/4 cup buttermilk or skim milk powder

1 1/4 t. Salt

Mix in lg. bowl (blend well)

2 t. cider vinegar

2 T. Olive Oil

2 eggs

2 egg whites

Add yeast mixture to wet ingredients

By Hand

Mix dry into wet gently, not over mixing

Lumps are okay

Rise

In a warm location for up to 45 minutes or until dough reaches top of bread pan; it won't rise much more in the oven so be sure it at least doubles before baking.

Bake

350 for 35-40 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped.

Slice while still warm. Can be sealed up and saved in fridge or frozen.

Gluten Free Focaccia Bread

Thought I would try another GF bread adventure last night and it actually turned out fabulous. I had this idea of eating lightly broiled focaccia, brushed with olive oil, and sprinkled with sea salt, cracked pepper and herbs. Sometimes I'm disappointed but this time I wasn't. The texture was spot-on, the crust crispy and the flavor was huge. I adapted this recipe from the Gluten Free Goddess but of course switched out her flours for Jules All Purpose GF Flour.

I sliced the baked wedges in half and brushed them with EVOO, and broiled them a minute or so until the top was crispy. We dipped them in oil and vinegar, and ate some topped with tomatoes and parmesan. Lots of options for the easy easy easy bread!!!

*** PS...This is another recipe that does NOT taste GF. Nobody will know.

Turn on the oven briefly- to warm it- then turn it off.

Whisk together these dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl:

2 1/2 cups All Purpose GF Flour (recommend Jules or Better Batter)
2 teaspoons xanthan gum (Not needed if using Jules or BB)
1/ 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried basil

Proof the yeast in a large glass measuring cup:
Add 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast- or rapid yeast to:
1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cup warm water (at 110 degrees F)
A pinch of raw sugar

When the yeast is poofy, pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and add:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey or raw agave nectar (this helps bind and keep texture moist)
1/2 teaspoon mild rice vinegar or lemon juice
1 egg whisked

Stir to combine. The dough should be sticky- it doesn't really feel like typical wheat bread dough-

more like a thick muffin batter. Scoop the dough into a 9-inch, greased cake pan dusted with

cornmeal. Using wet hands pat and shape the dough into a rounded loaf. Sprinkle with extra herbs and a little sea salt.

Place the pan into the warm oven and allow it to rest and rise for 20 minutes or until doubled.

Turn on the oven to 400 degrees F. Set the timer for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to

350 degrees F for another 12-15 minutes. Bake until golden and firm. If you thump it it should sound hollow.

Remove from the pan as soons you can and cool it on a wire rack. Slice with a sharp bread knife.

Makes 8 wedges. If you bake at a lower altitude, or you use eggs, the loaf might be done sooner- closer to 22 to 25

minutes. Keep an eye on it.

Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

French Bread-Gluten Free

This is not normally a spread you would see in a gluten free household. It is one we have missed dearly. I've said many times I could probably live on bread alone. And cheese. That's all I need. After the gluten free verdict, I tried to stay brave for my husband's sake. But inside I was dying a little. Needless to say, when I stumbled upon this recipe on a GF recipe site from the UK, I was skeptical. But, somehow this recipe actually tastes like French bread. The crust is crisp and brown and crackles when you tear it. The inside is chewy and moist. There is no grit and no aftertaste. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Sooooo Good!

By the way, how cute is that olive oil plate? My Mother and Father in-law brought those back for us from a trip to Italy. They have been hidden away, but are now back in use!

Below is the first step...Proofing the yeast. You should use a fast rise yeast. Warm water, sugar and yeast...Wait until it foams.

Beat the egg whites before adding.

To the dry, sifted ingredients, add the yeast mixture and then the whites, butter and vinegar.

Since this is GF bread, there is no kneading. Just set that mixer to high and let it roll for about 3 minutes. It will look like cake batter.

Here is the consistency when you are ready to put the dough in the baking pans.

I am so excited about this purchase! French bread pans! It gives the loaf a chance to rise and not just spread, like on a baking sheet. You actually get a loaf shape, which makes you feel good...Like you actually know what you are doing or something.

Spoon your dough into the loaf pans you are using, or onto a baking sheet, and shape them like a loaf. I sprayed my fingers with Pam and tried to smooth the dough as much as possible. I then brushed the top of the dough with melted butter and cut little slits down the length. The recipe recommends letting your dough rest, covered until it has doubled. Mine never did...Grrr. So, I had really low expectations for this bread. (It ended up rising in the oven and tasted perfect, so there you go).

Here is a little tip I found somewhere along the way. I can't believe I actually posted a picture of the inside of my oven. Wow, that needs a pass with Easy Off. Anyway, to get that crackly, golden crust here is the trick... Put the bread in at 450 for 15 minutes and throw about 4 ice cubes into the bottom of your oven. Then turn the temp. down to 375 for 15 minutes and throw 4 more ice cubes in. The steam keeps the crust from setting too early, thus keeping the loaf from expanding. Then when the inside is done expanding, the crust can get brown and toasty. For a more rustic look, sprinkle a little four on the bread before going in the oven.

Aaaaah. Freshly baked bread. Is there anything quite so wonderful in this whole wide world? To keep the bread crusty, let it cool on the counter, don't wrap it up. My kids and I dug into one of these loaves before it had even cooled. We had put a whole loaf down before I realized we had better save some for Daddy! (The reason I bake GF :). He was blown away with how good this bread was. Just the other day he was reminiscing about bread dipped in olive oil. I always aim to please. Give this recipe a try. It has a few steps, but is SOOO worth it!

Recipe for GF French Bread

3 Cups Better Batter

1 1/2 t. Salt

2 T. Sugar

1 1/2 C. Luke Warm Water

2 T. Fast Rise Yeast

2 T. Butter, melted

3 Egg whites, beaten slightly

1 t. Vinegar

Melted butter for brushing

1. Proof yeast in small bowl with water and sugar

2. Sift flour and salt

3. Blend yeast mix. into dry

4. Add butter, whites and vinegar; beat on high for 3 minutes

5. Spoon dough into greased/cornmealed (optional) loaf pans (makes 2 loaves)

6. Slash diagonally and brush with melted butter

7. Cover and let double in size (20-40 minutes)

8. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes and don't forget those ice cubes in the bottom of the oven, then at 375 for another 12-15 minutes with 4 more ice cubes.

9. Remove bread and allow to cool, if you can before digging in!

**Keep uncovered or the crust will get soft

Enjoy!

**Ok, post script, this bread does not keep well overnight. Like many gluten free baked goods, it is best the day you make it. So plan on using it all up that day!