This year I've made a bit of time for Holiday baking, and I resurrected an old favorite recipe from a friend, making some adaptations of my own. These gluten free Three Layer Chocolate Mint Brownies are a huge hit with my husband and kids -- and, frankly, anyone who tries them. So they make a great hostess gift if you're invited to a Holiday party, whether your host or hostess is gluten free or not! They are not hard to make, but they do require a bit of time between steps as each layer cools and "sets." First, here are the ingredients you will need, by layer: Cake Layer 1 cup gluten free flour (this time I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but any good gluten free baking flour that can be substituted cup for cup for regular flour is fine) 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 4 eggs 1 1/2 cup (12 oz) Hershey's syrup Creamy Mint Layer 2 cups confectioner's sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 Tbsp water 3/4 tsp peppermint extract (I like Flavorganics Organic Peppermint Extract, which is both gluten free and non-GMO) Chocolate Top Layer 6 Tbsp butter 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate... Read more →
December 2018
Some Celiac and gluten sensitive individuals get spooked thinking about travel. In fact, some of you may avoid travel at all costs. You may be concerned about the safety of meals you'll eat -- and have a hard time trusting that people who will be making your meals three times per day know what they are doing! Others of you may travel...but prefer to stick with domestic locales. To be sure, having a language barrier -- and being unsure of a country's knowledge of the intricacies of a gluten free diet -- can be daunting. While each one of us needs to work within our own comfort zone, I will say that there are so many resources available today to help ensure that you'll have a good chance of success staying gluten free almost anywhere you travel. Of course, it takes a bit of planning, but that's where you can also get help. Ellen Morse, who you have heard me talk about before, is a travel specialist with decades of experience planning trips for both domestic and international clients. Plus, she has been both gluten free AND dairy free herself since childhood. Here is someone who will take your concerns... Read more →
One of my favorite baked goods growing up were the Seven Layer Bars my mom used to make. I don't remember if she necessarily made them just around the Holidays -- or at other times of year. But every so often I get a craving, despite being the only one in my house that's a big fan of them. This past weekend I decided to make a big batch, which I then cut into squares and froze for future Holiday events we'll either be hosting or attending. It is SO easy to adapt the traditional Seven Layer Bar recipe to be gluten free. One ingredient that can present a problem is, of course, the graham cracker crust. But not to worry, as there are now many brands of gluten free graham crackers to choose from. This time, I used Pamela's GF graham crackers, but you can also use Kinnikinnick's S'morables graham crackers or Schar's variety. (These are all great for making traditional cheesecake crusts, too.) The other ingredient that you should be careful about when selecting a brand is butterscotch chips. Nestle's are NOT gluten free. I was fortunate to find Guittard brand at our local Whole Foods store, and... Read more →