Carefreeglutenfree - Carefree Gluten Free

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Recipe from the blog Dishing the Divine

Cake

1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips

1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter

3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 to 2 teaspoons espresso powder, optional

3 large eggs

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder

Glaze

1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips

1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8″ round cake pan; cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit, grease it, and lay it in the bottom of the pan.

2. Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat till the butter is melted and the chips are soft. Stir until the chips melt, reheating briefly if necessary. You can also do this over a burner set at very low heat. Transfer the melted chocolate/butter to a mixing bowl.

3. Add the sugar, salt, and espresso powder. Espresso enhances chocolate’s flavor much as vanilla does; using 1 teaspoon will simply enhance the flavor, while 2 teaspoons will lend a hint of mocha to the cake.

4. Add the eggs, beating briefly until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, and mix just to combine.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

6. Bake the cake for 25 minutes; the top will have formed a thin crust. Remove it from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a table knife or nylon spreader, and turn it out onto a serving plate. The top will now be on the bottom; that’s fine. Also, the edges will crumble a bit, which is also fine. Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.

7. To prepare the glaze: Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat till the cream is very hot, but not simmering. Remove from the microwave, and stir till the chocolate melts and the mixture is completely smooth.  Spoon the glaze over the cake, spreading it to drip over the sides a bit. Allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake. 

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Honey Butter

Adapted from a recipe in Taste of Home

2 c. Gluten Free all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

4 tsp. sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 c. shortening

1 c. mashed sweet potatoes

1/2 c. half-and-half

Honey Butter

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.  Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Combine sweet potatoes and cream; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. 

2. Using a tablespoon, scoop the mixture and drop onto a greased baking sheet to create drop-biscuits, placing the biscuits about 1 inch apart.  (You could also roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter.)

3. Bake at 400 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. 

4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the butter, honey and cinnamon until blended.  Serve with warm biscuits.

{Print via ParadaCreations}

“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.”

- Henry David Thoreau

2-3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)

1/4 cup lime juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp salt

2 T olive oil

1 lb Gluten Free pasta of choice

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1 large green bell pepper, diced

1 red onion, diced

1 chipotle pepper + 1 T of adobo sauce, minced

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Trim fat from chicken breasts and cut into bite-size pieces.  Combine lime juice, 1/2 of minced garlic, 1/2 of cilantro, chili powder, and salt and mix together.  Pour over chicken to coat and marinate chicken about 30 minutes.

2. Heat a large pot of water to boiling.  Add generous amount of salt and add pasta.  Cook according to package directions until al dente.  Drain and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, add olive oil to large saute pan and heat over medium heat.  Add chicken, bell peppers, onions and remaining garlic and cook about 6-8 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are softened.  Add chicken stock and chipotle pepper and adobo sauce and cook until stock is reduced by about 1/3.  Reduce heat to low and add cream and cheese.

4. Stir to combine and return pasta to sauce pan and toss to evenly coat with sauce.  Cook about 5 minutes and top with remaining cilantro and serve.

Granny's Chocolate Cobbler

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman:

1 cup Gluten Free All-purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

¼ teaspoons Salt

7 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder, Divided

1-¼ cup Sugar, Divided

½ cups Milk

⅓ cups Melted Butter

1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

½ cups Light Brown Sugar, Packed

1-½ cup Hot Tap Water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. First stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, 3 tablespoons of the cocoa, and 3/4 cup of the white sugar. Reserve the remaining cocoa and sugar.

3. Stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla to the flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

4. Pour the mixture into an ungreased 8-inch baking dish. I prefer my small oval Corning Ware glass dish.

5. In a separate small bowl, mix the remaining white sugar (it should be 1/2 cup), the brown sugar, and remaining 4 tablespoons of cocoa. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter.

6. Pour the hot tap water over all. DO NOT STIR!

7. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the center is set.

8. Let stand for a few minutes if you can hold yourself back. Serve with homemade ice cream using the gooey sauce to spoon over all.

1/2 stick butter ( 1/4c) room temp.

3/4 c. small curd cottage cheese

1 c. gluten free all-purpose flour

1 tsp. xantham gum

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp sugar

1. In mixer bowl combine butter & cottage cheese until well blended (I did mine in my food processor and thought it worked great).  Add dry ingredients. Mix until a ball forms. Divide dough in half and wrap two balls in plastic wrap. Chill for several hours in refrigerator.

2. On a lightly floured parchment paper, roll dough into a 14 inch circle. Cut into 8 triangles ( make sure to roll thin), Pizza cutter works well for cutting…

3. Roll each triangle from wide end to tip. Turn ends to make a crescent shape. Bake 350 for approx 20 to 30 min.

*Note: This recipe is amazing!  So far I've used it to make pigs in a blanket, cinnamon rolls, pizza crust, and these tasty french dip treats.

Herb Crusted Pork Chops

Recipe adapted from the blog Eat Yourself Skinny!

4 boneless pork chops, fat trimmed

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 cup Gluten Free Panko breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 

2. Rub mustard evenly over pork chops.  Combine panko, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper in a large bowl and dredge pork chops in panko mixture. 3. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Add pork chops, saute for 2 minutes or until golden brown. 

4. Turn pork over and place skillet in oven for about 8 minutes or until pork reaches 145 degrees in the center.  Enjoy!