Chocolate Frosting

¼ cup dairy free/soy free margarine, softened
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons water

With electric mixer on high, beat margarine until fluffy. Beat in cocoa powder and vanilla on low. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar, alternating with water, until desired thickness is achieved. If a thinner frosting is desired, increase water. If a thicker one is desired, decrease water.

VANILLA:

Omit cocoa powder, increase sugar to 2 ½ cups.

Cinnamon Rolls

I am trying to make Cinnamon Rolls for DJ for Christmas. Here is what I have so far. And more hope for Christmas is to make a thicker frosting and really lather it on, so he does not notice .... :)

• 1 egg
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/4 cup melted butter (Use margarine)
  
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon liquid honey
• 3 to 4 cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour ( tapioca flour, rice flour, potato flour)

• 1 tablespoon xanthum gum
• 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons powdered milk
• 1 tablespoon dried yeast

Frosting

¼ cup margarine, softened
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 to 6 tablespoons water

With electric mixer on high, beat margarine until fluffy. Beat in vanilla on low. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar, alternating with water, until desired thickness is achieved. If a thinner frosting is desired, increase water. If a thicker one is desired, decrease water. Add 1/2 teaspoon more of vanilla is desired.

Notes: Something in this tastes horrible. The smell and taste of the dough is really bad ... to me. I'd like to know which flour or ingredient causes this taste.

The dough was crumbly, but once I rolled it out, it was totally fine. Making the actual rolls was the most normal part.

Next time I want to grease my surface a little more and roll the dough out thinner. The dough does not rise much, so it might be best to go for a tall, thin walls approach like in a Cinnabon. Also, LOTS OR FROSTING AND LOTS OF BUTTER, SUGAR and CINNAMON inside might hide the taste.

Again, texture is not an issue with this recipe. It is taste. Maybe add more sugar and honey to the dough. Or maybe add a strong flavor like vanilla or banana squash to the dough. Also the dough did not have oil in it ... I'd like to try it with oil.

Caribbean Rice

This recipe reminds me on Thai rice with Mango and coconut milk. It should be yummy as a side dish or a dessert. Let's work on the mango dish too.

Caribbean Rice

Sweet, fruity and slightly zesty rice dish. It is especially good with Pork chops.

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked white rice
3 cups coconut milk
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup dark raisins
1 cup drained pineapple tidbits (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 to 1 tsp ground curry

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a microwaveable cooking container. Cover with a sheet of wax paper (parchment paper, or plastic wrap works also). Cook on high for 20 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes to finish absorbing the liquid. Lightly fluff with a fork and serve warm. This recipe freezes well.

Rice Krispy Treats: All Clear

This is the original recipe for Rice Krispy Treats. They call for margarine, so no substitutions are needed

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• - OR -
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies®
  
  
  

  
  

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.


MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.


Note

For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Banana Bread: In progress

The eggs in this recipe need to be replaced.

Use oil and soy milk as suggested in the recipe.

Banana Bread - Wheat Free

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted butter (or oil, I've been using oil)
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup milk or soy milk or rice milk (if lactose intollerant)
1 1/2 cups banana (mashed) approx. 3 bananas
1/2 cup chopped nuts (if desired)

Directions:

Mix butter and sugar. Add eggs. Add dry ingrediants and milk and bananas. Bake in buttered bread dish in 350 degree oven for 50-60 mins. Makes 1 loaf.

Pie Crust: In progress

Allergen-Free Pie Crust

This is a basic pie crust recipe that you can modify to suit your allergy needs.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour (barley OR wheat OR a Non-Wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons fat (butter OR margerine OR equivalent)
3 or 4 tablespoons water

Directions:

Sift all the dry ingredients together. This is important to give some lift to the flour. Cut fat in using two forks or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles clumps about the size of small peas. Add cold water, a little at a time, distributing the water evenly throughout the whole of the mixture. When the mixture sticks together, but is not doughy, roll out onto a table or pie mat dusted with flour. Roll until the dough is of sufficient size to fit into a 9 inch pie pan. Line the pie pan with dough. Bake at 425 F for 10 - 15 minutes. Fill with a cream filling. Makes one 9 in pie crust. This can be frozen and used like a commercial pie crust if desired.


Variation: This crust can be made gluten free by using a gluten free flour like millet, rice or quinoa, or a blend of those flours. Nut flours will also work, but are expensive. Bean flours would taste excellent if the crust was to be used for a meat or vegetable pie rather than a dessert.

Pumpkin Bread: In progress

The following pumpkin bread recipe is still being worked on.
So far Chick pea flour does not work a substitution for wheat flour in this recipe. All other aspects of the recipe are ready for DJ. Other flours still need to be tried.

Gretel's Pumpkin Bread

Preheat Oven 350F

5 cups Flour (Whole Wheat Flour works fine)
4 cups Sugar
4 cups Pumpkin or Banana Squash
1 T. Soda
1 cup Oil
1 T. Cinnamon
1 t. cloves
1 t. salt
1 to 2 cups Chocolate Chips

Makes 15 muffins or about 2 loaves

Brownies

Zucchini Brownies that contain none of the danger foods


Peggy’s Best Zucchini Brownies -- Adapted for DJ

Serves 24—Can be doubled to fit jelly roll pan
2 cups chick pea flour (or 2 cups of a flour mixture)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa
2 T vanilla
1/2 cup oil
2 cups peeled and grated zucchini (or apple)

Combine dry ingredients. Add vanilla, oil and zucchini (or apple) and mix well. Bake in un-greased 9x13 pan at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Notes: I made these with chick pea flour, and they tasted OK. For some reason baked goods with all chick pea flour seem to stay really gooey. These brownies are normally served with frosting, but the frosting contains butter and milk.

The next step for these brownies is to try them with a different mixture of flour -- a combination of rice flour, buckwheat flour and chick pea flour.

Also, these might hold together better if they were cooked as cupcakes in mini muffin tins. The edges of the brownies got crispy, so muffin pins have more edges and less goo, maybe.

Dec. 23, 2009 -- I made them today with apples and gluten-free all purpose flour. The batter seemed to taste better. We'll see.