Gluten Free Bread

This is the loaf that I just pulled out of the oven. Can you believe gluten free bread that turns out so high? I had to raise the upper rack because the loaf raised so much. This is from the recipe that I posted in March. I used tapioca flour, soy flour and cornstarch. All bought at Winco in their bulk section. I also used Shelf Reliance powdered milk. I'm super excited for Cash to see this. He has been asking for days for Gluten-Free bread. Yay!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

1/2  c hot water
1/2 c cocoa powder
1/2 c softened butter
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2/3 c each of 3 different gf flours
1 large package chocolate pudding
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c milk (your choice)
1 T vinegar
Mix water and cocoa and set aside. Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and beat all together. Add cocoa mix and vanilla and blend. Add dry ingredients. Mix. Add milk and vinegar and mix. Blend just until smooth. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes (may take longer for gf).

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

(Recipe adapted from Gayle Ferguson's)
3 c grated carrots
2/3 c each of 3 different gluten free flours
1 large package vanilla pudding
2 c sugar
4 eggs
2 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1 1/2 c oil
1/2 t salt
1 c chopped pecans
1 t vanilla
Mix sugar and oil. Add carrot and eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients, nuts and vanilla. Mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for  45-60 minutes (longer for gf). Top with cream cheese frosting.

My son, Thor

I stayed awake for hours last night worrying about the future and what it holds for my family.

I learned two lessons from my son Thor in about 10 minutes this morning.

Thor gave the prayer after scripture study. The first thing that struck me was, "We're thankful for our challenges so we can be perfect when we get to heaven." I'm sad he's learning it early, but what a wonderful testimony. It makes me feel like maybe I'm succeeding in being optimistic when I still feel like crawling back in bed.

Then he said, "We're thankful for the day and the night so that we don't have just one lo-ong day." We can always find things to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for Thor. He has been a joy from day one. Heavenly Father sent him to me when I needed him most. I've always been so grateful for the mellow, snuggly baby (so unlike my others) that nourished my soul when it so badly needed to heal almost 9 years ago. 

God is good.

Grandma's Tollhouse Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe that I've adapted was the recipe of my mom's best friend's Grandmother. Joan Pratt was an amazingly kind, intelligent, wonderful woman who lost her battle with cancer last summer. We feel her loss and hope her family will recover from losing their mother and friend.
I get told all the time that these are the best cookies EVER. I never even told them they were gluten-free. Every time I bake them I think of Joan.

1/4 c each of 3 different gluten free flours (I use cornstarch, sorghum flour and white rice flour.)
1/2 t salt
1/2 c butter flavored shortening
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t hot water
1 c quick oats (must be quick, whole oats make it runny)
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 c pecans (for me, these make the cookies)
1 c chocolate chips
Cream together shortening, sugars, eggs, and soda dissolved in water. Add the flours, pudding mix and salt. Mix. Add nuts, chocolate chips. vanilla and oatmeal. Drop by rounded teaspoons (I love my pampered chef cookie scoop) onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Kisses

I have used the chocolate kisses with the easy recipe that I posted previously for peanut butter cookies. But this cookie recipe that I've adapted has a better texture.

1/2 c butter softened  (I alternate with butter-flavored shortening depending on what I have on hand)
1/2 c peanut butter (I use chunky)
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
2/3 c each  of 3 different gf flours (I use white rice flour, tapioca flour, and cornstarch.)
1 small package of vanilla pudding
1 t baking soda
3 T sugar
40 chocolate kisses, unwrapped.
In mixing bowl, beat together butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy. Add flour, vanilla, and soda; mixing until thoroughly blended. Shade dough into 40-45 balls. Roll balls in 3 T sugar. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until light golden. Immediately top each cook with a candy kiss. Press down till cookie spreads out but doesn't separate. Remove from cookie sheet and put on rack to cool.

Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

I took these cookies to a Christmas Party so that Trav and Cash would have a dessert. Little did I know that the desserts were being judged. There were things like cakes, pies, decorated cookies, etc. But these little babies that took me 5 minutes to put together tied for 1st place.

1 c sugar
1c peanut butter (I almost always use chunky in baking)
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 c chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make into small balls. Press with fork. Bake for 10 minutes.