Merry Christmas

A Wonderland Collection

Feeling a Little Saucey

Boxes and bags of apples = Quarts and quarts of applesauce to enjoy…. after all the hours and hours of work, that is!  😉

Do You See What I See?

Now you do!

This was the view from my lap during our History lesson today.  Here am I, reading to, and surrounded by a group of kids working on knitting and crocheting Christmas gifts they hope to complete in time to give as gifts this year.  Gotta love it! 😉

Trying My Hand at Gluten-Free

Well, we discovered last month that our littlest guy is gluten intolerant, which means he can’t digest wheat flour properly.  This hasn’t been the most uplifting discovery for us to make, as we’re finding that wheat flour is in just about everything prepared… from things less obvious like taco seasoning and soy sauce, to things most obvious like pasta and nearly all breads on the grocery shelf.  I’ve finally accepted this new challenge, and am dealing with the possibilities of a new array of staples in my kitchen.  I’m not ready to give up cooking and baking as I know it, however I am prepared to delve in and try my hand with unfamiliar ingredients – xanthan gum, tapioca flour, potatoe starch, almond flour, sorghum flour…

These Gingerbread  Sandwhiches are my first attempt at baking with alternative flours, they are pretty good I must say… oldest son called them heavenly, as a matter of fact!  I can definitely see replacing my old, all-purpose flour, gingerbread recipe with this new, alternative flour, recipe.  This new recipe was in no way inferior to my previously preferred recipe..that’s great news!  Soo, that’s one down, and many more to go…

Gingerbread Cookies    recipe from Carol Fenster’s book:  Gluten-Free 101

¼ cup butter or margarine
3 Tbs. molasses
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ¼ cup flour blend*
1 tsp. xanthan gum
½ tsp salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
2 Tbs. water ( if needed )

*the flour blend is something that I mixed previously to use as a replacement for the all-purpose stuff.  Ings. are:  1 1/2 cups sorghum flour, 1 1/2 cups potatoe starch, 1 cup tapioca flour, and 1/2 cup almond flour.

In food processor, or with electric mixer, combine butter, molasses, sugar, and vanilla.  Add remaining ingredients.  Blend until throughly mixed together and dough forms a ball.  Add water 1 Tbsp. at a time, if needed.  Shape dough into 1″ flat disk, cover, and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 325º.   Grease baking sheet, or line with parchment paper, set aside.

Shape dough into 1″ balls and place on baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with bottom of drinking glass.

Bake 18-20 minutes on the middle rack of oven, or until cookies start to turn brown on bottom.  Cool cookies on baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to cooling rack.  Store in an airtight container.

For the icing:  blend 1/4 cup of butter, softened, and 3 oz. softened cream cheese.  Gradually add 1 cup  of powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp. Jet puffed marshmallow cream.  Spread filling between two cookies and press slightly.  Chill.

Makin’ Kraut, Baby!