Veronika Eats

Gluten Free Chocolate Coconut Cake with Garbanzo Beans

2012-06-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, this luscious, perfectly textured chocolate cake is a gluten free, dairy free, high protein, healthy treat. The secret ingredient and star of this recipe is a 19 ounce can of humble garbanzo beans. Chickpeas work great in gluten free desserts as a stand in for all purpose flour. I previously posted recipes for Gluten Free Banana Oat Bread and Gluten Free Garbanzo Bean Pear Bars with Dried Cranberries, both made with garbanzo beans. Beans are an excellent alternative to sometimes hard to find gluten free flour mixes. Not only are they inexpensive, but they are a healthy high protein substitute for flour and produce a great crumb texture in your baked goods. I recently made this cake for a friend who took it to the office. None of the taste testers could tell that they were eating garbanzo bean cake. No lingering bean taste at all, just moist, delicious, chocolaty goodness! A tasty finishing touch for this cake is dairy free, gluten free ganache. I used coconut milk instead of heavy cream, but you could also substitute soy milk.

Ingredients
1 19 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 granulated sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup coconut water
1/2 teaspoon gluten free coconut flavoring
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 unsweetened coconut, shredded
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8 inch cake pan with cooking spray.
Using a food processor or blender grind garbanzo beans with coconut water and coconut oil until smooth and creamy. This may take a while and you'll have to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times. It's important that the bean mixture is as smooth as possible. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add beaten eggs, coconut flavoring, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bean mixture. Stir until well combined.
In a small bowl mix together shredded coconut, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to the bean and egg mixture and gently stir to combine.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto wire rack.
Frost cooled cake with gluten free, dairy free coconut chocolate ganache.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Ganache with Coconut Milk
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 cups chocolate chips
2 tablespoons corn syrup

In a small sauce pan bring coconut milk and syrup to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. Let stand for a few minutes and then mix until smooth. Let ganache cool slightly before using. Pour over cooled cake and use a spatula or knife to spread evenly. Let the ganache set before serving the cake.

Scalloped Potatoes with Leeks

2012-05-23T19:28:00.000-07:00

I recently came across this recipe when I was searching for a potato side dish to go with roasted chicken. I wanted to recreate the creamy, comforting, and homey taste of childhood Sunday dinners. Scalloped potatoes with leeks, tested by Martha Stewart sounded just right. The original recipe was first published in the March 2008 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine. I picked up young fresh leeks and couple of large russet potatoes on my usual Sunday morning trip to the farmers market and couldn't wait to get started. Imagine thinly sliced leeks sauteed in butter until soft and fragrant, layered with hearty rounds of potatoes, creating an almost perfect culinary marriage. Add Gruyere cheese and cream to the mix and you'll have a combination of textures and flavors that can't be topped. Your gratin will be buttery, soft, and creamy on the inside and deliciously crusty and golden brown on top.
The original recipe states that this is a "do-ahead" dish and can be assembled the day before. I tried it several times, and noticed that if prepared in advance the potatoes inevitably change color. Even though I made sure the potatoes were completely submerged in liquid and covered with parchment paper to avoid oxidation, the top layers turned grey. Take my advice and don't start preparing the gratin the night before. It takes very little time to put this dish together and you won't end up with unpleasant surprises on the day of your party. Make sure to keep the peeled and sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water until you are ready to assemble the casserole. Drain and dry the potatoes with paper towels before using.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing your baking dish
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, trimmed, washed, and sliced thinly
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12 cup baking dish (12 x 9 inches).
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and saute until softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Mix together cream and chicken stock in a small bowl.
In a large bowl combine sliced potatoes with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Using your hands mix well until spices are evenly distributed.
Arrange 1/3 of the seasoned potato slices on the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with 1/2 of the leeks and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat two times and finish with a layer of potatoes. Pour cream and stock mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover dish and increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Continue cooking until top is bubbly and golden brown and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Let rest for about 20 minutes before serving.

Gluten Free Polenta Cakes with Dried Cranberries

2012-05-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

You can see that this is not really a cake recipe, but a recipe for delicious, light and puffy cookies, very much reminiscent of tea cakes. On my gluten free quest I came across a recipe from Elizabeth Minett's blog Haute Appetit. I slightly modified her cookies and added brown sugar, cranberries, rum, and candied orange peel to the batter. I also kept the cookies light and airy by sifting the dry ingredients, beating the butter only lightly, and gently mixing the dry and wet ingredients until the dough is just barely holding together. Remember not to overwork the dough when forming small walnut size balls, and keep baking time to 8-10 minutes.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons pure rum (do not use flavored rum as it may contain gluten)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup candied orange peel, chopped
1 1/2 cup brown rice flour, sifted
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup polenta
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until combined, but not fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and rum and mix until smooth.
In a separate bowl stir together sifted rice flour, cornstarch, polenta, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add dry ingredients to butter mixture on low speed until just combined. Stir in cranberries and candied orange peel by hand.
Form walnut size balls and place on prepared sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes and let cool on wire racks.
Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Melted Ice Cream Cake with Espresso Butter Cream

2012-05-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

There are times when I have to restrain myself from baking more than once a day. A new cookbook, a new website, a new recipe from a friend, or a new issue of my favorite cooking magazine, there are always plenty of reasons to bring out my mixing bowl and measuring cups. I have to remind myself that I'm only one person, and how much cake can one person possibly eat? With my kids out of the house, I'm no longer baking trays and trays of cookies to feed entire soccer teams. Friends are usually more than willing to help out and enjoy being taste testers. What's left over normally ends up in my freezer, cut up into small portions and stored in plastic containers. Just imagine my freezer, there isn't much room for anything else, except maybe a few sticks of butter for some more baking.

Everybody seemed to love the recipe for melted ice cream cupcakes, probably because they're so easy to make and require only a few ingredients. This variation makes a light and delicate layer cake. It is filled with luscious espresso flavored butter cream and dusted with cocoa powder. I added finely chopped dark chocolate to the batter, which reminds me of Italian Stracciatella ice cream. The chocolate pieces create a nice balance and add a little bite to the smooth and soft texture of the cake.

Ingredients for Cake

1 box of white cake mix

3 eggs, at room temperature

2 cups melted premium French vanilla ice cream

1 cup dark chocolate, chopped

Espresso Butter Cream

2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder, dissolved in 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur

cocoa powder for dusting

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper with butter or cooking spray.
Combine cake mix, eggs, and melted ice cream in mixing bowl and beat with mixer for one minute on low speed. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and increase speed to medium and continue mixing for another 2 minutes. Add chopped chocolate and mix in by hand.
Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until golden and cake springs back when touched lightly. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely and cut into three sections.
To make frosting beat butter with electric mixer for 5 minutes until light an fluffy. Add sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time and beat for 5 minutes after each addition. Mix in espresso and liqueur mixture.
When making this cake for adults only, I suggest brushing the cake layers with additional coffee liqueur. Divide butter cream into three portions. Using a spatula, spread frosting evenly on cake layers, ending with a final layer of filling on top. Keep the sides unfrosted and trim the edges with a sharp knife if they don't line up evenly. Dust the top layer with cocoa powder.

Sugar Snap Peas with Lemon Zest and Fresh Mint

2012-05-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

Fresh sugar snap peas are available only for a limited time in late spring. Even though you can find them frozen year-round, there's absolutely no comparison to the sweet and flavorful crunchiness of a fresh snap pea. Check out your local farmers market and look for young and tender snap peas when they're in season. Snap peas are less fibrous than regular English peas and are entirely edible, "pod and all". They are excellent raw as part of a crudites platter with your favorite dip or quickly blanched or stir-fried. Sauteing the peas for only a few minutes will help maintain their crunchy and crisp texture, yet fully release their subtle sweet flavor. Best of all, you'll have this delicious spring dish on the table in less than ten minutes.
Biting into a crunchy sugar snap pea laced with tangy lemon zest and fragrant mint leaves makes you taste and smell spring like nothing else. I like to serve this simple dish as a side with stuffed chicken breasts and a rich and creamy potato and leek gratin.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound sugar snap peas, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons shallots, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
salt
pepper

Preparation
In a large heavy skillet heat oil. Add shallots and saute for about 2 minutes or until translucent, stirring constantly. Add sugar snap peas and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until crisp tender.
Stir in mint and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Apricot Sour Cream Cake

2012-05-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to post for couple of weeks. You could say that I experienced "technical difficulties", which prevented me from blogging. As the clock is ticking for my antiquated laptop, I have to deal with the occasional break-downs. Thanks to a good friend though, I'm back up and running. I used the down-time wisely and cooked, baked, and gathered more recipes. I'll soon be adding a gluten free section to the blog, and have been experimenting with different baking ingredients. Quite a challenge! I learned from my mishaps and perfected several great cookie recipes. So, stay tuned, if you are interested in gluten free baking (GFB). I have to admit that some of my time was spent on the Pinterest site, which can become somewhat addictive. Believe me, once you get started, its very hard to stop. Check out my boards, when you get a chance . . . I've been busy pinning. Thank God for my iPad to get get me through the last two weeks.

I've been thinking of making apricot cake for a while now. It's something that reminds me of summertime, carefree childhood, and outdoor activities. Apricot trees in my parent's garden come to mind, with branches bent from the heavy load of ripe fruits. My friends and I trying to get the unblemished and most perfect ones from way up in the trees, but usually having to settle for the slightly bruised and blotched fruits on the ground. They all tended to ripen at the same time and had a very short shelf life. So, to spread the abundance, my mother had us kids deliver baskets full of fruits to everybody in the neighborhood. For those few weeks of summer, apricots appeared on the daily menu in the shape of cakes, dumplings, cold fruit soup, strudel, and cobblers. The rest was transformed into countless jars of delicious homemade jam. The preserves came in handy during the holiday baking season, to fill tender butter cookies or spread between the rich layers of chocolate cake.

Fresh fragrant apricots, rich buttery batter, and a velvety sour cream topping make a delicious spring time cake. Add it to your brunch buffet, serve it with afternoon tea, or treat your family to a sweet surprise on Easter morning. If fresh apricots are not in season don't hesitate to substitute with canned fruit. Drain and pat dry before using.

Ingredients

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 stick + 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon, lemon rind, finely grated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons milk

1 pound apricots

Topping

1 1/3 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preparation

Butter a 9" x 2" round baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon rind until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

Mix creamed butter with dry ingredients and milk on low speed, until well combined. Do not over-mix, as you want the end product to have a tender crumb texture.

Spread batter into prepared dish and top with apricots. Bake for 20 minutes.

In the meantime prepare topping. Mix sour cream, egg, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.

Remove cake from oven and pour topping over the apricots. Return to oven and bake for another 20 minutes or until just set.

Cool on wire rack and dust with confectioners' sugar. Best served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy your apricot cake!

Spicy Mango Tomato Salsa

2012-05-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

As promised here's another savory recipe. This one is for a delicious mango salsa. It's quick and easy to make and perfect as an appetizer with blue corn chips and cold beer. It also makes a great accompaniment for grilled fish, chicken or tacos.
I have to admit that Mexican food is probably one of my favorites and that I could eat chips and salsa any time. To love spicy, flavorful Mexican food comes with the territory when you live in Los Angeles. We're lucky to have some of the best restaurants that serve food from south of the border. Monte Alban, located in a small strip mall in Santa Monica serves authentic Oaxacan food and some of the best Mole Negro. Try Lares on Pico Boulevard for their fantastic Margaritas, fresh warm chips, and spicy salsa. The original location of La Serenata De Garibaldi in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles has been there for more than thirty years. The restaurant serves gourmet style Mexican cuisine, fresh, healthy and on the lighter side with an emphasis on seafood. Though it is a bit out of the way, the fresh hand-made tortillas are well worth the drive. El Cholo, another Los Angeles institution with five different locations has been around since 1922. Stop by for Happy Hour and enjoy one of their famous El Cholo Margaritas, followed by a generous plate of authentic, traditional Mexican food. Don't miss their excellent fresh green corn tamales, which are only served from May though October. This is only a small sampling of the many outstanding restaurants in town. You'll find truly authentic food in many Downtown and East LA neighborhoods, not to mention the numerous food trucks and fast food places. One of the most popular ones is Tito's Taco stand in Culver City. Tito's serves freshly made mouthwatering tacos, burritos, and tamales based on secret family recipes. Be prepared to wait patiently for your food, because the lines in front of this LA institution can be very long.

Ingredients
1 ripe Mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
5 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Allow flavors to blend for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

2012-04-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

I previously posted a recipe for gluten free banana oat bread for those of you who are gluten intolerant. Even though it did not contain flour or added fat, it was a pretty good stand-in for the real thing. I really enjoyed having a slice, or two for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack, especially knowing that it was actually good for me. Now, this is a more decadent version with butter, flour, sugar, and chocolate chips! The original recipe for this delicious treat comes from "The Cook's Illustrated How-To-Cook Library", a book I can highly recommend. If you're a passionate self taught cook and baker like me, this cook book will become your bible. No pictures, but the best techniques for your basic cooking repertoire. All recipes have been kitchen tested and as they say in the introduction of the book, "don't have to be second-guessed". This is the kind of book I like to read in bed before I go to sleep. I'll take it over a bestselling novel anytime.

I did modify the recipe just a bit and replaced half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and added 1 cup of chocolate chips instead of walnuts. The success of your end product depends on how gently you incorporate the wet and the dry ingredients. Over-mixing will result in a smaller loaf that will be tough and dense. Fold ingredients together until just barely combined and moistened and you'll end up with a wonderfully delicate texture and crumb. This may very well become your go-to recipe when you want to treat someone with something homemade. Wrapped nicely, this whole wheat banana bread makes a thoughtful gift not just on holidays, but throughout the year.

Ingredients for Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Cooking spray or unsalted butter for greasing the loaf pan

1 cup all-purpose four

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 very ripe, soft bananas, mashed well (1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl whisk together whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl.

Gently fold banana mixture into dry ingredients until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky. Fold in chocolate chips and scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and tun out onto a wire rack.

Cooled bread can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for couple of days.

Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

2012-04-19T22:57:00.000-07:00

Originally a "three ingredient cookie" that's quite popular on numerous baking blogs and food websites. The flourless peanut butter cookie is at home on the food network, allrecipes, epicurious, and food.com, just to name a few. Woman's Day magazine features the humble cookie covered in rich chocolate ganache and dipped in chopped peanuts. An all American classic that's not only easy to make, but only requires peanut butter, eggs, and sugar. Well, a pinch of baking soda too, to give your cookies some lift during baking and lighten the texture. There's really no need to improve the delicious simplicity of these chewy cookies, but if you feel like mixing things up a bit, try adding chopped peanuts, chocolate chips or cocoa powder.
I modified the original recipe and used 1/4 cup cocoa powder, brown sugar, and increased the peanut butter by 1/4 of a cup.

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together peanut butter and brown and granulated sugar, and egg until well combined. Stir in cocoa powder and baking soda. Form 24 balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until cookies are puffed, but still soft to touch in center.
Cool on sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack. Cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several days.

Pineapple Lemon Cake

2012-04-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

A recent issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine featured a recipe for pineapple buckle. What really got me interested was the classic yellow cake batter, called "can-do cake batter". The basic batter can be modified and transformed into elegant layer cakes, muffins, cupcakes, loaf cakes, or the pineapple buckle you see here. I wouldn't really call it a buckle, since I always think of an old-fashioned dessert with berries and a much more rustic, crumpled, or "buckled" appearance. This recipe uses cake flour and pineapple, which definitely makes for a much more delicate and sophisticated presentation.

The recipe below makes just about enough cake batter to fill a 2-quart baking dish. I used a ceramic tart pan, but any casserole or deep pie dish will work. Double the recipe and you'll have enough batter for two 9-inch cake pans, twenty-four muffins, or four 2 x 6 inch miniature loaf pans. The original recipe calls for lime zest and lime juice, which I replaced with lemon zest and lemon juice.

Ingredients for Basic Yellow Cake Batter

1/2cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, a room temperature

1/2 cup and 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 large eggs, a room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cake flour, spooned and leveled

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cups buttermilk

Ingredients for Pineapple Lemon Cake

1 recipe basic yellow cake batter

unsalted butter for baking dish

1 cup diced pineapple

4-6 thin pineapple rings for top

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 2-quart baking dish.
In a large bowl with a electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high for about 6 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs and yolk, one at a time, until combined. Beat in vanilla.
In a separate bowl , whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
With mixer on low, add 1/3 of the flour mixture to creamed butter and beat to combine. Beat in buttermilk alternating with remaining flour in two more additions,ending with flour.
Stir lemon zest, lemon juice, and diced pineapple into batter.
Spread batter into prepared dish and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly arrange pineapple rings on top. Bake for about 25 minutes more or until golden brown.

Let cool in dish for 20 minutes before serving.
Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Gluten Free Chocolate Coconut Bites

2012-04-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

The response to some of my previously posted gluten free cookie recipes has been absolutely overwhelming. It's eye-opening how many of you are searching for wheat-free, sugar-free, fat-free, vegan, or just generally healthier versions of old favorites. The number of commercially available gluten free flour varieties and cake mixes has dramatically grown over the last few years. You'll probably find a section dedicated to gluten free products in the aisles of your local supermarkets. Specialty markets like Whole Foods, Fresh and Easy, Trader Joe's, Sprouts (most of them in Southern California) and health food stores are usually very well assorted and carry not only gluten free ingredients, but also prepared foods. You'll find hamburger buns, waffles, cakes, a variety of different breads, and other baked goods in the frozen section; cookies, crackers, pasta, soup, and plenty more in the gluten free aisle. Some tastier than others, but all pretty expensive. A box of Betty Crocker gluten free cake mix is priced anywhere from $5.00 - $7.00. Online sources such as vitacost.cost.com, udisglutenfree.com, bobsredmill.com, and amazon.com tend to be much more competitive and most offer coupons and free shipping.

You may be better off experimenting with ingredients you already have in your pantry or searching for dessert recipes that are naturally wheat free. Cocoa powder, almond meal, polenta, shredded coconut, and beans all make great substitutions for flour. Yes, you heard right, beans! Garbanzo beans work really well, but as I found out this weekend, so do kidney beans. Puree a can of drained beans in the food processor and you'll end up with a smooth paste, which not only replaces flour, but also any added fat in your cake batter. The use of beaten egg whites results in a fluffy, light, almost sponge cake like texture.
I wanted to make lemon cake, but then the dark red color of the beans threw me off and I had to change plans. Can't make a red lemon cake, I thought and turned the recipe into chocolate coconut bites. Gluten free baking is very much about trial and error. Some recipes will turn out fantastic, while others will barely be edible. Even though it can be frustrating at times, don't give up and keep experimenting.

Ingredients
1 14 ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 cup granulated sugar or Splenda
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/4 cup coconut, shredded, sweetened
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 egg whites. at room temperature

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 12 inch baking pan.
Using a food processor or immersion blender puree beans until very smooth. Keep scraping down the sides of your mixing bowl. Make sure the texture of the bean paste is fine and that there are no lumps. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
With mixer beat 1/2 cup of sugar and egg yolks for about 3-4 minutes or until light and creamy.
Add bean mixture, baking powder, cocoa powder, coconut, and almond meal to egg mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.
Beat egg whites with remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff. By hand gently fold beaten egg whites into batter. Do not overmix, as you want the tiny air bubbles in the egg whites to expand during baking and create a light texture and delicate crumb.
Spread into prepared pan and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto wire rack. When cooled completely, cut into small squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips

2012-04-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

During my search for a dense and chewy flourless peanut butter cookie I came across a recipe from LeeLovesToCook on BetterRecipes.com. I'd tried several different versions before, but after baking a batch of this one, I have to say that it is the best I've found so far. Bake them for about 7-8 minutes if you like soft and chewy cookies, or leave them in the oven for a few minutes longer to satisfy the crunchy cookie aficionado.Not only are the cookies great tasting, but best of all, they're also gluten free. Make sure to use gluten free oats if you're making the cookies for someone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Even though pure oats are generally considered gluten free, they can be contaminated in the field or in facilities that also process wheat, barley, and rye. Bob's Red Mill makes different varieties of gluten free oat products (rolled, quick-rolled, steel cut, and oat flour), which are available in most supermarkets and health food stores. Trader Joe's and Fresh and Easy carry their own brands of gluten free oats and are always a great source for your baking needs.

I tweaked the recipe just a bit and substituted Splenda for the granulated sugar and used chunky peanut butter instead of creamy.

Makes 48 cookies

Ingredients
1 12 ounce jar chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup Splenda or granulated sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, glutenfree
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, chopped
1 cup chocolate chips
4 1/2 cups gluten free oats (Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Combine peanut butter, butter, sugar, and Splenda in large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract, honey, and baking soda.With mixer on low speed blend in oats, peanuts, and chocolate chips.
Shape into walnut size balls and place on prepared sheets. Fatten slightly with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 7-10 minutes depending on desired crispness. Let cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute and transfer to a wire rack.
Store cookies in air tight container. If you like your cookies to stay moist and soft, add half an apple to the cookie tin. Remove apple the next day.

Strawberry Custard Mary Ann Cake with Whipped Cream

2012-04-10T17:15:00.002-07:00

I made this delicious light and airy strawberry cake on Easter Sunday. It's really a cross between a cake and a tart. The base has the look and texture of a soft and golden spongecake, yet you spoon the filling on top as you would with a tart. I used a nostalgic and old-fashioned fluted 10 inch "Mary Ann" pan (sometimes called flan pan), which has an indentation in the center. When inverted it allows you to fill the cake with fruits, ganache, lemon curd, custard, or whipped cream.

The following recipe for the lemon cake base is from the King Arthur Flour recipe collection.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup milk

Topping

1/4 cup strawberry preserves

1 box vanilla pie filling, prepared according to package directions or home made pastry cream

1 cup strawberries, washed and sliced plus additional berries for decoration

1 cup whipped heavy cream, slightly sweetened

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter and flour an 8 1/2 or 10 inch Mary Ann pan.

In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

With mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add lemon juice and eggs, one at a time. Scrape down sides of the bowl and continue beating until well combined. Mixture may look curdled, because of the lemon juice.

Add dry ingredients, alternating with milk in 3 additions and gently combine.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 34 to 38 minutes or until cake springs bake when lightly pressed.

Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.

Brush cooled cake with strawberry preserves and top with custard. Arrange strawberries in a circular pattern and cover with whipped cream. Decorate with additional berries and mint leaves. Dust edges of cake with confectioners' sugar.

If you're in a hurry or don't have all the ingredients on hand to make the cake base from scratch, you can use store bought cake mix instead. You'll need 1/2 a box of white cake mix, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 whole egg, and 1 egg white. Beat with mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden. Just as delicious and no one will ever know. . .

Gluten Free Baked Rice Pudding with Apples

2012-04-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a little kid, rice pudding has been one of my favorite desserts. There is definitively a comforting quality about rich and smooth cinnamon scented pudding. Rice grains cooked to perfection in milk or cream, slightly sweetened with honey, and served with dark chocolate shavings on top. I preferred mine warm and used to watch with fascination how the chocolate was slowly melting and oozing into the rice. In the limited culinary world of a six year old, there was only one thing that could top that experience, which was baked rice pudding with layers of apples in between and served with warm vanilla sauce. Over the years I came to realize that this was one of my mom's go-to recipes. It could easily be prepared ahead of time, fruits could be swapped depending on what she had available in her garden, and despite its simple ingredients it made quite an elegant presentation. Separating the eggs and folding in the beaten egg whites makes for an airy souffle like texture.

Those of you with any background in Austrian cooking might recognize this excellent dessert as the humble "Reisauflauf". Culinary Austria has a rich and diverse history when it comes to desserts or "Mehlspeisen" (which literally means food made from flour) as we call it. There's a myriad of recipes out there, from delicious fruit dumplings, souffles, sweet noodle dishes, to baked puddings to name just a few. Vienna, the cultural melting pot during the Austro-Hungarian Empire became the birthplace of dishes that had their origins in Germany, Bohemia, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and other areas of the Balkans. As cooks from every corner of the country moved to the capital city, new and unusual ingredients and cooking methods made their way into the kitchens of Austrian households. Many of the elaborate hot desserts originated as main dishes and were considered poor man's food. Heavier and much simpler versions, lacking the sophistication of beaten egg whites, vanilla extract, and confectioners' sugar were served. Potatoes, cornmeal, and stale bread often took the place of white flour. Typically, a pot of vegetable soup and a baked sweet dish were prepared on meatless Fridays, but depending on the economic status of the household, maybe several times a week. As costly and refined ingredients, which were previously considered a luxury, became more widely available to the general public, the recipes evolved.

Today, you'll enjoy the delicious "Mehlspeisen" for dessert or with afternoon coffee in the charming coffeehouses of Vienna. My all time favorite is "Cafe Central", which first opened its doors in 1876. It's been called "the home away from home" for the Viennese intellectual establishment during the late 19th century. The regulars included Adolf Loos, Sigmund Freud, Arthur Schnitzler, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky. Still today a popular spot to enjoy "Kaffee mit Schlag" (coffee with whipped cream) and a slice of flaky home-made Apfelstrudel while listening to live piano music, the cafe caters to a variety of guests. You'll find elderly Viennese couples quietly reading the daily newspapers, groups of chatty young students working on their laptops, business people and bankers from the near-by offices, and your share of tourists from all over the world.

As you walk through the streets of the city you'll find coffeehouses on every block. Not all are grand and legendary, but they do offer the same relaxed atmosphere, inviting hospitality, great tasting coffee, and spectacular sweets.

I hope you didn't think I forgot about the rice pudding recipe. Going through my image files was a bit of a sentimental journey for me and I got completely sidetracked. I took those pictures on my last trip to Austria when I was visiting my mom and my sister. Hopefully, you enjoyed the sights of the city and the quick glance into the culinary history of the country.

Anyway, here is the recipe:

Ingredients
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons short grain rice
pinch of salt
1 3/4 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon lemon peel, finely grated
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup raisins
2 egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Bring rice and salt to a boil with 3 cups of water. Let cook for a bout 2 - 3 minutes and drain.

Return to pot and add cold milk, butter, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove cinnamon stick. Set aside and let cool.

In a bowl combine apples with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

With a mixer at medium speed beat egg yolks, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon rind until light and creamy. Using clean beaters and a different bowl, beat egg whites with 1/4 cup granulated sugar until stiff.

In a large bowl combine cooked rice, egg yolk mixture, and raisins. Gently fold in egg whites.

Spoon 2/3 of the rice mixture into prepared dish and top with apple slices. Cover with remaining rice mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until rice pudding is golden brown and puffy.

Let cool slightly and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve with vanilla sauce.

Melted Ice Cream Cupcakes

2012-04-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

You could also call this treat "Last Minute Easter Cupcakes". I woke up this morning and realized that I hadn't baked anything holiday-ish. Not having little kids in the house anymore doesn't mean I shouldn't have fun making yummy Easter cupcakes decorated with sprinkles and jelly bean eggs. Most adults will admit that they love them just as much as kids do.

Melted ice cream cupcakes (or cake) are perfect when you don't get a chance to plan ahead. This recipe requires only three ingredients and you'll probably have all of them in your pantry and freezer. A box of cake mix ( I prefer white cake), 3 eggs, and 2 cups of melted ice cream of your favorite flavor. Butter and confectioners' sugar for the frosting and you're all set. Yes, the ice cream goes in the batter and not the frosting. Ice cream has a milk fat content of at least 10%, some premium brands contain even 16% fat, which makes it a perfect substitution for butter or oil in the cake batter. Just take a walk down the freezer aisle of your local grocery store and you'll realize that the flavor combinations for this recipe are endless.

You could try chocolate cake mix and add peanut butter ice cream or pair yellow cake with peach ice cream. Anne Byrn features a melted ice cream cake recipe with Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia super-premium ice cream in her book "The Cake Mix Doctor".

Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 box of white cake mix

3 eggs, at room temperature

2 cups melted French vanilla ice cream

Frosting

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

sprinkles and Easter candies for decoration

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

Combine cake mix, eggs, and melted ice cream in mixing bowl and beat with mixer for one minute on low speed. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and increase speed to medium and continue mixing for another 2 minutes.

Divide batter evenly among liners and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Beat butter for 5 minutes until light an fluffy. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time and beat for 5 minutes after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract. Frost cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles and egg candies.

A Day in San Francisco

2012-04-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

I may have told you in one of my previous posts that my daughter Stephanie lives in San Francisco. She was born there, but grew up in Los Angeles. When she decided to move back after finishing college, it didn't come as a big surprise, since she always loved the city by the bay. And who wouldn't? On crisp and clear days the city is picture perfect like a postcard image. Pristine views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands, diverse little neighborhoods, a bustling financial center, and an exciting and revitalized arts district South of Market. Stephanie has always been passionate about food, and her love for cooking clearly shows in every delicious meal she prepares. Hopefully, she'll share some of her recipes with us in future posts. On Saturday mornings she's a regular at the Ferry Building farmers market. She texted me earlier today and sent this picture of her outing.

Apparently, it was pouring, but for San Franciscans that's no excuse to stay home. The market was as busy as usual. I thought about myself, warm and comfortable, sitting in my cozy chair. As strange as it sounds, but here in Los Angeles people don't leave the house when it starts drizzling. On rainy days we only plan indoor activities. Cooking, baking, eating, blogging . . . When we do go out in bad weather though, we seem to have forgotten how to drive and traffic turns into an absolute nightmare.
I'm not quite sure how I got to this point in our conversation, but when I saw the picture of San Francisco, I remembered my last visit and the fantastic meal I had at Zuni Cafe on Market Street. I enjoyed their signature roast chicken with bread salad so much, that I recreated it in my own kitchen. As I started typing and searching for my picture files I came across so much interesting material that I want to share with you. I figured that maybe we won't do the chicken recipe today, but just take a stroll through one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Now, that's what a Saturday morning at the Ferry Building looks like on a beautiful day!

Vendors set up their stands loaded with locally grown fruits and vegetables alongside the historic building. Several years ago, the inside of the ferry building was transformed into a culinary marketplace that offers just about anything a food lover's heart could possibly desire. You'll find decadent chocolates (Recchiuti Confections), artisan dairy products (Cowgirl Creamery), exotic mushrooms (Far West Fungi), crusty loaves of bread and other baked goods (Acme Bread Company), micro roasted coffee (Blue Bottle Coffee Co), fresh oysters (Hog Island Oyster Company), organic preserves (Happy Girl Kitchen Company, gourmet cookware (Sur La Table), and so much more. Stop at one of the eateries for a bite, grab a table outside, and enjoy the views of the bay.

Tofu and Chicken Patty with Hijiki Seaweed from Delica in the Ferry Building.

After spending the morning at the farmers market head out to the Outer Richmond District for lunch.

You'll have plenty of choices as the streets are lined with Cantonese, Russian, Mexican, and Italian restaurants. A place not to be missed is the Shanghai Dumpling King. It's on Zagat's list of top "Hole-In-The Wall" eateries. Make sure to order the Lion's Head Meatballs, steamed Shanghai dumplings, and scallion pancakes.

Spend the afternoon strolling through North Beach, San Francisco's Italian neighborhood. Stop at Molinari's Delicatessen on Columbus for fresh Italian sausages, dried cured salami, or Prosciutto. Try their Italian sandwiches, they're some of the best in town.

Just down the street from Molinari's you'll find the Comstock Saloon. It's a San Francisco institution that has been in this location for more than 100 years. After touring the city all day, rest your tired feet and enjoy a classic Negroni or a Manhattan in a truly historic setting.

Return down to Market Street for dinner at the Zuni Cafe. The beautiful restaurant is warm and inviting, and their service is incredible. You won't regret ordering their wood fire-roasted chicken, but be prepared to wait for an hour. Enjoy the lovely atmosphere, start with appetizers, a bottle of wine from their excellent wine list, or share an entree as a first course until the the famed chicken dish arrives.

Selection of East and West Coast Oysters

Hog Island Manila Clams

Creamy Polenta with Parmigiano-Reggiano

End your memorable day in San Francisco with a nightcap at the Clock Bar in the St. Francis Hotel on Union Square.

I hope you enjoyed this post, even though it didn't include any recipes. You'll be seeing more travel tidbits, lots of pictures, and restaurant reviews in the near future.

Baked Saffron Rice with Parmesan and Green Peas

2012-04-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

This is a great dish that can be served as an appetizer, a side, or as a meal by itself. Best of all, it can be prepared ahead of time up to the point of baking. My family and I like green peas with the flavor of saffron rice, which is a classic Italian combination, but you can also use asparagus or mushrooms. To make this into a main course, try adding diced ham, prosciutto, or even leftover cubed chicken to the rice. Serve it with a green salad on the side and you've just treated your family or friends to an elegant and delicious meal without breaking the bank.

Wine Pairing:
A crisp and refreshing white wine perfectly complements the creaminess of the saffron scented rice. A food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or California offers a lovely range of herbal and tropical fruit flavors while its acidity balances the richness of the Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/8 teaspoons saffron threads, crushed
1 cup uncooked short or medium grain rice
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Heat olive oil and butter in a large heavy pan. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for another half a minute on low. Add crushed saffron and rice and continue cooking for another minute, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for about 25-30 minutes over low heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir occasionally and add more chicken stock if needed. Remove from heat when rice is tender to the bite, but consistency of mixture is creamy.
Add green peas, parsley, and 3/4 cup cheese and mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a buttered casserole or baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
If preparing ahead of time, cover dish tightly with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.
Enjoy!

Gluten Free Garbanzo Bean Pear Bars with Dried Cranberries

2012-03-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

This is really a continuation of the gluten free banana bread post. Same basic recipe, but different delicious flavor combinations. These gluten free pear bars are made with garbanzo beans instead of wheat flour. Garbanzo beans or chick peas produce an excellent crumb and a lovely moist texture. I used pureed pears in the batter, but applesauce, crushed pineapple, or pumpkin work equally well. Just as with the banana bread, there is no noticeable garbanzo bean flavor in this healthy treat. I added 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, but you could leave it out and prepare a fat free version. The recipe is just enough to make 9 large bars, since not everyone in your family might be on a gluten free diet. Be prepared though, to double it next time, because these bars are just as mouthwatering as their high calorie cousins.

Ingredients
1 cup canned or cooked garbanzo beans
2 pears, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon coconut oil (liquid form)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup quick cooking gluten free oats
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup almonds, chopped

Cinnamon and ginger complement the flavor of pears really well, but you can experiment with other spices, such as nutmeg, cloves, or cardamom. Their earthy flavors are quite strong though, so a pinch goes a long way.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8x8 inch pan with cooking spray.
Using a food processor or blender puree the beans, one pear, and coconut oil until smooth and creamy. This may take a while and you'll have to scrape down the sides of your bowl several times. It's important for the mixture to be as smooth as possible. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add eggs and brown sugar and stir until well combined.
In a small bowl mix together cinnamon, ginger, cornstarch, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cranberries, and almonds. Add dry ingredients to bean mixture and gently stir to combine. Fold in remaining chopped pear.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack. When completely cool, cut into squares.

Gluten Free Banana Oat Bread

2012-03-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

Delicious gluten free orange scented banana bread made with garbanzo beans? You heard right! I've been experimenting with the humble chickpea as a wheat substitute and have to admit that this is my favorite flour replacement so far. Besides banana bread, I made pear bars and an excellent chocolate cake. They all had great crumb texture and came out deliciously moist. Best of all, none of my "test subjects" could tell that I had used garbanzo beans in the batter. You'll see, that there is absolutely no noticeable chickpea taste. If anything, the beans will add a sweet nutty flavor to your baked goods. I used 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in my versions, but you could very well make them fat free. They're also great for vegans, since they don't contain animal products. Depending on your taste you could add nuts, raisins, cranberries or chocolate chunks to the banana bread. The one I made is simple and plain, because I really wanted to get the full taste and make sure there was no lingering garbanzo bean flavor.

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups canned or cooked garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons coconut oil (liquid form)
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange rind, finely grated
1 cup mashed bananas
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup quick cooking gluten free oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a loaf pan with cooking spray.
Using a food processor or blender grind garbanzo beans with orange juice and oil until smooth and creamy.
This may take a while and you'll have to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times. It's essential that the bean mixture is as smooth as possible. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add mashed bananas, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, orange rind, and brown sugar to bean mixture. Stir until well combined.
In a small bowl mix together cinnamon, cornstarch, oats, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add dry ingredients to bean mixture and gently stir to combine.
Pour into loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack.

Grilled Eggplant Stacks with Greek Kasseri Cheese

2012-03-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

I'm realizing that my blog posts are becoming deliciously sweet, as in "dessert sweet" that is. So, I want to shift gears for a little and share some savory recipes with you. Let's see how long that'll last, before I have a relapse and fall back into my favorite activity, which is truly baking.

Serve these eggplants stacks as an elegant appetizer, for lunch, or even as a light dinner. There are many variations out there, most of them Italian inspired. They usually include tomato sauce, basil, and Provolone or Mozzarella cheese. The Greek flavors in this version got great reviews from my family. The simple and healthy dish is a combination of classic Mediterranean ingredients such as eggplant, ripe tomatoes, oregano, mint, and Greek Kasseri cheese. Serve it with olives, hot pita bread, and maybe some Greek yogurt on the side.

Ingredients
2 eggplants, sliced into 1 inch slices
4 tomatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
black pepper
1 cup Kasseri cheese, grated

Preparation
Lightly salt eggplant slices and place into a colander. Let sit for about 30 minutes. The salt will draw out excess moisture and remove some of the bitterness of the eggplant. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry.
Preheat grill or panini press according to manufacturer's instructions and coat with cooking spray.
Combine olive oil, garlic, oregano, mint, and black pepper in small bowl. Brush eggplant and tomato slices with olive oil mixture. Place on grill and cook for about 2-4 minutes over medium heat until eggplant is soft and has nice scorch marks. Cook tomatoes for only 1-2 minutes. Remove from grill and set aside.
Preheat oven to 370 degrees. Assemble stacks on a lined baking sheet. Start with a slice of eggplant, then a tomato slice, and top with grated cheese. Repeat three times. Your last layer should be a generous amount of cheese. Except for salting the eggplants in the beginning there is no additional salt in this recipe, since the cheese has a slightly salty flavor already.
Let eggplant stacks heat through in the oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cream Cheese Double Chocolate Cookies

2012-03-22T16:29:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a soft and "cakey" chocolate cookie recipe? Well, this might just be the one! Cream cheese and brown sugar keep the cookies moist and soft. It's important to remember to beat the butter only lightly, which results in a puffy and cakey texture. Any time butter is beaten until light and fluffy, you'll end up with a crispy cookie. Refrigerating the dough prevents the cookies from spreading out too much during baking and they'll stay nice and thick. Using sifted flour is another great tip to keep the texture of your cookies soft. It incorporates air and makes any baked product lighter and fluffier. Lastly, baking time has to be very short, usually about 8 - 10 minutes. I've noticed that theses cookies are best eaten the same day as they do harden a little bit overnight, which is normally not a problem in my house. Cookies tend to disappear before they even get a chance to cool off . . .

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preparation

In a small saucepan melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat, add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and stir until melted. Set chocolate mixture aside and let cool.

Combine sifted flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in small bowl.

Cream together brown sugar and cream cheese with mixer. Add chocolate mixture and lightly beat on medium speed until well combined, but nor fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. With mixer on low speed slowly add flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips by hand. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shape refrigerated dough into walnut-sized balls and place on prepared sheets. Flatten slightly and bake for about 8 minutes or until just set. Cool on wire racks.

Gluten Free Almond Cookies

2012-03-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

Not only are these deliciously crunchy almond cookies gluten free, but they're "almost" fat free too. Best of all, you need less than five different ingredients to bake these little treats. Don't be alarmed by the fact that they're quite hard and crisp. Their firm texture makes them great "dunking" cookies and they are best enjoyed dipped in a cup of hot coffee or better yet, a glass of dessert wine.

Ingredients
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 large egg white, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup almonds, blanched and finely ground + additional whole almonds to decorate
pinch of salt
couple of drops of pure almond extract
confectioners' sugar fur dusting

Preparation
Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Combine ground almonds, confectioners' sugar and salt in a bowl.
Mix lightly beaten egg white with almond extract and add to the almond/sugar mixture.
Combine into a smooth dough and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Shape chilled dough into walnut size balls and place on prepared cookie sheet, spaced apart about 2 inches. Top each cookie with a whole almond and flatten slightly with your fingers.
Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet half way through . Let cookies cool on wire rack and dust with confectioners' sugar. Store cookies in an air tight container.

Gluten Free Coconut Rice Pudding with Chocolate Chunks and Caramelized Bananas

2012-03-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

This easy rice pudding recipe is the first in a series of gluten free desserts. I compiled recipes that are "naturally" gluten free, which means they don't require flour or other wheat, rye, and barley products in the first place. Eventually, I started experimenting with traditional recipes, worked with substitutions and tweaked them until they came out just right. Gluten free baking is definitely a work in progress and there's much trial and error. The most important thing is not to get discouraged, when your baked goods don't come out as expected. Don't be afraid of the occasional mishap and keep experimenting.

The GF section of my blog will have recipes for cookies, cakes, hot desserts, ice cream, and puddings, all of them so delicious that you'd never guess they're gluten free. So, if you are gluten intolerant or have been put on a gluten free diet for other reasons, rest assured that you can still enjoy a variety of delicious and flavorful desserts.

Ingredients for Rice Pudding

1/2 cup short grain rice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 cup coconut milk

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup flaked coconut

3 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped

Caramelized Bananas

2 bananas, cut into diagonal slices about 2 inch thick

1/2 cup of sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon pure rum (do not use flavored rum as the flavoring may contain gluten)

Preparation

Bring rice and salt to a boil with 3 cups of water. Let cook for a bout 2 - 3 minutes and drain.

Return to pot and add cold milk, coconut milk, butter, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove cinnamon stick. Whisk together egg yolk, granulated sugar and coconut. Add to rice mixture, stirring briskly. Do not allow the pudding to boil. Cover pot and remove from heat. Stir chocolate chunks into cooled mixture. The pudding can be refrigerated at this point for later use.

Melt butter in small skillet over low heat. Add sugar, water, and rum and continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, until a light colored caramel has formed. Add sliced bananas and gently coat with caramel. Cook for about 2 minutes until heated through and slightly softened.

Serve pudding in small bowls or glasses, top with caramelized bananas and sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes. Makes 4 - 6 servings.

Prosciutto, Fontina Cheese, and Fried Egg Paninis

2012-03-05T20:36:00.000-08:00

Dust off your panini press or bring out your cast iron skillet and whip up a couple of these fantastic sandwiches. They are really grilled cheese sandwiches at heart, but for tonight's dinner they're all gussied up Italian style. What's better than buttery and golden brown sourdough bread grilled to perfection with melted cheese and fried eggs oozing out from between? The flavor combinations for this kind of sandwich are limitless, so try experimenting with different ingredients. When I'm really feeling Austrian, I bring out smoked Black Forest ham, Emmentaler cheese, good grainy mustard, and a little bit of sauerkraut. Piled high between two slices of hearty rye bread and grilled until crispy on the outside, it brings back memories.

Ingredients for 2 sandwiches
4 slices of sourdough bread
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons mustard ( I used Trader Joe's Aioli Garlic Mustard)
1 cup Fontina cheese, grated
4 ounces Prosciutto
4 slices roasted red peppers (either homemade or Mezzetta's Roasted Bell Peppers in a jar)
4 thick round slices sweet onion, grilled
1/2 cup arugula
2 eggs

Preparation

Preheat panini press according to manufacturer's instructions and lightly grease with cooking spray. Grill onions until nicely browned and set aside.
Arrange bread slices on work surface and spread inside with half of the butter and mustard. Divide remaining ingredients, except for eggs in half. Put prosciutto, grilled onions, red peppers, and arugula on one slice and cheese on the other. Close sandwiches and spread tops and bottoms with remaining butter.
Place on panini grill and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
In the meantime cook eggs on both sides in a large frying pan.
Remove sandwiches from grill, open them and top each one with a fried egg. Close the sandwiches and serve immediately.

Tahini Dip with Zahtar Pita Chips and Marinated Olives

2012-03-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

Many of you may know tahini sauce as the creamy, slightly garlicky condiment that's often served with falafel and other Middle Eastern sandwiches. It also makes a great stand in for hummus. So, if you like the taste and texture of hummus, but don't care much for garbanzo beans, try this delicious dip. Served with spiced pita chips and marinated olives it makes a quick and easy appetizer.

Tahini Dip
Tahini is a paste of ground, hulled, and toasted sesame seeds. It is commonly used in Middle Eastern, North African, Greek, and Turkish cooking. Sesame paste of unhulled, black, toasted seeds is a typical ingredient in China, Korea, and Japan.

1/2 cup of tahini (sesame paste found in specialty stores and Middle Eastern markets), stirred well
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 garlic clove, mashed into a paste
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
chopped parsley for garnish

Mix the first 7 ingredients together until well combined. Consistency should be creamy and not too thin. Add more water if used as a salad dressing or as a sauce for sandwiches.
Drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with chopped parsley and pine nuts before serving.

Zahtar Spiced Pita Chips

Zahtar is a popular herb and spice mix that is being used throughout the Middle East. The most common combinations consist of sesame seeds, salt, sumac, and dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, and marjoram.
In addition to being used as a seasoning for meat and vegetable dishes, it also adds great flavor to salads like the Arabic bread salad fattoush. The most popular use of the spice mixture is probably as a topping for pita bread or yogurt cheese.

3-4 loaves of pita bread
olive oil
zahtar (found in specialty stores and Middle Eastern markets)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Brush pita bread with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with zahtar. Cut each loaf into 8 wedges and place on prepared sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.

Marinated Olives
1 cup green olives
1 cup Kalamata olives
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped,
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.