Lori's Pineapple Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

   OOOOO, still delicious after all these years.  Today the Over-60 Mermaids and I celebrated the holidays by hosting a holiday swim party and the theme was breakfast.  There were divine delights in fruits, casseroles, breads and coffee cakes.  I hauled out and dusted up this old stand-by and she showed well!  I even heard the phrase, "best in category."  It's a keeper.   

  

This can be adapted to any size serving. Use pineapple cream cheese, or make your own with crushed pineapple added to cream cheese. Spread between two slices of GF bread. (I used Bette Hagman {Praise Be Her Name} Basic Millet Recipe) (My non-gf friends love that bread straight.) Pour egg mixture over toast in a 9x13  pan and bake.

It is so delicious!

reposted from 2-2-9

Actual recipe coming tomorrow, when I'm home for 10 more minutes than today!!! Reposted from 2-2-9

1 8 oz container soft cream cheese (pineapple flavored or chop pineapple into cream cheese  to make your own)

16 oz. loaf g-f bread, sliced

4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted.

Spray a 9x13 pan, with cooking oil.  Spread cream cheese on bread and press two slices together in a sandwich.  Place filled sandwiches into the baking dish.

Beat all other ingredients together and pour over sandwiches in dish.  Let stand for 10 minutes or refrigerate overnight.
 
Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and firm.

G-F Gingerbread House Cookie Recipe

 We are headed to family parties for Christmas and the activity for one of them is a request for  gingerbread house decorating competitions.  That means I need to take  three g-f gingerbread houses.  So here I go... baking them.

• 1/2 cup  packed light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons  unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons   molasses
• 1 tablespoon  honey

Blend sugar, butter until fluffy.  Add molasses and honey and then add:

• 1 egg  at room temperature, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients together and add slowly to the blended egg mixture.

• 2 1/2 cups  all purpose gluten-free flour (I used my own Healthy Grain mix)
• 1 1/2  teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already contains it)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix together until it comes together to make a nice dough.  

I rolled the dough out onto a jelly roll pan lined with plastic wrap.  One big wide surface.  This recipe filled an entire pan.  

YES, PLASTIC WRAP.  I roll it most successfully on plastic wrap.   My photo shows freezer wrap, and I promise you, I tried waxed paper and none of them work as well as just plain plastic wrap, top and bottom.  It just peels off easier.  

  Cool the dough in the fridge or freezer.  Peel off the top layer of plastic wrap and cut the dough into cookies.  I found it easier to cut into shapes for gingerbread houses after it bakes.  Chill again until dough can be handled and transferred onto cookie sheets. 

LINE THE COOKIE SHEETS with parchment so the cookies will remove nicely.  

Bake immediately at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  The cool temperature dough helps maintain the shapes.    Let cool and remove from pan and paper.  

I had to recut the shapes for the gingerbread houses while hot so they were more uniform to the pattern.   

Cool and store between layers of paper until used.    Watch for the photos of the gingerbread house winners!  To be announced.  

  

GF Gingerbread Waffles

Waffles are easy to modify.  Most spices can be added to g-f mixes to make them even more seasonally flavorful.  I recommend peppermint--either oil or ground-up candy canes.  Pumpkin pie spice or  add cranberries.  Be courageous!  

Found this recipe in Family Fun and couldn't resist modifying it for GF.

1 egg

2 Tbs. oil

2 Tablespoons molasses

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp ginger

1/4 cup flax meal (opt. but healthy)

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup GF pancake mix. (I used my more frugal version, but Bob's, Pamela's, GF Pantry are all supposed to be good.)

I sprayed my griddle and baked on a normal setting. Makes 4 regular sized waffles.

Muy bueno, deliciouso, delicioux!

G-F Pecan Tassies

A g-f Cookie Exchange.  Happiness on a platter.  Here are the recipes in advance this year.

A chewy and crusty Christmas favorite made gluten free and grain-free!

The gluten-free cookie exchange was delightful with beautiful music, people and food.  It was delicious and I'm posting the delightful recipes that I grabbed.  Thanks Cheryl for the party.  We loved it so much, and I'll be eating for a week... or maybe a day.

Clockwise from left:  Triple Chocolate Cookies,  Mounds Candy,,   Salted Caramel Macaroons,    Caramels, Pecan Turtles, Coconut Caramel bars,  Pecan Tassies, (see recipe below), Pretzel Peanutbutter Buckeyes and Coconut Macaroons.

Cheryl's Pecan Tassies

Crust

1/2 cup butter
1 cup almond flour
3 oz. cream cheese

Mix together, form into one inch  dough balls and place each into a mini muffin pan.  Press to the edges of the pan with your fingers to form a crusty bowl in each tin cup.

Filling:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon melted butter
1 egg

1/2 cup pecans chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix filling and add a scoop into each dough cup.

Bake at 350 15 minutes and then turn down the oven to 250 and bake 10 more minutes.
Cheryl says she didn't bother to turn down the oven, she just baked them for 20-25 minutes until set.  (That's easier!)

Cool and Try Not To Eat All THESE before you serve them!

G-F WAFFLE Love Copycat Recipe

Food Traditions 
Delicious Danish Breakfasts   

We are at least 25% Danes and so we love that delicious food.  

Waffles for Christmas morning and although my regular recipe is delicious and easy, I thought that we needed something terrifically spectacular!   So it's Love.  

It's WAFFLE LOVE!  (See the facebook site for a delightful video of baking one.)

So here we go!  A g-f rip-off of my favorite food truck that once visited Tulsa. Article here:   I was so jealous of the guys gobbling one of their creations that I resolved there and then to make my own gluten-free!

The secret to the love is that it's a DANISH WAFFLE called a LIEGE Waffle.   I think that means more fat and sugar than any other you have ever eaten!  But the secret is the large-grained sugar that crystalizes and puffs the dough into a thick, delightful and decadent crust.

If you get to Provo, Utah, I recommend going to their shop and enjoying the real thing.  They do gluten-free waffles at the store.  Meanwhile, at home we make our g-f version.

ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 2 large eggs, lightly whisked
• 1/2 cup melted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 2 cups gluten-free flour (I used my healthier grain mix)
• 1 1/2 cup potato starch 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup pearl grained sugar

instructions

1. add the 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar to the milk and water and add the yeast, stirring to combine. allow the yeast mixture to proof, or get foamy and puffy.
2. in a large bowl, beat together the butter and the honey. add the eggs and vanilla. stir together and add the yeast mixture. Place in a standing mixer with the dough hook and add 2 cups of flour and the potato starch. mix until the dough is thoroughly incorporated, 
3. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for up to 4 hours on the counter, or up to 24 hours covered with plastic wrap in the fridge. the dough will need to sit on the counter and come back to room temperature before baking. Right before baking, fold in the pearl sugar. scoop into 8 to 10 balls and gently place on waxed paper to raise. 
4. When the dough ball has rested for 15 minutes, pick up the paper and plop the dough off onto a medium hot, greased waffle iron.  Close and cook until golden brown and serve with nutella, butter, jam, or whipped cream and fresh berries.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Fresh Cranberry Coulis (Sauce) Paleo! Yippee

This retro recipe is #6 of my top ten for holidays.  

Cranberries are good for me!  I know because Grandma was told by her doctor that she could either take a pill or drink a daily cranberry to improve her thyroid function and prevent UTIs. 

 I don't eat enough because admittedly they are so sour but I always keep bags frozen out of season to pop in my smoothies. 

Cranberry Coulis, A Paleo Sauce/Filling/Topping

One orange whole, peel and all - sliced in fourths
1 apple sliced.  
10 oz. bag cranberries fresh or frozen  (I used two bags) 
1/2  cup sugar (I have used honey and this time agave.)  Add slowly only enough to taste.  

Blend in food processor or blender until smooth.  This stuff is so good that iced a tiny bit in the freezer makes it a delicious addition to any meal.    Lidia made it with me this time and said she could love it atop ice-cream.  
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I scoop it and slurp it up by the spoonful--figuring it adds to intestinal health 'cause raw cranberries are good for me!!!  This recipe I could and would eat daily if I keep it made up in the fridge.  One year it was mid January before I ran out of the big batch I blended up.  

     I wish this dish didn't taste quite so delicious because it is gone so quickly.  I use this coulis atop chocolate because it's such a unique taste sensation.