Gardeners and co-workers... it's Zucchini time!

I hate posts with long, drawn-out intros. This is the very best zucchini bread recipe I've ever found that comes out great with wheat-free flour.  I use King Arthur Gluten Free Baking Mix for the flour here. It is FABULOUS! I always give a mini-loaf to whoever gives me the zucchini, and they are shocked if I tell them it's gluten free.  Enjoy!!!
(I have no idea where I originally got this recipe, if it's yours please message me for credits)

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread (Makes 2 regular loaves)

3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup oil
3 cup grated zucchini, moisture squeezed out
2 1/2 cup gluten free flour of choice (I use King Arthur Gluten Free Baking Mix)
1 grated carrot
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Optional:  1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
Grease and flour* two loaf pans.

Beat eggs in large bowl. Add sugars, zucchini, and carrot, and mix well. Add remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly.

Fill prepared pans halfway full, bake 45-60 minutes.

This freezes well, but allow to cool completely before wrapping.  

*Gluten free flour

 

Pizza Crust

Pizza has got to be the one thing I miss the most from my care-free, wheat-eating youth. In all my years I have not found anything that is truly an equal substitute. I've looked high and low and this is the best I've found so far. It is based on a recipe from Bob's Red Mill but, of course, I've changed it around a bit.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons active, dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1 1/2 cup wheat-free flour blend (or equivalent)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 egg (eggless option- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoon water. Let stand 2 minutes, then use as egg)

Directions:

Combine sugar, yeast and water in a large bowl and let stand about 5 minutes. Measure flour and salt into a small bowl and combine. Beat oil and egg into wet ingredients, then stir in flour mix. Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and set in a warm spot (near pre-heating over) for about 10 minutes.

Place onto greased pizza stone. Wet hands with water and spread and smooth out dough. Cover with favorite sauce and toppings. (You cannot have too much cheese. When you think you have too much, add a little more.) Bake at 425 for 15 - 20 minutes.

Wheat-Free Banana Muffins

This is a rather simple quick bread recipe. I usually prefer to make muffins for things like banana bread or carrot cake. You can easily freeze some of the muffins and have a serving ready to microwave for about 10 seconds whenever you want it.

Wheat-Free Banana Muffins
Preheat oven to 375°F; prepare 12 muffin cups.

Mash 2 very ripe bananas in a shallow bowl with a fork and set aside.

Sift wheat-free flour blend to get 1 1/3 cups. Into a small bowl, sift together the already sifted flour with:
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

In a medium bowl use electric mixer to cream together:
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar

Beat in 2 eggs.

Continuing to beat with mixer, alternately add some of the flour mixture and some of the mashed banana until all is well blended.

Spoon evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 375°F for 18-21 minutes until lightly golden brown and springy to a light touch.

Note: If you want 1/4 cup of walnut pieces, by all means, add them. It's a personal preference thing, and I prefer not to have nuts in my banana muffins.

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving-- Dinner Rolls

This one is straight from Bob's Red Mill. These rolls are so good people have a had time knowing they aren't regular, homemade dinner rolls. They're that good! These also freeze well to save part of the batch for the two or three Thanksgivings you might have to go to, plus a few to keep at home. I recommend baking on Pampered Chef rectangle stone baker or parchment paper. The dough is gooey.

Here it is, straight from Bob:

Homemade Wonderful GF Rolls

Using our Homemade Wonderful GF Bread Mix, you can create these tasty rolls.
INGREDIENTS:
1 Pkg. Gluten Free Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix
1-2/3 cups warm Milk (cow, rice or soy)
1 whole Egg plus enough Egg Whites to equal 3/4 cup
1/4 cup melted Butter or Oil
1 tsp. Cider Vinegar

PLACE contents of package in large bowl of heavy-duty tabletop mixer. Remove yeast packet and add yeast to warm milk in separate bowl. Let foam for 5 minutes.

ADD eggs, melted butter or oil, vinegar, and yeast-milk mixture to bread mix.

MIX with regular beaters (not dough hook) at medium speed for 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl with spatula as necessary. Coat palm of hands with oil and using a small handful of dough, shape into rolls and place dough on greased cookie sheet. Pat down dough slightly.

COVER with oiled aluminum foil or plastic wrap and let rise in warm (75°-80°F) place for 20 minutes. Remove cover.

BAKE at 375°F for 15-18 minutes (do not under bake). To test for doneness, tap roll with fingernail. A crisp, hard sound indicates a properly baked roll. Enjoy! Makes 2 Dozen Rolls.

NOTE: You can replace the eggs in this recipe with Ener-G Egg Replacer to make it egg-free. Simply use the equivalent of egg replace to equal 3/4 cup.

MORE RECIPE IDEAS: Bread Crumbs for Stuffing: Cut rolls into bite size pieces and bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes. Croutons: Cut rolls into bite size pieces and season with oil and spices. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Servings Size: 1 Roll (47g)Calories 100, Calories from Fat 30, Total Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 10mg, Sodium 140mg, Total Carbohydrate 16g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 2g and Protein 3g.

The Staff of Life - WF Bread

I could not imagine life without my bread machine. I received one for Christmas many years ago. I don't even remember what kind it was. I baked two loaves, both of which were much better as doorstops than bread. I can bake bread like that all on my own without a bread machine. I exchanged it and got an Oster 2 lb (model 5834) machine. It is a wonderful, consistent, long-lasting work horse! I don't think it is available any more, but perhaps their current machine is still just as good.

This recipe is similar to one I've seen on the back of a Bob's flour package, one that is on a Celiac web site somewhere, but not quite the same as anything. It is far better than anything I can buy. The primary disadvantage to any homemade bread is you have to plan your time since you must take it out immediately and let it cool out of the baking pan. If you let it set after it's done the condensation will settle and get the bottom all soggy. The directions are for my machine ...wet ingredients first then dry. Alter the order for your machine as necessary.

Wheat-Free Bread
For Bread Machine

Wet Ingredients first:
1 ½ cups water
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Add dry ingredients:
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
¾ cup instant potato flakes
½ cup tapioca flour
¼ cup potato starch
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon xantham gum
2 ¾ teaspoons bread machine yeast

Select basic cycle, medium color setting, large loaf size. Remove when cycle complete, allow to cool. Slice and store in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

Drop Biscuits

Today's recipe is almost straight from the old red and white checkered Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. These are excellent for wheat-free biscuits and gravy.

The garlic-cheese variation is something I've worked out over the years and is a great accompaniment for spaghetti (with rice noodles) dinners.

Drop Biscuits oven 450º
Mix into bowl:
2 cups wheat-free flour mix
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Cut in 1/3 cup shortening till like course crumbs. Make a well in center of bowl.

Add 1 cup milk all at once. Stir quickly with fork just till dough follows fork around bowl.

Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450º about 12 minutes. Makes 12.


Garlic-Cheese BiscuitsFollowing above directions, add ¼ tsp garlic powder to flour mix. After stirring in milk, fold in 3/4-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Bake as directed.

Brush with melted butter (about 3-4 Tblsp) immediately upon removing from oven. Makes 12.