Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies: Just remember 1

1 cup peanut butter (I prefer Jif)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped peanuts

Mx the first five ingredients well, then add chopped peanuts.  Taking rounded tablespoons of dough, roll into balls.    Roll balls in sugar or just sprinkle on top.   Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass.   Bake on parchment paper, in a 350 degree oven, for about 15 minutes.    IMPORTANT:  allow these to cool a few minutes before you remove them to wire racks to cool completely. 

If desired, press a Hershey's kiss, (or a dark chocolate drop) into the cookie IMMEDIATELY after removing from oven!

Spinach Artichoke Dip


Spinach and  Artichoke Dip

1 stick butter
1 large onion, chopped  (or grab a 10-16 oz bagged of frozen chopped onion)
20 oz. bag spinach, thawed, drained
1 can artichoke hearts, drained chopped  (or 1 bag frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped)
8 oz. cream cheese
2 C shredded hard cheese (perhaps half cheddar, half parmesan - though jack, asiago, dubliner, romano all work well - a good recipe to use up the cheese drawer!)
2 T tabasco

melt butter in saucepan, sautee onion until soft. Add spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese, tabasco. Stir until blended and heated through. Pour into casserole dish, sprinkle w/ remaining shredded cheese. Bake at 350 about 10 minutes until cheese starts to brown.

Serve w: toast rounds, celery, tortilla chips, or crackers

Gluten Free Almond Cookies

2 cups cornstarch
½ C almond flour
1 cup sugar
2 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (that equals 12 Tbps)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 375° F. Sift cornstarch, sugar and salt together, mix the egg and blend in the butter. Knead well. Let stand ten to fifteen minutes.   Shape into balls in the palm of your hand and drop them onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.   Bake for approximately 12 minutes.    Be very gentle with them when you remove to a cooling rack - the lack of gluten seems to make them prone to crumbling.