Merry Christmas to all!

Sugar Cookies

 
"Twas the day before Christmas and all through the house..."

You can finish this poem. In our house it is all hustle and bustle getting ready for the Christmas celebration. This past week we were able to have a cookie decorating event. My daughter was out of town, so one of my friends daughters came over to help. She is very artistic! So I got busy baking and the kids got busy decorating. 

It is a Christmas tradition in our home to decorate sugar cookies.

 It is a fun time to talk and laugh and it just brings us all together. 

The secret to fabulous sugar cookies is using powdered sugar. They are light and fluffy, but crisp at the same time. 

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

1 cup Butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 egg

2 1/2 cups aninis Multipurpose gluten free flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and egg. 

Add flour, baking soda and cream of tartar and mix well. 

Roll out cookies by using saran wrap on the counter. Place your dough on top and cover again with saran wrap. 

Gluten free batter can be hard to work with, but not with saran wrap! 

Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough until it is 1/4 inch thick. 

Cut out your shapes. 

Place shapes on a parchment lined baking sheet or stone.

Baking will depend on the size of the shapes you chose. For us it was 10 minutes.

Let cool completely.

Repeat the process until all the dough is used.

While cookies are cooling make your royal icing. 

Royal Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar 

1 egg white

3 tsp water

Whip until it is a light fluffy texture. 

Add your colors decorate!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Gluten-Free Recipe Recap

Gluten-Free Recipe Recap and week in review, plus giveaway round-up.

Below I have all the posts from this week. From recipes to giveaways, I gotcha covered! 

Wishing all of you a fabulous Christmas!

MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012

Cheesy Buttermilk Biscuits

Crock-Pot Sweet and Spicy Pork Shoulder

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2012

Curious Chef Giveaway

Go Picnic Giveaway

Sweet and Spicy Stir-Fry

Van's Giveaway

3 ingredient Homemade Hot Fudge

 

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2012

Food & Wine Magazine Giveaway

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012

Bacon Wrapped Mac & Cheese

Saturday, DECEMBER 21, 2012

Ricotta Fried Meatballs

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2012

Gluten-Free is easy E-Book!

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012

Caramel Cheesecakes

Caramel Cheesecakes

Tis' the season to be naughty fa la la la la, la la la la! There are yummy bites everywhere. I do my best to stay away from most of them. These however, are worth every calorie I put in my mouth. They are my husbands favorite too. I use an almond crust instead of the sugary cookie crust and we think it makes it taste so much better. I make these during the holiday season to treat my husband and kids. Hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Gluten -Free Caramel Cheesecakes
19 ounces cream cheese
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

caramel:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk 

 crust:
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 cup melted butter

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Crush your slivered almonds. 

In a mixing bowl whisk together the almond flour, almonds, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Add the butter and combine with a spoon.

Line a muffin tin with liners. Push the almond mixture into the bottom of the liners. 

Bake for 10 minutes to set. 

Turn oven down to 300°.

In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and eggs. Beat until light and fluffy. 

Spoon mixture into the muffin tins with prepared almond crust. 

Bake for 40 minutes. 

While cakes are cooking, start on the caramel.

Combine granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently for 3 minutes. 

Stop stirring and continue cooking 10 minutes or until the color of light brown sugar. Remove from heat; carefully stir in butter and milk. Place pan over medium-high heat until caramelized sugar melts. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. 

Remove pan from heat; cool caramel to room temperature. Cover and chill 1 hour or until slightly thickened. 

Take cheesecakes out of the oven when they are done. Once cool, the middle will slightly fall and this is the perfect indent for the caramel.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon caramel over each cheesecake. 

Eat!

If you are wanting to do a post holiday DETOX or CLEANSE hit me up! 

I help people get healthy naturally. Being a cancer survivor I learned how necessary it is to detox after indulging. I have got your back! My passion is to help others stay cancer free. I have searched the world high and low and have found the BEST highest QUALITY natural products to help get the gunk out naturally, They are SAFE, healthy and will IMPROVE your health vs. hurting it with starvation or breaking down your digestive system which is what most detoxes do. So EMAIL ME and let's get started! 

If you want to eat this, but can't have sugar or dairy, please try my amazing sugar-free, dairy-free, healthy caramel cheesecake bites. You can find them here: 

Dulce De Leche Cheesecake

If you like my recipes, please support my work and get my cookbook! Featuring 150 recipes, 100 of which are not on the blog. That's right! 100 new recipes! Gluten-Free Made Easy is the perfect guide to your new lifestyle! Learn dozens of tips and tricks for avoiding gluten and over 150 tasty, simple recipes. Going against the grain has never been easier!

"Gluten-Free Made Easy" is available for sale at Barnes and Noble, Books and Things, Cedar Fort, Amazon and many other great bookstores.

Gluten-Free is easy E-Book!

Today is a happy day!!!

The e-book version of my cookbook is released and ready for purchase!
You can buy the book HERE!

Do you have any last minute Christmas shopping to do?
Know someone who is gluten-free or Celiac? 

Gluten-Free is easy is more than just a cookbook!
Please help us get the word out!
If you could share on facebook,
 Tweet  
and  on pinterest it would help so much!
Below you will find out just how beneficial this book is. 

• Includes over 150 Easy recipes by "Mom, What's for Dinner?" blogger Christi Silbaugh
• Shows you how to eat gluten-free by eating foods you love
• Shares helpful tools that will have you eating gluten-free fast
• Lists our favorite products and gluten-friendly websites
• Answers common questions about how to eat gluten-free
• Perfect for gluten-free dieters at any stage of the journey!

Let me introduce you to the book!  We have included several fabulous features that make this a must-have for all gluten-free eaters.

Our cookbook is for cooking!  We've made it landscape format so that the pages will stay open while you cook.

Each recipe is easy to make and easy to read.  We've included extras like gluten-free products suggestions, full color photos, and tips for living gluten-free.

You'll also find great resources that you can reference like... Helpful Websites where you can find recipe blogs and places to purchase gluten-free products.  Our Favorite Products section contains a comprehensive list of the gluten-free products we love and use.  The Getting Started Shopping lists and Substitution Solutions to help you adapt to new cooking challenges.

The hardcopy will be available Spring 2013 but the E-Book is available NOW!

Buy yours HERE!

www.glutenfreeiseasy.com

We need your help to spread the word! 

If you could share on facebook,
 Share on Twitter, 
 and  on pinterest it would help so much!

Ricotta Fried Meatballs

Only a few more days until Christmas! Is everyone ready? I'm not! This year is just really swamped. I feel like I hardly have time to sleep. This is the last year we will all be living in the same house at Christmas time. The kids are all adults now. Time for them to leave the nest and fly. So we are going for a traditional Christmas at home, complete with a traditional Christmas dinner, gifts, games etc... What are your plans? 
I received a 4 pack of Rose Romano's Italian Gourmet Toppings to try. So today along with a very tasty recipe,  I am going to tell you a little about them and give you a great recipe to go along with these sauces. 

 Rose Romano's Italian Gourmet Toppings are a low calorie, gluten-free, locally-sourced gourmet topping made with red or green bell peppers, used on pasta, vegetables, seafood, omelets, sandwiches,and great for dipping. With only 5 calories per serving, this sauce is a great choice! Visit Rose Romano's today to get yours!

Once again it was too dark to get good pictures. One of these days I will get proper lighting for nighttime food photography. Still some pictures are better than others. The ricotta in these meatballs keep them nice and moist. 

Gluten-Free Ricotta Fried Meatballs

adapted from Epicurious

1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta

2 tablespoons Canola oil plus more for frying

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons italian seasoning, divided

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces ground beef

3/4 cup gluten free all-purpose flour

1 large egg, beaten to blend

2 cups tortilla crumbs crushed

Marinara sauce, warmed

Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Add ricotta and oil to a mixing bowl. 

Add in garlic, 1 tsp italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix

Add beef; gently fold until just combined.

Scoop out tablespoonfuls of meat mixture. Roll portions between your palms into 1" balls.

Place flour, egg, and tortilla crumbs mixed with 1 tsp italian seasoning in 3 separate medium bowls. 

Working with 1 meatball at a time, dredge in gluten-free flour.

 Dip in egg; allow excess to drip back into bowl. 

Roll meatball in tortilla crumbs, pressing gently to coat. Return to sheet.

Heat canola oil in a skillet to 350 degrees.

Working in batches, fry meatballs, turning often, until light golden and crisp, about 1 minute per side. You will finish cooking in the oven.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake meatballs in batches on wire rack in baking sheet until cooked through, about 15 minutes. 

Serve with warm marinara sauce, or a great gourmet sauce like Rose Romano's.