Gluten free flour for baking

When I bake, I do it in double batches.  One gluten-free, the other regular.  It's expensive to feed a family of seven on pasta or baked goods that are gluten-free.  You can save money by grinding your own brown rice flour using an electric flour mill, by mixing your own baking flour, and baking your own goodies.  Here is my recipe and a few things I've learned using it.

GF Flour Ingredients:
(all available through Blue Chip Group)

1 lb. brown rice flour
1 lb. potato starch
4 TBSP. xanthum gum

1) GF flour LOVES fruit acid.  The baked good that turn out with the best texture are those that include some fruit and/or their juices.  Although I haven't checked it out under a microscope, I believe the rice grain is softened more completely by the fruit acid than anything else.  Even rice flour milled to the finest texture has some tell-tale grit to it unless fruit is added.

2) Xanthum gum needs to be just right.  (That's 1 TBSP per 1 Cup of flour.)  Too much xanthum gum makes batter too thick and gummy textured.  Too little, and your batter will not hold together.

3) If at first you don't succeed... it's okay.  Even though it feels like an expensive mistake or a terrible waste.  GF baking will not have the same feel as what you're used to, but getting it right so you can enjoy a blueberry muffin in the morning or cupcakes on your birthday is worth it.

4)  Waxed paper is your friend.  Anything that needs to be formed first (from pie crust to scones) can be shaped using waxed paper.  A lite coating of canola oil helps. 

5)  GF flour should be stored in an air-tight container and kept in a cool dry place.  It does NOT have the shelf life of wheat flours.  So, investing in a 50 lb. bucket is a bad idea unless you open a GF bakery.  (The three pound mix above lasts a full month during the busy holiday baking season.)

6)  Have fun!  Changing the food you eat can feel devastating at first.  So many people will ask you -- Can you eat anything?!  The answer is YES, YOU CAN.  It will take some getting used to, but having your body running at full steam ahead and healthy is totally worth all of the labels you will read and careful preparations you will make.

Hamburger Gravy

I first married at nearly 20 and hadn't paid much attention to the food my mother made using the palms of her hands as measurements.  I found myself on the phone asking her for this recipe. I was desperate for a taste of home and needed to know how to make something my young ones could eat. This has been a family favorite for years. It can be served over toast, white rice, or mashed potatoes. Last night, with the help of leftovers, I served up all three!

1 pound hamburger
salt
pepper
garlic
onion
(all to taste)
3 tsp Better Than Bullion Mushroom
3.5 TBSP Corn starch
3 Cups water

In our family, I used the powdered form of onion and garlic because I have two that hate the texture. This dinner is one I make on those busy, long days when we need it simple and without complaints at night. Why push the onions? Better Than Bullion is one of the rare gluten-free bullions...don't use the Aus Juis flavor, though! (Always check the label.)

Brown the beef in a skillet over medium heat. Add seasonings to taste. Sprinkle corn starch over browned meat. Stir until coated. Add water. Let simmer until the corn starch turns from opaque to "clear" and of gravy thickness. TIP: If you like your gravy thicker, stir another tablespoon of corn starch into a quarter cup of cold water and then add it to the hot mixture. This prevents LUMPS. (And no one likes lumpy gravy.)

We served this up with canned green beans and grated mozarella for those who wanted the cheese.

Simple Introductions

Welcome to the kitchen!
You'll notice that there aren't many gadgets here... a toaster, a blender, an electric beater (our most frivilous space filler is the electric knife to cut a roast with)... and a collection of wooden spoons. 

I have this thing for a wooden spoon.  I like the way it fits in my hand.  I like that the batter stays were I stir it (or fling it, if I am so inclined.)  I prefer to keep food simple.  Unlike many cooks that strive for "simplicity" by using as many pre-made sauces and mixes as they can stash in a cupboard, I keep things as close to the ground as possible without eating them off the floor!

I am the mother of five, each with their own taste buds and dietary needs.  My grandmother prides herself on never fixing more than one dinner at a time, but I often find myself making one thing for the Celiacs, another for the onion lovers, another for the toddler pallet, and something entirely different for my dear hubby -- a self-proclaimed "noodle man in a rice family." 

This blog is dedicated to those recipes that turn out to be a sweet success for everyone.  I want families converting to a gluten-free diet to know that it isn't the end of the world -- food can still be fun for the whole family, even the Chef!