Gluten Free Feta & Chive Biscuits

These savory scones are perfect with drinks before dinner or as part of a cheese and cracker plate. Feta cheese is used in place of the butter usually found in most biscuit recipes and the topping of a little cayenne pepper gives a nice spicy taste in every bite.

Recipe:

1 cup gluten free all-purpose baking mix

2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or paprika if you don't like heat

Combine all-purpose baking mix and salt in a medium bowl.  Mix the feta cheese into the mix with your fingers until finely mixes. the  Stir in the chives, then add the milk and mix to a soft dough. Turn onto a surface dusted with a little of the all-purpose mix and knead until smooth. Roll out to 3/4 " thickness and cut out 2" biscuits. You can re roll the dough to use it all up. 

Place the biscuits onto a lightly greased baking sheet and brush with some milk. Sprinkle the cayenne pepper or paprika on top. 

Bake @ 400 degrees 15 minutes.

Makes 8 biscuits.

The gluten free all-purpose baking mix can be found @www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com

Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The big surprise is that this carrot cake is made from a packaged gluten free baking mix plus a few other ingredients and it tastes just like a made from scratch bakery cake. You will be really proud to serve this to all your guests. It makes an excellent  dessert for a birthday celebration or any special occasion and you will not be able to resist second helpings!

 Two layers for extra richness

Recipe:

1 package gluten free vanilla cake mix

1 egg

1 cup finely shredded carrots

1 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together on low for 1 minute then on high for 3 minutes. Pour into a greased 9" round cake pan and Bake @350 degrees for 28 minutes.  Cool and frost.

For muffins make 12 and cook for 18-20 minutes

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package gluten free vanilla frosting mix

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Make the frosting as directed on the package using the cream cheese variation. Add nuts and frost the cake.  One package of frosting makes enough for two layers (you will need to double the recipe above) or 12 muffins generously.

To buy the gluten free vanilla cake mix and frosting mix visit:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com

Gluten Free Corn Muffins

Moist Corn Muffins with Grape Jam

You can see how beautifully these muffins bake to a lovely golden brown.  They were from an original "Barefoot Contessa" recipe I made gluten free.  I have great luck with freezing them and these muffins are a perfect snack any time of the day, as they are not too sweet yet go great with pretty much any flavor jam you like.  This recipe got excellent reviews from all my tasters.

Recipe:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten free baking mix

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk (any kind)

4 tablespoons melted butter

1 extra-large egg

Mix dry ingredients together, then add wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Place batter in muffin tins sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, filling almost to the top. Bake @350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Makes 10 muffins. 

For information on the all-purpose gluten free baking mix visit:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com

Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares

I Love cheesecake but don't always have the time or need a large cake.  These squares are perfect when you need only a small dessert and are much easier to make than a whole cake. It is especially nice that you can use a regular 8" baking pan.  They are so creamy I chilled them before I served them.  If you don't have time for that simply serve on a plate with a fork.  The idea for this recipe came from one in Everyday Food magazine. I just made a gluten free and pumpkin flavored version instead of Plain lemon to go better with the Fall Season and my "Pumpkin Week".

Line a 8" baking pan with two 8" wide  strips of parchment paper crisscrossing and leaving a  slight overhang on all sides.

How Creamy and Delicious They Were

Right Out Of The Oven

For The Crust Mix:

 6 Tablespoons of butter @room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup gluten free all-purpose baking mix

Reserve 2/3 cup for topping, and pat the rest into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

For The Cake Mix:

1 8 oz. package cream cheese @ room temperature

1/4 sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

Mix well with an electric mixer 2-3 minutes until smooth and pour onto cooled crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping.

Bake @ 350 degrees 30 minutes, cool and cut into squares.

To purchase the all-purpose baking mix visit:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

These easy pumpkin cupcakes are so decadent it's hard to believe they are from a baking mix and gluten free! One day while searching on-line for a pumpkin cupcake recipe I read one from Giada De Laurentiis.  Her version is a mini-cupcake with chocolate frosting which sounded great, but I wanted to make mine just a little different.  The gluten free vanilla cake mix and the gluten free vanilla frosting mix are delicious, and I always have a few packages on hand.  Both can be used to make a variety of baked goods and with some experimentation this is what I like best for pumpkin cupcakes.  I like the combination of cream cheese and chocolate in the frosting and my mix of spices in the cupcake it self.  I am not a big fan of ginger but you can add it if you like, really any combination works as long as you come up with about 2 teaspoons total. The original recipe uses 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice so seriously make it your own and have fun.

Cupcakes Right Out of the Oven, Nice and Browned.

Frosted and Ready To Enjoy!

Recipe:

1 Package Vanilla gluten free cake mix

1 cup cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon all-spice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix above in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Fill 12 paper lined regular sized muffin tins with batter 3/4 full.  Bake @350 degrees 25 minutes until golden.  Cool then frost.

Frosting:

1 Package gluten free vanilla frosting mix, prepared as cream cheese variation according to the manufactures directions. Then add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and mix well with an electric mixer until smooth.  This makes a generous amount so you may not need to use it all. 

 For information on the Gluten free cake mix and frosting mixes for this recipe visit:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com

Gluten Free Pumpkin- Pear Struesel Muffins

This muffin recipe is a nice change from typical Fall muffins which use mainly apples. They are nicely spiced and the extra sweetness from the pear goes especially well with the pumpkin.  The crunchy topping from the streusel makes these muffins truly special.  The original recipe was from a 1995 book of Addison County's Finest Vermont Recipes, a collection of recipes from Inns of that region. I made it gluten free and substituted the pear for the apple which was in the original version. These are so delicious my daughter's room mate who has been on a gluten free diet for years claims they are the best muffin she's ever tasted!

The Delicious Crunchy Topping

Moist and Delicious With Sweet Bits of Pear



  For Struesel Combine:

2 tablespoons butter cut into pieces
3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon gluten free all-purpose baking mix

1/ teaspoon cinnamon

Mix with your fingers until well combined and looks like coarse crumbs.

For Muffins Combine:

1 1/4 gluten free all-purpose baking mix

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon all-spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Add:

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 large ripe pear, skinned, cored, and chopped

Mix until just combined, then divide the batter among a 12 cup lightly greased regular size muffin tin. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake @350 degrees 30-35 minutes until golden brown and a tester comes out clean.

For information on the gluten free all-purpose baking mix visit:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com

Gluten Free Pumpkin Gingerbread Bars

These pumpkin gingerbread bars were a favorite if my mother-in-law's. Each Halloween after trick or treating I would take the kids over to her house for the really big candy bar she had for them. For the adults she made these bars to go along with a nice glass of wine, both were great after a busy night. I changed them up a little leaving off the cream cheese frosting she used and simply drizzled them with a powdered sugar glaze. Also these are a gluten free version. Delicious anytime in the cool months with whatever you are drinking.

Recipe:

1 cup gluten free all-purpose baking mix

1 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoons ginger

 3/4 cups gluten free oatmeal

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

Mix first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl. Melt the brown sugar, butter,and syrup and add to the bowl. Mix in the egg and pumpkin. pour into a greased 8x8 cake pan. Bake @350 degrees for 28-30 minutes, until firm.

Cool and then drizzle with cinfectioners' sugar mixed with just enough water to make a smooth icing. 

For information on the gluten free all-purpose baking mix used in this recipe visit:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com