Orange & Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

I wanted to make a treat for breakfast last Sunday.  The problem was that I didn't plan ahead and really was not energized enough to get dressed early and go to the store. So luckily my pantry saved me once again. I happen to have a few oranges in the fridge and some poppy seeds in the spice cabinet. The poppy seeds were there from when I made a strawberry spinach salad last year with poppy seed dressing and they were still good. The oranges admittedly were a little dry on the inside but the rind was perfect. The rest of the ingredients are standard baking ingredients that you will probably have on hand. I made the cake using the gluten free all-purpose baking mix to keep it gluten free. I ended up with a  tasty  bundt cake perfect for breakfast and actually my husband ended up eating it all week long.

Orange and Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 extra-large eggs, room temperature

zest of one orange

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

2 cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Mix

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup orange juice

Cream together the butter and sugar, add eggs mixing well.  Stir in the orange zest and the poppy seeds. Sift the all-purpose baking mix and the baking powder together and fold in. Add the milk and the orange juice and mix evenly. Pour into a 9" bundt pan that has been greased and dusted with some more gluten free all-purpose baking mix. Bake @ 325 for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert to a wire rack.  Top with glaze and orange zest strips

 Glaze:

2/3 cup orange juice

3/4 cup sugar

Combine in a sauce pan and simmer about 5 minutes until reduced to a syrup.  Pour over warm cake.

Serve cake warm or cold.

For the gluten free all-purpose baking mix visit: http://www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com/catalog/item/8673315/9387068.htm

Almond Cranberry Biscotti

I love Biscotti but hate it when they are so crunchy you are afraid you might break a tooth  trying to eat one. This recipe, which my sister has been making for years is just the perfect balance of crispness on the outside that make a Biscotti what they are known for, and a slightly sweet inside that gives just enough when you take a bite.  The recipe was so easy to make gluten free with the All-Purpose Baking Mix that now anyone can enjoy these wonderful treats any time of the day. You don't even need to first dunk them into a hot drink to make them delicious, but of course that is just fine to do if you like. 

For this recipe and more delicious gluten free ideas go to:http://www.mdillon.applybuilder.com/almond-biscotti.html 

Coconut & Cranberry Cookies

I was looking to make a cookie that was a little sweet but not overly so.  I didn't want to go with chocolate because after all the snacking on Easter Candy I was more in the mood for a shortbread type treat, but I wanted it to be done fast! Coconut and cranberries go so well together the idea hit me that this combination would make a great cookie.  It worked out well because I usually  have both ingredients in my pantry, since I use these ingredients often in both sweet and savory recipes. I kept it simple and had a nice batch of cookies to enjoy with my family with little effort. You will be surprised at how good these cookies are seeing the short list of ingredients.

Recipe:

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 extra-large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Mix

1/2 cup sweetened dried shredded coconut

3/4 cup dried cranberries

Mix the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well, then add the all-purpose baking mix. Stir in the coconut and cranberries until combined.  Place tablespoons of the dough on cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper.

Bake @375 degrees for 14-16 minutes. Cool on sheets for 10 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool  completely. Before serving drizzle with a glaze made with powdered sugar mixed with water or lemon juice, whichever you prefer.
Makes 24-30 depending on how large you make them.

Visit my website for more delicious gluten free recipe ideas:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com

Mini Banana Chocolate Chip, Nut, & Seed Breads

I was visiting Nashville last week and while trying to get a feel for the area flipped through a local magazine that was doing a lot of advertising for different products. One was specifically for mini loaf pans. Of course being an avid baker I already owned a nice non-stick four mini loaf pan.

 The accompanying recipe was for mini chocolate chip banana breads designed to make as gifts. It was a pretty straight forward recipe which I knew I could jazz up and also make deliciously gluten free.  The changes I make were to reduce the amount of chocolate chips and sugar, and add some flax seeds and sunflower seeds for a texture, and omega-3 and fiber for a nutritional boost. 

The result was amazing! I didn't notice the reduced sugar and I thought the chocolate chips were just enough.  The crunch form the flax and sunflower seeds complimented the sweet flavor of the bread without giving you the sense you were eating a "healthy loaf".  Sure to become a favorite. 

  For the recipe and the gluten free all-purpose baking mix used visit:http://www.mdillon.applybuilder.com/chocchip-banana-bread.html

Coconut Lime Cupcakes

 

These cupcakes are the result of a combination of a bunch of sources. I saw a recipe for a coconut lime cake in an old cookbook that looked interesting but I wanted to make something more interesting. Immediately I decided to make cupcakes instead of a cake since these are so popular right now.  I also thought to use both plain sweetened and toasted sweetened coconut. I used it plain in the cupcake itself so you get the flavor in every bite and then to get a mouthful of crunch I rolled the frosted cupcake in the toasted coconut. 

The lime zest is mixed in the cupcake batter, and the juice and zest is used in the frosting. The coconut and lime work really good together and the different textures from the rich batter, creamy frosting, and crunchy topping make this a cupcake you will make again and again.

You will not believe they are made from two convenient gluten free baking  mixes, a gluten free vanilla cake mix and a gluten free frosting mix!

For the recipe visit:http://www.mdillon.applybuilder.com/coconut-lime-cupcakes.html

Cheddar & Oatmeal Crackers-gluten free

 

Cheddar and Oatmeal Crackers

These are a real treat with a cocktail. The cheddar gives them a great  salty flavor and the egg wash makes them nice and crisp. I love to serve this cracker as a snack before a dinner party.  They are always a hit and it is just enough of a bite as to not make you full, but take the edge off if you are really hungry and don't want to have a drink on an empty stomach. Of course that is not the end of the ways you can use this cracker. It makes a nice side for a soup course and if you make them long and thin, a fine substitute for a bread stick in a mixed bread basket. I have even made them small and used them as croutons in a salad. Also make a double batch and simply snack on them alone. They will stay crisp for a day or two.

For the recipe and the gluten free all-purpose baking mix used in the recipe go to:http://www.mdillon.applybuilder.com/oat--cheddar-crackers.html

Fresh Strawberry Cookies

This cookie is not too sweet, has lots of flavor from the fresh strawberries and a  slight crunch from the nutmeg sugar topping.  I redid a recipe from Martha Stewart living magazine and came up with a perfect spring cookie. There is a delicious creamy inside texture to them from the combination of the light cream used in the recipe and the moistness from the lemon and sugar marinated strawberries. I often serve these on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a special dessert.

For this recipe and many more visit:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com