Archive for February, 2009

What’s Cookin’ Good Lookin’?

Feb 18

Posted by Maureen in Hold The Gluten Podcast | 3 Comments

The latest episode of my Hold The Gluten Podcast is now live!

Episode 18 “What’s Cookin’ Good Lookin’?” Features:

  • Would love to see “Celiac Disease” as a check off on physician forms.
  • Uno Chicago Grill now serving Gluten Free Pizza nationwide!
  • WalMart now carrying Amy’s Organic Gluten Free Frozen Meals.
  • February 2009 issue of Rachael Ray magazine offers gluten free recipe.
  • Chocolate Cheesecake with Cocoa Pebbles Crust recipe on Hold The Gluten blog.
  • MLO Brown Rice Protein Powder is gluten free and vegan.
  • On-line reference The Gluten Solution offers cooking videos, and grocery & product lists.
  • Gluten Intolerance — does the longer this disease go undiagnosed correlate to additional disorders, allergies, or illnesses?
  • What do YOU think of this HTG Podcast? Leave your feedback wherever you download this podcast!

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Chocolate Cheesecake with a Cocoa Pebbles Crust

Feb 14

Posted by Maureen in Recipes: Desserts & Baked Goods | 14 Comments

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a
good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked”  - Bernard Meltzer

Happy Valentine’s Day my dear friends! In the spirit of this mushy, gushy day, I’d like to thank every one of you for reading my blog and listening to my podcast, for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your thoughts, and for allowing me the pleasure of getting to know you and your “gluten free” stories. You rock my world!

My hubby and I will be celebrating Valentine’s Day in the exact same fashion as we have for the last 11 years. It sounds a bit unimaginative, but we wouldn’t have it any other way! Our very first date was Valentine’s Day 1997. Not planned intentionally, it just sort of happened to fall on the holiday for lovers (ahem, awkward!). With every restaurant in the tri-state area booked, we decided to stay in and cook Fettuccine Alfredo together.  So much has happened over the years including our marriage (not on Valentine’s Day) and the birth of our beautiful daughter and amazing son. Throw into that equation a blind dog, a couple of house moves, and a little ol’ Celiac Disease for good measure. Twelve years later (holy moly!) our meal essentially remains the same. The only difference is the fettuccine noodles will be gluten free!

Without further ado, here is my Valentine’s gift to you:

Chocolate Cheesecake with a Cocoa Pebbles Crust

Gluten Free Crust:

25 Health Valley Rice Bran crackers
2 cups Cocoa Pebbles cereal*
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup butter (melted)

In a food processor grind rice crackers and cereal until crushed & crumbly in texture (resembling ground almond meal). Add brown & white sugar and butter. Mix thoroughly. Press crumbs against the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.  Place pan in freezer while you prepare cheesecake filling.

*Note: I have had no reaction to Cocoa Pebbles. However, Nature’s Path Koala Crisp Cereal is gluten free as well.

Cheesecake Filling:

1 1/8 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 whole egg
4 egg yolks
3 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 squares baker’s chocolate
1 teaspoon chocolate extract

Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly incorporate 1 1/8 cup of white sugar, 1 whole egg, 4 egg yolks, whipping cream, cornstarch, cocoa powder, melted baker’s chocolate, and chocolate extract. Mix well.  Add batter to springform pan. Bake in center of oven for 50 to 55 minutes at 350 degrees. I placed a pan filled with water on the rack beneath the cheesecake to eliminate cracking and maintain moistness. Remove cheesecake from oven and cool for at least 1/2 hour.

Chocolate Topping:

4 squares of baker’s chocolate melted
4 tablespoons whipping cream

Combine baker’s chocolate and heavy cream.  Whisk well.  After cooling cheesecake (still in springform pan) for at least 1/2 hour, spread chocolate topping over cake and refrigerate to chill.

Cool cheesecake for at least an hour before removing from pan. Refrigerate prior to serving.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

“C” is for Peanut Butter Cookies

Feb 1

Posted by Maureen in GF Recipe Compilation, Recipes: Desserts & Baked Goods | 13 Comments

Cookie Monster is my googly-eyed hero! As a child, I admired his impressive ability to hoover large quantities of cookies, donuts, and even a typewriter or two. Then Sesame Street went all “PC” and made poor Cookie eat veggies (hello, his name is “Cookie Monster” for a reason!).

I will warn you right now, these cookies are ridiculously good. So good that I have successfully eaten three dozen of these fantabulous cookies. By myself. Hidden in the pantry. In an attempt to control my peanut butter cookie binge, I froze a dozen of these beauties. Defrosting requires time to think about over-consumption, right? Um, not if you eat them directly out of the freezer bag. Lately I’ve spent a lot of quality time channeling my inner Cookie Monster.

In the articulate words of Cookie Monster, “om nom nom nom”.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and peanut butter — continue to mix well. Slowly add in white rice flour, millet, and soghum flours. Add in baking soda, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined. By hand, fold in peanut butter chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 18 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,