Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Agar Agar Powder

Today is my day off and naturally instead of sleeping in I woke up at 5:30 AM....So far I have cleaned, made cookies, and taken a cat nap with my cat Angel.. LOL All joking aside it has been a prosperous day so far I believe.

 Lately I have been contemplating about some of the gluten free flours and products I have been using. I have been doing some extensive  research about the binding ingredients used in gluten free baking such as Xanthan gum, and the other gums.

I know you need some sort of binding as there is definitely NO gluten's in the flours I use so I started researching some alternatives to use,  as it seems the gums seem to be giving me some issues as of late.

I came upon a article online that states you can use a product called Agar Agar  Powder in place of these gums, and therefore I have ordered a jar and hopefully plan to give it a try in my recipes in the very near future. As soon as I have some results I will post them.

In the mean time I am still "mixing it up"  with several flour combinations trying to find the best flour blends for different baked goods. I hope your gluten free living is going well and I'll be back online soon with more fun recipes...

Until then if you have any suggestions or recipes you would like to share drop me a line in the contact form.

Sharon

 

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

QUICK Homemade Vanilla Pudding ...

Hi all. As you all know by now I am a BIG chocolate fan :.) Lately I have been fighting off a cold and the other night I was in the mood for something warm, creamy, and of all things....VANILLA! Go figure. I racked my brain, searched through my cupboards, thought about driving to the store but didn't have the energy,  all to no avail...
 
Then I started reminiscing about being a child and how my mom always made something special for us when we weren't feeling well. Then it hit me...I remember how she use to make vanilla pudding on the stove from scratch and the sweet aroma that use to fill the kitchen as it cooked on the stove. So even though I wasn't feeling well I searched my pile of recipes until I came upon a old family favorite.
 
The great thing about this recipe is even though it takes a few minutes to make  it is not loaded with preservatives and all that added gook of store bought varieties...and I can eat it while its still warm and soothing.
 
So here is the quick, simple recipe, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did....YUM!!!
 
Quick Homemade Vanilla Pudding:
 
Ingredients:
 
2 cups milk
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
 
In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until bubbles form at edges.

In a small bowl combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into hot milk, a little at a time, stirring to dissolve. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter.

Pour into serving dishes, cover with plastic wrap laid across top of pudding so a film does not form. Chill before serving or eat while warm, either way it's delicious.
 
Have a great gluten free day!
Sharon

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Fresh Farm Berry Mix


  I just joined a new site with great products....Hope you will stop by and visit  :-)
Farm Fresh Berry Mix This is just one of the many items available for your home.

Sharon

Buckwheat - Gluten Free -- Grass Free

 Buckwheat, which is actually not in the wheat family at all, has somehow gotten a bad rap over the years. I personally have avoided it basi...