GF Basil Pesto Pizza Recipe

Before I begin this post with my pizza recipe, I want to let you know, in case you've not already heard, that www.lavenderdreamstoo.blogspot.com  blog (Diane) was been removed, suddenly, by Google. She has no idea why, but while she and Mr. Lavender Dreams are  trying to get her information back, she has created a new blog, www.lavenderdreamsnew.blogspot.com. If you've ever lost your account or found your information to be stolen, you'll know how devastating that is. Please visit her new blog and give her a word of encouragement (and read her story!). Thanks.

GF BASIL PESTO PIZZA RECIPE

For years now, I've been making pizza using Food For Life gluten-free tortillas as the crust. And they're always good, but after visiting Roman Candle in Fitchburg, WI last weekend, I decided to take this pizza making up a notch. At the restaurant, I ordered their gluten-free pesto pizza. It was DELICIOUS. So, of course I had to try to replicate it at home. I will have to say, I actually liked my version even better.

Basil Pesto Gluten Free Pizzas, thin crust - Recipe 

Makes 2 pizzas, 1 serving each, but actually they were filling (especially when accompanied by a green salad) so we each ate 3/4 of a pizza and saved the rest for the next day.

Preheat oven to 460 degrees.

Ingredients:

2 Food for Life gluten-free tortillas. (one tortilla per person) Each tortilla is about 7" diam.

1/2 chopped large onion, sauteed in a bit of olive oil (along with the pepper)

1/2 large red bell or Italian pepper, seeded, chopped, sauteed with the onion

Basil pesto, about 2 T. per tortilla

1 can tomato paste (1/2 can per tortilla)

1 can  (13 oz) chicken breast (drained, of course)

Kalamata olives, chopped

Feta cheese (some)

Roma tomatoes (one for each, thinly sliced)

Mozzarella cheese (just a sprinkling on each pizza)

I used a large jellyroll pan to bake the pizzas, side by side. It worked fine, but next time I will use two of my cast iron skillets (shown above). That might work even better.

Instructions:

Using two tortillas (one each for Mr. C. and me), I spread the basil pesto over each. (A few years ago I raised a ton of basil in the garden and had made and frozen pesto in small batches). Of course, Basil Pesto is available in small jars at the grocery store.

Spread half the tomato paste over each tortilla

Sprinkle the sauteed pepper and onion over each tortilla

Shred chicken and place half a can of chicken on each pizza. (minus a chunk each for Tommy & Smokey who were hanging around, begging).

Place Kalamata olives over the top of each pizza. I didn't put an amount here because we like lots of olives, some people probably wouldn't want as many. (At least I have heard of people like that) ;-)

Sprinkle a nice layer of Feta cheese on top of each pizza - not too thick.

Slice the two Roma tomatoes thin and place them on each pizza.

Bake the pizzas side-by-side in a greased (I used a cooking spray) jellyroll pan or skillets.

Bake at 460 degrees for 9 minutes.

Open oven door and Quickly, sprinkle a wee bit of mozzarella cheese over each pizza. Not too much. I'm trying to keep this a fairly low-calorie, low-sugar, but high protein pizza.

Close oven door and bake another 8-9 minutes.

These pizzas were amazing!, Crispy, so full of flavor, so easy, gluten-free, a minimum of dairy, and no sugar (except for what's already in tomato paste).

I hope you'll try it. And of course you can heat leftovers by putting them on a cookie sheet and into the oven heated to 350 - for a while.  They're much better that way than merely getting them hot in a microwave. Yuk. Who wants soggy pizza!

***

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Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies Recipe, Tommy and Smokey

Happy last day of June, everyone! It looks like we're going to have rain and thunderstorms until sometime Sunday. I'm looking forward to seeing sun again!

As requested, I'm posting the recipe for the oatmeal, coconut, and walnut cookies in the photo above, which some of you saw on Instagram. They're gluten-free and delicious.

Gluten Free Recipe, Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

This recipe makes about 3 1/2 dozen large cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream:

1 c. soft butter

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. white sugar  (Instead, I used about half the amount of sugar called for)

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Slowly mix in the following ingredients which have been measured and stirred in a separate bowl first:

2 c. Gluten Free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill One-to-One)

2 c. Gluten Free oatmeal (again, Bob's Red Mill)

2 c. Coconut

2 t. Baking Powder

1 t. Baking soda

1 t. Salt

Lastly, stir in 1 c. chopped walnuts.

Drop by shooter marble size balls onto greased jellyroll pans.

Bake 12-13 minutes until they are set and not wet, but don't let them get too golden.

I always smack the pan on the top of the cookstove to flatten out the cookies a little faster and I let them cool on the pan (finish baking) before removing from pan.

 Perfect for coffee and cookies on the front porch!

***

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 Tommy and Smokey, yesterday afternoon
on the porch glider
These two!

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Lemon Bars - Gluten Free Recipe

 Lemon Bars 

Gluten-free Recipe

I'm pretty sure that I've posted this recipe before, but since I made these again the other day and since they are SO good, I thought I would post it again for any who might have missed it last time around. Just a word of warning: These are dangerously good!

Lemon Bars - Gluten Free Recipe:

2 c. Gluten-free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill One-to-One mix)

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter

4 eggs, beaten,

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/3 c. fresh lemon juice (4-5 small lemons)

1/4 c. Gluten-free flour (see above)

1/2 t. baking powder.

Sift together flour and powdered sugar. Cut in margarine until mixture holds together. I used my food processor, pulsing it about 20 times. Works like a charm. Press into a 13 x 9 cake pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until lightly brown.

While the crust is baking*, Beat eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Sift together the 1/4 c. flour and baking powder, then stir into egg mixture. Pour over baked crust. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with a light dusting of powdered sugar after they're slightly cool. 

*I think this is key, so that you can pour the egg mixture onto the crust immediately after the crust is done baking, so that it doesn't have a chance to cool off before it goes back into the oven. I've tasted pretty eggy-tasting lemon bars (ew!), and I suspect that they weren't done enough because they let the crust cool off as they were working on Part B, as it were.

Let cool, cut, and enjoy. There's something about this combination that is nearly irresistible to me.

 Upper left, clockwise:

Gluten-free Lemon Bars

Gluten-free Lemon Cookies

Lemon Oreos

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Yogurt Cake

Gluten-free Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Recipes for all of the above (except for the Oreos and Lemon Meringue Pie) can be found

using my search tool located on the sidebar >>>>

I've also got a recipe for Lemon Pie Bars but it didn't make the collage. It can be found through the search tool, however.

***

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Gluten-free Scones Recipe, Crashed Ice Update, Cathedral of Saint Paul

These are delicious and not too sweet

There's something about winter that makes me want to bake something (and eat something.) Here in The North we're still trying to stay warm. We burn wood, and although it's a great source of heat, we have a lot of house to heat and not all of it feels toasty, especially since we're now into the wood that could have used more drying time. Oh well.  Only two more months of this and then it should start to warm up and I can get out of this mood. I hope. In the meantime, I thought I'd share this recipe with you. I used Krusteaz GF flour, but I also have Bob's Red Mill GF flour, which I've not yet tried, but I'm sure will work just as well. These scones are a real treat, especially with a cup of good coffee.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Chocolate Chip Scones Recipe 

This recipe makes a dozen scones 3" in diameter.

2 c. any gluten-free flour, one that can be used cup for cup like regular flour

(or, if you don't want gluten-free, just use regular flour)

1/3 c. white sugar

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. butter, soft but not too soft

1 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 package dried blueberries, tossed in just a bit of flour so they separate.

2/3 c. Half n Half (I've also used heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk)

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 t. almond extract

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Cut butter into flour mixture until it's very fine. I use the food processor and pulse about 20 times.

In another bowl, beat egg, liquid, and extract. Add chocolate chips and blueberries. 

Mix flour mixture with the egg mixture until everything is evenly moist. Don't overstir.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto a greased jellyroll pan

Place in 375 degree oven for 15-18 minutes.

Remove jellyroll pan from oven and place on rack. Let scones cool, then remove.

I don't like to keep them in a sealed container because I like the exterior to stay crispy. I simply cover them with a tea towel. They won't be around too long anyway.

Linking to Bloggy Brunch
and Cooking & Crafting with JJ

Catch a glimpse of Crashed Ice in action at the Cathedral of St. Paul
on Saturday night, February 4. You can read about it in last Friday's post
 and see interior photos of the cathedral as well.

After Friday's post, someone asked why this event is held at the cathedral. I suspect it is because the location of the cathedral gives the event the height, drop, and space necessary for the track and viewers, plus the attraction of the beautiful, majestic cathedral. Also, the church does make money from the event, which is part of the Winter Carnival which draws thousands to St. Paul. I'm making this up, but it seems reasonable to me.

For those of you who like history, here's a link to the history of the Cathedral of Saint Paul. You might find it interesting.

***

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 Smokey and her favorite new toy

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Cafe Concerto, York, UK - Chicken Wrap Recipe, GF - Anglophile Friday

 Cafe Concerto, York

 Their chicken sub

 Exterior of Cafe Concerto
I love the bright colors against all the stone or brick of Yorkshire.

 I probably would have gone back inside if this guy
had taken his German Shepherd into the cafe
(to meet the dog, not the guy, of course.)

 Some old tourist I kept running into
That camera's a dead giveaway.

One of my favorite meals while in England (and very few of them aren't fish and chips), was a chicken avocado sub sandwich at Cafe Concerto in York. Yes, I surreptitiously wrote down my guess of the ingredients on a paper napkin. I can be very tricky. (Even if they notice, they probably just roll their eyes and chalk it up to 'tourist.')

Here's the list of ingredients, as close as I could figure it, with a few changes:

1 tortilla, rather than a bun (I got my Gluten-free tortilla at ALDI*)

2 T. hummus

1/2 avocado, thinly sliced

1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

Some leafy greens

1/2 green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2-4 oz. baked chicken breast, thinly sliced
(I'm thinking that 'thinly' probably has some psychological significance).

One thinly drizzled drizzle (about 1 T. Green Goddess salad dressing)

Spread hummus on half the tortilla. Arrange avocado and tomato and onion slices on the same half, then pile on the greens, bell pepper, and chicken breast. Drizzle Green Goddess dressing over other ingredients.

Sprinkle with freshly-ground black pepper and salt

Try to wrap up the wrap. It's not easy, but I did manage to get it to my mouth and it was delicious. My kitchen didn't have quite the same ambience as Cafe Concerto, but at least the wrap tasted really good. Really good!

If you stick to the ingredient list above, the total calories will be about 410. Next time I would add more chicken and less avocado.

Actually, I liked my chicken wrap even better than the

sub sandwich at Cafe Concerto, but there is something about

being in York, rather than my own kitchen...

*ALDI. Okay, I realize that most people say, 'ALDI'  But until I looked it up, I could not understand why it wouldn't be 'Aldi's, as it would be Judy's, if the store were mine. No one would say, I'm going to Judy.'  But you will be happy to know that I just read the history of ALDI, and you can read it here. Now I know the rest of the story and will always, from here and forevermore, pronounce it ALDI. (Maybe). My daughters will be happy.



Linked to: Cooking & Crafting with JJ
and Kathe With An E
and Stephanie's Roses of Inspiration
and Creative Princess

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I'll be checking in on you later. We're at our daughter's for a short break. My shops are closed while I'm away.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

Cranberry Nut Cake, Gluten Free Cranberry Nut (Pecan) Cake Recipe, Cheater's Version

Delicious Cranberry Nut Cake!

A couple weeks ago when our grandson was staying the week, we went to Carla's (of The River Flowing Blog fame) so that he could meet her two boys. They are such nice, intelligent, and fun  young men!  I had a hard time dragging our grandson away, believe me.

Well...

While we were there, Carla gave us some Cranberry Nut Cake, which, it turns out, is her younger son's favorite cake. Hmmm.  I took a bite of that cake....

I think it is now my favorite too. At the very least, it's a tie between this and my Williamsburg Orange Cake.

Fresh cranberries, a gift from Carla!

Anyway, please urge Carla to post the recipe for her delicious Cranberry Nut Cake. I decided to try to make it gluten free, but then ran short on time, not to mention my natural bent toward laziness, and went with Hodgson Mill yellow cake mixes instead.

Gluten free cake mix manufacturers have it all figured out that if they put the amount necessary to make a 13x9 cake in their box, you'd never pay what they're going to charge for it. So, they put just enough to make an 8x8 or 16 cupcakes. That will certainly not do. Who wants just a mere taste? So I bought two of them and realized that I could then make a 13x9 and have enough batter left over to make 3 mini cakes. So that's what I did.

Chopped Fresh Cranberries

Gluten Free Cranberry Nut (Pecan) Cake Recipe:  (cheaters' version)

Makes one 13x9 and 3 mini cakes (2x5 cakes, appx.)

Two boxes of Hodgson Mill Yellow Cake Mix

1 c. butter, softened

4 large eggs

2 c. buttermilk

    OR, if you don't have buttermilk, you can substitute 3 T. white vinegar and enough whole milk to make 2 cups. Wait 15 minutes. (Emeril's recipe)

2 t. vanilla extract

1 t. almond extract

(The boxes got pitched, but I'm pretty sure that the ingredients listed above are simply what was listed on the box, times two.) The following ingredients were included because Carla had fresh cranberries and pecans in her cake and that makes all the difference!)

2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, chopped (pulsed in the food processor and tossed with 1/4 c. sugar)

2/3 c. chopped pecans  

In your mixing bowl, whip the butter. Add cake mixes and mix until well mixed. (Good grief, there's got to be a better way to write that!)

Add eggs, buttermilk, and extracts. Mix on low and then on medium-high until mixture is fluffy. 

Fold in nuts and cranberries. 

Spray a 13x9 cake pan and 3 mini (2x5) pans with non-stick cooking spray. 

Pour enough batter into the 13x9 pan to make it 1/2-2/3 full. It made the baked cake nearly level with the top of the pan. Just enough room for frosting. Divide remaining batter among the three mini pans.

Place all cakes in the 350 degree oven.

Take mini cakes out after approximately 32 minutes, 13x9 out after 43 minutes (not 43 additional, but 43 total). Do test the cakes with a wood pick to make sure they are done. Cool on baking racks.

Frost cakes (optional, of course).

Frosting:

Some butter, some confectioner's sugar, a bit of milk, and a wee bit of vanilla and an even weeer bit of almond. You'll have to wing it for I don't remember how much of anything I put in. But start with 2-3 T. soft butter and go from there. You don't want the frosting so thick that it's unspreadable or rips up the top of the cake, and you don't want it so runny that it doesn't have any body.

Cranberry Pecan Cake - so moist!

So if you're looking for a delicious gluten free cake recipe, look no further.  If you'd like to make it the usual way, please visit Carla and ask her to post the recipe. You can tell her I sent you to pester her. :-)

I served this cake at our recent hymn sing. I'm pretty sure that not a soul would have guessed that it is gluten free. I guess that's a good thing, considering that some people seem to know instantly that if it's gluten-free, they don't want anything to do with it. I won't mention my son's name here.

***

This post is linked to

You're Gonna Love It Tuesday and A Creative Princess and Amaze Me Monday and  Ivy and Elephants and  Tweak it Tuesday and Treasure Box Tuesday

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Chinese Five Spice Pork Recipe, Gluten Free Recipe

Just in case anyone forgot where their food comes from

Chinese Five Spice Pork Recipe:

Lean pork loin, cut into thin strips
Olive oil or Coconut Oil
Onion
Celery
Red Pepper (bell pepper)
Salt
Five Spice Powder
Cayenne

Stir fry the pork in oil until crispy on at least one side. Move to a plate. In the same skillet, put chopped veggies and stirfry until translucent. Don't overcook.

Add the pork back to the skillet. Heat thoroughly.

Sprinkle with Chinese Five Spice Powder, salt, and cayenne pepper.

Serve with rice or alone.

That's it. I know, it's almost like cheating it's so easy. But it is delicious!

I don't think there's anything Chinese about this, but I use a Chinese Five Spice Powder from McCormick, so...

And when you're really hungry, it's a quick dinner. Do not, I repeat: Do NOT grab a Lunchable or candybar or a donut and Mountain Dew. This is a good, nutritious meal that is EASY to make.

***

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Although I usually forget to do it, there is a chance that this post will be linked to one or more of these great linky parties: Inspiration Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday and Treasure Box Tuesday and KatheWithAnE and Rubbish Tuesday and Tuesday with a Twist and  Knick of Time Tuesday (vintage)  and   Tweak it Tuesday and Adorned From Above  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and Good Fences on Thursdays and  Time Travel Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Junkin' Joe and Vintage Inspiration Friday and A Favorite Thing Saturday

Strawberry Shortcake Gluten Free Recipe

I told you I was going to make strawberry shortcake, didn't I!  Well, I couldn't wait. I did find a gluten-free recipe online, but I didn't have those ingredients, so I tweaked it a bit a lot and went with what I had in the house and cut down on the sugar. Also, those who had used that recipe complained that the shortcakes spread all over the pan, making them flat. Aha! I'll round up them doggies by baking them in a muffin tin! It worked great.

Strawberry Shortcake Gluten Free Recipe:

Makes 8 shortcakes.

Strawberries fresh, stemmed, washed, and sliced. Mix a tiny bit of sugar in. These berries were so sweet they probably didn't need any, but I did put in a sprinkling.

2/3 c. white rice flour
2/3 c. potato starch
2/3 c. tapioca flour

1/3 c. Crisco shortening 
1 T. baking powder
1/4 baking soda
1/4 xanthan gum
1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. milk 

Stir together the flours, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt.
Cut in the shortening until it's very fine.
Mix in the sugar.
Drizzle in the milk and mix gently.

Pour by globs into muffin tin that's been sprayed with a no-stick cooking spray.

Bake 425 for 12 minutes (longer or shorter, depending upon your oven)
(I put a little water in the muffin tins that were empty)

As soon as they come out of the oven, turn them a bit, just to make sure they won't stick.

Slice in half and top with berries.

Personally, I don't like to ruin it with whipping cream.

Don't disparage my muffin tins.

They're old and discolored, but they work.

Starting out with sweet berries, fresh from the garden

Baked shortcakes

Nice and golden

Oh. And when I sliced them, I did put REAL Wisconsin butter on each half before adding the berries. We're going all out here!

Delicious, gluten-free strawberry shortcake!

***

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Although I usually forget to do it, there is a chance that this post will be linked to one or more of these great linky parties: Inspiration Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday and Treasure Box Tuesday and Rubbish Tuesday and Tuesday with a Twist and  Knick of Time Tuesday (vintage)  and   Tweak it Tuesday and Adorned From Above  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and Good Fences on Thursdays and  Time Travel Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Junkin' Joe and Vintage Inspiration Friday and A Favorite Thing Saturday