Gluten Free Raisin Cinnamon Rolls or Bread

Adapted recipe!!

Cinnamon Raisin Toasting Bread or Rolls

3/4 cup raisins (soak in 1 cup water for 1 hour)

Make the sponge:

3/4  c. almond milk (or evaporated milk)
1 T. palm sugar (or blue agave sweetener)
1 1/2 t. dry active yeast

Dry Ingredients:

3/4 c. brown rice flour
1/2 c. gluten-free oats (not quick cooking nor rolled)
1/2 c. sorghum flour
1/2 c. tapioca flour
1/4 c. white rice flour
2 T. potato starch
2 1/2 T. palm sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. xanthan gum

Wet Ingedients:

2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 c. canola oil
3 T Grade "B"  maple syrup (must be grade B which imparts maple flavor but not as much sugar)

Coat a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.  Turn your oven on the "Bread  Proofing" setting or find a warm place to set your bread (cover it) while it proofs.

Put the raisins in a bowl and cover them with warm water.  Set aside.  If your eggs are cold, put them in a measuring cup or glass and cover with warm tap water or let them come to room temp. 

The sponge:

Heat the milk in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds to remove the chill or until it’s between 100F – 110F.  It should feel warm but not hot when you dip your finger in the milk.  If in doubt use a thermometer -- make sure your thermometer is calibrated to ensure accurate readings. Add 1 T of palm sugar & yeast, stir, cover with plastic wrap and set aside -- it should become foamy (if is does not become foamy your yeast too old or the water too warm or cold).

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, oatmeal, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, white rice flour, potato starch, 2 1/2 T. palm sugar, cinnamon, salt, and xanthan gum.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, and maple syrup.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine.  Then, add the yeast sponge and stir until smooth.  Drain the raisins, reserving soaking water for another use (use in brown rice cereal or with Quinoa), **and add plumped raisins to dough and mix in.  Turn batter into prepared pan and proof in the oven or in a warm spot for an hour.

** To make cinnamon rolls - roll into a rectangle between two sheets of cling wrap to 1/2" thickness, brush rectangle with oil and sprinkle raisins and 2 Tsp cinnamon evenly over it all and wrap tightly (use a little water to make the dough edge stick together) and cut into 1/2 inch rolls with a sharp knife. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, bake until golden brown (about 20 - 30 minutes) @ 350 degrees, turning the pan around once to brown all the rolls evenly.  You may brush the rolls with Blue Agave Sweetener - if you so desire.

To make a loaf of toasting bread - Place bread loaf in cold oven, or if you’ve been proofing in your oven -- then turn it on to 350F.  No need to preheat.  Bake for 30 minutes, then cover with foil to keep from getting too brown on top.  Bake for another 15 – 20 minutes until loaf is set and firm in the center and sounds hollow when you tap it.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn on it’s side to let it cool the rest of the way.  Keep in an airtight container.  Serve toasted with no-salt butter or with your own fresh fruit/jam.

November 2010

Lots to discuss...

The move to Alabama.

Stephen decided to go back to work, so we are winterizing our mountain home in preparation for our departure.  I have been trying a few recipes from each of my cookbooks in my library trying to narrow down the cookbooks I will take with me. I must say this is hard to do.  So, that being said. I have decided to take my most NEEDED recipe books with me, hoping that I can come back sometime this winter to gather a few more armfuls of books. I re-packed my kitchen boxes today, decided I need to take my tortilla press and leave all my dishes behind!  After all, necessities are necessities!

I am taking the extra Southwestern spices I have (after all -- will I be able to find them in ALABAMA???), am currently baking a batch of Pumpkin Empanadas in the oven right now using the anise I cannot seem to fit into a spice jar of some type and allowing me to use the extra pumpkin I have. Now on to my list of "essential things to take" ...

The fact that I have a bad case of Rosacea and am learning to eat to avoid my triggers...

Toying with more Gluten free baking....

More info for you all later!

Banana Bread

Well, I had opted to try my hand at several bread recipes but got stuck on this one as it is delicious.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup butter
3 oz. cream cheese
1 cup brown sugar (reduce to 2/3 cup at high altitudes)
2 ripe bananas
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup flour (plus 1 T at High  Altitudes)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I like to use bittersweet chocolate chips if you can find them)

Heat oven to 350.  Lightly grease a loaf pan and dust with flour.
Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light in color and fluffy.  Add the bananas, egg and sour cream and mix until smooth.  Add dry ingredients.  Stir in chips.  Pour into prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 60 – 75  minutes, until golden and not doughy in the middle.

High Altitude directions: Add flour, decrease sugar and add an additonal 1 - 2 T. milk.

Try...

Sometimes, I wonder why the thoughts of baking are at times more attractive to me than others. Not sure why, but finding a new recipe is somewhat of an exhilarating moment.

Somehow, I seem to always do save a few recipes to try when my husband has to go out of town for one reason or another. I pull out my recipes and viola! I have a new "project". Smile.

I have been reading up on methods of kneading, and intend to try the "slapping method" to see what comes of the bread quality - supposed to put air into the bread and give it a really light soft center. Let's see what happens...

First batch was a bust...did not account for the amount of liquid needed in the recipe which was for "winter bread" using cornmeal, bread flour and all purpose flour. Another try tomorrow...try, try again! :-/

Remember to cast the flour when kneading as it makes all the difference in the end product.

Also, a donut type of recipe is next...I'm starting to test bread recipes for the Veg cookbook!

Bummer - My Greek Cookbooks are missing!

Must from that last move from TX to NM.

Not to worry - this only gives me license to search/cook recipes and create recipes to add to my third cookbook Vegetarian Fusion.  I think I will start with Spanikokpita first. Now to find out how to make Phyllo or a good puff pastry (perhaps now I have to look at those French cooking class materials to get a good recipe else go find some store bought Phyllo).

See you all soon with recipes!

August, Green Chile and Greek Foods

Summer is nipping at our heels, as the cooler weather will be soon.

The kids have gone back to school (or are about to go back to school). We are ALL getting back into the groove of life's End of Summer and into the Fall routine, and it's time to go purchase pounds and pounds of the Green Chile harvest and fill up our freezers with the green stuff.  I've been told that after Labor day has come and gone is the best time to get your Green Chile, so this year I will try to do so and see what delicious Green Chile has to offer my taste buds after Labor Day.  I have also heard that Green Chile gets hotter with each year that passes as it sits in the dark icy chamber waiting for us to pop it out of it's deep freeze -- the jury is still out on that one as I have never been able to keep it more than a year!

Now then, the approach of Fall also spells the beginning of Festivals and the Greek Food Festivals are delectable Festivals -- a slam to your taste buds with the delicious deserts such as Baklava, Koulourakia, Loukoumathes, Galaktoboureko, and Kourambiethes not to mention savory dishes such as Pastitso, Spanikopita, Souvlakia, O Sabouras in Naphilon and of course Greek salads w lots of fresh Feta and Hummus.  So, I will be checking out a few Greek dishes on this cooking site....too!  

Marinated Tofu w/Marsala Sauce **RECIPE**

Was watching an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and Duff mentioned the Farm House Cafe in Portland Oregon.

Here is my rendition of a great Tofu dish...a take on their Herb Crusted Tofu with Marsala...

EXTRA FIRM TOFU
1 C Marsala Wine
1 C Water
1 1/2 cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce

Press the water out of the tofu by placing it between 2 plates (weighht the top plate down) and let it sit for 20 minutes. Pour off the water, cut into 4 pieces, turn on it's side and cut diagonally through the entire thing and put in fridge for 1 hour in the mixture above.

Meanwhile get either Panko breadcrumbs or whole wheat bread crumbs and season with salt/pepper. Take the Tofu out and lightly press into the breadcurmbs on all sides. Put the coated tofu in a heated pan with canola or olive oil and saute till browned on both sides. Remove to paper toweling and let tofu drain.

Sauce:
1/2 Cup Marsala Wine
1 sliced onion
1 t salt
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
Silk creamer (or cream)
2 pinches each of Thyme, Savory, Basil, Fennel, Majoram
1 T cornstarch dissolved in 4 T Water
Canola or olive oil

Brown onions until carmelized, sprinkle sea salt over them, add mushrooms, herbs and mix well. Deglaze pan with Marsala wine
making sure to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow the alcohol to cook off until almost completely gone, add a little more wine (up to another 1/2 cup), add cornstarch and silk creamer (or cream).

Serve over fresh mashed potatoes made with butter and cream with 1 clove fresh crushed garlic and 2 pinches of Thyme. Salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings