Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

So some of my friends and people from my church youth group need to eat gluten-free. This recipe compliments the previous cookie recipe (Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies) because that one requires an egg and an egg yolk. This recipe here requires an egg and an egg white. Perfect split of three eggs between the two!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 egg
1 egg white
2 1/2 cups almond flour (I use Blue Diamond)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in extracts, egg and egg white. In a bowl, mix almond flour with soda and salt. Beat flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Portion out dough with tablespoon-sized scoop two inches apart onto parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 11-13 minutes or until edges brown up a little. Let stand on cookie sheet 5 minutes; then remove to cooling rack. Store loosely covered. Makes about 3-4 dozen.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love to bake, but believe it or not, I didn't have a really good chocolate chip cookie recipe! I have a fabulous peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe, but until now, I didn't have a plain one. So here it is, and if I find another one that is better, I'll post it too!

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup bread flour
2 tsp. corn starch
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars in a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and egg yolk one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla bean paste. In a separate bowl, stir together flours, corn starch, soda and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture. Do not over mix--only mix enough to combine. Stir in chocolate chips (I do this by hand). With a two-tablespoon sized scoop, portion out dough two inches apart on parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10 min. and 30 seconds, or just until edges are starting to turn golden-brown. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes and remove to cooling rack. Makes about 30 cookies (maybe a little more).

Egg Fried Rice

1/4 -½ cup vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, chopped spinach, etc.)

¼ cup sausage, chopped ham or other meat

1 ½ cup cooked and cooled rice

2 large eggs

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

2-4 green onions, finely sliced

Salt

Pepper

Soy sauce

Steam or cook the vegetables (not spinach). Set aside. Cook sausage, ham (if not fully cooked) or other meat. Beat the eggs together in a small bowl. Add a few sprinkles of salt to the eggs.

Heat oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add eggs and swirl around the base of the pan.  When the eggs are half cooked and a little runny still, add the rice and stir fry quickly, breaking up any clumps in the rice. Add meat and veggies. Continue to stir fry a few minutes. Add soy sauce to taste. Add green onions and stir fry until you can smell the onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Easy Churros

In a medium saucepan over high heat, boil together:
1 cup water
1/2 cup (one cube) butter
1/4 tsp. salt

Turn heat to low and add, stirring vigorously:
1 cup flour

Remove from heat. Beat 3 eggs in a small bowl and mix in with the flour mixture until all one texture of dough.

Heat 1-2 inches of oil in a heavy, high sided pan on medium heat (about 360*).
Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon in a shallow dish or plate. Set aside.

Put dough into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. (I use an open star tip that's about 3/8" across.)

Using scissors in one hand and the pastry bag in the other, squeeze dough (I made mine about 5 inches long) into the pan of hot oil and cut off with scissors. Repeat to fry more in the pan. Let brown vary lightly and turn over. Drain on paper towels until cool enough to touch. Roll in cinnamon and sugar. Best served warm.
I didn't count, but I think it made about 3 dozen 4-5 inch churros.

Pumpkin Muffins

Muffins:

1 3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 c.pumpkin puree

2 eggs (room temperature)

1/4 milk (room temperature)

Whisk together first five ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk together wet ingredients and sugars until well mixed. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold in just until combined and no flour pockets exist. Fill greased cupcake cups or cupcake papers almost full. Add topping and press slightly into batter. Bake at 425* for 5 minutes; while muffins are still in the oven, reduce temperature to 350* and bake for 17-18 more minutes. Makes 15 muffins.

Topping:

3/4 c. flour

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

6 Tbsp. melted butter

Whisk dry ingredients until well combined. Add melted butter and stir until crumbs form. Sprinkle topping over each muffin and press slightly into batter. Bake as instructed above.

Maple Icing: (optional, but really good!)

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. real maple syrup

2 Tbsp. milk

As muffins are cooling, make the icing and spoon over warm muffins after about 10 minutes of cooling.  

Muffins can be stored for 1-2 days in airtight container on the counter. They will last a week wrapped airtight in the fridge. Also, they can be made ahead of time (without icing) and stored in the freezer for up the 3 months. Thaw out before icing and serving.

Texas Sheet Cake Cookies

Cookies:
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350*. Beat butter and sugar together until light. Add n egg and vanilla. Mix until incorporated. Mix in baking powder and salt. Turn mixer to low and slowly add flour. (Dough will be thick.) Heat chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Mix melted chocolate into cookie dough until evenly mixed. Drop by tablespoon sized mounds onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 7-8 minutes until cookies just appear set. They should still be soft inside. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Transfer to wire rack to cool.


Icing:
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
3 Tbsp. milk
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa powder and milk over medium heat, whisking until melted together. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar. Pour icing over cookies and allow to set before serving. Makes about 2 dozen.

Pecan Sandies

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
Cream together until smooth.

Add:
2 large eggs, one at a time
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine:
4 cups four
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
Then add to butter mixture until completely blended.

Mix in:
2 cups chopped pecans

Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper (or un-greased baking sheets) two inches apart. Bake 12-15 minutes at 350* until edges are golden brown. Cool on racks. Makes approximately 6 dozen.