Chocolate Pudding - naturally gluten-free

Chocolate Pudding fills the spot of my earliest dessert memory !
 It has been a life-long comfort food even though my first memory of it involves something less than 'comfort' .
I was about 3 or 4 years old and I was sitting in my spot at the kitchen table - the window behind me.   Our home at the time was a little two room cottage without indoor plumbing or running water  -  I believe at that time we did not yet have electricity either. The wood stove Mom cooked on was also what kept our little house warm.
Mom had made chocolate pudding for dessert that day and I could hardly wait to eat it!
I remember Mom served it in soup bowls and handed me a generous helping.
I enjoyed  it  and wished for more.
Chocolate pudding has never been my Dad's favorite and I looked over to see that he was not finishing his serving.  I asked if I could have it and with a twinkle in his eye he gladly passed over his bowl and I eagerly ate it.
I still was not satisfied and asked Mom if there was any more.
I remember Mom's face as she asked, "You want MORE?"   but to my delight she got up and scraped the last of the pudding out of the pot into my bowl.
I had almost finished it when I began to have a funny feeling ... the pudding wasn't sliding down quite so easily but I tried to ignore the unfamiliar sensation.   I must have started to look a little green because suddenly Mom jumped up, grabbed the pudding pot and held it under my chin.
 Hmmm... how shall I say this delicately ?  I'm sure you guessed it - the pot was once again filled with chocolate pudding !
That experience, however, did not spoil my love of the simple dessert ... though I never again ate three generous helpings!

When I make it now it is a memory trigging taste taking me back to my childhood , something the packaged instant or cooked chocolate pudding just doesn't do  for me!   The flavour of the from scratch, home cooked pudding is just soo much better !
So here is my recipe ...

Chocolate Pudding

• 3 cups whole milk 
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder 
• 4 tbsp cornstarch 
• 1/2 cup sugar (less if your tooth isn't as sweet as mine) 
• 1 tsp vanilla flavouring 

1. Place milk in saucepan to heat,  reserving 1/2 cup 
2. Mix together cocoa, cornstarch and sugar and then sift to ensure a perfectly velvet smooth pudding
3. Stir dry ingredients into 1/2 cup milk , then add to heated milk 
4. Cook, stirring continuously  until it begins to bubble and the pudding thickens. 
5. Cool  
6. Garnish, if desired,  with toasted almonds and/or dab of whipped cream or ice-cream.  

PS. As noted by a commentor , this can be used as a pie filling. You may, however,  want to add a little more cornstarch  - maybe a couple of tsp more -- just to make the pudding a little stiffer. 

Breaded Chicken Strips Gluten-Free

This is a new family favorite recipe. Easy to prepare, taste great fresh or as left overs warmed up the next day.

• 6 skinless chicken breasts -- ( or about one per serving) 
• 1/2 cup milk
•  1 crushed clove of garlic 
• 1/2 loaf of gluten-free bread crumbs.  ( I  much prefer using my own home baked bread to make the crumbs...  if a loaf is getting old - or baked specifically to make bread crumbs-  put it in your food processor to make fine crumbs.. Then leave sitting uncovered on the counter, stirring occasionally until well dried --  then store in refrigerator  in ziplock bag)  
• 1 cup Arrowroot starch flour,  spiced  to taste ( I use salt, pepper, anise seed, a little Thyme) 
• 2 slightly beaten eggs
• oil for frying - I use a mixture of olive and grapeseed

1. Marinate chicken in ziplock bag with milk and garlic clove for about 2 hours -- or longer 

2. Drain chicken  and cut breasts into 1/2 -3/4 inch wide strips

3. Place bread crumbs, Arrowroot starch flour and eggs in three separate bowls 

4. Assembly line fashion --  dip each 'finger' first into spiced flour then into eggs then roll in the breadcrumbs 

5. Fry in skillet with enough oil so chicken fingers are not sitting on bottom of pan --  they actually absorb less oil if they float in it then if they sit in it.

6. Serve hot !   Delicious !!!

Almond Sweet Rolls Gluten Free

I am so pleased to share this recipe with you.

The rolls are wonderfully light and fluffy and the taste is exceptional .

I was rewarded by my granddaughter's reaction with her first bite ,
"Oh, my goodness, these are SO good !" and my gluten loving husband said... 
"These are miraculously good!"         I had to smile, didn't I ?

These keep well, they are still soft and good the next day.

Almond Sweet Rolls

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp gelatin
• 1 1/2 tbsp reg. yeast
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp almond flavoring
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup millet flour 
• 1/3 cup white bean flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• sweet rice for handling dough
• 1 egg white
• sesame seed or poppy seed (optional)

1. Mix sugar and gelatin, add warm water and yeast - let proof
2. Beat butter and sugar, add egg flavoring and warm milk
3. Blend well together dry ingredients
4. Add dry ingredients all at once to liquids , blend on low , then beat on high for 2 minutes.
5. Turn dough out onto counter sprinkled with sweet rice ... Work in enough sweet rice (I use about 1/4 cup) to make the dough just barely not sticky (on the outside, don't try to work the flour into all the dough) It is important to keep dough as soft as possible.
6. Pat dough into a 13 or 14 inch circle -- using a pizza cutter dipped in sweet rice flour, cut circle into 16 equal segments.
7. Starting at the wide end of each segment roll up ending at point - dipping fingers into sweet rice flour if dough is sticking.
8. Brush tops (I find it easier to use my fingers rather than a pastry brush) with whisked egg white.
9. Optional -- sprinkle tops with poppy seed or sesame seed
10. Place rolls on parchment lined cookie sheet and let rise in warm place about 1/2 -3/4 hour.
11. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Skillet Naan Bread Gluten Free

This is the newest favorite treat in my family. Since out of the 6 of us 3 eat Gluten Free it is always nice to be able to serve food that is enjoyed by all 6.

And my granddaughters (one Gluten Free, one not) are always my official taste testers appropriating approval ratings. My Naan bread got rave reviews !

Naan Bread

• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp gelatin
• 1 1/2 tbsp reg. yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup yogurt , I have also used sour cream with great results!
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup millet flour
• 1/4 white bean flour
• 1/4 brown rice flour
• 1/2 tapioca starch/flour
• 1/4 cup sweet rice flour
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• sweet rice flour

1. Mix sugar and gelatin , add warm water and yeast - let proof
2. Beat oil, egg, and yogurt (or sour cream )
3. Add proofed yeast
4. Blend well together dry ingredients and add all at once to liquids
5. Mix together, then beat on high for 2 minutes
6. Turn dough out onto counter sprinkled with sweet rice flour
7. Using as little sweet rice flour as possible, work into dough only until dough is able to be handled
8. Using hands pinch off pieces of dough to form into thin circles
9. No need to let them rise for more than a few minutes.
10. Pan fry in a hot skillet in a little oil. Brown on both sides -- bread will rise and puff up with bubbles.
11. Serve with Judy's Tzatziki Dip , or use for Anneliese's Naan Pizzas, or just enjoy them any way you please !

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Paska Gluten Free -- improved recipe

I worked with my gf Paska recipe and came up with this variation that I prefer to my other one. It smells delicious while baking.

• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp unflavoured gelatin
• 1 1/2 tbsp regular yeast
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla , or almond extract
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 lemon - juice and zest
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup millet flour
• 1/4 cup white bean flour (small white navy beans)
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sweet rice flour

1. Mix sugar and gelatin , add warm milk - whisk in yeast and let proof
2. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil, and lemon juice and zest
3. Add proofed yeast
4. Blend together all the dry ingredients
5. Add dry ingredients all at once to liquids and beat on high for a couple of minutes
6. Spoon into desire greased pans or tins (smooth tops with wet hand) and let rise in warm place for about 30-60 minutes until doubled in bulk.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes
8. Let sit in pan for a few minutes before removing to cool on rack.
9. Let cool completely and then ice with white icing and decorate with sprinkles - coloured or chocolate

If not eating the same day , freeze until needed.

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Cream of Spinach Soup

Many years ago, our church cell group was planning a pot luck social.

One young wife, Nina, offered to bring Cream of Spinach soup. My husband immediately wrinkled his nose and decided it wasn't something he would care for. Nina insisted it was good and he WOULD like it. He wasn't convinced.

But when he - only to be polite - allowed himself to be persuaded to take the first spoonful , he was surprised and quite happily had two helpings! He still periodically puts in a request for me to make this soup.

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 medium sized potato, cut into small pieces
• 3 cups fresh spinach washed and stems removed. (or one package frozen)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. flour (or for gluten free - 1 tsp. sweet rice flour with 2 tbsp cornstarch)
• salt and pepper to taste (if broth is unseasoned)

1. Melt butter in saucepan
2. Add chopped onions and chopped potatoes - stir , frying lightly
3. Add chicken broth
4. Stir in chopped spinach and cook about 20 minutes.
5. Mix flour with a little cold water and add to the soup stirring and cooking for a couple more minutes.
6. Pour soup into blender and purée until smooth.
7. Pour back into pot to keep warm until serving.
8. Serve hot with sour cream garnish ( I also like it cold)

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