Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

It has been a very cool, overcast day so what better time to bake some cookies. I've been trying to organize my Christmas baking since we are gluten-free and what better way than to test actual cookies. Hey, a good excuse is a great excuse to make, bake, and eat a warm cookie from the oven.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed, dark brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter - crunch or smooth, your choice
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour. I like the version sold by nuts.com.
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line two to three baking sheets with parchment paper. The cookies actually seem to bake more evenly this way.

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend until just mixed and the dough is holding together. Depending on what size you want, shape the dough into balls or use a cookie scoop. With a wet fork, press a crisscross on the top of each cookie pressing down to spread out the dough a bit. They do spread a bit in the baking.

Bake for 8-12 minutes depending on the size you made. The edges should be nicely browned and the tops golden. Cool on the baking sheet for few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

*If you are being festive, you can drizzle a chocolate or orange icing over the cookies. You can always sandwich them together in twos with melted chocolate. Mix some peanut butter, powdered sugar and a touch of vanilla for another sandwich cookie filler.

How many are in on this?

Bundt Cake - Gluten-Free Style!

Since we've gone gluten-free for the benefit of my husband's health, I'm always looking for ways to either adapt my own recipes or find ones that serve my purposes in the kitchen. This recipe just showed up on my Facebook account. I reviewed it and it doesn't ask for anything exotic and it seems that it could end up being my go-to recipe. I think you could easily add some nuts or coconut to the batter as well as just enjoy it as the recipe is written. I haven't tried it, yet, but plans are being processed in my mind and I foresee it appearing at our dinner table in the near future.

Enticed to bake yet? The recipe is here --> http://www.thebakingbeauties.com/2013/10/gluten-free-vanilla-bundt-cake.html

Jubilee Jumbles Memories . . .

Cold, rainy weather seems to bring on the memories of the past for me. I guess the fact that I spend more time in the house has me looking inward! Anyway, the best way to warm up a house and bring some by gone days back to life is to bake something with nostalgic fragrance. And, since rain is in the forecast, perhaps I'll have a reason to warm up the house this way!

I was looking for a particular recipe,  and was thrilled and surprised to fine another one I had forgotten about but dearly loved as a child. They were relatively simple, plain cookies but they always disappear first from the Christmas cookie platter.

Jubilee Jumbles (from Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook, 1961)

1/2 cup soft shortening
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs thoroughly. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Blend flour, soda, and salt: stir in. Mix in the chopped nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonful of dough about 2" apart onto a greased baking sheet. Vegetable oil spray works great. Bake about 10 minutes our until cookie is firm to the touch and lightly golden. Spread cooked cookies with Browned Butter Glaze. Makes about 4 dozen 2 1/2" cookies.

Browned Butter Glaze

Melt /12 cup butter until golden brown. Blend in 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in 2-4 tablespoons hot water until icing spreads smoothly. Before the icing hardens, you can to the cookies with tiny, chocolate chips, more chopped nuts, a whole almond, sugar sprinkles, etc.

You can substitute the nuts in the cookie recipe for chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dates, coconut, or add cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to the original recipe for a spicer cookie.

Love these statistics!

STATISTICS DON'T LIE!!!
How to stay safe in the World today!
Where IS the Safest Place?
1. Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for
20% of all fatal accidents.

2.. Do not stay home because 17% of all accidents occur in the home.

 

3... Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians.

 

4.... Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents involve these forms

of transportation.
5..... Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in Hospitals.
So, above all else, avoid hospitals.

 

But

You will be pleased to learn that only .001%
of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders.

 

Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at
CHURCH!

 

And . .. . Bible study is safe too!
The percentage of deaths during Bible study is even less.

 

So, attend church and read your Bible
IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE!

 

 

GOD BLESS YOU!!!

Orange-Scented Truffles and more . . .

An elegant way to present after-dinner coffee or just to have on hand for a special treat. Orange lends itself nicely to chocolate! Also, a great way to make a special gift for a friend or as a hostess gift. Thanksgiving is coming up way too soon. You can try out your Christmas candy making on unsuspecting holiday guests!

 Orange-Scented Truffles
12 ounces dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Freshly and finely grated zest of one orange
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Run the zest and granulated sugar through the blended for a minute or so to thoroughly blend in the orange zest. Set aside.

Gently melt the chocolate until it is smooth. You can do this over a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir in the cream until blended and stir in the extracts. Bring to room temperature, stirring ever so often. Refrigerate until firm. Scoop into small balls, roll in orange/sugar mixture and place in paper candy cups for serving.

I'm thinking of trying a lemon zest/spice version. Still in the thought process but figure I could blend the lemon zest with the sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg and cloves.

Oh, now that is a sad bit of information! :-)

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