Gluten-free Pecan Pie

If I had to choose one dessert that reminds me most of the Lone Star State, it'd be pecan pie. Unlike a lot of pies that require cooling before eating, pecan pie is delicious right out of the oven with ice cream (especially if you've got vanilla ice cream nearby).

Gooey, warm, molassesy, nutty... Molassesy? That's how I'd describe this pie. I used two somewhat different ingredients for the filling. Instead of using light brown sugar, I used dark brown sugar (more molasses). Instead of using regular corn syrup, I used dark corn syrup.

Ack! Corn syrup? I'll be honest. I've tried pecan pies without it and I personally find that it adds something to the texture of the filling. I tried the filling in this pie recipe and liked it, but wanted to go a little darker. I like dark chocolate and I like dark pecan pies. If you like toffee and molasses, you'll enjoy the warmer flavors in this pecan pie. Even gluten eaters gave it two thumbs (or forks) up! :) Actually, my husband gave it two spoons up because he likes to eat pie with a spoon.

Say a little prayer for Texas as you devour your next slice of pecan pie. It's a little more than hot out here, especially with all these fires! Maybe if we all do a rain dance together this drought will come to an end!

For the pie crust:

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

1 1/2 tablespoons shortening, cubed

4 tablespoons cold butter, cold and cubed

Combine all dry ingredients. Next add the vanilla, butter and shortening. Time to get your hands dirty! Fold everything in. Then add the water towards the end. Shape dough into a ball. You can chill it or work with it as is. I like to roll it between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Because gluten-free dough isn't as elastic, don't roll out the pie dough too thin. Instead, roll it out up to 1/2 inch thick. Then place it in a greased pie pan. From there I do the repairs. This dough is resilient so you can easily shape it or pull off a piece here and there if there are areas that need more dough. Think of yourself as an artist working with clay :).

Pecan Pie Filling:

1 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup butter

1 tablespoon water

3 teaspoons corn starch

3 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2-3/4 cups pecans

This is the easy part! Slowly melt the butter in a pan. Mix the corn starch and water together in a small cup/bowl. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter--stir well. Next, add the corn starch, then stir in the corn syrup and everything but the eggs and pecans. Move it away from the flame. Allow it to cool for just a minute. Mix eggs together in a bowl and slowly pour the eggs in with the rest of the melted filling, then mix in the pecans.

Pour the filling into the pie. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven, covered with the pie crust protector and aluminum foil (or just foil). Bake with coverings for 45 minutes. Then remove all the aluminum/pie crust cover and bake 10-15 more minutes, or until slightly browned on edges. Allow the pie cool for just a bit when it's done so that it sets.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

OmgOmgOmg! It's... almost Thanksgiving! I have been dreaming of roasted turkeys and gravy like never before, but let's not forget about the good ol' stuffin' and... gluten-free pumpkin pie! (I'm even ready for Christmas...even streaming Christmas tunes as I type. It's about 38 degrees outside, so I'm allowed! :)

Yes, it's possible... for a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage OR a scrumptious a gluten-free pumpkin pie. Pumpkins aren't really yellow, are they? Not the one in the movie.

Who am I to question Cinderella's Fairy Godmother?!

Let's not go there.

Instead, let's go to the pantry, get out all of our flours and start baking! You know you wanna. Just check it out.

Oh gosh, you say to yourself. ANOTHER PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE! Yeah, I know... last year, you tried making a pumpkin pie from scratch (using another recipe) only to end up with a tasty but kinda mushy mess, why don't those darn pie fillings set right?! Oh wait, that was me. Hehe.

The recipe will remain nameless (don't worry, it wasn't from a food blog ;), but I will say that... after doing a little bit of research and studying recipes, I figured I'd use less eggs, a little corn starch, and even powdered sugar (since powdered sugar has corn starch in it).

The end result? A spicy punkin' pie that's so firm (not like rubbery-firm, though), you can dive right in 5 minutes after pulling it out of the oven. No kidding! Just don't burn yourself! Yes, you can enjoy your pumpkin pie a la mode, with some ice cream... Pie nice and warm and yummy ice cream? Yep, you read right. Your Thanksgiving is set this year! Anyone got a good eggnog or spumoni ice cream recipe?

Recipe for the gf pumpkin pie is in the recipe card below. These are the recipes that I "studied," (this one and this one) and used some of the spices from both. The white pepper is an extra touch (got the idea from Martha's gingerbread recipe), because I like my pumpkin pie with a kick! Those are my fav.

This is how you should cover the pie to ensure the crust doesn't burn:

Get yourself a nifty pie crust protector (not sure if that's the technical name)
Thanks, mom, for getting me one :)!


Here's what I call a pie-dome. It's aluminum foil;
there's plenty of "breathing room" between the pie and foil.

First Gluten-Free Thanksgiving :)

This Thanksgiving wasn't much different from others in the sense that I still have so much to be thankful for. But to sum up what I feel the most grateful for this year, using the fewest words possible, I'd have to say that it's for the quiet moments in which I could actually recognize and appreciate God working everything together for good. God always works the same faithful way, but things tick a little differently in me.

What I'm thankful for might not seem like such a big thing to an outsider, but it's completely influenced my perception of life and love so much that I can experience those two things much better than I could before. Ah, the feeling of growth! And I'm not just referring to full bellies growing as a result of eating too many slices of pumpkin or apple pie ;)!

So what does any of this have to do with food? Well, remember that feeling you get when you're staring at all the gorgeous platters on the Thanksgiving table, right before you take the first bite? At that moment, you're hungry but also satisfied; you know the delicious feast is large enough to feed you, those you love, and yield plenty of tasty leftovers for tomorrow. That's how I feel right now. The blessings won't run out, there will be plenty of things to be thankful for tomorrow. I'm hungry with excitement for what's ahead but so satisfied with what I have now.

This was the first Thanksgiving my husband and I spent together in Boston and as a married couple. We wanted to document it :), so I took some photos of the things we ate. I should also add that it was our first gluten-free Thanksgiving! I didn't measure very much when I was putting the dinner together, but I'll outline a few of the recipes and provide links to the sites whose tasty recipes inspired our turkey day menu :). I hope you all felt satisfied this Thanksgiving, and I mean that in every sense of the word!

Cranberry Sauce Jam (adapted from Bobby Flay):
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cup water
1/2-2/3 cups sugar
1/2 small orange mashed, with skin removed
1 1/2 tsp gelatin (about half a small packet)
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of cloves
pinch of salt
Combine all ingredients, except for gelatin, in sauce pan
Cook on low until cranberries are soft
Stir in pectin about 1/2 tsp at a time
Refrigerate and serve cold

Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese:
Adapted from "A New Way To Cook" by Sally Schneider
found on RecipeZaar
I followed the recipe but used these gluten free noodles
Tips: Use half Parmesan and half jack cheese
Instead of using all the milk, I added a bit of heavy cream and chicken broth.

Fried and Baked Butternut Squash with Coconut (Inspired by Grace :):
1 small butternut squash
1/2 cup coconut
about 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
few tablespoons maple syrup
few tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp apple cider
Bake butternut until tender (about an hour or so at 350)
Allow it to cool, then slice
Sprinkle each side of slices with coconut
Lightly fry squash in canola oil and sprinkle with cinnamon and maple syrup
Remove when golden.
Combine slivered almonds, about 1 1/2 tbsp maple, cider, and pinch of cinnamon
Cook in pan until maple syrup and cider become thick
Add cranberries
Serve squash with the maple almonds

Mashed Potatoes and Stuffing
5 red potatoes
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 Tbsp butter
1/3-1/2 cup Colby jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Cut potatoes into cubes and boil in large pot until soft
Strain put potatoes back in the pot and mash them
Add the rest of the ingredients while cooking potatoes on low

2 lb Ham (uncooked)
2 TBSP maple syrup
1 1/2 TBSP apricot preserves
sprinkle of black pepper
Combine all wet ingredients in a small bowl,
Lather ham with syrup concoction
and sprinkle with pepper.
Bake at 325 for about 1 hour and 30 minutes

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Thyme
recipe by Danny Boome

2 lb turkey breast
4 TBSP melted butter
A few pinches garlic salt
A few pinches pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp paprika
Gently poke turkey with sharp knife to create small incisions.
Create a pocket between the layer of skin and meat
Combine melted butter and seasonings
Lather turkey with butter, making sure to get in the pocket
Bake in a roasting pan at 325 for 1 hour and 45 minutes, then bake at 350 for 20 minutes.