Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Yummy Granola GFCF

This is my favorite granola recipe.  It's absolutely delicious and so easy to make.


4 c. old-fashioned oats
1 ½ c sliced almonds or pecans
½ c packed light brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. cooking oil
1/4 c. honey
1 t. vanilla
1 ½ c. raisins or craisins
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a bowl, mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.  
In a saucepan or in microwave, warm the oil and honey.
Whisk or stir in vanilla.
Carefully pour liquid over oat mixture.
Stir gently with a spoon.
Spread granola in a 15x10x1 inch baking pan.
Bake 40 minutes - stirring carefully every 10 minutes.
Cool completely.
Stir in raisins or craisins.
Seal granola in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for 1 week or freeze for 3 months.  Makes 9 cups.







Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes

These are incredible.  I adapted them from Better Homes and Garden's recipe for Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes.  With the chocolate drizzled on top they tasted like chocolate-covered cherries!  (In the photo I spooned the chocolate on, next time I plan to drizzle it.)
Tip: One 10 oz. jar of maraschino cherries without stems is enough for both the cupcakes and the frosting.

1/2 c. dairy-free buttery stick - softened
4 egg whites
2 c. Favorite Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
3/4 c. dairy-free buttermilk*
1/3 c. maraschino cherry juice
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2  t. vanilla
12 maraschino cherries, halved
1 recipe Cherry Buttercream Frosting GFCF
1 recipe dairy-free chocolate ganache (optional)

1. Bring dairy-free butter stick  and egg whites to room temperature.  Line 21 muffin cups with paper bake cups.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine buttermilk and cherry juice;  set aside.

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl beat Fleischmann's with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and vanilla extract; beat till combined.  Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.

3.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or till tops spring back when lightly touched.  Cool completely.  Frost with Cherry Buttercream frosting. If desired, spoon chocolate ganache into a sandwich bag, snip off the end and pipe over the frosting.

*to make dairy-free buttermilk, combine 2 teaspoons vinegar with enough dairy-free milk to make 3/4 cup.  (I always use Almond Breeze Original and it works great.)

Cherry Buttercream Frosting:
Add 3 T maraschino cherry juice to Buttercream Frosting GFCF

Chocolate ganache:
Combine dairy-free chocolate chips with a little dairy-free milk and microwave till smooth.  Add just enough milk to get it to drizzling consistency.