heart-stopping berry pie

I'm clearly on a pie kick.  But, aren't you glad?

Glorious.  So much more glorious than my late salad kick. This pie has berries covered. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, so many berries. This bunch of berries brings sweet and tart to the table, creating a fresh, saucy pie filling oozing in a buttery (gluten-free!) pie crust. 

Oh laudy. Pair a slice with cup o coffee or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you've got yourself one heart-stopping result for your valentine.  Go ahead, make his heart skip a beat... 

Click to read more ...

salted mini chocolate chip cookie pies

I am a little excited about this pie.  Not going to lie. But first a tinsy confessional...

Well, the horrid truth is that, after being on an elimination diet for 5 weeks and trying to get reacquainted with wheat thrice (yes, thrice), I have a gluten allergy.  I feel so much better; no headaches, stomach aches, or back spasms. 

But this has lead to a series of "fits". 

These fits are usually triggered by some gorgeous picture of some decadent dessert or breakfast food and they go something like this... "Jason! I want real cake, waffles, bread, cupcakes, cookies, biscuits. I don't want to bake cookies out of chick peas or almonds. I DON'T care about oat pancakes."  Then, I stomp around our apartment and try to get Jason to take me to Cracker Barrel as I can "just eat myself to death!" (CB serves breakfast and pie all day.  That's right, pie. all. day. with. pancakes.)  Thankfully, my wise husband rarely listens to anything I say during a fit and my body has been spared the reaction that would follow an onslught of pie, french toast, and waffles.

Well, a fit followed seeing this post for deep dish salted chocolate chip cookie pie on ELR and I knew that this pie was something I needed. Not wanted, NEEDED. So instead of making a mad dash for Cracker Barrel, I started researching how to make it allergy friendly.

This pie is outrageous. Like a super gooey, super cute slice of chocolate-chip cookie heaven. And no gluten. That's right!!! Zero gluten!!! My apartment even smelled like vanilla and butter while it was baking.  Glory!

Ladies and gents, please give a a warm welcome to salted mini chocolate chip pies. (Also known as sanity/allergy acceptance in pie form.)

Click to read more ...

cranberry apple pie with a simple gluten-free crust

I'm not gluten-free.  Well, not totally gluten-free.  Typically, I don't eat wheat during the week but I might spurge once or twice on the weekend.  But, my mom and two of my siblings are gf and I love to cook for them.  So, I have entered the rickety world of gf baking.  Everything I thought I knew about baked goods has been challenged.  I've invested in ten separate types of flour, experimented with xanthan gum, and chopped up more almonds in my food processor than I know what to do with. Things get complicated fast.

But, what I love about this pie crust recipe is that all you really need to buy is rice flour, a $3 investment at Walmart.  (I usually find it on the cereal isle tucked in with the instant oatmeal and grits.) The other ingredients are typical household items that the average baker would have in her pantry. Where did I stumble upon this brilliant recipe?  The back of Bob's Red Mill White Stone Ground Rice Flour bag.  I had to double it for one 9 inch, a deep dish pie. 

Click to read more ...