Take That You Brownies!

GF and vegan brownies (and waffles) are always EPIC FAILURES...  until today!

I am not even supposed to be home right now but my FL (fearless leader) was so sweet and let me go home early today!   The office would have been dead.  There are no more closets to clean out.  I can't get farther ahead on work.

The cosmos were a little off this week and everyone seemed to be on edge.  I was over the edge on Tuesday!  Felt like I needed an ER yesterday.  This afternoon, at home, with no one sick, in my kitchen, with my cats, is a delightful little gift!

I have had to wave my white flag and surrender to the fact that brownies and waffles are just not meant to be enjoyed by people who are both gluten free and vegan.  One or the other yes. But both?  NOT.  I am feeling on top of the chocolate world right now having kicked brownie butt!  I may fight you again someday, waffles...  but you are safe today.

These brownies take a few extra steps but so worth it!

Set your oven rack to the lowest option.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overlay to use to remove brownies from pan later.

1 tablespoon tapioca starch
1 tablespoon quinoa flour
2 tablespoons hot water

Mix the above in small bowl and set aside.

1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 chocolate morsels (Trader Joe's)
1/3 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk, very hot

In a large bowl or bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cocoa and morsels.  Add the hot soymilk and stir into a paste.  To this add the following:

6 tablespoons melted stick margarine (I used Earth Balance)
1-1/4 cups sugar
Your tapioca/quinoa flour mixture prepared above      

Mix with electric mixer until smooth.  By hand with a spatula, stir in:

1-3/4 cup GF baking mix
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

The batter will be thick.  Spread into your prepared pan with spatula.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack and cool for an hour.  Remove from pan by using the parchment paper and cool completely on wire rack before cutting.

Cut carefully with serrated knife.

Warning: These Cookies Are for a Mature Audience

I wanted to make a freeze, slice, and bake cookie. There are a lot of WWII recipes that, conveniently, do not call for eggs. Lucky me!  These little goodies smell and taste terrific. They also look good... when they are all done.  There are steps in the process that are down right alarming.

Don't read this recipe or look at these pics while drinking, in a library, or a quiet office. You might choke, or outburst!

These are sweet and slightly crunchy.  Without any extracts, the cocoa flavor really comes through.

3 cups GF baking mix
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tapioca starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cup sugar (plus more for rolling later)
1/2 cup margarine
1/3 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk, room temperature

Combine the baking mix, cocoa, tapioca starch and salt in a medium bowl.  In your mixer, combine the margarine and sugar until light.  Slowly add the Soymilk.  When it is not cold from the fridge you can see it blending better with the margarine.  Using a large spoon slowly add the dry ingredients while mixing at low speed.  When it is all incorporated, scrape down sides of bowl, cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Lay some plastic wrap on a large baking sheet.  Divide the dough into 2 equal parts.  I wouldn't be afraid to divide it into thirds.  We are already temping fate by rolling gluten free dough into log, keeping it as cold as possible for as long as possible is not a bad idea.  I had NO PROBLEMS with dividing my dough in half only.

Put half the dough on top of the plastic wrap.  Start to press, and roll, and yes, squeeze into a log shape as best you can.  It is still VERY SOFT and sticky but don't worry. Repeat this process for the remaining dough.

Place the plastic wrapped logs on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer for at least 2 hours.  Mine hung out there for about 5.

Preheat oven to 375.  Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

Remove one log from the freezer.  Gently work the flattened bottom into a more rounded shape while still wrapped in plastic.  Remove the plastic and roll the dough log in sugar.  I used another baking sheet to do this. I have 2 normal sized ones and 2 commercial sized ones.  I baked with normal sized ones and prepared on the commercial sized.

Cut the logs into 1/4" thick slices and place on cookie sheet.  They do not spread or rise.  I put 15 on a cookie sheet to bake.

Bake for 10 minutes. The edges should feel set and firm.

Cool on the pan for 5 minutes.  Remove and cool completely.

New friends!

One of the nicest little guys at school has been bringing me the new McDs Hello Kitty Happy Meal toys! I have all 6! It is no secret that I ❤❤❤Hello Kitty.  I like to print him Mario coloring pages when he visits me.  He likes Mario and Donkey Kong and I am team Yoshi! He is an excellent artist too and draws me awesome pictures.

Normally I would put them "in the vault" but they are just too cute to do that! These two are my favorites... they are me! The little baker one smells like cherry pie and the guitar (I am calling it a ukulele) rocks and shimmies!

So. Damn. Adorable!  I didn't even know there was a Hello Kitty promo right now. They used to do her line in the summers.

Thank you little friend!

Meatless Friday?

Why not! Pasta night for the boys. I went to the freezer to get bacon for the pasta but saw the bag of frozen tricolored peppers. I melted 2 tablespoons of margarine in a little fry pan, added the peppers, a little garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and I'm calling it dinner.

It smells so good! Sometimes I wish I was normal and could eat yummy things... sigh.

Oh well. At least I will be able to drive in the dark again soon. Going to pick out some new glasses tonight!