Leigh's Chocolate Pie

 Every year I look for the the photo of this recipe that Sarah texted me. I thought it was time to add it here so I can always find it in the future. 

1 cooked crust or graham cracker crust (you can buy premade gluten free ones and this is what I do)

12 ounces of chocolate chips (nice semisweet chocolate is even better)

1/4 cup milk (any kind works)

1/4 cup sugar 

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 eggs separated 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Combine the chocolate, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Microwave until melted 1-2 minutes. Beat eggs whites until stiff. Cool chocolate slightly and then add egg yolks one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Fold in chocolate mixture into egg whites. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Can serve with whipped cream. 

Genoise Sponge

 So mom turned 76 today and wanted a cake. This one has no butter which made it a perfect candidate. 

6 eggs, room temp

1 c sugar 

1 t vanilla 

1 t salt

Mix with a stand mixer 10 minutes until it’s fluffy and light 

Add in 

1/2 c sorghum 

1/2 c tapioca 

1/2 t baking powder

Fill two 9 in cake pans. Bake 350 for 20 minutes. 

Lemon Sugar Cookies

 Christy loves these. Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Mix together 

1 c butter 

2 c sugar 

1 T preserved lemon paste (if you don’t have this use juice and zest)

Add

2 eggs

Add

1 3/4 c sorghum 

1 3/4 c tapioca 

(Or scratch this flour mix and use 3 c Bob’s Red Mill GF flour mix…then skip the xanthan gum too)

1 t xanthan gum

1 t banking soda 

Roll out massive cookies (about 2 inch balls) and roll in sugar. Flatten a little with a cup.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes 

English Toffee Cookies

 1 c finely chopped pecans

1 ½ t vegetable oil

1 ⅛ t salt

1 c butter (soft)

1 c brown sugar

1 egg yolk

2 c flour

1 t vanilla

chocolate bars or chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Place the nuts in a shallow pan or pie tin.  Drizzle the oil over the nuts and sprinkle with 1/8 t salt.  Mix well and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, watching the nuts carefully so they do not burn.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Cream the butter, brown sugar, and 1 t salt with a mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg yolk and combine well.  Blend in the flour and vanilla.  Pour into an ungreased 12x17 inch pan and spread evenly.  

Bake until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes on the lowest oven shelf.  Remove from oven and immediately place the chocolate on top.  Sprinkle the chopped pecan evenly over the top and pat them into the chocolate.  To store pack in single layers divided by wax paper and keep tightly covered or frozen.

They also taste great without the nuts. 

Brisket—fall style

 So I love the Brisket off Smitten Kitchen. This is cooked the same way—just with different flavors.

 

In a crockpot place 

Brisket (frankly I have no clue how big this was—it was part of a Sams Club one that was cut into pieces)

Salt and pepper the meat 

Cranberries, probably 2 c 

Onion cut in chunks 

2 c broth (I used the smaller TJ beef one)

Cook on low overnight for 12 hours (the picture is taken just after this step)

In the morning move it all to an oven safe container and refrigerate all day 

An hour before you want to eat pull the brisket out of the pan, shave off the excess fat, and cut into slices 

Place back in the juices in the oven safe container

Heat in a 350* oven for 1 hr 

Eat with whatever you want. We ate it with mashed potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce 

Thumbprints

 So I adore my Martha Stewart Cookies so here is a gluten free adaptation 

Cookie 

Mix together 

1 c butter 

1 c powdered sugar 

2 t vanilla 

Add 

1 1/3 c sorghum 

1 1/3 c tapioca starch

1/4 t salt 

1 t xanthan gum 

Roll into balls 

350 for 10 minutes 

Take out and indent holes (I use wooden spoon) 

8 more minutes in the oven 

Reform holes 

Filling 

2/3 cereal bowl of melted chocolate chips (a highly accurate measurement)

6 T melted butter 

1 T honey 

Fill the cookies—I use my piping tool 

Frankly could also use lemon curd to fill—maybe next time 

Eat 

Blueberry muffins

Blueberry muffins are beautiful. This is an adaptation of the Martha Stewart Lemon Muffin recipe. 

In a mixer (or with a whisk) 

1 c sugar 

1/4 c lemon juice 

Zest from one lemon 

1/4 c water 

2 eggs 

1/2 c melted butter

Add

1 1/3 c sorghum 

1 1/3 c tapioca 

1 t xanthan gum 

1 3/4 t baking powder 

1/4 t baking soda

3/4 t salt 

Stir in 

1 pint blueberries 

Bake 350* for 18-20 minutes 

Sprinkle the top with additional sugar