Sesame Seed & Tahini GF Cookies

 Sesame Seed & Tahini GF Cookies

2 sticks of butter, softened (you can substitute the butter with a plant-based butter alternative like Country Crock's Plant Butter with Olive Oil)

2 cups sugar

1 cup tahini, stirred

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups King Arthur gluten-free flour mix

1.5 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

sesame seeds

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in tahini. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla. Add in dry ingredients. Form into dough balls big enough so that 4 fit on a baking sheet. Roll balls in sesame seeds then place on lined baking sheet. Bake at 350℉ for 15 minutes or until done.

Coconut & Guava GF Cookies

 Coconut & Guava GF Cookies

Laura made these for us. I ate them instead of joining the family badminton tournament which was the correct choice since Josh was going to win regardless. 

2 sticks of butter, softened (you can substitute the butter with a plant-based butter alternative like Country Crock's Plant Butter with Olive Oil. It will make the cookie more soft and cakey in a good way)

1.5 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups King Arthur gluten-free flour mix

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup guava paste cut into 0.5 inch cubes

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and coconut flakes and mix until combined. Mix in guava paste chunks with a sturdy spoon (not using the mixer). Form into balls and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or you'll have guava paste to clean off the baking sheet which isn't fun). Bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes for standard sized cookies. Larger cookies will take more time. If cookie is too rounded once baked, pat down the dough ball to be more hockey puck shaped before you bake them.

If you only have the wide coconut flakes, chop them up into smaller bits before adding them. 

Kebkuchen Cookies (unhinged/real recipe)

 My (Eleanor) recipe for Kebkuchen (or Lebkuchen) cookies. The cookies are technically called Lebkuchen, but when I found this recipe and wrote it down I put Kebkuchen for some reason so that is now the name.

This is the actual recipe that I use.

WARNING: These cookies require time to sleep, this is a several day process!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1/2 cup - honey 

3/4 cup -  sugar

1 Tbs - molasses

4 Tbs - butter 

1 large egg 

2 lemons (WAIT FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS)

3 cups - flour (2 c sourgum, 1 c tapioca if you so desire)

3/4 tsp - baking soda

couple pinches - fine sea salt 

2 tsp (heaping) - ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp (heaping) - nutmeg

1/4 tsp (heaping) - ground cloves 

1/2 tsp - zantham gum

oil

LEMON INSTRUCTIONS

Zest both lemons. Juice one lemon. The second lemon is for the glaze that you will make in a few days, you can juice it now and store the juice in your fridge or wait until you make the glaze.

INSTRUCTIONS

In the medium pot, combine the honey, sugar, and molasses. Over medium heat, stir until the sugar begins to dissolve and the mixture just begins to come to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter (in chunks). Forget that it has to cool and whisk in the egg, lemon zest, and 1 lemon's worth of juice (unless the vibes tell you to do less).

In the bowl of a stand mixer (cookie attachment), stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, zantham gum, and spices.

On low speed, stir in the wet ingredients until a smooth, sticky dough forms. Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled ceramic bowl and cover.

Allow the dough to sleep at room temp for 1-2 days.

WELCOME BACK FOR PART 2!!!!

Position racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Knead the dough despite your ancestors complaints.

Turn out the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Roll it out to a 1/4 inch thickness. Use a thin spatula to get under the dough and scoot it around in the flour occasionally to prevent sticking. Cut shapes with the cute cookie cutters and place on cookie sheet in a 3x4 rectangle. Sweep out any excess flour. 

Place two cookie racks in the oven and set a 6 min timer. When the timer goes off rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Set another 6 min timer.

Clean up the mess you made while they bake.

When the cookies are done baking, transfer them (while still on the parchment paper) to the cool countertop.

Remember that glaze exists 

1 cup - powdered sugar (prob should be sifted)

1 large egg (just the white, no yolk)

Find that other lemon you set aside (may be difficult)

a cute wittle pinch - fine sea salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, egg white, lemon juice, and salt for a smooth, thin, runny glaze (add lemon juice as needed to achieve this consisistancy)

Glaze the cookies. 

Give them a second layer.

Let them cool and dry off. (if done properly they should already be cool and the glaze just needs to dry)

Place cookies into airtight containers in layers. Tuck a wedge of apple into the container before sealing.

Store in a cool place for at least 3 days.

Enjoy.

Kebkuchen (prob Lebkuchen) Cookies

My (Eleanor) recipe for Kebkuchen (or Lebkuchen) cookies. The cookies are technically called Lebkuchen, but when I found this recipe and wrote it down I put Kebkuchen for some reason so that is now the name.

This is a replica of the recipe I found on the internet but made gluten free. The actual recipe that I use is the unhinged version of this.

WARNING: These cookies require time to sleep, this is a several day process!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1/2 cup - clover honey 

3/4 cup - light brown sugar

3/4 Tbs - molasses

4 Tbs - unsalted butter 

1 large egg (beaten)

2 Tbs - lemon zest (fine)

1 Tbs - lemon juice

3 cups - flour (2 c sourgum, 1 c tapioca)

3/4 tsp - baking soda

1/2 tsp - fine sea salt 

2 tsp - ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp - nutmeg

1/4 tsp - ground cloves

1/2 tsp - ground allspice 

1/2 tsp - zantham gum

oil

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, and molasses. Over medium heat, stir gently until the sugar begins to dissolve and the mixture just begins to come to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter (in chunks). Let cool until warm to the touch. Whisk in the egg, lemon zest, and 1 Tbs of lemon juice.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (cookie attachment), stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, zantham gum, and spices.

On low speed, stir in the wet ingredients until a smooth, sticky dough forms. Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled ceramic bowl and cover.

Allow the dough to sleep at room temp for 1-2 days.

WELCOME BACK FOR PART 2!!!!

Position racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Turn out the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Roll it out to a 1/4 inch thickness. Use a thin spatula to get under the dough and scoot it around in the flour occasionally to prevent sticking. Cut shapes with 2 inch cutters and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Sweep out any excess flour. 

Bake until fragrant and lightly browned, about 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking time.

While the cookies bake you can make the glaze

1 cup - powdered sugar (sifted)

1 large egg (just the white, no yolk)

1 Tbs - lemon juice

1/8 tsp - fine sea salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, egg white, lemon juice, and salt for a smooth, thin, runny glaze (add lemon juice as needed to achieve this consisistancy)

After taking the cookies out of the oven, let them firm up and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Run an offset spatula under the cookies to gently loosen them from the parchment paper. 

While still warm, brush the cookies with the glaze and transfer to wire racks. Allow the cookies to cool and the glaze to dry completely. 

Place cookies into airtight containers in layers, separated by parchment paper. Tuck a wedge of apple into the container before sealing.

Store in a cool place for at least 3 days.

Enjoy.

Laura's Curry Chicken Salad

dedicated to Cole

Boil 2 lbs, high quality chicken thighs about 20-30 minutes until cooked through

Put on counter and let cool

While the chicken is cooling, make the mayonnaise (It is FORBIDDEN to use miracle whip, hellmans, or other mayo varieties. If you must use store bought mayo, only Kensington will do). You'll use 2/3 of the mayo. Save the rest for something else

Mayonnaise 

3 eggs

1 T vinegar (apple cider or red wine vinegar)

Squirt of stone ground mustard (about 2 tsp)

1/2 tsp or so salt (not cheap, nasty salt)

Put all the above in a blender and turn blender on medium.

Slowly pour a container of grapeseed oil (24 fl oz) into the blender while it is blending until it is creamy. Be very patient while slowly adding the oil and use the whole bottle.

Once the chicken is cool, you'll chop it up with a knife - the chunks should be no bigger than 1/2 inch cubes.

Put mayo and the chicken chunks in a big bowl and add the following:

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 clove of garlic (if you get jiggy)

1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)

1/2 cup green onion (chopped)

1/3 cup golden raisins (you could also do apricot jam or mango chutney)

BEWARE: if you go the raisin route you may want to add more mayo.

MIXEY MIXEY

Put your yummy chicken salad into a large container and refrigerate. 

Highly recommend eating with mixed salad greens, a cut up cucumber, or a cooked plantain.

Best eaten for lunch.

Lasts a solid week for Laura (maybe two hours for Cole).

Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

 These are delightful. And freeze well so this double batch is perfect.

Mix together 

1 1/3 c grapeseed oil 

2 c brown sugar 

2 t bobs red mill egg replacer with its 2 T water 

Dash of vanilla cause why not 

Add 

1 c sorghum 

1 c tapioca 

1 1/2 t baking powder 

3/4 t baking soda

2 t xanthan gum 

1 t salt 

2 t cinnamon 

4 cups of oatmeal 

Add water as needed to get to the perfect cookie consistency sometimes around 1/4 c

Flatten on pan and bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes 

Vegan GF Chocolate Chip Cookies

 So for funzies my body decided no more dairy products. Also why just make a single batch when they freeze so well. When I make these for mom I leave the chocolate out. 

Mix together 

1c grapeseed oil

1 1/2 c brown sugar 

1/2 c white sugar 

4 t bobs red mill egg replacer with its 4 T water 

3 t vanilla 

Add

2 c sorghum 

2 c tapioca 

1 1/2 t baking soda 

2 t xanthan gum 

1 t salt

As needed add water, around 1/4 c, to get it to the correct cookie consistency 

Mix ins 

Chocolate Chips

Dried cherries 

Pumpkin seeds 

Whatever else floats your boat 

Roll out, smash with your hand, and add a sprinkle of fancy salt (I use fancy Icelandic sea salt) 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes