Krusteaz Gluten Free Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

Thumbs up on this one. This mix was new at my local grocery so I thought I would give it a try.  The brownies pass the ultimate GF test, which is you can’t tell that they are gluten free.  Moist dense, and chocolaty, with the added chocolate chip bursts.

You just need to add add oil, an egg and water, so they whip up fast.  I do recommend whisking the egg before adding the water and oil and then again before the mix.  The more air you whip into eggs in any GF recipe helps them rise better.

Because they recommended the 8×8 pan rather than a 9 x 13, the brownies are fairly tall, and take a while to cook.  But they’re worth it.

Gluten-free Cornbread

I love, love, love cornbread. So does the gluten-challenged spouse.  I’ve experimented with my own recipes, and finally came up with a pretty successful recipe. I’ll post the details later, but I settled on a hybrid of bean flour, buckwheat and a bit of tapioca.  However, I haven’t bothered to make it lately because we’ve discovered this mix (From Bob’s Red Mill), which is fabulous.  You won’t miss the gluten, trust me.  All I have to say is go, Bob!

It’s easy to make (the mix plus oil, milk and 2 eggs). The flavor and texture are very good.  It’s moist, with a good mouth feel and not at all gritty or bitter.  It also rises up, so you don’t end up with an inch high pancake.   The only trick is remembering to set the ingredients out to warm up to room temperature beforehand — although 30 seconds in the microwave can make up for your forgetfulness.   If it actually lasts that long, it’s okay for about two days and then becomes a bit stale. 

Quick Overview:  Easy to make,  good texture and flavor, fluffy and high-rising. Two thumbs up.

Winter Meal

  A perfect meal for a snowy winter night. We found some fabulous leeks that lit the desire

Steak with Cabernet Shallot Reduction, Gluten Free Cornbread, Garlic Parmesan Spinach and Leek & Potato Soup

for my favorite winter soup, Leek and Potato, especially with a touch of bacon. We matched it with a fabulous gluten-free cornbread, a cabernet reduction for a petite steak, and garlic parmesan spinach. Yum.