Cafe au Lait Pudding to die for!!!!

So Yummy, we ate half before I remembered to take a pic!!! This is the best one I have, it looked pretty at first I promise!

I found this on one of my fav new sites... Click here and Check it out- her pics are way prettier!!!

Cafe au Lait Pudding

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee

2 T cornstarch

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup heavy cream to make Whipped Cream

(This will make 2 servings) 

Mix together all dry ingredients, whisk them well so that there are no clumps.

Cook heavy cream and brewed coffee on lowish heat until simmering.

Once it reaches a simmer add in your sugar mixture.

Whisk constantly for 1 min and then take it off of the heat. 

Pour into your serving dishes through a strainer( I used smallish coffee mugs) and cover on the surface with plastic wrap so that a film does not form. 

Place in fridg to set up-  around 3 hours.

When ready to serve- whip up your cream in a stand mixer. To whip cream start it slowly, then after a minute you can speed it up until you are on high speed. Watch it and as soon as it is thick turn it off and you are ready- EASY PEASY! 

• I don't add anything to the cream to sweeten it because the pudding is already so sweet, but you could add a tad sugar to your whipping cream if you wish.

Strawberry Bliss Birthday For CareBear (Gluten Free of Course)

Of course the birthday girls day starts out with breakfast! She has requested strawberry everything for her birthday. So we have started the day out with Warm Strawberry Cream Scones with a Strawberry Icing Glaze- yes every bit as yummy as they sound! Truley!!!! The day started off well!
Now I need to go bake a Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Swiss Buttercream Icing.

Strawberry Cream Scones, with a Strawberry Icing Glaze (gluten free)

and then we made the cake:

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream (GF)

I have to say this turned out well, but getting there was not easy... I tried to make (ICING TAKE ONE) Swiss Meringe buttercream, the egg white/sugar mixture WOULD NOT get fluffy- Let it go for ages in my kitchenaid, it would not get to a marshmellowing thickness, just a runny mess!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!

 ICING TAKE TWO- So I made a cream cheese strawberry icing---and Carebear did not like it-- I thght it was great, but as she doesn't like cream cheese--WHAT WAS I THINKING???

So on ICING TAKE THREE we finally  succeeded with this-

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream

1 GF Cake mix ( I used Betty Crocker)

1 3oz box strawberry jello

1/2 cup finely diced strawberries
1/2 cup coconut oil ( heated if needed to make it liquid)
4 eggs, seperated

1/2 cup hot water

Directions:
Dissolve jello in hot water.
In first bowl beat egg whites until fluffy. Set aside.
Add egg yolks and the rest of the ingredients to the Jello and Beat for 2 min in the mixer ( I used a Kitchenaid)
Fold egg white into cake mixture GENTLY, and keep folding till all combined well.

Grease 3 9 inch cake pans with butter, place a parchment sheet that you have cut out in a circle the same size as pan into bottom, make sure it is well buttered as well on both sides, and then dust the pan with some flour ( i used one of my AP gluten free flour mixes) This step is critical to make sure that your cakes will come out of the pan!!! Do this for all three pans. and then you can divide your cake mix equally into all 3 pans.

see how the cake came right out!!! and then I peel the parchment off...

 

Jack's "foe Oatmeal" - Gluten Free Cinnamon Rice Pudding

My son Jack, he likes consistancy.

They boy has had Oatmeal, yep your basic Oatmeal, for breakfast for years. Atleast the last five years, day in and day out,
Me-
What would ya'll Like for Breakfast today?
Jack-
Oatmeal please, momma. ( for YEARS-every day)

So going gluten free, changing to our paleo, gluten free lifestyle is a big change for this boy.

My husband suggested Rice Pudding actually. I thought, yes, that could work maybe???
I mean, if I make a super creamy batch, a large bactch, it could last all week?

He was a happy camper!

A thumbs up mom.

His favorite was is when I mix a couple of grannny smith apples in that I have cooked down in grass fed butter and cinnamon.
The other two liked it better with fresh fruit or raisens mixed in...
I have to say, the apple version was YUMMY!!!! I could go with it for dessert easily, not just breakfast. Its now in our rotation though. A break from the eggs and bacon, and a way to get some extra carbs in them here and there!!



I do realize ya'll that Rice is not Paleo. Its a grain. But its gluten free, and on the scale of no-no's and the damage these things do to our bodies, I feel that white rice is allowed now in then in my families diet. I feel like my kids work hard and play hard and need extra carbs here and there. I feel like fructose is a worse culprit truley, and I am struggling with that more myslef.... Taking fruit away???? I just don't know???
Any thoughts ya"ll???
For now I am keeping apples and berries in my kids diet. But trying not to let them gorge on on them as I used to.....
So much to learn......

Ginger Cookies-- Just like Grandma made???

 Today is my first attempt at baking cookies paleo style... I wanted a treat, with no sugar and no grains.... Something my grandma would be proud of. 

Will these stand up to the test?  Whats the Verdict?

  We shall See. I have had some WONDERFUL crystallized ginger in my pantry for almost a month now and I have been ITCHING to use it. So I gave these a try:

Ginger Cookies ( as good as Grandma's??)

3 oz crystallized Ginger (add more ginger if you’re a big ginger fan)

1 c almond butter

1 egg

1 t cinnamon

½ t allspice

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. (NOT WAX PAPER, it will stick!)

Finely chop the crystallized ginger and add to your mixer. Add the rest of the ingredients and thoroughly mix–about 3 minutes.

Use your hands to form about a tablespoon of the dough into a ball. Place it on the baking sheet and using a fork do the criss-cross method like peanut butter cookies, or just press down with the palm of your hand. (There is no baking powder or baking soda in this recipe, the cookies won’t go anywhere when they’re baked in the oven)

Bake for about 12 minutes.

 The Verdict:  Sadly, not as good as Grandma's BUT I have to say I did just down 4 of them, so not so bad either...will keep tinkiering with this one I think.

 

They did look cute on my cheese plate though!!! Hey, cookies can go there too!!!

 

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

Still in search of additions to my kids breakfast, lunch, snack repertoire as I embark on the journey to ever better nutritional health for our family....
What can they have for snacks other than veggies, nuts, organic jerky occasionally, meat roll ups... VARIETY is the SPICE OF LIFE after all, right?
Speaking of spice, Pumpkin is one of my all time favs to work with, always has been. So it makes sense that as I embark on the wheat free, gluten free journey I would turn to pumpkin. I found a recipe at Tropical Traditions for Pumpkin muffins, I really didn't tweak much at all.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

6 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

3/8 cup pure maple syrup ( abt 3 1/2 oz)

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease muffin pan with coconut oil or line with paper liners.
Sift dry ingredients together.
Whisk wet ingredients. Gradually Whisk in flour to pumpkin mixture until no lumps remain.
Divide between 12 large muffin cups, or 36 mini.
Bake 12 min or until toothpick in center comes out clean for large.

Optional Cream Cheese Frosting:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
1/4 c maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all and Beat in electric mixer till light and fluffy.