Gluten Free Baking Week

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By Chef/Nurse Diane

Holiday baking should be accessible for everyone.  Some people have food allergies that may prevent them from enjoying the holiday goodies.  One of these allergies causes Celiac Disease, an allergy to Gluten.  Gluten is a protein that is found on grains such as flour, wheat, bran and other grains.  Awareness about this disease has become more pronounced lately, there are even grocery aisle that contain gluten free products.  There are many cookbooks and recipe sites online that will teach you how to make the delicious holiday treats that will not affect your allergy to gluten.

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This week is Gluten Free Baking week.  Yesterday I told you about cookie cutters, so today I found a recipe on julesglutenfree.com for gluten free holiday cut out cookies that you can enjoy with your family.  So, no more excuses...get out and bake!

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Allergen-Friendly Sugar Cut-Out Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening (Earth Balance® Shortening Sticks)
• 1 cup granulated cane sugar (Wholesome Sweeteners) or palm sugar
• 1 egg or egg substitute (e.g. Ener-G Egg® Replacer or whisk together: 1 Tbs. milk powder or DariFree Milk Powder + 1 Tbs. cornstarch + 2 Tbs. warm water)
• 1/4 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, gluten-free
• Food coloring (optional)
• 2 1/4 cups Jules Gluten FreeTM All Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Gluten-free sprinkles or colored sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Cream shortening and sugar until very fluffy
2. Add egg (or egg replacer), vanilla extract, milk, and food coloring, beating until integrated. Add the dry ingredients last, mixing until evenly blended. Form the dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate or freeze until cold and no longer sticky, at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 375ºF (static) or 350ºF (convection).
4. Lightly flour the rolling surface, rolling pin and cookie cutters with Jules Gluten FreeTM All Purpose Flour. Roll the dough to approximately 1/8-inch thickness and cut shapes, re-rolling dough to utilize all the dough.
5. Place cut-out cookies onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and decorate with colored sugar or sprinkles, if desired. Bake approximately 8–10 minutes, but remove before they begin to brown at the edges. When baked and cooled, frost with Easy Cookie Icing, if desired.

Easy Cookie Icing

Ingredients

• 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, gluten-free
• Milk (dairy or nondairy), as needed
• Liquid food coloring (optional) – Select is a natural & gluten-free food coloring option

Directions

1. Whisk together sugar, vanilla, and milk, adding 1 only tablespoon at time until a spreading consistency is achieved.
2. Add food coloring, if desired.
3. Store any leftover icing in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator until the milk’s expiration date.

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National Honey Month

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By Diane Forrest

You'll be my soft and sweet

I'll be your strong and steady

You'll be my glass of wine

I'll be your shot of whiskey

You'll be my sunny day

I'll be your shade tree

You'll be my honeysuckle

I'll be your honey bee

Those words are a part of a song by Blake Shelton, the video is even cuter, and you can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZjosn2u1gA

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When my husband was growing up he constantly had coughs and sore throats.  My husband wasn't a sickly person, he just happened to like the medicine.  His Grandmother used to fix a jar of honey and whiskey to soothe a sore throat or cough.  Each time some of the symptoms were exhibited, she would pop a large spoonful of medicine down his throat.

Honey is one of the world's perfect foods.  Not only is it used as a natural sweetener, but it also lasts forever, never spoils.  Honey has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes, from gastric disturbances to ulcers, wounds and burns, through ingestion or topical application, but only recently have the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of honey been chemically explained.  I even read that honey may also help those suffering from allergies.  It was said that taking a spoonful a day of locally produced honey will help build up immunities to local pollen, thereby decreasing allergy symptoms during seasonal outbreaks.

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Honey is produced by bees after they collect nectar from flowers.  Each type of honey has its own unique flavor. Honeys may range from clover and eucalyptus to orange blossom, buckwheat and sage. Generally, lighter colored honeys are milder in flavor, while darker honeys are usually more robust.

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Americans consume nearly 1.5 pounds of honey per person annually – mixing it into sweet and savory recipes, adding spoonful’s to tea and other beverages, and drizzling it over biscuits, toast and muffins.

Honey is also beneficial as a beauty treatment. Honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture. This makes honey a natural fit in a variety of moisturizing products including cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners.

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September is National Honey Month.  If you get a tickle in your throat, or want a honey mustard dip for your chicken wings, or a nice smooth facial, pick up a jar today and give honey a try.  You won't be disappointed.