Gluten Free Onion & Chive Dinner Rolls

Yummy gluten free dinner rolls!  Perfect with butter as a side to any meal.  I'm always playing around with roll and bread recipes.   The bit of dried onion & chive add some extra punch to the flavor of these rolls.  You could use regular dried, freeze-dried, or fresh (if you use fresh, mince well and use some extra - they aren't as flavor-packed as the dried herbs).  These rolls will work perfectly for sandwiches for lunches, too.  Enjoy!

Fresh Gluten Free Onion & Chive Dinner Rolls - Ready for buttering! 

Freshly baked Onion & Chive Dinner Rolls

Onion & Chive Dinner Rolls

Makes 18 rolls

Preheat oven to 375 F (350 F Convection)
In a large measuring cup (leave room for the yeast to rise) mix:
1 1/2 cup warm water
6 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp rapid-rise yeast (also called quick-rise yeast or bread-machine yeast will work well, too)

In a mixer, combine (it's important to mix dry ingredients separately in gluten-free baking to avoid clumping):
1 1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
6 Tbsp potato starch
1 Tbsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes
1 Tbsp freeze-dried chives OR 2 Tbsp fresh chives, minced

Once the yeast mixture has puffed up nicely, add to the flours:
Yeast mixture from above
1 egg + 4 egg whites (OR 3 eggs, but you'll get fluffier rolls w/ egg whites)
6 Tbsp oil (olive oil works nicely)

Beat dough 3-4 minutes until nice and smooth, scraping down occasionally.   Scoop dough into a freezer ziploc.  Snip the corner off.  Pipe rolls onto parchment paper-lined pans.  Spritz dough with some water (can use your fingers).   Let rise 25-30 minutes in a warm location.

Rolls rising - you can spritz dough another time or two, if you like. 

Bake at 375 F (350 F convection) for ~23-25 minutes, until nicely browned.  Cool on wire rack.

Just finished baking! Ready to transfer to a wire rack. Yum! 

Gluten Free Onion & Chive Dinner Rolls by Successfully Gluten Free!

Chocolate Whoopie Pies!

When I was growing up, a favorite special treat was when my dad would bring home whoopie pies from Bova's Bakery in the North End of Boston.  They were huge, with a soft fluffy cake-like top and bottom, filled with fresh whipped cream.  You needed to keep them cold or the inside would melt.  They were delicious.  I've tried myriads of recipes over the years, in my hopes of duplicating the taste that I remember from my childhood.  AND, we have a winner!!!  I made a non-GF version of these years ago, and the key to getting the right consistency in the cake was using mayonnaise.  While it might seem somewhat unusual, it gives the exact flavor and consistency to make what I feel is the perfect whoopie pie.  If you don't want to use fresh whipped cream, these are also delicious with marshmallow fluff frosting as a filling (recipe included below).  Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

Yummy fresh homemade whoopie pies!!!

Chocolate Whoopie Pies! (Gluten Free)

Makes about 30 whoopie pie sandwiches (~60 individual fluffy cakes)

Mix together until smooth, then set aside to cool a few minutes while you mix together the rest of the ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (make sure it's a nice, dark, rich cocoa powder - a dark, amber cocoa powder will work nicely, too)

In a large bowl, whisk together:
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Add to the dry ingredients:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
3/4 cup mayonnaise
water/cocoa mixture from above (add a little first, to help temper the eggs, then add the rest)

Batter, ready to scoop onto cookie sheets. 

Place just smaller than 1 Tbsp scoops onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.  You should be able to cook 15 cookies to a tray (3 x 5) on 4 trays.   Bake at 350 F for ~10 minutes. 

Whoopie pies fresh from the oven.  Rest a few minutes, then move to cooling rack.

Let whoopie pie cookies rest a few minutes on the tray before transferring to a cooling rack.  Once cool, sandwich with the whipped cream, below, or my favorite marshmallow frosting.  Yum!

Whipped Cream Filling
In a mixer with whisk attachment, whisk until nice and stiff peaks form:
2 cups whipping cream (also known as heavy cream, heavy whipping cream)
~1/3 cup powdered sugar (you can use less/more as desired for sweetness - I like to use only a little powdered sugar in the whipped cream, preferring a not very sweet filling to balance with the sweeter chocolate exterior)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Use the whipped cream filling to fill whoopie pies.  You can just add a scoop of whipped cream and sandwich together.  You will want to store these immediately in the refrigerator.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.   Enjoy!

Ready to pop into the refrigerator. Mmmm... 

*These are my FAVORITE way to enjoy whoopie pies, but they're also delicious with marshmallow fluff frosting and don't have to be refrigerated prior to serving.*

Optional Marshmallow Frosting Filling
In a mixer with a beat 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
1 cup butter, softened
2 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 - 2 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract
1 - 2 cups marshmallow fluff

Place in piping bags or freezer ziplocs.  Snip the corner and use to pipe and fill the whoopie pies.   My girls loved helping out with these when we need to make a special dessert.

Eight years old and five years old, filling whoopie pies. 

My 5 year old LOVES to help cook, and these are a perfect treat to make together.

It's important to wear pearls when making whoopie pies. ;) 

Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Chocolate Whoopie Pies Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

Easy Homemade Goat Cheese

The best, easiest recipe to make homemade goat's cheese!  Wahoo!  I am by no means a cheese-maker, but I've been dabbling lately and having some fun (this recipe) and some frustration (mozzarella, I am determined to find a way to make it reliably/consistently soon).  What do you need if you want to make sure this works out for you?  A thermometer, a pot that doesn't have any sort of non-stick coating on it, and plain pasteurized goat's milk.  If you like, you can add a little whipping/heavy/whole cream (totally a-okay to leave out), and it's fine if that is ultra-pasteurized.  The coolest thing about this recipe is you'll literally be finished in under an hour (A huge thank you to Claudia Lucero who wrote a great book called, "One Hour Cheese").   This goat's cheese is creamy and fresh.  Your flavor will vary depending on your goat's milk.  I find some varieties have a sharper taste than others. We love eating this goat's cheese with crackers, but I've used it on sandwiches, too.  Enjoy!

Fresh homemade goat cheese.  Mix-ins included basil (left), honey (bottom front), dried cranberries (top back), and a couple plain goat cheeses.  

Easy Homemade Goat Cheese

Based on a recipe from "One Hour Cheese" by Claudia Lucero  p.s. Her book is awesome!

*Keep your goat milk container to store the leftover "whey" that is produced after the cheese curds separate out.  You can use the whey to cook in any recipe that calls for milk, or in place of water in a bread recipe.*

In a medium saucepan (use a metal pan, not a non-stick) mix together:
1 quart goat milk (not ultra-pasteurized, regular pasteurized is fine)
1/2 cup whipping/whole/heavy cream (optional, you can leave out, but it adds an extra bit of creaminess, if desired.  Obviously makes it not 100% goat's milk cheese, too, if you add this.)
fresh basil leaves (optional - other fresh herbs will work, too, or you can just leave them out)

Heat over medium-low heat, stirring regularly to make sure the milk doesn't stick to your pan.   Heat to 185 F.  Immediately remove herbs and add:
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

Stir in the apple cider vinegar with only a handful of strokes through the saucepan.
Lower the heat to the lowest possible setting.  Stir gently through the mixture every few seconds for about 2 minutes, no longer than 3 minutes.

Remove pot from heat.  Let sit untouched for 10 minutes.

Letting the curds rest for 10 minutes off the heat.

Draining curds in tight mesh cheesecloth over a bowl for 10 minutes.  I saved the liquid for using later in bread - worked great.

Line a colander with tight mesh cheesecloth (grade #90) over a large bowl or liquid measuring cup.  Pour curds into colander and let sit and drain untouched for 10 minutes. (You may have to pour some of the liquid (also known as whey) back into your milk container if the colander base is sitting in the liquid).

Scoop goat cheese curds into a bowl.  Add and mix in thoroughly, but gently with either your hands or a spoon:
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt (I recommend using either fresh ground or a high quality salt)

Now, you can shape your goat cheese into mounds.  Scoop a little into your hand.  You can add fresh minced herbs (basil (my favorite!), chives, thyme, parsley, etc), or a dollop of fresh honey or dried fruit (currants, cranberries) into your scoops.  Place on plates to cool.

Basil-filled and honey-swirled fresh goat's cheese. Yum!

You can eat these right away!  Leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator.  I like to try to eat fresh cheese within a few days of making.  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Easy Homemade Goat Cheese Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!