» MACAROONS «

(10 May 2010) - I am a frugal person, which means “living without waste”. I like to recycle everything. If I have leftovers, I tried to use them in any way I can. That is why I think of recipes to use the egg whites, when I make “flan”. This is very easy and quick to make.

Ingredients:

• 3 Egg whites
• 1 Cup sweetened coconut (half a package)
• 3 Tbs flour
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1 Tsp vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients with the coconut.
Beat the egg whites until they are a little frothy. Add the dry ingredients and the vanilla mixing all well.
Preheat the oven to 325º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop the coconut mix by tablespoonful. Bake for 20 minutes.

Good with a cup of coffee, tee, or just alone. *Makes 1 dozen* - What a treat!

» ORANGE MUFFINS «

(23 Apr 2010) - This is one of my husband’s favorites (so are all the things that I bake for him). You could say that he has a sweet tooth, a very sweet one, like a certain person who lives in Florida… and a little person that lives around here (she will lick the whip cream with her little fingers, and eat the muffin - or not!) She has a very mischievous dog named Charity. Yesterday, my granddaughter left the necklace that we made with Froot Loops unattended. So Charity did what dogs do: eat the whole thing. When my daughter realized what happened, she could only save a piece of yarn hanging between the dog’s teeth (just like a piece of dental floss).
Dogs: they make our life difficult, but we love them, anyway.

Ingredients:

• 1 Stick unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 2 Eggs
• 1 1/2 Cups of flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 Cup of sugar
• Zest of 1 orange (grated)
• Two separated ½ cups of fresh orange juice
• Baking cups
• Sugar to sprinkle the muffin
• 1 Little box of whipping cream
• Little sugar powder

Beat the sugar and the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Add the orange zest.
Sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold in a 1/3 of a flour mixture then add a 1/3 of the orange juice (first ½ cup). Keep alternating the ingredients, finishing with the flour.
Lined the muffin baking pan with the paper cups, fill them about ¾ with the batter, and sprinkle each one with ½ teaspoon of sugar. Bake it for about 20 min at 375º F.
On a chilled bowl, with chilled hand mixer blades, whip the cream with one teaspoon of powder sugar until it gets stiff and add ½ cup of strained natural orange juice (gently fold it in).
Let the muffins cool down completely before topping them with the whipped cream.

Best quick breakfast. *Makes 12 muffins* - Delicious with a cup of coffee or tea!

» GLUTEN FREE BLUEBERRY PANCAKES «

(26 Mar 2010) - The first time that we came to this country, one of the things that shock me the most, was going to a restaurant for breakfast and seeing people eating things like sausages, eggs, bacon, steak…
In Spain we eat some kind of danish, maybe bread with butter or “churros”, which are a delicious fritters made with flour and water (I will get there one of this days). I may be here the rest of my life and still can not have that kind of breakfast. I like oatmeal cooked with raisings, milk and cinnamon, or whole grain pancakes (among other things).

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of buttermilk
• 1 Cup of blueberries (frozen)
• 1 Egg
• ½ Cup of brown rice flour
• ½ Cup of millet flour
• 1 Tsp of baking powder
• ½ Tsp of baking soda
• 1 Tsp of Xanthan Gum
• ½ Tsp NuStevia
• 3 Tbs unsalted butter (melted)
• Zest from 1 lemon

Mix the dry ingredients. Beat the egg and the buttermilk until they are blended together; add flour mixture and the melted butter. Beat until everything is incorporated, then add the blueberries.
In a big skillet or a griddle greased with a little butter, pour ¼ cup batter for each pancake. Cook for 1 to 1½ minutes, turning when edges look cooked and bubbles begin to appear. Continue to cook until golden brown. Mi favorite breakfast served with a cup of ginger tee.

Serve with maple syrup, honey or marmalade. *Makes 4 pancakes* - Very nutritious!

» GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES «

(22 Mar 2010) - I have been dealing with my sinuses for de last couple of years. Especially this winter has being really bad. I’m sure many of you can rely to that. The saline solution… the neti pot… It takes some getting used to.
I believe in natural medicine. So my son and his wife got me the book “SINUS SURVIVAL”, by Robert S. Ivker for a birthday or something. This book It’s about the dues and don’ts, what is good and what is bad, and how you can help yourself dealing with this problem. When you have a sinus headache day in day out you have to do something about it.
First thing: no sugar. I was using Nu Stevia already and I love it (it has no after taste). Funny thing about sugar: once taken out of your diet everything taste too sweet.
Second: No milk. That is a tough one, because I love coffee the Spanish way: 1/3 strong coffee and 2/3 of milk. I tried soymilk for a while, but I stop (too many health issues). It is not as safe as they want us to believe.
Third: Drink plenty water (8 glasses every day). Drink until you fill like a fish –my pharmacist said, and I try to remember.
Finally: No gluten. It seems like there is a close link between sinus problems and the protein in wheat, barley, rye and oats. Well, I tried other things and still this winter was really bad, so here I am trying this way of cooking and baking. To be more exact: bread, I love the stuff!
The other day my assistant suggested: "les make chocolate chip cookies, grandma". So we did and here is a variation on the recipe that I regularly use.

Ingredients:

• 1 Stick unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 Egg
• ¼ Cup of sugar
• ¼ Cup of brown sugar
• ½ Cup of brawn rice flour (I use ‘Arrowhead Mills’ brand)
• ½ Cup of sorghum flour
• 1 Tsp of baking powder
• ½ Tsp of baking sodabr> • 1 Tsp of Xanthan Gum
• 1 Tsp of vanilla
• 1 Cup chocolate chips NESTLE Semi-Sweet

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line with parchment paper two baking sheets and set aside. In a small bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
In a bigger bowl mix the butter and the two sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla and the egg beating well after the addition. Add the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto the prepared pans. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheets and transfer them to a serving platter.

Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. *Makes about a dozen* - Very tasty!

» TONI’S MAGDALENAS «

(19 Mar 2010) - I have a very dear friend who is being fighting bone marrow cancer for nine years. Madelén is funny, loving, friendly and Cuban… What else can you ask for? Oh, yeah! She has a very sweet tooth.
We were neighbors when we lived in Hialeah, Florida. She likes to talk. She likes to listen (a rare combination). We became better friends after we move to North Carolina. Thank goodness for telephones and friendship that endure time and distance.
These last two years, I send her a box for her birthday. A little trinket to remember me by and of course something sweet: cupcakes (in Spanish: magdalenas). They don’t have frosting and they don’t need it. Every body loves them. This last batch was made with the help of my 3year old assistant. Today we made cupcakes. Yesterday it was chocolate chips cookies (gluten free) - her idea. She pulls a chair by the counter and dumps the ingredients inside the bowl while my husband is horrified watching her so close to the mixer!

Ingredients:

• ¾ Cup sugar
• 1 Stick of butter (room temperature)
• 3 Eggs (room temperature)
• 1 Tsp Vanilla
• 1 Tsp lemon zest
• 1 Cup all purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1 Tsp baking powder
• 12 Cupcakes paper cups

Preheat the oven at 375° F. In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one-by-one, scrapping the bowl after each egg. At this point the mix may look like the butter is separating from the eggs (it will bind together as the flour is incorporated). Add vanilla and lemon zest. Mix the dry ingredients and add little by little to bowl, scrapping after each addition. Line the muffin cups tray with paper baking cups. Fill each cup about ¾ full with the mixture. Bake for 20 minutes.

Let them cool for 10 minutes. *Makes a dozen “magdalenas”* * - Enjoy them!