Happy Valentine's Day!

Barely unpacked from Disney and school Valentine's Day parties hover. This is not a time for panic or for any unpredictable recipes.  This is the time for Rice Krispie Treats.  OK, so Rice Krispie treats with a little spunk.   I don't know what it is about making Rice Krispie Treats that makes me feel so fully 'a mom.'  It is also impossible not to smile when making them...even when under pressure. This is basically a double batch, pressed into a sheet pan, cut out, stuck on a stick and drizzled.  The left-over scraps are for the chef  (or for any little vultures at your ankles).

Rice Krispie Heart Pops

2 10-ounce bags of marshmallows
1/2 stick of dairy-free margarine ( I used Fleishmann's Unsalted Margarine)
12 cups Rice Krispie cereal (or the cheaper Target brand!)

1.) In a microwave safe bowl, melt the marshmallows and margarine for 30 seconds at a time until soft. I think it took about 1 1/2 minutes for me.  Stir until smooth.
2.) Measure the cereal into another, really big bowl.  Dump the warm marshmallow mixture over the cereal and mix everything together.
3.) Line a sheet pan with some foil and press the mixture into the pan. Press down hard. Let the mixture cool.
4.) Remove the slab of treats to a cutting board, cut into shapes and insert the popsicle stick.
5.) Decorate as you wish.  I made the pink icing with a little powdered sugar, some water and pink food coloring.  I made the chocolate by melting some Enjoy Life chocolate chips in the microwave with a little shortening.
6.) Wrap in sandwich baggies secured with twisty ties or ribbon.

Makes about 20, depending on the size of your hearts

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Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

Peppermint stick ice cream is a serious issue around here, and I now know these issues come from both sides of the family.  When I was growing up, the arrival of peppermint stick ice cream in the Schwan Man's truck was small town news.  Quantities were limited so one family couldn't buy out the whole stash to put up in the deep freeze. In my husband's house, arrival of peppermint stick ice cream in the freezer brought yet another thing for the youngest kid to torture his older brother with.  His older brother's mature nature to savor and spread things out over time, did not work well with limited quantities of ice cream that were quickly quaffed by my husband. I've since learned that my mother-in-law added greatly to the disappearing half-gallons, one little stolen spoonful standing over the sink at a time.
This year, Bobby, our Schwan's Man gave us first dibs on his 16 containers of the season's first...we were good and only took 6.  Thankfully, making a dairy-free and egg-free peppermint stick ice cream for the rest of the family was very easy.  Now we all can enjoy this little treat!

Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

3 cups plain soy creamer ( 1 1/2 pints)
20 regular-sized marshmallows (about 1/2 bag)
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. mild oil, I use avocado, but coconut or canola would be fine
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (more if you'd like it zippier)
6-8 mini candy canes, crushed in their wrappers

1.) Put the marshmallows in a big microwave safe bowl (I have an 8 cup Pyrex that is perfect for this)
2.) Heat for 1 minute, until soft and puffy.
3.) Whisk the soft marshmallows until smooth, then slowly pour in the soy creamer and sugar.
4.) Microwave for another 3-5 minutes, stirring every so often,  until the creamer is hot but not boiling.
5.) Add the oil, the peppermint extract and the food coloring.
6.) Cool down in the freezer or refrigerator before pouring into an ice cream maker.  I have a Cuisinart one that works pretty well.
7.) At the end of the freezing, pour in the packets of crushed candy canes and mix them around before transferring the ice cream to a freezer container.


Perfect Easy Dairy-Free Egg-Free Peppermint Stick Ice Cream Recipe

Apple Pie Squares for a Crowd

Thanksgiving is this week and I'm usually the pie-and-hot roll girl when it comes to divvying up the meal duties.  I make two standard pumpkin pies for the adults, one egg-free and dairy-free pumpkin pie for the allergic ones and one big slab apple pie good for everyone.  I first had apple pie squares like this at the Flour House Bakery when I worked in Sanford, Maine.  That bakery single-handedly sustained me through my second pregnancy!  When we moved back to Michigan, I was pleased to find a similar treat in my mother-in-law's baking repertoire.

The crust is a triple-batch of my standard recipe found in my 1936 copy of the Boston Cooking School Cook Book.  The recipe barely makes enough to roll out for the top and bottom crust.  Although having to roll the crust out super-thin is a bit of a hassle, especially with a crumbly crust, in the end this is a good thing, trust me.  The wonderful thing about this recipe is the delicate and thin crust.  The crust is very forgiving also, for the bottom crust I actually roll it out in the pan with a mini roller and just press it up the sides.  The top crust is so thin that it always falls apart during the transfer.  Don't stress, just patch up the top as best you can.  The broken crust kind of bakes together in the end and gets covered by the glaze anyway.

For the filling, I love using northern spy, but any combination of macintosh, ida red, golden delicious, jonathan will work. Sorry about the inexact measurements on the filling, but that is what makes this so fun.  I usually slice up 10-15 or so apples, enough to pile up to the rim of the baking sheet.  I sprinkle on 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar, depending on how tart my apples are, sprinkle the cinnamon and a few dashes of vanilla.  It makes me feel like a rogue, a non-type-A, come-what-may kinda gal. Ha, keep dreaming.

Waiting for the pie to cool!

Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Apple Pie Squares

Crust


4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups frozen shortening (butter flavored Crisco is reportedly dairy-free)
Ice water (about 1/2 cup)


1.)  Crust really is a pain in the butt.  I've probably made a hundred pies and I still doubt myself every time.  I now make crust with my food processor, but it is very easy to make a gloppy mess with it, especially when adding water.
2.)  Pulse the flour and salt together in the food processor or whisk together in a large bowl if making by hand.
3.) Add half the shortening and pulse 8-10 times.  Add the other half and pulse another 8-10 times.  If making by hand, cut the shortening in and blend well with a pastry blender.
4.)  Now comes the water part.  I hate the water part. Add too little and crust is crumbly and impossible to roll out.  Add too much and it is a gummy tough mess, impossible to fix. It is alway better to under-water, you can fix that.
5.)  If you are new to crust-making, it is safer to dump the dough into large bowl to add water by hand, but you can do it in the food processor if you're careful. Take the lid off the food processor and sprinkle 1/4 cup of water on the dough, mix it around the bowl with a spoon.  Replace the lid, give it a few pulses and check the dough by pinching it between your fingers.  If it seems crumbly add another 2-4 T of water, stir around with a spoon, give it a few pulses and see where you are at. Don't over pulse!
6.)  Divide the dough in 2 blobs, wrap in plastic wrap and shape into flat disks.  Freeze until needed.


Filling the Pie


1.)  Roll out half the dough and press into and up the edges of a 13 x 18 inch jelly roll pan.
2.) Peel and thinly slice 10-15 apples into the pan.  I have a cool peeler-corer-slicer for this task.  Add enough apples to fill the pan completely, up to the pan edge.
3.) Sprinkle cinnamon over the apples, about 1-2 teaspoons to taste.
4.) Sprinkle sugar over the apples, about 1 cup.
5.) Sprinkle some vanilla over the apples, 1-2 teaspoons.
6.) Roll out the second half of the crust, very thinly, and place over the apples. Seal the edges the best you can. Cut steam holes in the top.
7.)  Put the whole pan in the freezer while oven preheats to 375.
8.)  Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles in the center.
9.) Cool a bit before glazing.


Glaze


Juice from 1/2 lemon
Powdered sugar


1.)  Mix enough powdered sugar into the juice to make it honey-thick.
2.)  Drizzle over the crust in a rogue, non-type-A, come-what-may manner.

Dairy-free and egg-free pie crust, dairy-free egg-free apple pie, vegan apple pie, vegan pie crust

Makin' the Doughnuts

I know I could have sent a muffin with sprinkles and it would have worked out fine.  But "fine" is not the way we roll around here.  Sometimes the pressure of an orchard field trip with cider and doughnuts as the class treat is what I need to move from "fine" to "Mom, you're the best!"  I've made 'doughnuts' before, frying up some Meijer brand buttermilk biscuits  (no butter or milk in those...really scary, eh?) and dusting them in powdered sugar.  Those are tolerable when fresh, but inedible the next day, and I've always felt a bit sheepish about frying up a can of dough.
I think I read through 13 doughnut recipes, tried one that failed terribly (hint: never, ever, deep-fry in lard...no matter what Fanny Farmer or King Arthur say), and then I came upon this winner.  These are an egg-free and dairy-free adaptation of a Paula Deen recipe.  They're soft, cakey, slightly sweet...perfect for a fall day with a glass of cider.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Cider Icing

3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg replacers ( I use Ener-G)
1 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme (Dairy-Free Sour Cream)
1 cup mashed sweet potato ( I bet canned pumpkin would work, but our store had a pumpkin shortage!)

1.) Sift the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
2.) Blend the egg replacers, tofutti and sweet potato until smooth. I used an immersion blender, but a food processor or blender would be fine too.
3.) Add the sweet potato mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and blend carefully with a spoon. Don't go crazy mixing, or they'll be tough. The dough is really sticky.
4.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you set up the oil and make the icing.
5.) While the oil is heating up to 360 degrees F, roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness, adding flour to your surface and rolling pin to keep things from sticking. Cut into donut shapes. I have a cool set of plastic nesting rounds and the biggest and smallest sizes work perfectly.
6.) Fry in vegetable oil for 2 minutes on the first side, and 1-2 minutes on the second side. Soybean oil is great, canola smells fishy, and lard smells like bovine carcass. Don't use lard, ever, ever.
7.)  Let the donuts cool on paper towel before icing and sprinkling.

Cider Icing

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3-4T apple cider

1.) Mix until smooth and frost the cooled doughnuts.

Perfect Dairy Free Doughnut recipe Perfect Egg Free Doughnut recipe Vegan Doughnut recipe

Fairy Cakes, American Girl Place and Rebar!

Sounds like a standard September at our house. Honestly, when we have projects...we go big. The girls had 5 and 7 year birthdays this past week, which also coincided with torrential downpours and breaking ground on our addition. We have a serious clay situation in our front yard and the backyard...words fail me. When an engineer designs an addition, prepare for overbuilding. This addition is made of concrete and enough rebar to withstand 'The Big One', which might make more sense if we weren't living in the Midwest.

I had a table full of cookbooks from the library on fancy fondant cakes and other crazy plans, but seeing the hole in my backyard pulled me back to reality. This year was the perfect chance to try out some Edible Images. Our local grocery store is one of the few left with an in-house bakery. My girls love gazing at the cakes and flipping through their glossy cake book to plan their birthdays. Lucky for me, after explaining our situation, the bakery has been willing to sell me their 'cake toppers' without a cake. This year, to my surprise and delight, they were willing to print and sell me an Edible Image with a photo to put on our allergen-friendly cakes. $4 each. Amazing. The cakes were chocolate and lemon, and we were split on which one was the best.

Add on a trip to American Girl Place to pick out their dolls, and you have a perfect September weekend. Now, if I could just fix that hole in our backyard...

So much dirt!!

Kit and Molly find their home.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 cups soy milk

1 T. cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cups oil ( I used canola)

1 T. vanilla (optional)

2 cups flour

2/3 cups cocoa powder ( I used Nestle)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.) Preheat oven to 350. Prepare your cake pan. I used the birthday as an excuse to buy a new metal cake pan, but a Pyrex casserole pan should work fine. Fold a sheet of parchment so it lays crosswise into a 9 x 13 pan and hangs up over the edges (this way you can 'lift' the cake out of the pan by the paper to the cooling rack) . Spray well with cooking spray.

2.) Whisk soy and vinegar together in a medium bowl and let thicken. Then add the sugar, oil and vanilla. Mix well.

3.) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, soda, baking powder and salt. My cocoa and baking soda are always lumpy, so I sift mine into the bowl through a mesh strainer to get out the lumps.

4.) Carefully dump and mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Just blend until most of the lumps are out. Don't beat the heck out of it.

5.) Pour batter into your prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the center is set and you can poke a knife into the center and it comes out clean. Let the cake rest for a few minutes before lifting out and cooling on a rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

You'll have extra, so don't hesitate to take a few spoonfuls while baking.

1 stick margarine, softened ( I use Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine)

1/2 cup shortening

1/8 teaspoon of salt, or a couple pinches.

1 cup cocoa powder (I use Nestle)

5 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup soymilk ( more if needed)

1.) Cream the margarine and shortening until fluffy.

2.) Add the salt and cocoa powder.

3.) Add the powdered sugar slowly. You can add a little of the soymilk as you are trying to mix in all the powdered sugar if things get too thick.

4.) Once all the powdered sugar is mixed in, you can start adding soymilk until you get the frosting thickness you want. Sometimes I like it dense, sometimes I like it fluffy and mousse-like.

Lemon Sheet Cake

This is a great cake to try some coconut oil. The coconut flavor is very subtle and tastes rather buttery. I bought a big jar on Amazon for half the price of our local health food store, and only $1 shipping. Canola works fine, but you'll need to crank up the lemon or vanilla flavors, otherwise the cake tastes like bland cornbread. Lemon oil is amazing stuff, I found mine at Williams-Sonoma but King Arthur has it by mail order. It lasts forever in the fridge.

2 cups soy milk

1 T. cider vinegar

2/3 cup oil (I used melted coconut oil)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 T. vanilla

1/4 teaspoon lemon oil (or 1 teaspoon fine lemon zest, don't use lemon extract or the cake will taste like floor polish)

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.) Preheat oven to 350. Prepare your cake pan. I used the birthday as an excuse to buy a new metal cake pan, but a Pyrex casserole pan should work fine. Fold a sheet of parchment so it lays crosswise into a 9 x 13 pan and hangs up over the edges (this way you can 'lift' the cake out of the pan by the paper to the cooling rack) . Spray well with cooking spray.

2.) Whisk soy and vinegar together in a medium bowl and let thicken. Then add the sugar, oil and flavorings. Mix well.

3.) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, soda, baking powder and salt. My cornstarch and baking soda are always lumpy, so I sift mine into the bowl through a mesh strainer to get out the lumps.

4.) Carefully dump and mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Just blend until most of the lumps are out. Don't beat the heck out of it.

5.) Pour batter into your prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the center is set and you can poke a knife into the center and it comes out clean. Let the cake rest for a few minutes before lifting out and cooling on a rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Lightly Lemony Frosting

1 stick margarine, softened ( I use Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine)

1/2 cup shortening

1/8 teaspoon of salt, or a couple pinches.

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup soymilk ( more if needed)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon lemon oil or 1/4 teaspoon fine lemon zest (not lemon extract)

1.) Cream the margarine and shortening until fluffy.

2.) Add the salt and cocoa powder.

3.) Add the powdered sugar slowly. You can add a little of the soymilk as you are trying to mix in all the powdered sugar if things get too thick.

4.) Once all the powdered sugar is mixed in, you can start adding soymilk until you get the frosting thickness you want. Sometimes I like it dense, sometimes I like it fluffy and mousse-like.

The Sisters' Zucchini Bread

This summer, for the first time in 13 years, I decided not to grow a backyard garden. I even grew a clandestine veggie garden outside my apartment while in Med school, so this was a big change! Instead, we bought shares in a local CSA and we've been up to our ears in produce. I've never had so much salad in all my life! The challenge of 'eating down' the veggies before the next week's share is delivered has been fun. I've also enjoyed the variety of vegetables.

With my small home garden, I never had the space for a sprawling zucchini plant, so we've never enjoying baking it up in bread. This recipe is adapted from my mother-in-law. This is the tried and true recipe that 'The Sisters' use...meaning that this recipe has passed the test in the kitchens of 3 Midwest grandmothers. While not exactly low-fat or low in sugar, it is classic.

Sisters' Zucchini Bread

Makes 2 loaves

2 heaping cups grated zucchini, skin and all

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

2 egg replacers ( I use Ener-G)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups flour (I have experimented with 1/2 white and 1/2 whole wheat and it works)

1 T. cinnamon

1 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

Crumb Topping (optional)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 T. dairy-free margarine, melted ( I use Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine)

1/2 t. cinnamon

1.) Preheat oven to 325.

2.) Mix the first set of wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.

3.) Mix the second set of dry ingredients together in a larger bowl.

4.) Dump the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until everything is just blended.

5.) Divide the batter evenly between two greased bread pans.

6.) Mix the crumb topping ingredients together in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the batter. You'll have extra, so save it in the freezer for topping muffins someday.

7.) Bake for 1 hour. They're done when the center is set. You can try inserting a toothpick to see if it comes out dry, or just touch the tops. When they spring back, the bread is done.

8.) Let them rest for a few minutes, then carefully remove from the pans to a cooling rack.

The first loaf gets devoured immediatly, the second loaf gets cut into slices. I put a small piece of waxed paper or parchment between each slice and freeze...perfect for lunches or mid-day snacks!

Egg Free Zucchini Bread Dairy Free Zucchini Bread Vegan Zucchini Bread

NDQ Sandwiches

From the age of 14 until 20, I spent every summer working in various ice cream shops, everything from the little local stores all the way up to the big time...a real authentic Dairy Queen. At Dairy Queen, the secrets of the Buster Bar, Dilly Bar, DQ Sandwich and the Perfect DQ curl were finally revealed. I wish I could say that all those summers ruined me from ice cream, but I'm pretty resiliant. I probably eat ice cream every day in one form or another. The DQ Sandwich is still my favorite little treat, and I'm happy to present the Non-Dairy Queen Sandwich.

Now, there are plenty of dairy and egg-free ice cream sandwiches available at the grocery store made by Tofutti or So Delicious. But those are soft sandwiches, not to mention that the Tofutti chocolate cookie is made of some crazy mix of cocoa and glue because it sticks terribly to toddler fingers and teeth. These are crisp cookies, and super chocolatey. The ice cream is so easy to make, I'm a bit embarrased to post it...but after all that hard work on the cookies you deserve a break!

NDQ Sandwiches

(Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches)

1 1/2 cups cake flour (I used Swan's Down, be careful...Pillsbury Softasilk has egg and dairy.)
3/4 cup cocoa powder ( I used Nestle)
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 sticks (14T) dairy-free margarine, room temp ( I used Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine)

1.) I found these to be pretty fussy as far as measuring goes. For the flour, cocoa and powdered sugar, I first fluffed up the item to be measured with a spoon or my measuring cup and then scooped with the measuring cup and leveled off with a knife.
2.) Place everything except the margarine into a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.
3.) Slice the margarine into the food processor bowl.
4.) Pulse about 8-10 times until the margarine is well blended, the mixture is still crumbly and hasn't come together into a ball yet.
5.) Dump the crumbly mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a flat disk.
6.) Refrigerate for at least an hour.
7.) Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 3 inch rounds or hearts. I have a really cool set of nesting fluted round cutters that I got from Amazon, which I use all the time, the biggest size is perfect. Decorate with toothpick or cookie cutter impressions if you want.
8.) Place the cookies on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer.
9.) Preheat the oven to 350 while the cookies freeze.
10.) Bake for 10-12 minutes. They should puff up, then flatten out. When they start smelling good, they're probably ready.
11.) Let them rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack, they're pretty fragile when hot.
12.) When cool, you can fill them with ice cream and freeze. Because the cookies are crisp, make sure the whole sandwich is well frozen before eating...otherwise the ice cream slides out!

The World's Easiest Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Vanilla Ice Cream

3 cups mini-marshmallows or 20 big ones
3 cups Silk Vanilla Creamer (about 1 1/2 pints)

1.) In a microwave safe bowl, melt the marshmallows, 30 seconds at a time. Slowely pour in the creamer, wisking everything together until smooth.
2.) Freeze in an ice cream maker. I have a Cuisinart, which works really well. Williams-Sonoma has a deal right now with an extra bowl, which is great to have.

Thinking outside the Box

Time to put on my thinking cap and put off the house cleaning for another Daring Baker's Challenge. My kitchen is pretty sticky right now, so I'll post first...clean later. The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network. The point here was try to make a homemade version of a boxed cookie.

My first few attempts at this challenge were a failure, largely because I tried to make simple allergy substitutions with the existing recipe and like a bad game of recipe telephone...the further I got from the original recipe through adaptations...the less like the original the result became.

So in this case, I started over, and created a dairy-free and egg-free shortbread cookie base for both cookies and called it close enough. The "Milanos" reminded me more of ''E.L.Fudges", and since I've never had a marshmallow cookie...those just tasted like sugar-bombs, but the kids loved them.

Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Milanos (or E.L.Fudges as the case may be)

Don't think that the irony of vegan cookies in the shape of a fish was lost on me

Shortbread (this technique makes a crisp-tender cookie, not fall-apart flaky)

2 cups cake flour (like Swan's Down, be careful, Softasilk has egg and dairy)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 T. cornstarch

Pinch of salt

11 T. dairy-free margarine at room temp (I use Fleischman's Unsalted Margarine)

1.) In a food processor, mix the flour, sugar and cornstarch together.

2.) Cut the margarine into pieces and pulse until it just barely comes together.

3.) Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk, refrigerate for 1 hour.

4.) Roll dough between two pieces of plastic wrap until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

5.) Preheat oven to 350 and put the cookie sheets into the freezer while the oven preheats.

6.) Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to turn golden brown.

7.) Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

Chocolate filling

8 ounces of safe chocolate chips ( I used Divvies)

1/2 cup soymilk (I used Silk Very Vanilla)

1.) Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl.

2.) Heat the soymilk up in the microwave until steaming (60-90 seconds) and dump over the chocolate chips.

3.) Stir well until all the chocolate is melted. If you didn't heat the soymilk up enough to melt the chocolate, you can put everything in the microwave for a few more seconds. Be careful though and don't burn the chocolate.

4.) Spread one cookie, top with another and smoosh them together!

Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Marshmallow Cookies

Shortbread (same as above!)

Homemade Marshmallows for overachievers who like sticky floors

(Smart people will just melt 1/2 of a large Jet-Puffed on top)

3 (1/4-ounces) envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup water, divided
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1.) Don't even think about trying this unless you have a stand mixer or you will lose your mind.
2.) Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer to soften.
3.) Heat sugar, corn syrup, salt and remaining 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
4.) Raise heat to medium and bring to a boil, swirling occasionally, don't stir or scrape down the sides. Continue boiling until a candy thermometer reaches 240, or soft ball stage. Remove from heat.
5.) With mixer at low speed, pour hot syrup into the softened gelatin slowly, until incorporated.
6.) Crank the mixer up to high and beat like crazy for 15 minutes, it will be really fluffy and thick.
7.) Add the vanilla and beat 1 minute more.
8.) This is where the sticky begins. Working quickly before the gelatin sets, stuff the marshmallow into a disposable pastry bag and pipe a little blob on to each cookie. This is a mess. If you have extra, pipe some kisses onto a greased piece of foil and use them in hot chocolate later.

Chocolate Dip

1 cup safe chocolate chips ( I used Divvies)

1 T. shortening

1.) Place everything in a small microwave safe bowl. Heat slowly, 30 seconds at a time, melted.

2.) Dip the cookies quickly and then place on a Silpat or some foil sprayed with oil until hardened. I dip the bottoms first and scrape off the extra, then flip over and dip the tops.

Fudgesicle Happiness!

Honestly, my kids are not for lack of frozen treats during the summer. Our freezer is full of freeze pops and other frozen juice treats. There are so many great safe options out there in popsicle world...unless you really want a creamy dairy-free fudgesicle. The two dairy-free options in the store are either the terribly pricey and oddly numbered 3-pack of So Delicious Fudge Bars for $5 or the less expensive Sweet Nothings Fudge Bars which kinda gross me out having "pea starch" as an ingredient.

This little recipe is so easy. I use the same recipe to make chocolate pot de creme too. The final product is creamy and chocolaty, not icy or sorbet-like. You could add some sugar if your chocolate chips are too bitter, but my kids are into dark chocolate.

Dairy-Free Fudgesicles

1 cup safe chocolate chips (I've used Divvies and Enjoy Life)
1/2 cup vanilla or chocolate soymilk
1 box silken tofu (12 ounces)

1.) In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the soymilk and chocolate chips slowly, 30 seconds at a time stirring between zaps, until melted and smooth.
2.) Using a stand blender, immersion blender or a food processor, mix the warm chocolate soy mixture with the box of tofu until smooth and creamy. A hand mixer or whisk won't do it, you have to blend it well to get the tofu lumps out.
3.) Freeze in popscicle molds. I'm a Midwesterner. I have Tupperware ones. But I did buy them on eBay and didn't go full Midwest and buy them at a Party.

Once in a Blue Moon

Blue Moon ice cream is a Midwest favorite among kids, and has a cult-like following among adults as well.  When I was growing up, the chance to actually pick Blue Moon for my cone came along just about as often as a Blue Moon.  With four kids and lots of dribbly cones to manage, my parents limited us to flavors they actually wanted to lick.  I'm probably the only kid to who truly believed that Butter Pecan, Chocolate Almond, Carmel Cashew and Butter Brickle were better than Superman, Bubble Gum, Black Cherry and Blue Moon.

 Given the very adult flavors of soy ice cream on the shelves, I started seeing the same parenting pattern evolve here as well. "Don't worry kiddo, chocolate and vanilla really are the best flavors...so many possibilities for embellishment..."  Well, today I took matters into my own hands, plucked up some tastebud courage and tasted...really tasted...the Blue Moon ice cream.  The flavor is a bit hard to describe, but it is not fruity like I expected.  It's kinda bland, sweet, with a little almond, nutmeg and faint lemon...and very blue.  This dairy-free and egg-free Blue Moon  recipe is based loosely on one by Laura at the Organizing Junkie. (The post was sent to me by a friend.  I'm not a follower of her blog, in fact, I'm a complete Fly Lady flunk-out from the words 'shiny sink'.)

 I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker which works great.  It's probably worth buying one.  If you use it 5 times, you've spent as much on the equivalent amount in Tofutti pints...but the big blue grins alone would sell me anyway!

Blue Moon Ice Cream for Everyday Use

3 cups plain soy creamer (about 1 1/2 pints)

20 regular marshmallows (about 1/2 bag)

1/3 cup sugar

2 T. oil ( I used avocado, coconut or canola would be fine)

1 teaspoon vanilla

a pinch of nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon lemon oil

Blue food coloring ( I used Wilton gel icing color in sky blue)

1.) Put the marshmallows in a big microwave safe bowl (I have an 8 cup Pyrex that is perfect for this)
2.) Heat for 1 minute, until soft and puffy.
3.) Whisk the soft marshmallows until smooth, then slowly pour in the soy creamer and sugar.
4.) Microwave for another 3-5 minutes, stirring every so often, until the creamer is hot but not boiling.
5.) Stir in the nutmeg, vanilla, lemon oil and enough blue to do the job.
6.) Cool the mixture down in the freezer or refrigerator before pouring into an ice cream maker to freeze. I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker that works pretty well.
7.) Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

There is no better way to start summer vacation than with a fresh strawberry rhubarb pie!  I could happily go with straight rhubarb, but the little ones in the house appreciated the sweetness of the strawberries.  This will be my first posting of the basic dairy-free pie crust I use all the time.  The recipe is a piece of American culinary history, as it came straight out of my 1939 copy of Fannie Farmer's Boston Cooking-School Cook Book.  Depression-era cookbooks are an absolute treasure of dairy and egg-free recipes. If crust making seems too daunting, you can use Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts...something I do a bit more often than I'd like to admit. 

The filling is adapted from epicurious.  If it seems like your berries and rhubarb are particularly juicy, you can add a few more tablespoons of cornstarch or Minute tapioca.  I like tapioca a bit more because too much cornstarch as a thickener starts to taste gloppy and corny. Serve this up with a big scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

3 1/2 cups sliced rhubarb, 1/2 inch thick slices ( 1 1/2 pound bunch, untrimmed)

16 ounce package of strawberries, hulled and halved

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1.) Make the dough first, then work on the filling while the dough chills in the refrigerator...unless you're thinking, fresh pie is good enough for today, and you're using a Pillsbury crust.  Then just start making the filling while the crust warms up on your counter. 

2.) Mix all the filling ingredients together and let them sit while you roll out the crust.

3.) Pre-heat oven to 400.

4.) Roll half the dough out and make the pie base.  Dump in the filling.  Roll out the other half and make the little lattice top and crimp around the edges.   I do a "cheaters lattice", where the crust isn't interwoven.  The pieces are just lined up at an angle.  Dairy-free crust is very soft and breakable and any messing around causes the crust to crumble in your hands.  I actually really hate the crust rolling part.  I've made zillions of pies and it still gives me heartburn.   Brush with water and sprinkle with sugar.

5.) Place the pie on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  The pie will bubble over, so be prepared.

6.) Bake for 20 minutes at 400, then decrease the heat to 350 and bake for another 1 hour and 20 minutes or so. If it starts to brown too quickly (and it will), place some foil over the whole pie loosely.  The pie is done when it starts to bubble towards the center.  If it is just bubbling at the edges, it is not done in the center, so keep baking. 

7.) Cool before eating, it thickens as it cools. 

Basic Dairy-Free Double Pie Crust

3 cups flour

1 cup shortening, sliced into chunks and frozen

1 teaspoon salt

1 T. sugar

Ice water (about 6-8 Tablespoons)

1.) I'm lazy, and crust stresses me out.  I use a food processor.  If you have a pastry cutter and know how to use it, you're probably better at pie making that I, so you can figure out how to adapt.

2.) Dump the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and give it a few pulses to mix things up.

3.) Dump in half of the sliced shortening. Give it 8 short pulses.

4.) Dump in the rest of the shortening.  Give it another 8 pulses.

5.)  Spoon in 6 Tablespoons of ice water, give it another 8 pulses.  Test the dough by pinching a bit of it together.  If it seems really crumbly or dry and looks like it might hassle you while rolling it out, add the other 2 T. of water and give a few more pulses.

6.) Divide into two blobs, wrap in plastic wrap, form into a nice disk and refrigerate until you want to use it or at least an hour. 

Some pie crust advice that might help your pastry-induced anxieties:  The dough is sticky. Your life will be better if you roll it out between two sheets of plastic wrap.  If you try use a lot of flour, the dough will get dry and tough.  The dough is crumbly.  Just do your best when transferring to the pie pan, pinch the dough to patch up holes. The dough doesn't taste like much (no butter!!).  Keep it thin and the fruit flavor will shine through. The dough likes to burn.  After the crust has baked a while and is starting to turn golden, set a piece of foil over the whole thing.  Don't crimp it or anything.  Just a straight piece over top.

Apple Strudel with Caramel Sauce

There is a battle going on in my kitchen regarding the Strudel Theme Song.  One kid says that Mary Poppins sings about it in the thunderstorm and one kid says the Larry the Cucumber sings about it when he has the blues. I'm not even going to try to sort it out.  "Stop arguing and eat your strudel" definitely goes on the list of things I'd never thought I'd say.

This month's Daring Baker Challenge is Apple Strudel.  In addition to being pretty close to an adult version of play-dough, it was super easy to adapt to be dairy, egg and nut-free.  I really enjoyed it!  I can't wait for Michigan cherry season to make a cherry strudel! 

 The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

Making the Strudel

 Apple Strudel

from "Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafes of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague" by Rick Rodgers

Strudel Dough

1 1/3 cups unbleached flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

7 Tablespoons water

2 Tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1.) Combine flour and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup.  Add the water and oil mixture to the mixer on low speed.  Once the dough forms, switch to the dough hook and knead for 5-7 minutes and a soft ball forms. 

2.) Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30-90 minutes.  Your life will be easier if you relax and wait 90 minutes.  Make the filling while the dough rests.

Apple Filling

2 pounds tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4 inch slices.

1-2 Tablespoons brandy or golden rum (optional)

3 Tablespoons golden raisins, (chopped if you're trying to hide them from your kids)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon flour

A few pinches of salt

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs ( I used Real Lovin' Breadcrumbs)

3 T. dairy-free margarine (I used Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine)

1.) Mix the top set of apple ingredients together in a large bowl, then set to work on the breadcrumbs.

2.) Melt the butter in a skillet and add the breadcrumbs.  Cook over medium high heat for 3 minutes or so, or until the bread starts smelling toasted.  Set crumbs aside. 

Making the Strudel

1.) Preheat oven to 375. 

2.) Find a nice big table that you can walk around and cover it with a clean, lightweight cotton tablecloth.  Sprinkle the tablecloth  generously with flour.

3.) Slowly and gently pull the dough into a big rectangle.  When it starts getting too big to handle, set it on the tablecloth and keep stretching.  If the dough starts to fight back, walk away and give it time.  Through a combination of pulling and rolling with a pin, you should eventually have a tissue-paper thin dough that is about 2 feet by 3 feet.  Trim the edges (they will be a bit thick).

4.) Melt another 4 Tablespoons of margarine and spread it over the dough.  A pastry brush was too rough on the thin dough, so I ended out covering my palms with margarine and patting the dough all over.

5.) Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the dough.

6.) Dump the apple filling about 4 inches from the short end of the rectangle and shape it.

7.) Now the rolling begins! Start by pulling the first edge over top of the filling and then using the tablecloth, carefully roll the whole thing up!  Seal the edges, brush the top with margarine and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

8.) Bake for 40 minutes, let cool for 30 minutes before cutting. 

Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup water

1 cup plain soy creamer

1.) Heat the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan to a slow boil without stirring. Wash down any sugar crystals that form on the side of the pan with a pastry brush and water. Heat until the sugar forms a golden brown color, swirling around the pan occasionally. 

2.) Remove from heat and dump in the soy creamer.  Watch out, it will sputter and spurt.

3.) Return to heat, mixing well to dissolve all the lumps.  Let it come to a full rolling boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Cool to room temp before serving. 

I'll let you determine your own Strudel Theme Song.

A Hot Fudge Education

Summer is almost upon us and even though ice cream is a year-round (almost daily) thing for us...summer is a perfect excuse to eat more! I was a bit appalled at my parenting lapse when neither of my girls had any idea what a "hot fudge sundae" could possibly be. Well, I fixed that today...and my house smells so good!

There are three different recipes for dairy-free chocolate sauce here, depending on your chocolate tastes and what you have in your pantry. The first is a chocolate syrup, nearly identical to Hershey's syrup, and much cheaper than $6 Ahlaska Chocolate Syrup. It is perfect for mixing with soymilk or rice milk to make your own chocolate milk and it lasts for quite a while in the fridge. The second is thick, dark and glossy. It reminds me of Sander's Fudge Topping, and this was the girls' favorite. The third is an adaptation of my mom's hot fudge recipe, substituting coconut milk for the evaporated milk. This is more of a "milk chocolate" sauce and is thinner than the second recipe. This was the favorite of the adults in the house, but we've also had gallons of my mom's hot fudge over Schwann's Peppermint Stick ice cream through the years...I guess we're a bit set in our hot fudge ways.

Oh, the "ice cream" is SoDelicious and the whipped cream is Rich's Whip in my new cream whipper!

Dairy-Free Chocolate Syrup (like Hershey's Syrup)

adapted from the Hillbilly Housewife

1/2 cup dairy and nut-free cocoa powder ( I used Nestle)
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1.) Mix water, cocoa, sugar and salt in a 2 quart saucepan over high heat.
2.) Whisk until everything dissolves and then bring to a full boil, stirring occasionally.
3.) Reduce heat and boil for a full 3 minutes, make sure it doesn't boil over!
4.) Remove from heat and stir in the salt and vanilla.
5.) Allow to cool and then pour into a pint-sized canning jar, or an old cleaned-out Hershey's squeeze bottle. 

Store in the fridge for a month or two.

Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Sauce

Adapted from epicurious, so it's their fault that you get every single measuring cup messy!

2/3 cup plain soymilk
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dairy-free and nut-free cocoa powder ( I used Nestle)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dairy-free and nut-free chocolate chips (I used Divvies)
2 Tablespoons dairy-free margarine (This is probably optional, I used Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine)

1.) Bring soymilk, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa, salt and half the chocolate chips to a boil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the chocolate is melted.
2.) Reduce heat and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
3.) Remove from heat and stir in the remaining chocolate, vanilla and the margarine (if you are using it) until smooth.

Makes about 2 cups, keeps refrigerated for 1 week.

Dairy-Free Milk Chocolate Hot Fudge Sauce

Adapted from my mom

1 can coconut milk (14 ounce)
1/4 cup (make it heaping) dairy and nut-free cocoa powder (I used Nestle)
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

1.) Bring everything to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.

2.) Reduce heat and cook at a low boil for 5 minutes.

 Store refrigerated for 1 week.

Carrot Cupcakes

I saw my first urban rabbit munching on a fresh dandelion today, a sure sign of spring! In an attempt not to do everything myself, this is my first spring in 11 years that I'm not planting a vegetable garden, sniff. I've outsourced that work to a local CSA, which should be a fun adventure anyway! Somehow, I just can't let the garden and my rainbow carrots go...so here's a little garden swan song from my kitchen.

These carrot cupcakes are otherwise known as "Morning Glory" muffins around here. They freeze really well, thanks to the eye-popping amount of oil, I just close my eyes and dump it in. My kid is barely clinging to the 3rd percentile in weight, so I'm good with oil. You can try easing back if the amount freaks you out, and let me know what happens.

The dairy-free cream cheese frosting was a nice surprise. After sampling the Tofutti cream cheese straight, I was very doubtful the frosting would be palatable. Sugar does wonders, and the frosting is pretty close to the real thing. The carrots are shaped Starburst candies with some chocolate cookie crumb dirt. A few seconds in the microwave makes the Starburst easier to shape. Happy Spring!

Egg-Free and Dairy-Free Carrot Cupcakes

or Morning Glory Muffins if you're not in a Frosting Mood!

2 cups grated carrots

1 apple, cored and grated

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup golden raisins (or regular)

1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup oil

2 egg replacers (I use Ener-G)

2 1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.) Preheat the oven to 350.

2.) Dump the top set of wet ingredients into a medium bowl and mix well.

3.) Measure the flour, soda, cinnamon and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk together.

4.) Dump the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together carefully, until just blended.

5.) Scoop the batter into paper-lined muffin tins, about 3/4 full.

6.) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set on top and they start to smell good.

7.) Remove from muffin pan and cool on a rack before frosting.

8.) Makes about 18.

Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 tub Tofutti cream cheese (4 ounces, or 1/4 cup), softened

1/2 stick dairy-free margarine, softened( I use Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine)

1 t. vanilla extract

2-2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1.) Cream the Tofutti and margarine together with a hand mixer.

2.) Add the vanilla and enough powdered sugar to make the frosting as thick as you want.

3.) This makes enough to frost generously with a knife, if you're planning to pipe on piles of frosting, you might need to make a bit more frosting.

Note: These cupcakes will freeze and thaw at room temp or in the fridge beautifully, frosting and all.

California Dreaming...Chocolate Bouchons

Ever since we took non-allergic kid #2 with us on a trip to Napa and Sonoma Valleys six months ago, pretty much eating our way through the countryside, I've been wanting to re-create some the best treats we had for allergic kid #1.  This is my version of the Chocolate Bouchons from Bouchon Bakery in Yountville.  The silicone mold came from Williams-Sonoma (that company is incredibly adept at getting me to stimulate the economy). 

This is also my basic dairy and egg-free brownie recipe,  no fancy or crazy ingredients, making it easy to embellish or take as it is.   The great thing about this brownie recipe is that it can be made as a "brownie mix" in advance.  Just put all the dry ingredients, plus the chocolate chips in a ziplock bag, and when you want to bake, just dump it in a bowl with 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of oil!

Basic Dairy and Egg-Free Brownies

1 cup flour

1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ( I use Nestle right now, see my post on safe cocoa)

1/3 cup chocolate chips ( I used Enjoy Life because they are mini chips and melt in)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup oil 

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips together.  Add the oil and water and mix well, but don't over-do it or you'll have bricks.  Spread into a 9 x 9 inch baking pan, or spoon into your Bouchon molds!  Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is no longer shiny.  Let cool before trying to cut or they'll crumble apart. 

Have fun with these, frost them up, sprinkle them, add some vanilla or mint extract, serve with ice cream...whatever.

I Take it Back...

Chocolate Pot de "Creme"

That thing I said about predestined yuck for any recipe mixing in tofu and calling it good...I take it back. As I was glancing through my cookbooks, I ran across this one again from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking....a recipe I'd tried in the past to great success. It was the first recipe, other than smoothies, that I had used tofu for blending.

I only tried it because Heidi's intro promised that the tofu would not be tasted. And guess what, she was right. My success with her recipe is probably why I got sucked into buying the Mori-Nu Mate in the first place, and why I was so terribly baffled at how horrible the Mori-Nu Mate was.

So here it is, I will eat humble pie, and I promise...you won't taste the tofu. The original recipe calls for amaretto flavoring, which sounds kinda nutty to me, so I've switched it out and modified the measurements and technique slightly to make it easier.

The first time I made this, I thought I'd be all Gourmet and steeped some fresh mint in the soymilk...the idea was good, but the result was medicinal and not well-received. If you want to make these into chocolate mint, use peppermint extract instead.

Dairy and Egg Free Pot De "Creme"

1 cup safe chocolate chips ( I used Divvies)

1/2 cup Vanilla or Chocolate soymilk (depending on how intense you want it to be!)

1 12 ounce box of silken tofu, liquid drained

1 t. vanilla extract

1.) In a microwafe-safe bowl, heat the soymilk and chocolate chips slowly, 30 seconds at a time stirring in between zaps, until melted and smooth.

2.) Dump in the tofu and blend well with a wisk or a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.

3.) Mix in the vanilla.

4.) Spoon into cups and chill for 1 hour. It will thicken up as it gets cooler.