Waffles Not Pancakes

Happy Shrove Tuesday!!  Or Happy Pancake Day!!!  This is the day before Ash Wednesday and the day for eating up the forbidden foods before the lenten fasting begins.  Pancakes are traditionally eaten as they are made out of the main foods available, sugar, fat, flour and eggs.  Traditionally these were restricted foods during the fasting associated with Lent.  


No today's post isn't about pancakes but the waffle.  Not a sweet sugary waffle but a waffle-wich.  In December I did a post on Waffle-chiladas.  In that post was the recipe for the Jalapeno Cornbread Waffles.  The waffles are made with the forbidden foods, the sugar, fat, flour and eggs.  With that in mind I thought it would be the perfect day to share the Waffle-wich.  I typically have these delicious savory waffles in the freezer.  They make a nice base for meat gravies, creamed mushrooms, chicken ala king and of course the Waffle-chilada.  They are also wonderful as a base for the Waffle-wich.

According to Wikipedia a sandwich is a food item consisting of 2 or more slices of bread with 1 or more fillings between them.  The Waffle-Wich certainly qualifies.

Waffle-Wich

1 Jalapeno Cornbread Waffle

2 to 3 thin slices deli ham

2 thin slices red onion

Dijon mustard, to taste

1 oz slice mild provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  With a sharp bread knife, carefully slice the waffle in half to make 2 "bread" slices.  On one half of the waffle place the sliced deli ham.  Top with red onion slices, dijon mustard and provolone cheese.  Place the second waffle half on top.  

Place waffle-wich in a preheated oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and waffle is crisp.  Add your favorite sides and enjoy.

 

Have a happy and safe Shrove Tuesday.  Now off to make pancakes for breakfast.  :)

Cha-Cha-Chia for Valentine's

Anyone old enough to remember Chia pets?  They came in many different animal forms from sheep to bears and even the likeness of famous people.  You soak the planter in water and when they are water logged, apply the little black seeds.  The directions say they are easy to grow but mine never did.  Hummmm.....


Well after all these years, and trust me it has been a few, I now have found something that I can do with chia seeds.  Bake!  Yes, chia seeds can be used in baking.  The seeds are a great source of omega-3 and fiber.  When combined with liquid they produce a glutenous gel that can be used in gluten free baking in lieu of gums.  I have done a few things like making muffins which I'm still working on.  The muffins were a little drier than I would have liked and now I have made cupcakes and just in time for Valentine's Day.

I took a pretty typical recipe for the cupcakes, reduced the ingredients by half, added in a few gluten free items and we had a wonderful gluten free dessert.  The recipe made 12 cupcakes and were then topped with a quick and easy cream cheese frosting.  The tops of the cakes were a little flat.  There could have been many reasons from the batter being to wet, the baking soda being old or my overfilling the cups.  I will be making these again but for now here is the recipe.

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

1 1/8 cups gluten free brown rice flour blend* 

2 tablespoons Expandex Modified Tapioca Starch

2 tablespoons buttermilk powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon chia seeds

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg, room temperature, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 ounce red food coloring 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners and spray the liners lightly with a gluten free cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a medium size mixing bowl, add the flour blend, Expandex, buttermilk powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.  Whisk with a wire whisk to thoroughly combine.  

Measure out 1/2 cup water and add the chia seeds.  Let stand while creaming the butter and sugar.  In a large mixing bowl cream the butter, gradually add sugar and continue beating until incorporated.  Add in the egg, extract and vinegar.  Mix in the chia gel and beat well.  Add in the flour mixture and continue to beat on medium speed until combined.  Finally add in the red food coloring and mix on medium low speed to incorporate.  

Divide the mixture evenly into 12 cupcakes, place in oven and bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Once the cupcakes test done remove from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes.  Remove from muffin tin to wire rack and cool completely.  When completely cool frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

In a small mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter.  Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Gradually add in milk to spreading consistency.  If you are going to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes you will need to add less milk and have the frosting a little stiffer.

*Please note:  The brown rice flour blend can be found on the King Arthur Flour website.

Gluten Free or Not

Buffalo Chicken Pizza: King Arthur Flour

I survived the Super Bowl!  Not a very big deal just a small gathering of friends and some outstanding food.  Having any kind of gathering for me pretty much always includes food.  Food is a great place to come together.  So much culture and traditions can be found in food choices and preparation.


Take me for example.  I was raised by a wonderful southern woman who cooked southern.  I'm not sure my mother ever used a recipe from a book.  When growing up I don't remember cookbooks in the house and as we had not reached the computer age so everything she did was pretty much in her head.  I remember her fried chicken, beef stew and smothered steak.  A few things she had picked up along the way were spaghetti with French bread and what she referred to as Goulash. 

Then of course there were pinto beans.  Beans were a staple in our house.  Every Monday she would make a big pot of beans and we would have them in some form for the rest of the week.  On Monday they were typically served with Southern style cornbread.  Upon moving to the southwest and being introduced to refried beans I learned that my southern mother had her version as well.
Somewhere around late elementary or early junior high, pizza found it's way into our home.  The base of the pizza was always from Chef Boyardee.  As for the toppings they really didn't make a lasting impression.  I remember mixing the prepackaged dough, letting it sit and then stretching it to fit a pan.  For a brief period of time I lived in the Chicago area.  There was an amazing take out pizza place that delivered.  It was local and Mamma Mia's seems to stick in my mind as the name.  On occasion we would have delivered pizza from there.    Delivered, pre-made pizza was a treat that was to be savored. 

Now when I think of pizza I think of it as something special. Something to be shared with others.  When King Arthur Flour sent out an e-newsletter recently it included a recipe for Buffalo Chicken Pizza.  There version was laden with gluten.  I looked at the recipe and quickly decided that I could do something similar and make it gluten free.  I was right.  The crust was my go to Gluten Free Pizza Crust.  I did make 2 10 inch crusts earlier in the day and had them ready and waiting for easy assembly and final baking during halftime.  The rest of the recipe was mine inspired by King Arthur.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

2 pre-made 10" pizza crusts

2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 to 2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce

1/4 cup garlic infused olive oil
1 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, gluten free blend
1 to 2 teaspoons seasoning salt blend
cooking oil
1/3 cup bottled wing sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons butter melted

6 (1 oz) slices mild Provolone cheese

4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

4 to 5 green onions, sliced

crumbled Feta cheese, to taste

Cut the chicken into 1-1/2 to 2 inch pieces and place in a glass dish.  Mix together the yogurt and Tabasco sauce. The amount of Tabasco sauce will depend on your taste buds.  I like it when the yogurt is just tinted pink.  Add the chicken to the yogurt blend, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

To cook the chicken, remove from marinade and shake lightly to remove excess.  The yogurt will cling to the chicken providing a nice base for the flour to adhere to.  Season the flour to taste with seasoning blend.  Place in a paper bag or container with tight fitting lid.  Shake to combine the seasoning, add in chicken several pieces at a time.


In a heavy skillet warm about 2 inches of oil until the oil sizzles when the tip of a wooden spoon is placed into it.  Add in the coated chicken, taking care not to overcrowd the pan.  Place a splatter screen over oil and let the chicken cook until crisp and golden.  For added crispness, place a cooling rack over a cookie sheet, layer the cooked chicken on cooling rack and place in a 450 degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes.


After chicken is cooked, place in a large container, combine the wing sauce, melted butter and pour over chicken.  Toss the chicken with mixture until coated.  Please note:  tossing is the secret to success.  If the chicken pieces are stirred the coating will breakaway.  Now you are ready to enjoy the boneless wings with your favorite dipping sauce. 

 

The 2 pounds of chicken made enough for 4 adults to enjoy about 6 to 8 pieces with dipping sauce and plenty left for two 10" pizzas.  King Arthur's Gluten Free Multi-purpose Flour  is perfect for coating the wings.  Now as your guests are enjoying the wings the pizzas can be easily assembled.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place the pre-made crusts on baking stone or cast iron griddle.  Drizzle lightly with garlic infused oil. Lay 3 slices of sliced provolone on each crust.  They will overlap slightly on a 10-inch crust.  Cut the boneless wings in half lengthwise and place cut side down on top of cheese.  Sprinkle with cut green onions, crumbled feta and Parmesan to taste.  

Place in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken is hot. 


Cut each pizza into eights and serve.   If you want to be really decadent, serve the cooked pizza with ranch dipping sauce. 

As always when cooking gluten-free you will need to read labels and do your research.  Enjoy!