Hanukkah or Anytime Gluten Free Donuts

The gluten free version of Bisquick is dairy free as well---a nice plus in my opinion. I call these "drop donuts". You can add just about anything to them, such as grated apple or zucchini, or sliced bananas. They are easy to make and delicious to fresh and hot.

Gluten Free "Drop" Bisquick Donuts

2 cups gluten free Bisquick

3 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup rice, soy or dairy milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg, beaten

Canola or vegetable oil for frying

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam, optional

powdered sugar, optional

Cinnamon and sugar, optional

In a large mixing bowl, mix together first 6 ingredients. Add more milk, a tablespoon at a time, if mixture is very thick. Cover and refrigerate until oil heats.

Meanwhile, heat 3 inches of oil in a large pot on medium-high (375 degrees) heat. To test readiness of oil, drop a walnut size piece of dough into hot oil. If it floats and small bubbles appear around it, the dough is ready. Using two tablespoons, scoop up batter in one and push it off the spoon with the other into the oil. Don't crowd the pot. Fry only 2 or 3 donuts at a time. Using a slotted spoon, turn donuts when they appear golden. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove donuts to a paper towel lined plate and drain well. Repeat until all batter is used up.

Allow donuts to cool for 5 minutes. Using a pastry bag fitted with a round tip, fill donuts with jam. Place powdered sugar in sieve and sprinkle over donuts. These are also great not filled and sprinkled with cinamon and sugar, that's the way my kids like them.... Best served warm. Store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

Makes: 1 dozen small or 9 large donuts.

Let’s very quickly clear up any confusion you might have about persimmons. There are probably two types of persimmons that you might run in your search for the fruit this autumn. Fuyu persimmons are the squat little darlings that you can eat when they are hard, think apples. They are great in salads.  Hachiya persimmons are the more bulbous fruit that are best enjoyed super ripe and super soft. Hachiya persimmons are lovely for baking as they are super sweet… like eating nectar… I hear they are dreamy.

 

Now… I hear when you think of Persimmon Pudding think of sweet and super moist bread pudding meets spice cake. If you can… close your eyes and think about a dessert that you grandmother might make in the Fall of 1976, you might not like this dessert as much as you like your grandmother’s chocolate cake, but you liked that she served her Persimmon Pudding with super melty vanilla ice cream… which made everything ok. There you go…. that’s Persimmon Pudding.

Persimmon Pudding
some old school Indiana newspaper 1976, adapted from Joy the Baker
makes 6 to 8 servings



2 cups fresh Hachiya persimmon pulp, removed from the skin
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose GF flour
1 tsp. xanthum gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon melted butter, plus more for buttering dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×9 baking dish and set aside
Stir the baking soda and sugar into the persimmon pulp and set aside. This mixture may thicken as it sits…
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Add to the persimmon mixture all at once and stir until flour is almost completely incorporated.
Whisk together  buttermilk, eggs and butter and add to the persimmon and flour mixture. Batter will be very loose. Pour into the baking dish.
Bake for 1 hour covered with foil, or uncovered. If you make the pudding covered, you’ll have a very wet and moist pudding. If you bake the pudding uncovered, you’ll have a drier pudding topped with a bread like crust. I baked my pudding covered for the first 30 minutes, then uncovered for the last 30 minutes. Bake the pudding until it is firm but still very moist.
Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Best served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Filling

What family doesn't love tacos, and what mom doesn't love a good slow cooker recipe? This recipe is the best of both, and as a bonus, calls for less expensive chicken thighs or  chicken breasts that can withstand hours of slow cooking without losing their texture. Happy Taco Tuesday from my home to yours.

Ingredients

• 1 can Green chiles, diced
• 1 jar GF salsa, (about 12 ounces; mild or spicy to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
• 1 whole onion, chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Directions

1. Place chicken in the bowl of a slow cooker. Top with salsa, diced green chiles, cumin, onion and garlic. Cover and set on low. Cook for 8 hours.
2. Remove chicken from pot, shred, and return to juices.
3. Spoon chicken into taco shells, with whatever toppings your family likes. The filling is also great for tostadas or as a filling for enchiladas.