Gluten Free Quiche

As promised I am continuing my highlight of recipes to host a gluten free tea party.  Today I will share the incredible, oh-so-yummy recipe for gluten free pie crusts & quiche.

The crust takes some work because the recipe utilizes several mixes BUT it is well worth it.  The following recipes come from Gluten Free baking with the Culinary Institute of America  by Richard J Coppedge Jr. – This book is AMAZING & I recommend to everyone that is beginning the process of going GF.

Pie Crust

This crust is INCREDIBLE! It has a slightly different consistency than bakery crusts (strange to say but it is a tad bit tougher) – but it tastes like a crust from Marie Calendar’s or something.  No kidding!  Even my gluten eating guests liked the crust better than the traditional version.

12 T Butter, cold

2/3 c Flour Blend #2

¾ c Flour Blend #4

2/3 c Flour Blend # 5

2/3 c Water, cold

Cut butter into small chunks & blend into flour mixtures with a pastry blender or two knives.  Add water & combine until smooth.  Refrigerate unwrapped for 1 hr.  Roll out, place into pie pan, dock with a fork & bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 min.

Quiche

1 Gluten Free Pie Crust

¾ c meat of choice

2/3 c shredded cheese of choice

2/3 c chopped veggies of choice

4 eggs

½ c milk

½ c heavy cream

Mix ingredients with a whisk & pour into baked crust.  Bake 30 to 35 min at 350 degrees.

Flour Mixes

Flour Blend # 2 (contains a little protein & fiber from brown rice)

1 ¾ c white rice flour

1 ¼ c brown rice flour

¾ c potato starch

1 c tapioca starch

Makes a total of 4 ¾ c

Flour Blend #4 (this is a stronger mix & is higher in protein)

1 ½ c white rice flour

1 ¾ c Tapioca starch

2 ¼ c Soy Flour

Makes a total of 5 ½ c

Flour Blend #5 (very strong, high in protein)

1 ¾ c white rice flour

1 ¼ c Tapioca Starch

1 ¾ Soy flour

½ c Whey powder

Makes a total of 5 ¼ c

Here is a LO featuring this recipe.  I created it for Janet’s monthly sketch challenge on Kitchen Keepsakes http://kitchenkeepsake.webs.com/ .

Two of my favorite photos

I took these photos of my husband and youngest daughter a few years ago.  As I looked through the lens of my camera I felt that I had captured something special.  I have paired them with some of my favorite verses.  



Since you are precious & honored in my sight, and because I love you, Isaiah 43



Over Labor Day weekend one year our family visited a water park in Virginia Beach.  Nadia did not yet know how to swim, but as she held on to Eric’s hand she confidently plowed through the water ready to take on any challenge.    Her confidence may have been boosted a bit too much & she selected a kid’s slide that was still a little big for her.  She came down quickly and didn’t have time to get her feet under her before she hit the water.  She plunged into the water and started to sink, but before she could take her first breath of water her papa reached into after her and lifted her into his arms.

  I love this photo.  I love how you can see the water droplets that are still falling off of Nadia’s face.  I also use it as a reminder of our Heavenly Father’s Love.  Understanding His love is something that I have struggled with the last several years.  I fail to understand the “whys” behind events and the reason why God chooses to intervene during some difficult events and why at times He chooses not to.  That is an answer that still evades me, but somehow, looking at this photo that displays a beautiful image of an imperfect father’s love helps me to trust a little more in a love that I still do not understand.

Gluten Free Tea Party - Vol 1

This week I hosted a tea party to celebrate a friend’s birthday.  It was the first tea party that I’ve hosted since having to go gluten free & so I was anxious to adapt my favorite recipes and see how they turned out.  I am very happy to report that everything turned out beautifully and I will be sharing the recipes with you in the next several posts.

Today I will be sharing a very easy, and incredibly decadent, recipe for truffles.  I highlighted the original recipe in a layout I designed for a recent challenge on Kitchen Keepsakes web site http://www.freewebs.com/kitchenkeepsake/ .  The challenge was to incorporate a banner into your layout & I must thank Kristie http://www.lotstoscrap.blogspot.com/  for the push to try something new.  It was very fun to take the challenge and push myself to utilize a shape for the banner rather than the traditional ribbon and triangles.  It was also a good way to clean out some of my stash of old letters and embellishments.  I just jazzed them up a bit with Michael’s version of stickles glitter glue and diamond glaze.

Here is the recipe

Easy OREO Truffles

1 (16 oz) package OREO Cookies

1 (8 oz) package Cream Cheese, softened

16 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. Crush cookies in the processor. Add cream cheese & blend well. Chill the dough for about 15 min & form into 1 in balls. Chill in the freezer 10 min. Dip the balls into melted chocolate & roll in crumbs or coconut. Place on waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm, & refrigerate leftovers.

For variation try lemon, orange or strawberry flavored cookies & dip in colored chocolate. Jam or liquid flavoring can be added to enhance flavor.

I’ve tried several adaptations of this recipe.  For a gluten free version I used a package of gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies.  Since those packages are smaller I didn’t waste any cookies for crumbs but rather rolled them in coconut.  My family liked them so much I had to remind them that they had their own gluten filled version J

For the tea party I wanted something to blend into the brighter spring décor & so I made lemon, orange and strawberry cream truffles.  ALL of them were a big hit!  The recipe is simple enough to make multiple batches . . . ready to try some?