Wild Mushroom Ravioli

I mentioned before that I am having too much fun with my new ravioli mold.  Also, that I have extra time on my hands lately.  An upside of those two things together... an abundance of homemade ravioli! First it was the butternut squash, and once that worked out (quite well, I might add), the opportunities were endless!  My husband and I both adore mushrooms.  We put them in chili, roasted vegetables, on pizza, etc... In other words, we put them in just about anything.  So naturally, this lead to my search for a recipe for mushroom ravioli.  This one is a merger between one I found on Food.com and another I found on the Food Network.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know those days where you get hit with an irresistible craving?  My husband teases me because I constantly have random cravings that don't leave until I satisfy them.  Consequently, that means sometimes these cravings last several days before satisfied.  We both worry about my appetite someday when I get pregnant.  If I get a craving for cookies or chinese food out of the blue NOW, what will I be like then?  (PS, the craving for chinese food has lasted a LONG time already... there just aren't any GF options for that).  Anyways, I have time on my hands lately.  Too much time you could say.  So when a craving for double chocolate chip cookies came my way, I got right up and made some.  I love when a recipe turns out the first time.  I think I ate four of these right out of the oven.  Yes, they were that good.

Ten Of My Favourite Gluten Free Blogs

I'm new at this.  Really, I am.  I've only been at this gluten free diet for 7 months or so.  So most of my experimenting has happened in that time period.  Most of the recipes posted on this blog have been found on another gluten free blog somewhere and then tweaked as necessary.  I've been pretty brave with my experimenting, tampering with fresh pasta and ravioli.  But I can't quite bring myself to meander into the bread world.  Yet.  But if you are aching for fresh gluten free bread, don't wait on me!  Below is a list of my favourite gluten free blogs.  These are the sites that I most often go to when I want a new recipe - they have WAY more experience with gluten free cooking and baking than I do!  So add them to your reading list!  When you want to try a new recipe, check out my blog and check out theirs also!  Choose one that makes sense to YOU.  Read the description.  Try new things!  Avoid pre-mixed flour blends from the store, and don't be afraid of the fact that you will have a plethora of different flour types in your pantry.  It's worth it.

My favourites:

1. Gluten Free Girl - She is a writer, married to a chef, and has been a celiac since 2005.  She has a bit of everything on her blog.  She's also written a cookbook.

2. The Baking Beauties - She's written a cookbook called "The Everything Guide to Living Gluten Free".  She has recipes under every food category, and LOTS of bread recipes.

3. Celiac Teen - Nineteen year old chef and blogger.  Lots of experience and great recipes!  Here I finally found a delicious biscuit recipe that melts in your mouth.

4. Gluten Free Goddess - Everything under the sun and great descriptions for her flour choices.  She has some strong opinions on which flours you should an should not use, but she has years of experience under her belt.

5. Simply Gluten Free - Television chef Carol Kicinski.  20 years gluten free.  Develops her own recipes. Awesome blog.

Other recommended bloggers: (I haven't tried these sites, but I think I will soon!)

6.  Elana's Pantry - Two gluten free cookbooks

7. Gluten Free Mommy - Family friendly gluten free

8. Gluten Free Day - quoted as a "must read blog"

9. Hey, That Taste's Good! - Gluten free doesn't mean taste free

10. Gluten Free Gobsmacked - I just discovered a recipe for garlic-parmesan pull apart bread on this website... drool!

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli

My wonderful husband bought me a ravioli maker for Christmas.  I love it.  It is my new favourite toy.  It isn't really a ravioli maker though, more like a ravioli mold.  Either way, with my GF pasta recipe in hand, I went to town!

My brother and I decided it was time to try growing some more types of squash in my mothers garden this past summer.  I insisted on spaghetti squash and acorn squash, he opted for butternut squash.  I am sure glad he did!  Butternut squash made the most delightful filling in these little ravioli's.

Gluten Free Cheese Biscuits

Gluten free dough does not handle the same way as regular dough.  It is a reality of learning to cook gluten free, but it does not mean that taste needs to be compromised.  But it is for this reason that drop biscuits work better than rolled biscuits.  This recipe is my best success thus far with gluten free rolled biscuits.  It comes from the blog of Celiac Teen.  The millet flour seems to be the key here, it behaves so nicely in those recipes that are particularly difficult to convert.

Gluten Free Waffles & Vanilla Custard

I didn't get a crepe maker for Christmas (which ended up being okay - I learned the frying pan method), but I DID get a waffle maker.  You just can't make those delicious little squares on your own.  These turned out so crisp and wonderful,  I could have eaten them all day!  This recipe comes from Food.com, and I will be making them again!  The vanilla custard recipe comes from my family, and is a long standing tradition to eat with waffles.  Dip them in custard, or layer the waffles up with custard, jam, fresh fruit, whipped cream, whatever you desire!

Gluten Free Crepes

Crepes have always been one of my favorite meals/breakfast items/ desserts.  They are so delicious and versatile!  I knew these could be converted to GF since my little brother had done it once before.  Also, The Creperie in Edmonton serves gluten free crepes!  (As a side note, I also have their GF bread recipe... but I haven't attempted it yet!)  I hadn't tried making crepes myself since I was hoping to get a crepe maker for Christmas.  A crepe maker is basically an inverted frying pan that you dip into your batter, creating a paper thin crepe!  I had never tried the frying pan method.  But I am impatient, so I figured I could try at least once to make crepes in the frying pan... and voila!  This recipe comes from Living Without.  Try them sweet or savory, for breakfast or any meal of the day!  The flour blend I chose is a high protein mix, because it lends itself nicely to high elasticity.