Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuit Mix

Funny how things change once you have a cause! I didn't post anything on this blog for months and now two consecutive days. If you're going to build a recipe database worth looking up you have to be diligent about it. Figures I'd start something that requires diligence. Seems that's the one thing I am trying to pound into my kids' heads these days. I guess leading by example is required here. Now to convince them that this is a "job" I need to do, something that I started so need to follow through on. Chances are they're going to think I'm just playing on the computer. Sigh. Oh the sacrifices I make. :-)

So, today I'm posting a gluten free biscuit mix. These biscuits have always turned out light and fluffy for me. The mix calls for crumbling the shortening into the mix and storing it all the fridge. With six kids there is no extra room in my fridge so I just mix the dry ingredients together and store in the pantry and then add the shortening later. This mix will make 5 batches of biscuits, about 8 biscuits per batch.

2 1/2 cups rice flour
1 2/3 cups potato starch
2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
3 Tablespoons egg replacer (optional)
15 Tablespoons (1 cup less 1 T) shortening

In a large mixing bowl, whist together the rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, buttermilk powder, and egg replacer. With a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until no lumps appear. Store in a 2 qt container in the refrigerator.

Plain Biscuits: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Measure out 1 1/4 cups of mix. If shortening was not added to the mix cut in 3 Tablespoons shortening at this time. Add 1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup of water for rolled biscuits or 1/3 cup of water for light drop biscuits. (I make the drop biscuits.) Handle gently and roll out or drop as soon as the dough is moistened. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Shortcake Biscuits: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Measure out 1 1/4 cups of mix. If shortening was not added to the mix cut in 3 Tablespoons shortening at this time. Add 1 Tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup water. Handling lightly, pat into rounds and put on a cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Hope you enjoy these! It took me quite some time to find a gluten-free biscuit recipe that my whole family, including the non gluten-free people, would eat. These fit the bill.

Shari

Gluten-Free Pancakes and Blueberry Sauce

So, I set this up and left it. I didn't really feel I had the time to do anything much with it so didn't advertise to anyone and figured it was a long shot for anybody to find. Recently I have been asked by quite a few people for gluten-free recipes that work, and taste good. (For anybody that eats gluten-free you know what I mean!) I got thinking about the best way to pass these along and figured blogs work really well. I jumped back on here and, low and behold, my abandoned blog has one follower! MY, (Maybe someday I'll explain that, she knows!) cousin found me. She might not benefit from these funny recipes but maybe from the rest of what happens here. And, just maybe, I'll actually tell a few people that this exsists.

Along with the recipes I hope to pass on what is going on in our lives. What my family and I are learning about God, ourselves, our friends, etc. Try to explain the craziness that is our life. For example, while writing these few words I have hauled my 11 1/2 month old daughter off the steps. She thinks it is great to climb all the way to the top. I have found a list of cows for my husband that he forgot and left in the coat at home so I could read it to him over the phone. And, I have mediated a yelling match. I'm a pretty fast typer too! And hopefully give encouragement to others so they know they are not alone in their struggles. I am by no means a perfect Christian, woman, wife, mother, teacher, or anything else. I struggle daily with my patience, selfishness, and time management. (One would think I would have a better handle on that last one with all I have going on. Something to work on this year.) I don't want to use this blog to give a false impression of who I am but so others can, hopefully, see the real me and will, again hopefully, see me grow in my Christan walk with God.

So, I will end this blog with a quick gluten-free recipe that I will hopefully be making for breakfast tomorrow. It is nice when you can easily fall upon really yummy recipes when you are in a hurry and just need something now, as happened with this pancake recipe. Most gluten-free recipes call for a bunch of added ingredients to help hold things together or help with the texture. This one worked really well just by substituing the regular flour for a combination of red and brown rice flour. It makes a really nice, fluffy, light pancake that is equally healthy. So, enjoy the recipe Jill and maybe next time we'll have a little more company. ;-)

Gluten-Free Pancakes
1/2 cup red rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 Tablespoon honey (or sugar)

Mix dry ingredients together. (You may double, triple, or beyond this recipe and store it as a mix at this point.) Mix liquid ingredients and then add to dry. Stir just until mixed. Spoon onto hot griddle or pan. Turn when top is bubbly. Enjoy topped with real maple syrup or this blueberry sauce I remember from my childhood.

Blueberry Sauce
1 cup water
1 pint blueberries (fresh or frozen)
3/4 cup sugar (or a substitue of your choice such as honey, maple syrup, agave, or xyletol)
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
dash salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Heat water to boiling. Add blueberries and return to a boil. Combine dry ingredients and stir into blueberries. (If using a liquid substitute sweetner just add to the pan by itself.) Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Cool slightly before using.


That's all for now folks!
Shari