gf-cf goodies for the holidays

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In case anyone is pondering their menu for Thanksgiving... you can subscribe

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here is todays for pumpkin-coconut GF pie -

http://www.livingwithout.com/erecipes/pumpkin_pie_lwo_11.12.09.html?st=eml & s=hse\

& p=111209

and here is our household fav .... *Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter

Kisses Recipe*

Ingredients – makes about 18-20 this is definitely not a low-sugar cookie

but they are wonderful

1 cup sugar – recipe is for white but I used ½ brown and ½ white to make

more chewy

1 cup *peanut Butter*<http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/aa110397.htm>–

I used creamy unsalted but anything is fine

1 large egg

1 tsp *vanilla*

<http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/aa071497.htm>

optional – add ¼ cup of flour to make the cookies slightly more chewy

1 (12 ounces) package

*chocolate*<http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blchocoindex.htm>Hershe\

y

Kisses, unwrapped or Hershey's Mini-Kisses which come unwrapped

White sugar in a bowl to roll the dough balls in to coat them.

Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine sugar, peanut butter, egg, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. In

the palms of your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll in white

sugar. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet ( I bake on parchment

paper for easy clean up. )

Bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove cookies from oven. Quickly

place one chocolate kiss on each hot cookie, pressing down lightly. Return

to oven and bake an additional 2 minutes to set the chocolate. Cool on

racks.

I doubled this recipe to

1 cup white sugar,

1 cup brown sugar,

2 cups peanut butter,

2 eggs,

2 tsp vanilla

a generous ½ cup of white flour if desired

The white flour is not in the original recipe, another person tried adding

it and found it made the cookies hold together better.

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here are a couple of crust recipes which is always my problem

****Almond Macaroon Crust

1 cup ground almond meal (processed almonds)

3/4 cup light brown or cane sugar

1 medium organic free-range egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

a dash of spice - cinnamon or nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and GF-flour a 9-inch glass pie plate;

or use a greased and GF-floured tart pan.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the ground almonds, sugar, egg, extract, salt

& spice. Spread the almond mixture into the pie plate and press lightly

(with moist fingertips) to form a crust.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, check to see the shape of it, and using a

silicone or vinyl spatula, lightly press down any high puffy areas; resume

baking for another 2 to 5 minutes, until the crust is firm. Place on a wire

rack and again press down the shape to flatten, if needed.

Cool before filling. The crust will get crisper as it cools.

****Quick & Easy Almond Pie Crust

For one 9-inch tart pan::

1 cup almond meal (processed almonds - pecans also work well)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons chilled butter or vegan margarine

1 1/2 tablespoons of cream or non-dairy cream

In a food processor, blend all ingredients until dough clumps together.

Chill 15 minutes. Roll out the dough on wax paper dusted with either

cornstarch or tapioca flour. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan and press in

lightly. Chill again till firm, and fill. Bake as directed in your pie

recipe; keeping an eye on the edges of the crust. If it starts to brown too

quickly, cover the edges with strips of foil. Also make sure your oven rack

is in the center of the oven, and not close to the top.

Cook's Note:: to pre-bake for a no-bake filling, I would prick the crust,

then bake it at 325 or 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes until firm. Cool

before filling.

******Almond Pie Crust

I've used this crust for pumpkin pie and cheesecake.

2 cups (heaping) almond meal

1/2 cup butter/vegan stick margarine, melted, or 1/2 cup light olive oil

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

Dash of pie spice or cinnamon, if desired

Combine all of the ingredients to form a sticky dough. With moist

fingertips, press the dough into a greased 9x12-inch baking pan or 2 8-inch

glass pie plates. Bake the crust at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Allow to

cool completely before filling.

I've done the same with pecans; I've processed them into meal - pecans make

a wonderful nut crust. Some cooks add a little rice flour to the mix.

Experiment.

Coconut Crust

If you like coconut here is a simple crust for pies and cookie bars. I

haven't tried this, but it looks intriguing. I adapted it from several

recipes I've come across.

2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

2 tablespoons of chilled unsalted butter or stick vegan margarine, cut into

pieces

Pour the coconut into a food processor and add the butter. Pulse on and off

until the mixture resembles moist crumbs.

Press into a 9-inch glass pie dish [or 8x8-inch baking dish, if making bars]

and bake the crust for about 15 to 20 minutes or so, at 325 degrees F. until

golden. Cool before adding filling.

Cook's Notes:: a combo of Pamela's lemon cookie crumbs and coconut would

make an awesome crust. I might try combining the two and follow a classic

crumb crust recipe.

For a beautiful pie crust made with gluten-free oatmeal, check out

's Oatmeal

Cookie

Crust<http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/12/calamondin-or-lemon-pie-with-oatmeal.\

html>at

FatFree Vegan Kitchen