Gluten & Dairy Free Dutch Sugar Cookies

I loved loved loved making cut out cookies with my Grandma.  For a while I thought I had to come to terms with the fact that those days were long gone.

But, Christmas isn't Christmas without Grandma's sugar cookies....

So to keep me from having a meltdown my first Christmas as a Celiac my Mama & Papa searched high and low for a recipe.  It just so happened that we got lucky the first time and they chose a good one!  I don't know where it came from, but I thank whoever created it!  It's even dairy free so I didn't have to change a thing.. except the frosting of course!

You are only naughty if you eat ALL the dough!

These cookies are addicting!  And to tell you the truth they are easier to make than Grandma's old recipe.  With hers you had to make the dough and then chill it for what seemed like EVER to my little mind.  I didn't have patience for that! 

Now these are the new Christmas tradition!  Everyone always looks forward to them, and I always have to double the recipe because noone can stop eating them!

Gluten & Dairy Free Dutch Sugar Cookies

2 1/2 C Featherlight Mix*
1 t Baking Powder
2 1/2 t Xanthan Gum
1 t Salt
1 C Sugar
1 C Butter Flavor Crisco- believe it or not this is GF & DF
1 Egg (or 1/4 C Liquid Egg Sugstitute)
2 t Vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350.  In a small bowl whisk together the flour mix, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.  Set aside.  Cream the Crisco and sugar.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing enough to combine.  Work the dough into a soft ball. ( For me it is always easy to work with, but if it isn't add in a bit more of the flour mix.)  Using about 1/2 at a time roll out to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut out in whatever shapes you want and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for about 12 minutes- don't overbake!  Cool a bit before removing them from the pan to a cooling rack. 

*Feather Light Flour Mix:
1 C White Rice Flour
1 C Tapioca Flour
1 C Corn Starch
1 T Potatoe FLOUR- not starch

Whisk this all together and sift it good.  This amount leaves a bit leftover thats perfect for using to knead and roll out the dough.  Of course double it if you double the cookie recipe like I do! :)

I don't have a photo of any finished and frosted cookies...
We were all too busy eating them to take the time
to take a picture before they were gone!

That's my girl, loving Cal's  new weather tec floormats
that I got for Christmas!

Creamy Crockpot Lasagna Soup (Gluten & Dairy Free)

We love lasagna, but a lot goes into putting it together.  There are so many pans and dishes and so much patience put into cooking the noodles,  browning the meat, sauteing the veges, making the homemade sauce and ricotta and then finally layering it just so.  Sometimes I just don't have the time for that!

This delicious soup gives you all the flavors and creaminess of a good meaty lasagna, but it comes together easily, quickly, and with a much smaller mess.

Creamy Crockpot Lasagna Soup (Gluten & Dairy Free)

1 lb ground turkey
4 C beef broth- separated
4 garlic cloves- minced
1 small red onion- diced
1 T italian seasoning
1 T dried basil
1 T dried parsley
1/4 t pepper
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1 6 oz can tomatoe paste
1 C tomatoe juice
2 C uncooked pasta*
1/4 C cashew ricotta- click here for my recipe
1 T nutritional yeast


Brown the meat and season with the Italian seasoning.  Throw 3 cups of the broth, garlic, onion, diced tomatoes, paste, juice, and the rest of the seasonings in the crockpot.  Stir it up and add the meat.  (remember to start soaking your cashews for the ricotta now too) Cook on low for 8 hours (high for 4-5 would work too).  When there is about a half an hour left add the remaining cup of broth with the pasta.  Stir in the cashew ricotta and nutritional yeast before serving.  Go ahead and garnish with a scoop of ricotta and some fresh herbs if you like!

*I'm always a Tinkyada girl- You can break up their lasagna noodles and throw them in to cook, or just use whatever you have on hand!

Here's my inspiration for this recipe...

The leftovers make a great lunch!

Flourless Double Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins (GF, DF, SF)

As I enjoy one of these little guys for breakfast I knew I just had to share how to make them.

They are gluten, dairy, sugar, oil, grain, and potentially nut free- but you would never know! Perfect for finicky tummies!

Original recipe is here!

Flourless Double Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins

 1 C natural peanut butter*
2 large ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 C honey
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
4 T flax seed meal
2 t vanilla (make sure it's gf)
1 t baking soda
1/2 C enjoy life dark chocolate morsels



*you can use almond if you can't do peanuts, or sunflower if you can't do any nuts at all

Preheat your oven to 375.  Spray your muffin pan with spray or use liners.  Throw everything except the chocolate chips in your blender.  Blend until smooth.  Fill each muffin cavity 1/4 - 1/2 full.  Bake for 10-12 minutes- until the tops are set.  Let these guys cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan before you enjoy them!