Gluten Free Shower Treats

We recently held a bridal shower for my youngest daughter, and not only did I want to enjoy the food at the shower, I also knew that there were guests coming that needed gluten-free options.  The menu included quiche (with and without a crust), spinach salad, chicken salad, the requisite bridal shower cake with pretty pink roses and the following gluten free options:

Peanut butter cookies
I used about 2/3 extra crunchy pb and 1/3 sun butter to cut the sweetness factor.  These cookies are amazing because, given the recipe, it doesn't seem like they should turn into cookies.  But these taste like standard peanut butter cookies and are great for those moments that you feel kind of deprived because you are eating gluten free.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies
Recipes from Gluten Free on a Shoe String are consistently good, but she does rely heavily on rice flour blends. That said, I have tried a few of her recipes using "Mr Ritt's Gluten Free Flour Alternative" (which is also based on rice flour) and found them good. I used mini chips in this recipe to distribute the chips a bit more evenly.

Oatmeal Muffins
These oatmeal muffins are from my favorite recipe, and the only change was to use the flour alternative.   It was so nice to find a recipe that I love was easy to make gluten free!

The shower was a lovely event and EVERYONE got to enjoy the food!

Peach Muffins II

Some time ago I developed an allergy to cinnamon, which is kind of sad since many of the best recipes include this fragrant spice. I've adapted one of our favorites, Peach Muffins, so that I can still enjoy them with the family.
Makes 12 muffins
Oven temp: 400 °

• ½ cup milk
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup finely diced peaches
  

Preheat oven to 400 °. Grease bottoms of 12 standard muffin cups (2 ¾ inches in diameter), spray with cooking spray or use foil or silicone muffin cups. Fruit muffins stick to paper muffin cups.

Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl.In a mixing bowl, beat egg well. Stir in milk and oil, Mix in dry ingredients just until flour is moistened. Gently stir in peaches. Batter should be lumpy.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. I use the largets cookie scoop for evenly sized muffins. Bake 20-25 mminutes or until golden brown. Let stand in pan 3-5 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.

Allspice Muffins

Kelly shared this recipe with me a while ago. I m not sure where it came from, but here is is with my modifications. These are very sweet dessert type muffins, not everyday breakfast fare, but absolutely delicious!

For the streusel:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
5 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

For the muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 lemon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Center a rack in the oven. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

To make the streusel topping, put the flour, brown sugar and allspice in a small bowl. Sift together with a fork. Add the bits of cold butter and toss to coat, then use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you’ve got irregularly shaped crumbs. (I would do this in the mixer or food processor.) Set aside in the refrigerator.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice and salt. Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps. Stir in the lemon zest.

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla together until well combined.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently but quickly stir to blend with the whisk or a rubber spatula; the batter will be somewhat lumpy.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle some streusel over each muffin, then use your fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins to the wire rack and allow to cool completely.