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Archive for the category “Douglas Kitchen”

23 Dec 2013

Cookie Cut Ups

cookie cut upsThis is the tale of the cookies that kept cutting up. I found the delicious recipe from Ginny at Ginny’s Low Carb Kitchen. I mostly followed it, but made a tweak or two because of timing – there was nooooo way I was going out in the snow storm to buy xanthan gum, and Little B was gonna die if she could not make cookies soon! I don’t know how different they turned out without it, but we had success! Eventually. Little B and I mixed up the dough, rolled it out and ugh. A bit too soft for manipulating. I suggested to Little B that we form the cookies into shapes with our hands, but she insisted on using the cookie cutters. The cookie cutter use was a disaster. We piled up the dough and stuck it in the refrigerator for an hour. We rolled it out – again – with slightly more success, but still smooshing of the shapes by the spatula, even with a bit of help from arrowroot powder. Ack! Little B still insisted on cookie cutter use, so we again chilled the dough, for about six hours this time, occupying ourselves with movies and art projects and carols. When it was finally time to try again it worked! The cookie cutters did their duty, as long as we made sure to ‘shimmy’ them before pulling them off, separating the shape from the extra dough around it. I then carefully tilted the parchment paper and the shapes, one by one, fell onto my hand. They were delicate, but cooked up nicely and were very buttery and nutty; a wonderful accompaniment to hot chocolate. I will be more adventurous next time figuring out icing, but for now, we were able to experience cut out cookies on a snowy Alaska day, even though they resisted. Kudos to Little B for holding out for use of cookie cutters, and being flexible enough to hand shape those pesky candy canes! Three were set aside especially for Santa. Fingers crossed to have them survive that long!

Cookie Cut Ups

1/2  cup  Stevia in the Raw
1/2  cup  butter
1  large  egg
1  teaspoon  baking powder
1  teaspoon  vanilla
1/2  teaspoon  salt
2 cups  almond flour
In a food processor blend together Stevia, butter, egg and vanilla. In a medium bowl combine the baking powder, salt and flour. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and combine into a stiff dough. Refrigerate for 2 – 6 hours. Sprinkle a square piece of parchment paper with arrowroot powder, and have another piece of parchment of the same size nearby. Also prepare a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and work quickly with it. Place dough between parchment paper and roll it out 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Carefully peel off top layer of paper and use cookie cutters to make cookies. Two methods can be used to transfer cookies to the baking sheets. Either tilt the paper, letting the cookie fall into your hand, transferring the cookie to the baking sheet, or sprinkle a thin spatula with arrowroot powder and use it to slide under the cookies and remove them from the parchment paper. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, until the edges start to turn a golden brown. Let cookies cool completely before removing them from the baking sheet. Frost as desired and store in airtight container.
 
Posted in baked, cookies, Douglas Kitchen, eggs, seasonal, snack, wheat free | Leave a Comment
20 Dec 2013

Cheese Ball(s)

cheese ball

To continue with my appetizer trend, after a longer than expected pause, I offer you a cheese ball! If you look closely at the various balls available at the market, there is a curiously large amount of products that have added sugar and/or wheat. As frequent cheese consumers I found it logical to make our own. This one is simple and can be molded in all kinds of ways. The instructions below tell you how to make an actual ball, but the picture shows the result of using a silicone snowflake mold. I used the mold to make individual servings for a holiday meal, pressing nuts into the bottom, then chilling and turning them out. I served them with nuts face down, along with a smoked beef roast and cabbage saute. We have been eating wonderful meats lately, after our recent acquisition of an electric smoker. Our living situation necessitates the absence of charcoal-related activities on our balcony, so electric it is. The results are stupendous, and our refrigerator is full of delectable, smoked protein. The individual cheese servings were a perfect accompaniment to the meat and vegetables. You can probably tell, but the cheese mixture is extremely versatile and delicious! I recommend it in all forms and fashions to decorate and compliment as an appetizer or side dish. The snowflakes are not necessarily clearly defined, but the plate arrangement certainly gave a hint to the theme. I hope your holiday season is pleasant and not too cold, for the warmth of family and friends always makes the season cozy.

Cheese Ball

2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated and at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped (optional)
Whisk together cream cheese, goat cheese, chili flakes and cumin. Add cheddar cheese and stir together. The mixture may be a bit stiff if you don’t have a strong mixer, so mixing it together with your hands (like I often do) works great. Drop cheese mixture onto a piece of cling wrap that is twice the size of the mixture. Using the cling wrap mold the cheese into the desired shape – sphere, log, oval, etc. you can also use a gelatin mold or other shape to form the cheese. If desired, roll shaped cheese in pecans and gently press them into the cheese. Chill at least an hour before serving with vegetables or crackers.
Posted in cheese, dip, Douglas Kitchen, nuts, wheat free | Leave a Comment

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