Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

One of my good friends Jes, who happens to be gluten free, asked me to cater her graduation party yesterday!

Of course I was so proud of her for graduating from grad school, I couldn’t say no, so I took on the job!

The menu consisted of LLB Gluten Free Favorites including Buffalo Chicken Dip, Sweet Potato Tots, Buffalo Pickle Chips, Gluten Free Chocolate Cake, and these delicious cookies!

Everything was a hit and Jes’ step dad even said these were the best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies he’d ever had

Ingredients

• 2 cups Premium Gold Gluten Free Flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups gluten free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raisins

Begin by combining the flour, baking soda and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Next, cream together the butter and brown sugar.

Add the eggs and vanilla and combine well, then add the flour mixture.

Mix the flour into the dough, then hand mix in the oats and raisins.

Mix all of the ingredients together then form the dough into small balls and place on a baking stone.

Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes.

This recipe is perfect for those with a gluten-intolerance, all of the deliciousness of the classic cookie with none of the gluten!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten-free.

♥ Love the recipe?  Don’t forget to share it with your friends!

Nutella Chocolate Gluten Free Skillet Brownies

Today I was having one of those days that was just like “eh” so I thought, what would turn that “eh” to a “Yeah!” more than the delicious combination of Nutella and Chocolate!

And did it ever! I combined the two sweet, decadent ingredients in this amazing skillet brownie!

I also took this opportunity to prepare my first gluten free brownie recipe using Premium Gold Gluten Free Flour.

I guarantee that if I didn’t tell you this skillet brownie was gluten free, you’d never know!

It’s so rich and creamy, there’s no need for gluten in this delightful dessert!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp butter (separated)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup Premium Gold Gluten Free Flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 3 tbsp Nutella (separated)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Begin by creaming 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl.

Add the vanilla and eggs.  Mix together then add the cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt.

Blend well.

Hand mix in 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray.

Next, pour the batter into the skillet.

Add 2 tbsp of Nutella to the brownie batter.

Use a knife to swirl the Nutella.

Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

While the brownie is baking, prepare the brownie frosting by adding the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp Nutella to a small mixing bowl.

Melt in the microwave for 2 minutes, then whisk in the milk, followed by the powdered sugar.

After the brownie is finished baking, pour the frosting over the skillet brownie.

Pure happiness is served

This dessert is so easy to make, it can be served after dinner during the week as a wonderful treat. Apparently I’m a poet and didn’t know it

This recipe is also perfect for parties because everyone can partake in the brownie par-tay, whether they’re gluten intolerant or not!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten-free.

Chopped Challenge Thursday: Pears, Pomegranates, Turmeric and Eggs

Not only is it week 20 of “Chopped Challenge Thursday” but it is also day 3 of my “Thousand by Valentine’s Challenge”!!!

On Tuesday I launched a challenge in order to reach my first goal of 2013: Reach 1000 “likes” on Little Leopard Book’s Facebook Page. I decided to do this by asking my loyal, amazing, super, fabulous followers to “share” my page with their friends.

Three days later, I stumbled upon this quote, “If I tell my Facebook friends about your brand, it’s not because I like your brand, but rather because I like my friends.” – Mark Arauz

I absolutely loved it and hope this is how everyone feels about sharing my page!

If you would like to join in the fun, scroll on over to the right hand side of this page, click that little blue “like” button, then cruise on over to Facebook, check out your cousins new puppy, who got engaged this week, send a happy birthday message, then share “Little Leopard Book” with your friends!

I want to thank everyone who has already helped in the challenge!  I put all of my love, passion and obsession with cooking into every post and I just hope you all enjoy reading them as much as I love creating them!

Ok I know, enough with the mushy stuff and on to the FOOD!

Now after asking you all to share my page with your friends, I feel like I have to be honest with you. I’m not perfect.

Oh my gosh, I know, it’s shocking because there are so many perfect people out there

I try to play the “perfect hostess” card most of the time, but Sunday night “perfect hostess” I was not.

I planned a delicious Greek dinner for a few friends and was able to complete 3 of the 4 items on the menu, but when it came down to dessert I simply ran out of time to prepare the Baklava!

Since I had driven to 3 grocery stores to find phyllo dough, this dessert was still happening, just a little later than planned.

As I looked at my “Mystery Basket Ingredients” for the week, I thought “hmmm maybe I can incorporate these into my Baklava” and I did!

This weeks mystery basket featured Pears from Michael Winger, Pomegranates from Allison Davis, Turmeric from Krista Lombardi and Eggs from Kristi Sellers.

I incorporated the pears by caramelizing them in a little cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and turmeric mixture, then mixed the caramelized pears with the pomegranate seeds and crushed pistachios for the filling.  I then used half butter and half egg white wash to brush the phyllo dough.  A little more protein and a little less butter never hurt anyone!

The result was a sweet, nutty, tart, scrumptious dessert, that had so many levels of flavor and pure awesomeness in every bite!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 pears (peeled, cored and sliced)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 cups pistachio kernels
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• 20 sheets phyllo dough
• ½ cup butter (melted)
• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla

Begin by melting the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Next, add the pear slices. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Next, combine the turmeric, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a small bowl.

Add the spice mixture to the caramelizing pears.

Cook for 3-5 minutes of until pears become soft, but not mushy!

Next, place the pistachios in a food processor and blend into a fine crumb mixture.

Chop up the pear slices, then add the pistachios and pomegranate seeds.

Next, prepare the “Baklava Making Station” by laying out the phyllo dough, next to a bowl with melted butter and bowl with egg whites, a pastry brush and a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Spray the baking dish with cooking spray or brush with the melted butter then one by one place the phyllo dough into the baking dish and brush with butter or egg white, alternating with each sheet.  After 10 sheets, place half of the filling on the dough.

Layer 5 more sheets on top (still alternating egg wash and butter on each sheet) then top with the rest of the filling.

Finally, top the baklava with the last 5 sheets of phyllo dough (egg wash, butter, egg wash, butter, you get it by now!)

Next, slice the Baklava diagonally to form little diamonds.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

While the baklava is in the oven, prepare the syrup to go on top.

Begin by bringing the water and sugar to a boil. Next, add the honey, lemon juice and vanilla. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the stove and allow to cool while the baklava finishes baking.

Once the baklava comes out of the oven, drizzle the syrup over the top.

Let the syrup soak in there for 3-4 hours, then serve!

Not only was this dessert a delicious mid-week treat, it also helped me knock another item off the “food list challenge”  (I’m now at 72 of 100!)

I also upped the ante on my “Valentines Day Challenge” by sharing this dessert with new friends!

Grab a slice and dig in!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: Use a gluten-free phyllo dough to make this recipe gluten-free. Foodista has a recipe for gluten-free phyllo dough here.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Nutella Buddies

I know I’m not the only one who was obsessed with Muddy Buddies as a kid!  They were always a favorite at school holiday parties, birthday parties and just a deliciously sweet snack to have around the house!

I recently decided to combine my favorite childhood snack with my favorite adult indulgence, Nutella, for a delectably sweet treat that is sure to bring back all those warm memories of being a kid combined with the pure joy that Nutella brings to everything it touches!

Ingredients

• 9 cups rice chex
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup nutella
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Begin by placing the rice chex in a large bowl.

Next, melt together the chocolate chips, Nutella and butter for 2 minutes in the microwave.

Remove from the microwave, stir, then microwave for an additional minute.

Next, mix in the vanilla, then pour the mixture on top of the rice chex and mix well to coat.

Place into a large Ziploc bag, then cover in the powdered sugar and toss well.

Once covered completely in the powdered sugar, pour the Nutella Buddies out onto a sheet of wax paper and allow to set for 30 minutes (while taste testing along the way, of course!)

Now, place in a serving bowl and dig in!

My roommates words, and I quote “What did you put in these?  They’re the best Muddy Buddies I’ve ever had!”

Me: “Guess!”

My roommate: “Nutellllla”

Me: “Obvi!”

Sometimes the simplest things can be just so darn delicious! Oh, and did I mention, they’re also gluten-free!

I will definitely be serving these at my upcoming Superbowl Party!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten-free.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Nutella Cheesecake Bites

The inspiration for this dessert came last week while studying for finals. I was rummaging through my cabinets looking for a sweet snack and stumbled upon the vanilla wafers I had purchased to dip in my Birthday Cake Hummus. Then I spied that little jar of hazelnut goodness sitting on the shelf above. My vanilla wafers all the sudden started screaming, “dip me in hazelnut goodness, dip me in hazelnut goodness”, and since talking cookies freak me out, I obeyed.

Pretty much the greatest combination ever.

Now I thought, I could just spread some nutella on vanilla wafers and serve them at my Christmas Cocktail Party, but that just wasn’t quite inventive enough for the little leopard book, so I whipped some cream cheese into the nutella and replaced a graham cracker crust with vanilla wafers to make mini-nutella cheesecake bites!

As I prepared these little bite-sized desserts for my party, I had to make a separate plate for my roommate and I to snack on so that we didn’t eat all of the bites reserved for the guests before the party!

Ingredients

• 16 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup nutella
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 box vanilla wafers

Blend together the nutella and cream cheese. Next, mix in the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.

Place the Nutella cheesecake mixture into a Ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the corner.

Pipe the cheesecake onto the vanilla wafers.

Optional: top with some chocolate shavings for a little extra “oomph!”

Bada bing, bada boom, Nutella Cheesecake Delectable Town awaits you!

Simple, delicious, crowd-pleasing desserts are pretty much my favorite thing ever!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: Replace the vanilla wafers with this gluten-free version of the cookie to make this recipe gluten-free.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.