Recipes - Darcy's Favorite

Limited Time Sale for Holiday Baking Gluten-Free Kits

darcykpatch — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 22:16:58 +0000

This is a limited time sale for holiday baking gluten-free kits for delivery on Saturday, November 23. Kits will only be made to order for this sale. Please get your order in by November 21st by email or text.

Classic favorites like focaccia bread, French bread, and cinnamon rolls are available, as are some new kits.

Featured in this sale will be a brand-new dinner roll kit. These are the best gluten-free rolls I have made yet. After thousands of test batches, I finally have the closest things to Rhodes Rolls I have eaten since going gluten-free. The rolls are soft and tender, perfect to serve along with your traditional holiday meals.

These kits have been incredibly popular. Each kit works like a cake mix — you add ingredients like water, oil, eggs, vanilla, or butter to complete the recipe for fresh food at home.

See below for a description of each kit.

Kits can be picked up at my home on Saturday, November 23rd from 4:00 pm to 6 pm. I might even have samples for you to try. If additional kit pick-up arrangements need to be made, please reach out by email or text.

Orders that require shipping will not be accepted at this time. Sorry!

Place your order using the form below. Click on the image and open it in a new window to print or fill it out electronically and return it by email.

Kit Description and Details

Limited time sale for holiday baking gluten-free kits includes 16 different kits. Each one is gluten-free and dairy-free. To make the kits at home, you will add a few ingredients and bake the items.

For the dairy-free individuals, I have used these kits with Oat Milk for the most part. I have not tested them with butter substitutes, but I would love to hear feedback if you do. Chocolate chips are not included so individuals with a dairy intolerance can choose the appropriate chocolate chip for their needs.

Focaccia Bread

This is hands-down everyone’s favorite bread. It’s easy to make and tastes amazing! The spice kit is included in a separate bag so you can decide whether or not to include it. Makes one 8×8 loaf.

You will need: Water, yeast, olive oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, 8×8 pan, parchment, measuring cups & spoons, shower caps
Ingredients: White rice flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, salt, sugar, spices

French Bread

This is easily my family’s favorite bread. We make it once a week or more. We use it for soups, dipping, after-school snacks, or to round out a meal. The packet contains enough to make one large French bread loaf or two smaller ones.

You will need: Water and yeast
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, measuring cups & spoons, baking pan, parchment paper
Ingredients: White Rice flour, sorghum, potato starch, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, sugar, salt

Cinnamon Rolls

These are honestly the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made. They are tender and soft. They are a decadent breakfast or dessert. The packet comes with powdered sugar to help you make the frosting too. Makes 9 cinnamon rolls to fill an 8×8 baking dish.

You will need: Water, milk (any kind), egg, oil or butter, yeast, additional butter for filling and frosting
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, pizza cutter, 8×8 pan, mixer
Ingredients: Tapioca Starch, white rice flour, sorghum, sugar, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum, psyllium husk, brown sugar, cinnamon

Dinner Rolls

These are the perfect edition to your holiday dinner. These dinner rolls are soft and puffy. Perfect with a little butter or dipped in gravy. The fan favorite for any meal.

You will need: Water, yeast, olive oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, 8×8 pan, parchment, measuring cups & spoons, shower caps
Ingredients: White rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, salt, sugar

Pie Crust

This crust makes an excellent, flaky pie. I’ve used it for quiche, one-crust and double-crust pies. The kit is enough to make two 9-inch crusts. The filling is all up to you!

You will need: Water, butter or crisco, egg(for the wash)
Tools used at my house: bowl, pie pan, rolling pin
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, tapioca starch, sugar, salt, xanthan gum

Biscuits

These biscuits are simply decadent. They are buttery soft on the inside and have a crisp edge too. Perfect for breakfast sandwiches or served with butter and jam they are a perfect addition to any meal. For dairy-free, use crisco butter-flavored and any substitute milk you prefer.

You will need: Butter, Buttermilk, egg
Tools used at my house: bowl, baking sheet, scoop
Ingredients: White Rice flour, sorghum, potato starch, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, sugar, salt, xanthan gum, baking powder

Sandwich Bread

This loaf is standard-sized, slightly larger than a Pepperidge Farm loaf of bread. It is perfect for sandwiches, grilled cheese, French toast, or butter and jam.

Ingredients: White Rice flour, sorghum, potato starch, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, sugar, salt
You will need: Water, yeast, and olive oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, 8×8 pan, parchment, measuring cups & spoons, shower caps, bread pan

Tortillas

These tortillas are every bit as good as a regular flour tortilla. My family eats them so fast off the griddle, that they are usually half-gone before we eat dinner. The tortillas are great as tacos, burritos, or with butter for a quick snack.

You will need: Water and butter or oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, measuring cups & spoons, tortilla press, griddle, spatula, tortilla warmer
Ingredients: White Rice flour, potato starch, sorghum, salt, psyllium husk, sugar, baking powder

Pizza Crusts

My son loves pizza. We always keep these crusts on hand for when there is a pizza emergency — with teenagers, that is a real thing. This kit makes two 12-inch crusts. You bake them for five minutes and then can either top them and bake, or freeze them for future use.

You will need: Water, yeast, and olive oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, 12″ parchment circles, pizza pan, kitchen gloves, pizza cutter
Ingredients: White rice flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, sugar, salt, psyllium husk

Pancakes

These are perfect for an everyday breakfast or an easy weekend morning too. The package makes 18 medium pancakes or 24 smaller ones.

You will need: Eggs, milk(any kind, we use oat), oil or butter, vanilla
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, measuring cups & spoons, griddle, spatula,
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, tapioca starch, sugar, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum

Brownies

No one will ever know these are gluten-free and dairy-free. They are a pan full of happiness made out of ooey-gooey chocolate. I prefer light olive oil in this recipe because it stops them from drying out. Makes an 8×8 pan of brownies.

You will need: Oil, eggs, chocolate chips and vanilla
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, measuring cups & spoons, 8×8 pan, spatula,
Ingredients: Gluten-free flour blend, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder

Any Mix-in Cookie

This cookie mix is ready for you to add anything you like. We love cranberries and white chocolate chips, but you can use mini M&M’s with mini chips, Heath bits, caramel bits, macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips, or anything else you wish. Makes 18 large cookies or 24 small.

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg, Mix-ins
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, brown sugar, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda

Snickerdoodles

If I were to choose a favorite cookie to take to events, these snickerdoodles would be my top choice every time. They fly off the plate. They are kid and adult-approved. No one can tell they are gluten-free. They taste like a little bundle of cinnamon and sugar happiness. Kit makes 18 large or 24 small cookies.

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar

Sugar Cookies

Every Valentine’s Day growing up we would deliver these cookies covered in pink frosting to all our neighbors. I’ve adapted the recipe to be gluten-free, but they still taste like my childhood. They are pillows of sugary goodness. The kit makes 18 large or 24 small cookies. The frosting ingredients are included in the kit.

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg, butter for the frosting, milk (any kind)
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper. mini-off set spatula
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, sugar, salt, baking powder

Vanilla Sugar Cookies

These cookies are perfect for when you want something simple but completely decadent. They are a little chewy but melt in your mouth. They are the perfect after-school snack or a late-night treat. Makes 18 large or 24 small cookies.

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the cookies my kids ask for on special occasions. We have been making them for years and they feel like home to us. Now that they are gluten-free no one has to worry and they still get their favorite treat. Makes 18 large or 24 small cookies.

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper
Ingredients: Gluten-free flour blend, tapioca powder, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda

If you live too far away to come to the kit sale, some recipes are here at DarcysFavorite.com You can find brownies and chocolate chip cookies along with many other delicious foods.

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

The post Limited Time Sale for Holiday Baking Gluten-Free Kits appeared first on Darcy's Favorite.

Decadent But Quick Everyday Pancakes

darcykpatch — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 00:26:42 +0000

These pancakes are a dream — they are decadent but quick everyday pancakes. Whip them up in just a few minutes and the whole family is happy.

A good friend shared this recipe a few years ago and we have been enjoying these pancakes ever since.

We love to top our pancakes with fruit, but you can also go the traditional route and have syrup and butter if you wish. They are delicious either way.

Making Pancakes Gluten-free

To make the decadent but quick everyday pancakes gluten-free, use a one-to-one or 1:1 gluten-free flour like King Arthur Measure for Measure. You can get it online or in your grocery stores. Costco has even started selling it in five-pound bags. I also use xanthan gum to help the gluten-free pancakes puff up rather than lie flat.

For other amazing breakfast foods, try my Eggo Waffle Copycat Recipe, high-protein pancakes, or baked oatmeal.

Making the Decadent But Quick Everyday Pancakes

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil or butter, and vanilla. Mix well. I like using a Danish Whisk for a quick and efficient mix.

Next add the flour, starch, sugar, xanthan gum(if needed for gluten-free), baking powder, and salt. Mix well.

Then warm the griddle to 325 or medium-high heat. Rub a small pat of butter across the surface of the heated gridle.

Scoop the batter onto the griddle, but be sure to allow space for the pancakes to spread.

Cook pancakes for four minutes on each side.

When finished, move the pancakes to a wire rack to cool if not eating immediately.

Decadent But Quick Everyday Pancakes

Delicious pancakes so fast you can make them everyday if you wish

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, gluten free breakfast, pancakes

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings 4

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

3 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
3 Tablespoons butter or oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour * see note for gluten free
1/4 cup corn starch or tapioca starch
1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum *for gluten-free only

Instructions

Crack the eggs in a large bowl. Beat the eggs until light and frothy.
Add the milk, oil or butter, and vanilla to the eggs. Whisk thoroughly.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl. Whisk thoroughly until only tiny lumps remain.
Heat the griddle or pan to 325 or medium-high heat.
Once the pan is hot, rub a small amount of butter across the surface.
Scoop portions of batter on the pan into desired pancake size. Cook for four minutes on each side.
Serve with fruit, syrup and butter as desired.
Freeze with parchment between layers. Can reheat in the microwave or the toaster as desired.

Notes

To make this recipe gluten free, use a one-to-one gluten-free flour like Measure for Measure flour and add the xanthan gum for best texture.

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

The post Decadent But Quick Everyday Pancakes appeared first on Darcy's Favorite.

Simple Eggo Waffle Copycat Recipe

darcykpatch — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 02:41:12 +0000

This simple Eggo Waffle copycat recipe is so easy that even young chefs can help prepare the waffles too. They are crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.

One piece of equipment is essential to your success — a Dash waffle maker. There are two sizes: a small one-waffle maker and a large four-waffle maker. Since each waffle takes about four minutes to cook, you will want to choose the appropriate size for your household. I have both and absolutely love the four-waffle maker for ease and efficiency.

Simple Eggo Waffle Copycat Recipe Ingredients

The Waffles can be made with either regular all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour substitute. My personal preference for gluten-free flour is Measure for Measure by King Arthur Flour.

Our home is mostly dairy-free, so we use oat milk in this recipe. Feel free to use whatever milk you prefer at your home. They will all work fine.

Prepare the Simple Eggo Waffle Recipe

First, add the wet ingredients to a bowl and mix well.

Second, add the dry ingredients and mix well.

Third, let the mixture sit for five minutes. This helps the flour to absorb the liquids and thicken.

Spray the waffle maker for the first batch of waffles.

Scoop about three to four tablespoons per well. Spread the dough to the edges and make sure the whole circle is covered.

Close the top and bake for four minutes for waffles that will be frozen for later use.

If you prefer crunchy waffles, and want to eat them immediately, I recommend cooking for five minutes.

Let the waffles cool completely on a wire rack before freezing to use later.

Place cooled waffles into a plastic bag and freeze for future use.

When ready, place waffles in a toaster for 3-4 minutes until they reach the desired crispiness.

Serve as desired — topped with strawberries is my personal favorite way to eat the simple Eggo Waffle copycat recipe.

If you are looking for other breakfast ideas, my high-protein pancakes or baked oatmeal are wonderful additions to a family breakfast menu.

Simple Eggo Waffle Copycat Recipe

Create amazing waffles at home

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Waffle

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings 4

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour (all purpose or gluten free)
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Add all wet ingredients to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk together until only tiny lumps remain.
Let batter sit for 5 minutes.
Place 3-4 Tablespoons in each well of the waffle maker. Bake for 4 minutes if freezing for future use. Bake waffles for 5 minutes if eating immediately. Adjust timing to your preference.
Cool uneaten waffles on a wire rack. Freeze any leftover waffles for future use. Toast as desired when ready to eat in the future.

Adapted from the Dash baking instructions.

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

The post Simple Eggo Waffle Copycat Recipe appeared first on Darcy's Favorite.

Limited Edition Gluten-Free Kit Summer Sale

darcykpatch — Wed, 29 May 2024 15:41:41 +0000

Limited edition gluten-free kit summer sale starting this Saturday, June 1st. Get your order in before they are gone.

I’m so excited about these kits! They have been tested and re-tested for months to create the best-tasting and easily made gluten-free recipes in your home. Each kit works like a cake mix — you add water, oil, eggs, vanilla, or butter to complete the recipe for fresh food at home.

See below for a description of each kit.

There are a limited number of each kit available. Orders will be completed in a first come, first served fashion until kits run out. Orders will be accepted in person or by email to the email on the order form below.

Kits can be picked up at my home on Saturday, June 1st from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. I might even have samples for you to try. If additional kit pick-up arrangements need to be made, please reach out by email or text.

If you prefer, kits can be delivered for a $5 fee to Fishers, Noblesville, or Greenfield. Orders that require shipping will not be accepted at this time. Sorry!

Place your order using the form below. Click on the image and open it in a new window to print or fill it out electronically and return it by email.

Kit Description and Details

Limited edition gluten-free kit summer sale includes 15 different kits. Each one is gluten-free and dairy-free. To make the kits at home, you will add a few ingredients and bake the items.

Focaccia Bread

You will need: Water, yeast, olive oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, 8×8 pan, parchment, measuring cups & spoons, shower caps
Ingredients: White rice flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, salt, spices

French Bread

You will need: Water and yeast
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, measuring cups & spoons, baking pan, parchment paper
Ingredients: White Rice flour, sorghum, potato starch, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, sugar, salt

Small Sandwich Bread

This loaf is smaller. It can be used to make a short sandwich bread or divided into mini-loaf pans.

You will need: Water, yeast, and olive oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, parchment, measuring cups & spoons, shower caps, bread pan
Ingredients: White Rice flour, sorghum, potato starch, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, sugar, salt

Large Sandwich Bread

This loaf is standard-sized, slightly larger than a Pepperidge Farm loaf of bread. It is perfect for sandwiches, grilled cheese, French toast, or butter and jam.

You will need: Water, yeast, and olive oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, 8×8 pan, parchment, measuring cups & spoons, shower caps, bread pan
Ingredients: White Rice flour, sorghum, potato starch, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, sugar, salt

Tortillas

You will need: Water and butter or oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, measuring cups & spoons, tortilla press, griddle, spatula, tortilla warmer
Ingredients: White Rice flour, potato starch, sorghum, salt, psyllium husk, sugar, baking powder

Pizza Crusts

You will need: Water, yeast, and olive oil
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, 12″ parchment circles, pizza pan, kitchen gloves, pizza cutter
Ingredients: White rice flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, sugar, salt, psyllium husk

Pancakes

These are perfect for an everyday breakfast or an easy weekend morning too. The package makes 18 medium pancakes or 24 smaller ones.

You will need: Eggs, milk(any kind, we use oat), oil or butter, vanilla
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, measuring cups & spoons, griddle, spatula,
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, tapioca starch, sugar, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum

Cinnamon Rolls

You will need: Water, milk (any kind), egg, oil or butter, yeast, additional butter for filling and frosting
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, pizza cutter, 8×8 pan, mixer
Ingredients: Tapioca Starch, white rice flour, sorghum, sugar, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum, psyllium husk, brown sugar, cinnamon

Chocolate Muffins

These are great to take to a get-together or brunch party. They are deep. rich and chocolatey. The optional sour cream helps keep them from getting dry. Makes 12 small or 9 large muffins.

You will need: Oil, milk (any kind), vanilla, eggs, sour cream(optional), chocolate chips
Tools used at my house: Muffin tin, measuring cups & spoons, muffin cups, Dough Hook, bowl, scoop
Ingredients: Gluten-free flour blend, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, cocoa, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder

Brownies

You will need: Oil, eggs, chocolate chips and vanilla
Tools used at my house: Dough Hook, bowl, measuring cups & spoons, 8×8 pan, spatula,
Ingredients: Gluten-free flour blend, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder

Any Mix-in Cookie

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg, Mix-ins
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, brown sugar, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda

Snickerdoodles

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar

Sugar Cookies

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg, butter for the frosting, milk (any kind)
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper. mini-off set spatula
Ingredients:

Vanilla Sugar Cookies

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper
Ingredients: Gluten Free Flour Blend, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda

Chocolate Chip Cookies

You will need: Butter, Vanilla, Egg
Tools used at my house: Vanilla, baking pan, spatula, parchment paper
Ingredients: Gluten-free flour blend, tapioca powder, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda

If you live too far away to come to the kit sale, some recipes are here at DarcysFavorite.com You can find the brownies and chocolate chip cookies along with many other delicious foods.

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

The post Limited Edition Gluten-Free Kit Summer Sale appeared first on Darcy's Favorite.

Hearty Baked Oatmeal Protein Squares

darcykpatch — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 23:50:21 +0000

These hearty baked oatmeal protein squares are fabulous for a quick breakfast or an afternoon snack. I keep them frozen in individual baggies so that they are ready to go after 30 seconds in the microwave.

The trick to packing these baked oatmeal squares with protein is a few simple ingredients: protein powder, greek yogurt, and eggs.

I use an all-natural protein powder by Tera’s Whey. It doesn’t have any added ingredients other than whey and sunflower lecithin.

For the Greek yogurt, I simply use Fage 0% from the grocery store. You can use any Greek yogurt you prefer, but the 0% is required to get the macros listed here.

For gluten-free, simply make sure the oats are gluten-free to your needed level. Costco sells gluten-free oats if you need an inexpensive option. Amazon sells gluten-free oats as well.

If you cut them into 24 portions, the macro breakdown on these is roughly 15.1 g protein, 18.5 g carbs with 1.6 g fiber, and 2.9 g fat. If you change any ingredients or any amounts, these macros will change.

If you are looking for some other breakfast options packed with protein I love my protein pancake recipe too.

Making the Baked Oatmeal

Start by adding the wet ingredients to a large bowl.

Stir or mix until wet ingredients are well combined.

The ingredients should be fairly smooth — I don’t love large chunks of bananas, so I like using the mixer to make sure they are well blended.

The dry ingredients use oat flour to help make the baked oatmeal a little less chewy. To make the oat flour simply add the oats to a blender or food processor. Process for about 30 seconds and voila! You have oat flour.

Add all of the dry ingredients to the same bowl.

I like using a spatula to combine the dry ingredients with the wet ones. If you use the mixer it makes the dry powders fly all over. The spatula is easy and helps fold everything together.

Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and stir until all the dry pockets are well combined.

Pour the batter into a 9×13 sprayed with non-stick spray.

The batter will be thin and bubbly. That’s perfectly normal.

Now is the time to choose your toppings — I love these dried cherries from Costco. They work very well with the oats and some chocolate chips. You can add anything you like — blueberries, raspberries, raisins, apricots, chocolate, nuts, all the yummy things.

Be sure to add the special toppings right on top of the batter. They will sink a little as the oatmeal bakes.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

This makes about 24 small servings or 12 large servings. It’s great for a family breakfast or for freezing to have prepared as quick breakfasts or snacks for later.

Hearty Baked Oatmeal Protein Squares

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword oatmeal

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings 24

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

3 bananas
3 eggs
2 cups Greek yogurt
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients

1 1/3 cups oat flour
1 cup oats
1 1/2 cup protein powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Toppings:

1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries or any other fruit

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Spray or butter a 9×13 pan
Place all wet ingredients into a large bowl and mix until well combined
Add dry ingredients to the same bowl
Mix until well incorporated and dry pockets are gone
Add the toppings
Bake for 35-40 minutes
If the oatmeal starts to get too dark while baking, cover lightly with foil about halfway through
Serve immediately if desired. If freezing, let cool in the pan before cutting into portions.

Notes

To make the oat flour simply add the oats to a blender or food processor and run for 30 seconds to make oat flour.

The post Hearty Baked Oatmeal Protein Squares appeared first on Darcy's Favorite.

Homemade Cheese-it Copycat Cracker Recipe

darcykpatch — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 00:36:38 +0000

This homemade Cheese-it copycat cracker recipe is perfect for making crackers with your everyday pantry ingredients. Because you design them yourself, you can adjust cheese and salt preferences. They are still crunchy, cheesy wonderful salty bites of goodness. They are a great accompaniment to my Chicken Soup if you don’t feel like a large piece of bread.

The key to this recipe is the cheese. If you want it to be slightly tangy, use a sharp cheddar. If you prefer a more mild flavor, choose mild cheddar.

If I were making this for a picky child to replace a store-bought cracker, I would start with a milder cheese and work my way stronger until you know your child’s preference.

You can use any kind of hard cheese: cheddar, Vermont white cheddar, parmesan, asiago, or Swiss would all be good choices.

I used Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour for my crackers. You can use any one-to-one substitute if you need them to be gluten-free.

One caution though, this is one recipe where you cannot measure the cheese with your heart. Normally I’m all about ALL the cheese. In this recipe, if you add too much cheese the crackers will be oily and separate. Not a desired outcome at all.

Making the Crackers

Start by adding flour, tapioca or cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to a food processor.

If you do not have a food processor, you can use a mixer with either a pastry cutter or a whisk attachment. The goal is to break up the cheese and the butter until the mixture resembles sand. A handheld pastry cutter will also work.

Measure the cheese carefully, preferably with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, then start with a new block of cheese. Most small blocks of cheese are 8 ounces. Since the recipe uses 6 ounces, you know you will need 3/4ths of the block. Measure as best as you can.

Do not use pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that will prevent melting.

Add your cheese to the flour mixture. Either pulse to combine or use your preferred mixing method.

When finished the cheese should be in small pieces.

Then add the butter.

Pulse until the butter is combined and the mixture looks like clumpy, wet sand.

Last you are going to add ice-cold water. It will still be a crumbly dough. We don’t want too much water in the dough or the crackers will be soggy after baking. Not good.

Place four pieces of plastic wrap on the countertop. they should each be about 18 inches long. We are going to use plastic wrap to help bring the dough together and make the crackers easier to shape. Divide the dough into four even piles, each on one piece of plastic wrap. Each pile is going to become a rectangle of dough.

Pull two longer sides of the wrap together and make them overlap in the middle. Then gently help the dough on one open side move toward the middle. Fold one end over several times. You should now have three sides closed. Try to squish the air out as you go to the final side and roll it up. Now, gently with a rolling pin, roll the dough out flat until it fills the plastic rectangle. The goal is to get the dough to be about 1/8 in thick or less. Repeat with the remaining three piles of dough on plastic wrap. These do not need to be perfect. The most important part is that the dough is rolled thin and sealed inside the plastic. Chill for one hour.

Place a piece of parchment on your countertop. Very lightly dust it with flour. Remove the plastic wrap from one piece of dough and place the dough on the parchment. If the dough is not even, gently roll it with a rolling pin. Only go in one direction at a time, don’t roll back and forth or it will separate the dough. Add a little flour to the top of the dough if necessary, but don’t add much, just a slight dusting.

Cut the dough into roughly one-inch squares with a pizza cutter. It’s ok if it isn’t perfect. Anything close is good. Rustic cuts just prove it was homemade.

Using the pizza cutter to gently lift each piece, separate the dough so that the edges of each cracker can cook evenly. Lightly sprinkle with salt if desired. You can also salt them after they come out of the oven.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Start checking them for around 10 minutes to make sure the crackers don’t get burnt on the edges. You want them to be slightly crisp before you remove them from the oven. The crackers will get crunchier as they cool too.

Homemade Cheese-it Copycat Cracker Recipe

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword cracker

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Chill Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings 16

Ingredients

1 cup flour, or gluten-free one-to-one flour
2 tablespoons tapioca or corn starch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces hard cheese, such as cheddar
6 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

Measure the cheese – this recipe is not one to measure cheese with your heart. Any hard cheese will work like mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, white cheddar, parmesan, asiago, Swiss, etc.
Pulse cheese, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor until no large pieces remain. Add butter and pulse until crumbly.
Add ice water. Pulse until absorbed. The dough will still be very crumbly.
Place four large pieces of plastic wrap on your counter. Divide the dough between the four pieces. Use the plastic wrap to shape the dough into a large flat rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Seal up the wrap and use the rolling pin to help flatten the dough inside the wrap.
Chill for at least one hour. Can freeze at this point as well. If you choose to freeze the dough, when you are ready to bake, remove the dough from the freezer about 10-15 minutes before trying to work with it.
Preheat oven to 350
Place a piece of parchment on the counter. Lightly dust with flour. Add one piece of the chilled dough. If needed, roll the dough until it is even and 1/8 inch thick or less. Only roll in one direction, not back and forth or it will separate the dough.
Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into one-inch rectangles. Place the parchment onto a cookie sheet. Poke holes in the cracker with a fork or knife. Spread the pieces out on the parchment. Use the edge of the pizza cutter to help move the pieces around without stretching or squishing the dough.
Bake for about 15 minutes. Start checking the crackers at 10 minutes because you don't want to burn them. If the edges start to darken, they are done. They will feel crisp to the touch when they are done as well.
Let the crackers cool on the cookie sheet. They will get crispier after they cool.
Store in an airtight container.

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

The post Homemade Cheese-it Copycat Cracker Recipe appeared first on Darcy's Favorite.

Amazing Gluten-Free Crusty French Bread Boule

darcykpatch — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 20:48:59 +0000

This amazing gluten-free crusty French bread boule is the thing of dreams. As my son says, “It is just really good, normal bread.”

It’s got a caramelized crust. Soft and chewy insides. The big slices are ready to lather with butter or dip in an amazing soup. There are no compromises here to be gluten-free. It’s just simply really good bread.

Let’s learn how to make it.

Start by measuring the ingredients in three separate bowls.

One bowl contains the yeast, sugar, and warm water so the yeast can activate. It’s just going to be bubbly when ready.

The second bowl will contain more warm water and the psyllium husk. At first, this bowl will seem very watery. Let it sit for just a few minutes and a nice gel will form. Since we have removed all gluten from this recipe, the psyllium husk is going to act as our building block to give the bread structure and height. Plus it is a healthy fiber for your diet.

The third bowl will contain all your dry ingredients. I try to stick with five basic flours or starches in all of my custom recipes. I find that Amazon is the least expensive place to buy them. I usually buy them in bulk and keep all of the dry ingredients on hand. There are times when one item may run out of stock, so it is good to keep a backup supply. These flours are white rice flour, sorghum, potato starch, tapioca starch, and brown rice flour. This recipe doesn’t use brown rice, but others will.

Combine all three bowls into your mixer, or a large bowl if mixing by hand. Start to knead the dough. It will be lumpy and separated at first but as you continue to knead it will start to look more uniform and even have a slightly stringy appearance. Those are great things! We want this dough to turn into a nice mostly smooth dough, even into a large ball that wraps around your mixer. As you continue to work the dough by hand or with the mixer it will begin to resemble a traditional wheat dough.

After kneading for 8-10 minutes, place the dough on a lightly floured countertop and knead for a minute more.

The dough will begin to form a ball. Shape into a round loaf with the seam side down. Turn in a circle for a few turns to seal the bottom, just like you would a dinner roll.

Line a medium-sized bowl with a tea towel. Dust lightly with flour. Place the dough upside down in the bowl. Spritz or lightly drizzle some water on the bottom so that it doesn’t dry out. Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

As soon as you have the dough rising in a bowl, turn the oven to 450. Place a Dutch Oven, a cast-iron pan, or a cookie sheet inside. Whatever you have to cook the bread. We want both the oven and the cooking device to get very hot. If using a cookie sheet or a cast-iron pan, place an additional small metal pan at the bottom of your oven. You will need to add water to the oven when you add the bread to create a nice steam effect. This will help the bread to rise more when baking.

When the bread has risen, turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper. Cut a design into the top, making several deep cuts. This will give the bread room to grow once in the oven. Spritz with water.

Use the parchment paper as a sling to carry your dough and place it in the pan you will use. If using a Dutch Oven, place several ice cubes under the parchment paper for steam. Quickly add the lid to seal in the moisture. If using a cast-iron pan or cookie sheet, add water to the hot pan at the bottom of the oven. Quickly place the dough in the oven to trap the steam.

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on the Dutch Oven. At 30 minutes, remove the lid. No matter which method you are using, rotate the bread in the oven to get an even bake. At this point, the bread will be much bigger in appearance, but the crust will be a very light color.

Bake for an additional 30 minutes.

After the full hour of baking the crust will be a dark golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven. Take the bread out of the pan — the most dangerous part, so be very careful. Remove the parchment paper and let the bread cool for at least an hour for optimal texture inside.

Gluten-Free Crusty French Bread Boule

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, French

Keyword Bread

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Rise Time 1

Total Time 2 20

Ingredients

Yeast Mix

245 g warm water
12 g active dry yeast
28 g sugar

Binder Mix

300 g warm water
22 g psyllium husk

Dry Ingredients

90 g white rice flour
90 g sorghum flour
200 g potato starch
120 g tapioca starch
12 g salt

Instructions

Prepare the Yeast Mix by adding water, sugar, and yeast to one bowl. Whisk to combine.
Prepare the Binder Mix by adding the warm water and psyllium husk to a separate bow. Whisk to combine.
Measure dry ingredients into a third bowl. Add dry ingredients to your mixer or a large bowl if mixing by hand.
Add Yeast Mix and Binder Mix to the dry ingredients. Knead well for 8-10 minutes.
Dust the countertop lightly with white rice flour. Remove dough from the mixer or large bowl and place on the countertop. Gently knead the dough by hand until smooth. Shape into a ball and spin until the seam on the bottom is sealed.
In a medium-sized bowl, add a clean tea towel and dust with white rice flour. Place the dough with the seam side up into the bowl. Cover with the sides of the tea towel. I like to spritz with a little water on the dough and the towel to make sure the dough does not dry out.
Let rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled.
At the beginning of the rise turn your oven to 450. Add a Dutch Oven. Both the Dutch Oven and the oven need time to get very warm, usually an hour will make sure they are hot enough.
When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper. Remove the tea towel. Slice several deep cuts into the top of the bread. Spritz with water.
Use the parchment like a sling to put the dough into the hot Dutch Oven. Add several ice cubes under the parchment to help provide steam during baking.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and rotate the Dutch Oven for an even bake. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.
Remove the bread from the oven. Remove the pan and parchment paper. Place the loaf on a cooling rack for at least an hour before cutting for the best texture.

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

The post Amazing Gluten-Free Crusty French Bread Boule appeared first on Darcy's Favorite.

The Best Gluten-Free Homemade Chicken Broth

darcykpatch — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 17:47:13 +0000

The trick to getting great soups and sauces is a the best homemade chicken broth. It’s really easy to do with only a few minutes of prep work. Let the broth cook while you watch a good movie and you have twelve cups of delicious broth ready the next time you need it. Good, rich chicken broth can absolutely change the taste of your soups and sauces. Until I made my own broth, I was never happy with my chicken soup recipe. Now, I love it and make sure to have some ready to go in the freezer for when I feel like making either Chicken Soup or Broccoli Cheddar Soup.

I usually start my broth with the bones and bits left from a rotisserie chicken. I use rotisserie chickens all the time to have shredded chicken on hand for meals like chicken enchiladas or Chicken Soup. After you clean all the useable meat from a rotisserie chicken, save the bones, skin, and little bits from the bottom of the container. I usually put them in a Ziploc with the juices and freeze them until I’m ready to make broth.

You will want some loosely chopped celery, carrots, and onions to add flavor.

I’m a huge fan of Chicken Base and buy it in giant containers at Costco. I usually add about a 1/4 cup to my chicken broth. Now here is a catch — I don’t add any additional salt. Why? Because I want to be able to control the salt in the final dish I make. It’s always easier to add salt later, so if you taste a spoonful of broth it might seem a little bland. Feel free to add salt to your taste.

I use an Instant Pot so that this broth is really quick to make. It only takes about 10 minutes of prep work and then the instant pot does all the hard work while you go watch a movie or something else fun. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can do this on the stove top, just know that the cooking time will extend to several hours.

After you have added the chicken, the veggies, and the Chicken Base to your Instant Pot, it’s time to add the water. Depending on the size of your instant pot, the amount of water will vary. Don’t add more than the Max Fill line. Look in the photo how close I was to the line. That’s OK. It’s also OK if parts of your chicken stick out over that line, just don’t add more water. The chicken and veggies will soften and loosen up as they cook, so it won’t make the Instant Pot explode. We do want as much water as possible because that’s what will make the chicken broth. So fill right on up to that line.

Once you have filled the Instant Pot, place the lid on and make sure that the pressure valve is set appropriately. I use the pressure cook setting for 65 minutes. Then let the pressure naturally release for at least 15 to 20 minutes or longer. If you release the valve quickly, all that precious broth will come sputtering out the top. Let it cool down naturally to preserve as much liquid as possible.

After the broth has cooked and cooled down, you will need to strain out the solid pieces from the liquid. I simply place a tight mesh strainer over a large bowl and slowly ladle the broth into the mesh strainer to get all of the pieces out. Don’t be in a big hurry, let the liquid drain through to get as much broth as possible. I even smush the carrots and celery to get any juice out if possible.

Once you have strained the broth, add it to storage containers for future use. I love these restaurant take-away containers. They are 32 ounces or four cups each. That’s a perfect amount for making soups and stews. You can refrigerate or freeze as desired.

I leave the fat on top of my broth. Some people prefer to remove it. It’s your choice. I leave it there in case I want to use it for additional flavor in a future dish.

The Best Homemade Chicken Broth

Course Soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2

Servings 16

Ingredients

2 rotisserie chickens, just bones and skin
3 whole carrots, cut into large pieces
3 celery stalks, cut into large pieces
1 onion, cut into large pieces
1/4 cup Chicken Base
12-14 cups water

Instructions

Clean off all useable meat from two rotisserie chickens. Place the bones, skin and other bits and juices into the Instant Pot.
Cut celery, carrots and onion into large pieces. Add to the Instant Pot.
Add Chicken Base.
Add water to Max Fill Line. Place lid and steam valve in locked positions. Push pressure cook button. Set time to 1:05. Press Start. Make sure the warm function is also turned on. This will keep the broth warm after it finishes cooking.
When the Instant Pot has finished cooking, let it naturally release the pressure by sitting for 20-30 more minutes. Then release the pressure valve and remove lid.
Strain any bits out of the broth and store in containers for future use. Can be frozen or refrigerated as needed.

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

The post The Best Gluten-Free Homemade Chicken Broth appeared first on Darcy's Favorite.

Tools for Baking Beautiful Cakes

darcykpatch — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:36:49 +0000

Recently I’ve taken an interest in cake, but I need more tools for baking beautiful cakes. Here are a few things that will help us all make fabulous cakes week after week.

Making the Cake

To start your cake you will need several items to prepare the batter:

Mixer, either a Bosch or KitchenAid, (you can also use a hand mixer or a Danish dough hook)
Spatula
Cake Pans — you will need at least three pans, so order two sets
Parchment Paper — this is 8″ round parchment paper to fit into the 8″ round pans

Preparing the Cake

Cake Leveler
Cake Boards
Sticky Mat
Cake Spinner — make sure to get #613 in the 12″ size. The #613 is one piece so the top will not separate if you lift it off the base

Frosting

Assembly

Serving

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My Amazon Prime Day Favorites

darcykpatch — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 18:17:23 +0000

Here is a list of some of my Amazon Prime Day favorites that are on sale for Amazon Prime Day 2023. I’ve included some of my own wish list items as well. I will continue to update the page as I find more deals.

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclaimer page for details.

Just a note — these prices can change at any minute. If you see something you have been looking for and it’s more than 30% off, it’s probably one of the best prices you will see for that product. The only other days that have pricing as good are the Cyber Monday and Black Friday deals in November.

I usually start my Christmas shopping this week. I keep a wishlist in my phone for every person in my family and I try to watch for the best prices between July and November. Spreading out the spending over several months makes Christmas much more fun and easy on the budget too. If you wrap it now, you will likely forget what you bought, so either keep a good list so you don’t overspend, or enjoy the surprise Christmas morning when you finally remember what you bought back in July.

We bought this vacuum about a year ago and it is amazing. It is so lightweight and has great features.

These are my absolute favorite exercise shorts. I like the 8-inch length. There are two fabrics, and the 2.0 fabric is a little more expensive, but butter soft. I’ve been wearing these daily for about three or four years. They wash up well and get used in rotation at least once a week. That is a pretty solid product.

The Chopper is one of my favorite kitchen items. It’s amazing for salsa, soup, and diced veggie prep. We love this so much I gave it as a gift to all my family one Christmas.

The price has been changing a bit — I’ve seen it go as low as $23 today, so jump on it if possible. The regular price is $39.99

I have been debating adding a Kitchen Aid to my life. I waffle. I love my Bosch, but a KitchenAid would be very helpful for frostings and cake batters. This is a pretty good price — not the very best I’ve seen, but close

A new pitcher has been on my wishlist for a while. This one is about 20% off today. I like the way the lid holds in the ice but lets water out. We use our pitcher for large parties and I’m always hopeful to prevent spills when possible.

I’ve been wanting a pizza steel for ages. This is a great deal, but only if you clip the coupon. $65 is one of the best prices I’ve seen for a pizza steel, and I’ve been watching it for over two years now.

I’ve been longing to make a few very sticky bun recipes but didn’t want the mess of cupcake papers or metal muffin tins. These silicone muffin tins would be the perfect solution and they have dropped in price quite a bit today. They are going into my cart.

This is such a cute little waffle maker. I’ve wanted one forever. I don’t think they are on sale, but I do think everyone should have one for cuteness in the kitchen.

A more cost-effective option to the full-size KitchenAid is this hand mixer. It is perfect for all the smaller projects like frostings and batters.

I know my oven registers at a slightly lower temperature than the dial says it is. I’ve been needing to add a reliable thermometer inside to check and see what it is really doing for a better product on my cakes and cookies. At $6, I probably can give in and finally purchase it.

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