Gluten Free Granola Bars - Chocolate Dipped

I've always liked granola bars.  I've never made them at home...until now...and now I'm obsessed with them!  Who knew how easy and yummy a homemade granola bar is.  These Gluten Free Granola Bars are so versatile too.  You can add whatever nuts you want and any kind of dried fruit or no fruit at all...it'a all up to you!  I had to dip mine in chocolate, although they are yummy without it too.  You could add chocolate chips or butterscotch chips or whatever tickles your fancy.  I used what I had in my cupboard at the time, which happened to be dates and dried pears.  Next time I'm trying dried cherries (cherries and chocolate...oh yum).

Gluten Free Granola Bars - Chocolate Dipped

The little parts on the edges that broke off when cutting the bars were made into granola...some of which I also rolled around in the left over chocolate after dipping the bars.  That made some yummy little bite sized bites of granola and chocolate heaven!  I dare you to make these and not get obsessed too!

GLUTEN FREE GRANOLA BARS - CHOCOLATE DIPPED
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman
click here for Printable recipe

6 cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats (I used Trader Joes brand)
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cups canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice or apple sauce mixed with a little water
1/4 cup molasses
3 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups gluten free crisp rice cereal or Chex Cereal lightly crushed
1 cup Flax seed meal
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup roughly chopped almonds
2 Tbsp dates - optional
2 Tbsp dried fruit of choice - optional (I used dried pears)
1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, melted (I used semi-sweet) - optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, toss the oats with the canola oil, melted butter and salt.  Spread the mixture out on 2 baking sheets and toast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring oats on the pan twice to make sure they don't burn.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.  In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, apple juice and molasses.  Heat the mixture slowly, stirring until all is combined.  Stir in the vanilla.  Toss together the toasted oats, cereal, flax seed meal, pecans almonds and fruit (if using).  Pour in the sugar mixture, stirring as you pour.  Toss to combine;  it will be sticky.

Press into 1 baking sheet (lined with foil and greased with butter or cooking spray.  Don't skip greasing the foil or it will stick to the bars) and bake until golden, about 20-25 minutes, for a crisp granola bar, or 15-20 minutes for a softer bar.  Remove from oven and let cool.  They will set up and harden more as they cool. Once completely cooled peel off the foil ad,cut pieces into long bar shape with a sharp knife and remove from the pan.

If dipping in chocolate, melt chips at 50% power in microwave for 30 second intervals.  Stirring in between until melted.  Dips bottoms of bars in chocolate and place chocolate side down on parchment paper until set.  Putting them in the fridge to set will be quicker.  Store in airtight container.

Granola crumbles, with chocolate dipped ones!

Gluten Free Blackberry Cobbler

Can you believe summer is almost here?  I could swear the school year just started.  With summer comes some delicious fruits that make amazing desserts.  One of those beloved summer fruits happen to be growing in my very own backyard as I write this!  Yep...you're looking at it right now being featured in this blog post...blackberries.  Now, I have to admit, the blackberries used to make this Gluten Free Blackberry Cobbler are not from my vines, but they were on sale at the store and it made me excited for things to come!  I only have two ripe berries at this time, but lots of little green babies ready to grow and be made into more cobbler (and pies and jams)!

Gluten Free Blackberry Cobbler

I used a new to me gluten free flour blend this time, Namaste Gluten Free Organic Perfect Flour Blend.  The batter for this Gluten Free Blackberry Cobbler came out so fluffy with a nice little sugary crisp to the top of it.  A great combo with the sweet berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  You could also make this cobbler using peaches instead of berries (but you would have to call it a peach cobbler, because a berry cobbler with peaches is just confusing).

 You could use any gluten free flour blend.  I would recommend either Namaste or  the blend on the blog, as those are the two I have used and know to work well.  Namaste contains xanthan gum, so if you use one that doesn't have it, make sure and add 1 tsp.

GLUTEN FREE BLACKBERRY COBBLER
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for printable recipe

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
4 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 cup water
1-2/3 cups sugar (divided)
1 cup gluten free flour blend (add 1 tsp. xanthan gum if your mix doesn't have it)
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 plus 1 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a 9-inch baking dish melt butter in oven.  Set aside once melted.  Bring to a boil berries, water and 1/2 the sugar.  Remove from heat.  Make the batter of flour, baking powder and other half of sugar and milk.  Pour batter evenly over melted butter.  Pour fruit over batter and sprinkle with cinnamon and an extra tsp. of sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes or until batter is set and puffy and fruit is bubbly.  Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Gluten Free Coffee Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins

 There is just something about muffins.  They are little paper wrapped packages of goodness that say, "Hey, I may look like a cupcake, but you get to eat me for breakfast without hiding it (please tell me I'm not the only one who tries to hide sneaking a bite of a cupcake at breakfast time)."

Gluten Free Coffee Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins

These moist coffee flavored muffins with a coffee glaze surely won't disappoint.  There are little bites of dates, pecans and chocolate chips throughout that make these Gluten Free Coffee Nut Chocolate Muffins irresistible.  The drizzle of glaze on top reminds me of  maple glazed donuts, but it's coffee.  I made jumbo muffins but you could certainly make regular sized muffins.

 So pour a cup of coffee and get to making these delicious muffins to go with it!

GLUTEN FREE COFFEE NUT CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

2 cups gluten free flour blend ( I use the gluten free all purpose flour blend on the blog)
2/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
1 Tbsp. instant espresso powder
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped dates
1 cup of chocolate chips (I used dark, but semi-sweet would be good to)

Topping:

1 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Glaze;

1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 Tbsp. strong brewed coffee

In a large bowl, combine teh first six ingredients.  Combine coffee and espresso powder; cool to room temperature.  Stir in oil and eggs. Add coffee mixture to dry ingredients; stir just until moistened.  Fold in the nuts, dates and chocolate chips.  Fill greased or paper-lined jumbo muffin cups three-fourths full.  Combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the tops.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Combine confectioners' sugar and coffee.  Drizzle over muffins.

Gluten Free Caramelized Onion White Pizza

Pizza is a wonderful thing.  I have to admit, I do miss the pizza I ate before finding out I was gluten intolerant.  This Gluten Free Caramelized Onion White Pizza helps me through the pain of my loss.  This is an amazing creamy pizza with a sweet onion topping.  I am not really that much of an onion lover, but the sweetness of these caramelized onions makes me forget I'm eating onions.  Cream cheese, olive oil and garlic is the base of this delicious pie.  I use the Udi's Pizza Crust to make it fast.  I actually really like Udi's Pizza crust, especially with this cream cheese base.  Udi's crust is like a thin crust pizza, but if you prefer a thicker pizza crust try the focaccia recipe on the blog.

Gluten Free Caramelized Onion White Pizza

Either way you make it, this Gluten Free Caramelized Onion White Pizza is really so good, and so easy to put together.  I keep a package of Udi's Pizza Crust in my freezer at all times because I never know when a craving for this pizza will hit!

GLUTEN FREE CARAMELIZED ONION WHITE PIZZA
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from: Philadelphia Busy Family Recipes
click here for Printable Recipe

3 Tbsp. olive oil divided
1/2 large sweet onion, finely sliced
1 Udi's Frozen Pizza Crust
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in pan on medium heat.  Add onions and sprinkle with a bit of salt, pepper and a small pinch of sugar and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Place pizza crust on baking sheet.  Mix garlic and remaining oil and spread onto crust with pastry brush.  Bake crust for 5-7 minutes or until crust is slightly softened in the middle and just starting to brown a bit.  Spread cream cheese onto warm crust until melted enough to spread over crust.  Top with remaining cheese, onions and crushed red pepper.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is browned and melted.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Caramel Pancakes - Using Bisquick Gluten Free Mix

Saturday mornings my six-year-old usually wakes up asking if I'm making pancakes.  Sometimes I just don't feel like getting out all the stuff to make them, even though they are pretty easy to throw together.  Those are the times I am super happy to have Bisquick Gluten Free Mix (or any gluten free pancake mix).  Doctoring them up to make them special is so easy and makes you forget you cheated and used a box mix!  These Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Caramel Pancakes are so yummy.  The caramel in the batter gives the edges a little crispiness and I really like that. To really make these pancakes special I also drizzle the tops of my pancakes with the caramel sauce instead of using syrup.  Of course, the melted chocolate chips throughout the pancake doesn't hurt either!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Caramel Pancakes

I used the Homemade Caramel Sauce on the blog, but you could use store bought if you don't have a batch made up already (which I always do, for occasions such as this).  So if your kids or spouse or your own brain wakes you up on a Saturday morning asking for pancakes, you know what to do!  Whip up a batch of these Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Caramel Pancakes.

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP CARAMEL PANCAKES
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from: Bisquick Gluten Free mix
click here for Printable Recipe

1 cup Bisquick Gluten Free Mix
1 cup of milk
2 Tbsp caramel sauce
1 egg
1/2 cup of chocolate chips (I used dark but semi-sweet is good too)

Stir ingredients until blended.  Pour 1/4 cupfuls onto hot greased griddle.  Cook until edges are dry and small bubbles form on top of pancake, turn and cook until golden.  Drizzle with extra caramel sauce and top with whipped cream if desired.