Black Bean Tortillas

I was looking for a tortilla along the lines of the Tostitos Artisan Roasted Garlic and Black Bean Tortilla Chips....something I could use for quesadillas or to bake up into a tasty chip. The Tostitos ones are not gluten free so I came up with my own mix and I think they turned out delicious!!
Tonight I made these into Quesadillas on the side of Cream of Spinach Soup.









1 cup black bean puree(1-15 oz can, drained and rinsed was perfect)
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
1 TB olive oil

1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup corn flour
1/3 cup potato starch
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano

6 TB water


Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add in garlic, black bean puree( I had added my garlic to the beans while pureeing them)and oil

Mix until crumbly.







SLOWLY add water(you may not need it all!) and mix until it is like pea gravel. It should hold together when you ball it up, but it shouldnt be sticky.









Gather it all together and gently form into a ball. Divide into 20 equal portions. Proceed with your tortilla making style. Rolling pin or tortilla press.










Bake on a 300º skillet for 90 seconds, gently flip and cook 1 minute more.









Place in a tortilla basket lined with a towel to keep warm.

Apple Sausage Pancake Casserole

I like to have a casserole ready to pop in the oven when ever we have extras for breakfast. My son was having a sleepover for his birthday so we had 6 hungry boys to feed. My son suggested Apple Butter Pancakes and Sausage, so rather than waiting and making it all up in the morning I made up this casserole to pop in the oven for a quick crowd pleaser!


2 apples, chopped
2 TB butter
1 TB lemon juice
2 TB sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice

16 oz link sausage, cooked and sliced

Pancake:
2 cups flour(GF is delicious too, add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum too)
2 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar(more or less to taste)
1/4 cup ground flax
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
8 oz apple butter
2 TB melted butter

Glaze:
1 cup apple juice
1 TB cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

In a pan on medium heat, heat the butter until it is melted and just starting to brown, add chopped apples then sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Stir gently and cook until the apples are tender and the mixture is caramelized. Remove from heat.

In a greased 9 x 13 pan pour the apple mixture then arrange the sliced sausage evenly.

Pancake mixture:

In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and flax. Mix and make a well in the center.

In another bowl measure eggs, milk, apple butter and melted butter and mix well.

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Pour over the apple/sausage mixture, spread evenly and gently tap the pan to allow the pancake batter to settle into all the crevices.

I made it to this point and cover and stuck it in the fridge until morning.

Remove casserole from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to baking.

Preheat oven to 350

Bake casserole for 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

While it is baking make the glaze
In a saucepan whisk apple juice with cornstarch and spices. Heat over medium heat until boiling cook and stir for a minute or two until very thick.







Pour evenly over baked pancake and spread to the edge

Slice and enjoy !

Root Beer Float Ice Cream Cake

Here is the Completed Ice Cream Cake recipe!










1 batch Root Beer Float Ice Cream



Cake:


3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour*
1 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup root beer of the concentrate from the ice cream recipe**
1/4 cup water


*sub any gluten free mix you like adding in 1 tsp xanthan gum as well

**If you just want to make the cake simmer 3 bottles quality root beer with 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, down to 1 cup and omit the water (simmer gently, don't boil, no vanilla bean? add 1-2 tsp vanilla extract to the recipe)

Grease and flour 2 -9 inch round pans, preheat oven to 350º

In  a bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time beating well after each addition.










Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.











Mix together the water and RB concentrate.














Alternately add the flour mix and root beer mix until fully incorporated. Beat on high 1 minute, scraping sides as needed.







Split the mixture between the greased pans.















Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely in fridge.











Assembly:

Return 1 cake to a deep 9 inch pan. Pour softened ice cream over the top. Return to freezer and freeze solid(at least 6 hours).










When it is frozen remove the cake from the pan and place on a platter cake side down. Place remaining cake on top of the ice cream.









With a spatula smooth the ice cream over the crack to make a smooth side.
Return to the freezer for 30 minutes.







Frosting:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 TB powdered sugar
remaining 1 TB root beer concentrate
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon


Whip the heavy cream and sugar on high speed, when it is about 1/2 way set up add RB concentrate, vanilla and spices.








Whip until it is very stiff(a little on the "dry" looking side, but not to the break stage yet)









Crush some old fashioned root beer candies for the top.










Remove the cake from the freezer, frost quickly and sprinkle with root beer candies.

Return to the freezer for at least 1 more hour.

Root Beer Float Ice Cream

My middle sons birthday was last week. We had a Taekwon Do tournament to go to so we decided to save his cake for his sleepover night.

He asked for Root Beer Cake and Ice Cream so this is what we came up with! Some process time involved but WELL worth the wait!!

Sorry I dont have any "finished" pics, I was running late on my cake making so I only froze it to soft serve stage.




Root Beer Ice Cream:
6-12 oz bottles/cans root beer*
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 sugar(add sugar per your taste, the RB concentrate is pretty sweet on its own!)
2 egg yolks


I used Hansen's Creamy Root Beer because its made with real sugar not high fructose corn syrup

* the ice cream only needs part of this, the rest will be for the cake, if you only want to do ice cream, simmer 3 bottles down to 3/4 cup with 1 vanilla bean(no bean? add 1-2 tsp quality vanilla extract to the recipe)


In a sauce pan over medium low heat simmer 5 of the bottles/cans of root beer and the vanilla bean until it reduces to just over 1 1/2 cups of liquid(We need about 1 TB extra for the frosting), this is a rather long process(took around 2 hours for me), have it at a gentle boil at the most . (Easiest way to do this if your pan is not marked is pre-measure 1 1/2 cups liquid pour it in and make a small mark with a permanent marker, this way you can visibly see when it reaches the mark)


Remove from heat and set aside. (you can allow the vanilla bean to remain in the liquid if you like and discard it after you use it all, or remove it and discard now)














In the sauce pan heat heavy cream, milk and sugar to a simmer then remove from heat.











In a bowl whisk egg yolks lightly.





Pour about 1/2 cup hot cream mix into the egg yolks, whisking well as you do.

Pour the egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture. Simmer over medium heat stirring constantly until slightly thickened(coats a spoon thick)


Stir in 3/4 cup of the root beer concentrate

Strain through a mesh sieve to get out any chunks and mix in remaining can/bottle of root beer

Chill well(at least 4 hours, overnight is best)

Process your ice cream according to your manufacturers instructions.

Taco Lasagna

I was going to make Enchilasagna tonight, but never got around to making the Enchilada Sauce. I decided to do some googling and came across some yummy seed ideas that grew into Taco Lasagna! This would also be good with shredded chicken breast, ground turkey or even double the beans and add some shredded veggies and make it a vegetarian dish!









12 corn tortillas, quartered
1 lb ground beef
1  recipe taco seasoning (1 commercial packet it fine)
1/3 cup water
2 cups prepared black beans(approx 1 can drained and rinsed)
1 cup sour cream

24 oz chunky salsa
8 oz shredded cheese(Cheddar, Mexican style, Pepper Jack, Monterrey Jack or any combo!)

5 green onions, sliced

*if you want to do vegetarian, heat the beans with some shredded veggies(carrots, zucchini and sweet pepper would be good) and then add the taco seasoning/water


Cook ground beef until all the pink is gone(drain if necessary) Add seasoning and water, stir well and simmer a few minutes more. Set aside

Preheat oven to 350º







Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish, arrange 4 tortillas over the bottom.
Spread over 1/2 the meat ,1/2 the beans, 1/2 the sour cream, 1/3 the salsa, 1/3 the cheese, 1/3 the onions.







Spread evenly, then top with another layer of tortillas.  Repeat layer again.










Add the remaining tortillas, then top with remaining salsa, cheese and green onions.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, uncover and bake 15 minutes more.

Allow to set for 5-10 minutes before slicing.




Top with fresh shredded greens, diced tomatoes, fresh Jalapeños , more sour cream and salsa.......endless possibilities!!!

Trail Mix Cereal Bars

I needed a good bar to take on a road trip and this is what I came up with!





5 cups toasted oat cereal
(Nature's Path makes a good Gluten Free Whole O's cereal if you like!)
3 cups basic trail mix
(I used Kirkland Brand, Peanuts, Almonds, Cashews, Raisins and M and M's)


1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup corn syrup* (you can omit this and use 1 cup honey, I was running short on it though!)
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups natural peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla


Mix cereal and trail mix together











In a saucepan heat honey, corn syrup and brown sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.

Add peanut butter, mix well and heat through

Pour PB mixture over the cereal mix and toss gently until everything is well coated.





Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper.

Pour mixture into the dish and press in evenly.

Allow to cool completely





Remove from pan and slice into bars!