I feel terrible for not updating the progress that I have been making with my Wilton classes. The truth is, I have been baking and cake decorating like crazy! I have made cakes for the gluten and dairy eaters as well as cakes without gluten or dairy for practice.

Which brings me to a very important matter.  If you can not tell already, baking is one of my absolute favorite things to do! I never turn down a baking opportunity or challenge... at least I didn't until a couple of months ago.

One day in baking class, I was working next to one of my classmates who was sifting flour.  I was not paying attention, and to be honest, at the time I gave it no thought. There he was, sifting away, while I worked and talked to a friend, when I began to notice the flour was now in a cloud around my face.   I immediately ran to the rest room, washed my face, and rinsed out my mouth and tried to convince myself that it would be alright and that it was not going to make me sick.  I went back to my work and carried on the rest of my day until the all too familiar symptoms began.  

By this time my stomach was swollen beyond belief, and my husband asked a very good question: "What did you eat?"  I had no idea what it could have been. It was not until I randomly told him about something that happened in class that it suddenly dawned on me that it could only be the flour that wafted though the air. I was ingesting the flour without even realizing it! 

Needless to say, I was very sick, very weak, and very annoyed. Annoyed because it meant that it was not enough to avoid eating gluten, but I could no longer be too close to it. I even googled it, and found many others who have had the same problem.

Since that day, anytime I make something that contains flour, I wear a mask or have someone else do the bulk of the work.  It probably sounds really silly, and a bit dramatic, but the consequences are definitely not worth it! I let everyone know at school, and they were very supportive. Now my classmates let me know when they are using flour and they will call out if flour has been sifted or if a lot is on the table.  Sometimes my instructors will tell me not to even enter the back shop, because flour is in the air from restocking the bins.  Its good to know that people actually care :)!

On to the classes. Like I said before, I have been been very busy baking and decorating,  Here are some of the flowers that I learned how to make in my Wilton classes.

There were more flowers that I learned to make, but I forgot to get pictures.  I thoroughly recommend taking these classes. Especially, since there are so many birthdays and other celebrations the you can use these skills for.  Have a beautiful gluten and/ or dairy free day!

Brownies are my weakness.  I simply adore brownies.  Just hearing the word brownie awakens my senses! Seriously! Ever hear of the phrase "I dream in chocolate?"  Well... I do!  For years my mom made the BAKER's one bowl brownies.  I like these because of the dense, chewy texture.  Once I went GF, I must admit that I had trouble finding a recipe that brought back the memories of of the chocolaty goodness in which I had grown accustom. Therefore, I adapted this one to make it Gluten and Dairy Free.  I also took it a step further and added chocolate chips and frosting!  Oh Yea!

Brownie Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate (semisweet works too)
  
• 3/4 cups of Earth Balance or any type of butter or margarine that you can handle.
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup sorghum flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch 
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Additional 1 cup chocolate chips ( I use Enjoy Life mini chips)
• 1 cup chopped pecans (Optional)

Heat your oven to 350 degrees

1. Line a 13X9 inch pan with foil or parchment paper. Make sure that there is enough for overhang. This helps you lift the brownies out of the pan.  You can also use a brownie bite pan, like I did in the pictures above. (I was able to get mine for $5.)
2. Combine dry ingredients and whisk together.  Whisking will help incorporate your ingredients evenly so you do not have any lumps.  It is also a little trick to use when you don't feel like sifting each ingredient.
3. Using a microwavable bowl, microwave the four ounces of chocolate and the butter on high for about 2 minutes or until the butter is melted. Stir chocolate until completely melted.
4. Stir in sugar, and beat in eggs and vanilla.
5. Add dry ingredients, chocolate chips, and nuts if you are using them.  Mix until well combined and pour in to prepared pan.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Cool completely, and use the foil or parchment handles to help you pull them out.   

Note: If you are using the brownie bite pan or making these in mini muffin tins, bake these about 20-25 minutes.  You have to watch them a little closer when baking them this way.  When they are cool, pop them out and you are ready to frost! Frosting is completely optional, but makes things sooooo much better in my own humble opinion :)

Chocolate Frosting 
Adapted from Hershey's Perfect Frosting :

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance
• 2/3 cut of gluten free cocoa
• 3 cups (Sifted) powdered sugar
• 1/3 soy, almond, or rice milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter and place in the bowl of your mixer. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can place the butter in a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer.  Stir in cocoa.  Start mixer on low and alternately add sifted powdered sugar and milk. Mix on medium speed until you have a spreadable consistency. Add more of the milk to suit your needs. Stir in vanilla.  This recipe will yield about 2 cups.

Now you can pipe, glop or drown frosting onto your brownies in whatever manner that will tickle your fancy! 

Just so ya know, there are more brownie recipes up my sleeve.! I will be posting those as well. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderfully fabulous gluten and/or dairy free day!

Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip made from chickpeas aka garbanzo beans and tahini, which is a sesame seed paste. Not everyone is a big fan of hummus, but my husband and I love it. Like many other Middle Eastern flavors hummus is an acquired taste. It is versatile because it can be used as a dip, or spread and it is also quite filling.  As a dip it can be paired with crackers, sugar snap peas, carrots, celery, cucumbers, red, yellow or orange peppers etc. I also like to put it on sandwiches and in wraps.   Hummus is a staple in our house and I like making it instead of buying it because I know exactly what's in it.  

Ingredients:

• 4 cups or 32 ounces of chickpeas, drained
• 2/3 cup tahini
• 1/8 - 1/4 cup lemon juice. (I prefer less)
• 2 tsp minced fresh parsley and a small sprig for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil (or more for smoother texture)
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of paprika

Directions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients, except for the paprika, in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  
   
2. Finish with a few pinches of paprika and garnish with parsley.

Note: You may need to adjust the olive oil depending on the consistency that you are looking for.  I am rather picky about texture. Sometimes I like a slightly thicker hummus, so I find that the measurements above work well for me. However, there are times when I want my hummus more spreadable, so I increase the oil and add a little bit of water until it is the consistency that I need.

Bon appetit!