Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Chic Gluten Free Deserts

I found this great gluten free recipe at http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com and tried it! Great and wanted to share--she has many more! Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Raspberry Coconut-Almond Bars



Raspberry Coconut-Almond Cookie Bar Recipe

These luscious little vegan beauties are sticky sweet, buttery and decadent. A truly tempting dessert treat. Go ahead and indulge. Bake up a batch. You can always diet come Monday.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare a 9x13-inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Cut a piece large enough to extend up both long sides of the pan- so you can grip it later, after baking, and lift the cookie bars out in one piece.

First, make the bottom cookie crust.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine:

1 cup Bob's Red Mill hazelnut flour
1/2 cup sorghum or jowar flour
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill coconut flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Cut in:

3/4 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening
1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla

I use the whisk attachment on my Kitchen Aid stand mixer to cut the shortening into the flour blend. You could also use an old fashioned pastry cutter. The dough should be crumbly, a bit sandy, but moist enough that it sticks together when you pinch it.

Scoop the dough into the prepared baking pan and press it out evenly to form a cookie crust.

Bake the crust in the center of a preheated oven for 7 minutes- just to "set" it.

Remove from the oven and set aside. Keep the oven pre-heated.

For the filling:

14 oz. really good raspberry jam or preserves

For the crumble topping:

1/2 cup sorghum or jowar flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon bourbon vanilla
5 tablespoons Spectrum Organic Shortening



In a bowl, combine the sorghum flour and brown sugar. Drizzle with the vanilla extract and dabs of the shortening. Rub together with the palms of your hands to create crumbles. Set aside.

For the coconut-almond topping:

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup sliced almonds
4 tablespoons vegan buttery spread (I used Earth Balance)
1/2 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract

In a saucepan, gently melt the vegan butter. Add the flaked coconut, sliced almonds and vanilla and stir to coat. Remove from heat and set aside.

Assemble the bars:

While the crust is still warm, spoon on the raspberry jam and using the back of a spoon spread it evenly over the crust, up to the edges- leaving about 1/4-inch bare crust on all sides.

Sprinkle on the crumble topping.

Spoon on the coconut-almond mixture and spread it evenly all over the top.

Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 22 minutes. The raspberry jam will be bubbling and the crumble topping will be golden and the coconut toasted. The center of the top may still feel a bit soft- that's okay; it will set as as it cools.

Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool. When the cookie bars are completely cool, gently loosen any stuck edges around the sides of the pan. Place a sturdy cutting board next to the pan (at least the same size as the pan). Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment paper as a grip on each side and move the whole big piece to the cutting board. Place the board in the freezer to chill the bars. Say, twenty minutes or so. Remove the bars and slice with a large sharp knife.

Makes 18 generous bars. You could skimp on size to squeeze more serving pieces out of the recipe. But. Then you'll probably end up eating two, anyway.

Wrap leftover bars, bag and freeze.

Cook time: 22 min

Yield: 18 bars
Cool (or even chill them!) before cutting, to keep them from crumbling.

Monday, April 18, 2011

It's been a while!!!! Finally another Marketplace Monday!




Life has been so busy the last several weeks--I have hardly been able to keep up. One son returned from Korea---more on that later and dear daughter gave her Harp Recital at the University as a requirement for her degree and some pics of that later also. Wow--Plus all the kids, though grown, keep me busy. Continue to be thrilled with the engagement of another wonderful son---love his fiance and adore new daughter in law who joined the family this Christmas time! And of course,, he husband and my son is loved so much!


So it is time for another MarketPlace Monday for by great friends on Etsy. Today the shop is

THE COTTAGE TOUCH at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CottageTouch

The Cottage Touch is located in a Vintage Coast Guard Beach Cottage that is almost 100 yrs old. It is where the love of old wallpaper, millinery, lace, pearls,photos, shabby chic and a little whimsy is shown.

Cherished are precious antique and vintage pieces that have New England history and charm. The shop adds a lot of yesterday in the items that are pieced together to live again today. The love of taking once loved vintage goodies and covering them in a new dressing of vintage lace,roses and pearls is practiced there.


A little shabby, a little chic, but beautiful... once again. The creative style is an eclectic mix of elegance, a touch of whimsy with a sprinkle of fairytale dreams.....

The creative style is an eclectic mix of elegance, a touch of whimsy with a sprinkle of fairytale dreams.....

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The New Harp!!! And she is named Amelia!!!

Our trip into Chicago last week to pick up dear daughter's new Harp! Traffic wasn't terrible and the day was mostly sunny, although it is hard to see it in this picture.

Lyon and Healy is in a lovely 100 year old factory. The quality of the materials was spectacular! The wood was incredible as were the brick walls. It was an old beautiful building.

My daughter walked through the harps that had been built and looked for hers. She had gone to Lyon and Healy a short while back and tested the three that had been built of her model. She is sure she chose the harp with the best sound. Each harp is lovingly made by hand with old world skill and craftsmanship. They are beautiful!


Dear daughter stands beside her new harp which she has decided to name Amelia. Her great great grandmother continues to have a kind and loving influence on the generations that have followed her. Naming the harp Amelia is a fine tribute to a wonderful woman.

And another journey begins for Annie and Amelia.

Hugs,
Barb

Monday, March 21, 2011

A fun new hurricane lamp



Wanted to let you know that new items are being listed daily!

Take a peek at the new hurricane candle lamp and trinket box!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/70493981/shabby-white-hurricane-candle-lamp


and

http://www.etsy.com/listing/70502908/sahbby-wooden-trinket-what-not-jewelry

Have a great evening
Hugs

It's Monday! Time to share antoher great Etsy shop!



As you my have noticed, I wasn't here much last week. Thanks to St. David's Chic Boutique in Glenview , Il for inviting us to take part in their show. It was a great day and we really enjoyed our time in that beautiful community!

Also part of the week was devoted to going into Chicago to pick up my daughter's new harp---more on that later......That was truly a wonderful day!

A fine Etsy featuring shabby and chic is

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lunamia !

She has been crafting for years and participated in numerous art & craft festivals, winning many
blue ribbons for her wares. Love creating and finding good things in thrift shops that she can give a second chance to and make someone happy.
She loves to embroider, which her mother taught her as a young girl.
Her Grandma taught her to sew and she made her own and her childrens clothes, even shirts for her husband, for years. Now she loves mixed media, making pillows with vintage images, sachets, keepsake boxes and more.

Some of you might remember Hazel Pearson, and her crafts were in three of her books. She gas also have sold in various gift shops.

All of her items are made with loving care in a non smoking home.

She also has a great blog which you may want to check out-----
http://romance-of-roses.blogspot.com/


Happy Monday!

Hugs
Barb

Thursday, March 17, 2011

The New banner is Here!!!!!!


The new banner that I was forutnate enough to win is here and it is beautiful!!!!! Karen did a wonderful job and it is beautiful!!!!!
If you are need of graphics, please take some time to talk to her. She met the needs of the shop so well!

Visit her at: http://karencreftorart.com/

A big thank you to Karen for a wonderful and totally unexpected prize--thank you so Much!!!!!

Barb

Friday, March 11, 2011

I won!

There was a contest for a custom Etsy Shop Banner and I won! The banner is being designed by Karen of http://karencreftorart.com/

So looking forward to seeing what she comes up with! Will keep you posted.


Hugs
Barb


Please pray for the people of Japan---