The long-awaited Easy, Delicious GF Bread Recipe

Ok, I got it together and here it is!!  The much anticipated, delicious, easy GF bread recipe...(*dramatic music*) Be sure and save the crumbs (and the crumbs from any bread or cracker product you try and don't particularly like) to use in meatloaf, to bread chicken breasts or fish filets...Keeps you from feeling like you are throwing money away...

Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Bread

3 1/4 Cup Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder - Clabber Girl brand
1/2 tsp salt - Great Value Brand
2 TBSP sugar - Great Value Brand
3 tsp Fleischman's active dry yeast

Place these in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low.  Remember to use the regular beaters for this recipe.  Do NOT use the bread dough hooks!!  After these are blended together well, turn off the mixer and create a shallow indent in the dry ingredients.

In a separate small bowl, combine:

2 TBSP olive oil - Great Value Brand
2 eggs - we use farm fresh locally gathered eggs
1/2 tsp cider vinegar - Great Value Brand
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk

Beat the wet ingredients until well mixed.  Pour into depression in dry ingredients, and mix till all moist.  Set mixer on high and beat for two minutes.  Batter will be VERY soft and have the appearance of cake mix batter.  Grease a bread pan well and flour it.  Then place the batter into the bread pan and set it in a warm place to rise until doubled - about 2 hours.  When bread has doubled in size, place in a 350 degree oven and bake until nicely brown and edges pull away from sides of the pan, about 40 minutes.

NOTES:  Always make sure you are not using the same mixer for your GF recipes as recipes containing gluten, and always use a designated GF toaster too, don't share!!  You could use a regular hand mixer instead of a stand mixer if you prefer, just make sure it is not used for foods containing gluten!!

My tips:  I have only made this recipe using the Tom Sawyer's GF flour.  It bakes up nice and smooth and reminds me of English muffins.  Other flours may be grainy or gritty, I'm not sure, but you could substitute any flour blend you prefer.  The reason I use cider vinegar is that white vinegar is usually grain based and can easily be a source of gluten.  The cider vinegar comes from apples.  You can decrease the amount of water and increase the amount of milk to satisfy your specific taste, and you can also substitute dry powdered milk for the liquid.  Also, GF bread can be rather heavy, and this recipe can be that way too, so instead of using one regular size loaf pan, I make it in two smaller loaf pans and cut the slices as thin as I can with an electric knife.  Chris also prefers it to always be toasted.

In Honor of Jello...A GF Pie Crust Recipe

cutting the butter into the flour

Placing the dough between two pieces of parchment

After the dough is rolled out

Placing the dough in the pan

Poke holes in the crust with a fork before baking

OK, friends!  I just got some great news!  Jello products are all GF UNLESS they say "Contains wheat, barley, rye or oats" after the ingredient list.  Today I bought some instant chocolate and banana cream pudding to make GF pies!  So, in honor of Jello, I am adding a GF Pie Crust Recipe.  Don't forget to grab a can of Great Value (Wal-Mart Generic) Whipped Cream, it's a great GF pie or fruit topper!!

Gluten-Free Pie Crust (Makes 2)

2 Cups of GF flour  -  Tom Sawyer brand (or flour blend of your choice)
1/4 tsp salt  - Great Value Brand (Wal-Mart)
3/4 Cup shortening  -  Great Value or Crisco Brand
1/4 Cup cold water

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.  Then using a fork, cut the shortening into the flour.  (This means to push the shortening and flour through the tines of the fork).  When the mixture resembles large crumbs it is ready to add the water.  Make sure the water is cold.  Add it a little at a time until the mixture sticks together good.  Don't use more than the 1/4 cup or it may be too sticky.  Should it become too sticky, just add a little more flour until you can handle it.  Just DO NOT overmix it or it will become tough.  Then with your hands you can press half the pie dough into the bottom of a glass or aluminum pie plate until it is about 1/8" thick.  You can also roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper with a GF rolling pin, and place it in the pie plate.  Poke the crust with a fork.  Then bake it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until it no longer looks wet.  Then cool completely.  You are ready to add your favorite GF filling.

NOTES:  I use half shortening and half butter (Great Value Brand) instead of all shortening in the crust.  It gives a better flavor.  Also, if you roll out the pie crust, you may want to roll it out between two pieces of parchment.  Don't spend the big money on pre-cut parchment paper, just buy a Great Value Brand roll of it at Wal-Mart.  It will come in handy in a lot of recipes!!