Pamelas Baking and Pancake Mix - Biscuit Attempt

So far, I've loved Pamela's Products.  I find the baking mix I love not so much.  I have not had much success with baking with it.  Baked goods don't rise and they have a funny aftertaste to them.  I am attributing the aftertaste to the almond meal that is visibly in the mix.

When you open the flour it has an almost moist texture to it.  It does not appear fine or sifted like Jules flour does.  It is a bit like Bisquick but...wet.  I made a couple of batches of biscuits.  Each batch I modified the recipe in hopes to get the little buggers to rise.  Every time, my biscuits came out like cookies and were really crumbly.  The texture was exactly like Bisquick drop biscuits.  I tried a no-fail gluten flour biscuit recipe...same result.  After four tries, I have to attribute biscuit failure to the flour.  Jules' biscuits at least puffed up and were bread-like in the center -- no crumbles.

I would love to try this baking mix for pizza crust, but I am really hesitant to do so because of the resulting texture.  My recommendation for this mix is to use it in place of Bisquick recipes.  Its a great substitute.

Mentos: The not-so fresh maker

All I'm gonna say Is "wheat gluten syrup". I guess they drank the corn
syrup is bad Kool-aid.

Biscuits - Jules All Purpose GF Flour test

1 1/2 C All purpose GF flour (rounded)
4 T unsalted butter melted + 1 T to brush on tops
1 t salt
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 C Almond Milk (or whatever milk you wish)
1 T sugar

Preheat oven to 375 deg.  Mix all ingredients.  Dough will have a nice texture and be slightly sticky.  Form into 8 balls.  Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Brush tops with melted butter.  Bake for 14 minutes or until golden.  If dough is too crumbly, add a tablespoon of milk and reblend. (repeat if necessary)  Overmixing will make these tough.

First run of biscuits I only used 2 T unsalted butter.  Biscuit texture was fine.  Fluffy on the inside with a nice crusty outside.  Dough mixed up very smooth and light.  Not too sticky.  Almond milk was a nice substitute for buttermilk.  Flavor was great!  BUT...they baked up white and did not brown.  I adjusted the recipe and have not tested yet.  Have a feeling with the extra butter they will need a little more flour.

Note 4/25 - updated recipe.  Lowered temp and increased baking time, added baking soda.

Gluten Free Restaurant Options

Ive been coming across various restaurants that either have gluten free menus or options.  However, with all of them, they have the caveat:  Menu items at specific locations may vary.  Foodies must check with the individual restaurant that they support GF needs.  I'll keep this list updated as I come across more.  (I do travel a bit.)

http://www.celiachandbook.com/restaurant-guide.html

• Bonefish Grill (menu options)
• Carrabba's Italian Grill (Menu)
• Chilis (menu options -- check website in advance for ordering options)
• Famous Dave's BBQ (site says to contact guest relations for a list of items)
• Hardee's (menu options -- any burger wrapped in lettuce, no chicken, no rings and buyer beware all items are produced in same kitchen area.  Trace is possible.)
• Legal Sea Foods (menu)
• Maggianos Little Italy (ask for GF pasta substitutions)
• McDonalds (decypher this ingredient list with allergen listings)
• Mitchell's Fish Market (menu -- might also apply to McCormick and Schmick's as they are same family)
• O'Charleys (menu options)
• Outback Steakhouse (menu options -- Check website in advance for ordering options)
• PF Changs (menu)
• Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
• Red Lobster (menu options -- basically order steamed/broiled no sauce or seasoning)
• UNOs Chicago Grill (menu items -- tasty pizza!)
• Wendy's (menu options)

Please let me know about broken links!!

Snyder's of Hanover

I am originally a PA girl, so there is always going to be a special place in my heart for Snyder's of Hanover products.  I grew up on the stuff.  Going GF, it became off limits to me.  In March 2010 it looked like there was a glimmer of hope -- Snyder's was introducing GF products!  Dost my eyes and ears decieve me?  Oh sweet decadent pretzels!  Not so...

There is some controversy.  Jules Shepard from http://julesglutenfree.com (some fabulous products and Celiac information there) apparantly had a conversation with representatives from Snyder's that indicated a "for-profit" and not for-health attitude.

More Reading
http://glutenfreemom.typepad.com/gluten_free_mom/2010/03/gluten-free-call-to-action.html

However, Snyder's has taken the response from the GF community very seriously and issued the following statement in the comments section on GlutenFreeMom's website:

http://glutenfreemom.typepad.com/gluten_free_mom/2010/03/as-a-follow-up-to-the-letter-from-jules-shepard-i-had-a-very-good-conversation-today-with-mike-anderson-vp-of-marketing-f.html

It looks like they are going to make a good faith effort to bring the company to not-yet-enforced FDA gluten free and GFCO standards.

Read more:
http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/b/2010/04/07/snyders-of-hanover-and-gluten-free-product-labeling.htm

So what will I do?  Wait and see, and hope I can have a Snyder's pretzel in the near future.  I want to give this some time to go into action.  I don't feel at present time I can fully trust foods coming off Snyder's lines to be GF.  I do believe they are taking proactive measures and in the near future, I can have a pretzel.

Thought on GF Baking and Products

I am loving the fact that when baking with the GF products, I do not taste flour in my baked goods, nor do I taste cornstarch. I taste everything else I am supposed to taste. Had I known this, I would have not been so hesitant to switch. I admit, price has been a concern. It seems though that there is some justification in a higher quality end-product that people will enjoy more.

I have the luxury of having the income to be able to afford -- granted grudgingly and not without budgetary changes -- a quality GF diet, but I know others don't, and that bothers me. I hope that especially where children are concerned, these products are accessible to those on WIC (and food stamps for that matter).

What bothers me, is the health food industry and its catering to the higher income. I understand organic farming takes more effort to produce volume and produce sizes to be attractive to consumers. Cost there I understand. But, I honestly find the rest of it bullshit. And folks, the health quality of the food is not inversely proportional to how bad it tastes. If it tastes bad, you generally shouldn't eat it anyway no matter how healthy someone tells you it is. People should not have to spend the entirety of their paycheck to eat well. I can eat crap, be fat, and save a bundle. If I want to be healthy, eat fresh foods (not organic mind you), cut out fat and sodium -- my food budget doubles and since GF triples. Lets screw this health care idea for the moment and do a little reform on the grocery and health food industry. Lets make it more affordable for Americans to eat healthy. That's a basic start. Eat healthy so they don't need to use health care and health insurance. Make sure children have access to healthy foods from a young age that don't blow a mother's entire allotment so she can't feed the rest of the family.

Pamela's Incredible Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix

I was really leery of this mix. A 17-20 minute baking time...does. not. cut. it. With husbands and small children, waiting that long will simply not work -- Pamela, girl you have got to do something about that! Lol! The back also states "dry and crumbly" as a potential for the mixer stage and crumbly for the hand mixing section. Not so! I use a KitchenAid ProSeries. Did up some soft "real" light unsalted butter, pinch of salt, tbsp water, and 1/4 C Egg Whites. This stuff mixes up incredible. The butter makes the dough so rich! Ive never made cookie dough that came out so that you had such richness of flavor. Like the Betty Crocker Brownie Mix, you could see the individual ingredients -- some small price justification. My six tablespoon cookie test batch was done on the 14 minute mark. I made my regular batch with my Pampered Chef cookie dough baller (roughly big teaspoon, bitty ping pong ball, cat toy size). Done 12 minutes. But I but them back in the extra two to try the crunchiness out. If you size your cookies as I did (without the test batch) you will get exactly two dozen cookies. For the calorie conscious, you can feel a little less guilty eating two after reading the nutritional information on the back of Pamela's box. These are "3 Point" cookies as made on the box, with only 18 cookies in the batch.

The cookie comes out like a cake cookie but has that crispy bottom and top. The chocolate makes it semi-sweet tasting but its still oh so rich...like those brownies, you want a glass of milk even if you're lactose intolerant! No crazy GF textures going on here. You really cant tell the difference between this cooking and a regular flour cookie. I would even go so far as to say triple sifted or cake flour.

Note: I do not like these cookies crunchy. With the cookie dough baller, leave them in for 12 minutes. No longer. Too crunchy and they make you think they are burned-ish even though they taste fine. Keep them cakey/chewy!

Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Brownie Mix

Another OMG! This is one of the best brownie mixes ever! Let me qualify when I say ever, Im comparing to gluten and non-gluten mixes.

I opened the box and it smelled like cocoa powder. When I dumped it into the bowl, I saw chocolate chips, cocoa powder (suspicion confirmed!) AND granulated sugar. This stuff comes at a hefty price tag and I know why. They aren't skimping on the ingredients. The box says its Hershey's cocoa. The box was so heavy at the store and the price tag so huge I thought for sure there are 2 mixes in there. Nope. One mix. One tasty tasty mix.

So the mix requires butter and eggs. No oil, no water. Just butter and eggs. Oh God its going to be rich. Anyone who cooks, you know what happens when you put butter with chocolate. Its magical. I got really excited...and that never happens over a mix. So all mixed and in the pan and bowl goes in the sink, right? Ha! Nope. This cook licks the spoon, beaters, bowl, or fingers. This batter was lick the bowl worthy.

Brownies came out looking cakey. The top did not have that shiny, solid, flaky top that you typically look for. Suspected they weren't done, but they passed the touch test. Let them cool a bit. Now I'm worried. I'm an edges fan. These are going to fail miserably if they don't have that "burned" edge that brownies have to have. My fears were unfounded. Best corner piece ever. It was perfect. They're chewy gooey in the middle and burned on the edge. OMG they're rich. Its a cross between dark and milk chocolate. I don't drink milk but I actually found myself craving one. The chocolate chips melted perfectly into the brownie. As far as mixes go, this one's a keeper. I can't wait to try the cake mixes.

Note: Betty Crocker GF mixes are price pointed at $4.50/box for all varieties (cake mixes and brownies) at Kroger in WV. If anyone finds better holler!

Pamelas Gluten Free Bread and Pizza Crust Mix

Pamelas Gluten Free Bread Mix. Oh Em Gee...This has got to be some of the best bread I have ever eaten. Couldn't tell the difference that it was missing gluten. It's a very dense bread and has a nutty, brown bread taste. I am a fan of dense breads so this works for me. Its very moist, even on day two. Its not chewy, or gritty. Very smooth and crusty. The crust doesn't even have that intense of a flavor that you find on mass produced breads. Tried plain, with butter, and as tomato and mayonaise (read miracle whip light) sandwich. Im a happy camper.

Note: Used plain Jane recipe on back of mix - oven method.

It's here! Yay!!

Amazon.com: The Best of Virginia Farms Cookbook and Tour Book: Recipes, People, Places (978089732657

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com: The Best of Virginia Farms Cookbook and Tour Book: Recipes, People, Places (9780897326575): CiCi Williamson, Garry Pound: Books

Bob's RedMill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix

First foray into gluten free baking complete. Bobs Red Mill Cornbread mix. The mix package I bought contains enough for two batches. Thoughts on mixing this up. Its really, really runny and is brown -- not yellow. I'm starting to have my doubts.

This ain't no Jiffy mix (which as far as mixes go is the end all be all for me). Even spiked with cinnamon and Splenda (which is how I always make cornbread), its mix taste comes through (and the cinnamon and Splenda don't). It is super moist, though. I tried it with butter, jelly and butter, and maple syrup and butter. See a trend? ;) Butter alone isn't enough to make this stuff palatable for me.

It isn't bad, but it isn't great. Smells like cornbread, sorta tastes like cornbread, doesn't look too much like cornbread. There's some kind of extra taste in there that makes it...different. More Splenda and cinnamon next time.

...and bananas

Not only am I gluten free (GF), I am potassium deficient.  I have always been a good potato eater.  One boiled potatoe has more potassium than 2 bananas.  Unfortunately, they are high in starch and I have a Dr. who does not like me on starch so much as I am.  I LOVE white food (high starch).  I suppose genetics has a bit to do with the potato thing too...I'm nearly 50% Irish thanks to hundreds of years of mom's family not moving more than 30 miles out of the area and sticking to the motherland for mates.  Go mom for marrying a Russian (yet, again, more potatoes -- just liquefied and fermented ;)  As I digress...Ive been put on a banana-for-potassium diet.  I HATE BANANAS.  I have always always always hated bananas.  The only way I have ever been able to gag the things down is baked in breads or cake and that's only when they have been pureed beyond recognition and aren't overpowering.  *sigh*

To make the task more palatable (yes, I have to eat the little buggers raw) I have tried the choke it down in two bite method -- that's disastrous, but entertaining for male co-workers.  Smothered in peanut butter -- much more palatable and preferred, but still gross.  Banana split (sorry, hot fudge and ice cream just can't hide disgusting as well as peanut butter).  Smoothie -- might as well eat the stupid thing and save the ice for liquor.

So, I'm searching.  I love the USDA for posting nutrient data values for foods.  They have a chart dedicated to potassium levels in foods.  Hallelujah!  Cantaloupe (much better than bananas but still gross to me) and Apricots.  Thank God I love apricots.  Maybe Ill still just stick to potatoes.

First Post!

Found out I was gluten sensitive a year ago. I did the work and successfully cut it out of my life. I did it in a bad way. I just ignored all foods with gluten in them and denied denied denied. No bread. No cookies. No cake. No pie. NO PASTRY!!!! Oh the humanity. All it took was some awesome pizza and baked treats at work and I was off the wagon (about 4 months).

I had been feeling better, and eating the gluten foods again didnt seem to bother me. Hmmm. Maybe everyone was wrong after all. Boy was I wrong. A month ago, I can't hold anything in my body after eating gluten. Im not digesting. Im in belly misery. I can't enjoy any food. As one of my friends said to me years ago "Food hurts."

So now, Im doing the work again. This time Im doing it right. Im substituting.

Let me just caveat this. I am not into health foods. God created butter for a reason damn it. I dont buy into organics (but I will buy them onsale cheaper than regular stuff). I dont drink the no fried foods kool-aid. And yes, baby animals taste good.