Baker's Review Wednesday 38: Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

These gluten free cupcakes are absolutely delicious!!  You cannot even tell that they're gluten free.  My mom will eat them when my dad gets them from the freezer, because they're so good.  My dad says they're the best chocolate cupcakes he's ever had!  You should most definitely try these cupcakes if you need to eat gluten free.

I've made these cupcakes with both peanut butter and chocolate frosting.  My dad doesn't really like peanut butter that much, so for him I mostly do chocolate frosting.

(I made these cupcakes for the Under the Lilacs sale.)

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup water

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups gluten free flour (We use Mama's Almond Blend)

2 teaspoons xantham gum

1 1/2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan with burner on medium, melt the butter with cocoa powder and water, stir until smooth and silky.  In a mixing bowl, on low speed, beat together the sugar and butter cocoa powder mixture for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is cool and smooth.

Add the eggs, beating in between each addition.  Then add the vanilla and sour cream.  Beat on low to combine.

In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the flour, xantham gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to really aerate the ingredients and get them almost sifted.  Add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and incorporate on low speed, ten seconds at a time, scraping down the sides of bowl.  Then add the other half and repeat until the batter is smooth.

Scoop the batter into each liner 2/3 full.  With a spoon coated with nonstick spray, smooth the top of each cupcake so the batter is more smoothed out and the cupcake is not so lumpy.  Bake in 350 degree oven until inserted toothpick comes out clean.  (The original recipe doesn't say a time, so I think I start at about 18 minutes, check, and bake longer as needed.  I don't remember how long I baked them for.)

Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

Yield 24 cupcakes.

**Just a tip, for those of you who have used Picnik before and  need a photo editing website again . . . there's a site called PicMonkey and it basically has the same stuff as Picnik did, so that's what I think  I'll start using to edit my photo's.  From the little I've seen just editing the photo above, it has more choices than Picnik and I think I like it even better . . . like that film frame above . . . LOVE it!!**

Did you bake this week?  Link up your recipe and review below!!

Have a great day!!

Crafter's Weekly {Assignment}: Week 14

I'm ready to start blogging again:)  Crafter's Weekly and Baker's Review Wednesday should be back!  I'm thinking for this weeks Crafter's Weekly, the challenge is going to be to make some sort of drawstring bag.  I'm thinking I may use a tutorial from here, unless I look further and find one I like better.  There are so many things you could use a drawstring bag for and so many different sizes you you could make one.  I will tell you next Monday what my drawstring bag is for!!

And later this week I should have some stuff for sale on here, left over from the Under the Lilac's Sale!  Check back soon:)

And get busy with making a drawstring bag if you wish to and link back up on Monday the 6th.

Have a wonderful day!!

un-Baker's Review Wednesday 37: Orange Julius

So this week I didn't really "bake".  I threw some stuff in a blender, blended it together for FOREVER (simply because we have a stupid blender that doesn't work very good) and then enjoyed a delicious frozen drink!!

Orange Julius

frozen orange juice concentrate
ice cubes
milk
vanilla
 water

So I have no "set in stone" amounts to make Orange Julius', so I simply dump stuff in.  Put in however much orange juice concentrate you want, then add ice cubes, some milk, a few drips of vanilla, and some water.  Blend together.  If it's to thick, add some water.  To thin?  Add ice!  Not enough orange flavor?  Add some more orange juice concentrate.

I tend to make my Orange Julius pretty thick, but you can also make it more juicy.

(You really can use sugar in your Orange Julius if you want to, but I think it's way to sweet then.  But I do know some think how mine is it's to sour.  That's okay - mine's healthier and tastes better, just so all you know!!)

Did you bake this week (or maybe not really -bake-).  Link up your recipe below!

Crafter's Weekly - week 13: Sew an article of clothing w/ fabric from the stash

Last week we were to sew an article of clothing with fabric from the stash.  I decided to make Bronwyn a dress with fabric from the stash.  This is how she changed to wear it at my grandpa's.  At church she wore a black undershirt under the dress with a navy blue sweater over it.  (It was cuter that way:)

I changed the way the handles on the dress were from the tutorial so they were wider:)

Did you make clothing with fabric from the stash?  Link up below!!

So I think this week I'm just going to take a break from Crafter's Weekly, because I want to make a dress and try to finish it for next Sunday.  I don't know if I will finish it or not, but I'm going to try . . .

Have a wonderful week!!

Baker's Review Wednesday 36: Taco Spaghetti

Taco Spaghetti

1 pound ground beef

5 oz. spaghetti noodles broken in smaller pieces

1/4 chopped onion (or substitute dried minced onion)

3/4 cup of water

2 Tablespoons taco seasoning

11 oz. can of corn, drained (you can use frozen corn)

1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded

3/4 cup of salsa*

Optional: sour cream, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sliced olives

Make your pasta, rinse and drain.

In a large pan brown your ground beef and cook the onion also. Drain out any fat, and then add the taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring a few times so it won't stick to the pan.

Add the pasta, corn, salsa, half a cup of cheddar cheese, and if you like, the olives and chili peppers.

Lightly mix and then pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish.**

 Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with the other 1/2 cup of cheese, and you are ready to serve with the lettuce and tomato, and sour cream, if you like.

*I used about 1 1/2 cups salsa for 3 batches of "hot" - we have home canned salsa.  Several people thought it was to hot, so when making again, I would use the amount of the recipe of "mild" salsa.

**If making a double batch, it fits perfect in a 9"x13" pan.  For one batch, it fits good in an 8"x8" square pan.

(I think 2 batches plus a little bit more would've been enough for our family of 14.  Also, this is a great recipe for those who are gluten free - just use gluten free noodles!  I had the gluten free version for lunch today and it tasted perfectly normal!!)

I think this was really good.  I know a couple of the boys for sure liked it, and I don't really know what the others thought of it . . . but on just my opinion, I think you should try it!!

Did you bake something this week?  Link up your recipe and review below:)

Under the Lilacs Sale - Save the Date!!

Featuring local designers & collectors
AJcrazies
EMK Designs
Norpa
Polka-dots & Posies
Pottery by Clarice

Come browse our unique & beautiful selection 

of vintage & new,
upcycled & crafts.
Treasures for your home,
Mom & everyone including
baby boutique, quilts, clothing,
home decor, kitchen ware, linens, 

gifts, aprons, books, small furniture
& so much more.
-Delicious homemade bakery
-Breakfast, lunch & snacks

April 28, 2012   9-4
Click on the link below for more info

Under the Lilacs Sale

This sale is going to be sooo much fun!  There will be things for EVERYONE!!  Mark the date on your calendar and come to the sale!

Crafter's Weekly - week 12: Make Something Using Lace

Last week we got to make something with lace.  Unfortunately, I didn't make my project at the very beginning of the week, so the project was held off till Saturday (gasp!!)  and I just made this simple little lace flower hair clip (I just use it on a headband, though).  I haven't really decided yet whether I like it or not.  The lace is lined with a cream fabric and gathered lace is sewn at it's center, with a few pearls on top of that.

Did you make something a little more exciting than I did for Crafter's Weekly?  :)  Link up below!!

This week the project for Crafter's Weekly is to sew an article of clothing with fabric from the stash (a.k.a fabric you already have).  I like these ones because you're making something, but you're not spending any money.  Awesomeness!!  :)

Have a wonderful week and get sewing for Crafter's Weekly!!