Salted Caramel Millet Squares (GF) and a snow walk

Greetings from the Atlanta airport! This week has been an interesting one, to say the least.  Last Thursday, I flew out to the Atlanta area to drive to Birmingham, with my friend Tami, the following day for the conference Food Blog South. The conference was excellent and I’m still digesting all that I learned… A recap post will be coming soon.

Following the conference, we headed back to Tami’s in Georgia & I planned to fly back home to Texas on Tuesday. Well, the weather (specifically winter storm “Leon”) had other plans.... Instead of heading home, I found myself stuck at Tami’s house, due to the inclement weather.

Mingus, wearing his sweater & ready to go on a snow walk. 

But honestly, I can’t think of a better place to be stuck!  Tami & Mike are so kind and hospitable! Even with our snow/ice adventures, propane shortages, and cats lost/stuck in unacessible portions of the attic, it was a fantastic stay! I loved having time to relax, catch up on some computer things, cuddle with Mingus and the kitties, and spending time with good friends.

So now today, I’m trying to head back.  Fingers crossed that I’ll actually make it!  But in the mean time, while I’m chilling in the airport, I thought I’d share something I made last week before the trip: Salted Caramel Millet Squares, which I perhaps should have named “mile high salted caramel puffed millet squares.”  They are a little on the tall side...

After making copycat KIND bars last fall, I found myself with a good amount puffed millet. I thought about making a a variation on rice krispy treats, only gluten free, since the particular brand of Puffed Millet Cereal I found is gluten free, and regular crispy rice cereal is not gluten free.  (yes, I know you can get gluten free rice krispies, but my local grocery store doesn’t stock them).  My one complaint is that my millet had got a little stale and was not quite as crunchy as I would have liked, but fresh cereal shouldn’t have that problem.

Regular old rice krispy treats are great, my browned butter version is even better, and now adding salted caramel adds a whole extra flavor dimension.  These squares aren’t quite as easy--you do have to make both the caramel sauce & brown the butter. But the taste, in my opinion, is completely worth it!  And they might make an easy Super Bowl snack? If you can’t get puffed millet, feel free to substitute an equal amount of crispy rice cereal.

Salted Caramel Millet Squares
yields 9 very generous servings 

Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
4 oz / 1 stick / 8 Tbl Butter
8 oz Marshmallows
5.6 oz Puffed Millet Cereal (or substitute crispy rice cereal, though it may not be GF! Check the ingredients)

1. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by spraying it liberally with non stick spray (alternately, use a 9x13 if using the millet & you do not want quite as tall squares). Set aside. 
2. Make the salted caramel sauce (recipe follows), and reserve. 
3. In a tall, heavy stock pot, brown the butter.  Heat the butter over medium high heat. Once it melts, it will become a bit bubbly or foamy.  Keep cooking, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the bubbles or foam dissipate, and the milk solids begin to brown in the bottom of the pan. Once the solids reach a rich golden brown color, remove the pot from the burner.  
4. Add the marshmallows and stir with a heat tempered spatula until the marshmallows all melt completely. If the residual heat in the pot does not completely melt the marshmallows, return the pot to the burner briefly. Once the marshmallows have completely melted, stir in the salted caramel sauce. 
5. Pour the puffed millet into the butter/marshmallow/caramel mixture. Quickly stir until all the cereal is well coated.  
6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press to compact.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares. Store any leftovers, covered, at room temperature.  

Salted Caramel Sauce

200g / 7 oz / 1c Granulated Sugar 

3 Tbl Water

2 oz Heavy Cream

2 tsp Fine Grain Sea Salt

1.  In a 3 qt sauce pan, mix together the granulated sugar and water until the two resemble wet sand. 
2. Place the pan over medium high heat and cook, without stirring, until the mixture turns a medium/medium dark caramel color. Swirl the pan occasionally, if the browning is uneven.  
3. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cream. Warning, the mixture will bubble violently when the cream is added, so be careful!
4. Finish by stirring in the salt. Use as directed above.  

This post contains affiliate links. 

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GF Oatmeal Creme Pies

The beginning of a new year is “supposed” to be about renewal, setting new goals & starting fresh. But here I am, bringing a recipe for homemade oatmeal creme pies, which doesn’t exactly fit into the “eating healthier” goal many people set at the start of a new year.  Sorry, not sorry :)

By making your own, at least you have complete control over the ingredients go into (or are left out of) your version? These homemade oatmeal creme pies may not have the same shelf life as their pre-packaged Little Debbie predecessors, but these particular ones are gluten free, yet very tasty. In fact, I may need to send the remaining oatmeal creme pies with my husband to work because I can’t seem to stop eating them!

Because I attended a private elementary/middle school that didn’t have a hot lunch program, we had to bring a packed lunch from home. Bless my poor mother for packing lunches for myself and my sisters for 12 years!  On very special occasions, we were allowed a treat, like Little Debbie oatmeal creme pies, in our lunch box.  Sometimes there were zebra cakes or star crunch, but I think the oatmeal creme pie was my favorite :)

It has been years since I’ve had a Little Debbie oatmeal creme pie.... Especially now that I eat a mostly gluten free lifestyle, many of my favorite childhood lunchbox items are out of the question.  Instead, I’m experimenting with making my own versions to fit my changing dietary needs.

I looked at many recipes online for homemade oatmeal creme pies before settling on the one I used. Many images showed the cookies much puffier than my memories of  the prepackaged version.  Some used a straight frosting as the filling, while I wanted something more marshmallow-y.

The cookie dough for these pies is much more sticky than traditional dough. And it really spreads in the oven during the baking process. In fact, during the baking process for my first test pan, I did have serious doubts about whether the recipe would work! Thankfully, it did.

Instead of sandwiching the cookies with a frosting or meringue, I turned to one of my favorite marshmallow recipes (the one I used for homemade peeps and adapted to top chocolate stout cupcakes) and used that recipe for the filling. I do have a serious love for homemade marshmallows :)

Stay tuned, there may be more Little Debbie copycat recipes in the future!

Note: If you’re following a gluten free lifestyle, please make sure the oats you use are certified gluten free.  While traditional oats themselves do not contain gluten, they are often processed on equipment shared with gluten products, thus resulting in cross-contamination.  Or the oat fields are cross-pollinated with glutinous grains, again resulting in cross-contamination. I personally have had good luck with Trader Joe's Gluten Free Rolled Oats and Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats but everyone is different. Also, some people who cannot tolerate the proteins that make gluten also cannot tolerate the proteins in oats, so check with your doctor before consuming.

Oatmeal Creme Pies
Yields approximately 60 cookies or 30 sandwiches. 

Cookie Base
adapted from Babble 
8 oz / 2 stick unsalted butter, room temp
5.6 oz / 3/4 c Light brown Sugar
3.5 oz / 1/2 c Sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbl Honey
1 tsp vanilla
7.45 oz / 1.75 c GF Flour (I used Jeanne’s Gluten Free AP mix or substitute AP if not GF)
1 t Baking Soda
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4.7 oz / 1 1/2 c GF Oats (I used Trader Joe's version or substitute regular if not GF)

Marshmallow Filling 
note: do not make until ready to assemble or else the gelatin will set in the bowl not on the cookies!) 
2/3 c Cold Water
0.5 oz / 2 packets Granulated Gelatin
14 oz / 2 c Granulated Sugar
1/2 c Water
2 tsp Vanilla

1. To make the cookies: Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together on medium speed the butter and sugars until the mixture has completely combined, and is lighter in color and fluffy in texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
3. Add the eggs, honey and vanilla and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
4. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, soda, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside. Pulse the oats in a food processor or clean coffee grinder until coarsely chopped. Mix the oats in with the dry ingredients. 
5. Add the dry to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
6. Use a small 1 Tbl scoop to drop batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Pan the cookies 3 rows by 4 rows. Always start by portioning the outer edges (see photo below) & then filling in with the remaining rows. 
7. Chill the cookies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 F.
8. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are light brown.  Rotate the pans halfway through baking. 
9. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets. 
10. To make the filling (do so just before assembly): Bloom gelatin in cold water in bowl of a 6 qt stand mixer. Attach the bowl (during the blooming process) & whisk attachment to the mixer.
11.  In a 3 qt saucepan, combine the sugar & water. Stir just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Heat the pan over medium high heat to 238 F (softball stage). Do not stir during the heating process. 
12.  With mixer running on low, pour syrup over gelatin.  Increase speed to medium for 3 minutes. Put on the splash guard as a precaution against burns.  Increase speed to high & beat for 3 additional minutes.
13. Add the vanilla extract. Beat on high for an additional 7 minutes (splash guard is not necessary). 
14.  While the marshmallow is whipping, prepare a large piping bag by fitting it with a large round tip (I used an Ateco 804).  Prepare the cookies by matching like sizes & flipping over the bottom cookies for piping. Also gather a back up baking sheet with sprayed parchment for the extra filling. 
15. Once the marshmallow is very thick & holds its shape/a stiff peak, use a portion scoop to scoop it into the prepared piping bag.
16. Pipe the marshmallow in a spiral pattern onto the bottom of one cookie & top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Press slightly to adhere. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Work quickly so that the marshmallow does not set up in the mixing bowl or in the piping bag.  
17. Pipe any remaining marshmallow (there will be extra) into sprayed, parchment paper. 
18. Allow the sandwiched cookies to set at room temperature. 
19. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Eat within a few days, though they really do taste best have the best texture the day they are made. 

panning example from step 6 

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Peach Surprise with Grandma Vein

“What’s the surprise?” asked my husband when I told him about my plans to make “Peach Surprise” with my Grandma Vein while we were back in North Dakota.  “I really don’t know.” I told him. And that’s the truth! I just know “peach surprise” is one of my absolute favorite summer-time desserts. 

After very suddenly losing my other grandma last year and since my sisters and I all live in different parts of the US, my motivation during trips back to North Dakota changed.  My number one focus has become spending as much time with family as possible. Grandparents are not alive forever. (really none of us are.) And we never know which visit will be our last.

Last month, we took a trip back to North Dakota/Minnesota to visit my family. We were fortunate to spend a few days in my hometown, followed by a few days at my family’s lake cabin in Minnesota.

My husband had to go back to work in Texas, but I stayed longer to spend some additional time in my hometown & to help my youngest sister move to Chicago.

One of the things I most wanted to do while in ND was to make something with my Grandma Vein. She’s a fabulous baker and cook! Last summer, we made a peach pie together, but this summer, I knew we needed to make “peach surprise.”

The recipe for “peach surprise” is straight out of an old lutheran church cookbook.  The pages where the good recipes are located are stained from years of use. Grandma has written her own notes & variations throughout the cookbook too.

Grandma’s favorite peaches are the elberta variety.  Every year, she patiently waits for them & buys them in mass quantities.  Grandma told me this year that she even called the store to reserve a whole lug of them (i.e. a little less than a bushel), fearing the store may run out before she could get any.

All those peaches get turned into delicious peach desserts, or sliced & eaten on their own with perhaps a splash of heavy cream.  Grandma also gives many of the peaches away to her sons so that their families may enjoy eating them.

One of the great things about “peach surprise” is that it is a no-bake dessert--just a graham cracker crust with peaches & a marshmallow/whipped cream filling.  But, since I can’t eat regular store bought graham crackers, we did have to turn on the oven to bake a batch of gluten free graham crackers first.

Grandma had suggested maybe we should make a gluten free cereal-based crust, using something like rice krispies, but I convinced her that gluten free graham crackers are rather fast and easy to make yourself. Honestly, I also just could not bear to change a classic too much!

While the gluten free graham crackers baked and later while the dessert was chilling in the refrigerator, Grandma and I had some good visiting time. She showed me all her latest photo albums & told me all the family news I’ve been missing. She has a hard time hearing voices over the phone, so our phone chats have been a bit difficult lately.  It was lovely to actually talk in person.

Though peach surprise is an easy dessert to make, I feel so fortunate and blessed to actually make it with Grandma. There are so many things she makes that my whole family loves to eat, but most of us don’t have those precious “memory food” recipes.

Even with my culinary school education, I treasure the times Grandma and I spend in the kitchen where she teaches me her tricks & techniques for making things.  I am actively trying to make sure that I document as many of her recipes, including the methods she uses that aren’t written in the recipes.

When I returned to Texas and told my husband and friends about my experiences making “peach surprise” with Grandma, they requested to try the dessert for themselves.  So for our Labor Day cookout yesterday, I made a pan of "peach surprise". It was the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer and a sweet finale to the evening.

Peach Surprise
yields approximately 12 servings

6 oz / 170 g / 4 cups Mini Marshmallows
4.95 oz / 139 g / 1/2 c Orange Juice

10 oz / 280 g /2 c Graham Cracker Crumbs {I used Gluten Free} 
2.45 oz / 69 g / 1/3 c Confectioner’s Sugar
4 oz / 112 g / 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

5 large ripe peaches {Grandma would suggest Elberta peaches}
16 oz / 448 g / 1 pint heavy cream

1.  In a double boiler, melt the marshmallows with the orange juice. Stir often. Remove from the heat to cool while the crust is made. 
2. To make the crust: crush the graham crackers (if they aren’t crushed already) using either a food processor or a ziptop bag with a rolling pin.  In a medium sized bowl, combine the crumbs with the confectioners sugar.  Add the melted butter and mix until all the crumbs are moistened by the butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13” pan. Chill in the refrigerator while the filling is made.  
3. To make the filling: Peel, and slice (and chop, if you like) 5 large peaches. Whip the cream to medium stiff peaks either by hand, or on high speed with a hand mixer, or on high speed in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Once the cream is whipped, fold it together with the previously made & slightly cooled marshmallow/orange juice mixture. Fold in the peaches.  
4. To assemble: Spoon dollops of the filling over the prepared crust.  Smooth out the top surface of the filling. Cover the pan & refrigerate for 4 hours. 
5. When ready to serve, cut the dessert into 12 pieces.  The dessert will keep for several days well covered in the refrigerator (if it isn’t entirely eaten immediately). 

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Toasted Marshmallow Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

Since I started this blog, over 3 and a half years ago, one of my most popular recipes has been for Chocolate Stout Cake, made with Guinness beer.  I may be a little bit partial, but it has been one of my favorite cake recipes too.

Not too long ago, A friend of ours had a birthday & I was in charge of making some cupcakes for her birthday party celebration.  I love it when friends have birthdays because it gives me an excuse to make cake (or other dessert, if they are not cake people).

I asked her what kind of cake she would most like & immediately she requested cake with Guinness in it.  Excellent choice.

When brainstorming the icing, I thought about several options...  A simple chocolate ganache icing is lovely, as is the rather labor intensive Guinness-flavored buttercream I’ve previously posted about.  But, then I thought of marshmallows....

The peeps I made at Easter & brought to our brunch with friends were extremely popular.  If the peep meringue/marshmallow can be piped into shapes, why couldn’t it be piped onto the top of cupcakes?

As I opened the pantry to get out the sugar for the meringues, I had to move a bottle of Torani Toasted Marshmallow syrup, and a second inspiration hit: toasted marshmallow flavored marshmallows!

Just by adding a couple tablespoons of toasted marshmallow syrup to the meringue while it is whipping, the regular marshmallows flavor is deepened.  Easy peasy. Torching the marshmallow toppers just before service elevates the cupcakes to a higher level. So beautiful & so tasty.

p.s. Today also happens to be the birthday of my youngest sister.  Happy Birthday, sister!  

CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE
adapted from Epicurious.com
yields 24+ cupcakes
Note: due to the beer in this recipe, it cannot be adapted to be gluten free, unless you’ve found a gluten free stout....  

1 cup (8 fl oz) Stout Beer, such as Guinness
2 sticks (8 oz) Unsalted Butter
3/4 c (60 g) Cocoa Powder, preferably Dutch-process, sifted--I used Green and Blacks Cocoa
2 c (11 oz) AP Flour
2 c (14 oz) Granulated Sugar
1.5 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt

2 large eggs
2/3 c (159 g) Sour Cream

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line cupcakes pan with 24 papers.  
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the beer & unsalted butter.  Microwave until the butter is melted.  Whisk to combine the two.  Add the cocoa powder & whisk until smooth & there are not any lumps.  Set aside to cool slightly. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, soda & salt until the ingredients are well blended. 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sour cream and eggs.  Add the slightly cooled cocoa/stout/butter mixture.  Mix on low speed just to combine. Scrape down the sides. 
5. Add the dry ingredients in several additions & beat on low speed until just combined.  Finish by removing the bowl from the mixer, scraping down the sides & stirring with spatula to ensure all the flour is combined.  
6. Portion the batter into the muffin pans, filling the cups approximately 3/4 of the way.  I like to use a portion scoop.  (There may be leftover batter & I usually portion it into a large ramekin & bake an “extra” cake). 
7. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pans half-way through the process, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the center cupcakes comes out clean.  
8. Transfer to a rack to cool, removing the cupcakes from the pan as soon as they are cool enough to handle.  Allow to cool completely. 

TOASTED MARSHMALLOW TOPPING
Note: this recipe MUST be made in a 6 qt mixer.  If yours is smaller, divide it into two batches.  And make sure that you use the splash guard.... You really, really do not want to be burned by super hot sugar.... 

2/3 c Cold Water
2 packets gelatin
14 oz (2 cups) Sugar
1/2 c Water
2 Tbl Toasted Marshmallow Syrup
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1.  Bloom gelatin in cold water in bowl of mixer  
2.  stir together sugar & water & heat to softballs stage
3.  With mixer running on low, pour syrup over gelatin.  Increase speed to medium for 3 minutes. Put on the splash guard.  Increase speed to high & beat for 3 additional minutes.
4. Add the toasted marshmallow syrup & vanilla extract. Beat on high for an additional 7 minutes (splash guard is not necessary) 
5. While the marshmallow is whipping, prepare a large piping bag by fitting it with a large star tip (I used an Ateco 828).  
6. Once the marshmallow is very thick & holds its shape/a stiff peak, use a portion scoop to scoop it into the prepared piping bag.  
7. Pipe rosettes onto the top of each cupcake, starting from the outside and ending in the center with a slight peak. Work quickly so that the marshmallow does not set up in the mixing bowl or in the piping bag.  
8. Pipe any remaining marshmallow into star shapes on a sprayed, parchment-lined pan. 
9. Allow the marshmallow-topped cupcakes to set at room temperature for an hour, then transfer to an airtight container. 
10. Just before serving, torch each cupcake to caramelize the marshmallow & burn it slightly. 

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