Preparing a pre-cooked Ham

If you can get your hands on it, I highly recommend a Beeler's brand ham - the best of the best!!!

1. Place oven rack into 5th position (last/bottom space) and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Remove outer wrapping from ham and rinse thoroughly with cold water; place on paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet and pat dry.
3. Line roasting pan or deep baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil; place ham in pan then cover tightly with aluminum foil then poke a very small hole in the top center of the foil.
4. Place pan into preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes per pound for boneless ham and 10 minutes per pound for bone-in ham.
5. Prepare glaze 45 minutes prior to end of cooking time. During the last half hour of cooking time, remove pan from oven and ladle juices onto top of ham; pour on glaze and place ham back in oven. Cook 10 minutes then repeat this process; repeat 3 times, cooking the last time for 15 minutes.
6. Remove pan from oven to wire rack to cool; remove ham from pan to serving tray and allow to rest for 30 minutes prior to carving and serving. Enjoy!

Nut/Seed Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

After 5 long years, I have finally developed a "peanut" butter cookie that is the right texture and flavor. Feel free to use any creamy smooth nut or seed butter of choice.

7 tablespoons potato starch
7 tablespoons tapioca starch
7 GF oat flour
7 tablespoons brown rice flour
2 teaspoons egg replacer powder
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup powdered auger
9 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy nut or seed butter of choice
1/2 cup pure olive oil
1/4 cup soy-free vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance)
2 tablespoons water
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups soy-free vegan chocolate chips (Enjoy Life)

1. In airtight container, combine potato starch, tapioca starch, GF oat flour, brown rice flour, egg replacer powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt; place on lid and shake to combine and introduce air; set aside.
2. In mixing bowl, beat together powdered sugar, light brown sugar, buttery spread, water, and vanilla; beat with electric mixer until dough begins to form.
3. Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl along with nut/seed butter of choice and pure olive oil; beat on high until evenly combined and dough is formed.
4. Add chocolate chips and beat to combine. Bake 12 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F on parchment lined baking sheets on the 2nd and 4th oven racks. Cool on sheet 5 minutes then remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely prior to storage in airtight container at room temp.

Yield: 30 cookies

Buttermilk Biscuits

Every Body Eats by M.H.W. Hill Page 146

Light and flaky – and oh so very yummy with gravy on Thanksgiving! I am so happy to have wonderful biscuits again – and they are simple to make, just be sure to place the palm shortening and butter or butter substitute into the freezer prior to dicing and adding to the dry ingredients. Also you must invest in a pastry cutter as this the best and easiest way to achieve light, airy biscuits each and every time!

1/2 cup palm shortening
6 tablespoons soy-free vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance®), or butter substitute of choice
1 cup brown rice flour, or white rice flour, or Montina® flour, or quinoa flour, or amaranth flour
1 cup millet flour, or buckwheat flour, or garfava flour, or sorghum flour, or white rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca starch, or cornstarch, or arrowroot starch
3/4 cup potato starch, or cornstarch, or arrowroot starch
3/4 cup DariFree® powder, or dry milk powder of choice
1/2 cup GF oat flour, or pure rice bran, or brown rice flour, or teff flour, or Nuchia® flour
4 teaspoons xanthan gum
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cane sugar, or light brown sugar, or agave nectar, or honey of choice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon agar powder, or unflavored gelatin of choice
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1-3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons fresh water
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Using a tablespoon measure palm shortening and Earth Balance® into freezer-safe container; place in freezer for 15 minutes.
2. Place oven baking rack into second position; preheat oven to 375°F; line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
3. In airtight container combine brown rice flour, millet flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, DariFree® powder, GF oat flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, cane sugar, baking soda, and agar-agar powder; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine and to introduce air; set aside.
4. Remove shortening and Earth Balance® from freezer; carefully and quickly dice into small pieces; add to flour mixture.
5. Using pastry cutter, cut in shortening and Earth Balance®; cut until flour mixture becomes loose pea-sized meal.
6. Measure water into medium bowl, stir in lemon juice.
7. Pour flour mixture into mixing bowl, using paddle attachment beat in water mixture; beat on medium speed until dough forms and becomes slightly sticky.
8. Line counter with parchment paper; dust parchment paper lightly with brown rice flour.
9. Turn dough out onto parchment paper; sprinkle dough lightly with brown rice flour; cover dough with second piece of parchment paper; pat dough into 1/2”-thick round.
10. Using biscuit cutter of choice, punch out biscuits; gather scraps, press together gently to form 1/2”- thick dough round; punch out biscuits; repeat until dough is used.
11. Place biscuits onto prepared baking sheet; place into preheated 375°F oven; bake 18 minutes.
12. Remove biscuits to wire cooling rack (or eat warm!), cool completely; store in airtight container up to 3 days.

Servings: 18
Preheat: 375°F
Prep Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 18 min

Powdered Sugar: Homemade

As a general rule, I would NEVER recommend using refined white granulated sugar for anything, but when it comes to making homemade powdered sugar it is a must. You must also possess a food processor or superior blender. I have tried this recipe with many types of sugar, and evaporated cane juice is a passable option, but is not airy and light; organic light brown sugar works very well but of course comes out light brown.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar or granulated sweetener of choice
1 tablespoon potato starch, or tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch

1. In bowl of food processor, combine sugar and potato starch.
2. Place on lid and process until mixture appears light and fluffy.
3. Use immediately, or place into airtight container to store up to 3 months; vigorously shake container prior to measuring for use.

Servings: 1 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes

Mini Donuts

I used a machine to make these donuts - a mini donut maker by Babycakes. Pretty cool as they are baked, not deep fried. These little yummies were gone immediately!!! If you get a chance, dip them in a glaze.

1 cup pure cane sugar (not white granulated sugar)
1/2 cup organic brown rice flour
1/2 cup organic GF oat flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup Vance's DariFree powder, or milk powder of choice
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon egg replacer powder
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1-1/4 cups water
1/3 cup pure olive oil
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, or organic pure lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In airtight container, combine sugar, brown rice flour, oat flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, DariFree powder, baking powder, egg replacer powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and sea salt; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine and to introduce air.
2. In mixing bowl, combine water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla; add dry mix; beat just until lumps are gone; set aside while machine is warming up.
3. Prepare donut machine according to manufacturer's instructions.

Servings: about 24 mini donuts
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 15 minutes (3 batches, about 4 minutes per batch)

Glaze for Donuts, Cupcakes, Sheet Cakes

This simple glaze can be modified to fit your needs. I will begin with the basic recipe and then list the variations.

3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons Vance's DariFree powder, or powdered milk of choice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons warm water

1. In small mixing bowl, using a fork, combine powdered sugar and DariFree powder, smashing out all lumps.
2. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon warm water; beat mixture with fork until smooth, adding up to an additional full tablespoon of water to achieve desired consistency.
3. This glaze will be soft and runny when first made, but will firm up rather quickly so work fast. If needed, pour the glazed over the cooled baked good then place in refrigerator until glaze hardens.

 Yield: 2/3 cup, enough for a 9" cake, 24 mini donuts, or 12 cupcakes

Variations
Chocolate Glaze: add 2 tablespoons 100% cocoa powder during step 1.

Vanilla Glaze: increase powdered sugar to 1-1/3 cups, add 2 tablespoons pure olive oil during step 2; proceed with recipe as stated, adding water in minimal amounts until desired consistency is reached.