I have just uploaded two new recipes. The first is for Chocolate Cake. The other is donuts.

Pictured is half a Chocolate Cake.

Follow the above links or click on the recipe link on the left side.

Enjoy eating.

This past Sunday and Monday was spent traveling around the local woods with Melody’s extended family. Sunday was a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park and Monday was spend in the Snowy Range and Saratoga.

Sunday we drove the Summit at RMNP, also known as Alpine Ridge. There is a short hike to the top. David made the majority of the climb up himself. He only needed help when the wind picked up and he could not stand. After lunch, we started to drive back and saw a bear and several Elk. Pictures of the day are here. Also you can see the hike up the to summit here.

Monday, we drove west through the Snowy Range Mountains. Our goal was to spend time in the hot springs at Saratoga. On the drive over we stopped to view the scenary sevearl times. David once again walked around contanstly. (Both days he didn’t take a nap until we started home.) At the springs we all had fun playing in the water. On the way back we stopped for a picnic supper and saw a moose along side the road. Melody saw it and we drove back to see it. It was a very large moose for the area. Pictues of this day are here.

Both days were fun and we are looking foward to heading back soon.

Yesterday, David joined us at the table and ate some chicken in his new chair. The pictures are of him enjoying some whipped cream.

More pictures are here along with a short video clip.

Life has continued to move forward. David is now thirteen months old and working on several new teeth and trying to figure out how to walk. Melody has recovered from her total hip replacement surgery from November. This coming Wednesday, she will an operation on her right hip.

This surgery is less invasive. They will do a femoral head decompression with BMA grafting. Basically they will remove the dead parts of her hip and fill the hole with her own stem cells. Then the stem cells will grow into hip cells and she’ll be able to keep her hip. YEAH!!

Please pray that the procedure will go smoothly and that her body will quickly heal it’s self.

For me I keep busy subbing, playing with David, and helping out around the house.

That’s about it until after the surgery.

Ingredients
3/4 cup warm milk (105-115°F)
1 Tablespoon sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast
1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups gf flour (what I use)
1 teaspoon Xantham Gum (if not in flour)
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Equipment:
Stand mixer with dough hook

Directions:
1. Combine milk, sugar, and yeast in Mixer bowl. Wait until yeast blooms. You’ll know by the smell.

2. Add olive oil. Turn on mixer to low.

3. Add flour and salt.

4. Once flour is combined, increase speed to medium. As dough mixes it will stick to the hook. Stop mixing when it no longer sticks.

5. Spray a surface with oil and form dough into a pie shape.

6. Oil a cast iron pan with a Tablespoon of oil. (This the key to making it crispy)

7. Put dough into the pan and stretch to make a crust. Rest for about an hour.

8. Build your pizza and bake in a 450 F oven for 12 minutes.

The results are a crust that many non-celiacs love to eat and might remind your of pizza from most national chains.

If you do not have a favorite GF Flour blend, try this one.

NOTE: This crust will also work on the grill.

It’s been awhile since I put up a new recipe. Here is one that we’ve been enjoying lately.

GF Falafel

Ingredients

• 1 Cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight)
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 Tbls fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 teas Coriander
• 1 teas Cumin
• 6 Tbls rice flour
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and combine.
2. Adjust flour as needed to make a thick paste
3. Form mixture into small balls, about ping pong ball sized. Flatten slightly
4. Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees F until golden brown (5-7 minutes)

Tips
I use a #40 disher to make consistent sizes.

Source: http://mideastfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/falafelrecipe.htm

Spent the afternoon decorating our tree. Pictures are of the results are here. There are also a few of David having fun.

The tree is a local one cut from the mountains of Centennial. We went out Saturday with several international students from LCCC. Read more about it at our blog.

I’ve just uploaded some pictures of David from this past month. They are at our Picasa page. Here is the link.

This year I followed Alton Brown’s recipe for Green Bean Casserole.
As always, I fry leeks instead of using onions.

Here is the modified recipe.

• 12oz fresh mushrooms, but into 1/2inch pieces (they will cook down)
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 Tablespoons White Rice Flour
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Cup Half and Half
• 3 fried leeks

Melt the butter in an oven/stove top safe vessel.
Add mushrooms, salt and pepper for 4-5 minutes, until give up liquid.
Add nutmeg. Cook for another minute.
Sprinkle flour over mushrooms.
When mixture looks dry add broth and allow to simmer for a minute.
Reduce heat to medium low. Add half and half, cook until it thickens.

Remove from heat.
Add green beans and 1/4 of onions/leeks.
Mix well.
Bake in 475 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Casserole should be nice and bubbly.

Orginally from foodnetwork.com

Enjoy it at Christmas.