Are you watching The Next Food Network Star?

Well, it's official, I am ADDICTED to 'The Next Food Network Star'...as are many of you guys.  It seems to be a common connection many of my friends and I share.


So who is your favorite?  This past week, Serena was eliminated.  She had a certain charisma and charm...I was sorry to see her go.  Then again, I was sorry to see any of them go!  I'm a sucker for a good cook under pressure.  Aarti continues to impress on all fronts.  She's charming and a great cook to boot!  On Aarti's blog/website, she shares, among other things, the departure of gluten from her diet.  I wish her luck, because she can definitely be an inspiration for those of us who need to have gluten-free menus.  She has been able to show that great food can be made without limiting taste or convenience at all!  


Back to the show...I like Tom, but he had a rough week...glad they didn't bag him, though.  He seems like a nice guy with a lot to offer us, both with his food and personality.  Other than Aarti and Tom's 'rough' week, I thought the rest were just mediocre.  Gotta love Herb's energy and smile though, no matter what he does or doesn't do well.  Can't wait for next week's show.

Fluffy Pumpkin Cheesecake

A patient of mine has asked me to post my recipe for a quick and easy pumpkin cheesecake that I baked and brought to the office for my patients to sample.  My office manager and friend 'Cookie' really loved it, although she is like me...not too hard to please when it comes to home-baked goodies...I love you Cookie!  But, I am glad that Mary asked for this recipe.  She is a wonderful baker herself, with a great Pennsylvania Dutch heritage.   I should be asking HER for recipes...which I have.  ;--)  I hope you enjoy this one.  It can be made celiac-friendly using gluten-free graham cracker crumbs which I purchase from Kinnikinnick, at glutenfree.com.

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CRUST:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 TBSP butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar


FILLING:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup cooked pumpkin (canned or fresh)
2 eggs, extra-large, at room temp


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the crust, combine the butter, graham cracker crumbs, and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl.  Pour mixture into 9 inch pie plate.  Bake the crust for 8 minutes.  Remove and prepare filling.

Using a mixer, blend cream cheese, sugar, and cinnamon on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Stir in pumpkin and mix on low until combined.  Add the eggs and mix until blended.  Pour this pumpkin filling into the graham cracker crust.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden orange color and cake seems to have just set in the center.

Cool the cheesecake on a rack until it is at room temperature, then refrigerate for 3 hours,  or for best results, overnight.

This serves about 8.  I really love this with homemade whipped cream, but my patient Mary said "No way!"  She's all about the pumpkin flavor.

I hope you enjoy it!  I will post my recipe for homemade gluten-free graham crackers at a later time.  They make great tasting crumbs, but I have found I get too eager for the pie to go through the process of making the crackers one day, and using the cumbs the next!!

July Brings Peaches... And Great Gluten-Free Cobbler!

It's about the time of year that my sons ask me "When are we going peach picking, Dad?".

Curt "helping" pick peaches

Not only is it a fun activity for the kids (we have a local orchard that gives rides out to the trees where you pick your own fruits), it allows me to indulge my baking impulse with one of my favorite seasonal desserts: peach cobbler.

I created a gluten-free version that seems to be a favorite among both wheat-eaters and non, and it's easy!  Make sure you have enough peaches because you're going to be asked to make it again.  ;-)

Here's what 3/4 of a peach cobbler looks like.  Steve got to the rest before I could take the picture!

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Scott's Peach Cobbler

For the filling:

1 cup sugar

2 extra-large eggs slightly beaten

2 Tbsp flour* (any GF flour blend.  I use Bette Hagman's Featherlight blend, available at Amazon.com among other places.)

6 cups peeled, sliced peaches (more or less, depending on how peachy you want the result!)

1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional - my kids prefer without)

For the cobbler:

1 1/2 cups flour* (same flour blend)

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 extra-large egg slightly beaten

3 Tbsp milk

3 Tbsp granulated sugar (for sprinkling over cobbler)

Heat oven to 400°F.  In a large bowl, stir all filling ingredients together except peaches.  Then stir in the peaches.  Pour into a 9x13-inch pan.


In a medium bowl, mix flour, 2 Tbsp sugar, baking powder, and salt together.  Cut in butter until crumbly.  Stir in egg and milk until just moistened. Crumble mixture over peaches.  Take the remaining 3 Tbsp sugar and sprinkle it over the crumb mixture.


Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.  Serve as is or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.




*NOTE: This recipe works just as well with wheat flour with no other modifications.