Pretzel Hug Buttons

These make a great holiday treat.  Fill a bag with these, tie a ribbon around them, and give them to your gf friend for the holidays!  They are SURE to love them.

Ingredients:
-1 bag gluten free pretzels - Glutino makes excellent ones (these can be found at health food stores like Whole Foods, etc.) 
-1 bag of Hershey's Hugs (they are the Hershey's Kisses that have white and milk chocolate swirled together -- called Hugs)
-1 bag of M&M's
-wax paper or parchment paper

Directions:
-Set oven to 150 degrees
-On a cookie sheet covered with wax paper or parchment paper, lay out as many pretzels as you would like
-Next, unwrap the Hugs and place a Hug on top of each pretzel
-Put the Hug/pretzel combinations in the oven for 5-7 minutes until SOFT.  You don't want them to be melted or bubbling -- that means they were in too long.
-Pull them out of the oven, and take an M&M and gently press the M&M down the center of the Hug/Pretzel so that the chocolate fills all the empty spots of the pretzel.  Repeat for each one. If the Hug doesn't push down easily with the M&M, then you may need to pop them in the oven again for a minute or two to melt a bit more.

Then transfer them to the fridge to cool and harden (or freezer if you're in a hurry to eat them like me!).  Once they are hardened, they are ready to be packed up as a gift or taken to a party or eaten right there in your living room while you watch tv :)

Tiramisu Ice Cream

This is a dessert that, if you have an ice cream maker, is so so delicious and gluten free.  My husband perfected this recipe and gave me permission to share it :)  This is one of those ones that there is no picture of because.......it was just so good that there is none left!  Even if you don't particularly like Tiramisu, it's still a tasty ice cream.

Ingredients:

Custard:
4 egg yolks
4 cups white sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup strong coffee

Mousse:
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 small tub of Marscapone cheese
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tblsp. Khalua
1 Tblsp. vanilla extract

Topping:
Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Directions:
Heat cream, milk, half the sugar, and coffee until lightly bubbling.  Beat the remaining sugar and yolks in a separate bowl.  Mix the two slowly to prevent curdling.  Combine by hipping constantly for 3-5 minutes over low heat.  Take pan off of heat to let cool.

While cooling, in a separate bowl large enough for the entire recipe, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.  Fold in remaining mousse ingredients.  When custard is no longer steaming hot, fold the two mixtures together.  Cool in refrigerator for 4-24 hours and then prepare in ice cream maker according to directions.

Serve and top with unsweetened cocoa powder.

*We found that if you make this mixture in the evening and put in the fridge overnight, THEN mix it in the ice cream maker the next morning and stick the ice cream in the freezer for the rest of the day to harden, that the consistency is a lot better when frozen than fresh out of the ice cream maker (when it's more "melty").  So, we'll make the initial mixture, stick it in the fridge overnight, use the ice cream maker in the morning and put the ice cream in the freezer and then after dinner enjoy your delicious dessert!

Pots de Creme

I haven't really posted many desserts.  In fact, have I posted any homemade ones?  Anyway- this one comes from Pioneer Woman.  It's D E L I C I O U S

Every bite is like eating a truffle. MMMMMM.  And it's so so easy.

Here we go -
Ingredients:

• 12 ounces, weight Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Nestle and Ghiradelli are gluten free)
• 4 whole Eggs, Room Temp
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract 
• 1 pinch Salt
• 8 ounces, fluid Strong Hot Coffee (you can use decaf too if you don't want the caffeine)

Preparation Instructions

Take 4 eggs out of the refrigerator ahead of time and let them come to room temperature before starting.

When eggs are at room temperature begin by placing the chocolate chips into a blender. Then add the eggs and the vanilla. Add a pinch of salt. Turn on the blender.

While it is blending, remove the circular disk from the blender lid and very slowly pour in 8 ounces of strong, VERY HOT coffee. It's really important that the coffee is VERY HOT so that the end product is the right texture and smooth and creamy. 

Blend for a minute or so until mixture is smooth and fairly free of visible bits of chocolate.

Pour the mixture into serving glasses but leave lots of room to add whipped cream later. 

Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 hours so the mixture has a chance to set.

Garnish with whipped cream and serve!  Yum!

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Mixes

These make an easy, gluten free dessert. I've seen these mixes in a few of my local grocery stores (in the baking aisle). The only thing to watch for is if the recipe calls for gluten-free vanilla, make sure your vanilla extract is gluten free. MCKORMICKS and KIRKLAND brand are gluten free for sure.

The cookies taste good but they end up being very crispy...not the chewy, soft homemade cookies you're expecting. The brownie mix turned out quite delicious....especially paired with vanilla ice cream :) I have the cake mixes that I still need to try but I imagine they are good.