Sunday, December 11, 2011

Gearing up for the Holidays-- Recipe Challenge!

Well, how did the year go by so quickly? My goodness life is crazy!

It is that time again-- time for holidays and preparation and all of the excitement and worry that can go along with all of that. So what is a mama of a severely food allergic kiddo to do? Do you even have to ask ;)? It is time for a holiday recipe bonanza!

Please stay posted as I will be posting a new holiday recipe at least 3 times a week, maybe more. Some will be my own and others will be modifications of recipes that I have decided to tinker with. And in true form for this website, they will all be Top 8 free, FPIES common trigger free (free of rice, oats, dairy, soy, peas, legumes, green beans, sweet potato, all squash, poultry) and vegan. And they will taste good! Just a note-- I do use coconut in many recipes but it is very easy to sub for if you are coconut avoiders at your home.

Tomorrow's recipe will be for chocolate gingerbread houses, decorated with safe frosting (I will link the recipe-- it is on this site), sweet tarts and smarties. Stay tuned for the following recipes: candy bars, chocolate candy, gum drops, caramels, candy canes, cut out cookies and many many more!

Here is the recipe to kick it off:

Pear Dumplings
Ingredients:
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
A dash of salt
2/3 cup palm oil shortening/safe butter/coconut oil
1/2 cup ice cold water

Filling:
1 cored, peeled pear (asian pear or a bartlett that you cut the top off so it is apple-shaped)
2 Tbsp brown sugar (also add cinnamon if safe. I did not use cinnamon)
1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple

Prepare the dough by first mixing all of the dry ingredients and then blending in the shortening with a pastry blender. Add the water last. Form the dough into a ball. If it is too sticky, add more millet or sorghum flour until smooth. Wrap the ball in saran wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Once the dough is ready to come out of the fridge, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a floured safe piece of parchment paper, place ball of refrigerated dough. Sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the dough and then place a piece of parchment or wax paper on top to roll out dough (this way, no dough should end up on your rolling pin!). Roll into a circular shape, about 1/4inches thick. Set aside.

Core the pear (or apple if desired instead) with a corer or paring knife. You will want the outside of the pear to remain in tact and uncut. Place fruit on the center of the dough circle. Stuff the inside of the fruit with pineapple chunks and brown sugar-- top pear with any remaining brown sugar.

Make four slits in the dough from the edge to the outside of the fruit (do not cut under the fruit) at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 respectively. Using the parchment paper below, gently fold up each section of dough to the top of the pear. Once all sides are folded upwards, your pear (or apple) will be encased in a little dough dumpling. Pinch the seams together to create seals around the pear and pinch tips together at the top to seal the dough. If you have extra dough, you can make little leaf shapes and adhere them to the top with a touch of wet fingers pressing the dough together. Brush the dough lightly with either a safe milk (we used coconut) or a safe butter/oil, and lift the parchment paper up to place the dumpling on a cookie sheet (using the parchment paper makes for an easy transfer and a cleaner cookie sheet!).

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until the outside of the dumpling is slightly browning and is firm. Halfway through the baking time, brush again with milk or oil.

Enjoy! I will post pics tomorrow. This was what i made for B's Thanksgiving dessert and my picky child ate the whole thing!!!!

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