Mennonite Cooking

Like many of you gluten free eaters, I am always looking for new gluten free recipes to try. But when my in-laws gave us Keepers at Home Gluten Free Cooking*, I was slightly skeptical about it. I never expected a gluten free cookbook to be compiled by the Amish and Mennonite communities, but after trying some of the bread and cookie recipes, I figured out what a great resource it is! It contains some truly delicious recipes and several different gluten free flour mixes. One of the best resources in the book is the tips on converting just about any baked recipe into a gluten free recipe:

• When substituting rice flour in a cookie recipe, add 1 tsp gelatin to every 3 cups of flour.
• Adding an egg if the recipe already calls for eggs improves texture because rice flour is lower in protein than regular flour.
• Xanthan gum is an important additive!
• For breads add 3/4 tsp. per cup of flour
• For cakes add 1/2 tsp. per cup of flour
• For cookies add 1/4-1/2 tsp. per cup of flour.

I know I am going to have fun experimenting with various recipes that normally call for wheat flour. I think I'll try to improve upon the chocolate chip cookie recipe my neighbor created.

*Keepers at Home Gluten Free Cooking is published by Carlisle Press, located in Sugarcreek, Ohio.