Banana Bread to Die For!!

OK....I am sorry i have not written in a while, money is tight so I can't bake as often as I would like, however I did get around to making my first loaf of banana bread! It was made with gluten free all purpose flour from Bob's Red Mill so it is completely gluten free. It did call for chocolate chips but I didn't have any so I used nutela. It was AMAZING! That having the hazel nut it was perfect, my only suggestion would be to add nuts to it if you aren't allergic because it really gives it more texture and nuts are just plain good! I think if you used more bananas and maybe xatham gum you may be able to skip the coconut oil that is very fatty and expensive. You could use butter but some poeple prefer baking with out it. Also...none of her recipes are made with eggs...I know ERIN IS A GENIUS! If she only knew how inspiring she is!

The upcoming recipes I will be doing have some intense steps and require more ingredients so as soon as I get that together I will be posting. Also I am going to start putting up pictures to make this look more interesting because frankly....I kinda stink at this whole blog thing....but I WILL get better!
PLEASE TELL ME if you find anything yummy or interesting!
Happy Baking!
mrs. melcher <3

Raspberry Scones, wow you gotta make these

So I made these last week and totally forgot to blog about them because someone (being my husband) ate them so fast I kinda forgot I even made them! haha, well he just reminded me that I have not blogged about it. Not that it's terrible important because there are SO many of you depending on this ...haha...but it's fin, right?

The Raspberry scones, where made with spelt flour and I used butter instead of coconut oil because it's ALOT cheaper. I wish I could afford to use the oil, but not right now. The batter should be sticky when you mix the dough together. The agave nectar gives it some sweet to it, but really you don't need too much of it because of the raspberries! I used ALOT! I love putting a tons of fruit in my scones. She says to "marble" in the raspberries but I fold them in like a scone would fold over, but that's just the way I like it. Not much to report on these other than they were AMAZING!!!
happy baking!
mrs. melcher

Strawberry Shortcake..what a delight!

I felt like a true baker when I made this recipe. I had to knead the dough (which was fun!) and separate into 12 biscuits. They were made from spelt flour so again, not gluten free but defiantly a great alternative from wheat flour! So, i ran out of coconut oil...sad, but really you can just use butter, as long as it is solid form it can work. So I used butter and almond milk and the texture was fabulous. FORGET that angel food cake you buy at the grocery store (that is basically air...) this is way better. I sliced up some strawberries to add to it and cut the biscuit in half to serve. There is a gluten free, dairy free vanilla frosting recipe that I attempted, but botched horrible, when I find one I can do I'll post it for sure! I ate this for dessert and then the next morning ate it for breakfast, it's not too sweet to be either! My husband LOVED THESE!! He was taking them to school and eating them plain, like a biscuit...just heat them for up for about 20 seconds and you got yourself a hearty snack! Tonight.... Raspberry Scones!! Happy baking!
mrs. melcher <3

Betty Crocker gives gluten free eaters hope!

I know I was strictly on the Baby Cakes bake book, however I was looking for a coffee cake recipe (because I was CRAVING IT!!!) and I found one by better crocker. This recipe is more "pantry" friendly. It calls for regular sugar and eggs and butter, however you will need gluten free bisquit mix. What is awesome about using the GF bisquick mix is that it's a combination the dry ingredients you would typically use, like baking powder, baking soda, and the binding ingredient xanthan gum . I can't tell you how easy this recipe was! Now, if Betty Crocker is making GF baking goods, then there IS hope! However, if you are vegan or like that approach better, Baby Cakes is defiantly a better choice, it is far more natural tasting, while this recipe is sweeter.

My husband is going to come home and laugh at all these baked goods I expect him to eat tonight! I have many assortments!

The coffee cake is was very moist and spongy. I would suggest using milk instead of water if you try this. I used water to try and cut some of the dairy out but I should have just used some of the almond milk, but better luck next time I guess! Since this available online I won't feel bad just posting the recipe, so here is the link!http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cinnamon-streusel-coffee-cake-gluten-free/40a85d19-bb0b-4a9b-bac1-74b4bd54cd28. It really takes no time and it would be perfect for a Sunday brunch with coffee or dessert ( like right now as I am watching a movie and eating coffee cake and waiting oh so patiently for husband to get home from class...) If anyone actually makes this, or anything I blog about or anything really...PLEASE comment to me! I would love to hear how other people's are turning out! Happy baking!!
mrs. melcher

Pumpkin Spice Gluten Free Muffins

It smelled like Thanksgiving was baking in my kitchen when I was making these muffins! If you have been following the comments and such, you might have noticed my sweet husband commenting on everything. He was also nice enough to show me how to create links. So, thanks to him, I can bring you some info the fabulous ingredients I am using. These muffins called for gluten free flour and rice ( however, I use almond milk because it's creamier) so they are dairy and gluten free. Bob's Red Mill products are the best, they really got it figured it out. Nothing is ever dry, or grainy or flat. These muffins were so moist, more moist than some of the muffins I have bought in regular bakeries. Also., it was made with real pumpkin from a can but don't let that fool you, it taste genuine. I will however warn you that it totally smelled and looked like baby poop before I baked them! I was a tad nervous but they came out fabulous! I just made "real" banana bread for my husband, and with all the sugar and wheat flour, it taste so.....unnatural. The agave nectar gives it flavor, it doesn't make it too sweet. The ingredients work together to create a muffin, instead of just sweetness that covers the natural flavor. With just 3 recipes under my belt, I already feel like a pro...how niave of me! haha...happy baking
mrs. melcher

The Infamous Blueberry Muffin

I work at a coffee shop in town and we get the most yummmyyy blueberry muffins delivered to our shop each day and it is torture to walk away from them EVERYDAY...they really are amazing. So, when I saw this recipe in the cook book, it was a "must make and probably forever make recipe". For all of those who suffer from ciliacs disease, I am sorry this recipe uses spelt flour, but for those who are intolerant like me, splet should digest  well. It is also made with coconut oil, don't be alarmed when you open the container and realize it is rock solid, one minute in the microwave and your good to go. So since it's made with splet flour, I am thinking that's why it did not call for xalyum gum, which was used in the apple cinnamon muffins. Spelt flower seems more binding than just gluten free flower, since splet is a close relative of wheat, (something she teaches you in the book). Anyway, they are cooking right now and smell SOO good!

Also, what is awesome about this batter (and really the whole cook book ) is if you have children around, you don't have to worry about the licking the spoon because it doesn't include eggs! Also the dough is so yummy!! I still can't believe the taste of such natural ingredients. Not harmful on your digestive, your weight or your heart. All important things! .............................ok, so I just checked on them, they are awesome!!! Eeek can't wait to try them! 

The verdict: Awesome. Not too sweet, the blueberries take care of that. The texture is light and fluffy and 22 min is the perfect time to bake these. Not your average looking muffins, they are darker, but they are fabulous!

Apple Cinnamon Muffins :) Amazing texture with amazing ingrediants

  So, who is known to just use muffin mix, get a ton of compliments and pretend its an authentic recipe from your great great grandmother, who survived the depression and lived on to pass down this famous recipe? Yay, we have all been there. This may not be your grandmother's passed down recipe, but this sure will turn some heads, making even the "real" muffin eaters indulge.
I started out by peeling the apples (which scared the heavens out of my husband to say the least) , successfully with out  cutting any fingers! You will be amazed to know that these muffins are very very yummy and the texture is amazing. Gluten free products can be dry and grainy, but these are fluffy and light like "real" muffins! The roasted apples that I baked in the oven before hand add to this texture. I overloaded a tad on the vanilla extract (which I am known to do) so it was a little strong. I would advise NOT to do this because it over powers the cinnamon that brings out the apples in the muffin. I am on my second one and it is just amazing to eat these and not wonder if I will be sick!
To further the awesomeness of this muffin you will all be happy to know that I did NOT use sugar! Can you believe it? NO SUGAR! It called for agave nectar and cinnamon to sweeten it up. For the light texture it is all about the flour you use.
I would say for my first try at this, pretty successful!

Baby Cakes

Have you ever seen that movie, Julie and Julia, where Julie follows recipes from Julia Child's recipe book for a year? Well, I got the idea to do the same but with a twist.
  First off I am mrs. melcher, I am newly married but have had the pleasure of being with my husband since I was 17, we are now 23. I just graduated college with my BA in psychology. My husband is still chugging along and will be done this year. Needless to say, I am not extremely busy these days. I am looking to the future with excitement and eagerness, but for now I am playing the waiting game ( something I NEVER do..haha as my husband would say, I am always in a hurry!
    So, I am not here to share about my amazing life and how I hope to change yours or whatever....I am simply here to share the lovely-ness of gluten free living. Last year I was having  "issues" with my digestive system. I have struggled my whole life but it got so bad that I knew something had to change. I started trying to eat gluten free and it relived me in so many ways. However I was very conflicted at the same time. I love baking, always have! I have even silently thought about opening my own bakery one day, so I was bummed, no more baked goods. Seeing how sad I was, my husband bought me this baking book for my birthday and it  just excited the heck out of me!! It educated me, it taught me how I could still eat yummy baked foods, just work a tad harder to get them! This saving grace is called BABY CAKES. This amazing women named Erin McKenna opened her own gluten free, vegan bakery in California and pretty much brought hope to all us gluten intolerant folks out here. SO....here I go...baking away. Hope you give me feed back. I will post new ingredients i find and such as I go. Feel free to chime in, I am a new bee after all:) Cheers!
mrs. melcher