Brownies

There are few things more important to me then the perfect brownie.  Go ahead, call me shallow;  I already know this.  So the perfect way to start a brownie or a cake is with the pan.  Butter the pan and then put sugar on it, not flour.  I know... I know... you're thinking "Oh no she didn't"  but yes, yes I did.  It really is the most fabulous thing ever and if you don't believe me just try it.  There ain't no going back.

I have quiet a few variations (peanut butter, oatmeal, marshmallow) with this brownie, but this is the basic brownie.

2 cubes butter

1/3 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cup Gluten free flour

1-1/4 tsp xantham gum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter, Stir in cocoa, sugar, eggs, & vanilla.  In a separate bowl mix gluten free flour and xantham gum.  Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  Mix well.  The batter will be a little thick so I usually try and plop it on in different areas and then smooth it as even as possible in the pan.  You want to be careful not to lift the sugar off the bottom of the pan.   Bake for 40-50 minutes.  Stick a toothpick in the center to make sure it is done.  My oven takes 42 minutes, but my mother-in-laws takes almost 50 minutes, so figure out your oven and then just make a note of it.  That is my tip for the day.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of the first desserts I tried to master was the perfect chocolate chip cookie.  Who doesn't want one of these when they walk thru the door?  This isn't a great picture, it was taken from my phone, but they are great cookies.

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

2 sticks soften salted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 small eggs

1 ts. vanilla

3-3/4 cup Gluten free flour

3/4 ts. baking soda

1-1/4 ts. xantham gum

1 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the soften butter, sugar, & brown sugar.  Add eggs & vanilla.  In a separate bowl, mix gluten free flour, baking soda, xantham gum.  Add dry ingredients to the sugar mixture.  Once it is fully mixed then add a bag of chocolate chips and mix for a second.  Use a cookie scooper and go to town.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.  You want to pull them out when they look a little underdone.  Then let them cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes then on a wire rack.  SERIOUSLY SO GOOD!  You can thank me later;)