Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookies with Maple Glaze

• 3/4 cup butter 
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon hazelnut OR almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 lbs high quality bacon, cooked and crumbled (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 lb high quality bacon, cooked in whole strips 

MAPLE GLAZE: 

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon maple extract 
• Splash of shagbark hickory syrup (OPTIONAL) 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars, extracts and eggs. In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir together.
2. Dough will be slightly soft. If you want a more cake-like cookie, add another 1/2 cup of flour. Mix in chocolate chips and crumbled bacon. Stir until well integrated.
3. Place dough in refrigerator and let rest 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Remove dough from fridge. Roll 2 tablespoons worth of dough into ball. Set dough balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten dough balls slightly with your fingers. Bake about 10 minutes, or until the dough starts to turn golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on cooling rack while you make the glaze.
6. Maple-Cinnamon Glaze: Mix 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon maple extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, shagbark syrup and ½ teaspoon cinnamon with enough water to make a thick glaze, about 3 tablespoons. Wisk all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
7. Spread a small amount of glaze on top of each cooled cookie and top with a small piece (1 inch) of crisp bacon.

recipe from No Sporks Allowed

Gluten Free Donut Holes

Ingredients:
1 egg
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon oil
3/8 cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cup all purpose gluten-free flour
1 ¾ teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Beat egg and add sugar and oil and buttermilk, then mix together and add dry ingredients.

Fry in a skillet at 370-380F: Drop by teaspoons as donut holes, about 6 at a time so as to maintain the temperature. While still warm shake them in a paper bag with sugar/cinnamon.

from www.celiac.com Gluten Free Donut Holes

Cream of Potato & Cauliflower Soup

1 onion, diced
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
2  large potatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup white dry white wine
1/4 cup milk or cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp fresh herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley...

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Add onion, garlic, potatoes and cauliflower and sauté for about 5 minutes
Add stock, wine and herbs and bring to a boil. 
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.
Purée the soup in a blender or food processor or directly in the pot if using a hand immersion blender.
Return the soup to the pot and stir in the milk or cream.
Salt and pepper to taste, top with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.


From Herbalicious website

Gluten Free Lemon Zinger Cake

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup grated lemon zest

4 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup rice flour

1 cup soy flour

1 cup millet flour (you can replace these flours with any gluten-free flours)

1 tsp guar gum

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup milk(can use soy, nut or rice milk for casein-free)

1 tsp vanilla

For syrup:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour(with GF flour) two loaf pans. Sift together the flour, guar gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside dry ingredients. Combine lemon juice, milk, and vanilla extract in a small cup. Set aside. In mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in lemon zest. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape sides of the bowl.Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix. Mix in half of the milk mixture. Repeat with flour, milk, and flour. Pour batter into loaf pans. Bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Watch tops so they don’t burn. Cool cakes in pan, on racks.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and lemon juice. Cook over low heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove cakes from pans and set them on a cooling rack over a baking sheet (to collect any dripping syrup). With a wooden skewer, poke the cake all over and spoon on syrup. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

From The Gluten Gal