Cream Cheese Frosting

If  you are not allergic to dairy, try this frosting on the Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake.  I got the recipe from allrecipes.com.  It was really good together!

Cream Cheese Frosting - Click to link to the recipe.

Note:  This frosting is gluten-free (if you use gluten-free vanilla) but the cake I am recommending to put it on is not.  So, if you have a gluten allergy, use this frosting on your favorite gluten-free cake.

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake {Egg-free, Dairy-free}

October is here!  Time for pumpkins . . . more specifically pumpkin cake!

Before food allergies, I always loved making bundt cakes.  I think they are an easy way to make a pretty cake.  Once my husband was diagnosed with an egg allergy, I figured my bundt cake making days were over.  Without egg, it is hard to find a cake that will hold together well enough for to be turned out of a bundt pan.

I have seen several recipes online that are made by simply mixing canned fruit and a cake mix.  Some also add water.  Don't make the ones that add water.  I tried that one first and it did not work.  I found this recipe for Two Ingredient Pumpkin Cake on allrecipes.com.  The recipe suggests using a 13x9 pan but some of the reviewers had used a bundt pan so that is what I tried.  It worked!  The second time I made this cake, I added oil and additional baking powder.  Adding a little fat, enhances the flavor.  Veggies sauteed in oil do taste a bit more scrumptious than those that are simply steamed with water . . .  I was a little worried that the added oil would make the cake texture too heavy so I also added a little baking powder.  

For this recipe to work, you need to use an 18.25 oz cake mix.  I used Duncan Hines^® because it was the right weight and the mix is egg-free AND dairy-free.  Score for my readers that have both allergies!  For the picture, I topped the cake with a simple dusting of powdered sugar.  I think you could also use a prepared icing as most do not contain egg and many don't contain dairy.  From what I can find online, it appears that the Duncan Hines^® Creamy Home-Style Cream Cheese Frosting and Classic Vanilla Frosting and  do not contain egg or dairy.  Now how any cream cheese frosting doesn't contain dairy is beyond my understanding but it would be a delicious treat for those that normally can't have it.  If you can have dairy in your diet, try this delicious maple-pecan glaze or this rich cream cheese frosting. 

  
Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake

1 (18.25 oz package) Duncan Hines^® spice cake mix

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 t baking powder

powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350^o.  Spray bottom and sides of a bundt pan with cooking spray.  Using an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, baking powder, oil and pumpkin.  Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes, scrapping sides of bowl.  Spread evenly into the prepared pan.  Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan, then invert to a wire rack to continue cooling.  Once cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Store the cake in the refrigerator.  It tastes even better cold! 

Cole Slaw {Egg-free}

Cooking out is a great way to spend the last warm days of the year, especially on a game day!  Last weekend, my husband smoked a delicious brisket.  I wanted some authentic barbecue sides.  I made cole slaw, these slow cooker pinto beans and this cornbread.  Most cole slaw recipes have mayonnaise, which contains eggs or at least egg whites.  You can buy vegan/egg-free varieties but they aren't always easy to find and tend to be a little expensive.  So, I decided I would make a vinegar based dressing for my cole slaw.  This recipe was the result.  Do note that as it sets, the cabbage releases a lot of liquid so it needs to be drained prior to serving.

 

Cole Slaw {Egg-free}

16 oz package cole slaw (shredded green cabbage with carrots)

1 bunch green onion, chopped

½ c canola oil

½ c vinegar *

1 c sugar

1 t ground mustard

1 t celery seed

1 t salt

½ t black pepper

The night before, toss green onion with cole slaw in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix all remaining ingredients and whisk until well combined.  Pour dressing over cole slaw.  Gently stir until cabbage is evenly coated with dressing.  Cover and refrigerate cole slaw overnight.  Drain excess liquid and stir prior to serving.  Serves 8

*Make sure the vinegar you use is gluten-free.  Most of the white distilled vinegars are at risk of having gluten in them.  I recently made this rice wine vinegar.  Becuase the rice vinegar has a milder taste than the distilled white, I found the cole slaw to be sweeter.  I thought it was a good subsitution but I would recommend reducing the sugar to 2/3 cup or 3/4 cup.  {Update 1/3/15}  

Sloppy Joes

Here is a quick dinner recipe that the kids will love.  I adapted a Rachel Ray recipe to our tastes and increased the ground beef to make sure we would have leftovers!  We like to serve our sloppy joes with these sweet potato fries (EF, DF, GF).

Sloppy Joes 

Adapted from Rachel Ray’s Super Sloppy Joes 

2 pounds lean ground beef

¼ c brown sugar

1 t garlic powder

½ t freshly ground black pepper

½ t seasoned salt

¼ - ½ t ground mustard

½ onion, diced

1 T red wine vinegar*

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

2 T tomato paste

Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender.  Drain.  Stir in all remaining ingredients and simmer about 10 minutes.  Serve on hamburger buns or your favorite gluten-free bread.  Serves 8-10 

* According to Celiac-Disease.com red wine vinegar should be gluten-free but please omit, if there is a concern.  

Apple Pie with Streusel Topping

Today is the first day of my favorite season!  I really love almost everything about Fall, especially the delicious fall flavors.  So, to start off the season right, I thought I would share a recipe for the best apple pie you will ever put in your mouth!! 

Apple Pie with Walnut Streusel is a little time consuming but so worth it!  I found this recipe about five years ago on the Food Network website, courtesy of Gourmet Magazine.  That link is no longer available.  But I did find a recent post for the same recipe on Epicurious.com (ignore the accompanying ice cream recipe).  I made it as written but omitted the walnuts.  I LOVE nuts, but I seem to have several people in my life who do not eat them.  Because I enjoy sharing my kitchen creations, I often leave out nuts.  Considering that this is a food allergy blog, I think it is a safe assumption that many of you omit nuts in your cooking as well!

Apple Pie with Walnut Streusel - Please click to link to the recipe.

Notes:  I used Fuji apples in the pie pictured.  I have used all kinds of baking apples and sometimes a mixture of two or three.  The recipe suggests using a deep dish pie plate.  In the picture, I am using a regular glass pie plate.  It does bubble over so I put a cookie sheet under it during the last 30 mintues of baking.  I think I will invest in a deep dish pie plate soon . . . 

Betty Crocker Cinnabon Muffins {made egg-free}

Here is another egg-free recipe using a mix!  My post for Betty Crocker Muffins {made egg-free} was so popular that I wanted to share this one as well.   I have only seen this mix at Sam’s Club.  Two mixes come in a box.  I hope it is available in other stores.  I decided to share them on my blog regardless because they were such a big hit with the family. I am not trying to promote any particular brand of mix.  I am just sharing what we have found to work from trial and error.  I don't know how often I will buy these since I have eaten way too many!

 

Betty Crocker Cinnabon Muffins {made egg-free}

1 box Betty Crocker Cinnabon Bakery mix
3/4 c + 2 T water

6 T margarine, melted

2 t baking powder

Preheat the oven to 390^o.  Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups.  Stir baking mix, water, melted margarine and baking powder together until combined.  Sprinkle cinnamon swirl mix over batter and lightly fold into batter without fully mixing.  Fill muffin tins about 2/3 full.  Sprinkle streusel topping over batter in cups.  Bake for about 17 minutes.  Cool muffins in pan for about 10 minutes.  Kneed glaze packet for about 10 seconds.   Cut off a corner of the packet and drizzle over muffins before serving.

Makes 18 muffins.

Notes:   The box says to use paper liners for best results.  We tried it both ways and the muffins baked in the paper liners did turn out better.  The box also said to use a margarine with more than 65% vegetable oil.  We used Land O Lakes margarine with 80% vegetable oil.