Little Dixie Cook

GLUTEN FREE RECIPES FROM THE HEART OF DIXIE

[littledixiecook]

PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES with SPICED CREAM CHEESE FILLING

Ingredients:

For Cookies:

1¾ cups brown rice flour

¾ cup almond flour

¼ cup tapioca flour

1½ tsp. baking powder

1½ tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cloves

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1½ cups light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For Filling:

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a medium sized bowl, sift together brown rice flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together using a hand mixer. Next, mix in the eggs one at a time, then stir in pumpkin puree and vanilla.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 3 batches, gently mixing with a spatula until thoroughly combined.

Using a 2-inch kitchen scoop or tablespoon measure, scoop dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Note, this dough is VERY sticky, so a kitchen or ice cream scoop with a lever works best. If using a tablespoon, use your finger to gently round the dough so no edges are sticking up! This batch of dough makes roughly 45 cookies, so I did 3 different baking sheets of 15 cookies a piece.

Bake cookies 14 - 17 minutes, just until cookies are slightly golden but still soft.

Remove cookies from baking sheet, place on a cooling rack, and allow to cool entirely before adding the filling.

To make filling, cream butter and cream cheese together in a medium sized mixing bowl using a hand mixer. Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until combined. Finally, mix in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Once cookies are cooled, place 1 tablespoon of filling on the flat side of one cookie, then gently top with another cookie, making a perfect whoopie pie. This recipe will make roughly 45 cookies, or 22 whoopies!

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Happy Thanksgiving week, friends!! For my third and final pumpkin dessert I decided to bring y’all whoopie pies. :) I grew up on the west coast, and honestly had never even heard of a whoopie pie until I moved to the south. This dessert is genius! It’s a spongey cake-like cookie sandwich, with a delicious cream cheese filling in the middle! It took a few tries to get this recipe just right, but my gosh it was so worth the effort... these whoopie pies are so so tasty and I think you’ll love them just as much as I do!

Wherever you are celebrating, I hope you have a wonderful week full of good food! :)

Cheers,

Little Dixie

“The Lord is with me; he is my helper...” (Psalm 118:7)

[littledixiecook]

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

1 pint heavy cream

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

¾ cup granulated white sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 egg yolks

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, and white sugar to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk three egg yolks. Add ½ cup of hot milk liquid to the egg yolks to temper the eggs, then pour egg mixture back into the saucepan of hot milk.

Whisk in pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Bring milk mixture to a boil once again, then remove from heat.

Strain milk mixture into a bowl set over ice and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled, stir in pumpkin puree, cover, then place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

When ready to make ice cream, add the ice cream base to the ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions. (Once the ice cream was done, I put it in the freezer for roughly 4 hours to let it set!)

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Friends, I used to be so intimidated to make homemade ice cream. For some reason it seemed incredibly difficult so I never bothered... but y’all, homemade ice cream is delicious and requires such little effort! The hardest part is the waiting. Homemade ice cream is something I have to plan a day or two ahead of time... but my goodness it is so worth it! As we get closer to Thanksgiving, I wanted to give y’all another pumpkin option for those who may not be the biggest fan of pumpkin pie (I fall into that category!). If you have an ice cream maker or know someone who does, I suggest giving this recipe a shot and if you do let me know what you think!

I hope y’all are doing well and enjoying this Fall season!

Cheers,

The Little Dixie Cook

“...all sorrow and all sighing will be gone forever; only joy and gladness will be there.” (Isaiah 35:10)

[littledixiecook]

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BITES

For Crust:

1 cup pecans, toasted

12 oz. GF graham style cookies, soft or hard

⅓ cup granulated white sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For Filling:

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

To make the crusts, combine toasted pecans, cookies, and sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined. Slowly add in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture just comes together when pressed in between your fingers.

Add one tablespoon of crust mixture to each well of a 24-well mini muffin pan. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides.

Bake roughly 10 minutes until just golden brown. Once out of the oven, use the back of a teaspoon to press down the center of each crust if they seem to have risen a bit! Allow to crusts to cool completely before filling.

To make the filling, combine pumpkin, condensed milk, cream cheese, vanilla, spices, and salt together in a medium sized bowl using a handmixer. Mix until smooth.

Using a large spoon, add filling to a piping bag or large plastic bag with a small hole cut off of one of the corners. Carefully remove the mini crusts from the muffin wells using a butter knife around the edges, and fill each crust with the pumpkin cheesecake filling. (You can also just use a teaspoon to fill the crusts!)

Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight!

*NOTE: This filling makes more than what you need for 24 little cheesecake bites so feel free to double the crust recipe! :)

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Hello, my friends!! I’ve missed you so. :) In honor of Thanksgiving, over this next week I’m going to bring you 3 different ways to use canned pumpkin other than your standard pumpkin pie. If I’m completely honest, I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin (I know, I know) but creating these treats for y’all has changed my mind! Jazzing up a can of pumpkin puree with some brown sugar, dairy and spices can bring out the most incredible flavor. :) And these mini cheesecakes are super easy to make and pack such a sweet punch in each little bite. I hope y’all enjoy them just as much as i do!

Happy November, y’all!

Cheers,

LDC

“With God we will gain the victory...” (Psalm 108:13)

[littledixiecook]

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Ingredients:

For Strawberries:

1 lb. strawberries

2 tablespoons sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

For Whipped Cream:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

3-4 tablespoons sugar (depending on your sweetness level)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

For Shortcake Biscuits:

1¼ cups brown rice flour

½ cup almond flour

¼ cup tapioca starch

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. xanthan gum

½ tsp. salt

¼ cup granulated sugar

¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold

1 cup whole milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 F.

While oven is preheating, slice strawberries and place them in a bowl with sugar and lemon juice. Carefully mix together then set aside, allowing the strawberries to macerate for 30 minutes.

To make the biscuits, sift together brown rice flour, almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and sugar.

Grate the stick of butter into the dry ingredients, mix gently with a fork until butter is combined. Alternatively, you can cube the butter, and then gently mix it into the dry ingredients with your fingers. Basically, you want the mixture to resemble course crumbs.

In a large measuring cup, mix together milk, egg, and vanilla.

Slowly pour milk mixture into the dry mixture until the biscuit dough just comes together. (I didn’t quite use the entire thing).

Using a spoon, place 6 large dollops of biscuit dough onto a cooking sheet coated with a non-stick cooking spray. (I then used my fingers to gently form the biscuits into the shape I wanted).

Bake 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden on top. Allow to cool before serving.

While biscuits are baking, combine heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla in a cold bowl. Mix together with a handmixer until stiff peaks form. (You can use the whipped cream immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for several hours).

When ready to assemble shortcakes, slice a biscuit in half. Place a few strawberries plus the juice on the bottom half. Top with whipped cream. Replace the top of the biscuit. Then add more whipped cream and strawberries to finish it off.

ENJOY!!

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Hey my friends! It’s been a minute... and by a minute, I mean almost 2 years since my last Little Dixie post! I seriously cannot believe that. Somehow months have completely disappeared. But I want y’all to know I haven’t forgotten about you! We’ve just had some major life events happen over here in the Bryant household... namely, buying our first home, having a little baby, then running two businesses out of our home while taking care of said baby. :) So, only a few little things, ha! BUT, I always knew I’d be coming back to LDC. I just had no clue when or how. Honestly, I was just praying for 48 hours in a day instead of 24. But as the dust is finally settling a bit, here I am!! At this point, I have no idea how often I will be posting... but I WILL be posting. Gluten free cooking is what I do, it’s a large part of who I am. That never stopped. So when I have little windows of free time here and there, that’s when I’ll take pictures of my food and develop new recipes. And I cannot wait to share with you what I come up with!

I love strawberry shortcake... or at least I did 10 years ago when I was eating gluten. But in the last decade, this is one dessert I haven’t tried to make gluten free from scratch. Am baffled why it’s taken me this long, but I’m so glad it came back to mind... especially with strawberry season beginning here in the south! It took a few tries to mess with the ingredients to get it how I wanted, but y’all, I love these biscuits! They are basically a drop biscuit, lovely and sweet. I'm a fan of making my own whipped cream because it’s so easy, but you can 100% skip this step and buy good ole fashioned Cool Whip! Stack the shortcakes however you like! This would also be fantastic with blueberries or peaches, or both! 

I hope y’all are doing well and I’m so glad to be back! :) 

Cheers,

Little Dixie

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...” (Zechariah 4:10)

[littledixiecook]

VANILLA CAKE with LEMON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Ingredients:

For Cake:

½ cup brown rice flour + 2 tablespoons

¼ cup sweet white sorghum flour

2 tablespoons tapioca flour

⅔ cup sugar + 1 large tablespoon brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. xanthan gum

2 large eggs

½ cup almond milk

¼ cup coconut oil

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

For Frosting:

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)

3 cups powdered sugar

the juice from 1/2 of a large lemon or all the juice from a small one

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Sift all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix to combine.

Add wet ingredients to a 2 cup measuring cup, mix, then pour into dry ingredients. Beat on high for 1 minute.

Spray a 9″ cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour in the batter.

Bake 23 - 27 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

To make frosting, cream the butter and powdered sugar together with a handmixer. Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Mix well, then taste and add a bit more lemon juice or salt if you think it needs it!

NOTE: For the cake I wanted two layers, so I doubled the batter recipe and split it evenly between two separate cake pans. The batter will fill the pans roughly halfway and you come out with 1½” to 2″ layers. I frosted in between the layers, all on the top and the sides... and it turned out beautifully!

ENJOY!

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Hey friends! Oh how I have missed y’all. Our lives have turned upside down in the last 6 weeks or so, but in a good way! I’m happy to share that Paul and I are expecting a sweet little baby later this year. For those of you who have followed our story, you’ll know that this little one is an absolute miracle and we are rejoicing constantly for what the Lord has done! We also found out that our apartment buildings were being renovated and all tenants were given 30-day eviction notices. Yikes! While we were planning to purchase our first home later this year, that process has definitely been accelerated. Needless to say, my head has been spinning quite a bit and haven’t had any time in my kitchen whatsoever... which has been tough, because my kitchen is my happiest place. :)

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Paul’s birthday, and I knew I wanted to make him a cake. And while this cake isn’t super fancy at all, I decided to take photos of the process and share it will y’all! I have so much respect for professional cake decorators, I think I ended up with more frosting on my fingers and countertop than on the cake. BUT the cake tasted wonderful and that’s all that matters!!

Thank you so much for your patience as Paul and I navigate through the beautiful chaos that is our lives right now. Fingers crossed we will be closing on our first home next week and I CANNOT wait to start taking photos of recipes in my new kitchen! That will be such a treat! In the meantime, I hope y’all are doing well and that you’ve had a wonderful (hopefully not too hot!) summer so far!!

Cheers,

The Little Dixie Cook

“The Lord works everything out to its proper end...” (Proverbs 16:4)

[littledixiecook]

WAFFLES

Ingredients:

1¼ cups brown rice flour

½ cup sweet white sorghum flour

¼ cup tapioca starch

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tsp. xanthan gum

¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2½ tablespoons white sugar

1½ cups milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs, separated

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Directions:

Preheat waffle iron.

In a medium sized bowl, sift together brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup, whisk together milk, vanilla, and 2 egg yolks.

Pour milk mixture over dry ingredients and gently mix together until just incorporated.

Add in melted butter and coconut oil and stir until combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whip the 2 egg whites using a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Fold the egg whites into the waffle batter using a spatula or wooden spoon until batter comes together. (If the batter seems too thick, add in a little splash of milk).

Using a ½ cup measure, pour batter into the center of the waffle maker using the back of the measuring cup to spread it out a bit, close the lid, and cook until golden brown and crisp. Serve warm and top with whatever toppings you fancy!!

ENJOY!!

Note: This recipe was inspired by The Pioneer Woman, and adapted to be gluten free!

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We love waffles in the Bryant household, especially on a lazy Saturday morning! :) These wonderful breakfast gems are sweet, crispy on the outside but soft on the inside... just the way we like them! Top with butter and syrup, berries, bananas and peanut butter, anything you like!

Cheers,

LDC

“My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.” (Psalm 89:21)

[littledixiecook]

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

6 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen, sliced

2 tbsp. lemon juice

zest from 1 lemon

1½ cups sugar, divided

2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1½ tsp. vanilla

3 egg yolks

½ cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

In a large bowl, add strawberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and ½ cup sugar. Stir together. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours, puree strawberries in a food processor or by using an immersion blender. The puree should yield roughly 3 - 3½ cups. Strain and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring milk, heavy cream, and remaining 1 cup of sugar just to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk three egg yolks. Add ½ cup of hot milk liquid to the egg yolks to temper the eggs, then pour egg mixture back into the hot milk mixture.

Bring to a boil once again, then remove from heat.

Strain milk mixture into a bowl set over ice and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled, stir in strawberry puree and condensed milk, then cover and place in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

When ready to make ice cream, add the ice cream base to the ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions. (Once the ice cream was done, I put it in the freezer for roughly 4 hours to let it set!)

ENJOY!!

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As we gear up for strawberry season, I’m so excited to share with you one of my favorite ways to use this sweet fruit! Homemade ice cream is wonderful and this version is packed full of strawberry flavor. :) It takes just a bit of time to make but is worth every single bite! Would love to hear y’all’s favorite ways to use strawberries! :)

Cheers,

The Little Dixie Cook

“There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might.” (Jeremiah 10:6)

[littledixiecook]

CRANBERRY WALNUT MUFFINS

Ingredients:

For Muffins:

1¼ cups brown rice flour

½ cup sweet white sorghum flour

¼ cup tapioca starch

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. xanthan gum

pinch of salt

few dashes of cinnamon

½ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

¾ cup almond milk

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tablespoon molasses

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup dried cranberries

½ cup walnuts

For Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons almond milk

⅛ tsp. almond extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In medium bowl, sift together brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, cinnamon, white sugar, and brown sugar. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat milk, sour cream, and vegetable oil. Add in vanilla, molasses and egg. Blend until well mixed.

Stir in flour mixture until batter just comes together. Fold in cranberries and walnuts.

Spray cupcake pan with cooking spray. Fill each cup ⅔ full. Bake for 18 minutes. Let cool just a bit before adding icing, then drizzle icing all over the top of the muffins in a zig-zag motion.

ENJOY!!

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When we get home from church on Sundays, these are typically the muffins we make for brunch! They come together quickly, which is great when you’ve got hungry mouths to feed. :) Feel free to add in chopped pecans or chopped almonds instead of walnuts. Oh! And toasting the nuts first for just a few minutes before adding them to the batter can add such a wonderful depth of flavor! I hope y’all have a great weekend!!

Cheers,

LDC

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:25)

[littledixiecook]

ZUCCHINI NOODLES

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, cut in half

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of Kosher salt and pepper

Toppings: marinara sauce, grated parmesan, GF Panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

Using a spiral noodle cutter, cut zucchini into ribbons. Using a clean dish towel, place zucchini noodles in the center, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible over the sink.

In a cast iron skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add in baby bella mushrooms and cook until golden brown, then remove from pan.

To the same skillet, add in the garlic and cook just for a minute until fragrant, then add in the zucchini noodles, salt, and pepper and cook until warmed through.

Add mushrooms back into the noodle dish and top with whatever toppings you fancy!

ENJOY!!

Note: You can also just use a vegetable peeler to cut the zucchini into long ribbons, works just as well!

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Honestly friends, I can hardly call this dish a recipe. :) It’s just a few simple ingredients, and topped with whatever you like! Recently one of my close friends here in Birmingham gave me one of those spiral noodle cutters, and this contraption is a little wonder! And using zucchini for noodles is such a healthy alternative to a heavy pasta dish. :) I hope y’all are having a great week!

Cheers,

LDC

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

[littledixiecook]

MOZZARELLA STICKS

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. block mozzarella cheese

½ cup tapioca starch

1 egg

1 cup GF panko breadcrumbs

1 tsp. parsley

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1½ tsp. garlic powder

pinch of salt

Oil for frying

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.

Place the block of mozzarella up on its side, lengthwise, and carefully cut in half. Then cut each half into 8 sticks, giving you 16 individual pieces.

In a small saute pan, toast the panko breadcrumbs, parsley, and Italian seasoning over high heat for just a few minutes, then set aside.

Grab 3 separate shallow bowls. Place the tapioca starch in one, mix the egg in the second, and add the toasted panko, parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in the third.

To make the mozzarella sticks, coat each stick in the tapioca starch, then dip in the egg making sure all sides are coated, then cover with the panko breadcrumb mixture on all sides. Repeat with each stick. I usually do several at a time, and use tongs to transfer the sticks between bowls… using your hands can sometimes be a bit messy!

Place prepared mozzarella sticks onto the baking sheet, and stick in the freezer for at least one hour.

When ready to make the mozzarella sticks, heat vegetable or canola oil roughly ½”  deep in a large saute pan over medium high heat. (The oil is ready when you can sprinkle in a tiny bit of water and it sizzles immediately.)

Cook batches of the mozzarella sticks in the hot oil, flipping after roughly 2 minutes or until golden brown. The cheese will want to melt out quickly, so carefully remove them from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels. 

Serve warm alongside your favorite marinara sauce!

ENJOY!!

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Hello, my friends! I am SO excited to share this recipe with you! It’s been years since I’ve eaten mozzarella sticks, but I recently found GF Panko breadcrumbs at Whole Foods, and was curious if they might work in this appetizer... and they do!! Freezing the sticks prior to frying is key to making this recipe. If you don’t, the cheese will melt immediately when it hits the oil... ask me how I know this. :) Hope y’all are doing well!

Cheers,

Little Dixie

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)

[littledixiecook]

CINNAMON ROLLS

Ingredients:

For Dough:

2 cups whole milk

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

1 package active dry yeast

2½ cups brown rice flour

1 cup sweet white sorghum flour

½ cup tapioca starch

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1½ tsp. Kosher salt

2½ tsp. xanthan gum

For Filling:

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

⅓ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup white sugar

For Icing:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons whole milk

½ tsp. vanilla

2½ cups powdered sugar

⅛ tsp. Kosher salt

Directions:

In a large pot, heat milk, vegetable oil, and sugar over medium heat. Turn off the stove when the temperature reaches 110F - 115F (or simply lukewarm). Stir in vanilla. Sprinkle yeast over the vanilla milk mixture and let sit for 1 minute.

While yeast is sitting, sift together brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum.  

Add 3 cups of the sifted flour to the yeast/milk and mix together until just combined. Cover pot with a clean kitchen towel, and let sit in a warm dry place for 1 hour.

While dough is rising, mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar, and white sugar for the filling. Set aside.

After an hour, once dough has risen, add in the last cup of flour and mix until just combined.

Lay a long sheet of plastic wrap down on a flat surface. Sprinkle tapioca starch over the plastic wrap. Place dough in the center of the plastic wrap. Add one more sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough. Roll out dough into a long rectangle, approximately 10” x 20”.

Remove top layer of plastic wrap, and brush melted butter all over the surface of the rolled out dough. Next, sprinkle cinnamon sugar topping all over the butter. Use as much as you like!

KEY: When it’s time to start rolling the dough, use the bottom layer of plastic wrap to help you! Carefully fold over the dough lengthwise, starting with the side that is farthest away from you. Keep pulling the plastic wrap toward you, trying to keep the roll as tight as possible. Gluten free dough is sticky and using the plastic wrap will help a ton! Pinch the seam closed once the roll is complete.

Use a sharp knife to cut 1” slices into the dough. (I got 20 slices out of this roll!)

Coat 2 separate 10” cast iron skillets with melted butter, and place 10 rolls in each skillet.

Cover the cast iron skillets with clean kitchen towels, and let rise for 25 - 30 more minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Once the rolls have risen, place in the oven and bake for 18 - 20 minutes, or until just golden.

To make icing, mix butter and cream cheese together using a handmixer. Add in milk and vanilla, and mix well. Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time and mix on low. Add in salt. Mix and taste. The icing should be thick but still pourable.

Once out of the oven, top with icing immediately, allowing it to fill every crack!

ENJOY!!

This recipe was inspired by The Pioneer Woman and adapted to be gluten free. :)

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A lot of people think that if a recipe is gluten free then it must be healthy for you... this is NOT one of those treats. :) These rolls are filled with butter and sugar and all things scrumptious! I had no idea how this recipe was going to turn out, but was so encouraged that the results were wonderful! They take a bit of time to make, but yield 20 rolls which is more than enough to share! If you end up making these rolls, be sure to let me know how you like ‘em!

Cheers, 

LDC

“In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:4)

[littledixiecook]

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients:

⅔ cup milk chocolate chips

⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 lb. strawberries

½ cup white chocolate

Directions:

Heat a small amount of water in the bottom of a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer.

Add the chocolate chips to a glass bowl, and place over the simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water), to create a double broiler. Stir occasionally for roughly 5 minutes, until chocolate is melted.

Take one strawberry at a time, holding up all the leaves, and swirl it in the melted chocolate. Place each strawberry on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Once strawberries are coated in chocolate, melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir to make sure all white chocolate is melted.

Drizzle white chocolate over the strawberries with a fork, or put into a ziplock bag, cut a tiny piece off one corner of the bag, and drizzle in a zig-zag motion.

Place the strawberries in refrigerator for 20 - 30 minutes to let chocolate harden, then dive right in!

ENJOY!!

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I love this dessert because it looks super fancy but literally could not be easier to make! And especially during the spring/summer, I always have the ingredients to make this treat in my fridge and pantry. These strawberries are wonderful for baby/bridal showers and birthday parties, or also just for a quick dessert at home. :) I hope y’all give this simple recipe a try!!

Cheers,

The Little Dixie Cook

“...we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

[littledixiecook]

CHEDDAR & THYME DROP BISCUITS

Ingredients:

1¼ cups brown rice flour

½ cup sweet white sorghum flour

¼ cup potato starch

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

1 - 2 tablespoons chopped thyme

¾ to 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

½ cup cold cubed unsalted butter

1 cup whole milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Combine brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, sugar, salt, thyme, and cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined.

Add cold cubed butter and pulse until crumbly.

Add just enough milk for the dough to come together into a ball on one side of the processor.

Use a spoon to place small balls of dough onto a nonstick cookie sheet.

Bake 13 - 15 minutes until golden brown.

Makes one dozen biscuits!

ENJOY!!

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Trying to adapt a regular glutinous recipe to be gluten free is sometimes tricky. :) I always hope for the best... and can I tell y’all, these biscuits were spot on! Slightly golden and crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. I honestly was surprised, they had the texture of a normal white flour biscuit, although it’s been 7 years since I’ve had one! Ahem. I hope you add these biscuits to your weekly dinner meals... they take roughly 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes to bake, easy peasy!!

Cheers,

The Little Dixie Cook

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

[littledixiecook]

BACON MAC’N’CHEESE

Inegredients:

Bacon (4 - 6 slices cooked and crumbled)

8 oz. elbow macaroni noodles

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 tablespoons brown rice flour

2 cups whole milk

⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg

1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1½ cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Kosher salt & pepper

1 cup GF panko breadcrumbs (toasted, optional)

2 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Cook macaroni according to package instructions. When cooked, drain, and set aside.

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and add flour to form a roux.

Slowly pour in milk, whisking the whole time. Then bring just to a boil.

Turn off heat, add in nutmeg and cheeses and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Butter a 9” casserole dish, add in the noodles, and pour the cheese sauce over cooked macaroni. Stir together.

In a small bowl mix together the toasted panko, dried parsley, garlic powder, and parmesan.

Top the cheesy macaroni with the crumbled bacon, then the panko breadcrumb mixture.

Bake 10 minutes or so, just to warm everything through and get the panko nice and golden.

Note: This recipe can easily be doubled, and split between 2 casserole dishes!

ENJOY!!

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Ohhhhhhh friends, do I love mac’n’cheese! All kinds! I’ll even eat versions that include vegetables. :) Here is a pretty quick version of mac’n’cheese with a homemade sauce!

I cannot tell y’all how grateful I am that there are SO MANY types of gluten free noodles available now. Back when I went gluten free years ago, GF pastas didn’t exist. So feel free to use any noodle or cheese you like for this dish, and I hope y’all have a great weekend!!

Cheers,

LDC

“I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you...” (Leviticus 26:9)

[littledixiecook]

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup white sugar

¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted

1½ teaspoons vanilla

3 egg yolks

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

½ cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring milk, heavy cream, sugar, and cocoa powder just to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk three egg yolks. Add ½ cup of hot milk liquid to the egg yolks to temper the eggs, then pour egg mixture back into the hot milk mixture.

Bring to a boil once again, then remove from heat.

Strain milk mixture into a bowl set over ice and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled a bit, stir in melted chocolate and condensed milk, then cover and place in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

When ready to make ice cream, add the ice cream base to the ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions. (Once the ice cream was done, I put it in the freezer for roughly 4 hours to let it set!)

ENJOY!!

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Hello my friends! Today I’ve got for you the most chocolate-y dessert I’ve created to date! If any of you have tried my chocolate mousse, this is almost an ice cream version of that dessert, but so much richer! I’m not sure why I’ve spent so many years being too intimidated to make homemade ice cream... Y’all it’s really not hard, it just takes time! Like, if I’m craving homemade ice cream today, I know that it’ll be tomorrow before I can actually eat it. And is it oh-so worth it when I do!! Y’all enjoy!

Cheers,

The Little Dixie Cook

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)

[littledixiecook]

HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Ingredients:

For Stock:

2 large carrots, roughly chopped

3 celery stalks, roughly chopped

1 russet potato, roughly chopped

½ large onion, roughly chopped

2 small heads of garlic, with the tops chopped off

1 small bunch of sage

4 - 5 sprigs of thyme

1 large bay leaf (or 2 small)

6 - 8 cups water

1 tsp. black peppercorns

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. Kosher salt

Bones from 2 small rotisserie chickens

For Soup:

4 carrots, diced

4 celery stalks, sliced thin

½ large onion, grated or diced

1 small bunch of sage

1 tsp. chopped thyme

¼ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. garlic powder

6 cups chicken stock

2 - 3 oz. skinny rice noodles

2 cups rotisserie chicken breasts, chopped or shredded

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

To make the stock, combine all ingredients in a large pot or Dutch oven. Place on stove over medium heat. Cover, and let cook for 1½ hours. Once finished, strain out the vegetables/bones and discard. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. (Note, this is a low-sodium chicken stock).

To make the soup, add 6 cups of the chicken stock to a pot. Add in chopped carrots, celery, onion (I’ve been recently grating it right into the soup), sage, thyme, coriander, garlic powder, and a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer 25 - 30 minutes, until carrots and celery are soft.

Remove sage bunch and discard. Add in rice noodles and chicken, and simmer over medium heat until noodles are cooked through, roughly 5 - 10 minutes. Add more salt and pepper if needed, and that’s it!

NOTE: I tend to make two big pots of stock at a time. I’ll use one throughout the week, and freeze the second batch! :)

ENJOY!!

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Hello my friends! So in the last month, Paul and I have both gotten sick (bleh!)... likely because we are right smack dab in the middle of winter. All we wanted the whole time we were sick was soup. Real, hearty, warm your bones soup. And this is what I made! Honestly we probably ate this soup off and on for two weeks straight as we were trying to recuperate! I hope y’all find this recipe helpful for the next time you or your loved ones need a little pick-me-up! 

Cheers,

LDC

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy...” (Colossians 1:11)

[littledixiecook]

BLUE CHEESE BACON DIP

Ingredients:

¾ cup chopped bacon (roughly 6 slices)

12 ounces (1½ sticks) cream cheese

½ cup sour cream

½ tsp. garlic powder

Splash or two of almond milk

¾ cup blue cheese crumbles

1½ tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet. Lay 6 slices of bacon onto the cooling rack.

Bake bacon in the oven for roughly 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown and slightly crisp. Once out of the oven, pat the bacon dry with a paper towel and chop into small pieces.

While bacon is baking, combine cream cheese and sour cream in a medium sized bowl. Mix together with a hand mixer.

Add in garlic powder and mix. Then add in almond milk to thin it out just a bit, mixing until combined.

Carefully fold in blue cheese crumbles, chopped bacon, and chives.

Divide the dip between two 6” ramekins, or the serving dish of your choice. Bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes, until golden on top and bubbly. Serve with chips!

ENJOY!

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As you can probably tell, I’m a big fan of dips here on the Little Dixie Cook. :) Anything creamy that you can stick a chip into and I’m all about it. This particular dip is rich with a nice salty kick... my husband says you can never go wrong with blue cheese and bacon! Be sure to make it for your next get together!!

Cheers,

LDC

“...in your light, we see light.” (Psalm 36:9)