Let's Try Again...Gluten Free Bread

I have been trying to make Gluten Free bread for quite some time.  A while back I thought I had a winner because it looked so nice when it came out of the oven.  It was such a disappointment when I cut it.  I have tried box mixes of almost every brand.  I have googled recipes but most of them take so many ingredients that I don't have and I don't want to stock up on if the bread isn't going to work out.  Today I may have a real winner.  As always, gluten free bread will never taste like regular white bread.  This is quite dense and moist.  I tried a peanut butter sandwich, and it actually tasted like a soft white bread peanut butter sandwich.

The sandwich was good, but the toast was really good.  I think it would work well for grilled cheese or French toast.

Around Easter time I was given a recipe for gluten free cookies from a friend.  They turned out really well.  She recommended using a gluten free flour mix that can be purchased at Costco.  The brand is Namaste flour blend.

On the back of the package were a couple recipes but no recipe for bread.  I decided to go to the website and found several recipes, like banana bread and cinnamon rolls, that looked very good.  https://namastefoods.com/recipes/cgi-bin/recipes.cgi?Function=list&Category_Id=by-product&Product_Id=13  The one that caught my eye was a recipe for Granny's Gluten Free Breadmaker Bread.  The best part is that I could make this in my bread machine.  Here is the recipe from the Namaste website.

Granny's Gluten Free Breadmaker Bread 

Ingredients:
3 ½ cups Namaste Foods Perfect Flour Blend
1 ½ cups milk, any kind
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. honey
½ cup cornstarch, arrrowroot or tapioca starch
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 tbsp. yeast

Directions:
 1. We recommend following the manufacturer's directions regarding liquid/dry ingredient placement as well as settings for loaf size and time. If none are available, please follow the following steps.
2. Combine wet ingredients and place in breadmaker.
3. Combine dry ingredients (except yeast) and add to breadmaker. Make well in top of flour mixture and add yeast. Close breadmaker.
4. Bake on medium crust, 1 to 1 ½ lb or gluten free bread setting. (Settings vary by breadmaker). Cool completely before slicing. Variations Serving Suggestion: Excellent warmed up and served with butter and honey!

I don't really have a gluten allergy, but I have family and friends who do.  Although I don't think it would hurt anyone to cut back from eating products made with the modified wheat we are stuck with in this day and age.  I think this recipe is a keeper.

What a Difference a Month Makes

The weather in Wisconsin is a roller coaster ride especially in the spring.  One month ago on April 17, 2018 we had a big snowstorm.  http://www.thecabincountess.com/2018/04/april-2018-snowstorm.html  Today is May 17, 2018.  We had a temperature of 85 degrees yesterday.  Thank goodness it's a little cooler today.  Our bodies can't adjust as quickly as the weather.

Because of the snow and rains this spring, the Fox River which flows past our property has flooded.  The water from the river spills into our marsh bringing a lot of water right up to the bottom of our hill.  Fortunately our house is on top of the hill out of harms way.  When I look out the patio door, all I see is water.

Before the snow a month ago we had some very nice weather.  A pair of sandhill cranes appeared to be making a nest on top of a muskrat house.  They worked for days at getting it perfect.

I don't think they were actually incubating eggs before the snow.  They disappeared for a few days and when they returned, the nest was completely under water and remains flooded.  All hope for seeing a newly hatched crane is gone.  Even the turtles are having trouble finding a place to sun themselves.

We have been blessed to see a lot of migrating birds.  The Baltimore Orioles usually show up on May 1 along with the Rose Breasted Grosbeaks and the Hummingbirds.  The Indigo Buntings are also so beautiful to see.  There are many varieties of Warblers, and other birds that are harder for me to identify.  I just know, I love spring for being able to see all the birds and their splendor.