Oat Shortbread

 

I once saw a recipe for Scottish shortbread which included oatmeal.  That is how I knew that making shortbread using oat flour would be simple. And also delicious. Shortbread is subtly sweet, which makes it that much easier to eat several without feeling like you are over indulging.  :)

Oat Shortbread

 

Makes 3 dozen 3-inch cookies.

 

Ingredients

•       8 ounces cold salted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

•       1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

•       270 grams gluten-free oat flour (cold)

 

Method

•       Preheat the oven to 300°F.  Put the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

•       Cream the butter and brown sugar together on low speed until the butter combines with the sugar but isn’t perfectly smooth.  This will take a while but you don’t want the mixture to get warm.

•       Add the oat flour and mix on low speed, scraping the bowl frequently, until the dough has just about pulled together, about 3 minutes.  Shortbread is similar to pastry, so undermixing is better than overmixing. 

•       On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick, and as even as possible.

•       Cut the dough into bars or squares with a sharp knife or cookie cutters. If using cookie cutters, you can reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. If the dough becomes sticky, refrigerate it briefly. 

•       Bake the cookies until golden on the bottom and edges, and pale to golden on top, 30 minutes to 1 hour. (After 15 minutes, rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees for even baking.) 

•       Cool on wire racks.

•       Store in airtight containers.  They freeze well.

 

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do, and that you will let me know how they turn out for you.

Faux Starbuck Oat Fudge Bars

So, first of all I have to say that I have personally never eaten one of the Starbucks Fudge Oat bars.  My cousin, who loves them, gave me a recipe she found for making them at home.  She hand wrote the recipe, and therefore, I have no idea where it came from and can't give them credit.  But here is my gluten-free adaptation of that recipe.  My cousin says the texture of the base is different, but she still thinks this is delicious.  :)

Faux Starbuck Oat Fudge Bars

 

Yield – 24 bars

 

Ingredients

Base

·      2/3 cup dehydrated cane sugar

·      2/3 cup brown sugar

·      1 cup butter, at room temperature

·      2 large eggs, at room temperature

·      2 cups (200 gm) gluten-free oat flour, cold

·      3 cups quick oats

Topping

·      1 cup whipping cream

·      2 cups chocolate chips

·      ½ cup butter

·      ½ teaspoon vanilla

 

Method

·      Weigh out the flour, or spoon it into a measuring cup.  Never scoop oat flour out of the package with a measuring cup.  It will compact, and you will get more flour than you need.  

·      Cream butter and sugar.  

·      Add eggs and mix well.

·      Add oat flour and quick oats, and mix well.

·      Spread ¾ of this evenly into a greased 9 x 13” cake pan

·      Put whipping cream, chocolate chips, and butter into a small pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally until chocolate and butter are completely melted, and mixture is smooth.

·      Add the vanilla and mix well.

·      Pour this topping over the base, and spread evenly.

·      Drop remaining 1/4 of the base in blobs randomly on the topping.

·      Bake at 350F for 25 minutes.

·      Cool completely before cutting. I recommend putting the pan in the fridge for an hour.

 

Store in an airtight container.  Freezes very well.

Mexican Turkey Casserole

 

I am experimenting with ground turkey, and this is my first recipe.  I love it - easy to make, and full of cheesy, spicy goodness!

Mexican Turkey Casserole

Serves 6

Ingredients

Base

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 lb ground turkey

• ½ cup frozen corn

• ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder

• ½ teaspoon cumin powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup chicken stock

Topping

• 1 cup (100 gm) gluten-free oat flour, cold

• 2/3 cup Masa Harina

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• ½ teaspoon coriander

• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature and lightly beaten

• 2/3 cup milk, cold

• 1 cup shredded jalapeno Monterey jack cheese

Method

• Add olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and peppers, and saute for about 5 minutes or until softened.

• Add ground turkey, spices and salt.  Cook until turkey is no longer pink.  

• Mix in the corn. Then put mixture in a 2-quart casserole dish. Pour in the chicken stock and mix together. 

• Weigh out the flour, or spoon it into a measuring cup. Never scoop oat flour out of the package with a measuring cup. It will compact, and you will get more flour than you need.

• In a large bowl, mix together the dry topping ingredients. Cut the butter into pieces, then add to the bowl, rubbing the soft butter into the dry mixture.

• Stir egg and milk together.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.  

• Spoon topping over the turkey base. Spread the shredded cheese over the topping.

• Bake casserole at 350F for 30 minutes

This is great reheated!