Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies

Salty Oat Cookies, Gluten-Free http://artofglutenfreebaking.com   These are similar to the Teaism Salty Oat Cookies Adapted from The Washington Post, 6/13/07 Special Equipment Needed -a stand mixer is nice, but a hand mixer will do   Note: This recipe uses my gluten-free flour mix Jeanne's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix (mix together and store in fridge): 1 1/4 C. brown rice flour 1 1/4 C. white rice flour 1 C. tapioca flour 1 C. sweet rice flour (also known as Mochiko) 2 scant tsp. xanthan gum (you can also use the gluten-free flour mixture (not baking mix) of your choice--just be  sure it contains xanthan gum. Or, you can add 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum per cup of gluten-free flour.  If you use bean flour, it will add a bean taste to the cookies)   Ingredients 12 TBL (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 C light or dark brown sugar (I used dark) 1/2 C granulated sugar 2 large or extra large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 3/4 C Jeanne's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 C rolled oats (gluten-free)--not quick cooking Salt for sprinkling 1 C raisins (optional) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and oats.  Set aside. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter for a few minutes on  medium-high until light and fluffy.  Add the two sugars, beat for a couple of minutes.   Scrape down sides.  Add the vanilla extract, beat to mix in.  Add the eggs, one at a time,  beating after each addition. Add the flour mixture to your butter mixture.  Beat just to incorporate. Make sure to scrape the  bottom of the mixing bowl--the resulting batter is thick enough that some of the dry ingredients  don't get incorporated.  Do a final mix by hand to incorporate any stray dry ingredients.   If using raisins, mix them in at this time. Form golf-ball sized balls of dough.  Even though the dough seems too sticky, you can  form them with your hands without too much mess.  Place them 2 inches apart on lined cookie sheet.   Generously sprinkle each cookie with a good pinch of salt. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  Don't overbake.   The cookies should have a tender interior.  Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy! Nico's Note: I added a scant 1/2 tsp of Kosher salt instead of sprinkling them generously with salt.   I thought that added the right touch of salt.  It's better for me to make these in half batches and  freeze some so that I don't eat the entire batch at once.

Beef and Broccoli (without the Beef)

I made the recipe called "Beef with Broccoli" from Our Best Bites and the kids didn't like the way the beef turned out, but they loved the vegetables with it and have asked me to make them again so I'm just going to record the vegetable part of the recipe.

1 T oil
1/2 cup water
1 T cornstarch
1 t ground ginger--I just used the powdered kind
2 T brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
12 ounces broccoli florets broken into bite size pieces (about 4 cups)
2 carrots cut into small pieces ( I used about 1-1 1/2 cup baby carrots)

In separate bowl whisk together water, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, and brown sugar.  Set aside. Heat 1T oil in pan when hot and broccoli and carrots. Stir fry broccoli and carrots for 4-5 minutes until tender-crisp.  Add the sauce and cook for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens.  Serve over white rice.  (The next time I made this I doubled the recipe to have leftovers.)