Mama Jo's Key Lime Pie // with // Gluten-FREE Variation

Mama Jo’s Key Lime Pie

Crust:

1/2  cup melted butter

1 1/2  packages of graham crackers 

        - pulsed with a blender or smash into crumbs

1/4  cup granulated sugar

1/2  teaspoon cinnamon

Mix well and press firmly into a springform pan.

(*FOR  A  GLUTEN-FREE CRUST: *)

1/2  cup melted butter

2  packages of Pamela’s Gluten-FREE graham crackers 

- pulsed with a blender or smash into crumbs

1/4  cup  and 2  Tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4  teaspoon cinnamon

Mix well and press firmly into a springform pan.

Filling:

1   14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

3 egg yolks  (fridge temperature)

½ cup Key Lime juice 

(Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lime Juice 

        is preferred with this recipe!)

Mix ingredients with a hand mixer until combined - 

and then mix on HIGH for 3 minutes. 

Pour evenly on top of the crust.

Bake at 350∞ until firm which means NO “jiggle in the middle” (about 15 minutes).

Prepare:

2 cups heavy whipping cream  

1 teaspoon vanilla  (Mexican vanilla is preferred)

Whip up and set aside.

Topping:

1  14oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. micro grated lime peel (usually just one ripe lime…)

½ cup Key Lime juice  

(Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lime Juice 

        is preferred with this recipe!)

Beat until VERY thick and smooth, then 

        CAREFULLY FOLD IN whipped cream.

DO NOT over fold or stir once whipping cream is added.  

It will be lumpy, don’t worry about them! 

        (They will even themselves out… I promise!)

Chill mixture until baked pie is throughly cooled enough to         add the topping.

Top the cooled pie with “topping” and chill again for 3-6 

hours or overnight.

Remove from the fridge 1/2 hour before serving.

Cut into slices.

Grab one before serving and eat immediately, or save for     

later... as there will not be any leftover!

GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR MIX

GLUTEN-FREE  FLOUR  MIX:

3 cups -  RICE FLOUR

1 and 1/2 cups -  TAPIOCA FLOUR

3/4 cup -  POTATO STARCH

1 heaping Tablespoon -  XANTHAN GUM

1/2 Tablespoon sea salt 

Mix throughly and store in an air tight container in your pantry. 

OR, if you don’t use gluten-free flour very frequently, put it in the fridge.

Note:

When using in a recipe as a wheat flour substitute:

 - OMIT up to 1 teaspoon salt.

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This is my mixing box -

The only ingredient I do not keep in this box at the ready is salt.

Several reasons I keep this box in my baking cupboard:

1 - I can keep an eye on my flour-making-ingredients
and levels so that I do not run out of something. 

2 - It makes making the flour often FAST!

To add to my the convenience of the mixing box, 
I have a 3/4 cup measuring cup as a permanent fixture.

When I'm making my mix it makes it extra EASY!

(4) 3/4 cup measurements of rice flour
(2) 3/4 cup measurements of tapioca flour
(1) 3/4 cup measurements of potato starch

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I purchase my flours and potato starch
typically at my local Kroger or HEB store. 
When they are not available I hop on
Amazon or an online store called VitaCost

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Elevated Rice Crispy Treats // Optional: dairy-free

Heat/Melt in a large pot: 

FOR REGULAR:

6 Tablespoons butter

15 oz bag of large marshmallows

- OR -

FOR DAIRY FREE: 

1/3 cup coconut oil 

15 oz bag of large marshmallows

TAKE OFF THE HEAT 

ADD:

1 teaspoon vanilla 

(Mexican vanilla preferred) 

ADD: 

8 cups

Plain rice crispies

- OR - 

8 cups

chocolate rice crispies

Note: go slow when adding crispies! 1/2 a portion at a time - don’t dump everything all at once. You want to keep it moist and marshmallow heavy.

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Dedicated to Susan Anderson who “elevated” my opinion of rice crispy treats with her use of vanilla. ❤️

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Bret’s Gluten-FREE Brownie Cookie // (AKA: Schitt’s Cookies)

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These cookies are quite literally Bret's Cookies.  

She wanted them, so she made them up!

She wanted a chocolate-chocolate-chip cookie...

We have a perfected gluten-free recipe for regular chocolate chip cookies and she modified it to what her heart desired. 

These are THE BEST!!! 

In fact, we just had them for dinner tonight...

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(A recipe FOR your recipe:)

GLUTEN-FREE  FLOUR  MIX:

3 cups  RICE FLOUR
1 and 1/2 cups  TAPIOCA FLOUR
3/4 cup  POTATO STARCH  (OR if in a pinch, substitute with cornstarch)

1 heaping Tablespoon Bob's Red Mill -  XANTHAN GUM

1/2 Tablespoon sea salt 

Mix throughly - keep in an air tight container or fridge.
(Note: When using in a recipe as a wheat flour substitute - OMIT up to 1 teaspoon salt.)

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Bret’s Gluten-FREE Brownie Cookie

// (AKA: Schitt’s Cookies)

CREAM TOGETHER:
1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar

ADD:
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Mexican Vanilla preferred)
2 eggs, beaten

COMBINE:

2 1/2 cups of gluten-FREE flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

LAST ADDITION:
1 and 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

RECOMMENDED: 

use 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

1. beat butter and sugars together on high for 3 minutes
2. beat in vanilla and eggs
3. combine dry ingredients together and slowly add to wet ingredients
4. add chocolate chips
5. roll dough into balls and place onto a cookie sheet, preferably a clay one, with parchment paper
6. squish dough balls to look like this: / \
7. bake for 10 min at 375°

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Payton and Garrett had these cookies for
the first time over Christmas break 2023...
Pretty sure these cookies are their
new favorite now too!

Is a warm, gooey chocolate-chocolate chip cookie
needed after a cold day at the beach? Yes indeed.

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Enchilada Sauce (Homemade/Gluten-FREE)

 

Green Chicken Enchiladas
With Pepper Jack Cheese 
And Munster Cheese

I can already feel your eyes on that post title... 

and in your mind you might be saying:

"JO.  REALLY.  Do you have to label everything gluten-FREE???"

Unfortunately - yes. 

YES because when you start reading labels of ready-made and ready-to-eat things nearly every damn thing has gluten in it.  

So if you're like me and want to make something, say enchiladas, ALL the components (okay - nearly ALL) ends up being something YOU have to make yourself.

My enchiladas, green or red, are layered in a 9X13 pan generously rubbed down with olive oil or cooking spray.

Next - a 1/2 cup of sauce spread on the bottom.

20-24 Corn tortillas are at the ready, warmed on the griddle and bendy.

Corn tortillas are filled with shredded rotisarie chicken, shredded pepper jack cheese and a big spoonful of enchilada sauce.

Once all the corn tortillas are filled, rolled and tucked into the 9X13 pan, the entire collection gets 1 cup of enchilada sauce spread over the top with a final layer of pepper jack cheese.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

Broil for an additional 2-5 minutes or until the cheese has some toasty brown spots.

Serve hot with salad and fresh fruit.

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Enchilada Sauce - original by Heidi Mark   

"Gluten-FREE" depends on the flour you choose to use.

2 30 oz cans tomato sauce

2 TBSP chicken broth paste

1/4 cup flour OR gluten-free flour mix

2 TBSP oil

1 1/2 TBSP cumin 

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt 

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper 

Combine tomato sauce, oil, and broth paste and spices in a medium or large saucepan.  Whisk together and then add your choice of flour, whisking until smooth. Bring to a simmer - stir often.  Keep temperature low and simmer 6-8 min. 

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FOR  GREEN (VERDE) ENCHILADAS

2 jars green salsa 

For a 9X13 pan 

Grease pan

Heat one jar of salsa over medium heat 

ADD: 

2 teaspoons cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper 

1/4 cup gluten-free flour 

Stir constantly until thick 

Remove from heat 

Other salsa jar - pour 1/2 into 9X13 pan - layer enchiladas - pour remaining salsa over enchiladas - cover with shredded or sliced cheese 

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

Broil top for 2-5 minutes if cheese needs to be toasty.

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Fun Family Fact:

My husband calls these "WMME's" if you ever meet me in person I'll tell you what this stands for  :0)

 

Better Than HEB Homemade Tortillas

Friend who recently moved to Dallas from Oregon:

"Do you have HEB in Houston?"

ME:

"Yup!"

Friend who recently moved to Dallas from Oregon:

"Have you ever had their butter tortillas???!!!"

ME:

"I have!  A long time ago when I could still eat gluten... They're so GOOD! (I miss them.)"

Friend who recently moved to Dallas from Oregon:

"Sometimes I get home and I realize I've eaten ALL the tortillas..."

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3  cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2  teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup bacon grease, cold  

(OR 1/2 cup butter

OR   1/2 cup lard

OR   1/2 cup shortening 

and in that order of preference)

1 cup hot (very hot) water

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INSTRUCTIONS:

 
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. 

Cut in the bacon grease (or other fat) with a fork or pastry blender until the big chunks of bacon grease (or other fat) are broken up into a fine crumble and incorporated into the flour mixture. 

Add the hot water and stir until combined. 

Work the dough into a ball.

Keep the dough in your mixing bowl and knead the dough about 2 minutes; adding more a 1/4 cup more flour at a time if needed to take away the stickiness. 

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 15-20 minutes. 

Pinch the dough off into pieces slightly larger than a golf ball. 

Work the dough into balls and then press down lightly to form a round roughly the size of your palm.

With a rolling pin or large drinking cup, roll each round out into a circle about a 1/4 inch thick. 

Repeat with the remaining rounds. 

Place the tortillas onto a large HOT cast iron skillet. 

Cook just until light brown circles appear. 

The longer these cook, the crispier they become so adjust you cook time and temp as needed - I like mine slightly floppy especially if I plan to use them for a quesadilla and plan to cook them up again.

  
Wrap in a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm oven until you have finished cooking all of the tortillas and are ready to serve. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.

If there are any leftovers refrigerate and reheat on your cast iron skillet.

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