Easy as... Pie.

For me, pie has never been season specific. Some people like it in fall, some in the winter, some in summer and while I will not deny that I prefer certain pies in certain seasons, pie is a year-round thing for me. Oh I love pie. It's one thing I can fondly remember both my mother, and my father making. Dad always loved apple pie season, while mom looked forward to the rhubarb sprouting in the rose garden (odd,...I know) so she could cut it up and add it to her strawberry pie. Even my sister has made several versions of blueberry pie seen at family outings every summer. I guess you could say in my family - we're pie people. I was a little scared - I've never made a pie myself! And what a sad summer it would have been without getting to have at least one slice... but I wasn't gonna let gluten hold me back - have I ever? So then I got to thinking...how? but more importantly...which one?!
Before I could worry about the crust, I worried about the filling. Being that it is summer, I decided to go with what I enjoy and what's fresh - strawberry, rhubarb and blueberries. So I tried to make them in the styles of which I best remembered enjoying them: a classic strawberry rhubarb and the blueberry open faced (for plenty of whipped cream!) Now. On to the crust! For me a good pie crust can hold up to it's filling, and is crisp and maybe a little flaky.
I've watched plenty of Food Network in my days past. Now that I think about it - maybe a little TOO much Food Network. So I figured like all good pie makers I should "blind bake" my crust. This means that the bottom shell of the pie gets baked before anything filling goes into it. It's supposed to help keep the bottom of the pie supportive, and it's generally only about 10 minutes baking just to firm it up a bit. This for me made both a good and bad baking day...Since my blueberry pie is open faced, I cooked the shell just a wee bit longer to help it get golden brown and oh so pretty! I was really happy with it. However, when making the tradition top & bottom crusted pie: (I've really got to get a prettier back-drop than my stove...) The top uncooked dough didn't have much to stick too, and thus some of my pie-juice leaked out between the seal and juiced my crust a bit. Never-the-less, the pie crust held up nicely (despite being gluten free!) and the pie was delicious! A true success in my eyes - it really tasted like I always remembered. The blueberry pie was a big hit with my boyfriend's family man and I'm sure there will be many more requests for pie in my future gluten-free baking days!

Gluten Free Pie Crust:
adapted from: Living Without
Makes 2 - 9" crusts (a top & a bottom!)

1 1/8 cup Gluten Free Flour Mix
( This is the typical substitution mix I always use and keep on hand, it's 1/2 c. rice flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup tapioca flour/starch.)
2/3 cup finely ground GF oats (stick them in the food processor)
3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons millet flour
1 1/2 teaspoons xantham gum
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
13 1/2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter (cut into 1/2 tablespoon pieces)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/4 tablespoons cider vinegar

1. Using a handy-dandy stand mixer, (with the paddle attachment) combine all the dry ingredients.
2. Add cold butter in 1/2 tablespoon increments and blend on low until butter is incorporated to pea sized pieces.
3. Add eggs and cider vinegar.
If the dough is too sticky after mixing this well, add flour in tablespoon increments until you have a soft dough.

Rolling and baking:
Split the dough in half. Work with one crust at a time! I like to use wax paper, or parchment paper to roll it out, because though it doesn't have any gluten, it still gets quite sticky - after all, it is dough! I roll the bottom crust out until it is large enough to fit my ungreased 9" pie plate. Once placed in the pie pan, I press it onto the sides lightly, cut off any excess dough and pinch the edges, so they look nice!
- To blind bake the bottom crust I bake it in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for about ten minutes, or until it's golden brown, I wouldn't personally recommend this if you are doing a top & bottom crusted pie, the edges bake quickly, so the top has nothing to stick to and form a seal, however I suppose you could bake it 5-7 minutes to help firm the bottom. Make sure when laying the top crust on top of the bottom that you do seal it well (to avoid leakage!) and cut vents to help any steam from the baking process escape. I generally also egg-wash the top crust. (Egg wash = one egg and one tablespoon milk, mixed well) Depending on the pie it will bake for 30-50 minutes. Keep an eye on it - when it's brown - it's done!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie:
adapted from a family recipe
Makes 1 - 9" pie
1 GF pie crust (top & bottom)
1 pint of strawberries (washed, hulled & sliced)
2 cups raw rhubarb (sliced)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons GF Flour Mix (see above)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Put all ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss well until all fruit is covered.
Put into bottom pie shell and cover with top crust - be sure to vent the top crust!
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes!
Enjoy!

(I really need to learn to take nicer pictures...I just eat it before I ever get the chance!)

Open Face Blueberry Pie:
adapted from a family recipe
Makes 1 - 9" pie

1 GF pie crust bakes- just the bottom!
4 cups blueberries, cleaned and rinsed
1 cup of sugar
3 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup of water
1 tablespoon of butter

Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan.
Add water and 1 cup of blueberries.
Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened.
Stir in butter and let cool.
Add remaining blueberries and stir well.
Pour into pie shell and refrigerate.
Garnish with ice cream or whipped cream for the ultimate summer treat!

Fourth of July and Clam Cakes!

I was born and raised in Rhode Island, always traveling to the beach and eating seafood. One thing that has always brought me a sense of 'homeness' and comfort has been clam cakes. In Rhode Island - it's home-food and a good indicator of summer! And in the last year I have missed the salty, crusty, doughy deliciousness that is comfort. I have been gluten free for one year now. And in the last year, and I have never had quite the gluten-free epiphany as I had tonight.
So all you non-RI'ers say "what on EARTH is a clam cake?!". Some just assume it's like a crab cake. Wrong. A fritter? Wrong. Well, not exactly wrong, but still not right. Let me show you:
I've had many let-downs in my gluten-free cooking and baking, and I was so scared that this would be one. Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments in gluten free cooking is that you so long anticipate such good food, to end up with such a flop, something that doesn't taste anything like what you wanted or remembered.
This success was so long-awaited I almost cried. I was so afraid for it to fail.
My best friend is getting married in September, so (naturally) my boyfriend and I had to get a very exciting gift for them as best man and maid of honor. They so longed for a fryalator. ...I didn't disclose my secret happiness in this decision, ah the possibility of gluten free fried food! Of course after driving two hours to them with their long-awaited gift in tow, they were happy to oblige my home-comfort craving.
I'm not going to lie - I was waiting for that heartbreaking failure. I really had no idea quite what I was doing when I started concocting this recipe. I had an original clam cake recipe and my idea of what might work. This is what I got:


Rhode Island Style CLAM CAKES (gluten free!)

1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour/starch
1/2 cup corn starch
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup clam juice
1 cup minced clams

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir in clams. If batter is too thick, add milk and clam juice in equal amounts until thick (but not runny!) . Drop into hot oil (375) by the tablespoon. Remove from oil and drop on paper towels. Salt. Enjoy!

You will not be disappointed! Enjoy!
P.S. Sorry about my horrible photography...hopefully it will improve!