I have had good luck with this recipe: Gluten-free Pizza Crust Ingredients: 1 Tbs. Yeast 2/3 cup Brown Rice flour 1/2 cup Tapioca flour 2 Tbs. powdered milk or extra Tapioca flour (I actually used dry buttermilk because I had some) 2 tsp Xanthan Gum 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp unflavored gelatin 1 tsp Italian Seasoning (I just added some Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Thyme, and Rosemary to taste) 2/3 cup warm water, approximately (temperature around 100 degrees, not too hot or it will kill the yeast) 1/2 tsp sugar or honey or agave (I used sugar) 1 tsp Olive Oil (I think I'll add 1 Tbs next time) 1 tsp cider vinegar Directions: Add all ingredients to electric mixer bowl and blend on low speed. When blended, mix on high speed for about 3 minutes. If mixture seems too dry (the machine is starting to bounce around), add a bit more water. The dough should be soft. Put the dough on a (rice) floured surface, and form into a ball. Then flatten it out slightly into a circle with your hands. Place the dough on your Pizza pan, and begin working it out into a larger circle, pressing from the middle out. Work it to the size and thick/thinness you prefer. If it cracks in spots, just press it back together. When you have it at the right size, thicken up the edges a little to keep your toppings on, and so it looks like a Pizza (LOL). Set it in a warm place and let it rest for about 20 minutes or so. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. After resting (the Pizza, not you) pre-bake the dough for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and add your toppings. Bake again, for about 15 to 20 minutes, until until the cheese is melted and the crust edge is nicely browned. Here is a link that might be useful: Gluten free pizza

I've used coconut flour a bit. Many of the coconut flour recipes I've seen use *a lot* of eggs. Not a problem for me but might be for others. The texture of the cupcakes I made was interesting - dense, but light. I need to do more experimenting, but it is a very expensive flour. Here is the *best* and easiest GF Bread recipe I have ever made. You would hardly know it is gluten free. Gluten Free Focaccia Ingredients: ● 1 1/2 tsp dry yeast ● 3/4 cup warm water ● 1 tsp sugar ● 1 cup brown rice flour ● 1/4 cup potato starch ● 1/4 cup tapioca flour ● 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum ● 1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder ● 1 tsp dried rosemary ● 1/2 tsp gluten-free onion powder ● 3/4 tsp salt ● 2 large eggs ● 2 Tbs olive oil ● 1/2 tsp cider vinegar ● ● Topping ● 1 tsp seasoning (Italian, herb, whatever) ● 1/4 tsp salt ● 1 TBs olive oil Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast into water and stir until dissolved. Set aside to foam, about 5 minutes. 3. Combine flours, xanthan gum, gelatin powder, rosemary, onion powder, and salt in a small mixer bowl. 4. Whisk eggs, olive oil and vinegar into the dissolved yeast and stir the mixture into the flour. 5. Beat dough with mixer for 2 minutes, using a spatula to keep stirring down the dough on the mixer beaters. The dough will be soft and sticky. 6. Transfer dough to an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 inch non-stick pan coated with cooking spray and cornmeal. (I usually line pan bottom with parchment) 7. Brush top with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and season as you wish (I use thyme) 8. Cover and let rise in warm place for 40 minutes. 9. Bake for 15 minutes. Yum! Off topic - my fab Candied Ginger Gluten-free cookie. Ingredients: * 1 cup Unsalted Butter, slightly softened * 3/4 cup Brown Sugar * 1/3 cup White Sugar * 2 Eggs * 1 tsp Vanilla * 1 cup Sorghum Flour * 1 cup Brown Rice flour * 1/2 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour * 1/2 cup Potato Starch * 1/2 tsp Baking Soda * 1 tsp Baking Powder * 1 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum * 1/2 tsp Salt * 3/4 cup Flaked Coconut, unsweetened * 2 - 4 Tbs Coarsely Chopped Candied Ginger (I used 4), plus extra * 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries Directions: Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum together with a whisk and set aside. Using an electric mixer beat the butter until soft, and add the sugars, blending well. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each well. Add the vanilla and blend. Add the dry ingredients until just blended Add the coconut, ginger, and cranberries and mix until just blended, about 10 seconds. Spoon a full tablespoon of dough (or use scoop) and press into a 2" circle (about 1/4" thick). Sprinkle additional chopped ginger on top of each cookie, to taste. Bake approximately 17 minutes (top of cookies won't brown much) Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack. Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies, depending on size.

I've done a little gluten free baking, and I've had some times where the loaves are reasonable looking, and others where they were mishapen. I think it helps to beat the batter longer. But I also think it is very difficult to produce a gluten free loaf that really looks like a wheat-based loaf. They just aren't as pretty and don't rise as high. I only eat GF bread occasionally--and usually just as toast. I haven't made a loaf that I could really use very well for sandwiches. I think the foccacia or wrap recipes work better. There may be more experienced GF bakers who will have tips on getting better results, and I would be grateful to hear them too!

I make crustless, gluten-free pumpkin pie using the Impossible Pumpkin Pie recipe (Bisquick/Betty Crocker recipe). You can use the gluten-free Bisquick, Bob's Red Mill gluten-free baking mix, or your own homemade gluten-free baking mix mixture. I make a high-fiber, high-protein, low-carb, gluten-free baking mix. Makes approx. 1-cup baking mix: 1/2 c. almond flour 1/2 c. hi-maize resistant starch (available through King Arthur or Honeyville Grain) 1/4 t. salt 1-1/2 t. baking powder 1 T. coconut oil (or other fat/oil of choice) Mix ingredients with a hand-held electric mixer until fat is well blended. --------------------------------------------------- My mother was gluten-intolerant and made gluten-free cornbread. When it was cool, sliced it into small cubes and toasted the cubes in the oven before using it for dressing. You could use the same method with other gluten-free breads (commercial or homemade). -------------------------------------------------- Cornstarch is what my mother always used for thickening gravy, and you can also use rice flour, arrowroot, or Instant Clear Jel, to mention a few alternatives. Instant Clear Jel (available from King Arthur and larger amounts available on-line - I buy it in #10 cans) is a modified corn starch that is popular with pie bakers. (Note: Do not use the instant version for canning of pie fillings because it is designed for heating only the one time which is when the pie is actually baked - use regular Clear Jel for canning). Features and Benefits: INSTANT CLEAR JEL will begin to swell or thicken as soon as it is added to water, milk or juices; it will impart a smooth, short texture when fully hydrated. The viscosity will increase slightly upon heating. It has excellent heat and acid resistance and can be used in acid containing foods and in those applications where heating is required. INSTANT CLEARJEL also has good cold temperature storage stability making it particularly well suited for refrigerated and frozen foods. 1 T. cornstarch = 1 1/2 T. Instant Clear Jel 2 T. flour or tapioca = 1 T. Instant Clear Jel Not all thickeners work the same. Some break when cooked too long, some are poor at gel formation, not all of them freeze well, or don't reheat well. Different thickeners work for different food applications, so 2 or 3 gluten-free thickeners may be necessary for different uses. For every 2 tablespoons of flour used as a thickener use: -1 T. cornstarch -2-1/2 t. arrowroot -1 T. tapioca (quick cooking, granulated) -1 T. potato starch -2-1/2 t. rice flour or rice starch --------------------------------------------------- I've been experimenting with a recipe I found on-line for "One Minute Muffins" and I thought it might also work for the bread substitute in dressing (cubed and toasted) but haven't tried it yet. Our daughter (the work-out warrior in the family) was looking for a low-carb, high-protein, bread substitute she could make at home without a lot of time and expense, and this recipe has worked well for her for a lot of applications (burger buns, toast, grilled sandwiches, bread pudding, etc. - and it's also gluten-free. One Minute Muffin 1/4 c. almond flour 2 T. golden flaxmeal (we also like to substitute the flaxmeal with 2 T. hi-maize resistant starch or 2 T. unflavored whey protein isolate) pinch of salt 1/2 t. baking powder 1/2 T. unsalted butter 1 large egg 1. Melt butter in a 4-1/2-inch ramekin. 2. Whisk egg then slowly drizzle in the melted butter. 3. To the egg and butter add almond flour, flaxseed meal and salt. Mix well with a spoon. 4. Sprinkle with baking powder and mix one more time. 5. Spoon into ramekin and microwave for one minute. 6. Remove from microwave with dish towel and invert onto a cooling rack. 7. Split in half and toast. (I get 3 thin slices from each "muffin". NOTE: If you don't like eggs, you might not like this bread substitute because it has an eggy flavor. If you spread peanut butter on the toasted slices, you won't notice the eggy flavor. Options: This morning I made the recipe but I used the batter to make 2 small sticky pecan rolls in 3-1/2-inch ramekins. I melted the butter between the ramekins and made the recipe for the batter (using whey protein isolate). In the bottom of each ramekin I added 1/2-t. of palm sugar nectar (honey or agave nectar would also work) and a light sprinkle of palm sugar (brown or white sugar could be used), cinnamon and chopped pecans. Divided the batter between the two ramekins, microwaved for 45-seconds. Hubby approved! A lot of low-carb foods are also gluten-free, and this recipe is a good example. -Grainlady