Fun Things That Are Naturally Gluten Free

Having a bit of a pity-party this afternoon over a Kit-Kat craving, I thought it would be good to make a list of GF things that may actually be better than a Kit-Kat.  That's right, BETTER.  Here goes...

• fresh strawberries and watermelon in the summertime
• chocolate 
• Apple Butter (on soft, squishy bread.  dammit.)
• Tennessee Sippin' Whiskey - Mr. Jack's is preferred
• French Fries at the fair (when they're fried in potato-only oil...)
• Mexican Coca-Cola (the kind with real cane sugar, not the corn syrup crap)
• Pumpkin Roll with cream cheese frosting (recipe to follow)
• Southern-style banana pudding (made with cornstarch and GF animal crackers)
• Cornmeal Mush with real maple syrup and butter
• Homemade peanut butter fudge
• Payday Candy Bars 

So there's a few things out there that I can have instead of a Kit-Kat.  Guess I'll have to find a way to survive, huh?  

Here's that recipe I mentioned - your non GF friends won't even know the difference, I promise!! 

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup garfava flour (garbanzo and fava - Bob's Red Mill) 

1/2 cup GF all-purpose flour (also B.R.M.)

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon egg replacer

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup canned pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie filling)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon GF vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prep a small jellyroll pan (10 x 15 or thereabouts) with a piece of parchment paper sprayed with non-stick spray.  Make sure the parchment hangs over on the edges of the pan - you'll need it for rolling up the cake later! 

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.  Stir in the lemon juice, vanilla, and pumpkin.

In another bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.  Dump these into the pumpkin mixture and whisk to thoroughly combine.

Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until center of the cake is set.  Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes, then, using the extra parchment paper you left yourself at the end of the pan, roll up the cake (with the paper) jelly-roll style, starting from the short side.   Let the cake sit like this until it's cooled completely.

In the meantime, make your filling:

1/2 block cream cheese, softened

1/2 stick butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 tablespoons of milk

beat all of the ingredients together and add more powdered sugar and/or more milk until you get a nice spreadable consistency.

When the cake is cooled, unroll it gently, smear the frosting all over, and re-roll without the paper inside of it.  It still helps to have the paper underneath it as a guide; it's also a great way to wrap it up to put it in the fridge or freezer to chill slightly before serving.  Slice into 8-10 slices, and dust with powdered sugar if you want it pretty for serving.  

Enjoy!