This short video will show you the lemon peel stitch which is alternating single crochet and double crochet stitches. Need help with single & double crochet? More videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/JeansMcQueens
Jeans McQueens Creative
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Recipe: Dark Chocolate Almond Bites (Gluten-Free and Organic)
Dark Chocolate Almond Bites
I love these little bit-size cookies. They’re sweet, nutty, high in both protein and fiber, and gluten-free! Recipe is as follows:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup millet flour (for each of the above flours, I like Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 5 ounces dark chocolate finely chopped (I like Boston localTazaChocolates)
- 1/2 cup organic raw almonds finely chopped (I use my food processor)
- 1/2 cup unsalted organic butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup raw cane sugar (I like Wholesome Sweetners because they’re organic and fair trade)
- 1 large organic, free-range egg (farm fresh if you can)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and begin by finely chopping the the almonds. You want them to almost be the texture of your flour. I do this in my food processor, but it can also be done by hand. Set aside. Next, finely chop your chocolate bar, this I do by hand, since it doesn’t seem to work in my food processor. You want the chocolate to be tiny, like shavings. With both the almonds and the chocolate we want to avoid big pieces and chunks.
Next, in a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients- all 3 flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, as well as the almonds and chocolate shavings. Set aside.
In a mixer (or by hand) beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to mix until its also light and fluffy. Next add the egg and vanilla until both are well incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well mixed. Remove from the mixer and add the flour mix by hand until a dough forms.
Now the trick to making them bites size is scooping out a spoon of dough and making two cookies from that spoonful. Roll each half into a ball then press flat in the palm of your hand before placing on the cookies sheet.
Bake cookies for 9 minutes or until cookies they are no longer soft in the middle. Remove from oven, cool on a wire rack, and enjoy.
Recipe: Poached Pears with Ginger and Cardamom
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I picked these pears up at my local farmers market. The sign near them said “winter pears: great for poaching or baking.” I’ve never had poached pears, but the farmer said they are simple to make and quite delicious, so I decided to give it a try. As it turns out he was right, you simply peel, core, and boil the pears with some sugar and herbs. I’ve foung the pears make a wonderful addition to any breakfast grain, like oatmeal or a dessert, like ice cream.
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Ingredients:
- 1 quart water
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 pears; peeled, cored, and quartered
- 6-8 fresh ginger slices
- 3 cardamom pods
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Directions:
Add the water and sugar to a pot and warm over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the ginger and cardamom pods. Add the pears and keep to a very low boil. Simmer the pears until cooked through, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the pears. Remove from heat and let the pears cool in the liquid. The pears will keep for up to 5 days.
