Month: October 2025

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

🎃

Looking back at my recipe notes, I was surprised to find that I have not made Pumpkin Bread since 2013.  Why I don’t know, because I had a really good recipe that everyone enjoyed.

So, this week I decided to dust off that old favorite and give it a gluten free makeover.  Would you believe, the only ingredient that had to be changed was the flour?  I find that’s the case with so many recipes.

For my Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread, I used Better Batter Original Blend.

This easy pumpkin bread is super moist!  Serve it with ice cream for dessert and have the leftovers for breakfast!  It would be a fine addition to your Thanksgiving breadbasket.

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Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup softened butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
  • 1/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Use my Promo Code MGFC30 for 30% off at Better Batter!

Preparation:

Whisk together all of the dry ingredients.  Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk until smooth and the butter breaks down into little bits.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and fold with a spatula just until moistened.  Let the batter rest while you preheat the oven to 350º.

Scrape the batter into a greased 1 lb. loaf pan (8″ x 4″) and smooth it out evenly.  Bake for 60-65 minutes.

Test with a toothpick, it should come out clean, and the loaf will be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then slide a thin spatula around the edges.  The loaf should remove easily.  Allow it to cool for at least 2 hours.  Bet you’ll have hard time waiting!

I let mine cool to room temperature, then stored it in a plastic bag on the counter overnight.  Look at that beautiful color! 🎃

I sliced my Pumpkin Bread into nice thick pieces and wrapped a few individually for the freezer.

I ate the 2 end slices on the spot (had to taste test!), then had another big slice for breakfast!  SOOOO good!

Notes ♪♫ Pan size is important.  Be sure to use a 1 lb. metal loaf pan.  I like this one, from USA Pan.  Larger loaf pans, like a 1.25 lb. pan will change the height and width of the loaf, as well as the cook time.

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Gluten Free Sausage Ragu

This hearty Sausage Ragu was inspired by one of many regional dishes originating in Sardinia, Italy.  It has an incredible flavor profile starting with Italian pork sausage, combined with aromatic veggies, tomatoes, wine and saffron.  Check out the full recipe below.  This sauce pairs perfectly with the Malloreddus Pasta that I made in the previous post.  The dish is traditionally finished with Pecorino Romano cheese, and I added some fresh parsley from my herb garden.  Mangia!

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3-4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 links gluten free Italian sausage, about 10 oz.
  • 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup carrot, diced
  • 1/4 cup celery, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • pinch of saffron, combined with 1 tbsp. water

Preparation:

Heat a deep skillet with 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Cut the carrots, celery and onion into small dice.  Add them to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.

Remove the sausage casings and cut the sausage into small pieces.  Add to the skillet with the veggies.

When the sausage starts to brown, push the meat and veggies to the sides of the pan and add the tomato paste in the center.

Let it toast for a few minutes, then stir it into the sausage and veggies.

Add the wine, and saffron water, garlic, basil, oregano and bay leaf.

Let the wine cook off for a few minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes and the tomato sauce.  Stir well, and simmer 30-45 minutes with the lid slightly ajar to allow the sauce to thicken as it cooks.  Stir the sauce every 10 minutes while it simmers.

Serve this wonderful sauce over your favorite pasta and finish with grated cheese.  Pecorino Romano is traditional with this dish, but you can use Parmigiano Reggiano.

Notes ♪ You’ll want to choose a pasta that can stand up to a chunky sauce like this.  Corkscrew pastas like fusilli, or ridged pasta like rigatoni work especially well.  For a special treat, check out the Gluten Free Malloreddus Pasta that I made from scratch to go with this sauce.

Notes ♫ The sausage in this recipe contains plenty of salt, so if you are watching your sodium intake you can use unsalted tomatoes to balance things out.

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Gluten Free Malloreddus Pasta

What is Malloreddus Pasta?

Malloreddus pasta is a type of gnocchi originating in Sardinia, Italy.  There are a few things that distinguish this regional pasta from other types of gnocchi.  First, look at the ridges on the Malloreddus paddle on the left, vs. a typical gnocchi paddle on the right.  The ridges are wider and deeper on the Malloreddus paddle, to create the distinctive grooves.  They really soak up the sauce!

What about gluten?

Malloreddus pasta is traditionally made with semolina flour and water.  Of course, semolina is off limits on the gluten free diet, so for my gluten free adaptation, I used the new Gluten Free Bread Flour from Better Batter.  You can try this recipe with any one-to-one gluten free all-purpose blend.  I added water, salt and just a bit of olive oil, to help the dough come together.

Wait, no eggs?

Did you notice that there are no eggs in the ingredient list?  Traditional Malloreddus Pasta is egg free.  Only flour, water and salt.  I know that some of my readers can’t have eggs, if you are one of them then this pasta is for you!

Another unique feature.

Did you know that Malloreddus pasta is sometimes infused with saffron?  Just a pinch gives the dough beautiful color, it almost looks like I added an egg yolk!

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4 Servings (depending on your appetite!)

Ingredients:

For the pasta

Preparation:

For the pasta, add a pinch of saffron to 1/4 cup warm water.  Let it steep for 15 minutes.

Whisk together the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Pour in the infused liquid through a sieve, reserving the saffron threads.

Drizzle in the olive oil and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment.  You may need up to 1/4 cup of additional water to achieve the right consistency.  If the dough looks crumbly like this, it is too dry.

Add the remaining water 1 tbsp. at a time until you have a very soft, smooth dough, like this.

Hint– If you need to add the additional water, pour it over the strained saffron threads so you get more of the coloring.

Use a spatula to gather the dough into a ball, then cover and let it rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

When you’re ready, flour a cutting board and divide the dough into 4 pieces.  Working with one section at a time, roll the dough into a thin rope, about 1/2″ wide.  Use a bench knife or butter knife to cut the rope into 1/2″ pieces, (this is a small pasta, don’t make the pieces too large).  Working quickly, roll each piece between floured palms to form small marbles.

Now roll each piece over the Malloreddus paddle, you can use your fingers or a bench knife.  Be sure to keep the paddle generously floured as you work.  A flour shaker is convenient to have on hand.

Arrange the pasta on a lightly floured baking pan in a single layer.  I lined mine with wax paper.  At this point, you can cover the pasta with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you are ready to start cooking.

For longer term storage, place the pan in the freezer for a few hours, then transfer the pasta to a freezer safe bag.

When your sauce is ready, heat a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.  Add the pasta and set a timer for 3 minutes maximum.  Be careful not to overcook, as soon as the pasta floats to the top, it’s done!  Use a spider strainer to gently lift it out of the water, drain and place it directly into the sauce.  Finish with grated cheese and fresh Italian parsley.

I see you ogling that sauce! 😉 It’s a hearty Sausage Ragu, perfect for ridged pasta like this one.  Want to know more?  Be sure to check out the next recipe!

Notes ♪♫ Some of my readers have mentioned that they would like a gluten free pasta made without eggs.  This one is for you, friends.  The dough is every bit as soft and supple as egg pasta, so whether you can’t have eggs for dietary reasons, pricing or availability, this pasta is one you must try!

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Gluten Free Corn Muffins

Corn muffins are classic comfort food, and they are easy enough for novice bakers to prepare.  The ingredients are pantry staples.  Flour, cornmeal, sugar, oil, eggs, and milk.  Recipes can be found online, in magazines and in practically every vintage cookbook.

Are corn muffins gluten free?

Any of these recipes can easily be adapted to gluten free by changing just one ingredient, the flour.  This is my gluten free adaptation, and the muffins are not overly sweet, making them perfect for breakfast.  So, ditch the mix and let’s bake some gluten free corn muffins from scratch!

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Yield 9 muffins

Ingredients:

  • 150 g. cornmeal (1 cup)
  • 100 g. gluten free all-purpose flour (3/4 cup)
  • 40 g. sugar (3 tbsp.)
  • 10 g. baking powder (2-1/2 tsp.)
  • 5 g. salt (3/4 tsp.)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • cooking spray
  • 1 tbsp. melted butter, for finishing

preparation:

Weigh the dry ingredients in one bowl and whisk together the wet ingredients in another.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir together with a batter whisk, just until moistened.  Let the batter rest while you preheat the oven to 400º.

Resting the batter allows the flour to hydrate and avoid that gritty texture.

Mist a muffin tin with cooking spray.  I like a larger muffin, so I filled the muffin cups about 3/4 full for 9 muffins.  If you prefer smaller muffins (good for kids and small appetites), you can make 12 muffins, filling the cups to about 2/3 full.

Bake for 15 minutes.  Check the center with a toothpick, and if it comes out dry, they are done.

Brush the tops with melted butter, then transfer to a rack to cool.

Muffins can be stored at room temperature for one day, and any leftover after that can be frozen.

Notes ♪♫ You probably have most of the ingredients to make these corn muffins in your pantry.  I recommend Better Batter Original Blend for the flour, but you can use any one-to-one gluten free blend.  For the cornmeal, I used Bobs Red Mill.

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