Hot Chocolate Mix

3 cups powdered milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

dash of salt

Sift together the ingredients.

To serve, add 4 T of mix to 1 cup boiling water.

~V.L.S.

Russian Teacakes

1 C butter, softened
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C flour (I used GLUTEN FREE Mama (GFM) almond blend flour and 2 tsp xanthan gum)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 C finely chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix thoroughly butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Work in flour, salt, and nuts until dough holds together.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but not brown.  While warm, roll in powedered sugar.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

~I like to make these around Christmas every year.  They are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!~

---VLS

Green Bean Casserole

This casserole makes a wonderful addition to Christmas dinner...

2 cans (10 3/4 oz. ea.) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup milk
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
8 cups cooked cut green beans
4 slices cooked crisp bacon
1 can (6 oz.) French Fried Onions

Stir soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans, bacon, and 1 1/3 cups onion in 3 qt. casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 min. or until hot. Stir.
Top with remaining onions. Bake for 5 min. more.

~V.L.S.

Gluten free Cranberry Bread

You can make this tender gluten-free cranberry bread with or without nuts, and with or without eggs. It's flexible.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. I cut the paper so it rises up the longer sides of the pan. This makes it super easy to grip and remove the whole loaf for complete cooling.

You'll need:

1 cup sorghum flour

1 cup tapioca starch (sometimes called tapioca flour)

1/2 cup almond flour or millet flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup applesauce or plain yogurt

1/3 cup light olive oil or Canola oil

1 free-range organic egg white, or egg replacer (1/8 cup liquid)

2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla

1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed), chopped

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sorghum flour, tapioca starch, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add in the brown sugar.

Add the applesauce (or yogurt), oil, egg white or egg replacer, and vanilla. Beat to combine and continue to beat on medium high until the batter is smooth- about a minute or two.

Add in the chopped cranberries and nuts, and stir by hand to distribute evenly.

Scrape and spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and using a small silicone spatula, even out the top of the loaf.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven until the top is golden and firm, yet feels slightly springy. This may take anywhere from 55 to 60 minutes. It took 60 minutes for my cranberry bread to bake- I think it was because the cranberries were still quite cold. Test with a thin sharp knife or a wooden pick- either should emerge with no crumbs or stickiness.

Place the pan on a wire rack to cool a bit. When the loaf has cooled enough to handle (and not too fragile) loosen both ends from the pan with a thin knife and using the long sides of the parchment paper, grip and lift the loaf up out of the pan and set it on the wire rack to continue cooling. This keeps it from steaming in the hot pan and getting soggy.

Merry Christmas Baking!

Russian Teacakes

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix thoroughly butter, sugar, and vanilla. Work in flour, salt, and nuts until dough holds together. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool. Roll in sugar again.

Enjoy warm cookies!

~V.L.S.