The Carlson's hit the road

 

We made it to Tahoe! We had the pleasure of taking a long weekend and staying at my Aunt and Uncle's cabin in Northstar. So beautiful! It was just what the doctor ordered. Hot cocoa next to the fire, no snow but still chilly. The air is just so fresh. Definitely something magical about Lake Tahoe.

Gluten Free Biscuit

Alex made a turkey with her hand today and I made some holiday biscuits. I adapted this recipe from my favorite food blog The Minimalist Baker. They are gluten free. So good. And with a little warmed goat cheese as a spread, mmm!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened PLAIN almond milk
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups (272 g) Flax and Ancient grain All Purpose Flour
• 1 Tbsp (7 g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt
• 4 Tbsp (56 g) non-dairy, unsalted butter (I use Earth Balance or Nutriva Shortening)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C), and add lemon juice to almond milk to make "vegan buttermilk." Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
3. Add cold butter and use fingers or a pastry cutter to combine the two until only small pieces remain and it looks like sand. Work quickly so the butter doesn’t get too warm.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, stir gently while pouring in the almond milk mixture 1/4 cup at a time. You may not need all of it. Stir until just slightly combined – it will be sticky.
5. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, dust the top with a bit of flour and then very gently turn the dough over on itself 5-6 times – hardly kneading.
6. Form into a 1-inch thick disc, handling as little as possible.
7. Use a 1-inch thick dough cutter or a similar-shape object with sharp edges (such as a cocktail shaker) and push straight down through the dough, then slightly twist. Repeat and place biscuits on a baking sheet in two rows, making sure they just touch – this will help them rise uniformly. Gently reform the dough and cut out one or two more biscuits – you should have 7-8.
8. Next brush the tops with a bit more of melted non-dairy butter and gently press a small divot in the center using two fingers. I added my favorite seasoning blend to the top (https://www.savoryspiceshop.com/spice-blends/european-dry-rub-seasoning.html) This will also help them rise evenly, so the middle won’t form a dome.
9. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until fluffy and slightly golden brown. Serve immediately. Let remaining biscuits cool completely before storing them in an airtight container or bag.