Recipes
Inspired by Unexpected
More recipes, as well as insight and anecdotes from Preston can be found in his cookbook, A Taste of Home.
Unexpected:
Sophia’s Sugar Cookies
Lisa from True Story Book Blog invited me to participate in her annual Valentine's feature, Love Letters. You can see Preston's Love Letters to his three girls here! His note to Sophia references making "yummy heart cookies for Mama," and below is the Sophia-approved gluten-free sugar cookie recipe.
Sophia’s Sugar Cookies
Cookie Ingredients
3 1/4 cups gluten-free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill One-for-One Gluten-Free Flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 sticks salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk (or milk substitute)
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon (or more) of fresh lemon zest
Plus, for the icing, you will need powdered sugar, water, food coloring, and any sprinkles your heart desires.
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, set aside.
Using a mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy and well blended.
Add the egg, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until well blended and smooth.
Scoop the dough out of the bowl and form a ball. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in fridge until slightly firm (at least thirty minutes, ideally one to two hours).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove from fridge and roll out to no more than 1/4 inch thick. Cut with whatever shapes you like. Roll scraps for more. Refrigerate if too soft to handle.
Place cut-out cookies on prepared baking sheet and place in the oven on the center rack for nine to twelve minutes until lightly browned on bottom.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before decorating.
Frosting
Combine powdered sugar with water until you get the right consistency. You want it to be spreadable and not too runny.
Unexpected:
Preston’s Pancakes
What’s your favorite breakfast food?
I was never a huge fan of breakfast until I was on a rowing team in college. Then, I was HUNGRY all the time. Now, with time at a premium and a Munchkin with food allergies, I strive to find recipes that are both easy to execute and delicious! These were inspired by a recipe I saw on the blog A Cup of Jo a while back, but with my own twist!
The original version is even easier—just two ingredients! But I found it lacked the texture and flavor I wanted. After messing around with them a bit over the past few years, this is the best version I’ve found. One that strikes a balance between flavor/texture and ease.
Preston and Sophia cook these together in Unexpected. They’re super easy and great to make with kids (bonus: they’re gluten free and nut free!).
Preston’s Pancakes
Ingredients
1 banana, mashed
1 egg
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon (Honestly, I just sprinkle a thin layer over the top.)
1/2 tsp. Olive oil (plus more to oil the pan)
1/2 tbsp. Gluten-free Rice flour
Toppings of your choice
Instructions
Preheat pan to medium-high, add some olive oil.
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Batter should be relatively thin. Drop some into pan and flip when the edges start to firm. Cook fully, then serve with toppings of your choice.
Variations
There are endless variations on these. My recent (and so far, most favorite), is to substitute 1/2 tablespoon of shredded (desiccated) coconut for the rice flour and add the zest of half a lemon. Serve with blueberries and slivered almonds, and it’s heaven on a plate!
Want more recipes from Preston, as well as insight on cooking with kids? Download his cookbook, A Taste of Home, here.