You know what goes great with 2013? A copy of Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Quick & Easy. Know what went great with 2012? These recipes! It ain't over yet, but in 2012 these were the most popular recipes on my little bliggity blog. You searched for them on google (okay, a few of you on bing), and maybe even came back the next day to see what's new. And, most importantly to me, you made these recipes in your very own homes, from Alberta, Canada to Zapata, Texas, and everywhere in between. I've been so very honored to be a part of your lives this year. You've invited me to your holidays and to your weeknight dinners, and shared pictures with me on Facebook as you went (by the way I love when you do that). I've considered it a true honor.
In 2013, I resolve to work even harder to make it easy for you to live well and eat well, safely gluten-free. Here's a clickable collage of The Very Best Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Recipes of 2012. Hover over each photo for the name, click it to open a new window with the recipe and full post. And not for nothing, but lots of these recipes happen to be essential for the perfect appetizer for New Year's Eve (think gluten-free crab rangoon with those Won Ton Wrappers below, cheese & crackers with the Parmesan Snack Crackers in the top left):
From my family to yours, may you have a Happy & Healthy New Year. I can't wait to see what you love in 2013!
Love,
Me
P.S. Don't forget the Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Cookbooks! You are the wind beneath my wings, in 2012 and beyond!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Anita Whelan says
Happy New Year Nicole! We had the best holiday season this year partly because I was able to bake cookies and other treats that my family enjoyed. My family loved all of the cookies and breads I baked using receipes from both of your cook books and blog, including my husband who has celiac disease. Even my relatives who are not gluten free loved the cookies (thumbprints with peppermint kisses, soft frosted cookies, green cookies with andes mints and chocolate chip cookies). Thanks for making our gluten free experience better this year! All the best in 2013. Anita
gfshoestring says
Happy New Year to you, Anita! So glad everything was a success. Let’s make 2013 even better!
xoxo Nicole
Nicole Hunn says
Happy New Year to you, Anita! So glad everything was a success. Let’s make 2013 even better!
xoxo Nicole
Addy says
I have a question about the HoHos recipe. (I’m dreaming of HoHos) The recipe calls for “unhydrogenated vegetable” shortening. Where would I find this evasive item? The closest thing I’ve found it coconut oil and palm oil. From what I’ve read, Crisco still has hydrogenated cottonseed oil, though they took out most of it. I’m lost…. Help! :) Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
You can use Crisco if you prefer, Addy. I use Spectrum Naturals brand nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening. I find it at most larger grocery stores and at health food stores.
Nicole
Addy says
I have a question about the HoHos recipe. (I’m dreaming of HoHos) The recipe calls for “unhydrogenated vegetable” shortening. Where would I find this evasive item? The closest thing I’ve found it coconut oil and palm oil. From what I’ve read, Crisco still has hydrogenated cottonseed oil, though they took out most of it. I’m lost…. Help! :) Thank you!
gfshoestring says
You can use Crisco if you prefer, Addy. I use Spectrum Naturals brand nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening. I find it at most larger grocery stores and at health food stores.
Nicole
Sara says
Happy New Year Nicole! Love your blog and your books. Thanks for making our Gluten Free lives
better and easier. Blessings in 2013.
gfshoestring says
Thank you for the kind words, Sara!! Happy New Year right back at you. :)
xoxo Nicole
Nicole Hunn says
Thank you for the kind words, Sara!! Happy New Year right back at you. :)
xoxo Nicole
Planetaryhealing says
Happy New Year!
Love your work Nicole, you are an inspiration. And I have both of your books. :)
Would just like to put in a plug for a wish for 2013, for those of us with both Celiac disease and egg allergies…
Can you please, please, please, oh pretty pretty pul-eaz? add a bunches of recipes this year that do not contain any eggs??
I can easily swap out dairy ( I have dairy allergies too) but eggs – eggs, are where the real problem sits…
For 2013, I’m hoping for awesome tasting egg free recipes like the stuff you currently bake and post. Recipes for baked goods like cakes, cookies, cupcakes, breads, crackers, brownies, blondies, treats, etc. etc.
Almost all GF bakers and bloggers tell us egg- free mamas that we “ought to just experiment and play around” with swapping in flax/chia seeds, or egg replacer powders, or whatever whatnot we like, “till we get it right”.
Geez Louise.
May I say from personal painful experience, that it rarely ever works out when trying to replicate the authors intention for the recipe..
How much lovelier, seriously , truly, it would be, if someone ( like your wonderful self perhaps? :) ) just invented some egg free recipes so egg free mamas wouldn’t have to waste batch after batch of dough, hoping that this time they’ll nail the magical swap out and actually end up with an edible product that they would love to eat.
So tired of dreaming…
:)
May 2013 be a blessing.
peace
Kimclausing says
I have found that flaxseed makes a great egg replacement but you MUST cook it first.
1 egg equals 1tbsp ground flax seed and 3tbsp water. Wook this over medium heat until the consistency of raw egg whites.
Add to your recipe once it cools a bit, especially if using yeast as this would be too hot and kill your yeast.
Once it is cool enough to touch, you should be good.
Using this creates a very light and fluffy texture.
gfshoestring says
Thank you so much for jumping in, Kimclausing!
xoxo Nicole
gfshoestring says
It sounds like maybe Kimclausing has some good suggestions for you, Planetaryhealing. I’m afraid that I haven’t done much of any egg-free baking. I understand how frustrating it is to do all that recipe testing, particularly when it’s not what you do for a living like I do (even though it is often extremely frustrating for me as I’m developing recipes!). Eggs do tend to be relied upon rather heavily in gluten-free baking, I’m afraid as they add protein and elasticity. I would actually suggest that you look to some of the gluten-free bloggers and recipe developers who are also vegan, as they have no doubt perfected the art of baking without eggs. Best of luck!
xoxo Nicole
Nicole Hunn says
It sounds like maybe Kimclausing has some good suggestions for you, Planetaryhealing. I’m afraid that I haven’t done much of any egg-free baking. I understand how frustrating it is to do all that recipe testing, particularly when it’s not what you do for a living like I do (even though it is often extremely frustrating for me as I’m developing recipes!). Eggs do tend to be relied upon rather heavily in gluten-free baking, I’m afraid as they add protein and elasticity. I would actually suggest that you look to some of the gluten-free bloggers and recipe developers who are also vegan, as they have no doubt perfected the art of baking without eggs. Best of luck!
xoxo Nicole
Scfarm says
Happy New Year wishes to you and yours Nicole! I love your recipes (have both books and am a regular blog visitor :-) ). I especially love it when I can offer a goodie to someone and when they taste it, they make THAT face and ask “This is GF??” and I can answer “Yes,yes it is”. Wishing the best to you in 2013. ~ Michelle
Scfarm says
Happy New Year wishes to you and yours Nicole! I love your recipes (have both books and am a regular blog visitor :-) ). I especially love it when I can offer a goodie to someone and when they taste it, they make THAT face and ask “This is GF??” and I can answer “Yes,yes it is”. Wishing the best to you in 2013. ~ Michelle
gfshoestring says
That is the ‘winning hearts and minds’ face. I love that face too, Michelle! Thank you so much for supporting the books and blog. It means so much to me – and thank you for spreading the word that GF doesn’t mean taste-free!
xoxo Nicole
Laura says
Happy New Year, Nicole! 2012 found my kitchen active again since I found you, your Blog and your Cookbooks! Truly appreciate all you do. Cannot wait to see what GF goodness you bring to my kitchen in 2013.
gfshoestring says
Happy New Year to you, too, Laura! I’m so glad to have been of use – and that you’ve been busy in the kitchen! Cheers to an even better 2013!
xoxo Nicole
kclark says
Great post! I have to add the Milk Chocolate Cupcakes to your list. I will make these again and again. They are so light and fluffy. The chocolate flavor was perfect and I worried it wouldn’t be dark enough or chocolatey enough. I should not have doubted you AT ALL. They are wonderful.
Nicole Hunn says
That recipe is a real favorite of mine, Kristi! I totally get what you mean about being concerned that they wouldn’t be chocolatey enough. The lack of chocolate flavor happens when a cake is made with cocoa powder that isn’t rich enough (or perhaps plentiful enough), and either without melted chocolate in the batter or without enough fat to match the amount of cocoa powder.
xoxo Nik
kclark says
Great post! I have to add the Milk Chocolate Cupcakes to your list. I will make these again and again. They are so light and fluffy. The chocolate flavor was perfect and I worried it wouldn’t be dark enough or chocolatey enough. I should not have doubted you AT ALL. They are wonderful.
gfshoestring says
That recipe is a real favorite of mine, Kristi! I totally get what you mean about being concerned that they wouldn’t be chocolatey enough. The lack of chocolate flavor happens when a cake is made with cocoa powder that isn’t rich enough (or perhaps plentiful enough), and either without melted chocolate in the batter or without enough fat to match the amount of cocoa powder.
xoxo Nik
Linda Williams says
Thanks! I have recommended your blog to several new to GF living Moms because of your practical recipes for families. Please keep up the good work! Love the new Quick & Easy cookbook.
Nicole Hunn says
Thank you so much for spreading the word, Linda! Practical and nostalgic comfort foods are what I’m all about. :) Thank you for picking up a copy of the new book. I really appreciate it!
xoxo Nicole
Bren says
I am NOT kidding when I say you have singlehandedly changed my life. Sounds dramatic but it’s the truth. As a former restaurant owner and baker, when I learned I couldn’t have gluten anymore, it was not just a practical adjustment but an even bigger emotional adjustment for me. After being initially massively repulsed by a lot of the GF products and overwhelmed by the recipes (“combine 8 oz teff flour, 4 oz garbanzo bean flour, 3.67 oz of acorn flour and 2.9987 oz of hemp flour” – REALLY??????) I sort of gave up and just went without ANYTHING that previously contained gluten.
So one day while reflexively browsing through Barnes and Noble I came across your book with those glorious popovers on the cover. I just wanted “to look”. Fast forward several days later and I am in glorious cookie, cracker and muffin heaven! I have never looked back and while I own several GF cookbooks, yours are the ones that live in the backing cabinet, once again restored to its glory with cocoa, sugar, molasses, fresh luxurious spices and a bigass flour keeper full of Better Batter. Friends all love what I make and they don’t know it’s GF – is that a testament or what???
So Bless You, friend! And thank you for your kindnesses in sharing your wisdom, humor and efforts with us all. I cannot WAIT for your next book and I love coming here every day to see what you have in store.
Happy New Year!!!!
kclark says
I could write a very similar post but Bren said it so well….so I just say “ditto”. Thank you for making my 13 yo GF girl smile once again!
Linda Williams says
Thanks! I have recommended your blog to several new to GF living Moms because of your practical recipes for families. Please keep up the good work! Love the new Quick & Easy cookbook.
gfshoestring says
Thank you so much for spreading the word, Linda! Practical and nostalgic comfort foods are what I’m all about. :) Thank you for picking up a copy of the new book. I really appreciate it!
xoxo Nicole
Bren says
I am NOT kidding when I say you have singlehandedly changed my life. Sounds dramatic but it’s the truth. As a former restaurant owner and baker, when I learned I couldn’t have gluten anymore, it was not just a practical adjustment but an even bigger emotional adjustment for me. After being initially massively repulsed by a lot of the GF products and overwhelmed by the recipes (“combine 8 oz teff flour, 4 oz garbanzo bean flour, 3.67 oz of acorn flour and 2.9987 oz of hemp flour” – REALLY??????) I sort of gave up and just went without ANYTHING that previously contained gluten.
So one day while reflexively browsing through Barnes and Noble I came across your book with those glorious popovers on the cover. I just wanted “to look”. Fast forward several days later and I am in glorious cookie, cracker and muffin heaven! I have never looked back and while I own several GF cookbooks, yours are the ones that live in the backing cabinet, once again restored to its glory with cocoa, sugar, molasses, fresh luxurious spices and a bigass flour keeper full of Better Batter. Friends all love what I make and they don’t know it’s GF – is that a testament or what???
So Bless You, friend! And thank you for your kindnesses in sharing your wisdom, humor and efforts with us all. I cannot WAIT for your next book and I love coming here every day to see what you have in store.
Happy New Year!!!!
kclark says
I could write a very similar post but Bren said it so well….so I just say “ditto”. Thank you for making my 13 yo GF girl smile once again!
gfshoestring says
Aw, that smile is the icing on the cake!
xoxo N
gfshoestring says
Wow, Bren. Thank you so, so much for the kind words, and for taking the time to tell us all what it’s been like for you. Your experience is not that unusual, I’m afraid, and is the main reason that my first two books rely upon a high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. Especially when you’re just starting out, you were used to using an all-purpose flour for baking. I find that going right to a long list of strange-sounding ingredients is simply too big a leap to ask people to make early on. I have been criticized for relying upon an all-purpose blend in my cookbooks, but I do it for precisely this reason. And you were an accomplished baker, so were clearly comfortable in the kitchen before going gluten-free – yet still found more complicated recipes just too much too soon. Imagine what someone who is relatively new to the kitchen must feel like! So I stand by the all-purpose GF flour blend for basic recipes. And I’m grateful to have been useful in helping you get back your footing. You quickly became a very important part of this blog community, and I appreciate it when you come by!
xoxo Nicole
Leanne Vogel says
Wow, what amazing recipes you’ve had this year! I’m relatively new to your space and am blown away with the gluten-free goodies on here. Well done! I can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2013. Have a great time ringing in the New Year tonight!
Kerrykeating says
Nicole,
i just (finally) ordered the Quick and Easy book. It is coming today and I cannot wait! As someone who just had (another) horrific gluten reaction, I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks for all of your hard work. I appreciate it soooo much!
Kerry
gfshoestring says
So sorry you got glutened, Kerry! Thank you so much for picking up a copy of the new book. I hope you’re deep into it by now and enjoying!
xoxo Nicole