Gluten-Free Pecan Sandies (Wheat and Fish-Free, Can Be Soy, Nut, Egg and Milk-Free)

The other day, I went to a Ladies' Fellowship at our church on St. Patrick's Day.  We were all asked to bring finger foods, and I thought it would be fun to make something Irish.  I looked up Irish desserts, and came across these Irish Oat Cookies on Baking A Moment.  To say they were fantastic would be an understatement.  They reminded me of pecan sandies without the pecans.  That flavor profile got me thinking about what would happen if I made them with pecans vs. oats and gluten-free?  Answer: I'd get some tasty little gluten-free pecan sandies, that's what!

If you are a fan of pecan sandies, you simply must try these.  They are buttery and sandy - the perfect cookie for lovers of shortbread and pecans.  They are great on their own or with a cup of tea, coffee or milk.  You will not be disappointed!

These cookies are wheat and fish-free, and can be soy*, nut, egg and milk-free (see variations).

*Note: The gluten-free flour I recommend does not technically contain soy, but it does contain xanthan gum (see "Soy-Free" under variations for more details) which can cause issues for people with soy sensitivities or allergies.  For this reason, I will not claim that this recipe is soy-free.  I will share a soy-free alternative in variations, though.

Gluten-Free Pecan Sandies

1 Cup (2 sticks) salted, full-fat butter, softened

3/4 Cup brown sugar, loosely packed

(Normally, you would tightly pack brown sugar.  For this recipe, you want it loosely packed for best results.)

2 large egg yolks

1 1/2 Cups gluten-free measure for measure flour

(We normally use and highly recommend King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour.)

1 Cup pecans, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon baking soda (heaping)

(By heaping I mean rounded 1/2 teaspoon.  This can be up to 3/4 teaspoon, but ideally between 1/2 and 3/4 teaspoon.)

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)

(By scant, I mean just below a full 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon.  This could mean as little as half those amounts, but ideally between half the amount of the amount intended (i.e. 1/8 to 3/16 for the 1/4 teaspoon and 1/4 to 3/8 for the 1/2 teaspoon).  We normally use the scant 1/2 teaspoon, but you can use scant 1/4 if you like things less salty.)

1. Preheat oven to 350^o F .

2. Line sheet pans with  parchment paper.

3. Place the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat together until smooth.

4. Mix in the egg yolks until combined.

5. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula, then add the flour, pecans, baking soda, and salt, mixing together until just barely combined.

6. Using a 1.5-tablespoon scoop, drop balls of dough on the prepared baking sheets, allowing room in between for spreading.

7. Bake the cookies for 14 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and crisp.

8. Cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.

Makes around 30 cookies.

Variations (Please keep your individual dietary needs in mind when using variations):

• Milk-Free: Use non-dairy butter of your choice, coconut oil or lard in place of the butter in this recipe. 
    
• Egg-Free: Follow one of the recommendations here to replace the egg yolks in this recipe.
   
• Soy-Free: The King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour that we use does not claim to contain soy, but it does contain xanthan gum, both of which can cause issues with people who have soy sensitivities and allergies.  For this reason, I will not claim that this recipe is soy-free.  You can use regular flour (if you can have it) or a soy-free, gluten-free flour of your choice.  Keep in mind that if your blend doesn't contain guar gum or xanthan gum, you may need to add between 1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground flax seed, guar gum or xanthan gum to help with textural issues, too.  
  
  
• Nut-Free: You can substitute 1 Cup of old fashioned oats for the pecans.
  
  
• Alternative Nuts:  If you like nuts but don't like or can't have pecans, you could substitute 1 Cup of finely chopped walnuts, almonds, or macadamia nuts for the pecans.
  
  
• Reduce Spreading:  These cookies can spread a bit.  If this bothers you, you can chill your cookie dough for 30 -60 minutes after scooping it into balls and before baking.

Classic.  Simple.  Delicious. 

Enjoy!

Irish Potato Soup (Wheat, Fish, Soy, Nut and Egg-Free, Can Be Milk-Free)

 

I know - it's been forever since I've posted a new recipe.  I hope you find this one worth the wait! :)

This soup (a slightly modified version of the recipe found here) is by far the most requested soup that I make for get-togethers.  It is just 7 ingredients and super simple to make.  It is wheat, fish, soy, nut and egg-free (if all your ingredients are), too, and can even be milk-free (see Variations below) so that makes it a major win in the food allergy/sensitivity world to boot!  Nice!  Enjoy! :)

Irish Potato Soup

1 stick full-fat, salted butter

2 large white onions, diced*

5 lbs. yellow potatoes, peeled and diced*

8 Cups of allergy-friendly chicken stock or broth 
(8 Cups is 2 (32oz.) boxes of stock or broth.  My personal favorite is Swanson Organic Chicken Stock.)

1 Cup allergy-friendly heavy whipping cream

(My personal favorite is Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream.)

Salt and Pepper

*Note: I essentially use twice as much potato as onion for this recipe.  I find that 2 very large white onions and 5 lbs. of yellow potatoes are generally perfect for this ratio.  You can, however, always add a little more/less onion or potato according to your individual taste preferences.

1.  Melt the butter in a large stock pot.

2.  Add the onion to the pot and cook and stir for one minute, coating the onion completely in the butter.

3.  Add the potatoes to the pot and toss the potatoes well with the onions and melted butter.

4.  Cover the pan and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes, shaking the pot every few minutes to prevent sticking. (Note: Yes, you need to shake the pot vs. stirring the vegetables.  Taking the lid off to stir the vegetables stops the sweating process and changes the flavor of this soup.  That said, shaking the pot is essential to keep the onions/potatoes from burning and sticking.  I try to shake the pot every 1-2 minutes for best results.)

5.  Pour in the stock/broth, stir the mixture well, and simmer the soup for 20 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked to desired tenderness.  (Note: I find fork-tender a good doneness for the potatoes.)

6.  Turn off the heat, and puree the soup using a handheld blender.  (Note: If you don't have a handheld blender, allow the soup to cool, and then blend the soup by batches in a regular blender.)

7.  Add the heavy whipping cream and mix the soup well together.  (Note: I just use my handheld blender to do this part, but you can also use a wooden spoon.)

8.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Note: Some people don't add salt and pepper to the whole pot, but instead have everyone season their own individual portions of soup.  I personally season the whole pot.  You can do whichever is your preference.  When I season the whole pot, I aim for the flavor of well-seasoned mashed potatoes which requires tasting as I go.  I start with stirring in about a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper, taste, and add more salt/pepper until I get the taste I am looking for.)

9.  If needed, reheat the soup to serve.

Makes about 12 (1 Cup) servings.

Variations
(Please keep your individual dietary needs in mind when using variations.)

• Milk-Free: Use a dairy-free heavy whipping cream alternative like Silk or Califia in place of the heavy whipping cream.
  
  
• Vegetarian/Vegan: For a vegetarian option, use a vegetable stock or broth that fits your dietary needs in place of the chicken stock.  For a vegan option, use a vegetable stock or broth that fits your dietary needs in place of the chicken stock and a diary-free heaving whipping cream alternative.
  
  
• Topping Ideas:  This soup is wonderful plain, but you can also top it with additional heavy whipping cream, sour cream, cheese, bacon crumbles, ham, jalapeño slices, onions, chives, parsley - whatever you like on a baked potato would be fantastic on this!

Irish Potato Soup with Ham, Cheese and Sour Cream

That's it!

Easy.  Simple.  Delish.

Enjoy!

Hello Again, My Readers!

Hello, blogosphere!

I know - it's been ages.  I'm not promising to be back on any super regular basis, but I am going to be posting at least a bit when I am able.

You may or may not have noticed that I am updating some things here and there.  This will take me some time as I have been away from this space for quite awhile, but I am working to update where I can.  Some things may end up disappearing (or at least getting archived), but what will remain should be useful and helpful to you.

I plan on posting new recipes (hopefully soon).  I plan on updating old ones (I am not sure if this will be as a new post or updating the old one, but likely a new post).  This will also take time.  I appreciate your patience. :)

I have a few ideas for non-recipe posts floating around in my head, and those may or may not make an appearance.  I want to keep this space for things related to food/nutrition, so likely anything posted will be in some way related to that.  We'll see. :)

I know some of you will want me to post more often.  I can only say this - this space is going to be "as I get to it" priority for now.  There are simply too many life things going on that prevent me from being here more than that.  Maybe in time I can be more dedicated to this space, but for now, it is what it is.  Thank you for your understanding and patience!

All that said, I wish you all a great day, and if you need help finding anything (recipe, tips, etc.), feel free to reach out to me by leaving a comment below or filling out the Contact Form.