Adopt a GF Blogger: Simply...Gluten-Free's Cherry Cola Ribs

When I came across Carol's recipe for Cherry Cola Ribs in January, I bookmarked the recipe and immediately challenged my mom to another Cooking Showdown (you can check out the outcome of our Ultimate Rib Cooking Showdown here). We decided to wait until Easter to have the official Rib Showdown, and the timing worked out perfectly for the April Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger Event hosted by Sea at Book of Yum.

If you haven't already, you must visit Carol's blog - Simply...Gluten-Free. Carol's recipes are delicious and her photography is beyond phenomenal. Her photos alone will have you drooling! I love Carol's recipes because they are semi-gourmet, yet simple and budget-friendly enough for the everyday person to make.

Cherry Cola Ribs
click here for recipe 

Carol's Cherry Cola Ribs are truly phenomenal! These ribs didn't last more than a few minutes with my large family - we all absolutely loved them. And, this recipe even beat my mom's awesome rib recipe in our Rib Cooking Showdown (sorry, Mom!). The flavor profile is sweet and the cherry cola flavor comes through quite well, and there is even a bit of a kick to it. It's only been a few days since I made these ribs, but my family is craving them again. This award-winning recipe is most definitely a keeper!

I followed Carol's recipe as closely as I could, but I did make a few modifications. First, I used boneless ribs because it's what I prefer. Second, I searched 3 grocery stores in 2 different states for garlic chili sauce, but I could not find it. For a substitution, I added tomato paste, chili powder, and minced garlic to the glaze. I didn't keep track of how much of each substitute ingredient I added, but I kept checking the flavor and adjusted the ingredients to taste. The outcome was fantastic!

In previous Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger events I've made:
Kelly at 18 Hour Kitchen's Black Bean Cupcakes
Shirley at Gluten Free Easily's Flourless Pizza Crust AND Garlic Cheese Biscuits

I've also shared this recipe on: Seasonal Sundays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays

Rib Cooking Showdown

Last summer, my family started a tradition of Cooking Showdowns or Cook-Offs. So far, we've had a Buffalo Chicken Showdown and a Pumpkin Pie Showdown. When I came across this recipe for Cherry Cola Ribs in January, I bookmarked it and immediately challenged my mom to another cooking showdown.

When I challenged my mom, I knew it would be a difficult challenge because her Honey-Mustard Rib recipe is phenomenal. While the Cherry Cola Rib recipe I found looked delicious, I never tried the recipe before the cooking showdown. The Rib Cooking Showdown was intense and close; however, with the final vote of 5-4, the winning recipe was...

My Cherry Cola Ribs!

The cherry cola flavor really comes through in this fantastic rib recipe, Overall, the flavor profile is sweet; however, there is a bit of a kick to it. It's only been a few days since I made these ribs, but my family is craving them again. This award-winning recipe is most definitely a keeper!

My mom's Honey-Mustard Rib recipe is definitely still a keeper. Her ribs truly are phenomenal because they have a tremendous flavor that is sweet and savory! Both of our recipes are good, and my mom very easily could have won!

Mom's Honey-Mustard Ribs

For our rib recipes, you can click here for the Cherry Cola Rib recipe. And, my mom's recipe is below.

Mom's Honey-Mustard Ribs Recipe
Ingredients:

·2 full racks of ribs                                            

Rib Rub Ingredients:                                       

·¼ cup paprika                                                    

·1-3 TBS dry mustard                                        

·1 TBS Italian seasoning                                  

·1 tsp salt                                                            

·1 tsp pepper                                                      

·1 TBS sugar

Sauce Ingredients:

·¾ cup honey

·½ - ¾ cup cider vinegar

·1 tsp mustard

·1 TBS water

·1 tsp cornstarch

·Plus 3 TBS rib rub

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425˚. Combine rub ingredients. Rinse ribs, cut thin white membrane from boney side and discard (you can also use boneless ribs and remove any excess membrane or fat). Pat ribs dry with paper towels. Use ½ of rub mixture and press into ribs. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place rack, meat side up, on foil – cover with more foil and seal all edges to form a foil bag. Bake for 1 hour.

Combine sauce ingredients, bring to a boil in a saucepan and simmer until thickened. Carefully remove ribs from bag and broil, basting with sauce.

I've also shared this recipe on: This Week's Craving

Pumpkin Pie Mousse

Happy Thanksgiving!! Here's a photo from yesterday's
Pumpkin Pie Cook-Off (my winning pie on the right)

I made this mousse tonight for my brother, improvised from a recipe at Iowa Girl Eats. It's super easy and quick to make and tastes like pumpkin pie heaven!

·1 package vanilla instant pudding
·1 package butterscotch instant pudding
·2 cups skim milk
·¾ tsp ground cinnamon
·1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
·1/8 tsp ground ginger
·1/8 tsp ground cloves
·1/8 tsp ground allspice
·1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
·1 8-ounce container light whipped topping

Whisk pudding mixes and milk in a large bowl for 2 minutes. Mixture will be very thick. Stir in pumpkin purée and spices, then fold in whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

I've also shared this recipe on: Seasonal Sundays

Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel Pie with Rum Whipped Topping

This summer my family started a fun, new tradition - cooking showdowns. So far, we've only had one, but we have more challenges planned. My mom and Mike had a Buffalo Chicken Showdown over Labor Day weekend. It was a blast and the outcome was a tie (we'll be sure to have an odd number of judges next time)! 

The next challenge is a Pumpkin Pie Showdown between my mom and I at Thanksgiving. Sorry Mom, but you know you're going down! My pumpkin pies are DELICIOUSLY AMAZING. Since 2005, I've been making Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie with Orange Peel Whipped Topping. It's amazing, a big hit at the holidays, and much better than boring, regular Pumpkin Pie. Last year, I made Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Pie - again, a huge hit and SO delicious! This year I'm making Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel Pie with Rum Whipped Topping. Since it's a new recipe and my first gluten-free Thanksgiving, I knew I needed to practice both my pie and pie crust recipes! (No cheating or copying my recipe, Mom!) ;) Actually, my mom's secret ingredient in her pie crust is vodka - so, I'm adding that to my super easy pie crust recipe. So, I guess it's only fair for you to get a sneak peak at your competition, Mom!

I have to admit, I cook like my mom! I can't take a recipe and follow it exactly, I have to adapt it slightly and make it my own. (My Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie recipe is my version of a recipe I originally got from Betty Crocker. My Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Pie recipe is my version of a recipe I found in the Hy-Vee Seasons magazine last year). My Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel Pie with Rum Whipped Topping recipe is also my version of a recipe from this season's Hy-Vee Seasons magazine. Lastly, the GF Super Easy Pie Crust recipe is adapted from one of my favorite GF blogs - Gluten Free Easily, with my mom's (not-so-secret-anymore) ingredient! :)   

GF Super Easy Pie Crust

·1 ½ cup GF all-purpose flour (I use Bob's Red Mill GF all-purpose baking flour)

·¾ tsp xanthan gum

·1 TBS sugar

·½ tsp salt

·½ cup oil (I use Smart Balance Omegas cooking oil)

·2 TBS milk

·1 TBS vodka

Pour flour, xanthan gum, sugar, and salt in a 9-inch pie plate. Stir together with a fork to mix ingredients and remove any flour clumps. In a large glass measuring cup, add milk and vodka to oil. Then, stir vigorously with a fork until well combined and liquid ingredients are no longer separated.  Pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients and mix with a fork.

Pat crust out with hands, trying to make thickness the same throughout and extending crust as high as you would like on the sides of the pie plate. Fill pie and bake according to your recipe.

I didn't extend my crust up the edges as far as I could because I don't prefer the edges of pie crust. But, I did have enough crust if I wanted to extend up the sides any further.

Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel Pie with Rum Whipped Topping

·1 GF Pie Crust                                                    ·½ tsp ground ginger

Cheesecake Layer Ingredients:                    ·¼ tsp ground cloves

·8 oz. Neufchatel Cheese, softened              ·¼ tsp salt

·¼ cup sugar                                                        Streusel Topping Ingredients:

·1 egg                                                                    ·¼ cup packed brown sugar

·½ tsp nutmeg                                                     ·2 TBS GF all-purpose flour

·2 TBS spiced rum                                               ·2 TBS butter, softened

Pumpkin Pie Layer Ingredients:                   ·½ cup pecan pieces

·1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin                               Rum Whipped Topping:

·1 cup evaporated milk                                     ·1 cup light whipped topping

·2 eggs                                                                  ·2 TBS sugar

·½ cup sugar                                                         ·1 tsp spiced rum

·1 tsp cinnamon

(Note: Recipe cards read in columns - so the cheesecake layer ingredients are Neufchatel Cheese, sugar, egg, nutmeg, and rum).

Preheat oven to 350˚. Prepare pie crust and place in a pie plate; set aside. Beat cheesecake layer ingredients in kitchen stand mixer until smooth. Spread evenly in prepared pie crust.

In a large bowl, beat pumpkin pie layer ingredients with electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Slowly pour pumpkin pie mixture over cream cheese layer, starting at the edge of the pie. Bake for 50 minutes.

I don't have a deep-dish pie plate, so didn't have room in the pie plate for all of the pumpkin filling. 

Meanwhile, combine brown sugar and flour in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Stir in pecans.

Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over pie.

Bake 15-20 minutes more or until center is nearly set, topping is golden, and knife inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, beat rum whipped topping ingredients together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Cover and chill until serving time.

Serve Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel Pie with Rum Whipped Topping. Cover pie loosely and store in refrigerator.

The final product is DELICIOUS! Definitely a winner. The crust even passed Mike's test, "I like the crust, I mean I really like the crust!" I'll definitely need a deep-dish pie pan the next time I make it to help get a better cheesecake to pumpkin pie ratio. Good luck, Mom! ;)


I've also shared this recipe on: Seasonal Sundays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, The Gluten-Free Holiday Event: Thanksgiving Favorites