Taxes = Sweets

This week I was gearing up to do our taxes, and apparently that means making lots of sweets. I hit it off with some rice pudding - cardamom rice pudding. I am frustrated at the price of milk, so I was searching for a recipe that didn't involve an entire container of milk. I found one where you boil rice for a bit, then place the rice in a double broiler with sweetened condensed milk and butter. I love the taste of sweetened condensed milk. I know a lot of people who don't, but I think it is so rich. I added the cardamom to spice it up and make is sassy.



Speaking of sassy, does it get any better than this:



Ok, then I got a hankering for my mom's good ole chocolate chip cookies. Ever since I can remember we made this thick chunky chocolate chip cookies. They don't have any brown sugar and they stay puffy and round, as apposed to your typical flat cookie. I love them and thought today I would attempt to de-glutenize them. I was scared. I am still not well versed in the gluten free flours and all of their nuances. I dove in head first and tried to stay as close to the original recipe as possible. The dough cam out a bit stickier and then I was filled with much baking apprehension. This was mission impossible, this was a mistake in the making. I chilled the dough (just because I had to get Jael at the bus stop), formed the usual size balls on the tray, popped them into the oven and said a little prayer. I really wasn't expecting anything that resembled the old cookies. At the most I thought I would get a flat crispy cookie. Teresa is in town and stopped by and I put a bit of espresso on the stove and expected to serve her a thin wafer of gluten free mess. I opened the oven and birds were singing and the bright glory of the oven light glowed softly in the kitchen. Out came wonderfully puffy clouds of chocolate chip cookies.



Then the first bite - so close, so darn close to the originals I almost thought I was a kid again. They lack the smoothness of the originals, but the buttery rich flavor is exactly the same. The texture is closer to what I am used to than any other gluten free item I have baked. I can stock the cookie jar once again.



Just to make sure that I have enough calorie laden food to finish up the taxes, I have green tea ice cream slated for creation tomorrow. I have seen tea ice creams in every food magazine under the sun. After hording these recipes for years I am finally giving it a whirl. I'll let you know if it is worthy of the much anticipated delight.