here we go!

A lot of things have happened in the last two (wow) months. I moved into the new place with Alex, and two girls I know from college. The house is big and awesome. It is amazing how much difference having so much more space is. We have the second floor, a big bedroom and a smaller study room, with a twin bed for guests. There's a yard where I'm growing tomatoes, basil, parsley, sunflowers, nasturtium, dill, and oregano. I planted a lot more but those are the only things that came up. We've been grilling at least twice a week, fighting the mosquito invasion that comes with leaving the house. Puff is turning into a real dog, with so much space she runs around like mad and has even started playing with balls! My cat has also moved back in, after a year-long vacation to my dads house in New York, where she was loved by my sisters.

We have a huge kitchen. With counters. And cabinets. And a tile floor. And a new oven. I've been baking non-stop since we moved in. I have to force myself to not bake new things every day.
I had my 25th birthday, Alex had his 30th. We celebrated by resting from the move. I got, among other things, an ice cream maker and a pasta roller, one of those hand crank things that clamp onto the side of the table. Both have been heavily used. I got two new gluten-free baking books. I discovered how to make gnocchi. (Also, how to spell it). I made "matzo ball" soup. Lemon meringue pie. Oreos. Scallion pancakes. Cinnamon buns. I discovered pavlovas. I made my first key lime pie. I found a gluten-free (and confusing) mix for dumpling dough at the Asian grocery store. I forget all the things that have happened.
But I'm back. We have the internet, Alex has a mac that he lets me use. It's been so long since I've sat at a computer. it feels weird. So, hello, I'm back, now here are some recipes.

Oreos
This recipe was adapted from the mouthwatering post over at smitten kitchen. It made the switch to gluten-free easily, and impresses all my friends. I've made the filling with coconut and mint flavors as well as the original one, both were delicious. These are so easy.

1 1/4 c flour (I use Annalise Roberts' basic mix of brown rice flour, tapioca starch and potato starch)
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t xantham gum
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c plus 2 T butter, room temp, unsalted
2 eggs

Pulse dry ingredients in food processor. Add butter, cut into pieces, pulse again until butter pieces are pea-sized. Add eggs one at a time, then mix until incorporated. drop by small spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet, bake at 375 for 9(ish) minutes, cool on pan.

Filling:
1/2 stick butter, room temp
1/4 c veg shortening
2 c sifted confectioners sugar
2 t vanilla

Mix everything in food processor. Thank God I got one of these for Christmas a few years ago.

Also, I have been making ice cream, and I used this recipe to make a base for an ice cream cake. instead of baking the batter as individual cookies, I pressed it into a 9x9 pan and baked it longer (until a knife inserted in the center came out clean), then greased a large glass bowl, pressed the cookie mixture onto the sides of the bowl, then froze it. Then I made ice cream, and when it was done I poured it into the bowl on top of the cookie mixture. I then let it freeze until hard, turned it out onto a plate, and served it.