Review: Unbelievably Gluten-Free Holiday Sampler

Summary: Unbelievably gluten-free pizza! Unbelievably gluten-free fried chicken! Unbelievably gluten-free pasta! Plus breads, dumplings, fritters, pies, cakes, puddings, and more. For the 30 million Americans who have an allergy or sensitivity to gluten—and their families, who want to reclaim the dinner experience of everyone eating the same thing—Anne Byrn creates 125 amazing dishes where the gluten is gone, and never missed.

Author also of The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free, and other cookbooks, Anne Byrn knows how to deliver incredible flavors. She replaces wheat, barley, and rye with gluten-free ingredients and employs creative techniques for achieving flawless textures and consistencies. These are recipes that taste as good—not almost as good—as they should: Tomato Panzanella Salad. Baked French Onion Soup. Spaghetti Carbonara. Grilled Chicken and Pesto Pizza. The Best GF Meat Loaf. Plus dessert: Warm Lemon Pudding Cake, Gluten- Free Red Velvet Cake, Fresh Orange Cupcakes, Old-Fashioned Peach and Blueberry Cobbler, and Gluten-Free Saucepan Brownies.

Includes how to convert favorite recipes and tips for eating gluten-free on a budget. -- Workman

Last week, I reviewed the new cookbook UNBELIEVABLY GLUTEN-FREE! by Anne Byrn. I have to say I was pretty impressed with the range of recipes as well as the simplicity of the directions. I made the Gluten Free Mac & Cheese and had pretty good results. What can go wrong with lots of cheese and whipping cream, right?

This week, I wanted to try something a little different. As a participating member of the UNBELIEVABLY GLUTEN-FREE Blog Tour, we were asked to make something from the Unbelievably Gluten-Free Holiday Sampler. And since it is almost Thanksgiving, I thought I'd try the Pumpkin Spice Bread.

The recipe couldn't have been easier since it started with a gluten-free baking mix. I loved that I didn't have to buy the various gluten-free flour replacements. I ended up using the Bisquick mix which is very easy to find, and it only took me about five minutes of prep (plus 50 minutes of baking) to have a big old loaf of gluten-free pumpkin bread.

I'm not sure I'd say my result was just as good as "regular" pumpkin bread, but it was very yummy. I was happy with the result; and if I were on a gluten-free diet, I would definitely be satisfied. I especially liked that the recipe had a lot of vanilla extract because the vanilla flavor really came through, but I might use more cinnamon next time. (I love cinnamon!)

What impressed me the most about this recipe (or maybe I should say surprised me the most) was the texture of the pumpkin bread. It was extremely moist and I would never have guessed that it was gluten-free!

Make sure you check out the Unbelievably Gluten-Free Holiday Sampler! The Pumpkin Bread recipe is included along with some other delicious recipes that are perfect for the holidays like Pumpkin Pie, Corn Bread Dressing, and Baked Apricots.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this cookbook and allowing me to participate in the UNBELIEVABLY GLUTEN-FREE Blog Tour.

Over the next week or so, I will be sharing more about this fantastic cookbook and maybe even trying another new recipe. There will also be a fabulous giveaway so stay tuned.

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