They are Delicious and Vegan and Gluten Free! Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

These wonderful, cinnamon rolls are perfect for pecan lovers.  The dough is made with an assortment of healthy flours AND leaves out the gluten and the dairy.  If you can't find a particular ingredient for this recipe, check out the Internet for substitutions (including the right quantities for substitutes).  They don't look like the puffy, gooey sticky buns/rolls made with all the regular ingredients.  Jenny was very creative and her rolls taste great while being oh so healthy.  Definitely worth trying.

A few things to remember: this dough is very soft but if the dough doesn't come together for you, add a little more flour.  It's important to use the parchment paper to roll the dough, sushi style and it's really important to coat the parchment paper with extra rice flour.  I use my trusty rolling pin (coated with rice flour) to gently roll out the dough.  Because there is no gluten, don't expect the rolls to puff out like their cousins, but they will kind of rise/puff.  The texture is denser, rich and redolent of pecans and maple.

This recipe is adapted from a book entitled Gluten-Free and Vegan Bread by Jennifer Katzinger.  Thanks Jenn!

To make 10 rolls.

Chicken Cacciatore- Classic Italian

Fill your kitchen with the heady aromas of slowly cooking chicken in a tomato wine sauce.  Throw in flavourful vegetables and herbs for a great old style cacciatore  your family will love.

Chicken "hunters' style" is a classic Italian dish and every cook has her own version.  This recipe is based on  the winning dish from Bobby Flay's TV show "Throwdown".  That throwdown was won by firefighter Keith Young.

To serve six to eight.

More Mama mia... Thin, Crispy Breadsticks called Grissini.

Ahhhh, grissini.  I love these crispy little breadsticks- kind of like a cracker stick!  Use the breadstick recipe and, bonus, use your pasta making machine!  I ended up making short versions of the grissini- about three- four inches long instead of the foot long versions.  Either length works, but the longer ones seem to be more delicate.

Long, Knobby, Crisp and Homemade. Mama Mia! Italian Breadsticks.

These old-fashioned breadsticks are perfect served with soup, pasta or just for snacking.  They are easy to make, as are their cousins, the grissinis.  Use this recipe to make your grissini.  Your stand mixer makes quick work of this recipe.

Check below for different topping options: sesame seeds, garlic, cheese, rosemary... lots to choose from.

This recipe makes about 40 breadsticks.