Baking gluten-free is a challenge and also expensive. The flours can cost 10 times that of AP flour ($5.50 vs 55c per pound) and many recipes call for ground nuts that start at $8 per pound. I do have a great TNT cookie recipe that uses no flour and has no dairy (casein free): Nancedar GFCF Peanut Butter Cookies Makes about 3 dozen 2 large eggs 1 1/4 C sugar 2 t baking soda 1 t pure vanilla extract Beat together using a stand or hand mixer. 1 C creamy peanut butter 1 C crunchy peanut butter Beat into the bowl with the wet ingredients on low. Do not over mix or they will be grainy. Let sit for 1 hour at room temperature. Use a small scoop to form balls, put on parchment paper covered baking sheets, flatten slightly with crisscross of a fork. Bake in preheated 350F oven for 6 minutes, reverse the sheets, and bake for another 4 to 6 minutes. Let sit on the sheets for 5 minutes then remove to cooling racks. Store airtight (doubled plastic bags). I sometimes add 1/2 C to 3/4 C chocolate chips for Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter cookies but you must check the ingredients list to be sure there are no milk solids if you want them to remain dairy/casein free. Toll House does have milk. Nancy

this is vegan Classic Wacky Cake/cupcakes Ingredients 1 1/2 cup flour (see below for gluten-free options) 3 Tbsp cocoa powder (optional) 1 cup sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 Tbsp vinegar 5 Tbsp oil 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup water Instructions Preheat oven to 350F. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl and stir to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until you get a smooth batter. Do not beat. Pour into greased and floured pan (8" square or 9" round) or 12 cupcakes. Bake in oven until tests done - about 35 minutes for cake, about 20 minutes for cupcakes.

Well, the pie turned out great. I sliced the apples very thinly since that's how I like them and got positive comments about that. The pie wasn't beautiful but it tasted delicious. Thanks again for all the ideas. I will probably play around with the all shortening pie crust for the future. I was in a bit of a hurry when I made the pie so I might have mismeasured. BTW we played poker, six of us, and only two had ever played before. We played Texas Hold 'em mostly but then I wanted to shake things up a bit and taught them five card draw and seven card stud. We had a blast! We were very girly about it, any real poker player would've been tearing his/her hair out! But we had lots of laughs and lots of fun and can't wait to do it again!

Here is another recipe I have used for many years; it always gets rave reviews. To my way of thinking, this is one of those recipes that tastes like you have spent hours preparing the dish from scratch. Toasted Almond Pudding 1 stick margarine -- melted and cooled 1 cup flour 7 ounce can coconut 1 cup blanched-slivered almonds 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 3.4 oz boxes French vanilla instant pudding 2 cups milk 8 ounce tub Cool Whip® Mix margarine, coconut, flour, brown sugar, and almonds together. Put in a large jelly roll pan or a large cookie sheet with very shallow sides. Bake at 325 degrees, stirring frequently, until mixture is brown. Cool and reserve some for topping. Mix together vanilla pudding, milk, and cool whip; chill. Spread toasted almond/coconut mixture evenly in bottom of 9 X 13 glass dish. With a light touch spread the pudding mixture evenly over the almond/coconut mixture. Sprinkle the top with reserved almond/coconut mixture. Refrigerate. NOTE: I have used this recipe for many years and have learned that browning the coconut mixture at 325 degrees is just too hot of an oven. I heat the oven to 325, then turn it down to 300 degrees. You do have to watch and stir very frequently.