Baking Up Some New Goodies || Gluten Free!

My family likes to do family nights every once in a while where we get together, eat delicious food, play games, chit chat, and have fun together. This last time I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and bake some of the delicious looking recipes that I had sitting around. I had so much fun!

I had originally planned to make Almond Joy Bars, Grain free Brownies, and another brownie recipe, but then I decided that was too much brownie :) I had to control myself a bit! I was excited to try some new gluten free recipes and hopefully make a fun treat that my mother and aunt, who both have celiacs, could enjoy. Plus my aunt is known to complain that all things gluten free are nasty. I was bound and determined to prove her wrong!

(I am great at trashing the kitchen!)

I spent hours in the kitchen trashing it, mixing, baking, cooling, cleaning, and stressing that it wouldn't come out well. When I first bit into one of these brownies, I was in heaven! It was so yummy! I learned quickly that you need to keep them covered though, because they do dry out. Luckily simply putting the casserole cover on top of them for a couple of hours moistened them right back up. 

(this picture does NOT do them justice)

The almond joy bars seemed like a no brainer to me. I mean my family loves almond joy bars. they were more cakey than I expected, but they were super delicious as well. I had to refrain from eating them all...so I made a second batch to make sure everyone got to try them. 

Joey wasn't a bit fan of either of them, sadly. I figured out why though. The marshmallow fluff that I put on top of the brownies had almond extract in it and so did the almond joy bars, which he identifies as a cherry flavor. He hates cherries. I made a batch of the brownies without the fluff and he loved them. 

My mother was THRILLED to have something special and loved them. She said she hadn't had baked goods in her house in a long time. She was even more thrilled when I left them for her :) Even my sister, brother-in-law, and step dad loved them. It was a complete success! Sadly, things went a little crazy that night and my aunt was not able to make it and try them out. I guess I will just have to make more!