How to Cook Gluten-Free: Over 150 Recipes That Really Work by Elizabeth Barbone

*WINNER UPDATE 3/18/12*

CONGRATS to R Lin… you are the winner — A copy of How to Cook Gluten-Free: Over 150 Recipes That Really Work by Elizabeth Barbone is all yours! Please contact me at celiacinthecity@gmail.com to claim your prize!

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Anyone else have that one cookbook that you go back to again and again?

Even when you have stacks of other books. When you just need a recipe to work, the first time, without having to do converting or shopping for hard to find gluten-free ingredients?

That book for me is Elizabeth Barbone’s Easy Gluten-Free Baking. It was one of the very first gluten-free books I purchased and I have been using it ever since. Any time I need a baking recipe, usually for a crowd of friends or family, I go to that book.

She has never let me down. Not once.

So when I found out she was working on another book, I was thrilled. (I’ve had it on pre-order since she announced it would be for sale on Amazon. 

Then Elizabeth one-upped that and offered some blogger friends the opportunity to preview some of her recipes — I was all over it, especially when the first recipe mentioned was pizza.

Yes, please.

No-Rise Pizza Crust 

This crust was rolled out thin, nice and crisp.

I started with plain cheese to keep things simple, then worked my way into “Elizabeth’s Favorite Pizza” with kalamata olives and caramelized onions — which she gives a tutorial for at the beginning of the book, with step-by-step picture instructions.

This crust is perfect for a busy weeknight when you’re craving pizza (That’s pretty much any night for me, who am I kidding?) but are limited on time — no waiting for the dough to rise.

And you know me, if there is an opportunity to make something in mini form, I’m on it.

Who wants dessert?

These mini (there seems to be a theme here) Powdered Sugar Doughnut Muffins were so simple to make. And in my experience, anything you can roll in a dish of powdered sugar is pretty tasty. (Think Mexican Wedding Cookies. )

I added some cinnamon to the powdered sugar — but you could dip these in regular sugar too, the key is to do it right when they come out of the oven so the sugar sticks.

Or…if on the second day they are a little lacking on the layer of sugary goodness you really need, you can re-sugar them. Just put them in a small bag, add a little scoop of powdered sugar and give it a little shake.

Boom. Breakfast.

Other reasons you want this book:

• There is a “How To” section at the beginning of the book with tutorials (and all kinds of pictures) for stocking your kitchen, making caramelized onions, peeling those onions, dicing, frying, and pretty much any other technique you might need to use.
• Have other dietary needs? No worries, there are substitutions for egg free and dairy free options.
• The recipes are simple, easy peasy, anyone can make them — and the ingredients won’t have you running all over town. I made all of the recipes here with items from the pantry.

And you don’t even have to go out and buy it — I’m GIVING ONE AWAY right here! (Elizabeth’s publisher is generously giving each blogger who previewed recipes and blogged about them a copy of the book — and I already have a copy, so it’s all yours!)

So leave a comment below with your favorite pizza toppings and you’re automatically entered to win. Really, that’s it.

But if you’d like to score some bonus entries you can:

1. Like GlutenFreeBaking.com on Facebook
2. Like Celiac in the City on Facebook
3. Follow Celiac in the City on Twitter
4. Follow Elizabeth Barbone on Twitter
5. Subscribe to this blog — in the top right corner of the home page, just enter your email and you’ll never miss a post!

*Make sure you leave a separate entry for each one for them to count!

A winner will be drawn on Sunday, March 18th at 8pm CST.