DIY All-Purpose GF Flour

I have fallen in love with this recipe.  So easy. Not to mention, cheaper than commercial GF Flour blends. And in MY humble opinion... better tasting.  But that's another topic.  Several people asked me to post this recipe after posting my Banana Bread recipe.  So, here it is! 

Start with these ingredients:

End up with this: 

DIY All-Purpose GF Flour 

6 cups white rice flour 

3 cups tapioca starch flour

1 1/2 cups potato starch  

1 TBSP Salt

2 TBSP Xanthan Gum  

What's really interesting about this recipe is that the ingredients aren't necessarily found in the gluten-free section of a grocery store.  Most of mine were found in the ethnic foods section of my local grocer.  And the best part about finding the ingredients in the ethnic section is the price! For example,  a 14oz bag of Tapioca Starch is $1.08!

This Hodgson Mill Xanthan Gum is a packet that sells for .48 for a .32oz packet at my Walmart.  I need two packets per recipe.  (each packet is 1 TBSP)  

Bob's Red Mill sells an 8oz package for 12.48, which breaks down to 1.56 per ounce.  

(Three small packages are *almost* a full ounce = $1.44, so bigger isn't always cheaper!) 

My Chosen brands and prices: 

Thailand-distributed Rice Flour 16oz  $1.34 (use three) 

EnerG Potato Starch Flour  16oz  $3.66  (less than one pkg per recipe)

Cock brand Tapioca Starch 14oz  $1.08 (one pkg per recipe)

Hodgson Mill Xanthan Gum packet that sells for .48 each  (use two per recipe)  

THE BOTTOM LINE: 

Homemade= $8.82 for 64oz. (4 lbs)

Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose GF Flour= $12.54 for 64oz.

Oh, and the One-Gallon Jar is from Walmart- $5.47 

Gluten-free Banana Bread

For me, fall wouldn't be fall if I didn't bake and fill the house with warm cinnamon, apple or banana goodness.  However, over the last year, I have been overwhelmed at the idea of gluten-free baking.  I've successfully made-over family favorite recipes to be gluten-free, I've scoured the web and Pinterest for new recipes to try... but the idea of baking really got my palms sweating.  Until this weekend.  The weather has begun to cool here in Minnesota and loving all things fall, finally decided to give it a try. 

Banana Bread. I figured I've mastered pancakes, so how hard could a quick bread be?  I have what I believe to be the best, most moist banana bread recipe ever, so I carefully measured out my ingredients, substituting my gf flour blend (which is SO easy to make yourself!) and put it in the oven.  I waited. and waited. and waited.  It looked right. It smelled right. And while I had to add a few extra minutes to the baking time... it TASTED right!  Ohmygoodness IT WORKED! I was tickled pink that our family banana bread recipe was easily modified.  It made two loaves, and one loaf was gone within an hour. My family approved.  I feel like I just won an Oscar, or the Nobel Peace Prize, or at least it feels like it after a big hug and the gratitude of one little girl who has been missing treats like this. 

So, without further ado, here is our recipe for Gluten-free Banana Bread: 

1 cup (about 4) ripe mashed bananas 

1 cup of Buttermilk or milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

2 cups flour (I used gluten-free) 

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

I literally add the ingredients in the order they are listed, mix with an electric mixer until there are no lumps and pour into a greased bread pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Make sure you let it cool before you cut into it, I would feel bad if you burned your mouth because you didn't.