Happy New Year!!!

2012 is here! Have you all made resolutions this year? I’m not really a resolution kind of girl but we are starting the year off trying to eat healthier (after today, of course… I mean, it’s a holiday for goodness sake). This means that I’ll be forgoing my Nancy Botwin Breakfast (aka my morning iced latte) in favor of something healthier, preferably with protein. This will be a challenge because I’m not really a morning person and I’m not a huge fan of breakfast. Anyway…

New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite nights of the year. We always have the best time. It is the night of my mom’s annual pajama party. It is subdued, low-key and absolutely splendid. You see, I’m not all that keen on going out with large crowds of people or being out on one of the heaviest drinking nights of the year. I like to be at the location where I will be sleeping by six o’clock in the evening at the very latest. Sound boring? It’s not, I swear.

I get to spend the evening doing the things that I enjoy with the people I love the most. We watch movies, play games (I lost Scattergories by one point… to my brother!), eat food, drink champagne and rock out to Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. Then at midnight I get a kiss from all three of my favorite boys and we all crash on sleeping bags and blowup mattresses. Now tell me: what could be better than that? This year everyone made it to midnight. Of course, once the ball dropped (on the delayed west-coast feed), we were down for the count.

On New Year’s Day I always wake up early and make Orange Rolls while I watch the Rose Parade. It was so strange not to have the parade this year! I almost didn’t know what to do with myself. Watching it on the second just isn’t going to be the same. The rolls were a must though. It’s tradition after all. These are extremely easy and you don’t have to get up at four o’clock in the morning to make them because, not only are they gluten-free, they are yeast free as well. The 1 Tablespoon baking powder may sound like a lot, but it is very important. Trust me. Because these don’t have yeast they need a lot of baking powder so that the dough will rise properly.

Orange Rolls (Gluten and Egg Free)

Adapted from Fine Cooking and Our Best Bites

I always double this recipe, but because I use my food processor to make it, I have to do it in two batches.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• ¾ cup cottage cheese (this works best with 4% milk fat but if you’re in a pinch the 2% will work)
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 4 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten-free flour (I like Authentic Foods’ & Bette’s Featherlight Rice Flour Blend for this recipe)
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Filling:

• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• Zest of 1 large orange

Frosting Glaze:

• Scant 2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Juice from ½ large orange.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease a glass pie plate (for a single batch) or a glass casserole dish (for double batch)
3. Make the filling by combining the 6 Tablespoons softened butter with 2/3 cup sugar and zest of 1 large orange, set aside.
4. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter and vanilla.
5. Pulse for 10-20 seconds, until smooth.
6. Add the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and baking powder.
7. Pulse until dough just starts to come together.
8. Remove from food processor onto a lightly floured surface. Note: this dough is very soft and moist. That is normal. Do not add more flour.
9. Sprinkle the top of the dough with gluten-free flour (so that it won’t stick) and roll the dough into a rectangle about the size of a jelly roll pan (12”x15”)
10. Spread the dough with the butter/sugar/orange zest filling, getting as close to the edges as possible.
11. Roll your dough from small end to small end (so that the finished roll is 12” long).
12. Slice the rolls to desired thickness (make at least 8 and up to 12 rolls).
13. Place the rolls into the prepared glass pan.
14. Bake for 15-25 minutes (because there are no eggs, you don’t have to worry about these being “cooked” clear through. I like these best right at 20 minutes so that they are still soft, but not too gooey at 25 minutes they will still be soft but they will have turned golden-brown on the edges, which is great for those who like crust and at 15 minutes they are extra gooey).
15. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes (no more than five).
16. While rolls are cooling, whisk together your glaze.
17. Glaze and serve the rolls while still hot.