Gluten Free Pigs in a Blanket

Aw...comfort food. If you've been living gluten free, chances are you haven't had any of these in a while! (Granted, they're not the most healthy dish I've posted on this website but I remember LOVING these as a little kid.) So when my little nieces came over the other day, I wanted to see if I could try and recreate them, gluten free style! I used nitrate-free hot dogs which already is a healthier alternative to the regular. (See my notes below.)

Gluten Free Pigs in a Blanket

(Gluten Free, Can be Dairy Free)
Created by jalene, based off my GF Soft Dinner Roll Recipe

Makes about 30 small pigs in a blanket (see note below)

Ingredients: 

• parchment paper, 6 inches wide
• 15 nitrate-free hot dogs (I used Hormel's Brand)
• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 1 tsp sugar or evaporated cane juice sugar
• 1 cup warm rice milk (about 100 F)
• 3/4 cups sweet white rice flour (I grind my own from calrose rice)
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 6 Tbsp potato starch (not flour)
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1 & 1/2 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp butter or GF DF Earth Balance 
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar

Directions: 

1. Cut your hot dogs in half. Pat them dry with a paper towel (helps the dough stick better) and set aside. 
2. In a small bowl combine the yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Cover with a towel and let sit 6-8 minutes or until the yeast has doubled in size. Should measure to 2 cups by the time it's finished. 
3. In a mixing bowl or food processor combine rice flours, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan or guar gum, salt, and baking powder. 
4. Add the yeast mixture, egg, butter sub, honey and apple cider vinegar and blend while scraping sides. Mix for 3 minutes longer on medium speed scraping sides if necessary.  

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5.   Pull your piece of parchment paper and slightly oil. Using a cookie scoop plop some dough onto one end of your oiled parchment paper.
 

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6.   Fold the other half of the parchment paper over the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 2x3 inches or big enough to cover the size of your hot dog. (The flatter you roll your bread, the thinner your blanket will be.)

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7.   Open the parchment paper to reveal your rolled out dough. Place your hot dog at the edge of the dough and using the parchment paper, roll the hot dog up. 

8.   Open the parchment paper and grab the pig in a blanket by the 2 ends.  Transfer to a cookie sheet. Repeat this process until all ingredients are used. 

9.   Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Let your pigs in a blanket rise during this time for about 10 minutes. 
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is starting to golden. Serve warm!

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Notes from jalene: 

If you don't want to make 30 pigs in a blanket you can use the remaining dough to make rolls! Yes, this is the same recipe for my soft dinner rolls! Simply scoop 3 scoops into 1 mound to make a pull-apart roll. You can even cook them at the same time and on the same pan! 

What's in my hot dog?!? or aka 
Why are nitrates bad?

In our home we avoid sodium nitrates like the plague. When you start to look at food labels, you'd be surprised how many processed meats contain it. Sodium nitrate used in foods (such as deli meats, bacon, and hot dogs) forms small amounts of nitrosamines, some of which are human carcinogens known to cause DNA damage and increased cellular degeneration. Studies have shown a link between increased levels of nitrates and increased deaths from certain diseases including Alzheimer's, Diabetes, and Parkinson's. Nitrosamines have also been linked to gastric cancer, colon cancer, and oesophageal cancer.