Creative living features cooking with beans

Information on rotary cutting skills and cooking with beans as part of a gluten-free diet will be the featured topics on "Creative Living" on 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and noon Thursday.

Debbie Caffrey, Debbie's Creative Moments in Albuquerque will show how to fine tune your rotary cutting skills as she discusses safety and ergonomics of rotary cutting. Accuracy and efficiency are also rotary cutting basics.

Carol Fenster, cookbook author, says that beans are an inexpensive, yet important part of a healthy gluten-free diet. She'll share her tips for success when preparing beans and using them in baking. Her business is Savory Palate, Inc. in Centennial, Colo.

Information on decorating cupcakes, painting on candles and using convenience products in cooking will be the featured topics on "Creative Living" noon Tuesday and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Nancy Siler, Wilton Enterprises in Woodridge, Ill., will demonstrate how to turn a baked and iced cupcake into a variety of lovable animals to be enjoyed by all ages.

Kris Cranford, a certified instructor for One Stroke Décor, will demonstrate different stroke techniques used in painting daisies and leaves on candles. She lives in Portales.

Home economists, Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss share recipes for quick family meals using convenience products from Williams Foods Inc. in Lenexa, Kan.

Chocolate cupcakes

1 cup Brown Rice Flour Blend (see below)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup hot (120 degrees) water

1/4 cup black bean puree, at room temperature (see below)

1 large egg at room temperature

1/4 cup canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Powdered sugar for dusting

Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Generously grease a 6-cup nonstick (gray, not black) muffin pan or line with paper liners. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour blend, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the black bean puree and egg and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. Add the hot water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla and beat until thoroughly blended. Divide the batter evenly in the pans. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pans 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on the wire rack. Dust the tops with powdered sugar and serve. Makes 6 cupcakes or an 8-inch cake.

Black bean puree: Rinse and drain a 15-ounce can of black beans (also called turtle beans). Place in food processor, add 1/4 cup hot water and puree until the mixture is very smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Refrigerate or freeze unused bean puree.

Brown rice flour blend: 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour, 1 1/2 cups potato starch, and 1 cup tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch). Blend thoroughly. Store, tightly closed, in dark, dry place.

"Creative Living" is produced and hosted by Sheryl Borden. The show is carried by more than 118 PBS stations in the United States, Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico and is distributed by Westlink, Albuquerque.