Killer GF Chocolate Chip cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees [Fahrenheit]

2 sticks butter (1 c.)
1 1/2 c. brown sugar (or can juice plus 2 TBS molasses)
1 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. brown rice flour (for high altitude baking, use 2 1/4 c. for low altitude baking)
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
2 cups gluten-free chocolate chips

Cream the butter and sugar together. This is best done with an electric mixer. Be sure to beat until the butter and sugar are pretty creamy. Add the vanilla and eggs. Beat until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Mix the xanthan gum, salt, flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl.
Do not use an electric mixer -- fold the flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture by hand. Mix just until everything has combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix in with a few strokes.

Spoon onto a greased or non-stick cookie sheet; be sure to ball the dough or just make sure it is stacked pretty tall. This will keep the center of the cookie thick and moist while the outside gets crunchy. I like to put a piece of parchment paper in the the bottom of the pan. This makes removing cookies from the sheet and washing later much easier. Bake in preheated oven for about 9 minutes, until golden brown.
If cookies spread out too much during baking, add an additional 1 TBS rice flour to remaining dough.

Refrigerate remaining dough between spooning/baking. If wrapped tightly, dough can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.

Gluten-free while dining out?

I have never had a blog before, but I thought it would be fun to share some of the resources and recipes that I have accumulated over the last eight years in which I have been living gluten-free.

I think that the toughest thing about living gluten-free is managing the cravings for the awesome glutinous food that I used to eat before making the change to the gluten-free diet. Of course, some of these cravings (like ramen?! seriously!) are a bit inexplicable, and some are a bit more understandable like a nice fluffy, soft loaf of bread.

Another difficulty is that of dining out. The suggestions that I have to offer pertain more to dining out in the Denver/Boulder area, but I encourage sharing any suggestions that the reader has. These will be collected and posted in a resource that will be updated and posted to assist those traveling to areas for which a suggestion has been offered.

Please respond to this post with your favorite gluten-free dining options. This does not have to be a restaurant with an established gluten-free menu; it can be a restaurant that is willing to try to keep your food from coming into contact with foods containing gluten and do it without making you feel like an overly difficult person. In either case, specify whether they offer a special menu, or accommodate by special request.