Start the Day Right

Current favorite breakfast (besides homemade peach pie...yes, I have been known to eat gluten-free pie...cake...ehrm...brownies...for breakfast..don't judge, you gluten people eat donuts and chocolate muffins for breakfast!):

Rice Chex

with Almond Breeze Almond Milk

and Raisins (or Craisins...or fresh fruit)

(That's what you get when you google "fruit")

Delish!

um...YES

That's all I could think when I saw this picture. It's like they were made for me, me who is sitting here eating M&Ms at 10:30 am.

They are saying now that celiacs can eat "gluten-free" oats, or oats that are processed in a totally wheat-free facility. They don't think there is gluten in oats, but that since oats are always processed with wheat, there is a ton of cross-contamination. But, they also say that a small percentage of celiacs still don't tolerate gluten-free oats well. They think this is because the gluten in oats is too similar to the the "toxic" (to us) gluten in wheat, rye and barley.

This is why a bag of Bob's Red Mill GF Oats has been sitting in my pantry for two months untouched. I am afraid.

But this recipe might just push me over the edge. I bet you could even eat it for breakfast, because, after all, there are oats in it. And hello, no bake?! Sweet!

Thanks, Betty!

Betty Crocker sure is giving this whole gluten-free thing a nice shot. I certainly appreciate it, because I think above all else it makes gluten-free people feel a little more normal. There's something comforting about knowing you can eat something that good 'ole Betty made. There's something even more comforting to your friends who never have any idea what in tarnation to make for you, who can now grab a box of gluten-free cake mix right next to the box of gluten-FULL cake mix.

Let's all breathe a collective sigh of relief. There!

That said, I think they have a little ways to go in perfecting these mixes before they come out just right. My cousin tried the chocolate chip cookies and hated them. These weekend though, our sweet niece made us a gluten-free yellow cake for our family (hubby's side) get-together. She covered it in whipped cream and strawberries, and it really turned out well. It really worked as a short cake or pound cake as it was definitely quite dense. I wouldn't recommend it for a true white cake. Our aspiring chef neice hit the nail on the head though with the whipped cream and strawberries! Not gonna lie, I ate some for breakfast today. Yum!

Easy Peasy

I love nothing better than an easy dinner, except of course an easy dinner that is delious AND- hang on to your seat- good for you.

My mom discovered spaghetti squash a couple years ago and when she tired to introduce it to me, I was skeptical. Yeah right, substituting a veggie for noodles. No thanks. I grew up being required to at least taste everything though, a great lesson that continues to stick with me as an adult. Always try; if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it, but if you do, you've discovered something new!

So I tried it.

And I loved it.

Granted, spaghetti squash is not a direct substitute for spaghetti noodles. They don't taste exactly the same, of course. That would actually be weird. But you serve them just like noodles, with sauce and meat and cheese, and the squash is sweet and delicious. Yum!

Here's how to make it:

Cut the squash in half, length-wise. Scoop out the seeds with an ice cream scoop.

Drizzle the halfs with about two tablespoons of olive oil, or put a pat or two of butter in the middle of each half.

Microwave on high (you literally plop each half right in the microwave) until tender, rotating once, about 7 minutes.

While the squash microwaves, brown some ground beef and add some canned sauce, spicing it up as you wish. Or, heat up some pre-made gluten-free chicken meatballs from Costco, like me. Or, you could do a "latin" version with taco seasoning and a can of tomatoes and some beans, too. You could do anything you want.

When the squash is done (it will flake away in strands with a fork) carefully (because it's HOT) take the halves out of the microwave with a potholder. Using a fork, scrape out the squash from the rind. Put a scoop in each bowl and add your meat and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and enjoy!

Image from: http://superspark.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/spaghetti-squash-with-tomatoes-and-basil.JPG

The Best New Bread

I've long touted Tenzo Artisan Bakery in Baltimore as well, awesome. We actually stumbled upon that bakery in Baltimore when we were looking for a gluten-free wedding cake, and were utterly amazed from the first taste. One of the highlights of my life was eating as much cake as we possibly could in a 24-hour period on our first anniversary. We'd saved wedding cake for the occassion, and brought it with us on our trip to Savannah and Charleston. It had buttercream frosting though, and we didn't have a fridge, so we had 24 hours to eat or toss. So we ATE. For dessert, then breakfast, then lunch, then dinner. It was glorious. Everyone should be in that situation at least once.

So when I came upon Breads by Anna (the owner/head baker of Tenzo) at Roots in Columbia, MD I was immediately curious. I've been a pretty big fan of Sweet Sin's sandwich bread for some time, and like most celiacs, I can tend to be wary of trying something new "gluten-free" once I've found something I like. Gluten-free stuff isn't cheap, so if you don't like it, you feel like you wasted a lot of money.

Well, I went out on a limb, bought the bread, and never looked back.

It was AMAZING.

Finally, a gluten-free bread that tastes like bread. Whole wheat bread, even. It has a rich, nutty flavor, and it's good for you. Her recipe includes all kinds of awesome nutty flours. It's even rice-free and soy-free, too!

I ate a turkey sandwich for lunch, then dinner, then lunch the next day, and I had a grilled cheese last night. And gosh darn it, I think I'm going to have one for breakfast now too.

Well said!

I don't know how, after years of enjoying Ms. Ahearn's writing, I missed this article.

It is one of the best descriptions of gluten-free baking and eating I've ever read, and is enormously helpful in explaining the different types of flours. If you are new to the gluten-free ride, this article is for you. If you've been on it for awhile, you probably won't pick up anything new, but, like me, you will want to leap from your chair and shout, "Amen! Preach it, sistah!"

Also, the first of her "secrets" is one of the first things I always say to people going gluten-free:

"Focus first on foods that are naturally gluten-free. There is so much bounty." Shauna Ahearn

I always tell people to make a list of foods familiar they love that are already gluten-free; steak and potatoes, spinach salad, eggs with cheese, Snickers bars, Breyers mint chocolate chip ice cream, whatever. Then, armed with the list, try to eat only those foods for a couple of weeks, with a stop at Outback Steakhouse for a Chocolate Thunder from Down Under along the way. It will make the transition insanely easier.

I promise you this: You do NOT have to live on rice and chicken for the rest of your life. True, you may never get a good piece of crusty, chewy bread again. I'll be honest about that. But you'll survive. Thrive, actually, because you will be WELL. And with all of the incredible and delicious foods out there that we are so blessed to have at our fingertips, you will rejoice.

Why doesn't my food look like that?

Bea has yet another beautiful clafoutis recipe over at La Tartine Gourmande. Defintely try making it, because it is sure to be yummy, but don't expect yours to look like hers! Utterly incredible, that woman is. How does she find such perfectly congruous strawberries?

Huh

I just ate the crappiest hot dog in the world. No, seriously, it was awful. I think sweet husband bought them at Walmart. Or maybe from the sewer. Either way, it was gross, but I was starving because I had the worst day ever at work and only ate about 4 bites of gluten free spaghetti all day, so I ate the whole thing.

Anyway, case in point: The sewer dogs, made of probably rat (although they said "chicken," which wasn't in quotes, but should have been) actually said GLUTEN-FREE on the label. Good job, America! We're gettin' good at this here labelin' thang!

Also, I would just like to say that I made steak on the grill last night, while tonight, my hubby made rat dogs. I win!That photo just made me nauseaous. It made my thoughts a little too real. So, I made it teeny tiny. I think that helps.

The Sweetest Saltiest Thing

Sometimes you just need a date with your hubby.

After all, you did marry him for a reason, and it's nice to actually see him once in a while and notice all of those reasons and more! For example, when you got married, you didn't know you were marrying a sushi roll aficionado. Heck, you didn't even know you liked sushi!

Two years of marriage is barrelling toward us and about to zip past like a beemer on 270. (In non-rush hour, of course.) We're finding more and more that it's really easy to let life fly by without taking a break to hang out with each other, what with middle school English to teach, a new screen door to install, and cats to toilet train. (No, I'm not kidding.) But we sure to love to hang out with each other, and when we do, a sushi date is always in order.

Sushi is pretty easy to come by gluten-free. You just need to make sure to speak with your sushi chef. Be sure to do the following:

1. Ask the chef if the rice has any wheat starch or gluten added to it to make it stickier. Sometimes a hidden trick!

2. Ask the chef the rice was cooked with soy sauce. Most all soy sauce has gluten.

3. Check that the individual items do not include soy sauce or tempura in the dressings and such. Sometimes sushi rolls will have battered or fried pieces of fish. Simpler is better; be sure you know each kind of fish, veggie or other ingredient that will be added.

4. Bring your own gluten-free soy sauce. La Choy low-sodium is our favorite.

5. Go on a perfect, lovely, first real night of warm summer, sit outside and stare dreamily at your man.

Actually, that last step is optional. But I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Yum!

Delicious.

Totally delicious.

I even cooked mine in the super ease of the toaster over on my counter. They aren't cheap, but considering how much I love breaded crispy chicken goodness, and how much I've missed it, worth every penny!

Mothers' Day

My mama loves carrot cake.

I do not. In fact, I can never remember how to spell carrot. (Carrott? Carott? Good thing I teach English.)

Carrot cake (thanks, spellcheck!) seems to have a love/hate relationship with humanity. You either love it, or you hate it. And since my poor mama loves it, and the rest of our family loves chocolate, no one ever remembers her. This year, I was darned to remember her, and make some just for her.

I have to say, I was pleased with the result. I was not pleased with the carrots sprayed all over the my kitchen at the first use of the mini food processor I got as a wedding gift almost two years ago. (Clearly, I was made to write a food blog, what with my mastery of small kitchen appliances and all.) While I'm not carrot cake's biggest fan, I really liked this one. It earned contented sighs all around from gluten lovers and non-gluten lovers alike.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Adapted from: recipezaar.com
Ingredients
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup white sugar *I used organic
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup potato starch*I used tapioca starch because I had it on hand
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
3 tablespoons water *Huh, I forgot the water...oh well, it turned out fine!
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) *I used walnuts
1 1/2 cups packed grated carrots (about 4 medium carrots)

For Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
drops of milk as needed

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well.
3. Add all remaining ingredients except for nuts and carrots. Mix well, being sure that no lumps remain in the batter.
4. Mix in carrots and nuts.
5. Pour batter into greased 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan.Bake 45-55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center tests clean.
6. For icing: Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Beat very well. Add a few drops of milk as needed.
7. Spread icing on cooled cake. Eat and enjoy!

*Note: You can always choose to throw ingredients together willy-nilly, not really measuring or being careful. That's what I do!*

*I doubled this recipe, which I highly recommend. I then made a layer cake with two round cake pans. (Do you really call those silicone things "pans"? Man I love me my silicone, you can't burn anything!) I put a layer of cream cheese frosting in between. Yum!*

Happy Mothers' Day!

Brownies

The other day, I went on visit to Trader Joe's. I hadn't been there in a long while because I generally find their supply of gluten free items lacking. I figured I'd check and see if they had anything new. As I wandered the aisles, I thought to myself, "How can be the best wife ever and totally bless my husband and make him super happy? I know, I'll make him brownies! He loves brownies!"

Ok, fine. I was actually thinking, "Good crap, I really want a brownie. It is cold and drizzly and my head hurts from being around 13-year-olds all day and I really want a brownie. I wonder if I can get my husband to make them for me while I take an early evening nap?"

Thus, my brownie mix quest began. When I walked over to the baking section (because Heaven only knows just how much I was NOT going to do this brownie thing from scratch) I was dismayed to find it to be so miniscule. And yet, low and behold, they had ONE (yes, ONE) gluten-free mix, and it was for brownies! I had no idea if they would be any good, but did I care? No way. Brownies I wanted and brownies it would be.

























Trader Joe's, let me just say, you blew me away! I seriously commend you. These just might be the best gluten-free brownies I've had, including the ones I make from scratch! They are very, very simple and whole in term of ingredients as well. The two flours are my pride and joy, sweet rice flour, and amaranth flour. I need to experiment with amaranth more! (By the way, quick tip: Whenever you try something gluten-free and pre-packaged, be sure to check out the ingredient list. Heck, you probably do this automatically anyway, or at least you should. It's a great way to pick up some good idea for flours and ingredients for homemade foods.)

I did add an extra egg (the recipe only calls for one, but that seemed skimpy to me for a nice, fudgy brownie), some chocolate chips and walnuts.

The best part? Guess how much the bag was? No, you'll never guess. Only $2.99! Great job, TJ's! It drives me crazy when gluten-free brownie mixes are six bucks. C'mon, people, seriously. Back in my gluten heyday I could grab a mix box on sale for a dollar. There is no need to sucker punch me with a six dollar price tag, it's just annoying.

Happy eats!

Magic Banana Bread

Ever have some of these sitting in your fruit bowl?

Honestly, I get kind of excited when I do!
(Please note, I did not take this photo. I wish I did though, because it is beautiful, and the plate or counter underneath is even more beautiful.)

Why? Because it means one thing: BANANA BREAD.


Here is the recipe that melts my husband's heart (or maybe tastebuds?) every time! I love banana bread, and it's something that really can hold up a great texture even without gluten. Some folks have even said they like the texture more!




Eat this stuff warm out of the oven with some butter (if you're me) or peanut butter (if you're my hubby) and you're golden.




Magic Banana Nut and Chocolate Bread
Adapted from celiac.com

About 1 cup ripe bananas (I usually use 3ish bananas.)
¾ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
¼ cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (you can go without, but it's better with!)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (Nestle chocolate is gluten free)
1/2 cup walnuts

Combine the bananas, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer bowl (I love my Kitchen Aid!), and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs and mix well. Slowly add the rice flours, then the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well, then add the oil . Add the chocolate chips and nuts last

Pour batter into loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for around 45 minutes or until done. I like mine nice and moist, so just make sure the top is golden and a fork inserted comes out without uncooked batter.

Now watch it disappear! (Get it? MAGIC banana bread?) Teehee!

Thumbs Way Up...

...for Old Ebbitt Grill in DC!

I LOVE it when I go to a restaurant and the waitress is fully aware and knowledgeable about gluten and other allergies. Last night, I met up with some special friends from out of town at Old Ebbitt. I'd never been there, but after checking them out online (a good measure for anyone with a food intolerance) I realized they are owned and operated by Clyde's.

Oh Clyde's! Your always gorgeous, super classy locations and incredibly delicious, though pricey, food never ceases to amaze me!

Old Ebbitt was built in 1856 and started as a boarding house. Though uprooted several times, it is currently located on 15th between F and G streets. It's about a block from the White House, and thus has served as a place of hospitality to many historical figures. The location and history definitely make it a fun stop for tourists.

Last night, something happened that has never happened to me before. As I perused the menu, the waitress announced that the soup of the day was split pea and ham, and my heart lurched. Mmm...sweet and salty, smooth and chunky favorite soup...mmm. I told her I would like a cup of the soup in addition to my steak salad, as long as it was gluten-free. The woman then pulls out a list of ingredients right from her little note pad and reads it to me right there! Everything was whole and natural, and let me tell you, that soup was good.

My friends had suggested ordering a crab and artichoke dip appetizer, but I had zero expectation that I would be able to eat that, which was why I ordered the soup. The waitress came back a bit later and said it was fine! That is actually a sign of a quality restaurant, no fillers or thickeners in items like soups and dips; they let the natural, quality ingredients work their magic. The wait staff then brought the dip with some veggies, and brought another little plate of bread out later, to point out that it was kept completely separate.

The restaurant really made every effort to ensure everything was perfectly safe for me to eat, and clearly, I was impressed. The restaurant was utterly packed when I got there at 5:45 on a Wednesday, and was quite possibly even busier when we left after 8. The whole place is beautiful, with excellent artwork covering the walls. It is definitely a winner for tourists and locals alike.

Great food and great atmosphere, but even better conversation and friendship. How many times have I said it; isn't that what enjoying a great meal is really about?

(Side note: I have also been to the Clyde's in Rockville and Northern Virginia, though it's been a couple of years. Both restaurants are also equally huge and beautiful, and every time I've had a great meal. Check them out!)

Easter Desserts

I had visions of a lovely Easter meal post, complete with perfect pictures of my beautifully turned out desserts...

except mine didn't turn out so perfectly!

One of my favorite blogs is called La Tartine Gourmande. The lovely author, Bea, makes delicious French-inspired food and takes even more delicious pictures of it all. Most everything she makes is gluten-free, and not because she or anyone in her family is a celiac; she simply recognizes it is a healthier, more flavorful way to cook!

I once made her chocolate clafoutis (pronounced cla-foo-tee) and it was quite good; almost like eating airy, fluffy, eggy brownies. I thought this egg-centered dessert would be perfectly fitted to a springtime feast. I had to triple the recipe to feed the family, as well as use a Pyrex instead of ramekins, and this time it just did not turn out. It was rubbery on the bottom, soupy in the middle and kind of burnt on top. My kind family ate it and even complimented, but aren't really critical types when it comes to food.

The custard I made to go with was delicious, but custard isn't really photogenic unless you are Bea:
http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2008/01/12/custard-fruit-crumble/
http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2008/05/31/clafoutis-rhubarb-raspberry/

Go enjoy her amazing blog, but promise you'll come back here sometime!

Pizza, Revisted

We finally made it to Uno's tonight to check out their gluten-free pizza. Out of 5 possible Taylor-points, I give it a...drumroll please....

...

3!

It was definitely good. The pizza is thin crust and pretty good; I definitely loved the sauce. It was amazing to be able to order gluten-free pizza OUT. So wonderful. You can even order a Redbridge beer! However, the crust itself was a little soft, and they didn't have enough sauce so it was also a dry. They were also lacking in the topping department. It was good, don't get me wrong, just not great.

This was actually my mom's second Uno's trip; she said the pizza she got the first time was a million times better. We had a feeling they were rushing a little this time because they were busy. She said the first time the crust was obviously cooked a little longer, and thus crispy, and her veggie pizza had tons of toppings. So, ultimately, my recommendation is to definitely go and check it out, but be sure to specify that you'd like the crust crispy. If it comes out dry, you could probably also ask for a little more sauce on the side.

It was a great time for my Chicago-native family get together, although those from Chicago say the original Pizzeria Uno can't be beat. The world is certainly getting better every day for the gluten-disadvantaged; thanks for getting on board Uno!

My Organic Market

Ok, we have officially spent way too much money on gluten-free junk novelty food lately. One of the nice things about being gluten-free and cheap, like me, is that it's a lot easier to eat a lot more healthfully. Snack food is expensive, and pre-packed gluten-free food even more so. However, since we already finished up the bag of goodies from The Grainless Baker, I keep finding myself rooting around for more. What can I say? It's spring break!

Among the yummy looking treats I picked up at Mom's to try, I had to grab a bag of these because they are a tried and true favorite of ours.
In fact, my mom may or may not have given my husband a box full of little bags of Pamela's cookies for Christmas. I also grabbed a box of the pecan shortbread cookies, because I think they taste almost just like Keebler Pecan Sandies. Those used to be my mom's favorite cookies. She doesn't think the Pamela cookies compare, but then, true love stays true. I sure do miss those little elves and their cookie-making magic, probably even more than the girl scouts. A moment of silence, please:
Anyway, a couple of items of interest from my otherwise uninteresting trip to the grocery store:

1. They have started selling sweet rice flour at MOM. But guess how much? No, seriously, guess! You'll never guess! $13.99 for eight ounces! Geez Louise! I guess they don't know you can get a 2-pound bag at Lotte for $2.99. Gluten-free markups make me furious. Do not get suckered into this kind of craziness!

2. MOM brand is selling some new vitamins that are supposed to be easier for the body to absorb. I picked up a few of kinds I take, because I figured it can't hurt. I'm going to do a little more research, but I'm wondering if since my celiac body has a hard time absorping nutrients properly, that these might help. Check out this comment on chelated iron.

I actually really like browsing around at specialty/organic food stores like MOM, Roots and Wholefoods. Even though things tend to be out of my Christian-school-teacher-married-to-a-youth-pastor budget, there really are some great products out there. You can also get lots of new ideas just browsing around, and then try to find similar products more affordably elsewhere. That said, my mom always says that the most important investment you can make is in your own health, and if that means paying a little more for foods that you know are celiac safe or free from harmful antibiotics and pesticides, then so be it. While I completely agree, and I think it's really, really important to eat as much locally grown, organic and free-range food as possible, I'm still working on reconciling that with my wallet. I'm getting there though, and knowing I've outsmarted the MOM powers-that-be with my Lotte sweet rice flour tells me I'll get these sooner rather than later.

Pizza

Remember running across a kid every now and then who would announce at the sleepover or birthday party, "I don't like pizza!" and everyone would stare open-mouthed and then whisper about how weird that kid was?

I was definitely not that kid. I was the kid calling the no-pizza kid weird.

I adore pizza. I could probably eat it all the time. This is probably because cheese is just about my favorite food of all, and I have a secret fantasy of having pet goats and a few dairy cows and making my own cheese. I recently read a book called "Blessed are the Cheesemakers" and while the plot of the book ended up pretty lame and totally chick-lit-ish, I loved the whole concept of the tiny, family-run cheese farm in Ireland.

Sigh. But I digress.

Gluten-free pizza can be a bit of a challenge. Lately, however, lots of places in the DC area are jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon and selling gluten-free pizza in their stores. You might be thinking, "SWEET," but wait until you hear the price tag; these places sell only individual-sized pies and they run around $12-15 each. Yikes.

Last night, the hubby and I had planned to grab dinner from Lillit Cafe in Bethesda. They have gluten-free pizza that's pretty decent, but we got there too late and they were already closed. My poor husband was devastated. We called around to a few other places and just honestly could not imagine coughing up 30 bucks for pizza for two. So, after some quick thinking, we called up some friends and decided to make pizza at home, using my mom's most delicious recipe and store-bought crusts from Wholefoods. (The Wholefoods brand crusts are far and above my favorite of all the crusts I've tried so far; gluten and non-gluten eaters alike have all agreed!) The next time you're craving pizza, this recipe is the way to go.

Mama's Sausage and Pepper Pizza

Ingredients:
Two Wholefoods-brand pizza crusts
Olive oil
Garlic (one clove)
One small red onion
One large red pepper
Four gluten-free Andoullie sausages
Gluten-free tomato sauce (you can make your own, but I'm way too lazy for that)
Mozarella cheese (you can do lots of other cheeses too; I'm a fan of Romano cheese on pizza)

Pre-heat the oven to 350. The crusts come frozen, so thaw them out first, or just toss them in the oven while it is pre-heating. Once they are warm, brush the bottom sides of the crusts with olive oil and put them back in the oven until they crisp up a little, about 10 minutes.

While the crusts are crisping, dice the garlic, onion, and peppers. Heat a large, non-stick skillet to about medium heat and add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Remove the casings from the sausages and break into small bits to brown. Add the onion and peppers and saute until the meat is browned, the peppers are soft, and the onions are carmelized. (My mom usually adds mushrooms, too. I think mushrooms are gross, but to each her own.)

Once your crusts are a little crispy, remove from the oven. Turn the temperature up to 425. Add sauce, then the browned toppings, then tons of cheese to the pizzas. Pop back in the oven and heat until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

YUM.

Serves 4 hungry people, less if one of those people happens to be a skinny, famished 22-year-old home from a month in Europe living on the change in her pocket. What have a I said about food and memories? My sweet mama made these pizzas for me my first night home from my trip abroad a few years ago. I think I ate four pieces, fell asleep on the couch, was carried up and put in bed by my husband (then boyfriend, so he went right home!) and slept straight for about 15 hours. There's no place like home, you know.

Enjoy!

The Grainless Baker

The hubbs just got back from some Young Life training up at Lake Champion, and you know what that means?!

A bag FULL of goodies from The Grainless Baker.

Well, ok, I suppose it also means several days of great fellowship, hard work and encouragement for him, but for me it means cupcakes, hamburger buns, muffins and cookies. My husband must really love me, because he only ate one cupcake and one chocolate sandwich out of the whole bag. He is so good at sharing.

You see, The Grainless Baker sells products at a little store called The Herb Shoppe in Port Jervis, New York, which is just about 30 minutes from Lake Champion. Every single item I have tasted from The Grainless Baker I have adored. So far, they do not sell directly to consumers, but their store base is growing, so keep an eye out!

Here's a little spot I once wrote about them:

The Grainless Baker

When The Grainless Baker co-owner Jane Trygar was diagnosed with celiac disease, it came as a particular shock; her family had owned and operated a bakery for over 22 years! Just when Jane thought she’d never see a cupcake again, her pastry-chef husband Dan came to the rescue, creating gluten-free alternatives for the breads and pastries she missed most. The family soon realized Dan’s creations were too good to go unshared, and before long the family bakery business had gone gluten-free. The Grainless Baker offers everything from dinner rolls and thin Italian-style pizza crust to such formerly bygone delicacies as chocolate cream sandwiches and cinnamon rolls. Located in Lake Ariel, PA, The Grainless Baker ships products to an ever-expanding list of retailers in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. For more information, and a list of retailers, visit: www.thegrainlessbaker.com

Comfort Food

Sometimes I am jealous of my one-year old niece.

She gets to cry whenever she wants, regardless of the situation or the level of appropriatness. Social norms mean nothing to her. This is much of the reason I believe she is such a sweet, happy, darling baby.

Sometimes, at the end of a long day, one where you are so tired and so achy it's unreal that you are out of bed, tears in the middle of the grocery store just seem so appropriate. Because after all, not only are you tired and horrendously achy at the grocery store at the end of a long day, you still have to run another errand, get gas, unload the groceries, put away the groceries, AND make dinner.

I don't know how I held the tantrum off, but I did. Then, suddenly, in the European food section of Giant, nostalgia hit me. And with nostalgia almost always comes inspiration.

After a quick call to Cindy and a few laps around the store for a few more things, I had a wonderful dinner at hand.

The cool thing about food is the way it brings people together. I truly believe this is the biggest reason people hate dietary restrictions so much, whether they know it or not, because not being able to eat certain food makes you feel singled out or separated. Food is meant to be enjoyed, and enjoyed with others. Everyone has to eat, regardless of age, race, culture or beliefs. This is how comfort food is born. Like my mama always said had written on our kitchen table, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."


I love family-style eating. Big plates or pots of steaming foods stuck in the middle of a table of smiling, sharing faces...just like a pizza commercial. I also love one-pan cooking, mainly because I am lazy and abhore doing dishes. So, what could be better at the end of a tantrum day than a simple, comforting, memory-inducing, big-bowl-in-the-middle-of-the-table creamy risotto?


This meal was first made for me just like this; a gigantic bowl in the middle of a table to feed a bunch of college kids studying abroad in Italy. My roommate and I went to Italy during spring break of our sophomore year to visit a couple of our closest friends studying abroad. Let me tell you, these girls can cook. I got to live with them senior year, and they can COOK. Such lucky families they will feed one day. In a teeny little kitchen in Rome we chopped peppers, took turns grating cheese until our arms fell off, ate cereal out of a box labled CHOCO CRACK and laughed until we cried. Then we ate until our stomaches hurt, but still had room to go eat gelatto by the Pantheon.

And so, a tough afternoon was made sweeter with thoughts of going home to a simple, delicious and inspired dinner, the ultimate in comfort food.


Cheesy Risotto, a la Jess and Cindy, tweeked for ultimate laziness
Ingredients

Risotto, two cups

One large red bell pepper, chopped

Grated parmesan cheese (REAL, not Kraft) ;)

Grated romano cheese

Chicken broth, four cups (or water)

One onion, chopped

Garlic, to taste

Prosciutto, to budget

Olive Oil, to taste

(For cheesy risotto a la Taylor, you can really toss in whatever you like. I added peas to mine and am too poor for prosciutto, so I used bacon instead. I also used a little mozerella instead of the romano.)

Saute the onion and garlic in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add two cups of uncooked risotto and stir to coat with oil and heat for about 2 minutes. Add four cups of chicken broth. Cook covered for about 45 minutes, or until soft and the liquid is nearly soaked. You can walk away go take a bath. Just have your husband take a peek every now and then.

At the RICE, silly!

Cook and chop your bacon (microwaves are great!) or slice your ham or whatever else you want to use. Chop the peppers and toss them in the microwave for a couple of minutes until soft (I did it like that because I wanted the peppers a little crunchy). Toss everything together into the risotto and add as much cheese as you'd like. I did about a cup; keep in mind that parmesan has lots of flavor. You may need to add a little more stock for creaminess.

Dump into a big serving bowl and eat a ton while thinking of and missing your froomies. (Roommate+Friend=Froomie.) Close your eyes, dream of the pantheon, and be glad you are not your baby niece, because she hasn't been there yet, even if she CAN cry whenever she wants.

Tricks of the Trade

One of my biggest gluten-free woes has to be condensed creamy soups. They are a) almost impossible to find gluten-free b) the few gluten-free ones that are out there taste funny and c) some recipes just aren't the same without some globulous, salty, creamy goodness. Um...right?

I have a tendency to click around through blogs for the first part of my planning period in the morning. My brain is just not in full gear yet and I love to drink my cup of tea and chill out for a little bit before facing middle schoolers for the rest of the day. In my clicking, I came upon a list of links for "Works for Me Wednesday" at http://www.wearethatfamily.com/. What an awesome list of ideas and solutions! It's like Hints from Heloise times one hundred and fifty, or however many people end up linking.

Well, guess what? The solution to the condensed creamy soup conundrum can be found here, healthier, updated and- get ready- less globulous.

Also, in clicking around on BlossomingSkillet, I found out that my beloved sweet rice flour has yet another use; thickening soups and gravies. Apparently, it's even nicer than regular wheat flour, and anyone who has made a roux with brown rice flour knows how frustrating it can get.

I can't wait to try it out. But clearly, that will have to wait, because for over a week now I've either eaten out, picked up a rotisserie chicken, or had my husband make an emergency mac 'n *shudder* velveeta cheese. I even had a foray with a frozen chicken and rice meal. (If you thought they couldn't go wrong with chicken and rice, you were wrong. They can go wrong. Terribly wrong.) I also just ate a fudgesicle for breakfast because my coworker and I were cleaning out our fridge. Good thing I always have salad on hand, or I may be finished from salty and otherwise unhealthy food.

And people tell me it must "suck to eat so healthy all the time." HAH!

Blackened Salmon

How about another delicious gluten-free recipe?

Ingredients:

Salmon fillet
Honey
Brown mustard
Instant mashed potato flakes (be sure they're gluten-free)
Crushed walnuts (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Drizzle a 9x13 glass pan with EVOO and place your boneless, skinless fillet (I used a 2-lb. giant because that's what they sell at Costco) in it. Drizzle fillet with EVOO. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

In a little bowl, mix equal parts honey and brown mustard, enough to liberally coat your fillet. (Probably about a tablespoon of each per pound of salmon.) Brush onto fillet and coat the up side with potato flakes and walnuts.

Place in oven at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes AND COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT IT FOR OVER AN HOUR UNTIL YOU SMELL SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE OVEN. Stupid Twilight books.



Ok, so it should be called "UNINTENTIONALLY Blackened Salmon." Why did I have to choose the $6.50 a pound (yes, that's why I go to Costco) gigantic hunk of salmon to burn to a crisp? Yes, we still ate it. My husband is so gracious. ("This is delicious, honey! I love it dark and crispy!" Right.)



Seriously though, this is one of our favorite meals. I toss a salad with it and steam some broccoli and it's wonderful. Then we feel so healthy we finish it off with huge bowls of ice cream in bed.



Note: Real cooking times will vary based on your oven and the size of your fish, so just poke it occasionally until it's flaky and cooked through.

This one's for you, Cin:

Food and Friends

...two things I love! Put 'em together...even better.

The hubby and I had been wanting to have a house warming party for basically forever. We bought our house in July and it was more than time. We wanted to show off the fact that after hours upon hours of sweat, blood and tears, our house had gone from this:(Yes, that wall on the right IS crackle-finished. The yellow was even brighter than it looks, and don't even get me started on that wallpaper. For the love of Pete/future owners of your house...don't use wallpaper. Ever.)
To this:

Also, I just turned 25, so the time had come!

After much debate, we settled on a chili cook-off. Planning a big party for a lot of people can be tricky when you don't have a lot of money and you have to eat gluten-free. Chili is awesome because people's recipes are often naturally gluten-free, or can easily be altered to be so if your friends are sweet and dear enough to think of it. (My friend J. even made an AMAZING gluten-free cornbread casserole, when I get the recipe I'll post it.) There's something for everyone! I'm a little phobic of gluteny food in my house, so this worked perfectly. I put out a gigantic bowl of corn chips and lots of little bowls of salsas, sour cream, onion, cheese and jalepenos. Folks brought their dishes in big pots I stuck on the stove or crock pots around the kitchen. Add a salad, make some gluten-free cupcakes, put out plenty of plastic bowls and spoons and voila; food and fun all around!That's not even all of it! (Isn't is special that our gluten-free home has a beautiful tile backsplash of a wheat-inspired still life? We certainly think so. We also thinks it makes an even better statement to draw a big X over it.)


Yes, random things in my house are writing surfaces. Another post for another day.

Aren't they adorable?

We have incredible friends, so catching up with everyone was a blast. Everyone's chili was so good. We meant to take a vote for a winner, but totally forgot. Honestly, I don't know how we would have chosen! Stacy D.'s recipe had cinnamon in the spices that really brought out the delicious flavor, E. cooked the beans in her dish in bacon drippings for a yummy smoky flavor, S.J. and her hubby made their dish pop with hot sauce and bay leaves, my mom added jalepenos to the recipe I grew up with for a nice kick, and C. made a turkey chili that smelled incredible, but I was too stuffed to even try!

So, I'd say it was a success. How about making it annual?

No seriously, it's delicious

I promised a gluten-free chocolate birthday cake recipe, and I make good on promises.

I was really excited to test out my Asian sweet rice flour in a cake. We got our wedding cake from a wonderful bakery in Baltimore called Tenzo Artisan. Her gluten-free wedding cake was literally a dream come true for me, and so delicious. We very randomly stumbled upon her cake shop. We had actually gone up to Baltimore for a gluten-free cake taste test with Renee from Sweet Sin Bakery. Her cake was great and we were all set to go. We thanked her and headed down to Federal Hill for a little shopping. I got to chatting with one of the ladies in a shop and happened to mention we had just been cake testing. She asked where and I told her she wouldn't know the place because they specialize in gluten-free baking. She then said, "Oh, the place around the corner? She's wonderful!" I was confused because the place we'd just come from was on the other side of the city. She gave us the name of the shop (Tenzo) and we decided to drop in. Sure enough, gluten-free dessert galore! We set up a tasting with her and were truly amazed. When I asked her secret, she said, "Sweet rice flour!"

Anyway, both Sweet Sin and Tenzo products are wonderful. The woman who owns Tenzo is a former OB-GYN who decided she loved her baking hobby so much she'd follow it full time. I'm glad she did!
Isn't our little gluten-free cake adorable? She copied the pattern of some of the embroidery on my dress on the bottom layer. We served "normal" sheet cake to the rest of our guests. Our caterer wrapped up extra pieces for us to take with us to our hotel. We saved the top tier and took it with us on our anniversay trip. We had to keep it in a cooler because we were camping, which made it crucial to eat cake at four meals lest it go bad. I hope everyone has the opportunity to eat as much cake as possible in 24 hours before it goes bad at least once in a lifetime. Oh little cake, we have fond memories.

I tried out this recipe for my birthday cake and the result was wonderful. I had been planning to just find any cake recipe and substitute in some of my sweet rice flour, but I this was one of the first recipes I found and it just happened to include my flour already! I felt one happy step ahead. I didn't have any potato starch, so I used 1/2 a cup each of sweet rice flour, white rice flour and tapioca starch. I also used about 1/2 a teaspoon of xanthan gum. You can find the sweet rice flour at any Asian food market.

I made a two layer cake and used whipped cream between the layers. I frosted it with buttercream. The hubby said it was the best gluten-free cake he's ever had! I think he was exaggerating, because that Tenzo cake was seriously awesome, but this really was a close second.

Killer Chocolate Cake
(recipe from www.celiac.com, courtesy of Dave Ross)

Killer Chocolate Cake (Gluten-Free)

This recipe comes to us from Dave Ross.

Gluten-Free Flour Blend Ingredients:
25% Asian white rice flour;
25% Asian sweet rice flour;
25% tapioca starch; and
25% potato starch.

I use no Xanthan gum in these recipes. I buy a 12 oz. bag of each at an Asian store and mix them into a glass container for general use.

Gluten-Free Cake Ingredients:
¾ cup or 1 and ½ sticks butter melted
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 ¼ cup sugar
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ cup gluten-free flour blend (above)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 of an 8 oz. block cream cheese warmed in microwave
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350° F

Gluten-Free Cake Directions:
Grease and cocoa 9” by 13” pan. Flour it with cocoa instead of flour. In mixer with whip mix melted butter with cocoa till smooth. Blend in sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla, salt, flour, cream cheese, baking soda and powder and mix until smooth.

Blend in the milk, stopping to scrape the sides and mix a little more to be sure everything is well blended. Pour into baking pan and tilt pan to even out the batter. Bake for 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and set pan on a cooling rack. Leave in pan to cut and serve.

Check it out and enjoy!

I'm 25? Really?

"No!" says 13 me.

"Oh, Feathers, that is so funny. We won't ever be 25," says 11 me.

Today is my birthday. I am 25 and for some reason that is making me not want to have a birthday. So I thought I'd head over to Cake Wrecks to get myself in the mood, at least to make the gluten free cake I'm making. I found this amazing cake picture at the amazing blog:
Gummi Beaaaaaaars! Bouncing here and there and every where! High adventure that's beyond compare! We are the Gummi BEARS!

Gummi Bears was one of my favorite shows as a kid. We didn't have cable though and it was a Disney channel show, so we'd watch it every day when they used to do those two-week free cable trials. (Remember those days?)

When I was really little, I had invisible babies. No, not invisible friends, invisible babies. I used to make my mom wait to buckle me into my car seat while I buckled my babies into their car seats. One of my babies was named Zummi Gummi.

Oh, nostalgia. How precious you are! I'm 25? I used to look like this:



I thought 25 looked like this:
But always, always loved and will always love this:I'm excited to go bake my gluten-free cake with the sweet rice flour I found at Lotte. Recipe to come!

Winter Blues Begone!

Lenny and I were blessed to be able to visit my grandparents in Tampa over the inauguration weekend. We knew the DC area would be out of control, so we decided to skip town and watch the inauguration on television with the comfort of 70 degree weather in the background while DC people stood outside in arctic blast weather. We missed history in the making, but I was fine with that in exchange for this:
That was a lovely 70 degree day! Tampa had been the 80s before we got there, but the cold blast from the west that broughts temps into the teens here at home dropped Tampa to a little colder than average too. I was A-ok with that, given the home alternative!

I'd had a flight voucher with Airtran that had to be used up before the end of January. I've missed out on using up vouchers before, so I wasn't go to miss this one. Not with my affinity for travel! We got down there on a Saturday and left Tuesday night; a perfect mini-vacation! We had MLK Day off anyway, and DC areas schools were closed on Tuesday. We even got to spend the evening with Lenny's family on Friday night- his mom had graciously offered to drive us to the airport at 5 am!


When we got to Tampa, we reveled in the warmth, sunshine, and my sweet grandparents' happy faces. We had a delicious lunch at Cheesecake Factory, then headed to their house in the retirement community at Word of Life. We toured around the grounds a bit, then Lenny and I fell asleep on the couch. We were exhausted because lameo Airtran made our flights for the morning crazy. (We'd had to leave BWI at 6, arrive in Atlanta at 8, chill for three hours, then arrive in Tampa at 12:30. Thanks for the fun, Airtran!) We then went to a cool praise concert at the WOL conference center. The singer, Steve Green, was only okay, but his piano guy was incredible. He did a couple of songs on his own that were awesome, I really want a CD.


We went to church and played mini-golf the next day, then did a little shopping. Lenny and I had a blast going for a spin in my grandpa's electric bicycle golf cart. We had a delicious dinner (my Grandma's a great cook, it runs in the family) followed by these AMAZING "Lava Cakes" she made for dessert. They make non gluten-free folks jealous that gluten-free folk can eat such amazing stuff. I've tried making them twice since, but they haven't quite turned out like hers.

Monday was probably my favorite day. After a delicious breakfast we headed over to Tarpon Springs, a funky, touristy Greek town famous for sponge diving. They have the neatest little aquarium there with lots of demonstrations. I got to hold a python, and Lenny got to touch a baby shark.

The men needed an ice-cream pit stop of course, but then we went for a lovely drive and ended up at Honeymoon Beach. Walking on that beach was the highlight of the trip for me. It felt like winter at home had never existed. I am convinced that two hours holds almost all of the responsibility for my wonderful lack of winter blues this year. We ended that day with a delicious dinner at a southern bbq joint. Lenny loved the sweet tea. Ohh, bbq, I could eat you every day!
Barefoot in the water in January! I love Florida. I love my grandparents even more.


My grandparents treated us to an amazing trip the Big Cat Rescue on Tuesday. A simply wonderful place. I would give anything to be able to work somewhere like that. My grandma knows me so well, she knew I would love it. It was cold though, in the 50s and cloudy, so we went over to Chili's for a warm lunch afterward.

It really was a wonderful trip. I'm grateful for time like that with my family. Lenny and the Lloyds got to know each other better, we all had great quality time, I soaked in lots of vitamin D (something my celiac disease makes me very deficient in, and I think a huge contributor to my tendency for winter blues), we experienced new places, we spent lots of time outside, we played Dominoes, we looked at old family pictures and talked about genealogy, and overall had a splendid time. I'm going to Florida every year in January from now on.

On a side note, this is also the healthiest winter I've had in YEARS. Since the horrible two-week flu at Christmas, I've only had one little cold that my body actually fought off in 5 days.

Cost of plane ticket: $200
Value of trip to health and happiness: Priceless


Lavish Lava Cake Recipe:
Serves 6-7
1-1/2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 8 oz. chocolate)
5 Tbsp. butter, plus butter to grease ramekins or muffin cups
3 eggs SEPARATED
1/4 C granulated sugar
2 tsp. finely ground espresso (optional)
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Generously butter six 3/4-cup size ramekins or custard cups, or 7 muffin cups.
2. In microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate and butter on medium power 1-2 minutes until butter is melted. Stir, reheating if necessary, to melt chocolate; Set aside.. Stir egg yolks and 2 Tbsp. sugar into chocolate-butter mixture. Add espresso if using
3. Place egg whites in large mixing bowl, beat until foamy. Combine remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar and cocoa powder. Gradually bat into whites until soft peaks fold over when beaters are lifted.
4. Stir 1/3 of chocolate-butter mixture into whites mixture. Gently fold in remaining chocolate mixture until completely combined. Divide evenly between cups (Can cover at this point and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking).
5. Bake 10-12 minutes until puffy and cracks form on top. Edges should be firm and center moist between the cracks. (bake 13-16 minutes if refrigerated). Cool 3 minutes. Serve in ramekins, or run knife around edges and invert cakes onto dessert plates. Serve hot with ice cream. Dust with cocoa powder if desired.