Remember me?

Remember me?  GF Mama?  It has been how long now?  A month you say?  No!  Yes?  Where is the time going - seriously?  I cannot believe Thanksgiving is behind us and Christmas is only 24 days away! 

But back to Thanksgiving....so much to be thankful for this year including some great gluten free finds for the boy:

First up - another big shout out goes to ALDI's.  They now carry GF BREAD!  It's seriously soft, delicious and priced great for GF standards. If you haven't tried ALDI's GF line of products yet, run run Rudolf and try it - you will seriously like - if not love - it!

Second shout out of thanks goes to Tastefully Simple.  I told you about the awesome GF beer bread mix in a previous post, but this coconut lime cake is also fantabulous!  I recommend making white icing with fresh coconut to top it.

 

I cannot contain my excitement abou this one...... Freschetta now makes thin and crispy GF pizza!!  Check out the info HERE.  It is fa-la-la-la-la-fabulous!  Crispy, thin crust, delicious toppings(cheese or pepperoni varieties).  Definitely a new family favorite.  The boy spotted it in the regular frozen food pizza aisle at our local grocer.  Two thumbs up - a must-buy! 

 

 



 My little turkey said it's the best GF pizza he's had...and he's a tough bird to please!

 

Like I said, so much to be thankful for! Especially all of you - THANK YOU for following my little blog.  Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful!

 

Now - I need your help - for the next GFProud2B blog, I'd love to have a GF Cookie Recipe exchange.  You can post your favorite recipe in the comments section and I will share in the next blog post (and I promise it will be BEFORE Christmas).  Entries due by 12/12/14! 

Prost!

So in case I didn't tell you before, I am 100% German.  And I love October because it is host to my favorite holiday  - OKTOBERFEST!!! 

I married into a seriously awesome family - complete with 3 brothers-in-law who decided to throw an Oktoberfest party at my in-laws house. The boy thinks he's Irish but he was ready to embrace his German heritage!  So the boy, MOB (my other boy - that being my husband), the dog and I piled into the family truckster and headed West.  And I loaded the car with all sorts of German goodies and was ready to put on my dirndl and polka!

There are some great GFG (Gluten Free German) foods - sauerkraut (the boy loves it), bratwurst (not the beer brats, the regular) and of course, German potato salad.  But I wanted to make the boy something to say "JA JA!" about, so I made these:

Beer Bread Cheddar Muffins.  Did your mouth just water?  Because it should have!  And how does one make GF Beer Bread Cheddar Muffins you ask?  With this awesome stuff:

 

Tastefully Simple Beer Bread mix.  Meine Damen und Herren (ladies and gentleman) this stuff is seriously good.  They had the recipe on the back of the mix for the muffins, which do not call for GF beer or anything carbonated.  Now if you make the beer bread the classic way, you can add a carbonated beverage of your choice - gf beer, soda, club soda - whatever you like.  They have some great GF mixes that you can find here

They will have your little GF weiner schnitzel saying "das ist gut!" in no time!

What are your ethnic family foods that you make GF? 

Soup! There it is....

So school has only been in session for a month - A MONTH I TELL YOU!!! - and the boy is already home sick (sad face).  And there's no better sick-day meal than soup.  The cure-all, good in your belly medicine we all find comfort in when we are under the weather.

And thankfully, there are some great GFP2B soups out there that are just what the doctor (and mom) ordered!

So you here go my stuffy nose, fever, need soup so I can rest kids - our favorite GFP2B super SOUP list!

#1:  Gluten Free Café Chicken Noodle Soup

This stuff is sooooo good!!  And Gluten Free Café makes all kinds of great soups - Chicken Vegetable, Black Bean - they even make a GF Mushroom Soup which is great for recipes. 





#2:  Progresso

There are so many Progresso Gluten Free soups - I'm boiling over with happiness!  You can see a complete listing HERE and let me tell you - they are AWESOME!!  And affordable (bonus for us GFP2B-ers). 

The Chicken Corn is probably the boy's favorite.  It's so rich and delicious!  Serve it with some Fritos (seriously - very good) or some good GF Crackers and it makes a great meal! 




#3:  Thai Kitchen Rice Noodle Soup

This is one of my personal favorites. Love Thai Kitchen soups and this one is stocked full of noodles and tasty broth.  They have several flavors and can easily be found in your grocery store.  You can add cooked chicken or shrimp to make it heartier.  So good.






Amy's, Wolfgang Puck and a few other name brands have some great options. And you can always make your own (if you have the time).  I like to get GF broth and throw in chicken, carrots, onions, garlic and rice to make an easy soup.  Here's another one of my favorite, easy GF soup recipes - courtesy of my sissy, Missy :)  It's SOUPer (like her).  Love you sissy!

SOUP-er Easy Soup (or Soup Without a Name)

1lb ground beef or turkey burger
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 spaghetti sauce jar filled with water
1 can GF beef broth
1 can dark red kidney beans
1- 1 1/2 cups GF macaroni noodles
 Seasonings:  Salt, pepper, garlic, Italian spices, red pepper

Brown beef or turkey in large stock pot in a little bit of olive oil (make sure you season the meat - I use salt/pepper and garlic).  Add the jar of spaghetti sauce.  Fill empty jar with water and add that to the pot.  Add beef broth, drained and rinsed kidney beans along with seasonings to taste (I like crushed red pepper because Jimmy likes his chicken spice - sorry, Seinfeld reference - but you can skip this if you'd like).  Cook for about 30 minutes until everything is well blended.  Add macaroni noodles to soup mixture and cook until tender. 

Serve with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

So when you're feeling poopy, grab some soupy (really bad, I know)!  Wishing you all good health this cold and flu season!

What GF soups do you like?  Any recipes you can share? 

Love Bug

Guess who got "Mother of the Year"?  Not me. 

First day of school, there was a birthday party.  And the sweet mom of the birthday boy called me prior and offered to bake the boy a GF treat.  And "Not Mother of the Year" here said absolutely no need....I will bring in a GF treat for the boy! 

And guess who forgot to bake the cupcake?  Yep.  "Not Mother of the Year" me.  Major fail.  And on the first day of school.  The day I also forgot his snack box for the classroom at home.  Boy was more than forgiving, but I thought I would make it up to him for the next birthday party. 

And guess who ran of time to bake something fabulous for said next birthday party?  Yep, "Not Mother of the Year" me. 

So that morning, I looked on the all-knowing Google for some bakeries close to our home and found this little gem: Ladybug Bakery  in New Cumberland, PA.  And it was love at first bite. 

Not only did they have some beautiful, fabulous GF cupcakes, they had other delicious desserts that of course I had to buy (and score back some MOTY points.  That's hipster for Mother of the Year). 

And look at this cookie filled with peanut butter cream!!!  It more than passed the ooey gooey chewy test.



 Owner Jessica Brooks is as sweet as her confections!  Ladybug bakery does specialty birthday cakes also!  AND - bonus - she has delicious UDI's hoagie rolls!  And GF wraps!  She can make your GFProud2B kid a fantastic lunch too!!!  Please check her out - they are located at 312 Bridge Street in New Cumberland, PA.  717 774-1613.  And she's on Facebook.

 

Thanks to Ladybug Bakery and my favorite GF pizza joint, the boy was ready to party!

 

GF Pizza?  Check!  GF cupcake?  Check? 

Other GF goodies to make up for my forgetfulness?  Check check!! 

 

Thanks Ladybug Bakery!  My MOTY crown has been restored!



School daze....

Seriously - where did the summer go?  I find myself asking that question every August when I'm getting my back-to-school supplies for the boy. 

For our GFP2B kids, BTS supplies include a few extra necessities to start the school year off right.  So here is my list of must-haves, must-do's BTS supplies - GF style.

LESSONS FOR A GREAT GF SCHOOL YEAR

#1:  Remember to raise your hand
It's important to let teachers, administrative office and of course the school nurse know about your child's Celiac disease.  Here is a sample of the note I use each year - I like to include a list of snacks the boy loves and those he can not have unless I provide a GF version:

(INSERT CHILD NAME HERE) has Celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that necessitates he eliminate wheat, barley, rye and oats from his diet. WBRO may be hidden, however, in things like food additives, flavorings, personal care products, school supplies and more. Therefore, some adjustments may need to be made in the classroom and other areas of the school to reduce the risk of inadvertent contact.  I have provided some GF alternatives for him if there will be a birthday party or other special snack time in the classroom.  Or if you can let me know in advance and I will be more than happy to provide a cupcake or other treat for (INSERT CHILD NAME HERE).

Easy Reference Snack List for (INSERT CHILD NAME HERE)

POPCORN, which he loves J
Potato chips (no Pringles)
Taco chips/Tostitos chips made with only CORN (again, check packaging for “wheat”)
Plain chocolate/plain vanilla ice cream
M&M’s and Hershey Kisses J
Fruit Snacks
Fresh veggies (ranch dressing for dipping is great too)
Fresh fruit or fruit cocktail
JELLO

Examples of things (INSERT CHILD NAME HERE) CANNOT eat, unless a GF alternative is provided by me:

Crackers

Pringles

Cookies

Pretzels

Licorice

Any kind of candy bar containing a cookie/wheat

It is important to note that if (INSERT CHILD NAME HERE) should come into physical contact with any of the offending grains, it will be necessary to remove all protein residues from his skin as quickly as possible. Playdough is okay for him to play with, but he will need to wash his hands immediately following so he doesn’t ingest any.  If contact with wheat does occur, (INSERT CHILD NAME HERE) may also have an urgent need to use the restroom due to the possible onset of uncontrollable physical symptoms.  Because of this, special restroom privileges may be needed.  (INSERT CHILD NAME HERE) is very well aware of what he can and cannot have.  He is pretty adept at knowing what foods contain “gluten” in them and which do not.  However, since he is young, he may not always know that an item contains WBRO so it’s best to check labels – most say “contains wheat” and must be avoided.  Peanuts, corn, rice, and soy are all okay for him to have.

You are always welcome to call us any time of the day if there is a question.  Mom’s cell is xxx-xxx-xxxx and Dad's is xxx-xxx-xxxxx.   Anything we can do to make it easy for you and (INSERT CHILD NAME HERE), please do not hesitate to call us!   

It's important to let teachers, etc. know that you don't expect them to be an expert in Celiac Disease and that you are here to teach them too!

#2:  Get your school supplies
Each year, the boy and I shop for his favorite snacks to stock his GFP2B snack box.  We stock one for his teacher/homeroom (just in case the unexpected birthday is celebrated that day) and also one for the after-school program.  When the snacks get low, they return the box to me and we fill it up again.  Let your GFP2B kid pick the snacks and fill up the box - this helps them to 1:  learn their GF options and 2: let's them be in control (remember that "I can do it myself" blog?)  Here's our snack box. 


We use a clear, plastic storage bin and mark it with his name

 

A few favorite items to note:

• GF pretzels (I buy the big bag and put in baggies - cheaper than the snack size bags)
• Single-serving sized Nutella and Peanut Butter (great for dipping apples, pretzels, carrots)
• Fruit snacks
• Lucy's cookies - they make great snack packs which come in handy for unexpected bday parties!
• Craisins
• GF granola bars
• Sweet and salty snacks - packed with protein, nuts and M&M's...of course
• Larabars - another GF fave

 

#3: Practice the Golden Rule

No kid likes to feel different, so it's important to let them take control of their situation, tell their friends on their own and for you as a parent to "be cool" when letting school personnel know about your child's condition.  We have private conversations with teachers when the boy is out of ear shot. They can ask questions comfortably and the boy isn't subject to an embarrassing moment of sharing the side-effects of wheat in his system.  After all, would you want to stand there while your loved one, parent, sibling, etc. explains your chronic bowel symptoms?  Of course not.

 

#4:  Do your homework!

I was amazed to learn how many other students had Celiac disease in our school!  It helped a lot - especially in creating awareness so teachers know what to expect when they get a GFP2B kid!  I was also amazed to learn our school lunch program can provide him with a GF lunch!!  They even give him buns, bread and GF pizza!  Call your school cafeteria contact and ask if your lunch provider can give GF alternatives for your GFP2B kid.  Plus - not packing lunch everyday is pure bliss for this working mom!

 

Here's to ABC's and GF 123's!  What back-to-school tips do you have? 

 





Oh boy oh boy oh boy!

Hello my GFP2B friends!  Hope you are all enjoying your summer.  We certainly have - which explains my lack of posts lately (sorry!). 

While we've been busy visiting family, friends and enjoying the summer sun, I have discovered a few new goodies to share with you and oh boy are there some great new products out there!

1:  ALDI's continues to wow us in the GF department.  We bought their GF wraps - and the boy LOVES them!!!  We've rolled up meat and cheese in them, heated them up and stuffed with all kinds of goodness.  Seriously - if you have not visited ALDI's GF selection, it is worth it!!  Their baking mix and brownie mix, pizza and lasagna are equally fab.

2:   Beer bread has gone GF!!  Any of you been to a Tastefully Simple party?  They now have an awesome selection of GF products!!  And they are simply awesome (albeit a little bit more expensive).   We have made the beer bread and the brownie mixes and they are fabulous.  I made the beer bread using soda (ginger ale) and it turned out great.  The brownies are full of fudgy wudgie deliciousness.  I got a few other mixes too that I'm excited to make - I'll keep you posted.  In the meanwhile, check out the selection of gf goodies they offer:  https://www.tastefullysimple.com/shop-our-products/gluten-free

 

3:  I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!!  And one of my GF angels sent these delicious sugar cones to enjoy our ice cream in:

 

The boy gives this a GFP2B thumbs up!

Goldbaum's has some awesome GF products, let me tell you.  Check out their website.  They have me screaming for more!

So how has your summer going?  Find any new GF goodies to share with us?

Stay tuned - the first annual Back To School edition is coming, complete with survival skills, sample letters to give teachers/school staff and MORE!!



Veggie Tales

I know I know - and I'm sorry!!  It's been too long but I swear I have a good excuse.  Well, an okay excuse.  It's called Life.  Boy has she been keeping me busy!!  Baseball, picnics, family outings - oh my!  But oh so good too.

Because summer is as busy as it is awesome, I needed a fast and simple summer dish that was perfect for this GFP2B on-the-go-family.  And there's no better taste of summer than fresh vegetables and fresh herbs.

I picked up some beautiful peppers and nutritious-delicious-even-my-kid-eats-it KALE at the market.  In looking for something to pair these fabulous lovelies with, I quickly grabbed up a package of  Aidelles Roasted Garlic and Gruyere cheese chicken sausage.  A gluten free, Q&E (quick and easy) find y'all!  Check out their awesome selection of different chicken sausage HERE.  No MSG, nitrates or artificial ingredients - bonus!  And a nice compliment to fresh and healthy summer veggies.

 



So while summer lovin' was waiting to have me a blast, I threw this beauty together in minutes! 

 

Q&E Summer Pasta
 

1 Box gluten free penne (our family favorite is Barilla GF Penne)
olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 package Aidelles Roasted Garlic and Gruyere Cheese Chicken sausage, sliced on bias into small pieces.
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 yellow pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 orange pepper, sliced into thin strips
cherry tomatoes - cut in half
2 cups (or more) of fresh kale - rinsed (fresh spinach can also be used)
2 cloves fresh garlic pressed
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
grated parmesan and Romano cheese
fresh basil

Boil the pasta according to directions.  While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan and add peppers, sautéing until 1/2 cooked through.  Tear up kale and add to peppers with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and some red pepper flakes (I use a few good shakes because we like a kick).  Sauté until kale is wilted.  Add sliced sausage.  Drain pasta and combine in pan with veggies and sausage. Add the butter, more salt/pepper, grated cheese and toss thoroughly.  Add the tomatoes and cook until heated through.  Top with fresh basil. 

 

This great dish - it happened so fast! 

What's your favorite summer on-the-go-to dish?  Please share!

 



Paradise by the oven light.....

Meatloaf - my boy's favorite meal.  And not just any meatloaf - barbeque turkey meatloaf.  I got this recipe from one of my ab-fab fellow and inspirational bloggers, my good friend Jess at Stylish, Stealthy and Healthy and she always has some great and yes, healthy recipes she shares.  And the proof of how good this recipe is lies in the fact my other boy - the husband - is a tried and true red-meat eating man who typically wrinkles his nose when I made anything using burger from poultry. 

But not this time.  MOB (my other boy) loves this turkey BBQ meatloaf.  So here is my version of Miss Stealthy's meatloaf - GF style:

 BBQ Meatloaf -by Jess at http://stylishstealthyandhealthy.com/
(Adapted from Can You Stay For Dinner?)
Serves: 4
Cook time: about 45 minutes
You’ll Need:
1lb lean ground turkey
1/3 cup GF Panko Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce (it says "GF" right on the back label!)
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 T Dijon mustard
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. onion powder
1 T tomato paste

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce.   Shape into a loaf and place onto a baking sheet, brushing on remaining 1/4 cup of sauce until loaf is covered.  Bake for 45 minutes, and then transfer to a cutting board and allow to sit for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Seriously delicious.  And remember that whole "I'm a working mom" think I keep telling you?  One of the quickest, easiest, delicious side dishes I make with this any many of my GF meals is mashed potatoes - instant mashed potatoes. And these rock:

 

Idahoan Instant mash come in many flavors - and I haven't had one I didn't love.  Serve with a veggie (our choice for tonight - roasted broccoli) and you've got one fantastic meal that glows like the metal on the end of a knife....



Now hold on, hold on tight - I also tried a new product this week - I found this brand at Karns and was excited to see if they tasted as gooey and chewy as they looked on the front of the box:

 

Survey said:  YUM!  But then again, who doesn't love a chocolate brownie with double chocolate chips?  Now in all honesty, I think the less-expensive brands I find at Aldi's and even the Betty Crocker are just as good.  And you can add your own chocolate chips to make them chocolate x's 2.  But I love trying a new product. 

 

So what did you make your GFP2B kid for dinner tonight?  You can give me your answer in the morning...

Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting

I love my mama.  More than anything.  My mom is not only a mom to eight crazy kids (me being her youngest), she also has 16 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren!  True story!  And at 88 years-young, she visits her friends and the sick at nursing homes, goes to church every day and always has a gluten free goodie bag waiting for the boy when he visits. 

And seriously - doesn't she look great?

My mom makes the BEST PA Dutch chicken pot pie (not the stuff in a crust BTW), has a penchant for a decent pair of white slacks, and I am about to share with you her ab-fab, super delicious, fudgy-wudgy GF Chocolate Cake recipe!  She got it from one of her friends at church, who is also GF.  And let me tell you - this recipe is one of the best I've had.

Grandma made this for her boy for our family's Memorial Day picnic.  And with a bunch of vultures family as big as ours, you can understand why I wasn't able to get a picture....

GF Chocolate Cake
1 box gluten free cake mix (she uses Betty Crocker GF chocolate cake mix)
1 large box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups water

1 package, 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Put the dry, GF cake mix in a large mixing bowl .  Add the remaining ingredients (except chips) and mix together by hand - NO BEATER!  When thoroughly mixed, stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased and GF-floured (or sprayed) Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Do not over-bake  -- this cake will be very moist.

Frost with cream-cheese icing or an icing of your choice.  Instead of the icing, my mom drizzled the boy's cake with fudge ice cream topping, because there is no such thing as too much chocolate for her grandson.

Serve with love <3  Because that's what Grandma's and Mom's do. 

I love you Mom!  Thanks for everything you do for me and for the boy!  xoxo

You say potato, I say frittata

Two of my favorite GFP2B ingredients are potatoes and eggs. Potatoes are the king of the GF starches and eggs are well, the queen of protein.

So on nights like tonight, when I need a good, quick, easy one-pan meal, I love to make a frittata.  It's the blank slate of one-pan meals because really, you can add almost anything and it will taste great.

Now a bit of nostalgia - when I was a kid, one of my favorite comfort meals was when my dad made me potatoes and eggs.  And usually this also included some cut up hot dogs. He put everything in one pan and called it "shipwreck".  Don't knock it 'til you try it.  My college roommates said "EEWWW!!!" until one morning after a hard night of "studying" they quickly changed their tune to "YUMMMM!!!!". 

So this recipe I'm about to share is in honor of you, Dad.
 I miss you and your potatoes, hot dogs and eggs more than anything.

 

 

 

 

Potato, egg and sausage frittata

3-4 red potatoes, washed and sliced thin
1/2 chopped onion
4-6 frozen pre-cooked sausage patties, cut into bite-size pieces OR 1/2 to 1 lb. bulk sausage (Italian, country-style, hot - your choice)
butter
olive oil
10 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
Feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

If you are using the bulk sausage, cook until no longer pink and set aside.
If you are using the frozen patties, start here:

On medium-low heat and in an oven safe pan, sauté the sliced potatoes and onion in about 2 tbsp. of olive oil and 2 tbsp. butter.  You want them to cook but not brown. While sautéing the potatoes, season with salt and pepper to your liking and taste.

Add the bite-size pieces of frozen sausage to the potatoes and cook until heated through.

I love Jones  All-Natural Sausages.  They are certified GF!  I get them in the freezer section in the meat department at my grocer.  You can see their awesome GF certified products here:

Jones Sausage

 

If you used the bulk sausage, add the cooked sausage once the potatoes are softened.


While the potatoes and sausage are cooking, whisk the eggs and milk into a large mixing bowl. Add more salt/pepper and the red pepper flakes to season the eggs.  Then add the egg mixture to the potatoes and sausage and cook for about 1-2 minutes so eggs "set".  Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 15 minutes.  Then top with the feta cheese and cook for another 5 minutes. 

Cut into slices and wha-lah!  Delicious, one-pan meal and really, it doesn't take long at all.  Plus you can add any combinations you like - substitute the sausage for veggies like asparagus, broccoli or peppers.  Use ham and cheddar cheese instead of the sausage and feta.  Really - you can't screw this up! 

Boy likes his with ketchup.  The other boy (aka:  my husband) likes his with Sriracha.

 

It's nice to take those great childhood memories and make them for my family. 

 What family comfort-food recipes do you make for your GFP2B kid? 

Please share because we all can use a little comfort now and then :)



Hold onto your party hats....

So remember in last week's blog when I told you to I had a seriously amazing treat to share?  Well hold onto your party hats because check out this gluten free birthday cake for the boys laser tag party

Ahh-maaayyyyy-zing, right?  Now I am a very very lucky girl who has some seriously talented friends.  And one of them is my friend Melissa.  She does this as a hobby (seriously - can you believe that?) and every year she makes me one seriously fabulous GF birthday cake.  And it tastes as good as it looks. 

This year's theme was relatively simple compared to previous years.  There was the Civil War birthday cake, the Ireland (no, we aren't Irish) party and the Dog Birthday party.  And each year, Melissa comes up with one of the coolest and most delicious cakes I've ever had. 

She really studied up on GF baking and makes these from scratch.  She says freezing the cakes for about two days prior to icing it makes it even moister.  She also uses King Arthur GF flour in her mixes.  Her detail is amazing - really, she's an artist. 

 

Melissa first offered to make him a birthday cake back when he turned two.  I was talking about how I could never order him one of those fancy cakes from the store, decorated in a theme like Sesame Street or the Civil War...  Well she out-fancied them all.

 

For those of you who don't have a Melissa in your life, there are many GF bakeries popping up and making super fun cakes for kids.  I've even seen some beautiful GF wedding cakes!  I know here in the Camp Hill area, Betsy's Bakery whips up some really superbly decorated cakes for both.

 

Ain't it amazing what can be created and made Gluten Free and Proud 2 Be?

 

 

 

 

You say it's your birthday....

t's the boy's birthday too, yeah....little Beatles for you.  Yep, the boy turned 9 and on Mother's Day no less!  So of course we had to make cake. And a treat for school.  The boy's favorite - chocolate cake, which also happens to be my favorite cake too. And his choice for school treat - chocolate chip cookies.  Yum!

Have I told you how much I love love love me do King Arthur Flour and their GF products?  I know I've featured King Arthur GF flour in previous blogs.  Well today I'm featuring two of their GF mixes:  chocolate cake mix and cookie mix.

First the chocolate cake mix. King Arthur Flour has one of the moistest, chocolaty cake mixes I've ever used.  They are more pricey than most, but worth it.  You can find on their website:  King Arthur Gluten Free but I can find their mixes at most grocery stores.  Birthday boy wanted to shake it up baby now and add some chocolate chips to the batter and we topped it with Cool Whip Frosting in vanilla - seriously one of the best store-bought icings I've ever had.  So light and fluffy!  You can find Cool Whip Icings in the frozen food aisle near their whipped topping.  The chocolate flavor is equally fabulous.

It was a super sweet day to celebrate my mom and my boy. 



 

And the party continues with a treat to share with his class at school - chocolate chip cookies!  And once again, my main man King Arthur came through with oooey, gooey goodness.

 

 

I love their cookie mix because it's a basic cookie dough and you can pick your favorite add-ins - peanut butter chips, toffee, chips, craisins....whatever please pleases you. 

 

Buttery, golden gluten free goodness.  And unlike other mixes I've tried, these don't fall apart and crumble into oblivion. That's why King Arthur GF mixes have been crowned family favorite!  

Can't wait for the kids to enjoy them!

 

 

Now listen- do you want to know a secret?  I will have a seriously amazing treat to share with you next week when I pick up a very special, super-fab cake for the boy's birthday party.  Tune in next week to see this one!

 

In the meanwhile please please me and share your favorite GFP2B sweet treat! 

Time to fiesta!

In our household, we love to celebrate special holidays - Christmas, Thanksgiving, Cinco de Mayo....yes, that fantastica holiday filled with margaritas and delicious Mexican delights like this:

 

Taco salad.  It was so good, I had to eat half of it before I took the picture.  Sorry.

 

You know what's great about Mexican food?  Much of it is gluten free.  Taco chips, guacamole, salsa, taco shells - all filled with gluten free goodness.  

 

We love our tacos in our household, but when I saw these in the grocery store, well holy guacamole!

 

GF tostada bowls made by Rio Rancho. I couldn't wait to get toppings together and surprise mi familia with a new meal idea to celebrate May 5th!

 

I grilled some chicken with salt, pepper and chicken taco seasoning.  My favorite is from Penzey's Spices.  In fact, Penzey's is my go-to for many of my dish add-ins.  You can order online HERE.  (I also highly recommend their Spicy 4S seasoning and Fox Point. Oh and their chili powder.  And fresh ground pepper...but back to this delicioso fiesta...)

 

Mexican food many times is made with corn flour, which is gluten free. Taco chips, Tostitos - all made with corn. But, my GFP2B friends - READ YOUR LABELS!  Some "off" brands can contain wheat flour. 

 

GF MAMA TIP:  Always, always read the labels! Sometime manufacturers change ingredients, add ingredients and they may not always be gluten free!

 

 

 I also made taco meat with ground sirloin and Old El Paso taco seasoning.  Lettuce, tomato, fresh salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese and ranch dressing completed our mucho gusto taco bowls.  Had my boys shouting OLE'! and that was without the margaritas.....

What are your favorite GF Mexican dishes? 

Going bananas.....

So I recently had a little surgical procedure done and have been banned to my home and told to "take it easy and rest."  Like for 4 weeks.  And for all my friends who know me, I'm not the best at just sitting for any length of time and sitting around makes me go bananas. But like my mama always said, "when life hands you a bowl of mushy bananas, make banana bread!"

I'm kidding.  She never said that.  But my head did.  And that's exactly what I did today to keep myself from swinging from the vines stir crazy....

Today I'm going to share with you my FAVORITE banana bread recipe of all time.  I got this from my buddy Mark's cookbook years ago, Preserving the Harvest. Hands down it is still the best banana bread recipe I've made and eaten.  And now I've adapted it to a gluten free and proud to be version that any monkey would love. 

  

Banana Bread:

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
6 ripe bananas, mashed
2 1/2 cups King Arthur Gluten Free Flour (or your favorite gf flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum***

Optional: 
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Blend the sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth.  Add the eggs one at time and beat well after each addition.  Stir in bananas gradually.  Sift the dry ingredients together and fold gently into the banana mixture.  Pour into 2 well-greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. 

***General Tips for Using Xanthan Gum and Guar Gum in Gluten-Free Cooking

• Bread and pizza dough recipes: Add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum per cup of gluten-free flour used in bread and pizza dough recipes
• Cake, muffin and quick bread recipes: Add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum per one cup of gluten-free flour used
• Cookie and bar recipes: Add 1/2 teaspoon (or less) xanthan gum or guar gum per one cup gluten-free flour used

Xanthan gum can be purchased at your larger grocery chains (look in the baking aisle) or you can order online (Amazon carries it).  It's expensive, but you use so little of it, that it lasts a really really long time.

Why Xanthan gum?  It helps to thicken the batter and "glue" it together - replacing and mimicking what gluten does in wheat flour.  Much needed when converting your favorite gluten-filled recipes to a GFP2B one. 



My monkey loves his with chocolate chips!

What's your favorite GFP2B baked-good recipe?  Please share!