Going inside the (big) box....

So my biff, Krissy the baker is a Costco Queen (pipe in ABBA).  I don't belong because sadly (very sadly) it's not convenient to where we live.  But my biff, baker and Costco Queen is a great lookout for new and exciting GF options.

Let's start with the UDI's bread at Costco.  First of all - the size of the package and the  SIZE of the slice of bread is big-box worthy.  First thing the boy said is "it's like normal bread!"  And the boy is going through a huge growth spurt so the grocery-store size bread usually results in him eating 2 sandwiches.  But not with this big box loaf!  And the price is great - about $6.99. 

 

 

BJ's is also starting to carry Udi's bread - and BJ's is closer to our home, so I will have to scope out to see if it's the same size.  They also have Udi's bagels and pizza too. 

 

 

Another big box store that has upped it's G-free game is Wal-Mart.  Their selection has really increased and I got these muffin mixes for $1.48 a bag!  And they were fantastic - definitely getting again!  I got the blueberry and double chocolate.  And all you do is add milk!  Bonus! 

 



Happy to see the GFP2B movement has made it's way to our favorite big-box stores, giving us big-box options! 

So what is your favorite G-free buy at your favorite big box store?  Do tell!

There's a spring in my step....

Ahhhh....Winter (dare I say) is finally over!  Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, the weather is warmer and new GF products are springing up everywhere!

Seriously - this has been a fabulous month of new GF finds in the GFP2B household and I couldn't be more excited to share them with my GF peeps (sidebar - isn't it great that Peeps are GF?)!

First of all, I finally found Udi's frozen food selections! I had been hearing about them forever! And while I was picking up shampoo (+100 other unessential items) at Target, I perused the frozen food aisle and there was a glorious case of GF goodness to behold!

 

A working mom's dream!  Udi's frozen meals and breakfast burritos.  A freezer full of deliciousness! The chicken parmesan was ab-fab folks.  Spicy, flavorful and so so good.  Winner winner chicken dinner!  Boy loved it.  He also loves the breakfast burritos.  Sausage and egg, uncured bacon and egg varieties are just two minutes from a delicious breakfast. Some great Q&E (quick and easy) meal options for the busy household.

 

Next up - the cracker-sandwich-hall-of-famer - Lance -  came out with cheese and peanut butter GLUTEN FREE cracker sandwiches!!!!!!  They taste exactly like the original! 

 

 

They're a little costly ($5/box) but they are soooooo worth it.  The crackers are light, buttery and airy.  Boy ate both boxes in two (2) days.  I will have to ration them next time (but really, I couldn't blame him.....they were that good).

 

Lastly, I need to give a huge shout-out to the Girl Scouts.  Their famous cookie campaign featured a gluten free option this year.  Let me tell you kids - these were like trying to find the golden ticket in a Willy Wonka chocolate bar - I could not get my hands on a box anywhere!!!  But then the boy's GF angel (his cousin, Amanda), scored us a box in Washington, DC.  They were so good, we were unable to capture a picture because they were gone before you could say the Girl Scout pledge.  Next time you see a Girl Scout, thank them for their service (and then slip them a $20 to reserve you a box of these awesome-sauce cookies).

 

Celiac awareness has really given the food industry a good ol' poke in the ribs and I couldn't be happier to see so many new products on the shelves for our GFProud2Be kids (big and small). 

 

Have you found any new GF options lately?  Please share!

 

 

 

 

 

A is for........

Absent?  Apathetic?  When it comes to my poor little blog, yes. 

But A is also for ALDI's! 

I have been singing their praises in previous blog posts for some time and they continue to impress me with their growing line of GF products!

Let me start with the bread.  Soft, delicious and unbelievably fresh.  And for about $3.99 a loaf, it's one of the most affordable options out there!  Seriously - I think this is the best GF bread we've ever had!  Their GF wraps are equally fantastic.

 

Then there are their Q&E (quick and easy) meal options including:

 

GF frozen pancakes - 30 seconds in the microwave and wah-lah!  Pancakes for breakfast even on a busy morning.  Available in buttermilk AND blueberry!!!   Boy loves them.  Mom loves them.  You will love them.  They also have some really good GF snack bars for grab-and-go breakfast and snack options.

 

 





Frozen GF pizzas - pepperoni and plain and another favorite of the boy.  He LOVES their pizza - we keep them on hand for sleepovers, parties and for silly supper nights (AKA:  mom's not cooking tonight so pick whatever you want). 

Single-serve frozen lasagna, ravioli and southwest veggie burritos are also available and boy loves all of them.  Just look at all these great fabulous items! 

 

These crackers are a stable in our household also - flavorful, crisp, delicious and one of these "I can't believe they're gluten free" items that guests will love also.  I think I paid around $1.69/bag for them.

 

The price is right so come on down to Aldi's and check out their growing selection of GFP2B foods! 

 

Have you tried any Aldi GF products?  What's your favorite? 



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!