tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11637057166792173692024-03-04T21:33:52.297-07:00Gluten Free in AZGluten Free in Arizona...Eating In, Eating Out ,and Eating Rightcomma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.comBlogger160125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-90022788491615747072012-08-14T16:27:00.001-07:002012-08-14T16:32:30.178-07:00Join the party at my new home! New address/Same Great Info<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Join the party at the new site!</td></tr>
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I've taken my pots, pans, butter, olive oil, artichokes and capers over to Wordpress. Join the party and head over!<br />
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This way, all my blogs are in one convenient spot. Same great info and gluten free community, different address... If you follow this blog, be sure to head over to the new site and follow along so you don't miss anything. And if you're not following the Facebook site, head over to Facebook/Gluten Free in AZ.<br />
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We're at <a href="http://www.glutenfreeinaz.wordpress/">www.glutenfreeinaz.wordpress</a>.com <br />
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See you there!<br />
<br />comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-36617265469551761852012-08-05T11:15:00.003-07:002012-08-05T12:19:17.484-07:00My GF Pizza Obsession Continues at Detours Tavern<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White pizza with kale, broccoli and mushrooms...YUM!</b></td></tr>
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OK, once again we are back on pizza. I know, I know, you're sick of me harping on the GF pizza quest. It's my obsession to find something that comes close to real pizza, as you know. But trust me on this, it's working. Last night, I got closer than I've gotten in a long time.<br />
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A dear friend invited me to dinner and said, "I saw gluten free on the menu, so let's go." Of course, that made me nervous, who knows what's there and how they make it, right? But I always figure I can have a salad, and I'm touched that she thought of me and I love that she wanted to go with me.<br />
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Cut to a few nights later as we sit in <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DetoursTavern">Detours Tavern </a>in Scottsdale. Not too much ambiance, more of a sports bar feel, but not bad and it is clean. It used to be a Chinese restaurant that was anything but clean. So nice to see that gone at least. I checked the menu and noticed a few things I could order, but then noticed they had pizzas and a little note saying they had gluten-free pizza. Hmmm, after checking with the server, who assured me that they put the gf pizzas on a separate pan to bake and use separate utensils, I ordered a white pizza with kale, mushrooms and broccoli. One word-Wow! Thin, crispy, light, chewy, amazing. And it's huge, not the usual tiny GF pizza that costs a fortune and isn't worth the money. This did cost about $12, but it was totally worth it.<br />
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Of course, that meant I had to grill the poor guy for all the particulars. He said they get it from Sysco and he thought it was made in AZ somewhere. The owner wasn't there and he said he'd call me with the information. Of course, I couldn't wait for that so I checked on my phone and found out that Sysco has three GF pizza crusts available- Schar, Ener-G, and Pane Riso/Kingsmill. It didn't look like the Schar crusts, which I've seen before. But all the options have no eggs or gluten, which makes them work for EF/GF Daughter. Yay.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Quinoa salad over raw kale</b></td></tr>
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My friend chose the quinoa salad over kale. It's filled with black beans, corn and more. Yummy! There was a light vinaigrette over the salad and mixed in with the kale, which was raw on the bottom. The quinoa flavor wasn't masked by the dressing, which is sometimes the case with most restaurants. I'm getting this next time, if I can resist not eating another pizza. <br />
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And one thing this restaurant does is serve big entrees. We shared both and were stuffed when we were done. You could easily have shared with another person, but I'm sure glad nobody else was there.<br />
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I highly recommend this place for a relaxed, casual dining experience. There aren't a ton of GF items on the menu, but what they have looks and tastes wonderful. They have a full bar and flat screens all over, so I'm guessing on game night it's The Place To Be. My friend said their sweet potato fries were wonderful, but
unfortunately they are fried in contaminated oil with breaded food. Only
bummer of the night.<br />
<br />comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-63162375089409383412012-07-24T19:00:00.000-07:002012-07-24T19:10:52.188-07:00Gluten-Free PB&J The Way The Big Girls Do It<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Switch out fresh fruit for the jelly</td></tr>
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My mom turned me on to this gourmet version of a PB&J. Simply toast your favorite gluten-free bread (I use <a href="http://udisglutenfree.com/">Udi</a>'s) and top with a natural chunky peanut butter, sliced fresh strawberries and a drizzle of raw honey. It's light, healthy, and a wonderful way to start the day. I had this with my coffee this morning and it was a real treat.<br />
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I've also used bananas and blueberries, and my daughter has used sliced grapes. Someone else suggested blueberries and I'm thinking even sliced peaches, apples, or pears would be great. The sky's the limit when it comes to fresh, in-season fruit. Have fun.comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-42510002949716499082012-07-23T15:26:00.001-07:002012-07-24T19:02:03.140-07:00Gluten-free Quick Taco BitesWanting something quick and tasty for dinner? Company drop by and you're stuck? Check your cabinets, you've probably got everything you need. <br />
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Gluten-free Taco Bites<br />
1 bag Tostito scoops<br />
1 can black beans<br />
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese<br />
1 container Trader Joe's Mango/Papaya Salsa (any salsa will do, but this is my favorite store-bought)<br />
1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />
1/2 tsp smoked paprika<br />
1 pinch salt<br />
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1. Place chips face up on a platter in one layer.<br />
2. Drop a little cheese in each cup and microwave for about 10-20 seconds to just melt the cheese. (covering plate with a paper towel helps the melting to even out.)<br />
3. Heat beans in a small pot with garlic and paprika. Add a little handful of cheese to thicken the beans.<br />
4. Remove chips and drop about 1 tsp of the beans into each cup. Top with a drop of the salsa.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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These are great as appetizers, or do what I did and treat yourself to a plate for dinner.<br />
<br />comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-19633444720522255802012-07-02T12:49:00.002-07:002012-07-02T22:25:51.741-07:00Gluten-free, egg-free, fresh blueberry muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now that Darling Daughter is egg-free, it makes baking a little more difficult. We don't want to give up everything, but we also don't want her skin rashes to return so it's EF we go. Along with being gluten free, this means we've got another challenge on our hands. And, as you know dear chefs, I love a challenge.</div>
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This morning I wanted to wake up with yummy, fresh blueberry muffins. What I came up with are sweet, moist and light blueberry muffins with no egg in sight. How, you ask? (I know you're asking, go ahead) Simple, I scoured the Internet to find out what I could use for replacements. I have already used flax/water mixture, but wanted something that would be a little more moist. That led me to apple sauce or pureed fruit of some kind. Since I had apple sauce in the fridge, easy fix.</div>
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The recipe that follows is a hybrid of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Cake-Doctor-Bakes-Gluten-Free/dp/0761160981/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341258394&sr=8-1&keywords=the+cake+doctor+bakes+gluten+free">The Cake Doctor Bakes Gluten Free</a> and my own tweaks and changes to eliminate the eggs. It does have butter in it, but if you wanted a vegan muffin I'm sure you could use a little oil or vegan margarine in its place.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Blueberry muffins, perfect for Fourth of July!</b></i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<b>Gluten-free, Egg-free Blueberry Muffin</b></div>
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1 box Gluten Free Pantry Old Fashioned Cake & Cookie Mix</div>
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2 Tbs Ground Flax</div>
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5 Tbs warm water</div>
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4 Tbs apple sauce (natural, no HFCS or sugar)</div>
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1/4 cup raw sugar</div>
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1 Tbs GF vanilla extract</div>
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3/4 cup grapefruit juice (recipe called for OJ, but I didn't have any. This worked out great)</div>
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1 Tbs fresh lemon juice</div>
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1 stick butter, melted</div>
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1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries</div>
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1. Preheat oven to 350.</div>
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2. Mix flax with hot water and mix well. Place in fridge to cool.</div>
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3. Reserve 1 Tbs of the cake mix in a small bowl.</div>
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4. Add remaining cake mix, apple sauce, sugar, vanilla, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and butter. Mix well. I used a fork, no need to pull out a mixer for this. </div>
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5. Add flax mixture to muffin mix after stirring well. You may need to add a little more water to make sure it's at egg consistency before adding. Mix this into the muffin batter well.</div>
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6. Toss blueberries with the reserved cake mix and then fold into muffin mix gently.</div>
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7. Line muffin tins with liners and scoop out mix into cups. Fill about 3/4 full. You'll get about 17-20 muffins, depending on the size of the blueberries you use.</div>
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8. Optional: Sprinkle top of muffins with a pinch of raw sugar to get a crispy top. </div>
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9. Bake for 20-24 minutes until golden brown.</div>
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10. Let cool for a few minutes, then remove from pan and complete cooling. I dare you to let them cool all the way before eating them!</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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<span id="goog_1378769594"></span><span id="goog_1378769595"></span>comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-60141145877031322802012-06-04T18:40:00.002-07:002012-07-02T12:50:53.116-07:00Gluten-free, vegan, buckwheat carrot muffinsI spent a glorious weekend in San Luis Obispo, CA with some dear friends and got back yesterday feeling like a child who had to leave Disney early. I wanted to stay and explore the farmers markets more, discover more hidden restaurants with lovely, knowledgeable servers and chefs who take care and creativity to new heights. These are just a few of the wonderful memories I have of this weekend, along with my dear friend who will now be the pastry chef at the Dolphin Bay Resort. (I know, pastry chef and me, go figure. She's a fabulous chef and I've learned so much from her about cooking over the years.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Spring Salad at Luna Red</b></i></td></tr>
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We ate lunch at <a href="http://www.lunaredslo.com/">Luna Red</a> in downtown San Luis Obispo and had a brilliant, light, crunchy salad that was perfect for a warm Spring day in California. With the Greekfest right next door, the music made our day even more festive. The salad was filled with pea shoots, blood orange segments, carrots, radish, mint, a light citrus vinaigrette and a sprinkle of goat cheese. Couldn't have asked for anything better. A glass of rose and a table full of good friends made the afternoon complete. I highly recommend the restaurant.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing selection of veggies at the farmers marke</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_kVwBjNenp1QXu2FG-QVPfFggZEMJh7ZbKEnRdwjKq9EdVVhAbUZNHSN6JPbvW-owixybWpt06FTogEXDC-RMtgkNqCAv4TM07I60Ty5XmML8wcXim1jym7uwcoPmeOJjYorDzWz-tM-/s1600/P1000632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_kVwBjNenp1QXu2FG-QVPfFggZEMJh7ZbKEnRdwjKq9EdVVhAbUZNHSN6JPbvW-owixybWpt06FTogEXDC-RMtgkNqCAv4TM07I60Ty5XmML8wcXim1jym7uwcoPmeOJjYorDzWz-tM-/s320/P1000632.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIPTvJTbAxjaTM7Kc0_JaVgiy095m9gLst7PJhDQ99EeGIYvOW3rhiPJ4Gp-4ovRJ_DHUIQG7ZpxcvmNNpRdA9eewxBcQQ48xhZSnAvmdMZRbRnnSfZJFZv-_fEqQ5c-aDmfSrNGnYNvY/s1600/P1000633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIPTvJTbAxjaTM7Kc0_JaVgiy095m9gLst7PJhDQ99EeGIYvOW3rhiPJ4Gp-4ovRJ_DHUIQG7ZpxcvmNNpRdA9eewxBcQQ48xhZSnAvmdMZRbRnnSfZJFZv-_fEqQ5c-aDmfSrNGnYNvY/s320/P1000633.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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One booth at the farmers market caught my eye, of course, with their big <a href="http://www.goodtides.com/">Gluten Free Goodies</a> sign. I couldn't resist and bought a GF carrot cake muffin made with buckwheat and a delicious quinoa salad I'll be recreating later this week. (attempting I should say). It was filling and had a beautiful mix of savory and sweet with roasted veggies (yummy roasted carrots) and pepitas. I ate it cold right out of the container. Oh yeah!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABPASeHOnFJ0wx7N0FbppBkkZWCsb6_KCQ8UTOR4p-0BI5CkToi03M2Wkwop5uI59IPk7I00f2f4LXldRV7HC_qExhvcgpcrHJCfGpPeQGUHt08u9m_iZIsQgk_KDmb4D2A_Jd_tY4QCX/s1600/P1000636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABPASeHOnFJ0wx7N0FbppBkkZWCsb6_KCQ8UTOR4p-0BI5CkToi03M2Wkwop5uI59IPk7I00f2f4LXldRV7HC_qExhvcgpcrHJCfGpPeQGUHt08u9m_iZIsQgk_KDmb4D2A_Jd_tY4QCX/s320/P1000636.JPG" width="240" /></a>But first up, after eating what was the best carrot cake muffin I've ever had (including my gluten-eating days), I decided to try and make it at home. Since Daughter has now eliminated eggs from her diet, that makes things a little more difficult, but not impossible. I do have vegan friends who I know will enjoy these also. The muffins in CA were not vegan, so this is just a small change and more of a challenge. I searched the Internet and found this recipe at <a href="http://www.sheletthemeatcake.com/2010/02/m-c-s-buckwheat-muffins/#.T81a27--t4t">She Let Them Eat Cake.com</a> for buckwheat carrot muffins. These are already vegan, which is a plus.<br />
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I modified the recipe a bit to my own tastes, but I would encourage you to try her recipe also. And if you can't have some of the things I've added, feel free to eliminate what you want. I added the almond flour and GF oats for flavor, and added the splash of juice just because it looked a little thick. This may change based on your altitude and ingredients. If you add molasses, you may not need any more liquid. But I do like the oats for texture and flavor.<br />
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<br />
<b>Gluten-Free & Vegan Buckwheat Carrot Muffins</b><br />
<br />
1 & 1/2 cups buckwheat flour<br />
1/4 cup almond flour<br />
1/4 cup GF oats<br />
2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tsp nutmeg<br />
1/2 tsp sea salt<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
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1 1/2 cups grated / shredded carrot (you could use zucchini too)<br />
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3/4 cup agave<br />
1 mashed banana<br />
3/4 cup olive oil<br />
3 tbsp ground flax combined with 9 tbsp hot water (or 3 eggs)<br />
Splash of orange juice to loosen up the mixture if you need it. <br />
1/2 cup golden raisins<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Eating these at my desk while I write this makes me very happy</b></i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with liners or grease with olive oil.<br />
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2. In a large bowl combine the first eight ingredients (dry).<br />
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3. Add shredded carrot to the dry ingredients and combine. In a medium-sized bowl combine agave, mashed banana, olive oil, and flax-hot water mixture. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add raisins last.<br />
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4. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to the touch.<br />
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These are quite good, and amazingly fluffy and not too dense, considering there is no egg in it. I've never used flax and hot water before and I was quite amused at the egg-white-like texture it creates. The mixture is quite thick and gummy before baking and that must be due to the flax mixture. What a find. I will certainly be trying this with other dishes and baked goods. This is my first attempt at gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free baking. So far, so good.<br />
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In retrospect, these could use just a little more sweetness so I think a bit of molasses and honey, or an orange glaze on top will make them just a touch sweeter and tasty. A bit of Tofutti cream cheese will make them sing for me in the morning with my tea. Try them and let me know what you think.comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-62719730667077307182012-05-20T20:47:00.001-07:002012-05-20T20:49:51.150-07:00Summer Gluten-free Eggplant PizzasIn the mood for something comforting, but not in the mood for a filling pizza or pasta? I was in the same frame of mind today when I spotted the beautiful eggplants in the market. My daughter was quick to point out that a little sauce and cheese would make a great "pizza" without all the fuss. Love that kid! A quick grill of the eggplant and dinner is served!<br />
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<b>Gluten-free Eggplant Pizza</b><br />
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2 med. eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick round slices<br />
1/2 cup marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe's organic)<br />
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (or whatever cheese you like)<br />
4-5 large fresh basil leaves, chopped<br />
1 tsp dried parsley <br />
salt/pepper/garlic powder<br />
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1. Grill sliced eggplant with a bit of olive oil and salt until softening and grill marks show, but be careful not to let it get too soft. It's going in the oven for a few minutes, so don't overcook.<br />
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2. Place the eggplant slices on a cookie sheet. Top with a 1-2 teaspoons of marinara sauce and a bit of shredded cheese.<br />
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3. Sprinkle salt/pepper, basil, parsley and garlic powder.<br />
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4. Place pan under low broil until cheese is melted. Watch closely, you only need a few minutes.<br />
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Voila! These are tasty and so yummy. I don't miss the crust at all. If you want to do the entire meal on the grill, just layer the slices on a sheet pan, put it back on the grill and close the door for a few moments to melt the cheese. That quick and no need to fire up the grill in the summer.<br />
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<br />comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-66372686107383956602012-04-16T17:10:00.001-07:002012-04-16T17:59:10.791-07:00Coconut Cake Fit for a King<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyituTMeZ8d29hcaGnGbHccK1pUqgTIswvBLY6oSmHJpKBVEr7IXgR3ftihN4zxj__vjQDTF_bo_zX4ZXEa5RxR4-zjxZvsP1MfRSKYR_n-0AAZ80c6fHJChdOxTPOWoUNScrf-Cgbdf-w/s1600/P1000247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyituTMeZ8d29hcaGnGbHccK1pUqgTIswvBLY6oSmHJpKBVEr7IXgR3ftihN4zxj__vjQDTF_bo_zX4ZXEa5RxR4-zjxZvsP1MfRSKYR_n-0AAZ80c6fHJChdOxTPOWoUNScrf-Cgbdf-w/s320/P1000247.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>My husband had a very special birthday last week and to commemorate the occasion, I decided to get him a coconut cake. I could have made it, but he is always mentioning how much he misses his grandmother's coconut cake and I didn't think I could get close.<br />
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Enter Angela Saban. I've have tried many of her cakes and treats, all of which are gluten free and amazing. I knew it would be good, and I knew it would be closer to grandma's than I could ever get. What I received was a beautiful, huge cake that lived up to my expectations and more. Husband was totally surprised and said it may not have been grandma's cake, but it's the closest he's ever come to it. And since it was gluten free (and he is not) I think we've accomplished something here, don't you?<br />
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The cake was beautiful on the outside with a pretty ribbon on top with Happy Birthday written on it, edible blue glitter sprinkled on lightly and a generous amount of light frosting and coconut surrounding it. The cake inside was four layers high and yet it was light and sweet. The cake was not too dense and not too sweet, making it a great combo for the light whipped buttercream icing. All white, all coconut and all amazing.<br />
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The party was a combined celebration for the Husband and a wonderful 6-year-old boy who is very close to our family. My daughter made her famous gluten-free chocolate cupcakes topped with vanilla buttercream frosting and decorated with crushed K-Too cookies just for him and his friends. They loved them, and we even had a couple left to bring home and freeze for another day. The cake, as you can see, is sky high and even though there were 15 people eating it, we still had enough to leave a piece for the hostess, give a piece to my Mom, freeze a piece and eat some the next day. Angela did say it would feed 25 people and she wasn't kidding!<br />
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And just for the record, I don't get anything for writing this. I paid for the cake and I will be doing so again on any other occasion where I don't have time or inclination to make a cake. I'm just trying to come up with an occasion soon!<br />
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Enjoy!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-72834311522940275342012-03-13T13:52:00.002-07:002012-03-13T17:00:16.119-07:00A Quick and Lovely Breakfast-Lemon CrepesHave guests for breakfast, or feel like treating yourself to something a little more fancy than toast and PB this morning? Whip up some lemon crepes, brew a cup of tea, and sit back to a lovely, refreshing treat. Armed with a bowl of fresh lemons from a friend in town, my morning hungries led me straight to the Sweet Rice Flour and tada...crepes. This recipe is quick and easy, and you probably have everything in the house.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lemon Crepes</b></td></tr>
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<b>Quick and Easy Lemon Crepes</b><br />
1 cup Sweet Rice Flour<br />
1 cup milk (almond or regular)<br />
1 egg<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
zest of one lemon<br />
juice of one lemon<br />
butter (for cooking crepes)<br />
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1. Combine all of the above ingredients, but just use 1/2 a cup of milk to start. Then add milk little by little until you have a mixture that resembles very loose pancake batter.<br />
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2. Put a tsp of butter in the bottom of a flat frying pan and melt over medium heat. (I don't have a crepe pan and this works perfectly for me.) Take about 1/2 cup of crepe mixture and pour into pan while tilting pan to coat the bottom of the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need a little more or less. You want a thin, even coat over the bottom, but not too thick.<br />
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3. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until the bottom looks slightly brown and the edges start to pull away. Then gently just slip a spatula under the crepe and flip it. Cook the other side for about a minute. Then slide it out onto a plate.<br />
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4. Use a little more butter for each crepe. This keeps it from sticking. Stack the crepes as you go, or fold them one by one.<br />
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5. Sprinkle each crepe with a little fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar. I have also spread these with Nutella (leave out the lemon), spread them with fresh strawberry jam, kumquat marmalade, or even just a little butter. Go crazy and put anything you want on them. My daughter loves hers simply with fresh strawberries.<br />
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Enjoy! These are refreshing and light, but sweet and comforting.comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-33754338142380966652012-03-07T17:03:00.001-07:002012-03-07T17:23:21.035-07:00The Pizza Quest Continues<style>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFWsv6glPANXCGckdGEccQAduggFU2QItzwfgxaGDhInjkx9mHpgq8XfRXDYiscx-9gXWwdzALsi2FQD9LAByEh-fVfZQ3yBCS64cz2StSPTTUnwji-TL7BR2x2BUycAL5jUveJhMHmDdP/s1600/IMG_20120229_135257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFWsv6glPANXCGckdGEccQAduggFU2QItzwfgxaGDhInjkx9mHpgq8XfRXDYiscx-9gXWwdzALsi2FQD9LAByEh-fVfZQ3yBCS64cz2StSPTTUnwji-TL7BR2x2BUycAL5jUveJhMHmDdP/s320/IMG_20120229_135257.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Naked Pizza in my car, oh yeah!</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Still on my quest for the best GF pizza, Daughter and I took a long trek out to the northwest of Phoenix to try <a href="http://www.nakedpizza.biz/">Naked Pizza</a>. They boast a gluten-free crust and all precautions for cross contamination including changing gloves, separate area and separate toppings for GF pizzas. Watch this <a href="http://www.nakedpizza.biz/menu">video</a> on their page (right side of the page) if you’re interested.</div><div class="MsoNormal">But, bottom line, how did it taste? If any of you remember Pizza Hut’s thin crust pizza (from pre-GF days), this comes closest to that. The texture is chewy and thin, like a thick cracker, but better. It is beautifully lacking in that gluten-free funny taste that so many GF items seem to have. It’s crispy, chewy, and light, making it much too easy to eat an entire ½ of a pizza in one sitting. (What? Shhhhh)</div><div class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, there are no tables in these pizza joints. There are a few around town, all of which are too far from me for a quick bite. Without inside seating, that means you have to find somewhere to eat it. Now if you live close by, that’s not a problem. Take it home and enjoy it in front of the big game. But if you’re traveling about 30 minutes on the freeway to try it, (I know, crazy huh?) that leaves a dilemma. We ended up finding a pleasant spot and sitting in the car and eating it. That was actually quite fun, I might even eat another pizza in my car (shhh).</div><div class="MsoNormal">Although pizzas come in multiple sizes, GF pizzas are only one size (12"). They start at $9.99 and toppings are additional. One pizza with ½ pineapple and ½ mushrooms, a bottle of water, and a soda came to about $17 (including tax). Sounds about right for a GF pizza these days. Much less than making it yourself or even a frozen pizza, but a fresh pizza comes at a cost. And, we’ll never have a $5 Dominoes special anymore will we? But then again, would you really want that?</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m giving this one two thumbs up as far as crust goes. But I suppose it’s better for us that it’s so far away. Any closer and I’d be spending a lot more on pizza.</div>comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-51909897352162829882012-02-27T17:21:00.000-07:002012-02-27T17:21:32.233-07:00Gluten-Free Foodie Tour-Full of Awesome GoodnessI was so lucky to be included in the Gluten-Free Foodie Tour this month, coordinated by Ken Scheer of <a href="http://rockahealthylifestyle.com/">Rock a Healthy Lifestyle</a> fame. This month's treat was <a href="http://www.bombayspice.com/">Bombay Spice Grill & Wine</a> in Paradise Valley. And what a treat it was. There were 50 gluten-free patrons and a meal fit for royalty. Four appetizers, all gluten free, dairy free, egg free and soy free. Three of these were vegetarian! Yippee. Imagine how excited Daughter and I were to find that we wouldn't be passing on all the good stuff.<br />
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And for an incredibly busy restaurant, we were so pleased at the amazing service. Food just kept coming, refills on drinks were plenty and even $4 mimosas were served.<br />
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First off, a Mango Salad with baby greens, nuts, dried cranberries and a light mango dressing. A perfect way to start the meal. No photo of that, the bowl was on the table and everyone dove in before I could snap a photo. Trust me, if you go there, give it a try. The dressing was sweet and light, and the dried and fresh fruit made it a refreshing way to start any meal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Lentil Cake Towers</b></i></td></tr>
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Next up, Lentil Cake Towers. Beautiful little stacked goodies of warm lentil cakes topped with coconut milk yogurt, tamarind reduction (which tasted like a lovely, sweet balsamic reduction), crispy crumbled poppadum (crackers made with garbanzo) and a tomato/onion mixture. My only complaint would be that I'm not a fan of raw onion on many things. Next time, I'll order them without the onion. But aside from that, Daughter and I ate a few of them. The cakes reminded me of felafel and I was dying for a pita to plop it in.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5MyB-FmdlNRtWiyuH8g5dvpbIDXPsQGtBv9Tdhtjk-52JiTNjGRB8Y8BJKrGck4f6tdR-pJr4b8Jgs7m1XVgKjwA2PcxmoZq1irMflg5Uii6I2nTt2TmJWBz2x94Mqkl6_yagsZzyyGQ/s1600/IMG_20120225_115115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5MyB-FmdlNRtWiyuH8g5dvpbIDXPsQGtBv9Tdhtjk-52JiTNjGRB8Y8BJKrGck4f6tdR-pJr4b8Jgs7m1XVgKjwA2PcxmoZq1irMflg5Uii6I2nTt2TmJWBz2x94Mqkl6_yagsZzyyGQ/s320/IMG_20120225_115115.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Chickpea Ceviche</b></i>, oh yum!</td></tr>
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Next, my favorite appetizer was the Chickpea Ceviche. A clever vegetarian twist of beautiful, cold chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, tamarind, coconut milk yogurt and once again those lovely crunchy poppadum crackers crumbled on top. I could have eaten the entire bowl of this sweet, crunchy goodness. The chickpeas were cooked perfectly and the dressing gave it a bit of a kick. I'll be returning just to make a meal of this fabulous salad, but than again, I'm a fan of chickpeas in most everything. Once again, raw onion will be omitted, but that's just me.<br />
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For meat eaters, there were Tandoori chicken wings that were being snatched up left and right. In fact I heard there were multiple orders. Not for me, but if you're a meat eater you may want to check them out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWwNhGwzTYJHUduTQ5EJPJ1RrFJPjyiIhmQV9lTRNxc6JF2QjtwauxLUQEoFYLbjMcR2RHn_ZY5D-GLWj3H2vhhe6gVONsN06GlrAzg9ZV4zGAoZVWKgzQqMVrrVg_2U-HuQWvTtsPrxy/s1600/IMG_20120225_125316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWwNhGwzTYJHUduTQ5EJPJ1RrFJPjyiIhmQV9lTRNxc6JF2QjtwauxLUQEoFYLbjMcR2RHn_ZY5D-GLWj3H2vhhe6gVONsN06GlrAzg9ZV4zGAoZVWKgzQqMVrrVg_2U-HuQWvTtsPrxy/s320/IMG_20120225_125316.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Luke Brady working his "Magic"</b></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlX4BLJjG_u8uE4QQiyHSiXmfyROL11jNsCX3pHTB1MQEa5KWDvNXdrRBHEqUPfXTL_6C2YSqkJsLY42oS1eG8hZVq22idI3a8FWfC5AwWxhKtipu2vfF00fLOsihI1qVR6NbT3TVdm0d/s1600/IMG_20120225_131511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlX4BLJjG_u8uE4QQiyHSiXmfyROL11jNsCX3pHTB1MQEa5KWDvNXdrRBHEqUPfXTL_6C2YSqkJsLY42oS1eG8hZVq22idI3a8FWfC5AwWxhKtipu2vfF00fLOsihI1qVR6NbT3TVdm0d/s200/IMG_20120225_131511.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Bending forks!</b></i></td></tr>
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In between the appetizers and the entrees, we were entertained by <a href="http://www.lukebrady.com/">Luke Brady</a>, a friendly and fun magician in town. He sat with the adults and kids in the room and wowed them with card tricks, bending forks and even crimping a few coins. It's nice to be entertained and fed well all at once. Thanks Luke!<br />
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Back to the food, you say? Each person chose one of four entrees. Vegetable or Chicken Tika Masala (tomato-based sauce) and Vegetable or Chicken Curry. All entrees could be served over white rice, brown rice or quinoa. Nice, huh? I love having a choice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX03ha-UHoj0jn1KwmCNhkrI5Dbrs9lv9g86ePi0pEh7R7uiKb9GF7Ky8DON3PQT1hgZnyrxu3igIuK0bBANz8l6cntMOi1pdkeSfEyus0vhAxHXW6eZQIY6PbDkHXXz34NXfrNdROtRjJ/s1600/IMG_20120225_124713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX03ha-UHoj0jn1KwmCNhkrI5Dbrs9lv9g86ePi0pEh7R7uiKb9GF7Ky8DON3PQT1hgZnyrxu3igIuK0bBANz8l6cntMOi1pdkeSfEyus0vhAxHXW6eZQIY6PbDkHXXz34NXfrNdROtRjJ/s320/IMG_20120225_124713.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Vegetable Tika Masala</b></i></td></tr>
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Daughter chose the Vegetable Tika Masala over Jasmine rice. I loved it. The sauce was a bit sweet, but not too sweet. Light and tomatoey (is that a word?) with just a slight bite to it (we order mild). Lots of veggies that were nice and crisp, not overcooked at all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykKa3bME9H0cHpP9YGPuIvnujI5E6A4JsVJJ09A4luHUiKRhR2EF7czhhoJ0kCYUYrUNGxA42MinLRo7X1OzgdtGxF57HTtJuN8Xh-BH-9F4zw32cevqUDq1kVIli4ajACaLiynNjS2rP/s1600/IMG_20120225_124808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykKa3bME9H0cHpP9YGPuIvnujI5E6A4JsVJJ09A4luHUiKRhR2EF7czhhoJ0kCYUYrUNGxA42MinLRo7X1OzgdtGxF57HTtJuN8Xh-BH-9F4zw32cevqUDq1kVIli4ajACaLiynNjS2rP/s320/IMG_20120225_124808.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Vegetable Curry</b></i></td></tr>
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I ordered the Vegetable Curry over quinoa. I loved the quinoa, it adds such a wonderful flavor to most meals. I have to admit I was much more in love with Daughter's dish than mine. The curry was good, but nothing I would drive out of my way for. I think if I were a huge curry fan, that would be different. In any case, a spicier version might have been better for the curry. But I'll get the Tika Masal with quinoa for sure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0L4Sj_FcL5P-2QGzKpPrXnTSWJkmudkumGJNMF4OOmF4u4Oxh0WsF0B40LmuGUrj5UIFP-DS8NNdaNyIKaBdAAT99Q1fcEfSHOAwf-C0EDhDL3Ocb5T6UWITIxzRTF7oJ8XTkARzO6r-M/s1600/IMG_20120225_132440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0L4Sj_FcL5P-2QGzKpPrXnTSWJkmudkumGJNMF4OOmF4u4Oxh0WsF0B40LmuGUrj5UIFP-DS8NNdaNyIKaBdAAT99Q1fcEfSHOAwf-C0EDhDL3Ocb5T6UWITIxzRTF7oJ8XTkARzO6r-M/s320/IMG_20120225_132440.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Mango Sorbet</b></i></td></tr>
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Last, but certainly not least, came a lovely, sweet/tart bowl of mango sorbet with a mango coulis and chopped pistachios on top. I was already full from eating everything else, but I just couldn't resist trying this fabulous end to an eventful lunch. It was like a frozen, silky bite of fresh mango with a hint of sweet and crunchy goodness. I wanted to eat the entire bowl but I didn't have the room. I'll save room next time!<br />
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Thanks again to Ken Scheer and his GF Foodie Tour. Check out the hashtag #gffoodietour on Twitter for a recount and check out his Web site if you're interested in attending the next one. He's also got a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RockAHealthyLifestyle">Facebook page here</a>. Follow it and watch for the next one. Maybe I'll see you there!<br />
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Disclaimer: All participants payed for their meal and I was not compensated for this review in any way. And I was glad to pay, it was wonderful!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-66164095413401635572012-02-18T22:02:00.001-07:002012-02-18T22:03:05.784-07:00Ahhhhh, FluffernutterYou know, I try to eat healthy every day. There are tons of recipes on here for kale, veggies, salads, etc. But some days, we just wanna' be bad, right? And when that feeling hits, go with it. Don't suppress it, don't deny it. It will only eat away at you.<br />
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And there are times when the kid in me comes out. I bake cookies, eat pizza, eat ice cream, etc. But the true kid in me emerges when I see a container of Fluff at Cost Plus World Market. If you're from anywhere east of the Mississippi, you know what a Fluffernutter sandwich is. For those of you who don't know, it consists of loads of peanut butter and marshmallow Fluff on white sandwich bread. Nothing else. Oh yeah.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Ahhh, the makings of a Fluffernutter assembled</b></i></td></tr>
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Now don't scoff, I hear you. Some of you eat meat and I don't compain, do I? Give me a little slack. This is sweet and salty, somewhat like a chocolate-dipped pretzel or even a s'more. The Fluff is sweet and creamy and the peanut butter (which must be chunky) is salty and crunchy. A great combination for a fabulous treat. Eat it quickly, the Fluff has this beautiful way of oozing out of the sandwich slowly, creating a gooey waterfall of marshmallow. It takes me back to my childhood when my mother would give me one of these when I was especially good.<br />
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I introduced my girls to this when they were young. Yes, they thought I was crazy at first, until they tried it. Now, it's a treat about twice a year and oh, do we love it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgnGcg8mP8Bz5heGTCj8M3yy8wSdnjx_LPl15256xY50Gqgm7FqmHqkmGAcKKkSqLUNBUQt0X-PhAc7D_rakNDJQ3fyDZJiFgwpxlbeNhEV2fIWLObKzeCsPE13hr-Gc0kze5xvQlBSuz/s1600/100_7944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgnGcg8mP8Bz5heGTCj8M3yy8wSdnjx_LPl15256xY50Gqgm7FqmHqkmGAcKKkSqLUNBUQt0X-PhAc7D_rakNDJQ3fyDZJiFgwpxlbeNhEV2fIWLObKzeCsPE13hr-Gc0kze5xvQlBSuz/s320/100_7944.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Gluten-free, Vegetarian Fluffernutters make me happy!</b></i></td></tr>
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But I would be remiss if I didn't thank <a href="http://udisglutenfree.com/view_product/1009/GLUTEN_FREE_BREADS/White_Sandwich_Bread">Udi's</a> for making my Fluffernutter dreams come true once again. For so many years after my switch to gluten-free living, this was off limits. The gluten-free bread out there simply was no good unless it was toasted (you know what I mean, right? So many GF breads out there must be toasted just to make them tolerable). A Fluffernutter does not work with toasted bread, I repeat, it does not work.<br />
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Finally, Udi's emerged with a gluten-free white sandwich bread that mimics the soft, sweet, and chewy consistency of the kind I remember as a kid. (It even tastes great with just butter, right out of the bag, but Shhhh on that one.) Yes, you can put your Fluffernutter on whole grain bread if you feel the need to put something of nutritional value in there (the peanut butter has protein...) but why bother?<br />
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So, don't knock it till you've tried it. And if you're a fellow Easterner, go ahead and indulge. Nobody's looking and besides, you're a grown up and that means you can do what you want, when you want, which includes eating a Fluffernutter for dinner!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-82138480530510896732012-02-06T11:43:00.001-07:002012-02-06T11:44:25.087-07:00Fresh Orange Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi199_TkLLvr9X_MwTlFbt4uhsI2dmbSOpPCGWCP28bBSmKh64bdsrqChpdooi6bpF46LSCtl_63mA6vxASko2jM_4NDJx5nyyBN2pQRkOfeysHUe9w2fgliiE77ZpNdTGDi-uIKFwXcOik/s1600/100_7847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi199_TkLLvr9X_MwTlFbt4uhsI2dmbSOpPCGWCP28bBSmKh64bdsrqChpdooi6bpF46LSCtl_63mA6vxASko2jM_4NDJx5nyyBN2pQRkOfeysHUe9w2fgliiE77ZpNdTGDi-uIKFwXcOik/s320/100_7847.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I just love this time of year when the citrus trees are full of beautiful, fresh, sweet navel oranges. When we moved here 11 years ago, there were nine orange trees on the property. Now, there are three left that produce lovely fruit every year. Christmas morning, mimosas with fresh OJ are always on the menu.<br />
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But, what to do with all those oranges? Yes, I'm generous with them to everyone who visits, but I love cooking and baking, so I'm always looking to use them. Yesterday I had the urge to bake and decided on orange cupcakes with orange glaze on top. The fresh orange juice and grated orange peel makes it taste like a bite right out of an orange. If you don't have oranges you can get right in your back yard, I supposed you could use frozen or store-bought OJ, but I don't think it will be the same.<br />
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These were so good, I packed them into the basket on my bike this morning and rode over to a friend's house for tea and cupcakes. What a beautiful way to start the week. Hope your week is grand.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Eeap-pfqc7R8zuozrgTwgEZ_FDOUF4Z2Ps2_eUYbtlMcDSSM71p5d5I0kEc7A3ID55EGr_yhBYruxBfHnbBrIEkO4xsCfStuwtyLts5tXu6lZfzFpvZgxFkNotCOpvK3OK72gtp0ekaU/s1600/100_7926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Eeap-pfqc7R8zuozrgTwgEZ_FDOUF4Z2Ps2_eUYbtlMcDSSM71p5d5I0kEc7A3ID55EGr_yhBYruxBfHnbBrIEkO4xsCfStuwtyLts5tXu6lZfzFpvZgxFkNotCOpvK3OK72gtp0ekaU/s320/100_7926.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<b>Fresh Orange Cupcakes</b><br />
1 package <a href="http://www.glutino.com/our-products/gluten-free-pantry/old-fashioned-cake-cookie-mix/">Gluten Free Pantry</a> yellow cake mix<br />
2/3 cup fresh OJ<br />
Grated rind from two oranges<br />
2 tsp vanilla<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
3 large eggs<br />
1 stick butter, room temperature<br />
<br />
<b>Glaze</b><br />
1/2 cup powdered sugar<br />
2-3 Tbs fresh orange juice<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees<br />
2. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix until smooth.<br />
3. Line cupcake pan with cupcake papers. <br />
4. Pour into cupcake pan, filling each about 3/4 full (this made 12 full-size cupcakes and about 9 minis)<br />
5. Bake minis for about 10-12 minutes, full-sized cupcakes take about 5 more minutes.<br />
6. Remove from oven and let cool completely while making the glaze.<br />
7. To make the glaze, just add a little juice at a time to the sugar and mix until you have a thick, smooth consistency.<br />
8. When cupcakes are cool, just drizzle the glaze over the top and add a little of the orange peel for color and a lovely tart bite, then let them set for a few minutes.<br />
<br />
I dare you not to eat them in one night. They are so light and refreshing. But save some for tea in the morning, they are perfect.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-82298492466812033032012-02-02T13:54:00.001-07:002012-02-02T13:55:10.397-07:00Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Experiment #4<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVnkEcWTJDE3sdGdb6QgorXBVCz0AiATbZJgjb__IuFBoWorw2lcMtYK4L6rQYaNAu4JiW7I5sb1Y4A5ap5fc7xehpfjPKuwc7kOAplJsnFILD2LwyB5Nf-174Xe4EvG8XKM9lPRpFUK-/s1600/100_7919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVnkEcWTJDE3sdGdb6QgorXBVCz0AiATbZJgjb__IuFBoWorw2lcMtYK4L6rQYaNAu4JiW7I5sb1Y4A5ap5fc7xehpfjPKuwc7kOAplJsnFILD2LwyB5Nf-174Xe4EvG8XKM9lPRpFUK-/s320/100_7919.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Pizza Crust No. 4 is a Winner</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>If you've been following the blog, you already know that I'm on a quest to find the easiest, tastiest pizza crust to make at home. Yes, I know I can buy a frozen one quite easily, but aside from the astronomical costs of these things (I took out a home equity loan for a GF pizza party), I think the flavors are just not right. Either they taste like cardboard or they are overly seasoned to cover up the bean-flour taste. There has to be something out there, right?<br />
<br />
So, continuing the quest with #4, I decided to find out if a simple, quick crust can be made. This time I had no recipe (yes, I threw away the bag already) and just went with it. I had one cup of <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/gf_pizza-crust-mix.html?&cat=15">Bob's Red Mill Pizza Crust</a> mix in a bag from a previous attempt that was just begging to be used. (I know I used this mix in a previous test, but it was mixed with another flour and I wanted to try it on its own.) The rest was improv, and wow, <b>it's in the top 2</b>. This crust is light and crispy around the edges, slightly chewy toward the middle and has a mild taste. Daughter said it tasted better than numbers 1 and 3 and I have to agree. I think this one is my favorite for two reasons: It is the easiest by far and it has the most basic pizza crust flavor. I can see adding all kinds of toppings and it would work with all of them. You could even bake it with cheese first, then top it off with whatever you like. This made a large 10-inch round pizza with eight nice-sized pieces. It could feed two to three hungry people easily. This makes it the most cost effective also since there are at least three-four cups of mix in each bag.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick, Easy Pizza Crust</b><br />
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Pizza Crust Mix<br />
1 egg<br />
1/4 cup milk <br />
1 TBS olive oil<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
pinch of salt/oregano/basil/pepper<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.<br />
2. Add all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until blended well. Use a fork, it will get very thick. Knead it a little with your hands to smooth it out a bit.<br />
3. Turn out onto a greased cookie sheet and spread it out with your fingers.<br />
4. Cover the dough with wax paper and roll out to a pizza-crust thickness (about 1/4 inch). Don't forget to create a bit of a crust edge with your fingers.<br />
5. Bake for 10 minutes.<br />
6. Cover with marinara, cheese, etc. and put back in the oven for 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
The big difference in this recipe is that I did not use the yeast packet that came with the mix and instead added the baking powder. I have used yeast in two of the four crusts and aside from the fact that neither one has risen much, I'm not sure it adds much to the mix and I don't like the flavor. The recipe also calls for water but I had a little bit of milk left and decided to give it a go. That was also a good choice. Daughter asked me to make this one again for dinner so I'm checking this one off as a keeper.<br />
<br />
Next time, I'll do this one with added Parmesan in the crust for flavor and a bit more saltiness.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-41673664779178407342012-01-28T20:46:00.000-07:002012-01-28T20:46:46.047-07:00Mini Raspberry Swirl Gluten-free Cheesecake Bites<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOwWVR8wMyNViLUYt-SFEresoN1N5Vrt594cv8GD6cBeUYEYx_I_KQGHPKnDJKUMK4nhqBfLkrslMjnqVlATp7xuxd-wpFk2JBFPrLwCnN_08L474L8Fc6ErHKnrNPTNS6FJPT1oEi4Kd/s1600/100_7903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOwWVR8wMyNViLUYt-SFEresoN1N5Vrt594cv8GD6cBeUYEYx_I_KQGHPKnDJKUMK4nhqBfLkrslMjnqVlATp7xuxd-wpFk2JBFPrLwCnN_08L474L8Fc6ErHKnrNPTNS6FJPT1oEi4Kd/s320/100_7903.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Mini cheesecake bites with raspberry swirl</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I know, two posts in one day...but I couldn't help it. I offered to bring a dessert to a party today, but then couldn't decide what I wanted to bring. I could have done the usual brownies (which are very good) or go with something new. Then it hit me, what would I want someone to bring? Mini cheesecakes, gluten free, a little fruit. Mmmmmm. Then, I set about making that happen. Of course, I didn't decide this until 10 a.m. and the party was at 1, so I had to act fast. No problem...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRY6tm_WBjlo4mWkgqi1IS9vYNATlSBkLZN66RkkarvyTtC2x3ZNEjd0E2WwjjRYUorxiqP5Wb9v00vIVinWBKdiG7-JJ3eZUlRuOBd8t9vU4_pLRfz6xjngELmPODOKFLypgxOkkfKTG/s1600/100_7894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRY6tm_WBjlo4mWkgqi1IS9vYNATlSBkLZN66RkkarvyTtC2x3ZNEjd0E2WwjjRYUorxiqP5Wb9v00vIVinWBKdiG7-JJ3eZUlRuOBd8t9vU4_pLRfz6xjngELmPODOKFLypgxOkkfKTG/s320/100_7894.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<i><b>Mini Raspberry Swirl Gluten-free Cheesecake</b></i><br />
Crust:<br />
1 bag of <a href="http://www.pamelasproducts.com/product/Simplebites_Extreme_Chocolate_Mini_Cookies/13224.aspx">Pamela's Extreme Chocolate Mini Cookies</a><br />
2 TBS butter, melted<br />
<br />
Cheesecake:<br />
3 8-oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature<br />
2 eggs, room temperature <br />
1 cup superfine sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Raspberry Syrup:<br />
1 bag of frozen raspberries (couldn't find fresh, use them if you can)<br />
1/3 cup superfine sugar<br />
1/2 tsp orange extract <br />
<br />
1. Pour raspberries and sugar into a sauce pan and let it simmer for about 20 minutes to reduce. Just let it simmer while you do everything else, but check it often to make sure it doesn't burn or cook too fast. Low heat.<br />
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
3. Crush the cookies finely either in a bag and smash them, or use a food processor, then mix in the butter.<br />
4. Line mini cupcake tin with papers. <br />
5. Put a small amount of the cookie mixture (about 1/3 of the cup) into each paper cup. I used the flat end of a wine cork (just the right size) to tamp down the cookie mixture.<br />
6. Using a mixer, blend the cheesecake ingredients until smooth.<br />
7. Fill the cups to just about full. <br />
8. Once the raspberry syrup is reduced, push it through a strainer to remove the seeds and put in the freezer for a few moments to cool it down. (just don't forget about it)<br />
9. Dot each cheesecake with the syrup, then swirl with a toothpick to make a pretty design.<br />
10. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. They will puff up when they cook, then sink back down when you take them out. Don't worry, that's normal.<br />
<br />
Let them cool for about 10 minutes, then refrigerate until you need them. Of course, I was in a hurry and put them in the freezer for 20 minutes, then in the fridge for a few hours at the party. Take them out about 20 minutes before you want to eat them so they aren't too cold.<br />
<br />
Yum! These are tasty bites of heaven and everyone raved at the party. The most tedious part of the process is tapping down all the cookie crusts and swirling the raspberry sauce. I recommend getting an eager teen to help you, it certainly makes it much quicker and much more fun. This recipe made about 65 of these little beauties, and they were all eaten in less than 30 minutes. <br />
<br />
Enjoy!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-3272550215429817052012-01-28T20:14:00.000-07:002012-01-28T20:14:20.732-07:00Pizza Perfection Quest #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaf_IMbd0oDx210-xk2Hs-Pz9YDWEJ4-s7HnhkR4ls62LiYnlxOvwtVAbDc-QheGmQBpzqy0xozim3h-CWodeCziW2dEAo9mVqHXAueLgV0X02tSipxOf52E8HcP95w8F1bq0v1ymRPyHM/s1600/100_7890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaf_IMbd0oDx210-xk2Hs-Pz9YDWEJ4-s7HnhkR4ls62LiYnlxOvwtVAbDc-QheGmQBpzqy0xozim3h-CWodeCziW2dEAo9mVqHXAueLgV0X02tSipxOf52E8HcP95w8F1bq0v1ymRPyHM/s320/100_7890.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b> Pizza, oh yeah!</b></i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBUe_Q2-xXGKI3amSYTmNvM7bp-M_7kSbGBynnwHejwyTkt4zUcYYc4J4tPNqHpaQTvYak8ZkhjKLnb4dQigXy1oyzlhTZg2N-IDiyuAxu9QgYQsmBw_w7Udub-cTXUzCYc02vmcCkYrf/s1600/100_7892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBUe_Q2-xXGKI3amSYTmNvM7bp-M_7kSbGBynnwHejwyTkt4zUcYYc4J4tPNqHpaQTvYak8ZkhjKLnb4dQigXy1oyzlhTZg2N-IDiyuAxu9QgYQsmBw_w7Udub-cTXUzCYc02vmcCkYrf/s200/100_7892.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>I knew I would have three teenagers in the house yesterday, so I decided to give pizza crust #3 a try. I am determined to find a crust that <b>Wows</b> everyone. And if you have to have a quest in life, this one isn't so bad.<br />
<br />
For this experiment, I used <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/gf_pizza-crust-mix.html?&cat=15">Bob's Red Mill Pizza Crust Mix</a> and <a href="http://www.chebe.com/Products/Dry-Mixes/Chebe-Pizza-Crust-Mix.aspx">Chebe's Pizza Crust</a>. I decided to mix them because I know Chebe has a chewy texture, but I'm not that keen on the flavor. I know Bob's Red Mill makes a mix for most everything, but I wanted a more chewy crust. For that reason, I used the Bob's Red Mill mix, but substituted one cup of the mix for one cup of Chebe's mix. Everything else was the same (yeast, eggs, oil, salt, garlic powder) as the back of the Bob's package.<br />
<br />
The crust was less sticky than the previous mix, although still not a dough you can roll out. Mostly, just used a spatula and olive oil to spread it around.<br />
<br />
Bake first for about 10 minutes to firm it up, then top with marinara and mozzarella and bake another 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
Results? I thought the flavor was good, but I didn't get much of a fluffy dough texture from this one. It was thinner than the second crust and had a nice flavor, but a little too much of the Chebe flavor came through for my taste. The two teens who had the previous pizza liked this one, but not as much as <a href="http://glutenfreeinaz.blogspot.com/2012/01/continued-quest-for-pizza-perfection-2.html">Crust #2</a> (same reasons). Of course, they did each have 3 pieces, so it wasn't too shabby. The teen who hadn't tried any of them so far loved it and ate even more.<br />
<br />
So far the votes are in:<br />
Crust #2 is the best so far (King Arthur)<br />
Crust #3 runs a close second (Bob's and Chebe)<br />
<a href="http://glutenfreeinaz.blogspot.com/2012/01/quest-for-pizza-perfection.html">Crust #1</a> follows up behind as the "Not bad, but I've had better" pizza. (Bisquick)<br />
<br />
Don't worry though, there are still a few more to go, and we are determined to try them all just for you! Got a suggestion or recipe? Let me know and we might give that one a try too!<br />
<br />
If you try any of these, please let me know how it works out for you. Let me know here, or on the FB page.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-90101906301471109142012-01-24T21:08:00.000-07:002012-01-24T21:08:44.130-07:00The Continued Quest for Pizza Perfection #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToQD0-he4YCx9GWRbbYliAOSUat7w9AguakuwOSAM1VlP1j7lIn_d2KWKhKd7Ml0V1HQg1h11Lo-rOIRyXSdXB-gwMraYnFiJjVd9KGMs8IwnxFnOtOeAiiojrcURThj2PeqF6LcTZjem/s1600/100_7862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToQD0-he4YCx9GWRbbYliAOSUat7w9AguakuwOSAM1VlP1j7lIn_d2KWKhKd7Ml0V1HQg1h11Lo-rOIRyXSdXB-gwMraYnFiJjVd9KGMs8IwnxFnOtOeAiiojrcURThj2PeqF6LcTZjem/s400/100_7862.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The pizza quest continued last night with a valiant effort to make an even better pizza crust. Success and at such an early stage, I may just let this go to my head.<br />
<br />
Comments from the two teens who were taste testing were: "This is awesome," (this one included a high-five), "This is better than the one you buy at the store," and my favorite was, "You should definitely make this one again."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDxTE3sEeZOAxU0talstbi_hxGR0TKcIxw5im87waHwXN-K4Cqcgq5iqpQhlxoVZptRYoneL3LB87-ImwntejAiDXfGyAc6h6JjS5SYA7QB8Cxuok4zlOJ2POR7tP7kzE8tcNvyadKD9L/s1600/100_7852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDxTE3sEeZOAxU0talstbi_hxGR0TKcIxw5im87waHwXN-K4Cqcgq5iqpQhlxoVZptRYoneL3LB87-ImwntejAiDXfGyAc6h6JjS5SYA7QB8Cxuok4zlOJ2POR7tP7kzE8tcNvyadKD9L/s200/100_7852.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8SLuRNP8KIr_pluDXmssztO79fpJAY_exTerXqoeE559WxYfxLoqtTw2N9vSuJ9IxOLUHcqD0iBsWLSecujXwjrbgKHVuMNV3Rxj_BYksJKOv5dftyMHyqXd9qC5bT8IBqF-D0Lq46Pd/s1600/100_7853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8SLuRNP8KIr_pluDXmssztO79fpJAY_exTerXqoeE559WxYfxLoqtTw2N9vSuJ9IxOLUHcqD0iBsWLSecujXwjrbgKHVuMNV3Rxj_BYksJKOv5dftyMHyqXd9qC5bT8IBqF-D0Lq46Pd/s200/100_7853.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Very wet pizza dough</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>This gluten-free crust is brought to you by King Arthur Flour, which is also nut free and soy free (and Kosher). I used the pizza crust picture here, and of course I felt the need to doctor it up a little. (You know I can't resist, dear chef.)<br />
<br />
In short, just use the directions on the back of the box (eggs, oil, yeast, warm water). I added a tiny bit of cider vinegar (1 TBS), 1 tsp each of salt, garlic powder, dried basil and dried oregano.<br />
<br />
Directions on the box allow for it to rise once in a bowl for 30 minutes, then once again after you spread it out on the pan. <b>Hint</b>: This is more very thick cake batter rather than pizza dough. It doesn't spread well unless you put some olive oil on top and spread it out with a spatula. Don't even try to roll it out, you'd be wasting your time. But don't let this scare you. I was a bit nervous at first, but it turns out just fine. As you can see in my photo, it's a pretty wet mixture. And although it said to let it rise 30 minutes, it didn't rise at all after this. Don't know what I did wrong, or if the yeast was old, or maybe it wasn't warm enough in the kitchen. Who knows.<br />
<br />
Bake the crust first, then top it and bake again for about 10 minutes, just enough to melt the cheese and warm whatever you want on it. For this experiment, all pizzas have just marinara and mozzarella. We're trying to keep the playing field even. (As much as possible.)<br />
<br />
The result is a chewy crust with a light flavor. It's firm enough to hold in one hand and eat like a slice of pizza, which was a pleasant surprise judging by the state of it before it was baked. It was much better than the biscuit crust from the prior night, although that was still very good. This had more of a pizza-crust texture. I was disappointed that it didn't rise more and I think it would have been even better if it did. I'll be making it again and hoping for a better rise. Could just be the cold, dry Arizona desert.<br />
<br />
Give it a try and let me know how it goes. Let me know here, or head over to the FB page.<br />
Enjoy!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-59222692796549611112012-01-22T18:53:00.000-07:002012-01-22T18:53:51.895-07:00A Quest for Pizza Perfection<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAXoh99CGqMtY-nxulvF2bAoIq6HtFviR9ypCwHx2hICP5ox0_dTqyARXPeDXqokGLJSKqt13pfcV3A22Pp7J1ZRHO-XaRgWpXaBFMsOjlbxHDp0C1IJOtOS2XLntR98nCDVs9ZonBUGM/s1600/100_7834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAXoh99CGqMtY-nxulvF2bAoIq6HtFviR9ypCwHx2hICP5ox0_dTqyARXPeDXqokGLJSKqt13pfcV3A22Pp7J1ZRHO-XaRgWpXaBFMsOjlbxHDp0C1IJOtOS2XLntR98nCDVs9ZonBUGM/s320/100_7834.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Pizza Crust at the last minute</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I started my quest for at-home pizza dough tonight. Since I didn't feel like heading out to the store, I decided to improvise with what I had in the cupboards and fridge. Crazy? Well, not really. In a happy twist of fate, I actually did pretty well. I'll be tweaking this recipe in the future, but if you're looking for a quick, easy, tasty pizza crust, this could be it.<br />
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The crust is firm enough to pick up, a bit more like a biscuit in texture (thanks to the Bisquick I'm sure) but still has a pizza crust taste. I added salt and a bit of dried basil to the crust for more taste. You can choose to or not, depending on your taste.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pizza Crust #1</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup Gluten-free Bisquick Mix</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup sweet rice flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/4 cup almond flour </div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tsp baking powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated </div><div style="text-align: center;">Pinch of dried basil</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 medium eggs</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup milk</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 tbs olive oil</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">salt/pepper/oregano/basil/parsley</div><br />
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees (I know, just trust me)<br />
2. Mix the first five ingredients<br />
3. Crack two eggs in a measuring cup and mix. Add enough milk to make 1 cup of liquid total.<br />
4. Pour into dry mixture, along with olive oil and spices.<br />
5. Mix dough and let sit for a moment.<br />
6. Spread dough on greased cookie sheet. I used a piece of parchment over the dough to roll it out flat.<br />
7. Pinch a rim around the dough and spread a little olive oil over top of the dough.<br />
8. Bake in the 500-degree oven for 10 minutes.<br />
9. Remove from oven, turn oven down to 350 degrees and top with your favorite toppings. We used tomato sauce and mozzarella for our first try.<br />
10. Return to oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.<br />
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Hint: depending on how dry it is in your neck of the woods, you may want to add a little more liquid to the mix. It should be like dough but stickier.<br />
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I'm on a quest to find the best at-home pizza crust and I think I'm starting out pretty well. I'll fall back on this one when all else fails because I know it's good. The ultimate test is the Teen Daughter, who ate two pieces and told me to save the rest for breakfast tomorrow. That's a very good sign!<br />
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Let me know what you think or what you've used in the past.comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-35542748175868610592012-01-19T14:20:00.004-07:002012-01-19T14:45:28.252-07:00Shepherd's Pie with a Gluten-free, Vegetarian TwistI admit it...I have never had shepherd's pie with meat in it. It never really looked that appealing to me. But once I became a vegetarian, I loved the idea of veggies with mashed potatoes in a pie form. We used to use vegetarian burger crumbles for the bottom, you know the ones I'm talking about. It looks somewhat like hamburger and tastes meaty and chewy. But since those are made of wheat gluten, that was put on the do-not-eat list years ago. What now? I make it frequently with Quorn tenders and it is quite good, but still not what I remember.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Shepherd's Pie right out of the oven, yum!</b></i></td></tr>
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Enter Amy's Bistro Burgers, which are gluten free and vegetarian. Crumble them up and it's the closest you can get to the texture of meat on the bottom. And before I get letters and comments, let me just say that I am not a big fan of trying to recreate meat in a vegetarian way. I just love the texture of something firm and chewy on the bottom of this type of pie and veggies just don't get it. This seems to do the trick, and the entire pie was gone in two days (Mom came over and had dinner) including breakfast. Yum. Try it with your favorite veggies, although these work just fine for us. Use fresh veggies as much as you can, it's just so much better.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Chock full of veggies, crumbles and potatoes</b></i></td></tr>
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<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Veggie, GF Shepherd's Pie</b></u></span></div><br />
4 Amy's Bistro Burger Patties, thawed and crumbled<br />
1 sweet onion, chopped<br />
1 tsp chopped garlic<br />
salt/pepper<br />
pinch of cumin<br />
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2 cups of fresh green beans, cleaned and chopped<br />
1 cup fresh or frozen corn<br />
1 TBS wheat-free tamari <br />
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2 cups mashed potatoes (homemade or store-bought)<br />
1 TBS butter<br />
salt/pepper/olive oil<br />
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1. Heat oven to 375<br />
2. Saute onion till soft in a small bit of olive oil and salt.<br />
3. Add burger crumbles, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin. Cook till browned.<br />
4. Pour burger mixture into the bottom of a sprayed 9x9 glass baking dish.<br />
5. Add green beans and 4 TBS water to the same pan (no need to clean it) and cover for about 5 minutes or until the water is steamed and beans are cooked slightly.<br />
6. Add 1 Tbs olive oil and corn. (if corn is frozen, let it cook for a bit before going on to next step)<br />
7. Add Tamari and let cook without stirring for a few minutes to let the veggies caramelize.<br />
8. Spread veggie layer over burger layer in baking dish.<br />
9. Prepare mashed potatoes the way you usually do. I used a fresh kind from Costco and just microwave it for a few minutes, then add a TBS of butter, salt and pepper.<br />
10. Cover top of pie evenly with mashed potatoes and bake for 20 minutes.<br />
11. Broil for 10 minutes under low to brown the top. Watch carefully, all ovens are different.<br />
12. Let sit for a minute and serve.<br />
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Enjoy!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-85708948439514529862012-01-12T14:46:00.000-07:002012-01-12T14:46:09.228-07:00Scottsdale's 5th and Wine warms my GF heartOne of my favorite places in the heart of downtown Scottsdale has to be <a href="http://www.5thandwine.com/">5th and Wine</a>, a restaurant/wine bar with a comfortable atmosphere and a GF/vegetarian salad I keep coming back for again and again. Not only do they have an extensive wine list, there is a lovely patio in the heart of the arts district with live music and comfy seats that create the perfect conversation areas. Inside there are soft, leather cushy chairs just meant for chatting and relaxing over a glass of wine and house-marinated olives.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XPOeCuevf56f4bHymeExVF__TXUOIc3iocMddi8BsYU4pCMpFynhrjtrVCIBpyd6O3jBOIhnJ51xkPeKG1Isusi918iGbn8Of6YUCnCD-OcEwl8IvDl_XV8uLAjiO9997FdHKXbBb8FU/s1600/100_7282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XPOeCuevf56f4bHymeExVF__TXUOIc3iocMddi8BsYU4pCMpFynhrjtrVCIBpyd6O3jBOIhnJ51xkPeKG1Isusi918iGbn8Of6YUCnCD-OcEwl8IvDl_XV8uLAjiO9997FdHKXbBb8FU/s320/100_7282.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>5th and Wine's Yummy Veggie Salad</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>First on the menu is the Veggie salad filled with avocado, white and green beans, grape tomatoes, jicama, and mozzarella tossed with a light herb vinaigrette. The dressing doesn't overpower the salad, which is light, fresh and filling. You can even order half a salad if you're not that hungry, but trust me, you'll want more.<br />
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The Strawberry and Gorgonzola salad is also beautiful. I tend to order it with goat cheese instead of Gorgonzola, but that's just my preference. It's still wonderful and sweet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabiNZP6AuIj61zek6Lk7CeHgqckiRrIBjuhdtzj40e1k4MxXnvx1OlRLlHXly2A2QJzA4GN4ZiD2YmaTOP-34KzzgiYeUvnU8KKpwJb7yba6plgFhRDLbOauD5gKSbkavlegjxtT8nMbQ/s1600/100_7283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabiNZP6AuIj61zek6Lk7CeHgqckiRrIBjuhdtzj40e1k4MxXnvx1OlRLlHXly2A2QJzA4GN4ZiD2YmaTOP-34KzzgiYeUvnU8KKpwJb7yba6plgFhRDLbOauD5gKSbkavlegjxtT8nMbQ/s320/100_7283.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roasted marinated olives</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>If you're just having a glass of wine (happy hour is just $5 a glass til 6 and watch for occasional $2 days), order the house marinated roasted olives with orange peel, fennel and red pepper flakes. Oh, yum. I've been known to just eat the olives while everyone else around ate burgers. I didn't feel deprived at all, they are that good.<br />
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The menu also has burgers, salads, fries and even fried pickles for the non-GF eaters in your group, which makes my husband very happy. I've been brave enough to eat the salad and olives only. Since I'm not a meat eater, that leaves few options in these trendy downtown eateries most of the time, luckily I'm a salad lover and finding a great salad I can go back to again and again is a great thing. Thank goodness 5th and Wine has created a salad and olives I'm in love with.<br />
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The wine list is superb and if you're not sure about what you want, just ask. They are knowledgeable and I haven't been steered wrong yet. I prefer a nice white wine blend with this salad and each time I get something a little different.<br />
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Of course, if it's an intimate conversation, take it outside if weather permits (which it does most of the year here in Phoenix). It can get quite noisy inside when it gets crowded. Walk the shops in the area and stop in for a glass of wine and a salad, you won't be disappointed.<br />
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(By the way, I'm not affiliated with the restaurant and receive nothing for this review. Just sayin')comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-90611868454891321742012-01-01T18:04:00.000-07:002012-01-01T18:04:31.822-07:00The New Year...Another Chance to Get It Right<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPHVXmtislZ2BGzfRnfQVJGwGfjMJQQV0G85gB23wCHQB3CC4ltk2gLokyuZoyCo5DQsPdhPHPqmSsG1tnad1LpIKi7u88qCwF0SGvujQF998zRIv3XbrALWbfALMV5heVRKQDFmnW3MC/s1600/100_3122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPHVXmtislZ2BGzfRnfQVJGwGfjMJQQV0G85gB23wCHQB3CC4ltk2gLokyuZoyCo5DQsPdhPHPqmSsG1tnad1LpIKi7u88qCwF0SGvujQF998zRIv3XbrALWbfALMV5heVRKQDFmnW3MC/s320/100_3122.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>A toast to the New Year!</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>It's Jan. 1 and we all know what that means, resolutions Do you make resolutions every year? Do you stick to them? Are any of those resolutions about what you eat and how you eat? They should be. Cleaning clutter, getting a new job, sticking to a schedule, etc. are all important, but none of it will work as well if you don't eat right. It's as straightforward as that.<br />
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Make your #1 resolution this year to eat well and keep your body fit. It's as simple as passing on the second helping, stopping at a few bites of that decadent dessert or just having one drink instead of 3. You'd be surprised how quickly you feel better. Less soda, less chemicals, less excess.<br />
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No plans, no commitments, no infomercial box filled with food or exercise equipment needed. Just walk and eat better. Period. And if you need help, find a friend to do it with you. Here are a few tips that have worked for me to get you started:<br />
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1. Reduce the amount of carbs you eat. Bread, rice, potatoes, sugar, etc. Just eat less.<br />
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2. Increase the amount of protein you eat. If you don't eat meat, eat almonds, cheese, tofu, etc. There are a lot of sources for protein for all kinds of diets.<br />
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3. Exercise, even if you just walk more. Walk in place while blow drying your hair, stretch in the kitchen while the tea kettle heats up, etc. Find some way to move throughout the day and you'll be surprised how much more energy you'll have. If you can, grab a few weights and get some bone-strengthening exercise in there.<br />
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4. Tell yourself this is not a diet. Rather, this is a change in lifestyle. You can eat anything you like, just don't eat it all. A few bites of a chocolate doughnut is enough, 1 slice of pizza instead of 3, burger or fries-not both.<br />
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5. Don't be hard on yourself if you eat something you think you shouldn't. It's not a contest or a race. Just vow to do better next time.<br />
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6. If you drink, try less fattening alternatives. White wine instead of read, light beer instead of beer, and go easy on the sugary mixed drinks. <br />
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Good luck! Starting on a new eating plan is tough for so many, but it can be done. Giving up gluten was tough, but you did it, right? So slowing down on the sugar and fats should be a breeze!<br />
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Thank you everyone who has followed this blog for the past few years. I've had so much fun writing it, trying recipes, and meeting new people. I started it to make life easier for myself, and it became so much bigger than that. I've enjoyed learning about cooking in a new way, sharing my finds and musings, and finding gluten-free food in an easier way throughout Phoenix. There are so many more options now than when I started and what a joy that is! Just think what's still out there to come.<br />
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Here's to a marvelous, wonderful, prosperous, happy New Year for us all!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-14368333389602034622011-12-27T16:26:00.000-07:002011-12-27T16:26:06.860-07:00Pumpkin Pie Success! (and a chocolate cupcake)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMzCaoFarap7zujFa-cqEY1Ylm7Wjb85H-WWzeoKDHbCjIlZqIOvuVHWTkfc9EbaRlDfCIeSZ5sdNVDqBUcdB8_vDTL_32AX8Gy_alYUGGYMZDWyFcb-bMjevL2GmWwpgPEswjYu3n4_R/s1600/100_7667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMzCaoFarap7zujFa-cqEY1Ylm7Wjb85H-WWzeoKDHbCjIlZqIOvuVHWTkfc9EbaRlDfCIeSZ5sdNVDqBUcdB8_vDTL_32AX8Gy_alYUGGYMZDWyFcb-bMjevL2GmWwpgPEswjYu3n4_R/s320/100_7667.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Once again for the holidays, I tried to make a pie crust and pumpkin pie. This time I was confident enough to go out on my own and tweak the recipes. Thanksgiving's pie was good, but not amazing. I strive for amazing.<br />
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My rule has always been to follow the recipe the first time, then change it the way you want after that. So, this time the crust came out better and thanks to a little mistake, the pumpkin pie filling was fabulous!<br />
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Using Gluten Free Pantry's pie crust mix and following the directions, this time I added a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla to kick up the flavor of the crust. Also, I mixed the dough with my hands, not using a machine and that left chunks of butter (about the size of small marbles) scattered in the dough. Break the dough into two pieces and refrigerate. <b>Now, this is the important part.</b>..refrigerate at least 24 hours. The first time, we only let it sit for one hour and had to push it into the pie plate like a giant piece of Playdough. This time, after more than 24 hours of cooling in the fridge, the dough was much more firm and I was able to roll it out between two sheets of plastic wrap and place it into the greased pie plate. Press in any spots that rip. There are still a few small bits of butter left in the dough, but leave them. I wanted to sprinkle some sugar on the dough before baking it to give it a layer of crunch, but I forgot. Next time...<br />
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Bake the crust for 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven before filling it. (Can't remember what the package says, that was just what I decided to do. I threw away the box before checking that part.)<br />
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Preparing the filling is easy. Just use the recipe on the side of the organic pumpkin can. (Not pumpkin pie filling, yuk!) But instead of evaporated milk, I used a can of sweetened condensed milk. Didn't realize my mistake until it was mixed in, so we went with it and crossed our fingers. Added cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, sugar and eggs (and a tsp of vanilla). Pour into cooled crust and bake 10 minutes at 450 and turn the oven down to 350 and bake another 30 minutes.<br />
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There is no photo, the pie when that fast after dinner. Everyone devoured the pie and the crust, raving about how it was hard to tell that it was gluten-free. Always glad to hear that from the gluten eaters in the group. Little tweaks can sometimes be your best friend, dear chef!<br />
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I've added a photo above of the beautiful cupcakes my daughter made for the day. Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with peppermint buttercream frosting and a white-chocolate/peppermint bark on top. Sweet! She's getting to be the real baker, and may even be better than me now since she's gotten so creative. So proud! Recipe to follow as soon as she gives it to me.comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-58879085354748451322011-12-18T19:50:00.001-07:002011-12-19T11:56:43.994-07:00Dear MarthaRecently, there was an article printed in <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2074302/Gluten-free-diets-welcome-chez-Martha-Stewart.html">The Daily Mail, UK edition</a>, with a few quotes from Martha and her newest book. She was discussing dinner guests using cell phones and those with allergies or food preferences. I'm posting my letter to her in the assumption that this reporting is correct. If it is not, then I apologize up front and you are welcome to come by and chat, Martha. But if it's true, what I say below comes from the heart. <br />
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Dear Martha:<br />
I'm sure you have many friends, and I'm sure your dinner parties are elegant, as we've seen on TV. But I also know the reputation you've gotten over the years and I was always there to try and soften it. "If she were a man," I would say to those who bashed you, "would they be so hard on her? No." Well, I think I'm going to have to take it all back based on your newest book and interview.<br />
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Now, I do agree with you on your stance about cell phones at dinner parties. Unless one has a babysitter or child at home who may need you, there is no need to carry a cell phone at a party. And if it rings (and it should be on silent with only a vibration) then a quick look to see if it's the aforementioned babysitter/teen at home and put it on ignore if it's not. There is no reason ever to text or take a call when you are at someone else's home, especially if that someone worked hard all day cooking, cleaning, and decorating in order to spend time with you and others in her/his home.<br />
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But when it comes to allergies and food preferences, I'm in the other camp. <i>"Oh my God! Don't ask! My rule is do not ask about dietary restrictions," she says, clearly averse to making an extra effort for certain guests.</i> This quote from the article reveals how selfish you are being when holding these parties. Are they about spending time with friends or showing off your cooking skills? It should be both! Why can't you accommodate the very people you are hoping to please in your home?<br />
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I have always tried to accommodate people with allergies or strong preference when they are in my home. For instance, I know my niece and husband do not like mushrooms. I am always aware and leave them out of my dishes when I know there is a dinner party and they will be eating the food. I would rather find another way to be creative than have them skip something just because I thought it was an inconvenience. It's about spending time with people, not just showing off.<br />
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At the same time, I do not expect anyone to cater to my needs. I am perfectly happy to bring my own food (I'm sure you would hate that, Martha. I won't even go there) or just have a salad or the side dish. But I would never, ever, assume that someone I personally invited to my home should go without a meal. <i>"You have to be semi-prepared," she says of picky eaters. "But don't fret about it. Everybody can miss a meal." </i>Seriously? You would be fine with someone coming to your home and eating nothing because you weren't prepared with even a small bite for them? I certainly don't want to be catered to, but I would also be pretty darn insulted if they had absolutely nothing, not even lettuce or fruit.<br />
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And finally, the big question. Do you do all the cooking for your dinner parties? I think not. What would be so hard about just asking one of the chefs in your restaurant-style kitchen to whip up something for the celiac/diabetic/peanut allergy/etc. eater who was invited to your party? Why not show them what a thoughtful, caring hostess you are and put to bed all that talk about you being a you-know-what?<br />
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Merry Christmas, Martha. If you want any help in preparing meals with thought, compassion and creativity, feel free to give me a ring.comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-15313281714790965212011-12-02T11:27:00.002-07:002011-12-07T16:29:35.380-07:00Here's how to have a gluten-free book club tea partyIt was my month to choose a book and host book club in November. Not only do I love reading, but I also love hosting parties. The book I chose was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Remarkable-Creatures-Tracy-Chevalier/dp/B005ZO4YK8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322850488&sr=8-1"><i>Remarkable Creatures</i></a>, by Tracy Chevalier. And since the book is based on the lives of spinster women searching for fossils on the coast of England in the early 1800s, (yes, it really is), I chose a tea-party theme with seashells and dinosaurs thrown in for fun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea Party with sea glass, shells and dinosaurs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea is served</td></tr>
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First let me note that I am the only GF eater in the group. It's been my mission to prove to them all that GF cooking is just as good and that the wheat is not missed. Top that with the fact that we're vegetarians and there isn't any meat at our house and I've got a real challenge, but I'm always up for a challenge, Dear Chef. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The dinosaur is there for a reason, trust me. </b></td></tr>
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I decided on making two veggie tarts, (basically quiche without the crust). The first was made with carmelized leeks, browned mushrooms, mozzarella and goat cheese. Carmelize one onion and two leeks, then add mushrooms and brown them with the onions. When they're done, place them on the bottom of a tart pan and spread out evenly. Cover with a layer of shredded mozzarella and about 3 TBS of shredded Parmesan. Sprinkle with chopped fresh thyme and parsley. In a separate bowl, mix together about 4 egg whites and 3 eggs. Add about 1/4 cup of goat cheese and whisk it all together with a pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried mustard and nutmeg. Pour evenly over the tart and bake in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes. Don't let it get too brown. Slice when cool and enjoy. I'm always apprehensive about using goat cheese since even though I love it, I have found that people either love it or hate it. But this was first plate to be empty, so I suppose this wasn't anything to worry about.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOCIN0KeEHPWzobr6etGDJckNhCgN3ow6tWTO3nwBILA8jL1eJzwTrdEX59ew1D6M5eMWms76sQ1fBaHSgkNHOq2NvEgjTe-EJX7KwqDsBhYX3GZDwgl9FkrR1GhEe9o2YsZUWJset5V3/s1600/100_7420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOCIN0KeEHPWzobr6etGDJckNhCgN3ow6tWTO3nwBILA8jL1eJzwTrdEX59ew1D6M5eMWms76sQ1fBaHSgkNHOq2NvEgjTe-EJX7KwqDsBhYX3GZDwgl9FkrR1GhEe9o2YsZUWJset5V3/s320/100_7420.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Another dinosaur, representing the fossils in the book.</b></td></tr>
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The second tart was onion, spinach, asparagus and Swiss cheese. Start with the onions in a bit of olive oil and butter (as above) and cook till brown and sweet. Add about 2 cups of fresh spinach and cook until wilted. Turn the heat on low and cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid has cooked out of the spinach. Add 1/2 tsp fresh garlic, pinch of salt and pepper. spread evenly into a pie/tart pan. Cover with 1 1/2 cups of shredded Swiss cheese. Take asparagus and arrange in a patter on top of the cheese. In a separate bowl, beat together 4 egg whites, 3 eggs, 1/4 cup half and half, salt, pepper, pinch of both nutmeg and dried mustard. Chop about 1 TBS fresh parsley and add to the mixture. Beat and then pour evenly and gently over the veggie/cheese mixture. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, but don't let it get too brown. Slice when cool.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgPgDyOQbmHzksxDpuCD4DoFWYDrtcrTFvHLVT5P3thyphenhyphenKBVXf8T7Lss1bywySed1aIyLLKnNlHgg0_qpWGfBvrVkbebMTdyvaoyvgzrEE4iVVUPiD9jnlbEq3fI_0XEY-EHYFkL68OsKtb/s1600/100_7426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgPgDyOQbmHzksxDpuCD4DoFWYDrtcrTFvHLVT5P3thyphenhyphenKBVXf8T7Lss1bywySed1aIyLLKnNlHgg0_qpWGfBvrVkbebMTdyvaoyvgzrEE4iVVUPiD9jnlbEq3fI_0XEY-EHYFkL68OsKtb/s320/100_7426.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Thanks to <a href="http://udisglutenfree.com/">Udi's</a> for the fabulous bread used to make the cucumber sandwiches and the egg salad sandwiches. They were the first to go and not one was left on the plate. Daughter and I kept eating them while making them, we love them that much. Simple to make, really. For the cucumber sandwiches, just cut the crusts off the bread, then spread with cream cheese and layer with strips of cucumber (use a veggie peeler for strips) and slice. Sprinkle with a little salt and a bit of chopped fresh parsley. For the egg salad I used chopped egg, mayo, apples, celery, salt/pepper and chopped parsley. I didn't cut the crusts off of these and they were yummy . <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHkGI_keoAM_3M8UvmVfaeAwWnIj7cXtuTirKipURaHM1FbDr33DL2sINA5QIndf6iUaypkmip_ejM4VXI1ucwYJuRK9ZRnzoIcdhiVILOAoeZ1OrS8OrvxpOMzIsGyLNpYDPYIiJTQqk/s1600/100_7422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHkGI_keoAM_3M8UvmVfaeAwWnIj7cXtuTirKipURaHM1FbDr33DL2sINA5QIndf6iUaypkmip_ejM4VXI1ucwYJuRK9ZRnzoIcdhiVILOAoeZ1OrS8OrvxpOMzIsGyLNpYDPYIiJTQqk/s320/100_7422.JPG" width="240" /></a>In keeping with the fossil-hunting theme, Daughter actually made a wonderful GF coffee cake and placed a small dinosaur in one of the pieces while plating the cake. (Fossil hunting in the dirt? Too much of a stretch?) The cake was gone quickly, and worked perfectly with the tea after dinner.<br />
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And believe it or not, I found the perfect wine in the spirit of the fossil-hunting theme of the evening. Thanks Trader Joe's.<br />
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I was depending on Trader Joe's for their lovely shell-shaped chocolates to round out the decor. And wouldn't you know it, they don't have them yet for the holiday season. What's a girl to do? Ask her teen to make some chocolate, that's what. Darling daughter actually melted white and dark chocolate and poured it into molds to give us our shell chocolate. What a doll! The night was rounded out with cheese/pesto/sun-dried tomato torte with rice crackers, caramels with sea salt and a lovely salad of spring lettuce, roasted beets and candied pecans in a balsamic dressing.<br />
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I'm sad the night is over, but I can't wait for next month. Try reading the book and see what it inspires you to cook. Enjoy!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163705716679217369.post-18840837466648404452011-11-19T17:25:00.006-07:002011-11-20T13:54:32.520-07:00A Supernatural Gluten-free Party!With an elegant twist in honor of <a href="http://www.google.com/movies?hl=en&near=Phoenix,+AZ&sort=1&mid=21ea13d1fe1b566c&ei=_0HITq7LAefLsQLQ0MA4&view=list#trailer"><i>Breaking Dawn</i></a>, a party was created and I was lucky enough to be invited. I spent the evening last night in a beautiful place, eating beautiful food (all gluten free) all while talking with lovely people. I can't think of a nicer way to spend an evening. And since you were not there, let me tell you all about the fun and more importantly, the food.<br />
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Thanks to Angela Saban of<a href="http://angelcakesgf.com/"> Angel Cakes </a>for hosting this fabulous party. Check out her blog, <a href="http://www.angelasabandesign.blogspot.com/">here</a>, for updates on the amazing cakes she creates (see below for more details on the ooh- and aaah-worthy food). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvCeE3cO10GNEpPLJ5MHJGWJDjgbdZLhQuo-lFW1bd4CKJdBa05T7G0kq3UOl2X77-ZeUOqyiM3tCAhun7VmnTPyLj5izfd8x6pKHE-CNntuNmgP_cMXSg9jZylr4jtIrxVjOFPfiiv4s/s1600/100_7356_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvCeE3cO10GNEpPLJ5MHJGWJDjgbdZLhQuo-lFW1bd4CKJdBa05T7G0kq3UOl2X77-ZeUOqyiM3tCAhun7VmnTPyLj5izfd8x6pKHE-CNntuNmgP_cMXSg9jZylr4jtIrxVjOFPfiiv4s/s320/100_7356_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Welcome</b></i>!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When you're welcomed at the party by an old truck (Bella's with a better paint job?) and a sign, this sets the stage for what's to come inside. With this attention to detail, I had a feeling nothing would be missed from this point on.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Yay, Swag!</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I followed the red carpet into the entry hall with it's TWILIGHT centerpiece surrounded by swag bags for all guests. Sweet! The centerpiece fascinated me with its simplicity yet creativity. I found out that Angela's wonderful daughter-in-law, Trista Williams, had fashioned it using pages right out of the series. (Although she did say she felt bad tearing up a perfectly good book, it was worth it!) Here's a close-up for you crafters.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Pages of the book, close up</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Can you choose between Team Edward or Team Jacob? Even if you're not a fan of the movies or books, the theme is fun and whimsical, yet mysterious with werewolves and vampires. I chose Team Jacob, there I said it. Let the debate begin. Fangs for Edward's team, wolf ears for the better team, er I mean the other team.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Choose a team</b></i></td></tr>
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With Full Moon cocktail in hand (Maker's Mark, apple cider and a splash of ginger ale), I made my way around the pool, which was surrounded by candles and spinning lights. Looking up on the wall I saw projected images of Bella, Edward, and Jacob, as well as scenes from previous movies lighting up the patio. DJ Gabriel kept the vibe going with music from the series, keeping the mood romantic and fun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Photos and movie scenes on the wall</b></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsP_6NRffNTeX8EG7k9eK-5fHitphwaGoUijlTBx4yRLuOBrg4B9iiSfARibVNfDBGD3xKDIZi4afgbVblAJCGclsVaLO9IikHy0CeskJmwRCoHa9nTOqDeldLYe23MOscRjHUD6VbaELa/s1600/100_7364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsP_6NRffNTeX8EG7k9eK-5fHitphwaGoUijlTBx4yRLuOBrg4B9iiSfARibVNfDBGD3xKDIZi4afgbVblAJCGclsVaLO9IikHy0CeskJmwRCoHa9nTOqDeldLYe23MOscRjHUD6VbaELa/s320/100_7364.JPG" width="240" /></a>Moving on to the buffet table (you know that's what you were interested in!) was a real treat. First off, the tables were topped off with spectacular floral arrangements that fit the mood perfectly. A rose here, a red carnation there, moss and greenery everywhere. All arrangements were created by Elba Brown of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Designs-by-E/146985505388562">Designs by E</a> in Phoenix with an eerie, supernatural touch. Floating red roses among moss and soft white flowers gave the buffet table just the right touch of beauty, elegance and mystery.<br />
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Notice the enormous pile of potato chips near the flowers? Oh yeah, my friend. Freshly made chips that were crispy, not too salty and oh so yummy. An avocado cream dipping sauce was provided for the chips, but seriously, with a good chip who needs dip (although it was amazing and I just needed a spoon for it and I could eat it like pudding).<br />
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The food was provided by <a href="http://jenniferscatering.com/">Jennifer's Catering</a> in Phoenix. Check out the website and see how they serve the chips in little cones, Oh my. Maggie Wark, who works at Jennifer's, is the gluten-free guru there who made the slider rolls and is spear-heading the gluten-free division of the company. Also on the menu was a tomato salad with Cojita cheese. So refreshing and served in little cups with cute tiny forks. Pork belly and salmon rounded out the food, but you know of course that was not my cup of tea, although I hear it was quite good from those who tried it.<br />
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On to the crowning glory of the party, the pastry table. Oh man, if I could have married it, I would have. It was that good. I stood there wishing I hadn't opted for the cute little purse that matched the outfit rather than the huge, pastry/cupcake smuggling purse. I would have to be content with eating it all there. (Next time, Angela, don't question the large duffle purse at the party.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Edward and Bella should have had this at their wedding</b></i></td></tr>
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First off, the cake. A beautiful centerpiece with edible flowers. Definitely would not fit in the purse (damn!) I did not eat any, but I've had Angela's cake before at a lovely tea party (check it out <a href="http://glutenfreeinaz.blogspot.com/2011/06/gluten-free-tea-party-for-big-girls.html">here</a>).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvEG_V6xdsCj0gstWP4Bsq4TLGyQkmdUjWW0VgtcJWVXsHMwClPx0PQ9A4tYoKYrlu2FDF350nFjwPh2A6-7_cXFRYGYodBlUBY49NZ0CSwYku-UITA20fGXlsZGw9AEipkb6mNGs_NMc/s1600/100_7367_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvEG_V6xdsCj0gstWP4Bsq4TLGyQkmdUjWW0VgtcJWVXsHMwClPx0PQ9A4tYoKYrlu2FDF350nFjwPh2A6-7_cXFRYGYodBlUBY49NZ0CSwYku-UITA20fGXlsZGw9AEipkb6mNGs_NMc/s320/100_7367_2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Next the cupcakes. Both sides were represented with a special cupcake. Jacob's side (werewolves) had a fabulously chocolatey caramely cupcake with salted caramel and a fondant paw on top. I could have eaten four, I admit it, but I didn't. But I so wanted to, but I didn't.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnQSVlKe6iS1GXmYQKckf9IlZhELZRqlOhpjJ7gy_gqHXMqr7_LdZIiKV_SROl3gJt6zcdgbyYvVph8NLlV0qkjsD7iuglrB3KYl68UF1zt8I3fmmKF-l8OR6b2nkSjT2jO1K1LWYhlQF/s1600/100_7371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnQSVlKe6iS1GXmYQKckf9IlZhELZRqlOhpjJ7gy_gqHXMqr7_LdZIiKV_SROl3gJt6zcdgbyYvVph8NLlV0qkjsD7iuglrB3KYl68UF1zt8I3fmmKF-l8OR6b2nkSjT2jO1K1LWYhlQF/s320/100_7371.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Edward's side was represented appropriately by a vanilla-bean cupcake with raspberry filling and even bite marks. The filling was gooey and lovely, the cupcake was light and fluffy and the frosting was a dream.<br />
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True to my original team choice, I preferred the chocolate, but it was a tough choice, trust me. Both were light and airy like a cupcake should be, but it didn't fall apart at all. I felt like Florian from Cupcake Wars as I tried both. Of course, I gave them both good marks, but I'm a chocolate lover at heart, you know.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM72HPWwDQvHo2oErVHrcmS09RqtPf0Kq1XEugmcDUjD7vuUPCQH1_ngx_nVYLUJauxM6JvOKvtY9ffnCTeFOUVfTatssVJ8UWMlONZu9dAEOOQndfAl6tk9KWE_0HwQzUxXfCQJzTtPk/s1600/100_7373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM72HPWwDQvHo2oErVHrcmS09RqtPf0Kq1XEugmcDUjD7vuUPCQH1_ngx_nVYLUJauxM6JvOKvtY9ffnCTeFOUVfTatssVJ8UWMlONZu9dAEOOQndfAl6tk9KWE_0HwQzUxXfCQJzTtPk/s320/100_7373.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>What about Bella, you ask? Bella-berry Cobblers with a berry filling and flaky, buttery crust gave Bella her chance to shine. And that she did. Two bites of a perfect cherry pie. My table mates all claimed that this was their favorite. The crust was something I have been trying to perfect without success. Once again, Angela shines with a gluten-free pie crust that is equal parts flaky and chewy, just the way it should be.<br />
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And yes, there were cookies! What, you say? No really, on top of all this, there were little white hearts of vanilla cookies with white icing. They reminded me of the glorious black and white cookie of my New York City days that I feared I would never eat again. Never fear, they are right here. I'll bet Angela could even make them black and white if you ask her.<br />
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Swag bags, you ask? Oh yeah! I was fortunate enough to meet the actual Tom Sawyer of <a href="http://www.glutenfreeflour.com/">Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Flour</a>-fame, no kidding. And not only that, there was a bag of flour for everyone to take home and start baking. Sweet! A chocolate wolf lollipop, Werewolf "kibble" and "blood-spattered" popcorn, all by Angela Saban started the bags off. Add to that <a href="http://udisglutenfree.com/special-offers/?gclid=CKDjrtL0w6wCFSgaQgod-HfEpw">Udi</a>'s chocolate chip cookie, <a href="http://www.gfcountrystore.com/">Julia's Gluten Free</a> Cinnamon Roll and more. I can't imagine a better time with better food or company, and I even had swag to take home. Now that's how you throw a party!<br />
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I was lucky enough to meet Kim Pebley, president of the <a href="http://southernarizonaceliacsupport.org/">Southern Arizona Celiac Support</a> group and Chandice Probst of <a href="http://www.glutenfreefrenzy.com/">Gluten Free Frenzy</a> here in town. Check out her website for giveaways and fun restaurant reviews. I also had the chance to spend a little time with Nina Spitzer, the GF guru who started the Phoenix Celiac group and <a href="http://glutenfreeabsolutely.com/">Gluten Free Absolutely,</a> a wonderful restaurant menu consultation service. What a great group of people who are supporting and advancing the GF community.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRsGB-1Ndci2fhiIhJWdexWIoGHHrXBnPI8vaFMYVeVlVOEeCpVfTnCGXGHhU2BgYjb61LsQnhIq3nYShYIksQAsk_8EklvgRoCJa0qPfo2So-HdMd3kbqMMrYlaPfgsuAahw1oTsh6v9/s1600/100_7381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRsGB-1Ndci2fhiIhJWdexWIoGHHrXBnPI8vaFMYVeVlVOEeCpVfTnCGXGHhU2BgYjb61LsQnhIq3nYShYIksQAsk_8EklvgRoCJa0qPfo2So-HdMd3kbqMMrYlaPfgsuAahw1oTsh6v9/s320/100_7381.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Trista Williams, me, and the lovely Elba Brown</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Proof positive by Angela that you can have a lovely, successful cocktail party with elegant food and not a speck of gluten to be found. Thanks!comma girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297890999911383787noreply@blogger.com5