I missed Recipe Wednesday. I suck. In my defense however, I was moping about, pouting and throwing tantrums like a two year old. You probably wouldn't have wanted to try any recipe I came up with at that time any how. It would have been something like this:
Life Hates Erin Pie
Ingredients:
1 stolen dirt bike
1 broke phone
1 lost necklace
1 busted up car
1 stolen laptop
Any other manure, poo, dookie, & shiz that you happen to have laying around
1 Erin
Directions:
In a big pot (maybe canner size?), combine all ingredients until they become heartbreakingly devastating & soul crushing.
Pour contents on top of Erin until she cries.
Enjoy!
Who wants to eat that really? No one, that's who. Definitely better that I just skipped over Wednesday and moved right along as if nothing ever happened.
I'll make it up to you though my cheeky little monkeys. How you ask? Ha, with this little ditty of a recipe that I made up this morning for my darling Marnie. She and Ethan have been sick all week and as a result, neither has had the desire to eat anything. This morning however my curly haired little girl asked for chocolate cookies. I don't happen to keep those on hand... actually not even sure if such exists outside of her sugar crazed mind, but I wanted to oblige. The only problem was that Troy took my car to work, so I had no way of going to the store. Not that it really mattered though. Even if I could have got there, I could not have bought anything. We have begun a new budget and the amount of money allotted to food would only get me a bag of lima beans and a half eaten jar of pickles. Not that the budget really mattered though either because I am inherently lazy and probably would not have gone regardless. So, as I do aim to please, I started rummaging through the cupboards to see what I could make up.
This recipe is based on one of my FAVORITES as a kid. Every time there was a bake sale at school and I somehow miraculously had a quarter, I would order me up a couple of No Bake Cookies. We did not have cookies at home. No sweets really. My Mom was of the mentality that if it didn't contain wheat germ it didn't belong in the house. Which is why the No Bake in my mind is synonymous with f.u.n.
Moving on... You may or may not know that Celiacs can not eat oats. There are some out there that claim to be gluten free. I find this dubious however and choose to not partake. I cannot quite wrap my head around how oats can be grown without the presence of wheat. To each his own however. But if you get intestinal cancer because you never met a bowl of oatmeal that you didn't like, don't come crying to me. I will run. This oat fact has always kept me away from making No Bakes, because really what could you use instead? Anything you happen to find in you pantry is what. This is what I came up with:
Throw It In There! No Bake Cookies
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup of butter (I didn't have any, so I used olive oil - it worked, but I'm pretty sure butter would have been better)
4 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup peanut butter
3 cups shredded coconut
2 cups peanuts
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, butter, milk and cocoa. Bring to a boil and cook for about two minutes. Remove from heat and mix in remaining ingredients. Place heaping spoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool for what seems like forever as your child screams 'But I want it Nnnooowwww!' Try to ignore the urge to rip the skin from your face.
They turned out well. The chocolate stained footie pajamas that I will spend the next two hours treating, rinsing, scrubbing, swearing at & repeat do well to prove it.
Showing posts with label gluten-free goodies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gluten-free goodies. Show all posts
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Gluten Free Recipe Wednesday
The thing about not eating is this - it makes you pretty hungry. Since I am unable to actually eat food however, I figure I might as well write about it. And here, the very first Gluten Free Recipe Wednesday is born. A day for all you Celiacs out there to dine like I wish I could.
Troy became obsessed with cooking about three years back when we moved from South up to my neck of the woods. Maybe it was homesickness, but Troy began to read every book article and website on Cajun and Creole cooking. He began concocting elaborate meals from scratch that would make your mouth salivate with a single sniff. His level of skill increased in all things culinary and he began to expand into other genres. Cajun and Creole were his passions though and remain so until this day. Soon after Troy had begun to explore the culinary arts and actually become quite fantastic, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. This was a crushing blow to my husband, who felt like he was being told he could never see his best friend again. Not only could I not eat wheat anymore, but essentially it could not even be in our home due to fear of cross contamination. To be honest, when diagnosed, I had never even heard of the word gluten. Where as Troy was proving himself to be quite genius in the kitchen, I was more of what you would call a culinary retard. Once grasping the concept of living without wheat, we were devastated. So many meals that we loved were made using flour. The entire base of almost every cajun recipe is a roux which is essentially flour and oil. But for one's health, you must do what you must. We endured a few weeks of chicken breasts with no sauces to accompany them and steamed vegetables with no seasoning. Salads. We tried out various corn pastas and "crackers" from our local health food store which all tasted like cardboard and the cost of which jeopardized Marnie's college fund. This just would not do. We really enjoy good food and there just wasn't any out there for me. We would just have to stop wallowing in self pity and discover ways to make it for ourselves. And that is exactly what we did. Over the years we have created some awesome dishes that have met and exceeded every craving for foods that are otherwise forbidden to me. We have also made some things that were pretty nasty, but we'll just forget about those...
This week I thought that I would start with one of our family favorites, Lasagna. This is not SO much a gluten free recipe - it is more of an awesome dish that we made gluten free. Just a fantastic dinner to at to your family's repertoire. This is not just any lasagna mind you, it is absolutely the best tasting lasagna in the universe. I have served this dish to many, many guests and each time I get raves of it being the most amazing they have ever eaten ( "It's better than my Mom's, but please don't tell!) and I am asked for the recipe a ton. If you do not have a wheat allergy, just substitute the Tinkyada Brown Rice noodles for regular. It is just damn good.
* If you make this for your family, please leave me a comment and let me know how your thoughts!
** The original recipe was given to us by our Aunt Dixie (thanks Dixie!!) and adapted, amended, and substitutions made to make it our own Family Lasagna.
Our Family Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients:
1 pound Sweet Italian Sausage (I buy the stuffed sausages and cut the casings)
1 pound ground beef.
1 onion
1 green pepper
4 Large cloves of garlic
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 TBS white sugar
1 TBS dried basil
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 TBS salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 cups fresh parsley
Tinkyada GF Brown Rice Noodles (of course you can substitute, but I personally believe these to be the best)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
12 ounces mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
In your lasagna pan, fill with warm water and set your lasagna noodles to soak. By the time the sauce is ready, your noodles will be perfect for cooking (drain and set aside before assembly).
In a dutch oven, cook sausage, beef, onion, bell pepper & garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in all tomatoes and water. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, 1 TBS salt, pepper and 1/2 the amount of parsley. Simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley and 1/2 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To Assemble:
Begin layers with sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, cheese, more sauce & then parmesan cheese. Add additional layers. Top with cheese.
Cover with foil - to prevent sticking, spray foil with cooking spray or use toothpicks to make a 'tent'.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 25 minutes or until cheese has turned a nice color of golden brown. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!!
Troy became obsessed with cooking about three years back when we moved from South up to my neck of the woods. Maybe it was homesickness, but Troy began to read every book article and website on Cajun and Creole cooking. He began concocting elaborate meals from scratch that would make your mouth salivate with a single sniff. His level of skill increased in all things culinary and he began to expand into other genres. Cajun and Creole were his passions though and remain so until this day. Soon after Troy had begun to explore the culinary arts and actually become quite fantastic, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. This was a crushing blow to my husband, who felt like he was being told he could never see his best friend again. Not only could I not eat wheat anymore, but essentially it could not even be in our home due to fear of cross contamination. To be honest, when diagnosed, I had never even heard of the word gluten. Where as Troy was proving himself to be quite genius in the kitchen, I was more of what you would call a culinary retard. Once grasping the concept of living without wheat, we were devastated. So many meals that we loved were made using flour. The entire base of almost every cajun recipe is a roux which is essentially flour and oil. But for one's health, you must do what you must. We endured a few weeks of chicken breasts with no sauces to accompany them and steamed vegetables with no seasoning. Salads. We tried out various corn pastas and "crackers" from our local health food store which all tasted like cardboard and the cost of which jeopardized Marnie's college fund. This just would not do. We really enjoy good food and there just wasn't any out there for me. We would just have to stop wallowing in self pity and discover ways to make it for ourselves. And that is exactly what we did. Over the years we have created some awesome dishes that have met and exceeded every craving for foods that are otherwise forbidden to me. We have also made some things that were pretty nasty, but we'll just forget about those...
This week I thought that I would start with one of our family favorites, Lasagna. This is not SO much a gluten free recipe - it is more of an awesome dish that we made gluten free. Just a fantastic dinner to at to your family's repertoire. This is not just any lasagna mind you, it is absolutely the best tasting lasagna in the universe. I have served this dish to many, many guests and each time I get raves of it being the most amazing they have ever eaten ( "It's better than my Mom's, but please don't tell!) and I am asked for the recipe a ton. If you do not have a wheat allergy, just substitute the Tinkyada Brown Rice noodles for regular. It is just damn good.
* If you make this for your family, please leave me a comment and let me know how your thoughts!
** The original recipe was given to us by our Aunt Dixie (thanks Dixie!!) and adapted, amended, and substitutions made to make it our own Family Lasagna.
Our Family Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients:
1 pound Sweet Italian Sausage (I buy the stuffed sausages and cut the casings)
1 pound ground beef.
1 onion
1 green pepper
4 Large cloves of garlic
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 TBS white sugar
1 TBS dried basil
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 TBS salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 cups fresh parsley
Tinkyada GF Brown Rice Noodles (of course you can substitute, but I personally believe these to be the best)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
12 ounces mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
In your lasagna pan, fill with warm water and set your lasagna noodles to soak. By the time the sauce is ready, your noodles will be perfect for cooking (drain and set aside before assembly).
In a dutch oven, cook sausage, beef, onion, bell pepper & garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in all tomatoes and water. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, 1 TBS salt, pepper and 1/2 the amount of parsley. Simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley and 1/2 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To Assemble:
Begin layers with sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, cheese, more sauce & then parmesan cheese. Add additional layers. Top with cheese.
Cover with foil - to prevent sticking, spray foil with cooking spray or use toothpicks to make a 'tent'.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 25 minutes or until cheese has turned a nice color of golden brown. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
tornado.
Our town was hit by a tornado. Branches flew everywhere and apples from our tree were chucked at the house. The lake grew waves to heights of 3 feet - which are huge seeing as the 'lake' is merely a fishing hole that can easily be swam across. The kids and I spent the better half of an afternoon hiding out in our stanky basement. Our house made it through unscathed, but the storm put in motion a series of events that can only be described as, well, not cool.
The power went out. This happens a lot out here. This was probably the sixth time it has been out this year. No electricity is bad enough, but our water pump is also run on power which means we also had no water. AND did you know that you need water to flush a toilet? Four people in a house with no lights, water or bathroom facilities make for a non appealing time. At least it happened at night when the kids were already in bed. Too bad it was still out when they got up the next morning and had to pee.
Due to the storm, a bird flew into the garage. We tried to shoo him out but unfortunately we left the door to the house open and the bird decided that our kitchen would be more fun to escape to.
As Troy was chasing the bird around the inside of our house, I decided that it would be smart to charge my laptop and cell in my car so that we could at least listen to music, check our email and let the kids watch a movie. My phone slipped from my hand on the way as I ducked flying fowl and the face smashed into a hundred pieces. Did I mention that my cell is an iphone? I am still not recovered from the heated argument that followed with the Apple rep who nastily told me that they were not going to cover the damage by warranty and that it would cost me $250 to replace a six inch piece of glass.
Meanwhile, Troy was able to grab the bird and release it outside. I guess the bird wasn't happy with that and quickly flew back into the garage. As soon as I ceased pounding my fists and feet against the floor and wailing over my phone like the toddler I truly am, I went out to finish plugging in the laptop to the car. As I stepped out, WOOSH, the bird flew over my house and back into the house.
Still no power.
I dressed the kids and threw them into the car. Being anywhere other than home was my deepest desire. Troy went to work catching the bird. Again. And once again he released it, but not without another escape into the garage. Eff it. We went out for breakfast.
The day did get a little better from there. My Dad came for a visit and took my mind off of not being able to poop in peace. We dinked around town trying to take up hours. Eventually the electricity returned a full 24 hours after it went out.
Today is much nicer indeed. I tried out another brownie recipe for the bakery and am pretty sure that it's 'the one'. I still need to tweak a few minor details, but it was definitely delish. I am going to try another batch tonight and see what Troy thinks. While they baked, I organized my craft hutch and made a little fun hair bow holder for Marnie's room. I now have the table space to properly set up my new embroidery machine and learn the ropes. Maybe I will get to that tonight.
Maybe not though because I have started to learn yet another craft and I might be too engrossed with that. I am so easily swayed by new projects. I do not posses the power to say no....
Marnie was bit by the art bug today also. She took it out on my wall. Although less than enthusiastic with her choice of canvas, I do have to say this is some of her best work.
The power went out. This happens a lot out here. This was probably the sixth time it has been out this year. No electricity is bad enough, but our water pump is also run on power which means we also had no water. AND did you know that you need water to flush a toilet? Four people in a house with no lights, water or bathroom facilities make for a non appealing time. At least it happened at night when the kids were already in bed. Too bad it was still out when they got up the next morning and had to pee.
Due to the storm, a bird flew into the garage. We tried to shoo him out but unfortunately we left the door to the house open and the bird decided that our kitchen would be more fun to escape to.
As Troy was chasing the bird around the inside of our house, I decided that it would be smart to charge my laptop and cell in my car so that we could at least listen to music, check our email and let the kids watch a movie. My phone slipped from my hand on the way as I ducked flying fowl and the face smashed into a hundred pieces. Did I mention that my cell is an iphone? I am still not recovered from the heated argument that followed with the Apple rep who nastily told me that they were not going to cover the damage by warranty and that it would cost me $250 to replace a six inch piece of glass.
Meanwhile, Troy was able to grab the bird and release it outside. I guess the bird wasn't happy with that and quickly flew back into the garage. As soon as I ceased pounding my fists and feet against the floor and wailing over my phone like the toddler I truly am, I went out to finish plugging in the laptop to the car. As I stepped out, WOOSH, the bird flew over my house and back into the house.
Still no power.
I dressed the kids and threw them into the car. Being anywhere other than home was my deepest desire. Troy went to work catching the bird. Again. And once again he released it, but not without another escape into the garage. Eff it. We went out for breakfast.
The day did get a little better from there. My Dad came for a visit and took my mind off of not being able to poop in peace. We dinked around town trying to take up hours. Eventually the electricity returned a full 24 hours after it went out.
Today is much nicer indeed. I tried out another brownie recipe for the bakery and am pretty sure that it's 'the one'. I still need to tweak a few minor details, but it was definitely delish. I am going to try another batch tonight and see what Troy thinks. While they baked, I organized my craft hutch and made a little fun hair bow holder for Marnie's room. I now have the table space to properly set up my new embroidery machine and learn the ropes. Maybe I will get to that tonight.
Maybe not though because I have started to learn yet another craft and I might be too engrossed with that. I am so easily swayed by new projects. I do not posses the power to say no....
Marnie was bit by the art bug today also. She took it out on my wall. Although less than enthusiastic with her choice of canvas, I do have to say this is some of her best work.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
gluten sucks.
Over the Fourth of July holiday of 2005, I read a book that changed my life forever. After the first chapter of Gluten Free Bible, I knew without a doubt that I had Celiac Disease and that my body was fighting itself (with dire consequences) because of wheat. I was devastated and yet a little trickle of excitement crept in from behind also because maybe, just possibly some of the problems I had been enduring were not normal...
Looking back now, I cannot believe I put up with all of the 'symptoms' that eventually lead me to conclude that I have a gluten allergy. I had a horrible case of insomnia and was barely sleeping at all, depression, I was losing hair, there were bumps all over my legs, I would bruise so badly that I was questioned about the relationship between Troy and I and of course the discomfort and embarrassment of bowel issues that almost all Celiacs experience. When bunched together, I am ashamed that I never sought a doctor's opinion to find out what the hell was wrong with me. As a teen I was diagnosed with a lactose intolerance which in turn I blamed for all of my bowel discomforts. I never thought to question it. The insomnia, bruising, hair loss and skin problems - my Mom had them also, so it was just assumed to be a hereditary problem (which of course it was - she has Celiac's disease also). This disease can be so hard to diagnose because the symptoms are not the same in every person every time. Many of the problems associated with this disease are also indicators of many other diseases and health issues. Gluten allergies are often misdiagnosed for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lactose allergies, Crohn's Disease and more. It was not until my Mom's stomach issues became so severe that cancer was feared and Celiac Disease was finally diagnosed.
I am in no way, intended or implied, an expert on Celiac Disease or gluten allergies. I simply am a girl who's body cannot handle wheat and I think it sucks. For those of you who do not have a problem with wheat, sit back and think about what items you eat that contain the ingredient... Of course there are the biggies such as bread and everything made with flour (pancakes, pastries,pasta, pretzels, etc.) but it is far more reaching than that. Flour is used to thicken so many foods that many dietary staples become untouchable - soups, gravies and sauces are almost all off limit. Wheat is a common ingredient in almost every convenience food and you can kiss all fast food goodbye.
The first few months with the disease were hard. Many people in my family, Troy included, were very doubtful of the disease. I was probably overreacting or misinformed... Celiac Disease was basically unknown. Who the hell is allergic to wheat? It was especially difficult for Troy to wrap his head around because he is a fantastic cook and would spend many hours a week cooking amazing Cajun and Creole dishes for his family to eat. Dishes his family could no longer eat because every single one of them contained this ingredient that we know had to consider poison. We had a pity party.
Eventually however, you begin to accept the new terms of your life. Health problems that you had been experiencing disappear as if by magic in the absence of wheat. When you do not discard this way of eating as you maybe would a fad diet, people around you begin to seek out information on their own and slowly choose to believe you or at the very least accept that you believe you. You begin to adjust your thinking and come to accept that eating salads for every meal is your new way of life.
But that sucks. Veggies are great, but I just cannot eat them for every meal, every day. Troy, no matter how hard he tried, could not stay away from the kitchen. The experimenting began. Over these couple of years, Troy and I have invented many dishes and tweaked many recipes so that meals could be eaten by me. A lot of the earlier tries were really disgusting. We have gotten better and now, we can make the most amazing meals and I would bet our goats that no one would ever guess that wheat was taboo in our home.
Our lives are now almost completely back to pre Celiac normalcy. I still obviously cannot order whatever I want in a restaurant or dive into Thanksgiving Dinner at my Aunt Jean's, however here in my home, we live normally. We have delicious pizza every Friday night during our Family Fun night. I bake cookies with my daughter and celebrate birthday's with yummy cake. I am lucky. I wish that for all people who suffer from this awful allergy. I hope that we can help.
Looking back now, I cannot believe I put up with all of the 'symptoms' that eventually lead me to conclude that I have a gluten allergy. I had a horrible case of insomnia and was barely sleeping at all, depression, I was losing hair, there were bumps all over my legs, I would bruise so badly that I was questioned about the relationship between Troy and I and of course the discomfort and embarrassment of bowel issues that almost all Celiacs experience. When bunched together, I am ashamed that I never sought a doctor's opinion to find out what the hell was wrong with me. As a teen I was diagnosed with a lactose intolerance which in turn I blamed for all of my bowel discomforts. I never thought to question it. The insomnia, bruising, hair loss and skin problems - my Mom had them also, so it was just assumed to be a hereditary problem (which of course it was - she has Celiac's disease also). This disease can be so hard to diagnose because the symptoms are not the same in every person every time. Many of the problems associated with this disease are also indicators of many other diseases and health issues. Gluten allergies are often misdiagnosed for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lactose allergies, Crohn's Disease and more. It was not until my Mom's stomach issues became so severe that cancer was feared and Celiac Disease was finally diagnosed.
I am in no way, intended or implied, an expert on Celiac Disease or gluten allergies. I simply am a girl who's body cannot handle wheat and I think it sucks. For those of you who do not have a problem with wheat, sit back and think about what items you eat that contain the ingredient... Of course there are the biggies such as bread and everything made with flour (pancakes, pastries,pasta, pretzels, etc.) but it is far more reaching than that. Flour is used to thicken so many foods that many dietary staples become untouchable - soups, gravies and sauces are almost all off limit. Wheat is a common ingredient in almost every convenience food and you can kiss all fast food goodbye.
The first few months with the disease were hard. Many people in my family, Troy included, were very doubtful of the disease. I was probably overreacting or misinformed... Celiac Disease was basically unknown. Who the hell is allergic to wheat? It was especially difficult for Troy to wrap his head around because he is a fantastic cook and would spend many hours a week cooking amazing Cajun and Creole dishes for his family to eat. Dishes his family could no longer eat because every single one of them contained this ingredient that we know had to consider poison. We had a pity party.
Eventually however, you begin to accept the new terms of your life. Health problems that you had been experiencing disappear as if by magic in the absence of wheat. When you do not discard this way of eating as you maybe would a fad diet, people around you begin to seek out information on their own and slowly choose to believe you or at the very least accept that you believe you. You begin to adjust your thinking and come to accept that eating salads for every meal is your new way of life.
But that sucks. Veggies are great, but I just cannot eat them for every meal, every day. Troy, no matter how hard he tried, could not stay away from the kitchen. The experimenting began. Over these couple of years, Troy and I have invented many dishes and tweaked many recipes so that meals could be eaten by me. A lot of the earlier tries were really disgusting. We have gotten better and now, we can make the most amazing meals and I would bet our goats that no one would ever guess that wheat was taboo in our home.
Our lives are now almost completely back to pre Celiac normalcy. I still obviously cannot order whatever I want in a restaurant or dive into Thanksgiving Dinner at my Aunt Jean's, however here in my home, we live normally. We have delicious pizza every Friday night during our Family Fun night. I bake cookies with my daughter and celebrate birthday's with yummy cake. I am lucky. I wish that for all people who suffer from this awful allergy. I hope that we can help.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
little bit of veg.
Today I was able to make my first meal using many ingredients from the garden. I know it is pretty late in the season, but my garden is not near what I hoped it to be. We were way too ambitious this year. I think our ambition however is quite understandable given the small plot-o-land we have had to work with in previous years. So small... When our eyes gazed upon the acre after acre of green goodness that we now call our yard, we were instantly hit with grandiose ideas of living off our land. Sense never hit us as we loaded a couple hundred dollars worth of plants and seeds into our car. Neither did it hit us as we planted said seeds into the massive rectangle of earth that we had taken us weeks to dig up. It finally occurred to us that possibly we may have taken on too much when the seedlings began to grow... and so did the weeds. I am a strong believer of growing organically. Unfortunately for me and my beliefs, I have no real knowledge of botany. I cannot tell what is an eggplant seedling and what is a pesky weed. Not wanting to pull up my precious plants, we let them all grow. My garden looks like crap frankly. I have tried to pull up weeds since, but they have taken over. I give up this year. Next year I will try again, but my mantra will be mulch, mulch, mulch.
Anyhoo, I finally was able to find a few veggies that have grown in my little weed jungle and made a very nice and very gluten free dinner. I am now waiting for Troy to come home and be impressed. We are having:
- Glumpkies rolled in purple cabbage (old family recipe and oh so delicious)
- Creamy garlic cauliflower mash
- Chunky coleslaw
- Sweet vinegar cucumbers
- New potato, green beans, and caper salad
It always tastes so much better when the goods come from your own backyard.
Anyhoo, I finally was able to find a few veggies that have grown in my little weed jungle and made a very nice and very gluten free dinner. I am now waiting for Troy to come home and be impressed. We are having:
- Glumpkies rolled in purple cabbage (old family recipe and oh so delicious)
- Creamy garlic cauliflower mash
- Chunky coleslaw
- Sweet vinegar cucumbers
- New potato, green beans, and caper salad
It always tastes so much better when the goods come from your own backyard.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
in true fashion.
Things I hate: Cartoon characters on clothing, tots dressed as if about to go man hunting in some sleazy dive bar, paying $45 for a dress for a toddler that will outgrow it within six months. I am not doing it anymore. I want to live simply and I want my children to do so also. Part of this, I believe, is to actually be a kid. You know, run, skip, play, be merry. I don't think kids get to do that too often anymore. Have you walked down a toy isle recently? The outfits on some of the dolls are outrageous! Once I dreamed of being glamorous like Barbie in all of her ball gowns and princess like outfits. Do girls still dream of being like her - only now wearing barely there outfits? I cannot even look at some of the other brands without blushing...
Anyway, I am not talking about this to merely complain. I have decided that I am not giving in and I am not going to allow my kids to be part of this hootchie kid culture. I will continue to make changes in our lifestyle to simplify and allow Marnie and Ethan to remain innocent for as long as possible.
I love the clothing styles for children from the 50's, 60's & 70's. Not all of them of course, but many. Over the past month or so (as Marnie is now outgrowing many of her outfits) I have been collecting vintage patterns in hopes of sewing most of Marnie's clothing from now on. I finally sat down to the machine to attempt my first, and I think it turned out pretty swell. I am not the greatest behind a sewing machine, but I did my best. I am sure I will improve as my clothing quest continues.
It is kind of hard to see in this picture. It is a jumpsuit from the seventies. She loves it. There is elastic at the waist and also at the top to hold it up. This was the first time I have ever done anything with elastic. The waist part did not turn out so picture perfect, so I decided to make a matching sash to tie around. It suited the jumper perfectly. I attached it on one side and then tied it on the other. It helps the garment stay up too. For my first project, I am pretty happy with it. I am going to attempt a dress from the 50's next. It seems a bit more difficult, so we will see... I also will need to learn to make button holes with my sewing machine. I wish I had been taught all of this when I was a girl. Why didn't I take home economics like my brother?
Our gardens are coming along so nicely. The plants are sprouting up all over. We are having some problems with rabbits already, but so far it is minimal. There is a huge rhubarb plant in one of the gardens that is so large and so beautiful that it was almost a shame to harvest it. But alas, it is one of my favorites, so chop, chop.
I made the most delicious Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake Cobbler. It turned out so well that I feel I need to post the recipe and spread the gluten free love.
Serves eight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2 2/3 cup of Bob's Redmill Gluten Free all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut in halves
1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter melted
1/2 cup water
In a small sauce pan, combine rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and allow mixture to reduce. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt. Add chilled butter and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbles. Add the cream and stir until all ingredients are combined.
Arrange strawberries in baking dish. Pour rhubarb mixture over strawberries. With a spoon, drop large globs of dough throughout the baking dish. Brush exposed dough with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake for 35 minutes or until dough is golden brown.
Serve with whipped cream. yummy.
I'm pretty sure it tastes better since the rhubarb is home grown... doesn't everything though?
I am thinking that I might attempt a no sugar added version for the party next Saturday. My mother-in-law is diabetic and I like to have a special something for her during events where there are many temptations. She gets in tomorrow, so we'll see if she even likes rhubarb.
Look at all of these geese. I kind of hate geese for all the poopin' and such, but how can you hang on to the hate when they stroll through your yard with a couple dozen goslings?
This picture is not very good. There were tons of them though and they were all cute. Damn geese.
Anyway, I am not talking about this to merely complain. I have decided that I am not giving in and I am not going to allow my kids to be part of this hootchie kid culture. I will continue to make changes in our lifestyle to simplify and allow Marnie and Ethan to remain innocent for as long as possible.
I love the clothing styles for children from the 50's, 60's & 70's. Not all of them of course, but many. Over the past month or so (as Marnie is now outgrowing many of her outfits) I have been collecting vintage patterns in hopes of sewing most of Marnie's clothing from now on. I finally sat down to the machine to attempt my first, and I think it turned out pretty swell. I am not the greatest behind a sewing machine, but I did my best. I am sure I will improve as my clothing quest continues.
It is kind of hard to see in this picture. It is a jumpsuit from the seventies. She loves it. There is elastic at the waist and also at the top to hold it up. This was the first time I have ever done anything with elastic. The waist part did not turn out so picture perfect, so I decided to make a matching sash to tie around. It suited the jumper perfectly. I attached it on one side and then tied it on the other. It helps the garment stay up too. For my first project, I am pretty happy with it. I am going to attempt a dress from the 50's next. It seems a bit more difficult, so we will see... I also will need to learn to make button holes with my sewing machine. I wish I had been taught all of this when I was a girl. Why didn't I take home economics like my brother?
Our gardens are coming along so nicely. The plants are sprouting up all over. We are having some problems with rabbits already, but so far it is minimal. There is a huge rhubarb plant in one of the gardens that is so large and so beautiful that it was almost a shame to harvest it. But alas, it is one of my favorites, so chop, chop.
I made the most delicious Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake Cobbler. It turned out so well that I feel I need to post the recipe and spread the gluten free love.Serves eight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2 2/3 cup of Bob's Redmill Gluten Free all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut in halves
1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter melted
1/2 cup water
In a small sauce pan, combine rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and allow mixture to reduce. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt. Add chilled butter and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbles. Add the cream and stir until all ingredients are combined.
Arrange strawberries in baking dish. Pour rhubarb mixture over strawberries. With a spoon, drop large globs of dough throughout the baking dish. Brush exposed dough with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake for 35 minutes or until dough is golden brown.
Serve with whipped cream. yummy.
I'm pretty sure it tastes better since the rhubarb is home grown... doesn't everything though?
I am thinking that I might attempt a no sugar added version for the party next Saturday. My mother-in-law is diabetic and I like to have a special something for her during events where there are many temptations. She gets in tomorrow, so we'll see if she even likes rhubarb.
Look at all of these geese. I kind of hate geese for all the poopin' and such, but how can you hang on to the hate when they stroll through your yard with a couple dozen goslings?
This picture is not very good. There were tons of them though and they were all cute. Damn geese.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
much to do about much.
Thursday evening, my Mom drove in from the city to pick up the kids. Troy and I enjoyed the evening together and had a movie marathon. It was fun, but we had planned on really celebrating our anniversary on Friday. I wish I had remembered to take a picture of the amazing breakfast that Troy cooked in celebration of us... He made the most beautiful gluten-free crepes stuffed with fresh strawberries and topped with whipped cream. yum. We then took off to look for goodies.
Every year, Troy and I buy an antique for our anniversary. We LOVE antiques, but even more than possessing them, we love to shop for them. Since moving here, we had not yet checked out any of the local shops, so we hit them all up on Friday. We don't usually have anything in mind. At least not collectively. I had thought a picnic suitcase with all the bits would be lovely. I'm not sure if Troy had any ideas beforehand - he definitely was not in sync with mine. Usually as we browse, we will stumble upon some item that is obviously for us. That day was no exception. We found this gorgeous chick hatchery from 1910. Awesome. The condition is amazing and it stands on legs, so it can be used as a table. We just fell for it as soon as we set eyes on it. Unfortunately for us, it was priced a bit out of range of the budget we had set, but we have decided to continue to set some cash aside each week until we can call it ours. You know, in the name of us. Uh, love it. I wish I had taken a photo to pine over.
After much shopping and a little buying, we came home and Troy once again returned to the kitchen. What a dinner.
Steamed lobster claws, bacon wrapped Cajun sea scallops, grilled king crab in tarragon butter, and gluten-free fried oysters. Freaking delicious. He continues to boggle the mind.
Saturday was Marnie's big 3. I missed my babies so much. It is so silly how much your heart can ache after kiddos when they have only been gone a couple of days. It was a lovely reunion though and Marnie was pretty excited about the many packages we brought with us. Per usual, her fave by far was the birthday ball. The main theme was a barbie pretend makeup set - in the middle hid a (sort of) working hair dryer.
Since we are throwing the kids a giant party, I went the route of an individual cake for the actual day. I had wanted to get her a heavily frosted cupcake, but when the only bakery in town is inside a Walmart, you have to lower your expectations. I found a little cake and then added an immense amount of pink frosting and sugar stars. She dug.
The kids and I headed to Kalamazoo on Sunday for a cousin's graduation party/pig roast. Yup. It was fine and all. People went a bit crazy with the hooch, but at least it was entertaining. Yesterday morning though, Ethan awoke with a 104 temp. He was difficult to rouse and simply not himself. We got him home quickly and made many efforts to bring down his temp. We were in constant contact with his doctor and were ready to head out to the hospital in a second if the situation became worse. It was so scary to see him that way. Finally his fever broke in late afternoon and he returned to his crazy self by evening time. Ethan is such a sweet thang. He managed to smile through most of the day... even as he sat in a bath with ice.
Yesterday, in addition to a sick kid, we also had a trapped bird in our fireplace. Troy had sworn he had been hearing a ghost in the house for a couple of days. Well, no. It was just a bird. What gave it away? Maybe it was the BIRD knocking his beak against the glass of the fireplace. I swear I don't know what he would do if he lived alone. Anyway, Troy was able to get at it after a few hours of trying. It was fine. *
And then in another lovely dinner from the boy. My favorite in fact. I think the rice needs some tweaking and I could do without the k.r.a.b., but overall it was good and so nice of him to try.
He said that this was for me, but it was really for him... Gluten-free chocolate cake. I'll admit it was pretty good.
Today we are back to normal. No more birthdays or holidays. Well, that is until Ethan turns one next week. And did I mention that the mother-in-law is arriving in a few days? Yup. We have a christening party to attend in a couple of days also and I have yet to make a gift or even search for ideas. Oh, and the ladies' wedding in which the gift is far from complete. And those birthday banners that need to be made before the party... I'm screwed.
* Don't mind the crying man in the photo - for he is not actually crying, merely deathly allergic to grass spores. Spring is trying to off him.
Every year, Troy and I buy an antique for our anniversary. We LOVE antiques, but even more than possessing them, we love to shop for them. Since moving here, we had not yet checked out any of the local shops, so we hit them all up on Friday. We don't usually have anything in mind. At least not collectively. I had thought a picnic suitcase with all the bits would be lovely. I'm not sure if Troy had any ideas beforehand - he definitely was not in sync with mine. Usually as we browse, we will stumble upon some item that is obviously for us. That day was no exception. We found this gorgeous chick hatchery from 1910. Awesome. The condition is amazing and it stands on legs, so it can be used as a table. We just fell for it as soon as we set eyes on it. Unfortunately for us, it was priced a bit out of range of the budget we had set, but we have decided to continue to set some cash aside each week until we can call it ours. You know, in the name of us. Uh, love it. I wish I had taken a photo to pine over.
After much shopping and a little buying, we came home and Troy once again returned to the kitchen. What a dinner.
Steamed lobster claws, bacon wrapped Cajun sea scallops, grilled king crab in tarragon butter, and gluten-free fried oysters. Freaking delicious. He continues to boggle the mind.
Saturday was Marnie's big 3. I missed my babies so much. It is so silly how much your heart can ache after kiddos when they have only been gone a couple of days. It was a lovely reunion though and Marnie was pretty excited about the many packages we brought with us. Per usual, her fave by far was the birthday ball. The main theme was a barbie pretend makeup set - in the middle hid a (sort of) working hair dryer.
Since we are throwing the kids a giant party, I went the route of an individual cake for the actual day. I had wanted to get her a heavily frosted cupcake, but when the only bakery in town is inside a Walmart, you have to lower your expectations. I found a little cake and then added an immense amount of pink frosting and sugar stars. She dug.
The kids and I headed to Kalamazoo on Sunday for a cousin's graduation party/pig roast. Yup. It was fine and all. People went a bit crazy with the hooch, but at least it was entertaining. Yesterday morning though, Ethan awoke with a 104 temp. He was difficult to rouse and simply not himself. We got him home quickly and made many efforts to bring down his temp. We were in constant contact with his doctor and were ready to head out to the hospital in a second if the situation became worse. It was so scary to see him that way. Finally his fever broke in late afternoon and he returned to his crazy self by evening time. Ethan is such a sweet thang. He managed to smile through most of the day... even as he sat in a bath with ice.
Yesterday, in addition to a sick kid, we also had a trapped bird in our fireplace. Troy had sworn he had been hearing a ghost in the house for a couple of days. Well, no. It was just a bird. What gave it away? Maybe it was the BIRD knocking his beak against the glass of the fireplace. I swear I don't know what he would do if he lived alone. Anyway, Troy was able to get at it after a few hours of trying. It was fine. *
And then in another lovely dinner from the boy. My favorite in fact. I think the rice needs some tweaking and I could do without the k.r.a.b., but overall it was good and so nice of him to try.
He said that this was for me, but it was really for him... Gluten-free chocolate cake. I'll admit it was pretty good.
Today we are back to normal. No more birthdays or holidays. Well, that is until Ethan turns one next week. And did I mention that the mother-in-law is arriving in a few days? Yup. We have a christening party to attend in a couple of days also and I have yet to make a gift or even search for ideas. Oh, and the ladies' wedding in which the gift is far from complete. And those birthday banners that need to be made before the party... I'm screwed.
* Don't mind the crying man in the photo - for he is not actually crying, merely deathly allergic to grass spores. Spring is trying to off him.
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