American Chop Suey, Comfort Food

According to Wikipedia, Chop Suey literally means "assorted pieces".

Growing up in New England, the winters were cold and we ate a lot of our versions of comfort foods.  This is and always has been, one of my favorite dishes. 

The basic ingredients:

That's a bag of Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta Elbow Macaroni, 2 1/2 pound packages of ground beef.  One onion and a jar of light Ragu tomato and basil pasta sauce.

I will not now, possibly never, tell you how to do every little thing.  I believe there are plenty of people who will be happy to tell you how.  I will let them.  Then, come back here.

First up, I boiled the pasta.  It's gluten free, and that has one major drawback.  If you follow the pasta bag's instructions, you will have a pot of mush.  What is it with gluten free packaging that suggests pasta be mush, baked goods be burnt, oh, I could go on.  DO NOT FOLLOW SUGGESTED cooking times.  Use your noodle people! 

I boiled a pot of water (directions are somewhere else on this world wide web).  I added/poured in/dumped in the bag of pasta.  STIR!  Stir often during the first few minutes.  If not, you will have globs of pasta.  Try it, you'll see.

While the pasta was boiling, I chopped onions.  The organized person had all of their ingredients chopped and ready.  I worked all day, then kept an appointment.  I start one part, then get the next part ready.  It's my dinner, after all.

Add some oil to a frying pan.  How much?  Enough to cover the bottom of the fry pan.  Add your chopped onions to the oiled fry pan, and ...

Now, if you're crafty, you could add chopped garlic, peppers, mushrooms, carrots or celery.  There's no limit to what you can add to your pan.  Make it yours, add whatever makes you happy.  I'm happy with plain chopped onions.

When the onions start to soften, add the meat.  Chop up the meat, get the meat mixed in with the onions.

Make sure to mix it all together

   

It should look like this.  I pour off the liquid, do you?

It does not matter which goes in the baking pan first, the pasta, the meat or the sauce.  Does Not Matter.  Pick a 9 x 13 pan, set the oven for 350.

Okay, so have I told you there's no exact method here?  I picked up a jar of my favorite sauce.

I love this sauce!  I found it several years ago, before I could eat basil without saying how much I don't like it.  I'm used to it, and it's the only one I'll buy.  How about that, Ragu?

In my newly appointed pre-diabetic lifestyle, sugar grams count.  So seeing 6 grams of fat for a tomato based sauce doesn't scare me. No Sugar Added.  See it on the label below, on the left?  Yellow letters.  No Sugar Added.  It's also low in fat.  In fact, it even counted as a vegetable on an older Weight Watchers program.  The only problem was that I don't love lots of sauce.  So 1/2 cup sounded like a lot. 1/2 cup has 60 calories, 1 g fat, 0 cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 6 grams of sugar and 2 grams of dietary fiber.  Plus Vitamins and iron.  Have I gushed enough?

I took this jar, and poured it over the meat and onion in my pan.

Add the al dente pasta. On top.  Mix them together, but be gentle with the pasta.  Some gluten free pasta breaks when stirred.  Not this one.  Hmm, purposeful that I chose Tinkyada pasta.  Oh Tinkyada, over here.

Well, your oven should be well heated, so go ahead and pop this in.  Let it rest in there.  Stir after 15 minutes, if you remember.  If you don't , mix it gently when you remove it from the oven, after the 30 minutes you set your timer for.  Didn't set your timer?  Ooops.

Now this could use a bit of salt to pull out the flavors.  I don't use salt often, do you?  So I add one my most favorite ingredients.

Parmesan cheese.  I'm not sure if there can ever be enough.  Add some on top.  Add the cheese while the pasta is hot.  Watch it melt.  Of course, if you don't want to add parmesan, please don't.  Then, there'll be more for me.

With this dish, I most certainly will have a salad.  This one is my favorite.  Calling Fresh Express!

   Oh, yes.  2 ingredients.  Green Butter Lettuce and Red Leaf Lettuce.  Must be the natural sugar in this lettuce that keeps me coming back.  1 gram of sugar, no fat, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein.  I have been known to eat an entire bag.  In one sitting.  Uh huh.

Be smart, add other vegetables to your salad.  Some of my common add-in's include carrots, cucumber, tomato, mushrooms.  What are your favorite vegetables to add to the salad bowl? 

Careful with the dressing.  I keep promising myself that I will make my own.  Stay tuned, but please keep breathing.

Of course, if you are a carb addict as I claim to be, take some Udi's gluten free hot dog rolls, add your favorite garlic spread or flavoring and toast them up.  Yup!  If I had just remembered to take a picture before I ate those.  They got some parmesan cheese too.  They were good.

Oh so many thanks to www.myblogspark.com.  They sent me a $25 Publix gift card, so I could celebrate the Publix Viva Italian celebration and sale.  They offered me nothing else.  $25 to make an Italian meal.  No shopping list, it was all up to me.  So I made it my way, gluten free, sugar free and low fat.  I hope you enjoy.

Carnation Breakfast Essentials

I contacted the good folks at Carnation Breakfast Essentials yesterday to discuss their gluten free status.  I was told that they "mistakenly" list wheat gluten on their products, and the speaker did not know when they would correct their packaging.

She told me that in the line of powders, only the Chocolate Malt flavor is not gluten free.  They are all made on the same line, with a complete wash down between flavors, and that the Chocolate Malt flavor is make last on the line.

I'm curious why they wouldn't change their packaging, or announce on their website that they are gluten free.  Why don't you call, ask the questions, and see what answers you get?  We might just get to the bottom of this.

Susan, Thank you for contacting CARNATION® BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS™, an excellent breakfast choice with 21 vitamins and minerals. As a service to our consumers, we chose to disclose all sources of gluten by adding a statement on the label indicating the existence of barley in CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS. The degree of sensitivity to gluten varies among individuals, please discuss with your physician if you have concerns. The flavorings used in CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Ready to Drink contain barley malt syrup, which contribute less than 1 part per million of barley gluten in the final product. For CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS powder, the only variety containing gluten is CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Chocolate Malt, which has wheat flour and barley extracts. All other CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS powder varieties do not contain gluten. However, we want to inform you that all varieties are processed on the same equipment as CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Chocolate Malt. Gluten sensitivity does vary among individuals, so we advise you to consult with your physician. Your interest is appreciated, and we hope you'll visit us at CarnationBreakfastEssentials.com for the latest information on our products and promotions. You can also visit our Where to Buy section where you can find a store near you, order by phone or purchase online through our Nestlé Nutrition eStore™. 040276542A MCALLPE1/OCONNJA1

Wishing you the best of health carnationbreakfastessentials.com

What a Katz Giveaway!

My good friends, those kind folks over at Katz Gluten Free are sponsoring a giveaway.  They are offering a grand prize of 40 (count 'em) products. Can you imagine having a package with all of their delectable products arrive at your door?  Clean out the freezer, toss out the meat, Katz is here.

For a review of their chocolate cupcakes, go here.  For a review of their marble loaf, go here.  And for a review of their cinamon rugellach, go here. I have been known to say that given a package of their rugellach, and a few hours alone, I'd be a happy girl.

So, here's the deal.  Spend $30, get free shipping."SummerPie1" gets you $4 off Apple pie, "SummerPie2" gets you $4 off Cherry pie, and "SummerPie3" gets you $4 off one pie.  Have you seen these pies?  Go now, to Katz Gluten Free,

Oh, and the sweetest part of this deal?  I might get to raffle off some of their products.  Details soon!  First, go check out Katz Gluten Free.  Check out their amazing product selection, Have you tried their pizza crust?  Why not?

Adopt A GF Blogger July 2011

For my first time EVER, I participated in Adopt A Gluten Free Blogger.  The idea is that you 'adopt' a blogger, and make at least one dish that they've posted.

How hard can that be?  Ahem.

First, allow me to introduce you to Nicole of Gluten Free on a Shoestring.  Nicole is a delightful lady.  When I told her I had adopted her, she asked me if I had a room ready for her.  When I answered that there was always room for her, she told me she had her toothbrush and pots and pans already packed.

Nicole's view on gluten free is absolutely in sync with mine.  Buying gluten free packaged goods will wipe out your savings quicker than you can imagine.

Now imagine this, I promised to make one of her dishes, I wasn't feeling well, and didn't have the resources to stock up on lots of new to me ingredients.  Think Food Network Chopped.  I took inventory in my kitchen, found a recipe on Nicole's site I had never made, and voila!

Egg in the Gluten Free Hole

This was not a dish that my New England parents ever made (to my best knowledge).  I didn't even like fried eggs until I got older, until I rationalized that I could have the richness of a fried egg yolk, for the same nutrition as the scrambled ones I lived on in youth?

Keeping in mind that I'd barely been eating, and it will start to make sense.  Start with Nicole's recipe.  Thick gluten free bread.  I have Udi's, not too thick.  OK?  Next, use a 2" biscuit cutter to cut a hole in said thick bread.

Meet my bread and biscuit cutter:

Ok, so at least there's crust left.  Using the tip of my usual knife, I edged out the middle.  Plop some butter (sigh, that will be the last of butter in my house) in a fry pan, and add the bread, including the bread "hole".  Now, add the egg into the actual hole in the bread.

Cook until you think it's time to flip.  Then flip over the egg and bread, and don't forget to flip over the "hole".

So, this one was a bit messy, but had a mostly runny yoke, which is just the way I like it.

But you know better, don't you.  I wanted perfection, the perfect Egg in the Gluten Free Hole.  So I tried again.  Poked the juice glass through the bread again.  Put more butter in the pan, added the bread, cracked an egg, and landed it!

Check the way that egg landed right in the hole.  It was a beautiful moment.  I cooked and flipped.  Oh, and put a cover on it, to help it cook.  I flipped before taking this picture.

It's still looking beautiful, but alas, with the cover it cooked much quicker.  The yolk cooked solid.




So, here's the picture of my second serving of the evening.

Ok, so the pictures looking a bit fuzzy.  But to me, it looks a lot like the pic my new friend Nicole posted.  You check it out, let me know!

Egg in the Gluten Free Hole

While you're there, check out her other recipes.  Because if you're feeling ok, and have an appetite, she has lots of other great recipes to try.  Let me know what you think, ok?

Pie Party

It was a cry heard round the web.  Pie Day, July 5, 2011.  I was there when it started on Twitter, the discussion of pie.  There were a few cravers, and it turned into a "Who's in?" kind of volley.  It spread to Facebook, and over a 1,000 contributors.

 True confessions?  I made a pie, once.  With a guy I used to know.  It was apple and it was good.  Lately, I've done without.  I didn't grown up eating pie, and it wasn't a 'need'.  I tried something new here.  I won't repeat it the same way again.  Actually, I did try though, three times.

Double Chocolate Mousse Pie

So, that looks like it has whipped cream?  That, my friends, is the newest treat I might miss.  Not, in fact, whipped cream, but white chocolate mousse.  On top of chocolate mousse.







Next up, was the chocolate crunch pie.  Chocolate mousse, again with white chocolate mousse on top.  Some of the crunchy pie crust on top.

Double Chocolate Crunch Pie

Finally, there was the Chocolate Fudge Mousse Pie.  With Ghiradelli Intense Dark Evening Dream 60% Cacao pieces.  They added a nice crunch too, and they were chocolate.

Chocolate Decadence Pie

They were all very good.  Very easy to make.  Easy to eat.  I reaffirmed that I am lactose intolerant with these pies.  But, it might have been worth it.

Maybe someday the lactose issues will quiet down again.  I know the white chocolate mousse will be there, ready when I am.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July!

July Gluten Free Cooking Class

Gluten Free Cooking for Summer

Tuesday, July 12th  6:30-8:00 PM

Join Chef Joe as he demonstrates how to create Gluten Free dishes perfect for summer that are quick and easy for anyone to prepare!  Be sure to bring your appetite and your Gluten Free questions.  Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

Holiday Weekend Give Away

While I'm trying to heal quickly, there are some great things going on around me.

Getting great tweets from GIG 2011 (Gluten Intolerance Group), which is happening up the road a bit in Orlando.

Shirley of Gluten Free Easily is conducting a great giveaway.  Canyon Gluten Free Bakehouse Hamburger Buns, Five Star All-Natural Meat Marinade, and more!  This giveaway will keep someone very BBQ happy.

Back to my coursework, so I can take time on the 4th and watch fireworks with a friend.

What will you be doing to celebrate the Fourth of July?  BBQ?  Fireworks?

Lazy, summer days

Hello all!

I have once again neglected my blog.  Please don't take it personally, I have also neglected many other aspects of my daily existence.

Why have I been so neglectful?  Those of you who follow me on Twitter know there's been illness.  Those of you who really know me, know there's this online course.  Where articles need to be read off the webpage, and assignments (2-3 per week) must be posted.  Responses to others postings must be done 3 days per week.

I have reviews waiting to be posted.  So here's the plan.  Post reviews, then get back to the meat of the matter.  Indulge me as I giggle at that one.

Just about at that time, I will be ready to share more about what I'm eating.  Right now, I am in 'figure it out mode'.  Changes are being made.  Gluten free?  Absolutely!  A few more changes, that I will address when I'm hungry enough to eat.  Soon!

Be well, and I'll return.

Sue

One of my favorite dishes

Chicken Cacciatore

This was a favorite recipe, never photographed, that I learned shortly after I began eating gluten free.  Printed here, with permission of Chef Joe, of Whole Foods Market in Wellington, FL.

Chicken Cacciatore
3 lb. chicken breast, cut up
1/2 C Gluten Free Baking Mix
1 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/4 C 365 Extra Virgin olive oil
1 medium onion
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
4 - 14 1/2 oz. cans 365 crushed tomatoes, with juice
1 can olives, sliced, drained
4 oz. tomato puree or paste
1/2 C red wine
1 lb. Andean Dream GF pasta

Add salt and pepper to the GF flour, and dust chicken with the mix.  Saute chicken in olive oil until golden brown.

Move to plate with paper towels to drain.  Pour off remaining oil from the pan.  Place drained chicken back in pan.  Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer over low heat, 20 to 30 minutes.  Adjust seasoning.

While chicken is simmering, cook GF pasta in salted water until 'al dente', do not overcook pasta.  Drain pasta.

Spoon Chicken Cacciatore over pasta and serve.  Approximate # of servings:  6

Notes:
I have made this using 2 jars of Ragu Light Tomato & Basil Pasta sauce, and omitted the basil.
I usually serve over rice, often brown rice.
I don't like olives and have left them out.  This recipe is amenable like that.
365 is Whole Foods Everyday Value line.

Bye bye sugar!

It is with great sadness, that I announce I must end my love affair with sugar.  Refined stuff, you've been too good a friend.  I will miss you!

Blog in progress

While this blog is being rebuilt, I want to share this sad, but true, animated video.  Debating which is less healthy for the human body, are a soda and a burger.  This is one that must be seen to be believed.

Soda vs. Burger

Can Conan cook?

OMG!  This video has me laughing!  All too funny!  Watch whenever life seems overwhelming, can only make you feel better.

Curtis Stone teaches Conan to cook!


Disclaimer:  Blog is undergoing construction.  Changes will happen, and life will settle down again.  I hope.

Quick Dinner

Having only a few minutes, and 1/2 of an appetite, I made a quick dinner. 

I sprayed a corn tortilla with cooking spray, and placed into a heated skillet.  Flipped it over a few times, before placing a low fat Laughing Cow French Onion cheese on one half, sprinkled with Adobo powder, and flipped the other half over.  Pressed it down, making sure to keep the cheese inside, flipped it once, and thoroughly enjoyed.  As I enjoyed, I realized it would have been even better if I had halved some grape tomatoes, and quickly sauteed those with some sliced mushrooms.  Perhaps next time.

I was still a bit hungry, so I took a small container of vanilla Publix yogurt, fatfreelight, shook in some cinnamon, a squirt from my honey bear, stirred to mix, and thoroughly enjoyed.  Try it sometime!

Udi's Gluten Free Hamburger Buns

Two posts about the buns are posted on Examiner.com

Bun #1

Bun #2

Your thoughts?

California Pizza Kitchen

CPK welcomes gluten free diners this summer?  Due out on June 29, gluten free pizza crusts?

Are they taking advance reservations?  Joining me?

Lunchtime

Living in south Florida has its pluses.  Eating is impacted, as who wants a heavy meal in 90 degrees?

I needed lunch, now.  Not interested in cooking, and no leftovers on which to feast.

Peering into the fridge, I found some inspiration.  Hummus.  Sabra Roasted Pine nut Hummus.  Seeing the bag of tostadas on the counter, I figured, why not?

If you are not familiar with tostada, they are comparable to a large, unsalted, tortilla chip.  A bit greasy to the touch, they have an awesome "crunch" factor.

Breaking a tostada into pieces, I scoop some hummus.

All I can say is "Yum".  Gluten free, crispy and creamy.

I've tried several brands of hummus, and this is my current favorite.  What's your favorite hummus?

Product review: Yoplait smoothies

It's funny how some people like to try new things when available, and others wait for their friends to review.  So here goes.  Yoplait has a new line of smoothies available in the freezer case at the supermarket.  Publix had them on sale + a coupon = a sale.

Being a berry girl, I chose the triple berry smoothie.  Once I opened the package, I peeked inside.  What are the white lumps?  Ah, banana. 

Super simple to make, just follow the directions on the package.  Pour milk into blender, add fruit, *whirl*.
I am loving the fact that my finished product looks just like the package.  Do you agree?

It tasted good.  Truly.  It's just, I don't love my berries in milk.

This was on a warm summer day.  In the days of affordable, plentiful berries, I will make my own smoothies.  Come winter?  Time will tell.

Krunchers

Everyone needs to have their vices.  One of mine has always been potato chips.  Not the wavy kind, nor flavored, but the kind that my grandfather delivered from a truck.  P o t a t o C h i p s.  Wise potato chips were what he delivered, but as I moved down the east coast of the U.S., I couldn't always find Wise potato chips, so I settled.  I settled for the plain, original chips of other potato chip manufacturers.

Until now.  One day, there was a new comer on my market's shelf.  Krunchers.  Kettle cooked chips.  Um, waistine, shhhh!  There was  a 'try me free' sticker on the bags.  There was a flavor, in a purple bag, that called to me.  Sweet Hawaiian Onion.  I was daring.  I bought the bag.  I liked them.  The nice people over at Krunchers did the right thing.  I mailed in the form, with my receipt.  They sent me a coupon for a free bag, and two coupons for $1 off future purchases.  Those marketing people, they're evil!  My waistline doesn't thank them, but my tastebuds do!

Think folded over, crunchy, kettle cooked chips.  Loaded with flavor.  Think about your favorite onion dip.  Think about tweaking the sweetness.  Now, imagine having that flavor baked into the chips.

Those coupons?  They're gone, spent.  The kind folks over at Publix had the chips on sale, for a while.

The enemy:

How do you get your crunch on?

* I was not compensated in any manner for this publication.  I bought the chips, including rebates and coupons, with my own money.

Tilapia, yum!

Gourmet cook?  maybe?  Best gourmet in my house?  ABSOLUTELY!

Fish of my freezer:  tilapia.  Found a great sale, and the pieces of fish are individually cryo frozen.

Ingredients:

butter
lemon
tilapia
corn, cooked on the cob, and shucked
grape tomatoes, rinsed and halved
shallot, sliced
sea salt
pepper

Okay, read up on Simply Tilapia to get started, then come back to this post.  Cook the tilapia in the butter.  Make sure to season both sides with some salt and pepper.  Squeeze 1/2 of a fresh lemon over the tilpia in the pan.

Ingredients or Simple Tilapia

Cooking the tilapia in lemon and butter.  Don't forget to season with salt and pepper!

Ready to go beyond Simple Tilapia

When the tilapia is cooked, remove it from the pan.  Add another 1 T of butter to the pan, and add the sliced shallot.  Cook them for a minute, until they become translucent.  Add the corn kernels, and the halved grape tomatoes.  Cover the pan!  The kernels will *pop*, not open like the movie theater kind, but will *pop* out of the pan onto your stove top, and counter, and...well, cover that pan!  Continue shaking, as you don't want any of this goodness to stick to the pan, and cook for another minute or so.

Shake all of the vegetables onto a bed or brown rice, or directly on the plate (I didn't make any rice this evening).  Place the tilapia on top of the vegetables, and squeeze more fresh lemon juice over all.  Reseason to taste, if it needs more salt and/or pepper, go ahead.

Served with a side green salad, this is a definite winner!  I've had people drooling over the picture.  It was good enough to eat, so I did.

Gluten free, with pizzazz.

Simply tilapia

I heard the call:  Eat fish!  I found a phenomenal sale on tilapia, and decided to indulge.

With just a few simple ingredients, I had a fantastic dinner.  Ready?


These are the ingredients used to make my tilapia.  Missing from the picture is the sea salt.

Put about 1/2 Tbsp of butter in a heated pan.  Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the tilapia to the pan, and season the tilapia with sea salt and pepper.  Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the fish.  (Yes, I took this picture before seasoning.)

When the fish is solid on the bottom, while still pink on top, flip the fish over.  Season this side with sea salt and pepper.

This will be great with some steamed vegetables and a boiled or baked potato.  Serve lemon wedges to further enhance the tilapia.

What have you been eating?

EnerG Donut Holes:  I got a case (6 pack) of these, split the case with a coworker.  Hers lasted a week.  I managed to save a pack, and ate them last week.  Tossed with powder sugar, they were good.  Very good.  A 'filling your stomach' feeling that salad just doesn't give me.  Have you tried them?







Pur Bars in Apple Cinnamon  Another new product in my home is the Pur bar.  So far, I've only had the apple cinnamon bar.  Loaded with organic goodness:  dates, apples, almonds, walnuts, and cinnamon, sweetened with agave, these are delicious!  I keep one with my always, in case I ever miss a meal and need to eat something, quick!  Oh, and I did share two of these bars.  The rest, well, sometimes being selfish is ok, right?



What have you been eating?


Good ahead, click the links.  The pictures are just there to look good.

Disclosure:  I received samples of both of these items at a sample night sponsored by the South Florida Celiac Support Group in January.  I have purchased a case of each of these items since, and have not received any compensation from either company.

Roasted vegetables

Roasted vegetables.  My new love.  Who would ever have dreamed, that I would long for the days that I could eat roasted vegetables?  I wrote about this on Examiner.com.

I wrote that roasted shallots with green beans is divine.  And it is. 

I wrote about trying brussel sprouts in butter sauce.  I ate two.  Then I put the bowl down.  It was too much cabbage in my mouth.  I thought about this for a while.  When I picked up the bowl again, the ants had invaded. (This is FL).  I threw the rest down the drain.  

Then I read about roasted brussel sprouts.  I had to try them.  The sell point was to cut the brussel sprouts in half.  So, I cut the core off, and soaked them in water for 10 minutes, so any cling-ons could be set free.  I cut them in half, and tossed them with olive oil, then sprinkled some kosher salt.  Approx. 30 minutes in a 400 F oven, and I dug in.  I liked them, but limit myself to about 4 at a time (8 halves).  After that I lose interest.  But hey, that is more brussel sprout than I have ever eaten.  Ever. 

I went to the store to buy more brussel sprouts.  They were out.  But I met a lady, who told me she did the same with green beans.  I tried it, and don't know how I didn't think of this.  I added more sliced shallots with the green beans, and I ate a pound one night.

Last time I went shopping, I didn't have enough money for shallots, but I bought a sweet onion.  I tried it tonight.  Chopped sweet onion, roasted with green beans.  Yum!!!  I had serious thoughts about roasting the rest of that onion.  It may happen, soon.  I don't mind if I can't ever again afford shallots, as long as there's sweet onion around.

Anyways, I got a new recipe idea that I'll post soon.  In the meantime, check out my articles on Examiner.com  I wrote that roasted shallots with green beans is divine. And it is. .  You may just get a new idea, that you'll share back with me.  Please?

Thanksgiving in review

Thanksgiving:  turkey, stuffing, grean beans, cranberry sauce.  Sweet potatoes.

As I am the only non-gluten eater at the table, I have quickly figured out that whatever I offer to bring is safe for me to eat.  I also keep in mind the diabetic person at the table, and the lactose intolerant person at the table.

For my contribution to the feast, I checked online for recipes, and came up with two that I will be making again.

I loved these grean beans.  Gluten free, sugar free and lactose free, and they taste wonderful.  I will definitely make these again, soon!

Green Beans with Shallots and Almonds

Having read about the pitfalls of high fructose corn syrup, I was ready to skip the canned cranberry sauce this year.  But Ocean Spray need not fear.  I bought Ocean Spray fresh cranberries!  Add a Fiji (or Granny Smith or...), water and sugar (Splenda was used to protect the diabetic guest).

Jellied Cranberry Sauce with Fiji Apple

I don't mind saying that other people's recipes are often more interesting than what I feed myself, but the level of what I feed myself has risen.

What was your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

Thanksgiving dishes

It's that time of year again.  The time when despite our very best dieting efforts, we give it all up, for the glory of feeling satiated.

Being gluten free doesn't mean you can't fill up.  How about Balsamic-honey roasted root vegetables?  Apple-vegetable stuffing?  How about a pumpkin parfait to finish the meal.  Even I liked it!

Please check out all of these recipes on my examiner page:

http://www.examiner.com/x-21375-West-Palm-Beach-GlutenFree-Food-Examiner

Homemade Corn Chips

Have you discovered corn tortillas?  Do you know that I love to load them with melted cheese, and whatever else is handy?

Today, I was frying sweet potato, specifically boniato slices.  I liked them better when I sliced them using the peeler, that day once upon a time when I had patience.

After frying the potato, I still had oil in the pot.  I took a stack of corn tortillas, created 6 triangles of each, and plopped them into the hot oil.

Out of the oil onto paper towels, a light shake of the salt shaker, and crunchy yum.  (Is that my new favorite word?)

I think sugar and cinnamon might have been a nice touch too, but there will be other days, other days of *gasp* frying at home.  Other corn chips.

Product Review: Thai Kitchen Original Pad Thai

I love Pad Thai.  I have for a long time, since the first time I tried it.  Locally, I love the Pad Thai at Stir Crazy in Boca at the Town Center. 

Unfortunately,  I don't live close to Stir Crazy, and I don't know where to try it closer to W. Palm Beach.  So what's a girl to do?

Thai Kitchen to the rescue.

I followed the recipe on the package, almost.  It called for 4 oz. of chicken breast.  Mine was closer to 6 oz.  Also, I added 8 oz. of mushrooms (I like them, and there was a package in the fridge needing to be used).  If you like peanuts, then chopped peanuts added on top after cooking would be awesome.

This is good eating.  I liked it.  The box says it serves 2, but maybe because of what I added, I got 3 large servings.  All good.

Disclaimer:  I purchased my package of Thai Kitchen Original Pad Thai at Publix.  I have not been compensated in any manner, nor do I expect to be compensated.

Note:  Their website is terrific!  The not only show their products, but for the Thai food lovers among us, they have some great gluten free recipes to share.

November gluten free cooking class

Thursday, November 12th

Whole Foods, Wellington, FL

6:30-8:00pm | Free
Join Chef Joe as he demonstrates how to prepare Gluten Free holiday recipes that taste great and will make it easy to enjoy the holidays.  Bring your appetite and your gluten free questions.  Pre-registration required with Customer Service. 561-904-4000

Potate, onion, and cheese. oh my

Confession:  I live alone.  Therefore, cleaning my kitchen, and having it exclusively gluten free, was, well, not exactly easy, but not so hard.

Since I cook for me, I tend to stick to things I know I'll like.  Having said that, how do I know I like them?  In my 3.5 months of being gluten free, I've tried many new combinations of food, and liked many.

I boldly stepped into the produce section of Publix one day, and had my first introduction with Boniato potatoes.  Basically, a white fleshed sweet potato, which is drier and less sweet than the orange flesh one we all know.  Well, if you read as I did, sources said they can be prepared the same way you would prepare any sweet potato..

Take one boniato potato, one needing to be used Vidalia onion, dice, toss with olive oil, and put in pan in hot oven (350-400).  I expected to get roasted potatoes.  Not sure what I did wrong, but the potatoes were soft and very dry.

I produced one of my Sunday morning specials (formerly known as Sunday pasta brunch).  I mashed the potato and onion, added the remains of a container of cottage cheese, the last ounce of cream cheese, a good palmful of parmigiana cheese, and a leftover package of sharp cheddar cheese from a Sargento Potato Finishers package.  Still, lacking something.  I put the combination into a plastic container, tucked into the fridge, to live out its days.

Flash forward too many days, and I tasted the potato mixture, which now had flavor!!  I added 2 eggs, and good size spoonful of sour cream.  I spray a small casserole dish with non stick spray, and put it in the oven.

What emerged was very puffy (thanks eggs!), and really good.  I couldn't find my camera until day 3 of leftovers, but the picture will be added soon.

What will I create next??? And will I eat it?  Stay tuned...

Great Email from...

Do you know about www.befreeforme.com ?  Their emails always have an interesting quotation, and recipe suggestions, all gluten free, are listed below.

On todays distribution, there were recipes on cooking with seasonal fruit, and recommendations for gluten free Halloween candy.

Interested?  Click above, sign up, and get your own, worth reading, emails.

Potato galette

Have you ever heard about PulpKitchen?  Steve Blair has a great sense of pizzazz, and isn't afraid to share it.  With his permission, enjoy this decadent side dish with friends, or dig in alone!

To receive your own copy of his emails, sign up at www.pulpkitchen.com.

Potato Galette 

Potato galettes can be done on the stove top in a frypan, or baked as described below.  The key to a great gallette is crispiness.  This oven baked galette is not unlike Scalloped Potatoes, or a Gratin, except instead of all the milk and the cream, you have cheese.

3 T. olive oil
1 yellow onion
3 yellow potatoes
salt & pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 c. grated Gruyere
1 c. grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400. Heat oil in frypan over medium-low heat. Mince onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the potatoes as thin as possible as if you were making homemade potato chips.  Place in bowl with seasonings.  Add onion & oil from frypan to the bowl and stir to coat all the potatoes.  Grease a deep-sided square or round casserole.  A springform pan works well.  Layer with potatoes, salt & pepper, and then some cheese.  Proceed until all ingredients are used.  This could be 2 to 4 layers, depending on the pan you use and how thin or thick your potato slices are.
 
Take a baking sheet with sides and cover with foil (for easy clean-up later). Place your pan on this and bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is browned and the potatoes are fork-tender.

Accidental Risotto

Sometimes, magic happens in your pot, and while the results aren't what you expected, they're still pretty good.

Hence, magic hit the pot of rice I was making for a dinner party.  Read about it on my Examiner.com page.

After you read about Accidental Risotto, go ahead and read about Breakfast Porridge. 

I added a spoon or two of brown sugar, a few shakes of the cinnamon shaker, a good spoonful of flaxseed (I finally found a dish to where flax seed could be added!), and a handful of raisins.  Yum!!

What would you add to a bowl of porridge to make a great breakfast?

A Giveaway from RecipeLion

From RecipeLion.com

 Check out this great giveaway!!

Annie Chun's Noodle Bowl Giveaway

The good folks over at RecipeLion are excited to give away an Annie Chun's prize package to one lucky reader. The prize package includes three new varieties of Annie Chun's Noodle and Soup Bowls, including Garlic Scallion, Korean Sweet Chili and Vietnamese Pho, as well as a shopping tote. Read on to learn more about these delicious and unique products.

Korean Sweet Chili Noodle Bowl - Gochujang is a popular Korean red chili paste with a savory flavor which is used in a variety of stews, marinades, salad dressings, and dipping sauces. This uniquely sweet and spicy condiment can be found in simple, traditional Korean dishes. With this noodle bowl, Annie Chun’s has combined the same authentic flavor of gochujang with fresh-cooked hokkien noodles for a quick and easy Korean-style meal that can be eaten anywhere and is ready in just two minutes. Vegan.

Garlic Scallion Noodle Bowl - Annie Chun’s Garlic Scallion Noodle bowl is made with fresh cooked hokkien noodles and the company’s award-winning Garlic Scallion sauce. Inspired by the Chinese restaurant favorite, chow mein, the clean and savory flavors of this delicious sauce are combined with fresh, tender noodles. Great choice for an easy lunch or afternoon snack. Combine with fresh vegetables, tofu or meat for a complete meal. Vegan.

Vietnamese Pho Soup Bowl - Pho is the national soup of Vietnam. More than a hundred years old, this Vietnamese favorite has both Asian and French influences. Annie Chun’s traditional Pho broth is a soothing combination of organic beef broth, aromatic herbs like cinnamon, star anise, and peppercorns, and charred onion and ginger. The flavorful broth is chockfull of fresh cooked hokkien noodles, making it a satisfying lunch or mid-day snack. This classic “comfort” soup—which usually takes at least several hours to prepare—is ready in just two minutes. To make a more substantial meal, top with thinly sliced beef or mix in steamed chopped vegetables.

Annie Chun first began selling her sauces in 1992 at the Marin County Farmers’ Market where she served samples with fresh cooked noodles and vegetables. Today, Annie Chun’s Inc. is a multi-million dollar company, with distribution throughout the US, Canada, and England.
Annie Chun’s All Natural Sauces, Noodles, Noodles & Sauce, Noodle Bowls, Soup Bowls, Noodle Express, Sushi Wraps and Rice Express are available nationwide in gourmet, natural and mass market grocers such as Whole Foods, Safeway, Mollie Stone’s, Fairway Market, Giant Foods, King Sooper, Fred Meyer, Kroger, Jewel, Meijer, Publix, SuperTarget, and many others coast to coast.


At RecipeLion, they received a sample of each of the new Annie Chun's Noodle Bowls. The staff had a chance to sample the noodle bowls and here's what they had to say:

"The noodles had a thick, al dente texture which was just what I was looking for. When I first added the sauce and tasted the dish, it seemed a little too vinegary, but as the noodles sat a while and absorbed more flavor, the flavor profile deepened and was rich and delicious. A great lunch! Just the right size." - RecipeLion Editor on the Garlic Scallion Bowl
"Annie Chun's Kung Pao Noodle Bowl is probably the best product I've reviewed thus far. Its hokkien noodles manage to become more, rather than less, noodle-like upon cooking, and its Kung Pao sauce is a pleasing blend of sweet and (very) spicy." - RecipeLion Editor

www.recipelion.com

Win an Annie Chun's Prize Package!
They are giving away 1 Annie Chun's Prize Package including three flavors of noodle bowls and a shopping tote . The deadline to enter is November 5, 2009 at 11:59:59 EST. They’ll send an email to the winner so please check to make sure your email address is entered correctly.

NOTE:  I  have been unable to verify which of their products are gluten free.  Some of their products are made with rice noodles, but please make sure to read packages to make sure they meet your dietary needs.

I eat, I write

I am loving a lot of the new foods I've discovered since going gluten free.  Now, I not only get to write about some of them here, I'm also writing for Examiner.com.  Check out some of the recipes I've cooked, and learn about local area meetings by checking my page out.  Most recently added, a recipe for jello mold I've been making for years.  Last one I made was completely devoured before dinner was finished!

Check me out here, and thanks!

Blog Award!!!!

So many thank to Miss Thrifty for my blog award.  She's a kind, lovely lady who does her best to keep us all from spending too much money.

I hope to live up to this award, and will be back shortly with recipes for what I'm serving at a Windows 7 Intro Party this weekend.  Check out HouseParty.com if you haven't been there before.  I got my party package, and am starting to get excited.  Now, have to finish cleaning the house, and start prepping food.  I've made the main course already, and if you're thinking Chicken Cacciatore, you're right!  A friend tasted it, asked me to make it, and will now be out of town and can't come to the party.

Walmart

The folks over at Walmart are starting to sell gluten free foods.  I asked the store manager several weeks ago where they were, and they are smack dab in the middle of the cereal aisle!!!  I strongly suggested he move that section, but as of tonight, it remains in the cereal aisle.

When I was speaking with him back those few weeks ago, he said he was really curious about what I had in my hand.  I showed him the tostadas I went there to buy, and he asked again if I was gluten free.  I said yes, but read him the ingredients.  Corn, lime and salt.  Crunchy, and I like them.  No bad gut, unless of course I eat too many!

Check out your Walmart, and see how they selling gluten free products.  Let's help them understand!

Giveaway Winner!

I have a winner!

Please keep checking back, I will be posting more recipes in times to come.  My computer is going back in, to fix the problem created when it was being repaired.

I need to keep cooking, and will share what I create.  I am still living off, and loving, the chicken cacciatore I made last week.  I froze it in single serving containers, and grab one when I head off in the morning.

A note on the chicken cacciatore:  I had 1.5 lbs. of fresh plum tomatoes, and a jar of Ragu Light Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce.  I combined the sauce and the tomatoes, and added instead of the 4 cans of tomatoes.  I omitted the basil (its in the pasta sauce), and omitted the olives (don't like them).  I may be guilty of splashing a bit of extra wine into the pot... hee hee hee.

I cooked some rice (finishing off the white rice I have), and loved the combination.  Before I get accused of gushing, try it!  Add whatever you like, omit what you don't like.

Enough.  Have to finish backing up my computer so I can send it away again.  I wonder how it'll work when it comes back.  'Til then.

Betty Crocker Giveaway

If you are a blogger and you haven’t yet joined MyBlogSpark, go ahead and check them out now.

If you join, you will have the opportunity to review new products and services and participate in giveaways, surveys and events. It’s free, and you always get the choice if you want to participate in a giveaway.

Several others who blog also have this giveaway.  Check out Linda at The Gluten-Free Homemaker.

Here’s what I got and can send the same package to another person:

Betty Crocker fruit snacks: Create a Bug, Fruit Roll Ups, Fruit Gushers, and Fruit by the Foot, are all gluten free, even marked gluten free on the front of the box.  Great for a grab and go snack,  for times when you need something quick, and for keeping in a bag until a snack is needed.

The roll ups and fruit by the foot were good, but left my fingers in need of washing.  The gushers have a liquid fruit flavored filling.  The create a bug idea is cute, and those who want to play may actually make bugs out of  the snacks.

If you would like to enter this giveaway, just leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite fruit.  Please leave an email address if you don’t have a blog where I can contact you. The giveaway ends Thursday, October 8 at 9:00 p.m.

Chicken Cacciatore

Okay, the swimming hole has been closed.  The items that previously lived under my kitchen sink have returned home, and cooking has commenced.

I have gone to Whole Foods the last 3 months for their Gluten Free Cooking Class.  I am still talking about one of the dishes from the September class.  Reprinted here, with permission of Chef Joe, of Whole Foods Market in Wellington, FL.

Chicken Cacciatore
3 lb. chicken breast, cut up
1/2 C Gluten Free Baking Mix
1 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/4 C 365 Extra Virgin olive oil
1 medium onion
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
4 - 14 1/2 oz. cans 365 crushed tomatoes, with juice
1 can olives, sliced, drained
4 oz. tomato puree or paste
1/2 C red wine
1 lb. Andean Dream GF pasta

Add salt and pepper to the GF flour, and dust chicken with the mix.  Saute chicken in olive oil until golden brown.

Move to plate with paper towels to drain.  Pour off remaining oil from the pan.  Place drained chicken back in pan.  Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer over low heat, 20 to 30 minutes.  Adjust seasoning.

While chicken is simmering, cook GF pasta in salted water until 'al dente', do not overcook pasta.  Drain pasta.

Spoon Chicken Cacciatore over pasta and serve.  Approximate # of servings:  6

Note:

365 is Whole Foods Everyday Value line.

I made this tonight, and served over rice.  I finished off two bowls, before packing the remainders in containers, with most going in the freezer.  Lunch, ready to go, anyday I need.  AWESOME!!!

Everything, and the kitchen sink

Sometimes, everything works, and it is the kitchen sink.  This saga has been going on for a very long time, and I've acknowledged it for weeks.  I am soooo over this!!

The handyman came back on August 27, told me that it wasn't the faucet that needed replacing, but that the water filter was leaking.  We replaced it.  Still, I had water.  On the telephone with handyman, we decided one of the valves was leaking.  He came, and replaced the valve.  Still, I had water.  Handyman returned yesterday, told me the valve under the faucet was leaking, he repaired it, and told me that by the time I returned home at the end of the day, all should be fine, this should be it.  I came home over 12 hours later, and guess what?  More water!

It's not just the water that's getting me.  It's the ants.  The tiny little ones, who have told their entire families about the great swimming hole.  They've talked about the great food hanging out, most recently tomatoes, jicama and Bosc pears sitting on the ledge between the kitchen and dining room.  Oh, these ants have talked.

The cleaning supplies and plastic storage products are now stored in a cardboard box, outside of the kitchen limits.  That floor has needed to be cleaned, and I am soooo over this too.  The floor will be cleaned.

But, how do I cook (and subsequently clean up) when I'm afraid to turn the faucet on?  Out for dinner with a friend, again, tonight.  I've got great ingredients, but can't become a great cook again until I have fair use of my kitchen sink.

Deal?

(If you're in the general WPB area, and know a great plumber, who thinks he evict the ants for good, please let me know!)

Another Frittatta

Time for another frittatta.  I have sliced Portabella mushrooms, some plum tomatoes, and red potatoes.

I will cut the tomatoes, and place the mushrooms and tomatoes in a fry pan with some olive oil (a tsp. or two is all you'll need).  I wash off the potatoes, cut into medium size chunks (quarters or sixths, depends on the size of the potato), and boil them for about 15-20 minutes.  You want them cooked, but not ready to fall apart.

When the mushrooms and tomatoes are tender, add the cooked potatoes.  Make sure your pan can go into the oven, or now is the time to switch to one that can go in the oven.  If none of your pans can go in the oven, use one of your Pyrex baking dishes or a pie plate.  Now is the time to add your eggs.  Depending on the size of your pan, your frittatta will require between six and twelve eggs.  You can use as many eggs or egg whites as you wish, or use liquid eggs if that's more your style.  You want the eggs to cover the other ingredients.

I like to add some cheese to the top.  I'm using 2% shredded cheese, and I currently have the choice of mozzarella or mild cheddar (it's my fridge, and I like mild cheddar more than sharp).

Bake in a 350 degree oven for approx. 30 minutes, if the eggs are still runny, leave in longer.  A bit of browning on top is ok.

Finally, enjoy

Picture will be added soon

The Kitchen Sink

If it's not one thing, it's the kitchen sink.  My faucet needs replacing, and every time I run the water, it's flooding in the cabinet under the sink.  Therefore, I'm running the faucet very, very little these days.  My handyman is coming tomorrow morning to install the new faucet.  Let's hear it for those who know how to do these things....YEAH!!!!

As I am smack dab in the middle of my second month of gluten free, I have become aware of some sensory issues.  Originally, I was aware of food textures, looking to eat things that had the texture, sometimes crunch, of what I used to eat.  Now, I am realizing I'm looking for the *zing* of taste.  It's as if the bread and crackers of my past were dulling my tastebuds, and now they're looking to be tempted.

I want to cook dinner...I loved the tacos I made the other night so much that I had the rest for breakfast/lunch yesterday.  With the plastic storage containers and cleaners I keep under the sink piled up on my minimal counter space, and not wanting to use the faucet, I fear it may be tomorrow night or Saturday until I cook again.  I know it could be worse, no complaints.

Finally, I spent this afternoon going through the rest of my clothes.  There are several drawers that are now 1/2 full, and even an empty drawer.  I have a HUGE pile of clothes to fold and get into my car so that I can donate them tomorrow.  Somehow, this feels very liberating.  While I no longer have racks full of clothes to choose from, I know that everything on those racks fits and will look good.  Before I had to shop the racks of my closet to find clothes that fit properly.

The paper piles in the spare bedroom are hereby on warning.  Cleaning out feels good.

Have a great dinner!

Ready, Set, Eat

Once upon a time, over a month ago, I was a gluten eating fool with digestive issues.

Today, I am gluten free, with the healthiest past month I've had in a year.

Tonight, dinner was tacos.

In the interest of complete disclosure, I found my taco shells on clearance at Target. At $.88 per box, the gluten free me couldn't leave them sitting there. I bought 3 boxes.

Last night, I remembered I had ground beef sitting in the fridge, needing to be cooked. I chopped a small onion, added the beef, taco seasoning and recommended water. So far, so good.

Tonight, I chopped up 2 plum tomatoes and 1 shallot. I added the juice of 1/2 lime, salt and pepper. I reheated the meat, put some in a taco shell and scooped on the tomato mixture. All together now, YUM!

I was trying to recreate the taste of Taco Bell's Taco Fresca. Their corn tacos are listed as wheat free, but not gluten free. Hence, my home cooking.

I love the way my taco looks, right up against the pictures of the tacos on the box.

Other Changes

Having lost a lot of weight before beginning my gluten free life, I found the few pounds I lost in my gluten free added a lot. A lot of clothes that no longer fit.

Today began the closet purge. I wanted to show pictures, but there's no way to show the mess that is currently my dining room table. It's just too ugly.

I am now wearing a pant size that I never, ever wore before. Growing up, I just zipped past it.

Last week I went out and purchased a size unknown to the hangers in my closet. I bought shorts (hey, I live in FL!), capris and pants (it really does get cold here, sometimes, in the dead of winter). Today, I faced the ugly truth. Nothing in my closet fit. Okay, let me rephrase. I found two pairs of denim capris, 3 pairs of shorts, and 4 pairs of pants (some are woolen, leftover from my northern life). I also found 12 skirts. Other than with a jacket for job interviews, when was the last time you wore a skirt?

Shorts, pants, capris, blazers and pant suits were tried on, and piles began.

Clothes that fit can claim space in the closet. Clothes I would keep in case I ever (gasp!) gained any weight back. A pair of jeans went to Mom. The rest, will be donated.

Next up: the rest: dresses, suits, blouses, jerseys, turtlenecks (again, throwbacks to my previous northern life).

It's a strange thought that every bottom in my closet fits me. Now. Today. Since I found that I often live in the same clothes over and over again, (you too?), it's interesting that those selections are now made, and ready to be chosen.

There may be space available. Anyone need some space?

I'll have to start eating again eventually. Cooking starts soon.

Coming Around

Okay, I have my computer back, and will have all programs installed...soon, I hope. On to more important things...

Dinner. Went to Duffy's Sports Grill. I knew I could have a burger there, but as I was reviewing the paper placemat/menu, I saw in the lower corner "Gluten Free Menu available". Oh yeah!

I asked, okay twice, and was handed a laminated menu. They gave hints like "Order without bun". They had a few offerings for salad, fish, burgers, sandwiches. I got the grilled chicken, with waitress recommendation of cheddar cheese on top. Came with lettuce and tomato slices, and for my side I chose coleslaw.

Happy, happy, not hungry anymore.

Happy Days

My computer has arrived home!!!!!

New posts arriving soon!

Happy, happy, happy!

Busy Days

I think I've made it!!!

I am absolutely a foodie. I am also absolutely a picky eater.

Growing up, I practically lived on "Toasted Cheese Sandwiches". Fast forward a few decades, and I still wanted the taste.

Grab small fry pan, margarine, corn tortillas and 2% shredded mozzarella (I also have cheddar, no explaining some people's tastes). Heat fry pan, medium to medium high heat, melt some margarine (approx. 1 tsp.). Place corn tortilla in fry pan. Allow to fry for about 30 seconds, flip. (I do, actually flip it. It's fun, and since it's a solid, it always at least somewhat lands in the pan!) At this point, I let this side cook about the same amount of time, and flip once more. I place a small handful of cheese on the top of the tortilla, and watch, as the cheese melts. Be careful not to burn the bottom. I folded the tortilla over, and voila! Breakfast! It was a bit crunchy, a bit starchy, and a good dose of melty. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm. I had some cut-up cantaloupe with it, and happily went off to see "Julia and Julie'.

I have some creme Brie, leftover from days before GF. I spread some on a tostada, added a bit of jelly. ( I don't have an open jar of lingonberries, my fave with walnuts or almonds on brie, so I used the last of some black raspberry preserves.)

Add some salad, and I've had dinner. Off for the evening. I love having Ready Food in my fridge. More on this later.

If you're reading, leave a comment. I want your input!

Have a fun night!

Sloppy, sloppy Joes

Disclaimer: No photos on borrowed computer.

Sloppy Joe night. I remember learning a sloppy Joe recipe in high school...included ketchup, white sugar, mustard and water. When I went looking, I found my Mom's old recipe.

Looks like this:

1/2 C finely chopped onions
1 lb. ground beef *this is an old recipe. Could easily swap for meat of your choice.
3/4 tsp salt * I decided to leave out the salt; didn't miss it.
1 C barbecue sauce
1/4 C brown sugar *again, substitute what works for you
1 tsp dry mustard

Saute onion in a bit of oil (2T or less). Add beef, and cook until no longer pink.

Add the rest of the ingredients. (I added some water, because my barbecue sauce is a bit hot for me. Keep cooking, it'll be fine.)

I served this over a crunchy tostada. The fun part was breaking pieces off, and scooping up the meat. It was a bit messy, but, this is a sloppy Joe recipe.

If you are eating better than I, serve with some vegetables and/or a salad.

** You can add in chopped peppers, or whatever you like, with the onions.

Happy eating!

Life in turmoil, walking straight through the center.

I'm sitting here, waiting for the call from The Geek Squad, with my foot tapping away. I checked, "not done yet". Do I get a discount when they've gone beyond their 24-48 hour quote?

Okay, so taking care of business today, I realized I was driving by my father's favorite Chinese Grocer. I stopped in.

It ended up being fun. They have 5 different nationalities of rice noodles (Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese and Phillipine), with over a dozen offerings from each.

While there, I purchased rice noodles (not sure which nationality), rice wrappers (think chicken, and salad in rice wrapper = lunch), rice flour, glutinous rice flour and a purple sweet potato. The outside looks like a yam, but cut into it, it's purple.

The rice flour bags were $1.29 per 16 oz. package. Based on the prices I've seen, I'm hoping I got a good deal. Regardless, I have one pound of each, and if I end up not cooking that way anymore, I'm only in for a pound of each. They'll get used. I will buy xantham gum (and maybe guar gum too) on my next trip to Whole Foods.

Whole Foods is doing their monthly gluten free cooking class next Thursday. I'll be there, ready to report back on what their cooking and I'm tasting. Details next week.

Okay, so now that I have flour, which one should I use? Which one to bread chicken, or fish? I know they're similar, but different. Help?!?

As I sign off, my fingers will be crossed, hoping that Best Buy calls back soon. Please?

Semi Hero

I got the call tonight.

My pal at The Geek Squad called, with the good and the bad. I felt myself holding my breath, while my thoughts screamed "No, no, no".

The bad? The external hard drive I bought 2 years ago, when my desktop died and I paid to get documents recovered were on that hard drive. The pictures of a very bruised me, that will be needed, were the reason I paid many $$$ to recover documents from my deceased desktop.

I did say there was good. The documents from my laptop are accessible, are being put on DVD's and will be available tomorrow evening. The laptop will then, finally, be sent off for repair. 7-10 business days later, I will have my computer, or a new one, in my lap.

Taking bets...have I learned yet how important backups are?

Collective Thoughts

Following up on a previous post, I met with my gastroenterologist this week. I told him my thoughts on being gluten free. He told me that most likely I have undefined wheat/gluten intolerance, and that the only way to know what I could handle was trial and error. He liked that I was already rocking it.

We also discussed lactose intolerance. I cannot drink milk, but I can drink lactose free milk. Whey hurts. He told me that whey is part of casein (feel free to correct my understanding), and that I don't need it. Other than that, he told me that everyone had different tolerances with lactose intolerance, and be aware of how I feel.

I accept.

New products in my home since becoming GF (because it's about what I can eat): Corn Tortillas, Tostadas and Lactaid Ice Cream.

The corn tortillas are good. I wish they were larger, so I could use them to make a wrap style "sandwich". They do make smaller 'holders', so I'm happy to have them. I made a fried egg with feta cheese and halved grape tomatos last weekend. I might be happier if I scrambled the egg, but the taste was there, and ready for experimentation.

I was wondering what I could put under my Sloppy Joe recipe. I now think the crispy tostada will be a good match.

Lactaid Ice Cream is good.

Another Day in Paradise

I left my home today to help me father get his car to a body shop. Did errands on the way, some with him, then went to a friend's home.

Somewhere along the way, I realized I hadn't eaten breakfast.

I got to my friends, and helped myself to some fruit that I had brought there a few days ago. He had to go out, and help his mother, so he invited me to stay, use his pool, or hang out until he returned. I was expecting a phone call to help my father retrieve his car, so I hung out.

Before he left, I asked him if I could have the Gluten Free frozen meal that had been passed around and landed in his freezer. He told me to help myself, and I did.

Glutino's GF Chicken Pad Thai. It was good, although a bit spicy for me. The large chuncks of chicken breast were tasty, and the noodles were firm. I will definitely try more of their meals.

Still looking for a hero. Geek Squad, are you listening?