keep it simple, keep it fresh

THIS IS AMAZING!

2012-02-29T15:36:00.000-08:00

Well...

I totally blew it.

I misunderstood the direction of my latest assignment.

I gave it 100 percent but unfortunately in the wrong direction.

I'm no longer surrounded by beginning photographers who are just trying to fit in a required elective.

Now I sit with determined students who are completely talented in the field of photography and push themselves to greatness.

There is nothing that will humble you like seeing your work posted next to another's who just hit it out of the ballpark while yours looks stale.

The notes were that I was weak in creativity and it stung, almost as if my worst fears were being confirmed.

I've been down, probably due to the dark, grey weather and being stuck indoors.

Pretty much out of desperation yesterday I asked something of God. I told him that I didn't know if I could cut it professionally with my photography and that if I was to keep going at it I needed something BIG, something that would leave me no question that I was headed in the right direction and that I needed to know right away because I didn't want to waste any more money on schooling if I wasn't going anywhere with my photography.

I've been up since 4am continuously going over the words from yesterday in my head.

I wrote this on Facebook:

"This has been such a discouraging week for me receiving some pretty tough remarks in front of the whole class on my photos at school. While everything inside me wants to hide, stay in bed, and throw the covers over my head I just keep hearing my dad's voice in my head asking me if "I'm a man or a mouse" just like he used to when I was younger. So today I'm going to man up, strap on my camera, and try to put together the best final my professor has ever seen. Pray for me! I need God's help on this one!"

Many friends came to my rescue offering up prayers on my behalf.

I've been lost in a sea of negativity. I was angry that the clouds turned dark and grey bringing wind and snow. If there is one thing I rely on in my photography it's good light and today did not offer any. My mood was sour.

Then I received a text from my sister in law...

It read, "hmmm... sideways snow... sounds like the makings of some interesting photos to me."

This turned my day. I put on my hat, gloves, boots, and drove down to Pike Place Market. I figured maybe trying something completely different was just what my creative juices needed to start flowing.

It was FREEZING and the wind was threatening to blow my hat away but I was determined now. Still fighting the blues I silently pleaded with God, "Sometimes I feel like you've forgotten me." In an instant it was as if he whispered in my ear, "I have not forgotten you. I know your name."

Hopeful, I entered the market. I asked God to please help me with my creativity and I just started taking pictures. That's when a man walked up to me. He asked if I was visiting from out of town. I explained that I was down there for my photography class. He was kind and asked me all sorts of questions like who was my favorite photographer, what do I like to shoot, etc. I don't know why but I completely opened up to this stranger. I told him that basically I blew my last assignment and that I was down there looking to kick some a** with my final. I even told him about my marks lacking creativity. That's when he opened up to me. He said, "I've been less than honest with you. Actually, I'm a professional food photographer with a master's degree and I've just returned from a shoot with ANTHONY BOURDAIN!" He then said to me that if I could spare five minutes he'd walk me around the market, teach me how to pick out produce that would look great in photos, and show me how he would lay it on the table. Then he talked to me about lighting placement and a few other tips." It was all I could do to keep it together. I graciously thanked him, told him he was an answer to prayer, and quickly walked away before he could see my tears of gratitude to the Lord begin to fall. I called my husband before I had even taken 1/2 a step out of the market and shared the miracle. He too got teary eyed because he so desperately wanted to help me but didn't know how except to offer up a prayer for me before work this morning.

GOD ANSWERS OUR DEEPEST CRIES! Even when I haven't had the best attitude he was still quick to swoop in and save me. He cares about my desire to take great photos and he cares about YOU! I'd say this was the "BIG" thing I asked for! I guess I'd better get some money together to pay for next quarter!

why thai rice flour

2012-02-27T20:43:00.000-08:00

I want to share the story with you of how I discovered thai rice flour. When I first met my husband 16 years ago I was still trying to bake with regular rice flour and battling the grittiness that was left behind with each bite of cookie. It was impossible to make shortbread because the large granules of rice flour would not stick together without a binding agent such as peanut butter or oil to moisten the flour. When we were younger my mother in law was always trying to help us out by bringing us bags of groceries when she would visit. Being Filipino, many of those bags of food came from asian markets. She started to bring me little bags of thai rice flour. When I made my first batch of cookies with the flour I was so excited about the texture! I felt like I was eating a real cookie! I began experimenting with different cookies finally becoming brave enough to try a shortbread cookie. Everything worked! Finally cookies had the texture that I remembered "regular" cookies having! I have also tried some of the gluten free flour mixtures out there but always come back to my thai rice flour. I love to eat cookie dough and some of those gluten free mixes taste funny until the cookies are baked through. Because the asian market is an extra errand I usually buy 10-12 bags of flour at a time storing it in a large bin on the counter. I've been so happy with everything I've tried to make with this flour including pizza dough. I truly believe it's worth the extra stop at your local asian market.

Chicken Chili from my favorite author

2012-02-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

Sometime in the last year I have developed quite a love for reading. Through referral from a friend I found the author Shauna Niequist and have become quite a fan. She's written two books so far; the first, Cold Tangerines and the second, Bittersweet. Reading her books is kind of like reading a very personal blog. She talks of her trials, friendships, community, and her cooking club. I've become a subscriber to her blog and recently she posted this recipe for White Chicken Chili. . I figure anyone who belongs to a cooking club would give a good recommendation when it comes to recipes so this weekend I decided to try it. It has many of my favorites; cilantro, avocado, freshly squeezed lime juice... I figured I was guaranteed to like it. It's a fantastic recipe for a cold, stormy night.

This recipe is taken directly from her blog:

"White Chicken Chili for 6

1-1.5 pounds chicken: breasts, tenders, or boneless skinless thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add one container of salsa, preferably fresh.

Cook until chicken is almost cooked through, about five minutes.

Drain all 4 cans of beans. (I chose to use chili beans) Add 2 cans as they are, and mash 2 cans with a fork or the back of a wooden spoon, then add them.

Add four cups of broth.

Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Simmer for at least 30 minutes, but, really, the longer the better.

Serve with cilantro, wedges of lime, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, chips, sour cream, and salsa."

in the quiet of the early morning

2012-02-18T07:47:00.000-08:00

It's early. A blustery windstorm has awakened me at an indecent hour for a Saturday morning. So many thoughts begin swirling through my head that I find myself unable to drift back into a peaceful sleep. We've recently returned from a family vacation where we wiggled our toes in the sand while keeping all forms of modern communication safely tucked away in our room's safe. A good old fashioned vacation, like the kind I experienced as a kid. No Facebook, no internet, no texts, just me and my beautiful family and close friends. Nothing to rush us, nowhere to be, the warmth of the southern sun thawing our frozen bodies. Again I'm reminded of my need to slow down. Part of me lives in Southern California with my brother and close friends while my address has me cemented under the grey skies of Western Washington. I wonder why God has placed such a sunshine girl under this thick blanket of clouds. We are blessed. I watch my children thrive, run, and enjoy close friendships. My husband finds security in the familiarity of work and home. So I look for contentment. I use the dark days as excuse to fill my home with the glow of candlelight and the warmth of their scent. There are hearty soups and roasts to comfort us as we await spring's arrival. I've begun tackling a list of spring chores during these dark days so that when the clouds part I will be able to spend hours on end in my garden knowing that the indoor chores have been taken care of. For now, I will enjoy this fresh grapefruit, it's scent so enticing, and lose myself in this beautiful magazine. Spring will come, it MUST!

our family's favorite gluten free carrot cake

2012-02-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday! Or at least it was happy birthday to my husband this week and you know what? He requests this gluten free carrot cake every single year and he doesn't have a problem with gluten. He chooses this cake because it's his favorite and also because we can all enjoy it together. I've shared this recipe before on my old blog but because it's so delicious I am putting it here as well. When I was first diagnosed with celiac 17 years ago the gluten free choices were just TERRIBLE! When I found a recipe that actually tasted delicious I clung to it. This is one of those recipes and we've been making it now for 17 years! It goes together so easily! When you bake it make sure to coat your cake pans well to keep the cake from sticking.

2 c thai rice flour
2 c sugar
1 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1 1/4 c oil
4 eggs- beaten
3 c grated carrots

In a medium bowl place rice flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salit in a bowl. I always like to use a whisk to combine the ingredients together. Set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer place the oil, eggs, and carrots- mix well. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the oil mixture. Stir until combined.

Pour into 2 9" pans which have been greased.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before removing from cake pans and frosting.

********

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz brick of cream cheese
1 cube unsalted butter
dash of vanilla
1 box of powdered sugar

Cream together cream cheese and butter. Add the vanilla and slowly incorporate powdered sugar until thoroughly combined.

Frost your cake!

I hope your family enjoys this as much as mine does!

And I just want to mention what Neal requested for his birthday dinner. It starts with a little story. I met Tracy through blogging. She and I exchanged emails, and became close through sharing our heartaches at the time and then praying for each other. Tracy is a GEM of a girl who HAPPENS to live about 5 minutes away from my little brother down in California so I've had the extreme privilege of getting together with her family every time I'm down there. I love her daughter and husband as well. They're just FUN and real people! Her husband and mine are both quite funny and I enjoy watching their banter! Anyway, I showed Neal this post with wonderful recipes for ribs, polenta, and roasted vegetables. He requested it ALL! I wanted to take tons of pictures and link up to Tracy's blog but life has been so busy I didn't get a single picture taken. However, I will post the link to the recipes and encourage you to try them! The ribs are so tender you could cut them with a plastic fork! In the recipe for the ribs I just omitted the flour. I didn't even substitute anything. The ribs are amazing!

Have a Sunshiny weekend!

2012-01-27T15:12:00.000-08:00

Look at this gorgeous sunshine pouring through my windows! And let me tell you what! I NEEDED it! I've had a super crummy time of it the last few days. It's just been awful. Just one of those times where if it's not one thing it's another. I've been so stressed that I haven't slept well for days but finally last night got a long, full night's rest. Today is so much better! I'm so grateful for this beautiful day! I've totally lost my drive to clean. I don't know where it went! I guess as I've worked to rid my life of imperfection I just don't find it so important to have everything properly vacuumed and tidied like I used to. About 6 or 7 days ago I brought the vacuum downstairs so that I could tidy the floors, never got around to it, and there it still sits. Today the sunshine has totally inspired me and given me energy. I've tidied and wiped, and shined, and enjoyed! I feel so relaxed and the house is all sparkly! Once I get off of this computer I may even walk downstairs and finish that vacuuming! You know what I love to do? After a long day of cleaning and tidying I love to sit back and just enjoy my house. I light my favorite Anthropologie candles, put on my cozy slippers, and read or watch tv with my family. I just may even make some popcorn tonight on the stove with real butter and salt in oil like we used to make when I was growing up! Have you done that in awhile? It's so much better than microwave! Serve it with a bowl of M&Ms and if you're really feeling naughty, a little cherry coke and I'm telling you what, you've got yourself a treat! It's my FAVORITE! I eat it like a pig!

I hope you get to enjoy a bit of sunshiny blue sky this weekend and that you can find the time to tidy your home! Doesn't it feel so good when you're done and it's no longer hanging over your head?? Just keep it simple! Don't kill yourself, enjoy your weekend! And if I can be your naughty friend I'll encourage you to have that popcorn treat and rent a movie with your family to celebrate your accomplishment!

Have a FABULOUS weekend my friends!

a day in the kitchen making gluten free margherita pizza

2012-01-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

Today was pretty close to my perfect day. The sun was shining surrounded by a bright blue sky, the house was quiet for the first time in a week. I finished my homework yesterday so today was one of those rare days when I got to spend it however I wanted. There are a few things that I truly enjoy; my garden, cooking, reading cookbooks or great novels, photography, and travel. These are the things that make me giddy when I get to spend time doing them. My absolute favorite thing in the world is spending time with people. So after a full day of cooking I served pizza to my girls, mom and dad.

I can't tell you how many pizzas I've failed at making and almost gave up trying on more than one occasion. The only thing that has kept me going is my deep desire for margherita pizza. Funny thing is, I'd never even had margherita pizza but I just fell in love with the first one I ever saw coming out of a pizza oven. I rarely struggle with having celiac or wishing I could eat regular pastas, cinnamon rolls, you name it, but when I saw that first margherita pizza, well lets just say that I've never wanted to taste anything more! I've made dozens of trial pizzas before settling on the recipe I will leave you with today. I will give a few tips and pointers that I've learned along the way. This dough recipe works for any kind of pizza and I also served up another for my girls this evening made with pepperoni, olives, and mozzarella cheese. For today I will stick with the margherita pizza.

In my very humble opinion it's the sauce that makes the pizza so I do take the time to make my own sauce. I've tried a few different recipes but have found Gwyneth Paltrow's form My Father's Daughter to be the best and easiest. It has to simmer for an hour so it goes fastest if you start the sauce and while it's simmering begin to prepare your dough which will need to rise for 30 minutes.

For the sauce:

2 T extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes with their juice (I use San Marzano for this because I think they're the tastiest around.)
1 t coarse salt

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat with the garlic. Add the tomatoes and their juice and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 1 hour. Cool to room temperature and puree in the blender.

My sister in law actually came up with the dough recipe. It's been adapted from this cookbook. It's spongy, goes together easily and has wonderful flavor.

1 1/2 c thai rice flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp yeast
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 c plus 1 Tbsp lukewarm water
cornmeal, optional

1. Generously grease pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal

2. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl of electric mixer. Pour oil and water into mixing bowl; mix until just blended. Scrape bowl and beaters, and then beat at high speed for 2 minutes.

3. Spoon dough into center of prepared pan. Use a cake spatula to move dough from center to outer rim of pan using individual strokes; lightly dampen spatula with water as necessary. Try to arrange dough so that it covers entree pan in an even, thin layer. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place fro 30-40 minutes.

4. Place rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 425F while pizza crust is rising.

5. Bake pizza crust in pan on rack of preheated oven for 15-16 minutes. Pizza crust should be light golden in color and cooked through. Remove from oven and over with pizza topping of your choice.

For the margherita pizza; Spoon some of your sauce onto the pizza crust. You don't need to much, just enough to cover the dough. Some light areas of the dough will still show through. Cut your FRESH mozzarella into THIN slices. I emphasize THIN because if it's too thick it never cooks properly. My slices are no wider than a nickel. With the back of your spoon rub a tiny bit more of the sauce over the mozzarella.

Don't add the fresh basil leaves until after the pizza has been cooked.

6. Return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Then I like to turn the oven to broil and CLOSELY WATCH the pizza until the mozzarella browns just slightly.

Let the pizza cool for a couple of minutes and place freshly torn basil pieces on top.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! I waited a long, long time and my family patiently ate many yucky pizzas before we found our winner! I hope it will become a winner for your family as well!

Tip: Clean as you go and it will make the final cleanup go a lot easier and faster!

the warm smell of Jamie's roasted chicken on a cold, snowy day is magic!

2012-01-17T16:52:00.001-08:00

My family has been all cozy and hunkered down in our home due to some on and off snow we've had falling the last couple of days. I've found this to be an opportune time to prepare a warm and hearty meal for the girls and my husband after a long, hard day in the snow. Knowing that this big snow storm was coming inspired me to do some good old fashioned meal planning. I really wish I'd do this more often. It truly makes life much simpler! Yesterday I made homemade gluten free pizzas (I will be posting that recipe in the near future, including a margherita pizza!) Today we enjoyed roasted chicken. The house smells so warm and cozy with all of the garlic and olive oil that's been cooking around here. Tomorrow we have enough leftovers to fill a very hungry family and then I even have another meal planned with all of the groceries for it in the fridge. I LOVE it when I meal plan. I means less trips to the grocery store and the big question of "what should I make for dinner" is not looming over my head all day. This is something I want to make more of a priority in my life. We even seem to eat healthier this way as well and tend to eat out less saving money and calories!

For about a year now I've enjoyed reading Jamie Oliver's food magazine called Jamie. The photos are warm and tempting and there are also some interesting articles on travel and the foods of different regions. I purchase it on my Ipad. It's super easy to follow his recipes! The cooking/ temperature times can use a bit of tweaking though. Nothing you can't handle. When I was younger I was literally petrified to make a roast chicken. I truly believed that only "fancy people" cooked this way. And really it's no different than throwing a pot roast into the oven. It truly is that simple. For this recipe you just chunk up your veggies for roasting, quickly slide the rosemary leaves off of the stem, throw it all together and voila! Quite a delicious and healthy meal indeed! And you know as I'm learning to cook more and more I've found that if you slow cook chicken or pot roast with a bit of rosemary the flavor in your meat and roasted vegetables is extraordinary! It's really worth a go! And really, while we're on the subject of Jamie Olivier I have to say that I truly admire his passion for teaching us to eat heather and especially for the work he does with schools!

If you've never roasted a chicken before I hope you will try it this winter! I think you will be pleased as punch with how easy it really is to do and your house will smell amazing! Not only that but your family will be thrilled- this I know from experience!

Let me know how it turns out!

Sunshine Roast Chicken

adapted from Jamie Oliver's JAMIE magazine's warm and cozy issue

3 sweet potatoes, each cut into 3
2 corn cobs, each cut into 3
3 small onions, cut into wedges
1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
olive oil
3 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
1 whole chicken (I used a 5 lb. chicken for this recipe)
3 lemons, halved
1 bunch of coriander, leaves picked (cilantro)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Throw all vegetables and the garlic in a large roasting pan and mix with a good drizzle of olive oil, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and the rosemary leaves.

Sit the chicken on top and pour over another good drizzle of olive oil. Rub it into the skin and season generously with salt and pepper. Push 1 halved lemon into the cavity of the chicken and pop the others in the tin.

Roast in the over for 1 hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half. WATCH CLOSELY so that you don't overcook but look for the chicken to be golden and the juices run clear win the thigh is pierced at the thickest part. After 60 minutes baste the chicken and squeeze over the juice of 1 roasted lemon half, which will be beautifully jammy by now. Shake the vegetables about then pop the tray back in the oven for the remainder of cooking time so that the skin can get sticky and sweet.

Once cooked remove the chicken from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make some coriander oil by smashing the coriander leaves with a small pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle until you have a paste. Add a glug of olive oil to loosen the paste. Rub over the roasted chicken and let all the juices mingle in the bottom of the roasting pan.

perfectly imperfect

2012-01-16T08:28:00.000-08:00

original source?

I normally don't post other people's photos but in this instance I just had to! This morning I was browsing through one of my daily read blogs called Sanctuary where I came across this article and youtube video from the home of Marie Olsson. I also poked around some other blogs and ended up finding the kitchen in the top photo which would almost be the epitome of how I'd love my home to feel. There is something about the perfect imperfection that appeals to me. I love how the mugs are just hanging on hooks ready for friends, visitors, and family to grab for a warm cup of coffee or tea. I feel like with the cookbooks right in view like that your reminded to browse through them looking for inspiration for a new meal to prepare.

The home in the video below is casually styled. I believe Anthropologie did a shoot in this home last year displaying some of their dishes and housewares. (wish I could get my hands on that catalog!) The beauty yet casualness of this home deeply affects me. I would love to have my home welcome others with this same feeling. As I've struggled to rid my life of perfectionism I received a bit of wise advice from my mom. She said to me, "everything in your house doesn't need it's perfect resting spot. Instead, why don't you just put the things out that you love and enjoy them- wherever they land." And that's how I feel the home in this video is portrayed. She has things out that she loves and then just enjoys them. I love the simple idea of buying something just because it appeals to you and then simply just placing it on the coffee table, mantle, shelf... wherever and then just "relax and enjoy". This is going to sound hilarious but I'm teaching myself not to constantly fluff my pillows every time someone gets up from the couch. There is a relaxed, comforting appeal to just leaving them in their rumpled state and I'm learning to just enjoy that. As I am stuck indoors during a particularly snowy, icy season where I live, instead of longing for summer I've made a choice to find things to love about winter like delicious smelling candles, nubby, furry throws, and rumpled pillows. I've found pleasure in cuddling up under my favorite quilt at the end of the day to watch a favorite tv show in the dark with my husband.

And I've had another thought that I'd like to incorporate into our every day lifestyle and that is "friends for tacos." Sometimes I fear that having people into our homes may be becoming a lost art. We meet at restaurants or, in the summer, at parks but do we open our homes? As I've thought of this I have come up with this idea. Pretty much everyone I know enjoys tacos. They're easy to prepare and every guest can make their taco however they like it. In the summer you could do carne asada on the grill or even grill up some shrimp or fish for tacos but in the winter you could simply brown up a batch of ground turkey with a side of black beans served right off the stove. Then just serve your sides; shredded cheese, salsa, sliced black olives, green onion, etc. just like a taco bar. You can be as casual or as fancy as you'd like making homemade corn tortillas if you'd like or fresh guacamole. And really, tacos go perfect with paper plates. You could serve up some margaritas or limeade and really when it's this easy there is no excuse not to enjoy a special night with loved ones. In fact, I'm hoping to do this exact thing as soon as possible! You could even play a bit of spanish music off of pandora! One time we did this exact thing for Christmas eve and my sister made the cutest feliz navidad banner to hang over the table.

One last tip: Now that our kids are getting older when we have friends over we feed the kids first and then send them on their way for a bit of adult time with our friends. Every friend that comes over LOVES this idea! With all of my heart I believe that family dinners are one of the most important things you can do for your children but we do make an exception when it comes to guests. I know my kids would rather go play with their friends than be stuck at the table anyways.

These are just the thoughts I've been having lately. There is so much going on in my head with school, the new year, entertaining, and my home that I am just waiting for each piece to funnel it's way out. Have a great day and enjoy the video! I've watched it four times! The girl in it is adorable!

source

What 2012 looks to bring and super yummy Parmesan and butter risotto

2012-01-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

2012 is proving to be quite an adventure for me! I'm crazy excited about all that God is doing in my life. For so long I wanted to be Martha. You've heard me talk about this over and over this year. And now, truly, I realize that I don't want to be Martha at all but instead I'm completely excited about the things that God has planned just for ME! I am just crazy for these new ideas that I've got mulling around in my head. I'm looking forward to replacing words like entertain, decorate, stress, perfect with words like; enjoy, welcome, relax, and give. Doors are opening in front of me and I seem to be skipping through them. I started school yesterday and was just so excited when I woke up to have somewhere I needed to be. I know that there are many stay at home mom's who will relate to this statement. When I went to class the professor got me all excited about further exploring my own style in regards to photography and it's gotten me thinking. I don't want perfect pictures on my blog what I want is real and homey, and comfort. I want my blog to be a place where you feel welcome. I also want that in my home and even in my demeanor. I want there to be a softness and yet a realness to my life and my photography. I want you to not only look at my photos or read my blog and think that things are pretty but I want you to feel like you can make the recipes I post. I want us to work together on taking the stress out of opening up our homes. I want us to be content with less than perfection but finding beauty in the messy bits because the messy bits are what give us character and make us seem real and comfortable. When we are comfortable then those around us will be comfortable as well. I also am excited to SHARE my life with those around me. God is opening up my heart. He's growing me and teaching me to love. If that means that when you come to my house that the dishes don't get done until the next morning then that's just how it's going to be. I had a darling comment the other day from a lady that said she has a friend that makes her feel like she's always waiting to "tidy her right out of her house." Well I for one don't ever want anyone to feel like they're being "tidied" away. I want our home to be a place of rest. Not only that but a place where kids are welcome and that nothing is so precious or tidy that we keep our homes closed from our friends and their children. I'm going to also work on expanding my cooking skills. Today I made risotto and it's awe-some! I've always been a little intimidated to attempt a risotto but you know what? It's completely do-able! It's not an on-the-go meal but it's super duper tasty and I totally know you can do it! I'm just so excited to have added a new skill to my cooking repertoire. So what do you think? Can we put on a pot of risotto or chili and call up someone this weekend and open up the doors of our home letting that whole having to entertain, and perfect our homes thing go? And instead ENJOY each other and really live our lives together? I for one am pretty excited about this!

Risotto allo parmigiana adapted from The Italian Country Table by Maxine Clark

6 c hot chicken stock (I just used gluten free chicken stock)
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 1/2 c arborio rice
2/3 c dry white wine
1 c freshly grated parmesan
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Put the stock in a saucepan and keep it at a gentle simmer. Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan and add the onion. Cook gently for about 10 minutes until soft, golden and translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir until well coated with the butter and heated through. Pour in the wine and boil hard until it has reduced and almost disappeared.

Begin adding the stock, a large ladleful at a time, stirring gently until each one has almost been absorbed by the rice. The risotto should be kept at a bare simmer throughout the cooking, so don't let the rice dry out- add more stock as necessary. Continue for about 15-20 minutes, until the rice is tender and creamy, but the grains still firm.

Taste and season well with salt and pepper, then stir in the parmesan. Cover and let rest for a couple of minutes so the risotto can relax and the cheese melt, then spoon into serving bowls and serve.

serves 4-6

double yum!

warm up with delicious tortilla soup

2012-01-04T13:25:00.000-08:00

I had the most lovely visit with my girlfriend this morning. I was sharing with her how I've lost my way when it comes to decorating my home. We chatted and came to the conclusion that we don't really want to live in decorated homes or even perfect homes. What we want is a home with soul. A place where our families and friends can come to feel loved and taken care of. We want to feed people and linger at the table. I am a work in progress when it comes to this. Last fall I was invited to partake in a recipe exchange. There were 12 of us ladies who were to prepare one of our favorite dishes and then bring it to share along with recipes for everyone to bring home. Thirty minutes before our arrival there was a windstorm and the host's home lost power. This is where the story gets interesting and in my mind quite inspiring. With 30 minutes notice the original host called one of the other moms who was on the list of invitees asking if we could all detour to her home instead. She completely opened up her home to us with 30 minutes notice! There was no time for perfectionism or scouring every nook and cranny of her home. Upon entering her home we were greeted with a lovely fort made of cardboard boxes and blankets alongside a sprawling train track made by her 7 year old son. Instead of panicking and forcing him to quickly tear down his masterpiece for company she just greeted us at the door with a smile and said, "Just step over the train tracks and come on in!" That was a lesson for me! I want to be that kind of host! I don't want to be the girl with the perfect house anymore. I want to be the friend who has a warm and welcoming home where my guests want to linger long after the meal has ended. I know that God is performing a bit of surgery on my heart. I have been praying for close friendships and instead of being like a stork and dropping new friends off at my door step God is teaching me to be a better friend. He's removing words like impress and perfection from my vocabulary and replacing them with words like "love lavishly." But just like any surgery it's painful and then there will be healing time. But I do know this. Any time I've stuck with God, even when the learning isn't easy, and haven't given up there are always big rewards at the end. I will leave you with this tortilla soup recipe. It's been adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook My Father's Daughter. It's one of the tastiest soups I've ever made! I hope you will try it this winter. I think you may find it becomes a staple in your home.

Tortilla Soup

2 Chicken breasts cubed an cooked in olive oil and mexican seasoning
2 quarts gluten free chicken stock or broth
1 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves separated
2 long red chilies, diced
1 jalapeño, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 14oz can whole peeled tomatoes with their juice, pureed in blender
Large pinch of coarse salt
1/4 t pepper
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 scallions, finely sliced
juice of 1/2 lime
4 good quality corn tortillas

Cook the chicken in olive oil and mexican seasoning in a large soup pot. Add the onion, red chilies, jalapeño, and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are just tender. Add the chicken stock and cilantro stems and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes. Using your spatula or a fork remove the cilantro stems leaving the chilies and onions in the broth. Add your pureed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Let simmer for an hour.

Just before serving roughly chop up 2 tablespoons of the cilantro leaves and toss with the avocado and scallions in a small bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over the top. Cut the tortillas into 1/2 inch strips. Heat the oil in a skillet on med-high heat and fry the tortillas for about 1 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Drain the tortilla strips onto paper towels.

Ladle the soup into your bowls and distribute the tortillas and avocado mixture on top of each.

There's always room for one more

2012-01-01T15:33:00.000-08:00

Here we are at the beginning of 2012. I will turn forty this year. I still feel like I'm 25 inside but would never go back to my twenties for all the world. I will have a sixth grader this year. That's amazing to me. Where did my little girls go and who are these preteens that have invaded my home (and my bathroom). But again, I would not go back. The older they get the more I enjoy them. I pray (oh God, please help me during those teen years) that this never changes. I also will have been married for 16 years this year. In many ways I am the same silly girl that Neal asked to be his bride but in many other ways I'm not. We've grown together and changed and truly become the best of friends walking through the best and the worst of times together. We find that we need people. We need our friends, we need each other, we need our families. Sometimes I've been hurt and have wanted to close the door of my home to others. Other times I've grumbled the final hour before our guest's arrival aiming for some unattainable level of perfection that only makes my family crazy and my guests uncomfortable. When we were first married I was absolutely crazy for Martha Stewart. I felt like entertaining meant that you needed a complicated meal on a formal and completely decorated table with every knife, spoon, and fork in it's proper position. I believed that you were to dress up, have an amazing play list on your iPod, and cloth napkins which had been properly pressed. Then I met my mother-in-law...

We call her Mama Lynn. I remember the first Thanksgiving at my in-laws and sadly, as a stupid, young, martha stewart addict I was unimpressed. Mama Lynn is not formal. She used to serve her Thanksgiving dinners on stacks and stacks of paper plates. She didn't set an impressive table, instead, she had enough food to feed an army lining the kitchen counters in silver chafing dishes holding every filipino dish you can think of along side the Thanksgiving turkey. She never used to have a formally set table and I would think to myself, "That's not how Martha would do it."

My mama lynn has been very patient with her immature daughter-in-law and has taught me more about serving and having others into my home than Martha Stewart ever could. There is a reason we needed paper plates. There was thought behind the many different dishes lining the counters and that thought was "others." If mama lynn heard that her bus driver was alone for Thanksgiving then she would invite him to join her family for the holiday meal because there was always room for one more. We've shared holidays with many Navy men who have had nowhere to go, bus drivers, elderly, lonely families, and probably the gas station attendant. My mother-in-law's dinners were never shot for the pages of Martha Stewart Living but I know with all of my heart that they caught the attention of God who, I'm sure, was beaming with pride over the heart of mama lynn.

There is nothing I enjoy more than spending time with people I love. I don't care if we order cheap pizza and eat it on paper plates. My love language is quality time and I just want to be with you sharing a laugh and conversation. I don't really love the word entertaining because it makes me feel like I have to be fancy. But I do like the thought of opening up my home, letting the perfection go, and spending time with people I love. I will always enjoy my Martha but in this case I think my mother-in-law really showed me what "it's a good thing" really is when it comes to entertaining.

This year I would like to let the perfectionism go, open up my home, and be the kind of family that always has room for one more. That's my new years resolution. That's what God has placed on my heart.

Ephesians 5: 1,2

Watch what God does and then do it, like children who learn proper behavior form their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

gluten free, dinner in a hurry, lemon, chicken, and basil pasta

2011-12-30T14:16:00.000-08:00

Winter is not for me. I can tolerate the cold up to Christmas because I'm distracted by the lights, twinkle, busy schedule, and yummy treats but then Dec. 26th comes and I'm ready for sunshine, long days, and warm evenings. I do not do cold very well. Often times you can find me sitting inside the house with my coat on. I distract myself by browsing the internet looking at summer clothes and vacation deals. Every year I find it harder and harder to deal with the wet, cold, dark days that winter brings. I have the most darling pair of Hunter Boots which I LOVE but I don't want to use them for their intended purpose which is to keep my feet dry during soggy whether. I would much prefer to pair them with a sundress as I walk around my garden picking ripe tomatoes, and fresh basil. My sister loves layering up sweaters and long sleeved tops with beautiful jewelry but I long for maxi dresses, flip flops and a reprieve from this pasty white skin. I spend my days listening to Hawaiian music on Pandora and lighting grapefruit, orange peel, and ocean scented candles.

Today I needed a fresh meal which would remind me of the kind I might make in the summer although it's plenty hearty enough for a blustery, windy, winter's day. The recipe is adapted from my new Donna Hay Cookbook "fast, fresh, simple." It's so delicious!!! This is certainly a dish that I'll make over and over again. It takes about 20 minutes once the chicken is thawed. It has lots of my favorite flavors; fresh basil, fresh lemon, and parmesan cheese. This dish is tasty enough to serve to company if you paired it with some delicious gluten free rolls and maybe a light salad.

Lemon, chicken, and basil pasta

1 pkg gluten free spaghetti noodles (my current favorite are by bionature)
4 T lemon juice
4 T olive oil
2/3 c finely grated parmesan cheese
2 chicken breasts that have been cooked in olive oil, lemon pepper, garlic, and minced onion; shredded
1/2 c shredded basil leaves
sea salt and cracked black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to package directions.
Drain and return to the warm pan.

While the pasta is cooking, place the juice, oil, and parmesan in a bowl and whisk to combine.

Add to the pasta with the chicken, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.

Serve immediately, serves 4

"happy cooking!"

2011-12-29T14:07:00.000-08:00

When I was younger I found cooking to be a dreaded chore. I usually was completely lost as to what to prepare for dinner, felt uninspired, and often just asked to eat out. The more we ate out the less healthy I felt. As we began to do some digging into the places we felt safe to eat, we found out that many menu items that should've been okay (i.e. french fries) actually contained gluten. (don't worry- not all fries contain gluten. You just need to verify that they are safe for you to eat when you visit your local restaurant.) The more we dug the fewer restaurants I could eat at. We began a new ritual of mainly eating at home. The less we eat out the healthier I feel. There are some restaurants that I can eat at where they truly understand gluten free cooking and I never get sick at those places but we basically have left all fast food restaurants in the dust. There are so many benefits to eating at home. I know that I tend to eat smaller portions at home, make healthier selections, and save quite a bit of money as well. Last night I made a clean and healthy meal consisting of maple glazed chicken, jasmine rice, and steamed spinach for my family of four and only spent about 15 dollars.

One of my favorite things I received this Christmas season was a new cookbook signed by Donna Hay with the sentiment "happy cooking" on it. I love that phrase. It seems that my love of cooking is contagious- especially with my youngest daughter. When she hears me head into the kitchen to prepare dinner she tends to call down the hall "don't get started without me." This is something special that we do together. We chat and I also am excited to be teaching her skills which she'll be using for the rest of her life. Not only that but we're teaching our kids about healthy choices and a joy of coming together as a family to enjoy the meal we've prepared together. My goal for 2012 is to is to inspire you towards "happy cooking". I want to keep the meals simple but full of fresh ingredients and flavor. I hope as we cook along the phrase "happy cooking." will be contagious and that you find yourself pleasantly surprised in your own kitchen as you enjoy preparing healthy meals for your family.

"Happy cooking!"

on the go gluten free lemon, parsley, and parmesan pasta

2011-12-23T15:51:00.000-08:00

Now that the busy holidays are almost behind us I thought I'd try and get back to quick and easy, on the go meals. This one is super easy! The pesto is done in the amount of time that it takes to boil the water and noodles. This recipe is taken from the January 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living. The only change I've made, of course, is switching to gluten free noodles. The brand I tend to use the most is bionature and for a pesto like this I prefer the spiral noodles because they pick up more of the sauce which gives the dish more flavor.

Total time: 20 minutes.

2 c flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed
2 garlic cloves (that's what the recipe calls for. I put four)
1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes
1/2 tsp lemon zest, plus more for garnish
coarse salt and black pepper
3/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb gluten free spiral noodles
1 c grated parmesan cheese. (I prefer parmesan reggiano)

1. Make the pesto: In a food processor, pulse parsley, garlic, red-pepper flakes, lemon zest, and 1 tsp salt until coarsely chopped. With machine running, add oil in a slow, steady stream, processing until blended.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for 10 minutes. Drain.

3. Toss pasta with pesto and parmesan. Grate more lemon zest over each serving, and season with salt and pepper.

Yum! Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy the final days of the holidays. I'm certainly ready to slow down and spend time with my family. Have a joyous and merry Christmas.

gluten free scones and egg nog melt aways

2011-12-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

This is a fun week isn't it!! But I just had to pop on here and leave you with two more yummy recipes before I take the rest of the week off to spend with my family. I really wanted to give you this delicious but super easy to bake scone recipe that you can make for your family to enjoy Christmas morning. I think it's super fun to have an extra special treat to enjoy with your coffee after the kids have torn into their stockings. If you can I would wait and bake them the morning of Christmas eve because they taste better when their fresh. (don't most things. ha!)

This recipe was adapted from this cookbook which my sister in law highly recommends.

1/4 c orange juice (I just squeezed satsumas that we had in the house and also used their zest.)
1/4 c milk
½ c dried cranberries (optional)

2 c rice flour
1 Tsbp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
¾ tsp xanthan gum
½ tsp salt
5 Tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
2 lg eggs
zest of 2 satsumas or oranges~ whatever you have on hand.

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Position rack in center of oven. Line heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine milk and dried cranberries (if you're using them) in a glass measuring cup and set aside.
3. Combine flour, sugar,baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt in large bowl of electric mixer. With mixer on low, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Put mixture into a small bowl and set aside.
4. Beat eggs and zest into the same large bowl of electric mixer until very light and foamy. Add milk and flour mixtures all at once, and mix at medium-low speed for 1 minute. Use lightly floured hands to pat out dough into 2 round disks on lightly floured surface. I placed mine on lightly floured parchment paper which made it easier to transfer to the cookie sheet. Slice into pie shapes.
5. Place dough on prepared baking sheet and put in center of oven. Turn oven temperature down to 375F and bake 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through. Serve warm with butter and preserves.

I was really naughty and drizzled an orange glaze over the top of mine while it was still warm from the oven.

Glaze:

1 c confectioner's sugar
2 T orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest (or in this case satsumas)

These will be the last cookies I make this year. As of January 1 I will be posting much healthier, cleaner recipes! This recipe has been adapted from one found in Sunset magazine years ago.

Egg nog meltaways

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c confectioners' sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla ext.
1 tsp bourbon
1 tsp rum extract
2 1/4 c thai rice flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 c confectioners' sugar (for sifting)
2-3 tsp grated nutmeg for sprinkling.

1. position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400'. Line 2 cookie sheets w/ parchment paper and set aside.

2. prepare the dough. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 min. Add the vanilla, bourbon, rum extract, and blend well. Stir the flour, salt, and 1 1/4 tsp nutmeg together in another bowl. Gradually blend the dry ingreds into the butter mixture, stirring until just incorporated.

3. Shape and bake the cookies: Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Or roll into balls for a more uniform appearance. Bake about 7-8 min, until the cookies are set but not brown. If you handle them to soon they easily break. While the cookies are still slightly warm sift the confectioners' sugar over them. Sprinkle with remaining nutmeg

I wish you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope that you're able to slow down and enjoy your family for the rest of this week. Thank you for your kindness and your sweet words! Enjoy every minute!! Love ya! Mean it! :)

Entertaining with super easy, gluten free appetizers

2011-12-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

Hey Friends!! HAPPY TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS TO YOU!!! Are you ready?? Many of my girlfriends are a little overwhelmed right now! So here I am spreading holiday cheer. :) I thought I'd show you some simple tips for entertaining your gluten free guests. This is SO EASY!!! I remember when I was first diagnosed with celiac and no one knew what to feed me. These are simple and classy ideas that all ages will enjoy. It really just takes a trip to a couple of grocery stores.

I LOVE to serve crackers and cheeses with olives and I find that everyone seems to enjoy that! Whenever I serve these things in my home my guests will exclaim that this is there favorite kind of munchie. You can totally go to Trader Joes to grab a couple of cheeses but since it's Christmas I went to Whole Foods and chatted with the cheese lady. She helped me choose a variety of cheeses and allowed me to taste them before purchasing. I always serve a brie because let's face it- it's the yummiest! I love a really creamy, buttery one. This time I paired it with a gouda and a goat cheese which had a very light flavor and not gamey at all. That's why it's great to go to Whole Foods where you can taste it before you buy it! Cheese pairs quite nicely with fig jam so I usually also include a small dish of that as well. Then I grab some sea salt coated almonds and hit the olive bar. To "pretty up" my presentation I just added a couple of fresh pears and chunks of pomegranate- sooo easy!

* don't forget your gluten free crackers.

This time I added something NEW! I was browsing through the Christmas issue of Southern Living and came across this Tex Mex dip. It's completely NOT fat free BUT it's CHRISTMAS and we're supposed to indulge right?? And guess what?? We scraped that bowl CLEAN! YUM!! I mean DOUBLE YUM!!! This was so tasty that I will be making it again for Christmas Eve! You've gotta try this!! You will love me forever! And it seriously takes about 10 minutes tops to put together and then you just throw it into the oven.

Well I hope you find this post helpful! AND I hope this takes the scary out of entertaining your gluten free friends this season!

I will leave you with a couple more tips:

1. Always run and empty your dishes before your guests arrive. This makes clean up go much quicker.

2. Make sure to empty your garbage can before your guests arrive.

3. Light candles and tea lights everywhere!!

disclaimer: To my very dear and close friends that read my blog. I did NOT have a Christmas party and decide not to invite you. If I had a Christmas party YOU certainly would've been invited. :) LOVE YOU!

gluten free spritz cookies and a great gift idea!

2011-12-07T16:35:00.000-08:00

I am SO EXCITED! Because I'm about to become your very best friend! And I can always use more friends! This little treat box that I've put together is completely gluten free! Do you know what I like about it??? I have spent hours and hours reading Martha Stewart magazines in my lifetime and always been a bit envious of the beautiful cookie boxes that are shown. This weekend I'm participating in a cookie exchange and I decided I AM GOING TO DO GLUTEN FREE COOKIES AND I'M GOING TO DO IT JUST AS GOOD AS MARTHA. ha! And do you know what the best part is?? These are INCREDIBLY EASY!!! Already my friends and family have raved about my little cookie packages saying that they look right out of a magazine and they didn't take much time at all! Do you wanna know the secret? You put your dough into a COOKIE PRESS and they come out looking like little teacakes with little effort. And I've even done your homework for you. You can buy your cookie press at Williams-Sonoma for about 21 bucks which really seems like a fair price to me if you can bang out cookies like these!

I think these little cookie boxes will make cute teacher gifts or sweet treats for your neighbor or anyone you'd like to impress. (wink) I bought little candy boxes which I found at packaging specialties and then just put the cookies in cupcake papers. You could even be more festive buy purchasing Christmas colored papers. Then I added a tag and voila- a cute cookie box for the people you love. As an after thought I think a tag saying "enjoy!" would be quite cute as well.

I've worked with this recipe and come up with a dough that works well in the cookie press, presses out easily, and keeps it shape while also being super yummy! Here it is! :)

Lissa's Gluten Free Spritz Cookies:
adapted from Martha Stewart's candy-cane cookies

preheat oven to 325 degrees

1 c unsalted butter- softened
1 c powdered sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 c thai rice flour
1/2 c sweet rice flour
red and green food coloring
red sprinkles for decorating

Cream together butter and powdered sugar. Then stir in egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt.

In a separate bowl whisk together thai rice flour, sweet rice flour, and xanthan gum. Then slowly incorporate into butter/sugar mixture. Stir until combined.

Divide dough in half placing desired food coloring into each bowl and stirring until well combined.

Chill dough for about a half hour.

Remove dough from fridge and roll into a tube. Place tube into the cookie press. Press cookies onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle with red sprinkles.

Bake for 10 minutes at 325 degrees.

** I think it's really important to use the thai rice flour in this recipe because it's finely milled (almost like powdered sugar) and will keep the cookies from tasting grainy. Also, it holds together better for keeping the cookie's cute shapes. I also would make sure to use the 1/2 c of sweet rice flour because it acts as a binding ingredient along with the xanthan gum. Both of these flours are easy to find at asian supermarkets.

*** These cookies taste better the next day so make them one day ahead of when you need to serve them.

Did it work? Am I your BFF????

please excuse the half naked man in this post, it had to be done.

2011-12-05T12:49:00.000-08:00

Well MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!!!!! Has your mailbox been full of as many holiday catalogs as mine has??? There isn't even time to go through all of the catalogs that wind up in my home. Many of them go straight to the recycle bin or they'll just stack up on my counter and my OCD issues just don't allow for that! ha! BUT! I quickly thumbed through the latest catalog from Nordstrom and just about peed my pants and NO! It's NOT because of the hunky half naked man! BUT it's what's behind him!!! I mean seriously!! LOOK AT THAT KITCHEN!!!! Are you surprised that I even noticed that kitchen with that hot throb of a man standing there leisurely enjoying his coffee?? I could HAPPILY cook in that kitchen ALL DAY LONG! And I don't even need that man in there. My husband is MUCH HUNKIER than he is anyways! (at least that's what I've been telling him....) Okay, and that mantle!!! LOVE! So I totally copied it! And the only thing I had to buy were the tiny ornaments. I had everything else! I grabbed them at target yesterday and just love the added sparkle. And really, this is TOTALLY what my husband and I look like when we're playing the wii. Isn't that what you look like???

And I totally get it! Nordstrom isn't just selling pajamas. They're trying to sell you a lifestyle and apparently I've bought it hook line and sinker because if I don't get that robe for christmas there are going to be tears I tell you. TEARS! because I NEED it to go with my mantle!!! Ha!!! What about you? Have any catalogs rocked your world this season?

christmas cheer!

2011-11-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

I've been working really hard on my final project for school. These are a few of the pictures I've taken for it. I also plan to include some of the gingerbread and peanut butter kiss photographs as well. I've had tons of fun in school! I'm registered for next quarter to continue my photography education and am hoping to progress even further. Who knew you'd find me in a classroom 10 years after having children?! I'm so grateful for the opportunity to get to go! I can't believe I get to pursue something that I'm so extremely excited about!! I decided to focus my attention on Christmas preparations which includes baking and decorating! I've been working SO hard!! My OCD has kicked into HIGH gear and I've actually had to pray that God would help me relax and settle down. My sweet family is so kind to me when my perfectionism sets in and they help me to relax and remind me to be content. Hopefully once I turn in my final project I can begin to chill out. I have SIX WEEKS off of school and I'm looking forward to slowing down! I want to relax and ENJOY each and every moment with the people I love! If there is one thing I would wish for you it would be for you to take in some deep breaths and remember to enjoy every little gift that this season brings your way! If your decorating isn't ready for a magazine just smile and be grateful for a home to decorate! If you don't have time to bake, relax and enjoy the delicious baked goods that local markets sell. If you find yourself without family reach out to someone you care about and spend some quality time with them. Hug on your kids, love on your man, and make sure to tell your friends how much they mean to you this season! Speaking of which, THANK YOU so much for reading my little ol' blog from the bottom of my heart! Thank you for stopping by even if you don't really need gluten free recipes. Thank you for your sweet comments and friendship! You've been a wonderful encouragement to me! MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

holiday gift guide~ yellow edition

2011-11-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

As I've been shopping around these little, yellow items have caught my eye! I LOVE the scent of the eggnog candle! One of my FAVORITE traditions is to bake with my girls early in the morning while we're still wearing our jammies. We light a candle and make some yummy treats together. I also think it's a nice idea to buy some new kitchen towels for the season. They get dingy so quickly and with friends and family gathering around your home it is always nice to have some pretty kitchen towels. I DO hope you plan on entertaining at least a friend or two this season! I LOVE to be invited into people's homes! It's so warm and cozy, especially at Christmas! It doesn't need to be anything fancy but it might be a nice idea to set aside some time to bless some people you love with breakfast, dinner, or maybe just some cookies and coffee. I just sent my husband out this morning to buy the cookie press. I'm hoping to make some gluten free spritz cookies soon so be watching for the recipe!! Merry, Merry Christmas! Ready or not, the season is here! Cheers!

1. and 2. are from Anthropologie

3. and 4. are from Williams Sonoma

gluten free peanut butter kiss cookies

2011-11-22T18:06:00.000-08:00

These cookies are a Christmas must in my house! Even when my girls were still in highchairs they would help me bake by unwrapping the foil off of each kiss (and probably eat quite a few as well). They go together quick and easy. It's a great recipe to make with the kids. My girls love to roll the balls of dough in the sugar and then gently press the chocolate kiss into each cookie. This recipe is adapted from one I found in Sunset Magazine many years ago.

1/2 c unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 c sugar plus a little extra in a bowl for rolling your formed dough balls in before baking.
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 c gluten free peanut butter
1 large egg
1 t vanilla
1 c thai rice flour
3/4 c sweet rice flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 bag of chocolate kisses

Cream together butter, sugars, and peanut butter. Beat in egg and vanilla.

Whisk together flours, baking soda, and salt. Then add to the wet mixture and combine.

Roll dough into 1" size balls, roll each ball into sugar and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

I hope you enjoy these gluten free cookie recipes! If you are new to gluten free eating or have recently been diagnosed with celiac my hope is that these recipes help you to forget that you're not eating gluten! I serve these recipes to all who enter my home and have never had anyone tell me that they miss the gluten in my cookies. In fact, I rarely have many cookies left after a night with family and friends.

Happy baking!

gluten free gingerbread

2011-11-19T17:53:00.001-08:00

Christmas is just FIVE short weeks away! Have you started shopping? Do you find yourself going over lists of what will need to be done before the holiday rush? Every year my family has a holiday tradition called the "Dad says it's Okay" party where we get together to celebrate the coming of the holiday season and at it "dad says it's okay" to begin listening to Christmas music and start decorating. I totally cheated this year! I LOVE Christmas music and started listening to it about 2 weeks ago. I decided to bake these tiny gingerbread men for the party to ring in the festivities. I plan on posting quite a few gluten free Christmas cookie recipes for you to use in your gluten free holiday baking. The first in one of my favorites!

gingerbread...

Gluten Free Gingerbread Men

adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

3 1/2 c thai rice flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 1/4 t ground cinnamon
1 1/4 t ground ginger
1 1/4 t ground allspice
1/4 t ground cloves
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 c molasses

In a large bowl, whisk together rice flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves; set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars. Then add egg and molasses. Beat until combined. Slowly beat in dry ingredients until just incorporated. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.

Let dough soften and place between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Roll out to about 1/4" thick. Cut into shapes. Transfer shapes onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. (9 minutes is for the tiny men. Depending upon size baking times will vary.)

a little pre Christmas decorating

2011-11-15T21:57:00.000-08:00

"I have my heading!" as Captain Jack Sparrow would say! I've read every Christmas catalog out there, scoured the internet, and looked through old magazine clippings I've saved. I was having a difficult time deciding how I wanted to decorate my home for Christmas until I came across an article in the December issue of Martha Stewart Living highlighting Kevin Sharkey's home decorated for Christmas. I fell in love with the feather trees and glittery reindeer combined with fresh, green wreaths. While I do not wish to decorate with pink trees this year I used the inspiration and then hit the stores looking for the perfect feather tree. I finally ended up with one from my sister's house. I tried a couple different types of lights but really like the look of the glansa light strings from IKEA! I love the way the tiny lights pop out like little lit matchsticks. I gives the tree a bit of a hip, modern look. Then I added a bit of cozy charm with the tarnished ornaments which I found at Restoration Hardware.

I don't really feel like it's time to start decking your halls for Christmas yet. I do really want to celebrate Thanksgiving and really focus on all that I have to be grateful for! I was just playing around with the tree, trying to decide what to do with it and after all of that work decided to just leave it up. We won't be putting up our large tree, wreaths, etc until after the turkey! :)

Here are my inspiration photos:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Images 1. and 2. Martha Stewart Living

Images 3. and 4. Restoration Hardware

Enjoy all of your preparations!

And HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

preparing for the holidays

2011-11-06T14:48:00.000-08:00

I just love this time of year! Before the holiday rush I get this overwhelming urge to clean and organize my house. It happens every year. I dust the blinds, make sure the kitchen cupboards, fridge, and pantry are cleaned out and organized. I also go through our closets to see what we need and what we can discard. It gets a little carried away because I also head outside to weed and tidy the garden because I just couldn't possibly put lights up onto a house with an unkept yard. :) It really does help the holiday decorating and festivities run smoother when you start off with everything in its place. Now that I'm in school I can't just work for days on end doing this project so I have basically chosen one or two items a day that I'd like done before the holiday rush and work on something every day.

I've also had a couple of people ask me lately how I keep my fruits and vegetables, etc. displayed in the kitchen. This changes all of the time depending upon what I have on hand. Currently this is how I am keeping my tomatoes, garlic, and pomegranates. I also have onions, lemons, and limes in baskets on the hutch. I love the idea of layering different sized white containers on the countertop with your fruits and vegetables displayed inside.

image Martha Stewart.

This time of year starts a lot of my favorite traditions the first of which I enjoyed this weekend. My sister and I always head down to Ikea the first weekend in November to look at their holiday decor. This year instead of picking up decorations I decided to redo our closet in the bedroom. I live in an older home so I don't have the joy of a walk-in closet so organization is a must. I picked up orange bins, wooden hangers, and a white piece of furniture which houses the larger bins. I spent yesterday afternoon and evening cleaning out my closet. I'm so happy with the results.

Hopefully this post will inspire you to get a few projects accomplished that you'd like done before the busyness sets in!

Happy Preparations!

thai food

2011-11-02T13:12:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious recipe which I found on the Williams-Sonoma website. I've tried to make thai food at home before and come away with a flavorless dish. This recipe does not disappoint. It's a wee bit spicy but both my girls ate it so I don't think it's overpowering. The flavors of the basil and jalapeño in this dish go well together and it fixes in a snap. I'm going to add this to my "on the go" category because I made this entire meal in about 20-25 minutes. (I do have a rice cooker so add a bit more time if you're cooking it on the stovetop. You can find the recipe here.

Ingredients:

6 Tbs. chicken stock (I used organic chicken broth)
2 Tbs. Asian fish sauce
2 tsp. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch
strips
1 or 2 Thai or jalapeño chilies, cut into very thin
rounds
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut
into thin strips
3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves,
preferably Thai basil
3 green onions, cut into 3-inch pieces
Cooked jasmine rice for serving

I could not find the thai basil so I just used regular italian basil and it was wonderful in this dish.

I did follow William Sonoma's recipe and whisk together the chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch as directed but then I just stir fried the rest starting with the chicken and garlic in the oil and then adding the remaining ingredients as I cooked making sure that the chicken was cooked through. I added the sauce last following W.S.'s direction and cooking for a minute more.

For more detailed directions visit their website for the recipe here.

I really think you'll enjoy this dish!

A Festive Centerpiece

2011-11-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

I love decorating with natural elements. I recently mentioned to my girlfriend that I wanted to use pomogranates in my festive decor this year and she suggested I add tangerines and leaves to them for added color. I just loved the idea and couldn't wait to try it! You can grab all of these ingredients at the grocery store while picking up your groceries. It only takes minutes to put together! You will need several pomogranates depending on the size of your container, a small bag of satsumas, and leaf filler from the floral department. Then just layer together in a way that looks pleasing to the eyes. This makes a lovely centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table but would also be gorgeous on a buffet table surrounded by cheese, crackers, figs, olives, etc. for a Christmas gathering. You could also try layering the fruit on a cake stand or in a dough bowl, just use whatever you have on hand. This is a long lasting arrangement which will add lots of life and color to your Holiday table. If you decide to use this idea please send me a photo! I would love to see what you come up with!

It's November 1st! Let the festivities begin! I LOVE this time of year!

the restaurant that made me cry

2011-10-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a quick trip to Scottsdale, Arizona to visit a dear friend. Her and I have been friends since we were 18 years old so she really understands the ins and outs of me. Two weeks ago I received a text from her which stated that she had found the perfect "Lissa" restaurant and she couldn't wait to take me to it! Well I have to tell you that the night before we were up until almost 3 am chatting away. Last week I had terrible trouble sleeping and so I still woke up at 4:45am even after the late bedtime. I can't even tell you how exhausted I was so I chose not to bring my camera with me even though my girlfriend insisted that she was taking me to the most amazing place. Many of these images are taken with my iphone. I found the last 7 pictures on their website which really capture the place beautifully.

If you are one of my southern cali friends or live in the phoenix/ scottsdale area RUN don't walk to the nearest True Food restaurant. It's amazing!!! They have a FABULOUS selection of gluten free entrees including pizza and fish tacos. Once I saw the little gf logo next to the fish tacos I didn't need to read another item on the menu. We also ordered an amazing sashimi platter and a refreshing iced tea infused with lemon and cucumber.

But lets get back to the story- remember I'm going on 2 hours of sleep here...

Walking to the restaurant it was probably about 90 degrees which in my book equals perfection. (At home today it was FREEZING and I walked to school in a thick hoodie and rubber boots.) We walked along a palm tree lined path to the restaurant so already I'm completely in my element. THEN (drum roll please) we walk up the 3 steps to my little version of heaven. This restaurant has the whole fresh food vibe down pat! You walk up to the outdoor patio and see large chunky farmhouse tables seasonally decorated with pumpkins and gourds. Past the farmhouse table you find the most amazing potting station which leads to the opening of the herb garden. They have mounds and mounds of fresh herbs lining the walkway around the building including an entire wall filled with pots overflowing with rosemary. There are also lemon trees which is just the most decadent thing you can grow in my book. There are beautiful, apple green cushioned chairs for relaxing and galvanized lighting. Upon peeking inside the restaurant you see large metal baskets filled with fresh fruit, squash, and seasonal items. TOLIX chairs (be still my beating heart) line the tables.

This is where it gets interesting (remember the whole no sleep thing) I just start crying right then and there. I look around and tears start flowing down my face. I don't know quite how to explain it but it was like I was staring at my dream. The herb garden, the decor, the warmth, the fresh food, outdoor seating... It's like someone looked into my head and made my dream house into a restaurant. I wish I could go there right now! I've been all over yelp looking for something similar in Seattle but have come up empty handed.

Do you ever feel like you're on the cusp of something? Like your toes are dangling over the edge and you're about to go over but something is stopping you? That's kind of how I feel. And I don't really even know what's over that edge. Like maybe I'm not quite ready yet and someone is holding my collar to keep me from going over before I'm fully prepared. I feel like this was a little taste. A little gift from God reminding me that he sees my dreams. He knows those things that make my heart flutter and fill me with passion. But he also knows the perfect timing for me to step over that edge into a new abyss.

I can't wait! This was a taste but as to what I don't really know. Just that this so described me in every way. Patience is such a hard thing. They say that timing is everything and baby I'm a sprinter! But if there's one thing that's proved to be true for Neal and I it's that slow and steady wins the race. That God has a perfect plan in his perfect time. I feel like he's just as excited for me to get there as I am.

Sometimes I'll look at a food photo in Martha Stewart Living or Donna Hay and say, "Lord, this is it! How do I get there?" And I don't even really know what I'm asking. But he knows the deepest desires of my heart. The ones that are hidden in those tiny crevices barely visible to the naked eye. And when my impatient heart cries out, "why don't I have it yet??" I hear a soft whisper in the back of my mind "for I KNOW the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. To give you a hope and a FUTURE" and I'm strengthened to wait some more.

The last seven images are the property of the ever so fabulous True Food Kitchen. Why don't you pop over and take a peek at their menu!

apple pie with a light and buttery pie crust

2011-10-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

I've come up with a super delicious pie crust. My husband who does not require a gluten free diet loved it and declared it to be the best pie crust I've made yet. This would be a great recipe to file away for your gluten free holiday baking. I will go out on a limb and suggest that if you make this pie for your family they won't even realize that it's gluten free.

For the crust:

2/3 c cold unsalted butter
2 oz cream cheese
1 c thai rice flour
3/4 c sweet rice flour
1 t xanthan gum
1 t salt
1/2 c cold water

Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of your mixer and cream together.

Combine the rice flours, xanthan gum, and salt in a small bowl and combine with a whisk. Slowly pour into your butter mixture and mix well.

Add 1/2 c cold water and mix well.

Form dough into a ball and divide in half. Place dough between two layers of parchment paper and roll out. (this will work much easier if the dough is cold. Place in the fridge to chill if needed.) Remove one layer of the parchment paper and place dough side down into your pie dish. I would recommend refrigerating again before removing the top layer of parchment paper so that it comes off clean. Repeat process for top layer.

For the apple pie filling

6 c of granny smith apples- cored, peeled, and thinly sliced. (or your favorite apples for pie)
3/4 c suagr
1 T corn starch
1 t ground cinnamon
a couple of shakes of nutmeg.
1 t lemon juice
2 T cold butter

Combine sugar, spices, salt, and starch. Set aside 2 T of sugar mixture and pour the rest over the sliced apples. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the top and stir until combined. Let sit at least 15 minutes before placing into your pie dish. Sprinkle the 2 T of sugar mixture you had set aside into the bottom of your pie shell. Pour the apple mixture over the top. Thinly slice the cold butter and place it over the apples. Add the top crust and sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar over the top making 3 small slits in the center with a sharp knife allowing the steam to escape. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. It should be hot and bubbly when you pull it out of the oven and the crust will be a beautiful golden brown.

a bit of fall in the kitchen

2011-10-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year! We warm our homes with cozy throws, candles are lit at twilight to cast a warm glow, and we buy pumpkins and gourds to fill our homes will fall's natural beauty. I've been dreaming of baking pies and having hearty, warm stews cooking in the oven. This year instead of my usual halloween decor I've opted for a Thanksgiving approach. I have so much to be thankful for this year so I'm choosing the warmth and beauty of God's creation over my usual skeletons and spiders.

I'm sure by looking at these photos you can figure out what I'll be doing tomorrow. :) I hoping to bake an apple pie for my family. I will be leaving on a small getaway and I have a cozy night planned with a warm meal dined by candlelight and ending with apple pie. I thought it would be a nice way to spend the evening with my family before I go! It's been a crazy week but I've worked really hard to stay on schedule so that I can make this evening happen!

Here's a sampling of a few of my favorite items for fall baking:

1. In the previous post on pantry items I recommended the kitchenaid mixer as it is an invaluable tool in a gluten free kitchen.

2. This straight rolling pin is my favorite for evenly rolling out dough.

3. Emile Henry makes the greatest pie dish.

4. These adorable dishcloth napkins are currently available at Pottery Barn

And if you're still dying for some spooky Halloween decor click here to see how I decorated last year.

Happy Nesting!

revamped gluten free pantry list

2011-10-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

I am reworking my pantry list. I added a few things to it. You learn something new every day and I have found out that sweet rice flour is a sticky flour and can act as a binding agent in your cooking so I've added that to my list. I've also added a few things that are great to have on hand with fall cooking. I don't have things like almond meal on the list or flax seed even though I do own those things. I find that I use them so rarely that if you're new to gluten free eating I'd wait to add those until you're sure you'll need them. I do still use xanthan gum in some of my recipes even though there's been some controversy regarding it. It's grown from mold and so some people try to find other binding ingredients to use such as guar gum. For now I am sticking with xanthan gum. I only use it in my recipes when necessary. At the bottom of this post I also show some of my favorite pantry items. I list San Marzano tomatoes as a favorite staple. They are quite a bit more than the canned tomatoes you buy at Costco but if you use them in tomato sauces for pizza or pasta the taste makes a world of difference and in my opinion well worth the 3.99 price! When it comes to chili or things that take lots of spice I use the organic S&W tomatoes and save the "fancy" ones for when their taste will stand out. I also show here the packaging for the thai rice flour that I prefer to use. You can get it at most asian supermarkets or you can also order it through amazon. I also show my favorite noodles and bread. I think you will find a label maker to be an invaluable tool and well worth the investment along with glass storage jars! Christmas is coming and if there are 2 things that will change your life when converting to gluten free it's a kitchen aid stand mixer and a label maker. The labels will help you to keep the various flours organized since they all seem to look alike! And the kitchen aid really makes all of the extra baking you'll be doing much easier and faster!

If you know me you'll laugh because I went through this list and alphabetized it. I hope that makes your shopping easier. ;)

In the pantry:

brown rice
brown rice flour
brown sugar
chocolate chips
coffee
corn starch
gluten free bread crumbs
gluten free noodles (spaghetti and penne)
jasmine rice
m&ms
non-fat dry milk
popcorn
potato starch
powered sugar
sugar- organic
tapioca flour
thai rice flour
sweet rice flour
xanthan gum

Cans:

black beans
coconut milk
diced tomatoes (I buy orangic S&W and San Marzano
kidney beans
organic pumpkin
pinto beans

Spices:

all spice
basil leaves
chili powder
cinnamon
crushed red pepper flakes
garlic salt
ground cloves
ground ginger
lemon pepper
onion flakes
oregano
pepper
salt (regular, sea, kosher)

liquids:

balsamic vinegar
beef broth- organic
canola oil
chicken broth- organic
gluten free peanut butter
gluten free soy sauce
honey
olive oil
red wine for pasta sauces and pot roasts
red wine vinegar

Weekly purchases for fresh foods as needed:

fresh salsa (I like Trader Joe's or Rojo)
garlic
green onion
lemons
onion
organic carrots
organic eggs
organic milk
potatoes
romaine lettuce
sour cream- gluten free
tomatoes
unsalted butter

These are some of my must have items for the pantry.

1. San Marzano tomatoes. They will make a big difference in your tomato pastas!

2. Bionature pasta- tastes so good your guests won't know they're eating gluten free.

3. Udi whole grain bread- it's more expensive than baking your own but it's super tasty!

4. Thai rice flour- it's so finely milled it doesn't leave the gritty taste that regular rice flour leaves.

5. Weck's canning jars. You can find them at Crate and Barrel.

6. A label maker. I prefer the clear tape! When labeling your jars it's a great idea to put the expiration date on the bottom of the jar.

well I can't sleep at all so I guess I'm supposed to tell ya this.

2011-10-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

I'm the happiest girl in the world! And I truly think that I just might be! I'm so free! So truly and deeply free and it's the most amazing feeling in the world! Today I was chatting with a very dear friend. We were remembering EIGHT years ago when I was so broken, so filled with fear, unable to move because my insecurities kept me in utter bondage. I WILL NEVER GO BACK THERE AGAIN! My insecurities started back in junior high. Because of celiac I was an incredibly late bloomer and people just aren't nice to you if you don't look like everyone else. There was one boy in particular was so mean to me. Lots of disappointments in life held me in a deep bondage to insecurity. Over time that insecurity opened me up to full fledged fear. I was so fearful of getting hurt all the time. I worked harder and harder at trying to maintain a perfect image so that no one would have anything negative to say about me while at the same time holding people at an arm's length to keep them from getting into the real me. That was such a HEAVY burden. At that time I may have written, "I'm the most miserable girl in the world" and it went on for years. I tell you this so that you know that I TOTALLY GET IT!! Girl- have I been there! Been there, done that, wrote the book on what not to do!

I remember THREE years back when I finally decided, "enough's enough!" and I turned to God! I was so broken and so willing to do whatever it took for me to lose those chains of bondage. OH MY WORD GIRLS! It's the ABSOLUTE HARDEST thing I've ever done in my life! Do you know what it takes to find freedom? You have to drop ALL of your pride, ALL of YOUR answers, and give up ALL of your rights and JUST OBEY. There really is nothing else. You just lay your life wide open in front of the Father and allow him to fillet you! AND YOU JUST HAVE TO DO IT!!! Because someone is lying to you. Someone is telling you that freedom can't come for you and THAT'S A TOTAL LIE! Because here I am!!! Living proof that Jesus died so that you can be FREE! And you know what?? Freedom is the BEST feeling in the whole world! And I'll tell you something else. My husband and I have been to hell and back in our marriage. Divorce was an option. We were utterly and completely broken. But there was something inside me that just KNEW that God could fix it, that he could fix me. I can't explain it. I just knew with everything that was in me. I wrote this letter at the lowest point of my life ending it with "one day I know this will totally be worth it." And you know what? It totally was! I think that every girl on the planet would go through every painful thing I've been through to have her husband look at her the way mine looks at me.

Don't ever, EVER doubt that God can't handle your situation. That he can't or won't turn it around! He IS the answer you're looking for! Do everything he asks of you. Just do it! Because God honors obedience!

Be a warrior! Take your life back!! Why is your shield lying at your feet when you are in a war! Pick it up! You're fighting for your freedom!

1 Peter 4:19 The Message

So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust Him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it. :)

on the go gluten free spaghetti sauce

2011-10-10T16:51:00.000-07:00

This is just about as easy as it gets for a yummy spaghetti sauce! The best part is you start it in the crock pot so all you need to do when you get home is boil some noodles! This makes a great dish for having friends over as well. Saturday was spent running to and fro but I really wanted to have some friends over so I started this spaghetti sauce in the morning and we were able to eat and visit with our friends that evening without much cooking involved. Serve it with a side salad and maybe a little garlic bread and you're set! When we're feeding a crowd I've been known to have 2 or 3 crock pots full of sauce and then a large pot of gluten free noodles for those of us who can't eat wheat and then another pot of regular noodles for everyone else. Just be careful to keep things separated so that nothing gets mixed up!

This recipe came from a friend years ago. I don't know where this recipe originated but if you do let me know and I'd be happy to give credit where credit is due.

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion chopped
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 t dried oregano
1 t salt
2 t dried basil
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t dried thyme

1. brown meat and onion in saucepan. Drain well. Transfer to a slow cooker.

2. add remaining ingredients

3. cover and cook on low for 7 hours

4. If the sauce seems too runny, remove lid during last hour of cooking.

You know, as I was typing this recipe I was thinking that this meal could also make great football food. Maybe this could start a fun night where you invite a few people over, either close friends or maybe couples you might like to get to know a little better. Maybe this could start a whole new tradition for you and you may even find you make some close friendships while you're at it! There's nothing cozier than being invited into someone's home and I think that this weekend might be a great time to start this new tradition.

For dessert just make a batch of these gluten free chocolate chip cookies and brew a pot of decaf coffee! Everyone invited will love it!

quick and easy gluten free peanut butter m&m cookies

2011-10-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

This week has been an incredible roller coaster week for us! Anyone else out there feeling like they're driving faster than the speed limit right now???

Last weekend I took a cooking class. There are two things that I can not master (whaaaaa) and that is gluten free pizza dough and chocolate cake. I can't tell you how many batches of chocolate cupcakes have ended up in the trash bin. I don't know what my deal is! My sister will make an amazingly moist and delicious gf cake and then I will grab the recipe from her only to come home and have it come out dry again!!! I WILL master these two items one day and when I do we will be celebrating and baking them together!!! Mark my words!! It will come to pass! Even if it kills me... and it may...

Anyway, back to the cooking class. The main subject for the cooking class was pizza dough so I jumped at the chance to attend! The pizza dough that we ate in the class was delicious and I wish I didn't have to share with the others cuz I was ready to pound some seriously yummy pizza. The teacher was well educated on all of the new gf flours available out there stating that she chooses not to use rice flour any longer. So I was feeling a bit old school and went out and purchased all of the flours that she recommended and you know something? Not one thing I've made this week has turned out! I'm sure it's because I'm new to these flours and there's probably a learning curve involved but I think there's something to be said on keeping yourself educated on what's out there. So I'm trying really hard not to be old school or stuck in my ways but I just needed to make something quick and easy today that I could count on turning out! My girls have a big walk-a-thon at school today and I know they're going to come home starving so I thought it'd be fun to have some homemade cookies and milk waiting for them when they walk in the front door.

I stuck to my original recipe. No new flours today. I'm going to keep working on them and let you know what I find that works. Especially that pizza dough!!! The recipes I post on my blog are recipes that are tried and true for me. I hope that if they consistently work for me they will for you as well.

Peanut Butter and M&M cookies

1/2 c sugar
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 c unsalted butter- softened
1/2 c gluten free peanut butter

~ Mix these ingredients together until light and fluffy.

~ add the next two ingredients and blend well

1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

In a separate small bowl combine:

1 3/4 c thai rice flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

**I like to use a fork to quickly stir and combine these ingredients before adding them to the wet mixture.

Slowly add in the combined dry ingredients and mix well.

Then stir in 1 cup of M&Ms until combined.

Bake at 375* for 8-10 minutes.

makes 3 dozen

Yum!

just like at grandma's

2011-10-02T18:11:00.001-07:00

When our girls were quite small, actually before we even had children we used to live within walking distance from my grandma. I used to enjoy walking over there for a visit in the afternoons on my days off. I have been deeply influenced by my grandma. My love of clean comes from her. I remember growing up and it didn't matter when we would visit, her home was always tidy and cozy. She always had one or two candy dishes around the house (usually with coffee nips and peanut m&ms) and her home usually smelled of something cooking in the oven. She cooked a lot of turkey, briskets, roasts, etc. My grandpa grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and was a total meat and potatoes man. She was my sweet grandma and often allowed us to stay for dinner. I loved her cooking! Today's dinner took me right back to those afternoons with my grandma.

This is such a great "on the go" meal to prepare. I didn't brown the beef or anything. You can just throw all of this into an oven safe pan (I prefer a cast iron pot) and bake it on timed bake, covered, in the oven for 5 hours. Dinner will be ready when you get home and it takes just minutes to throw together.

Just Like Grandma's Beef Stew

2 lbs chuck cut into chunks
1 small bag of carrots
1 yellow onion- chopped
1 bag baby new potatoes- small ones
1 can gluten free tomato soup- I prefer Amy's brand
1 c red wine- I used cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir works well also
1 c beef broth- my husband said I should add a touch more next time to make it a tad saucier.
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1 bay leaf
ground pepper to taste
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 large cloves of garlic roughly chopped into chunks

Place all ingredients into your oven safe pot placing the fresh herbs and bay leaf on the top. Cover and bake at 275* for 5 hours.

It's really, really delicious!

Now that I'm in school and don't have as much time for meal preparation I thought that I would add a category on my blog entitled "on the go" which will be quick and easy gluten free meals. Some will be meals you prepare ahead of time in the mornings and others will be something you can quickly throw together after a long day allowing you to still provide your family with a healthy, non processed meal on the run.

Since so many of you have asked I will spill the beans and tell you that I'm going to school for photography. I hope you will see some fun improvements here! Lots to learn!

And I would love to thank Annette Joseph for the beautiful tea towel used in this post which I won in a giveaway on her blog from my favorite online store Studiopatro!

I feel like Forrest Gump

2011-09-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! How ARE you??? Come on in cuz I've got something to tell ya! I've been runnin like CA-RAZY!!! To tell you the truth this blog may turn into "keep it simple- gluten free food on the go" cuz I started school this week and I've been RUNNIN!!! There has been NO post worthy food this week! We've ordered pizza one night, grilled cheese on another... you get the gist... But this is SO exciting for me!! I LOVE being at school. I'm attending our community college and let me tell ya going to school makes you realize that you don't really know ANYTHING! ha! I had such a funny start! Here I am 39 years old and could be many of those kid's mother! I had a THREE HOUR lecture the other day and it didn't even occur to me that I might need a notebook and a pen! NO!! I sat there at an empty desk with a diet coke and camera (which I quickly stashed in my bag...) Thankfully I had a cute outfit on! :) Luckily a sweet young girl helped get me started with paper and a pen. And I am suck a geek!!! I seriously considered going to the Disney store and getting one of those Nerds Rule notebooks that has a cute minnie on each and every page!! But as I looked around the room I saw that no one else had a super hero or strawberry shortcake notebook so I'd better keep mine plain as well. Oh and guess what else!!! I was BRAVE and answered TWO questions... BOTH of which I got WRONG in front of the WHOLE class! UGH!!! But I heard someone once say that once you've said it wrong and been corrected you will never EVER forget the right answer again! ;P

I also signed up to help teach MOPPET kids for the year. I remember how desperately I needed a break when I had toddlers and preschoolers and decided to donate some of my time to giving those mamas time to chat with other mommies who are in the same boat. I don't know if you're a new reader to my blog or not but I went through quite a difficult time during the last two years and now that I'm fully healed I figure it's time for me to stop cocooning and start serving!

So I have another story... Is this to many for one day??? I sat with a young mom this morning who is staying home right now and confessed that sometimes she feels like there's not a lot to her life. She thinks of what she has to do for the day and sees diaper changes, toilets to be cleaned, dinner to be made and wonders is this all there is to her life. Oh my goodness! Can I relate to that!!! I remember thinking well... my big goal for today is cleaning the bathrooms... Is that all that I am???

Well have no fear!!! It won't be that way forever!! IT IS NEVER TO LATE TO BE WHAT GOD HAS MADE YOU TO BE! And we've ALL been given unique talents and gifts!!! You just have to wait on God and TRUST Him with his timing!! Those little ones NEED you!! As a mom YOU are doing the MOST IMPORTANT JOB in the world! And there is NOTHING insignificant about it!!!

And one day... (and it will come fast) you may find yourself sitting in a college classroom, diet coke in hand, not a paper or pen to be found... ready to start a new adventure and pursue new dreams! IT'S COMING!! DON'T YOU WORRY!!

DREAM BIG!

pumpkin mini muffins

2011-09-25T07:24:00.000-07:00

Fall is just a great time for baking! I love the fall flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon. My coastal living came this week and it had a pumpkin mini muffin recipe that looked so scrumptious I had to convert it right away! With all of the wet ingredients of the pumpkin to keep everything moist it was a simple conversion.

Pumpkin Mini Muffins

**makes 5 dozen so make sure you have enough mini cupcake papers. I had to run to the store mid-baking**

2 c thai rice flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
3/4 t salt
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground allspice
1/2 t ground cloves
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
3/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 c granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 c vegetable oil

Maple cream cheese frosting (see below)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper baking cups into mini muffin pans.

2. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients in a med bowl. Whisk together.

3. Combine pumpkin and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moistened. Spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.

4. Bake, in batches, 15-17 minutes**. Let cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely. **Mine were done in 14 minutes.**

5. Spread Maple-Cream cheese frosting over tops of muffins.

Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/4 c butter softened
1/4 c pure maple syrup
2 c powdered sugar.

Beat first 3 ingredients in a large bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed after each addition until well blended.

**this is half the batch than the magazine calls for and is more then plenty.**

simple, cozy touches to warm up your home

2011-09-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

Nesting for the seasons... Now THAT I enjoy! And I've been a busy bee! Fall came so quickly this year! I feel like yesterday it was summer and then abracadabra today it's fall! I've found that I like interjecting a little bit of color into my home. I used to like things white, white, white but now I want my home to be a reflection of warmth with lots of texture, woods, cozy throws, and yummy stripes.

I came up with a new way to plan my decorating (things I would like to buy for my home) which keeps me from the whole buying return game as I try out things in the house. I started a file in my iphoto where I save photos of products I like from my favorite shops. Then as I upload pictures I notice right away whether something is going to go with the other items I've looked at. As I get my allowance I choose something from the folder that I'd like to buy and generally I've thought about it for so long it saves me from having to return.

There are certain things that I enjoy in my home all year round. I LOVE looking at my favorite vacation photos. They pretty much make me smile every day. I also have a few souvenirs around the house including postcards and magnets on the fridge which reminds me of places and people that I love. My shells never get put away- they're my FAVoRITE! Then, of course, is the pantry/ hutch which is filled with stacks of white dishes, baskets, my favorite tea towels and napkins, and my favorite... cookbooks! I also have my very favorite cozy coffee mug hanging there which I drink my coffee out of every morning. Geez... how many times can you say favorite in one paragraph???

Then I add different things for the seasons. This year I added striped pillows and a chunky charcoal grey throw to the living room along with a big chunky beach basket for texture. I filled my bread bowl with pumpkins and gourds to bring home the season and stuffed a squash into a bowl on the hutch. Seasonal flowers are a must and today I bought a gorgeous bouquet of teddy bear sunflowers which is filling the dining room table this evening.

Then of course is my boy (dog) who is my constant companion. And if you look closely at the flour sack towel hanging in the kitchen you will see the most darling gift that my sister just brought me from Hawaii. (she knows me!)

And my last little fun tip for fall is to add little pumpkins to your fall pots. It adds a bit of fun to the flowers at the front door.

Happy nesting!

One of the biggest lessons I've learned

2011-09-21T16:36:00.000-07:00

We're going to take a little break from food and kitchen talk cuz I got something important to tell ya. I've learned a LOT of lessons in my late thirties and have probably grown more in the last 2 1/2 years of my life then any other time. One of the BIGGEST mistakes I made after having children was NOT DATING my husband. Babies are so exhausting and then toddlers are even more so. I stupidly thought that no one on the earth could take care of my kids the way I could. Babysitters were expensive and if the choice was between a new sweater or paying a sitter I pretty much always chose the sweater. Now that's just DUMB!! Now I JUMP at the chance to go on dates! Yes, cost is a concern but there is something to be said about making memories and HAVING FUN together as a couple. Well we got the chance to do just that this weekend. We went on a double date with my parents to see BIG N RICH in concert with Gretchen Wilson and it was an absolute blast! And guess what. I almost didn't go!!! I almost saved the money towards a new mirror that I want for my mantle. And that would've been a crying shame because we had SO MUCH FUN!!!

They were playing at the state fair so I arranged for my sister in law to take care of the girls after school and we left in the afternoon for a no holds barred date! And we ATE baby!!! I may need to eat gluten free but I found PLENTY OF JUNK to eat! And then WE DANCED and SANG at the top of our lungs! And we giggled and must've told each other 15 times how much fun we were having and how happy we were to be there!

And it gets better then that!! The next morning I got a text from my husband that said he had so much fun and that he really enjoys spending time with me. Now that's a fantastic compliment if I've ever heard one! He said that seeing me happy makes him happier than anything! I think there's an important truth to grab hold of here. He didn't text me to say, "man you looked so pretty last night." He didn't tell me that seeing me all dolled up in fancy clothes makes him happier than anything. You know what attracts him to me? Seeing me have fun. Watching me enjoy life and dance and laugh and be goofy.

So I have a challenge for my readers. If you have not gone on a date with your husband in awhile would you please make every effort to do so! Would you get all dolled up just like when you were dating before you got married. Would you put on some yummy smelling perfume? And then would you plan something FUN! Maybe it's just going to be happy hour with a gigantic pile of guacamole and more then your share of tortilla chips followed by a visit to your local frozen yogurt shop. Or it might be fun to rent roller blades at your local park and chase each other around the trails stopping afterwards for a Starbucks. It doesn't matter what you do just that you DO something that makse your man feel IMPORTANT and SPECIAL and that HE'S worth not getting a new sweater or mirror because he is SO MUCH more important than things.

And if you're a grandma have I got a doozy of a challenge for you. Would you be willing to be available to take your precious grandchildren so that your own babies could go on a date! Cause I guarantee you that mama needs a break!!! I remember one time when Neal and I went to a movie and ended up being 30 minutes early! We sat in the theater and talked and I was SO HAPPY because I didn't have to take anyone to the bathroom and no one was shoving their hands in my popcorn and eating all of the M&MS. I was relaxed and that half hour of uninterrupted chatting was heaven I tell you!!!

Don't put this off! Your marriage is so important! Plan something fun right now!! And make sure you smile and let him see that twinkle in your eye! It'll do something for him! wink wink!

warming up your home for fall

2011-09-18T13:36:00.000-07:00

The weather really turned around here this week. I'm sitting here in a thick, chunky sweater and boots. Last Sunday I was wearing a sundress at the beach! It's crazy how fast things can turn. My computer has been on the fritz so I've been living without it for days while my husband wiped it clean and has been slowly reinstalling everything. I've tried to be patient! It feels like such a treat to be able to sit hear on the sofa for a minute and poke around online. Not having a computer left me time to prepare my home for fall. I've been wanting to add texture in the form of baskets, throws, and pillows. I also had time to try a few new recipes. I have so much to share with you since I've been off of my computer! I hope you enjoy this extra long post while we catch up!

While visiting my favorite spot in Southern California this summer, Huntington Beach, we went to a cute restaurant for lunch right along the bike path. My husband ordered a sandwich which he raved about so I took a picture of the menu description of it and tried to recreate a gluten free version of it this weekend. The sandwich called for roasted turkey, brie, arugula, and tomato, apricot chutney. I found a recipe for the chutney online which was delicious on the sandwiches.

This recipe was found on Eating Well and is super fast and easy to make.

Apricot- Tomato Chutney

1 14oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 c chopped, dried apricots
1 T lemon juice
1/8 t crushed red pepper

Place tomatoes, apricots, lemon juice, and crushed pepper in a skillet on med-high heat and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens into a chutney. Let cool and spread on your bread before layering on the other ingredients.

And just for fun I thought I'd show you a few of my favorite finds for fall and where to find them.

1. and 2. are from Studio Patro which is my FAVORITE place for kitchen tea towels, aprons, and market bags

3. the pasta bowls from brookfarm general store are beautiful!

4. is a great smelling candle for fall found at Anthropologie

5. and 6. are two great finds from Pottery Barn. The basket is from the beach comber collection.

Then just add a large bouquet of sunflowers from your local farmer's market and your home is all cozied up for fall!

Pretty soon we'll have a crackling fire blazing! I love that smell AND that sound!!

Happy fall!

That PW knows what she's talking about!

2011-09-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

Okay girls! First of all I just have to say that you've really arrived when someone writes "PW" and most of you will know right away that I'm referring to the Pioneer Woman! I mean is that just amazing or what! So here's a secret and I feel like I need to write this really small- I've never really read the Pioneer Woman's blog... GASP!!! I mean I've visited her a few times but I never became a full time reader. But let me tell you what! That girl knows her stuff cuz Oh... MY....WORD... this was the BEST pot roast I've ever made in my life!! I decided to call my mom and dad at the last minute to invite them to dinner and my dad said- in his words, "this is excellent!" CHA-CHING! Cuz he's grading me against my grandma's cookin' and I got an excellent! That's one gold star for me!

Anyways... back on track...

I went and visited the LEMONADE MAKIN MAMA. Do you read her blog? Cuz you SHOULD! She is a DOLL and a really good person (I KNOW HER!) and a fabulously talented blogger!!! I knew that she was making her very first pot roast on Monday so I thought I'd better pay her a visit since I too was makin pot roast this week. SHE'S the one that directed me to PW!!! So I thought to myself, "what the hay... I'm gonna try and make my pot roast a little different this time." And boy did that pay off in a big way!

The pioneer woman recommends a chuck roast. She says it's her favorite cut. For the first time in my life I braised it in some hot olive oil with sea salt and pepper smeared all over it. I really think this makes a difference. Before I used to take about 5 minutes to put my roast together and this extra step really only added 10 minutes. I also browned the veggies a little just like PW and LMM said to do.

Then I placed the roast, onion, and carrots back into the pot. I also decided to add potatoes to mine which is different than theirs. I used red and yellow potatoes. THEN- drum roll please- I added the NEW ingredients that I never thought to add before... I picked 2 good sized sprigs of rosemary and a chunk of thyme from the herb garden and placed them on top of the meat! This really added a LOT of flavor! Especially to the carrots! I never knew carrots could taste so good! The other secret ingredient was red wine!! YUM!!! I just poured about 3/4 c into the pot and then about another 1 1/2 c of beef broth. You can totally eyeball it! I also threw in about 3 large cloves of garlic and the final flavor was to die for! I baked mine, covered, for 4 hours at 325 degrees. The roast was so tender you could flake it apart with your fork!

For more detailed instructions and some killer photos visit HERE and HERE

gluten free lasagna and a little cooking video

2011-09-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

This HAS to be the worlds greatest gluten free lasagna! It's sooo good! It's adapted from a recipe I clipped in a magazine years back. I think it's from Sara Foster. I've converted it to gluten free which basically only meant changing the noodles. I also substituted ground turkey for the ground chuck that the original recipe called for. The red wine in the sauce makes it soooo delicious! It is a little time consuming to put together but it makes a big dish and you'll get at least 2 meals out of it!

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 lbs ground turkey
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried marjoram
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 c red wine
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
3 T thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
3 T chopped fresh oregano, divided
1 lb cottage cheese
1 c whole milk ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
8 to 10 gluten free hot, cooked lasagna noodles
1 lb shredded mozzarella
1 c freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnishing

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add onion, and saute about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add beef, and cook, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Add sea salt and next 3 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 more minutes or until beef is cooked through. Add garlic, and cook 1 more minute.

2. Add balsamic vinegar and wine, and cook about 1 minute or until slightly reduced. Add tomato; reduce heat to low. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Stir in 1 1/2 T each fresh bail and oregano.

3. Combine cottage cheese, ricotta, eggs, and remaining fresh herbs in a medium bowl; stir to combine.

4. Spread 2 2/3 c sauce in bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Place 1/2 of noodles over sauce, and sprinkle with half of mozarella. Top with another 2 2/3 c sauce, noodles, and cottage cheese mixture. Layer remaining mozzarella, 2 2/3 c sauce, and parmesan on top. Cover with foil, and bake at 350* for 50 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake 30 minutes more or until cheese browns slightly. Let stand 30 minutes before serving.

Yesterday Neal and I had a wild hair and he started video taping me cooking with my Iphone. This is our very amateur video but I do think it's fun and maybe it will inspire you to get busy in the kitchen! Remember that I told you I love to cook with candles lit and a little Madeline Peyroux? Well it's all here!

Community

2011-09-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

Usually this time of year brings regret for me. I realize that summer is drawing to a close and that I didn't take advantage of the farmer's market that's just down the street or make time to enjoy our local beach. Well thankfully that's not the case this year. Every Saturday morning has been spent with my mom at the market. It's been such a great thing for us to do together. We don't really have a ton in common but we've found something that we BOTH enjoy and can do TOGETHER! Usually my girls want to go and be with grandma too. We stop for a latte and then wander through the isles of the market. It's been great because my mom doesn't really enjoy cooking at all but the fat, firm, bright red tomatoes and the corn on the cob that's so juicy it looks like it's about to burst from it's cob tempt my mom and she buys these fresh ingredients to go home and prepare dinner for my dad! Sometimes she picks up fresh dill to put in a potato salad and it's been fun watching her be enticed by the beautiful foods the market offers and seeing her inspired to cook with the fresh ingredients.

Another great thing that happened this summer began with an invitation. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon so my husband and I decided to text a few friends to see if they'd like to meet for a BBQ at the beach. We all brought chairs and the kids played while we sat in a large circle enjoying each other's company. One of the men played the ukulele. I LOVED that because it felt a little bit like Hawaii and a lot like family. That night turned into 6 Sunday evenings at the beach. Our circle grew as new people were invited. Sometimes we just did dessert, sometimes sandwiches, the important thing was we all realized we need each other. We need community. This is something the my husband and I have not had in our marriage and something that we now know was missing. Each of us is different and maybe you might not have put us together seeing us on the street. But we are bound together now and I feel so blessed to have a place where we belong. There is a cost to having friends. When you spend that amount of time with people they WILL see that you aren't perfect. You will say something you regret or maybe they'll see you get more irritated with your kids then you would want them to see. Maybe feelings will unintentionally be hurt and then there are apologies to be made and forgiveness to be extended. Friendship requires vulnerability. It takes commitment. As a group we are committed to continuing our get togethers as the winter turns colder. This means we're going to have to open up our homes. We can't worry about how many kids will come or if spills and messes will occur because they will. We can't wait to have them until the bathroom remodel is finished or we can afford more seating. We need community now. What happened to potlucks? I think we need to make a big return of the potluck! If everyone brings a dish there really isn't a high cost involved for having people in your home.

This morning as I was sending off my oldest to school I saw a recipe card sitting on her desk. It caught my eye as it said: from the kitchen of: The Bible and I realized that what we're doing is such a good thing and I encourage you to find a place where you can be community.

I bought you a squash! :D

2011-09-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was chatting with my one of my best girlfriends. She shared with me one of the deepest desires of her heart- something that I know she longs for. But as she shared her heart with me she said she holds this deepest desire with an open hand because if God chooses to say no she wants to be ready to follow his leading without trying to get her own way.

An open hand...

We weren't talking about my blog or my hurt feelings from the comments but I knew that this was a direct answer from God to me for my big ol' "what am I supposed to to with my blog" question. I am to hold it with an open hand and be ready to listen to whatever he leads me to do. So I took a leap of faith yesterday and shared my most personal feelings again on my blog. Later in the evening when I logged in to see if I had any comments THERE YOU ALL WERE! I can't tell you what your support means to me! It was unexpected! I know that there is not a lot to comment on a food blog but I thought that many of my readers had moved on. But you're still here! And you took a minute to bless me and for that I'm grateful! I read your comments with tears streaming down my face! You have no idea how much I needed to hear your support!

Well I took you with me to the market today in my thoughts and in my heart! I thought about buying you flowers but then I saw this perfect little squash and I HAD to buy it for you! It just brings the perfect touch of September don't you think? I hope you love it! I had YOU mind when I bought it!

So I've placed it in a prominent spot in my kitchen where it catches my eye and I think of all of you and your kindness to me! Thank you for reading! Thank you for being here! Your support means a lot!!!

comfort

2011-09-09T14:45:00.000-07:00

Okay. So here we go! I haven't been very personal in a long time and it's about to get all personal up in here! Are you ready? Cuz I don't think I am! ;) To talk to you about this I need some comfort food! And really, what's more comforting than potatoes? Can you think of anything? Well I can think of LOTS of things but for today it's taters.

So here's the deal. Blogging has been stealing my joy a little bit. I have a really hard time with the critical comments. I have this terrible disease called people pleasing and I just want people to be happy with me. I know that people aren't going to agree with everything I say, and they shouldn't but when people are mean it paralyzes me. So I thought I could fix it by just blogging about food and leaving my personal life off of this blog. Well that plan just didn't work. It seems that if people want to leave mean comments they will find something mean to say about a potato or lettuce or just about anything. Yes I need a sturdier backbone and I'm working on it BUT I would NEVER leave anyone a mean comment. I've thought about taking off comments all together but then I'd miss out on the sweet comments that MOST of you leave. And I'd also miss out on the sweet blogging friendships that can be formed.

Today my sweet friend asked me the hard question. She said, "why do you blog?" I've really had to stop and think about this one! And I know my answer! I blog because I really LOVE to cook for my family and then try and take pretty pictures of what I cook. I just thoroughly enjoy it! The other day when I made the pasta meal for my family in the previous post I had the time of my life! I felt like snow white in the kitchen whistling while I work. When I thought about what my friend asked me today Colossians 3:23 popped right into my head which says that whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord. So I want to change the way I blog! The message translation puts it this way. "Work from your heart for your real master, for God." Then as I was preparing this potato salad I was listening to the Kari Jobe cd. If my heart is ever unsettled that's my goto cd. The song beautiful came on and the beginning lyrics speak exactly what's on my heart. It goes "Here before your alter I am letting go of all I've held. Of every motive, every burden, everything that's of myself."

So today I'm going to try and let go of every motive that is of myself and then work with my whole heart to bless my family by being the mom and wife that God has called me to be. One of my FAVORITE ways to bless my family is to make beautiful meals with tea lights and flowers and yummy food! So I am going to cook for them and I'm going to post about it. I'm going to keep working on my photography because it brings me great joy! And hopefully in all of this you will find yourself thinking of ways to bless your own family and friends. Maybe you might find you enjoy taking a Saturday afternoon when everyone gets home from soccer :) and preparing a hearty lasagna with garlic bread to warm your tummies after a cold fall day.

I did a little grocery shopping yesterday and I have a couple of great fall meals to share with you. At the bottom of this post I will make a grocery list for you in case you want to buy the ingredients and cook along with me. I plan on making a lasagna next week and also a good old fashioned pot roast.

But for tonight it's the comfort of potatoes! I found this recipe in Ina Garten's first cookbook the Barefoot Contessa and adjusted it just a little. Tonight it will be served alongside rib eye steaks off of the bbq cuz that's my husbands FAVORITE!

french potato salad~ barefoot contessa

1 lb small white boiling potatoes
1 lb small red boiling potatoes
2 T good dry white wine
2 T chicken stock
3 T champagne vinegar
1/2 t dijon mustard
2 t salt
3/4 t pepper
10 T good olive oil
1/4 c minced scallions (white and green parts)
2 T minced fresh dill
2 T minced flat-leaf parsley
2 T chiffonade of fresh basil leaves (what does that mean anyway? I just sliced it up. :) )

Drop the white and red potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20-30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in half (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.

Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and slowly whisk into the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1/1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and toss. Serve room or at room temperature.

Then I added a few things to it to make it a bit like her provencal potato salad. I didn't follow the recipe much.

I added:

1/2 lv green beans, cleaned, boiled, and drained
1 c yellow tomatoes
1/2 c good black olives (aren't all olives good?)
6 hard boiled eggs peeled and quartered

Mix into the potato salad and serve! :)

Your shopping list for next week!

gluten free bread

pot roast (any size)
organic beef broth
organic carrots
organic onion x 3 if you're making both meals
organic potatoes
organic garlic
salt
pepper

obviously you don't need to buy organic but I've really found that not only is it healtheir but it does taste better

gluten free lasagna noodles
olive oil
ground turkey
sea salt if you prefer it
dried oregano
dried marjoram
balsamic vinegar
red wine (1 c)
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes. I've found it's really worth the price to pay a little extra and get the ones by san marzano
fresh basil
fresh oregano
1 lb cottage cheese (gluten free)
1 c whole milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 lb mozzarella
1 c grated parmesan

I hope I didn't forget anything!

Kick off your fall schedule with a night in Italy!

2011-09-06T09:39:00.001-07:00

I've been reading the book "The School of Essential Ingredients" and let me tell you it makes me want to cook and cook- especially Italian food for some reason! Maybe it's the hint of fall in the air. It's 85 degrees outside but there is still a crispness in the evening that reminds me that cooler weather is just around the corner. As the kids' schedules get busier and the evenings a little darker, there is nothing I love more than welcoming the people I love home from a long day with warm smells coming from the kitchen. I searched the internet for just the right pasta recipe. I found it on the Willams-Sonoma website. It calls for roasted garlic paste so I thought I try and make my own. I've never roasted garlic before and really it could not be simpler! And talk about making your family's tummies grumble when they walk in the front door! The roasted garlic makes your home smell like the fanciest Italian restaurant!

Roasted Garlic:

I found the recipe for the roasted garlic here.

1. preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the top of the cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic- see picture.

3. Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple of teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. cover each individual head with aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

4. Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Using your fingers, squeeze the garlic out of each clove. It should come out easily.

5. Mash together with a fork and stir until you make a garlic paste. Use it in your pasta and then spread the rest onto buttered, gluten free bread. Sprinkle a little Parmesan Reggiano over the over the top and broil for 1 or 2 minutes.

Sprinkle finely shredded parmesan reggiano over the pasta and serve with gluten free garlic bread and olives from the olive bar.

Double click on the recipe to enlarge.

I hope you enjoy it! My pickiest little eater had FOUR helpings! And that is nothing short of a miracle!

**I used gluten free penne noodles for the pasta in this recipe.**

gluten free peanut butter cookies- super easy!

2011-09-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

These are the very first cookies that I learned to bake gluten free 20 years ago and they are still a standby in my home today. They're light on the peanut butter and a bit chewier than your traditional peanut butter cookie! They're quite easy to throw together and would make a comforting treat as we are all getting back into gear with our fall schedules. When I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease I joined a Gluten Intolerance Group. The recipe came from there. I've adjusted it slightly over the years.

Peanut Butter Cookies:

1 c unsalted butter
1 c sugar
1 t vanilla
1 c brown sugar

** cream these ingredients together **

Then add and beat thoroughly:

2 eggs
1 c gluten free, creamy peanut butter

In a separate bowl sift together:

3 c thai rice flour
1/8 t salt
2 t baking soda

Then slowly incorporate into butter/ sugar mixture blending until creamy.

Form into balls and press with a fork.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

**the parchment paper allows for more evenly baked cookies that don't over bake on the underside. I just started doing this in the last year and it has made a tremendous difference in my cookies.

Gluten Free cookie tip:

Cookies baked with rice flour tend to turn dry and crumbly within 2 or 3 days. It's best to bake half of your cookies and then freeze the rest of the preformed balls. You'll find it's wonderful to keep some frozen cookie dough in the freezer because it's so simple to pop a few into the oven after dinner or when guests come by. You'll probably need to bake them a bit longer if they're not thawed.

so lets get cooking!

2011-08-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

Oh how I've missed cooking! And how I've missed YOU! Has anyone else been incredibly busy with all of the back to school, back to after school activities, etc.? Life has been whizzing by! I was invited to a sweet gal's home for dinner the other night and man can she cook! Sometimes when I have an incredible evening like that I'm inspired to go home and recreate the meal. Lucky for me she took the entire meal straight from the What's for dinner recipe cards in the Sept. 2011 issue of Martha Stewart's Living. I've been looking forward to this for 3 days!

When I have time I love to set the mood when I cook. I light a candle, put on some light jazz (maybe a little Madeline Peyroux), clean as I go, and set a pretty table. This is a great meal to make for company since the whole meal is planned for you!

HERB AND SCALLION RICE

"cooking the rice in a puree of fresh cilantro, mint, and scallions adds a little zest and a vibrant green hue."

1 2/3 C water
1/2 c packed fresh cilantro
1/4 c packed fresh mint
2 scallions chopped
1 garlic clove
1 T veg oil
1 c jasmine rice
course salt

1. Puree water, cilantro, mint, scallions, and garlic in a blender until smooth.

2. Heat oil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add rice, and stir to coat. Cook until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add herb puree and 1 t salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

BOK CHOY WITH CHILE, GARLIC, AND GINGER

2 tsp veg oil
1 jalapeno chile seeded and thinly sliced (optional)
1 garlic clove thinly sliced
1 piece of fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced
1 lb bok choy sliced lengthwise into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
3 T water
coarse salt

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Cook jalapeno, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute.

2. Add bok choy and water, and steam, tightly covered, until tender, 7-8 minutes. Uncover, and cook until any remaining liquid evaporates. Season with salt.

SOY-AND-GINGER MARINATED PORK CHOPS

1/4 c plus 2 T low-sodium, gluten free soy sauce
1/4 c veg oil
3 T finely grated fresh ginger
3 T light brown sugar
1 scallion, finely chopped
freshly ground pepper
4 pork chops (8 oz each)
garnish- 1 scallion thinly sliced

1. Whisk together soy sauce, 3 T oil, the ginger, sugar, chopped scallion, and 1/2 t pepper.

2. Arrange pork chops in a 9x13 pan. Reserve 3 T marinade, and pour remainder over pork chops. Marinate, covered with plastic wrap, flipping chops half-way through for 45 minutes.

3. The instructions in the magazine are to sear on the stove top but we chose to grill ours for approx 5 minutes on each side- adding last 3 T of marinade to pork as it grilled.

garnish with sliced scallion

MANGO BRULEE WITH LIME

This could not be easier to prepare and makes such a beautiful presentation!

"This fruit dessert has a caramelized-sugar topping much like that of the classic creme brulee (but doesn't require owning a kitchen torch). Turbinado sugar, aka raw sugar, creates a crunchy crust and has a deep flavor but regular granulated sugar can be substituted in a pinch. To get two even halves from one mango, slice the fruit lengthwise along each side of the pit."

1/4 c turbinado sugar
2 mangoes, halved and pitted
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat broiler to high with rack 6 inches from heat source. Scatter 1 T sugar evenly over cut side of each mango half. Immediately broil on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet until mangoes are softened and sugar is hardened and golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Serve warm with lime wedges.

lemons in the kitchen

2011-08-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

This summer I have completely rekindled a love of reading. I've read four GREAT books since June but the one I'm currently reading is by far my favorite! I read about it here and was immediately intrigued! I'm a bit nervous recommending this book as I'm only on page 75 and not sure that there isn't something coming along that I would feel uncomfortable recommending you read. All that being said, this book captivates me. It's about a cooking school and the way the author describes the smells and flavor combinations in the book along with the comfort of food, well, it just makes me want to be in the kitchen!

When my kids were young I did not enjoy cooking at all. We basically ate tacos or prego spaghetti, etc. I had always worked full time until the birth of my girls and Neal would actually start cooking because often I didn't get home until almost 7:00. I don't know what changed but I just started experimenting. I would try a dish that contained leeks or roast a whole chicken with oranges, lemons, and rosemary. I began to grow my own herbs teaching my kids to run their hands along the lemon verbena or rosemary and then smelling the amazing scent that the plant left behind on their fingers.

I find as people come into our home we always end up lingering at the kitchen table. I just think there is comfort in the stacks of dishes, cookbooks waiting to be explored, and the color and aroma of fresh fruit on the counter.

As I read the book last night I wanted to slow down and EXPERIENCE the joy of cooking. I decided to make a lemon pound cake with fresh lemons. It's a recipe I've been meaning to try for years. I tried to savor the experience like she does in the book- smelling my fingers when I finished with the lemon zest and watching the batter drip off the spatula.

I found this recipe years ago in a Martha Stewart magazine. It's a recipe card from the What's For Dinner section which I have converted to gluten free. It's absolutely delicious! It would be the perfect thing to serve guests with a warm cup of tea or coffee! It's a perfect summer's end treat because soon we'll be making recipes with pumpkin, etc. For now I want to savor the taste of fresh lemon!

Glazed Lemon Pound Cake

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes

This cake doesn't rise very much so don't be surprised if it's shorter than you might expect.

5 T unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
3/4 c plus 3 T sugar plus more for dusting
1 c thai rice flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
3 T fresh lemon juice plus finely grated zest of 2 lemons, plus more zest for garnish, optional
1/4 c milk
2 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Dust with sugar, and tap out excess; set aside. Whist together flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir together 1 T lemon juice and the milk.

2. Put butter and 3/4 c sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in eggs and zest. Working in two batches, atlernate mixing in flour mixture and milk mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, stir together remaining 3 T sugar and 2 T lemon juice. Upon removing cake from oven, immediately brush with lemon glaze. let cake cool in pan 10 minutes. Unmold cake. Brush remaining glaze on top. Garnish with zest.

simple summer entertaining

2011-08-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

We had some of our dearest friends over this weekend. The preparation of this meal was so simple I would love to share it with you!!

The menu:

Shaka Salmon
Spinach Salad with Strawberries
Basmati Rice
Sour Dough bread (sadly- not gluten free but I wanted to have it for my guests)
Assorted Beverages from Trader Joes

I started Friday Morning by doing a quick pick up. These are some of our dearest friends and I knew that they didn't care a bit about perfection so I tidied up and called it, "good enough." The whole evening was to bless my friends with a delicious meal and to spend some time with them and was not about impressing them with perfection. Then I went through my menu and jotted down what ingredients I needed from the store. I stopped at Costco for the salmon (they had the best price). While there I picked up some fresh lemons and clementines to place in containers in the kitchen to add color to my neutral pallet. Then on my way to our local grocery store I passed a gentleman selling dahlias on the side of the road and thought it would be so pretty to pick up a bunch. I quickly ran into our local grocery store and got the last few things I needed.

When I got home I prepared the marinade for the salmon and then set the marinating fish into the fridge. I quickly set the table and placed my flowers in water. I love to keep tea lights from Ikea and dollar store votives on hand for ambiance.

Shortly before my guests arrived I prepared the salad which literally took me about 5 minutes and it was so delicious there was not a piece spinach left at the end of the night.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries:

1 small package of baby spinach
1 pkg of strawberries- thinly sliced
1 handful of feta
1 handful of Sahale snacks Valdosta Pecans
Girards Raspberry Vinaigrette

Wash the spinach. Place the spinach, strawberries, feta, and pecans onto a serving plate. Have the guests add their own dressing to taste. Delicious!

I'm going to repost the Shaka Salmon Recipe here because it was a BIG hit (even the youngest of the kids came back for seconds). Everyone cleaned their plates and there literally was only about 3 bites of salmon left when it was all said and done.

Shaka Salmon

ingredients:

1/4 c pineapple juice
2 TB fresh lemon juice
4 salmon fillets (6oz)
2 TB brown sugar
4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp grated lemon rind
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
lemon wedges~ optional

Combine first 3 ingredients in a zip-loc bag, seal and marinate in refer for at least 1 hour turning occasionally.

Prepare grill or preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove fish from bag, discard marinade.

Combine sugar and next 5 ingredients in a bowl. Rub over fish; place on foil for the grill or in a baking dish for the oven coated with cooking spray.

The only thing I did differently this time was I baked it for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees in the oven instead of grilling it. I truly believe the salmon tasted better this way! The rub gave the salmon almost a sweet coating and was super juicy. Plus, our guests were running late so it was so easy to wait until they got here to pop the salmon into the oven and nothing was over cooked! Watch the salmon! Cooking times very according to weight and you don't want it to be dry!

Serve with a wedge of lemon if desired.

Cook Rice according to package directions. I really enjoy using a rice cooker and would highly recommend it if you cook a lot of rice.

So all in all the salad took 5 minutes to prepare and the Salmon took about 15 plus 20 minutes to bake. The Rice took me about 5 minutes to place into the rice cooker. Not to shabby and not stressful at all! I used to freak out when I would have company. I would practically kill myself scrubbing floors, dusting every nook and cranny, preparing complicated foods... and when my guessed arrived I was a stressed out mess desperately trying to achieve some kind of level of perfection. I was missing the whole point. Thankfully, I've learned to relax and enjoy my guests. And when I'm relaxed I know my guests are much more relaxed as well.

a light and easy lunch

2011-08-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

With fall quickly approaching we've been quite busy finishing up some projects around the house. As much as I don't want summer to end I find my mind beginning to think about the beginning of the school year. I have made a big decision and have registered to return to school in the fall. It will be great to have some healthy dishes in the fridge that I can come home and eat for lunch. I got this delicious recipe from a dear friend about a year ago. It's quite simple to make and if you prepare it on a Sunday afternoon you can have several lunches ready to enjoy.

Quinoa Taboule

2 c. water
1 c. quinoa
1 pinch of salt
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 t salt
1/4 c lemon juice
3 tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, diced
2 carrots, grated
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 c fresh parsley, chopped

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots, and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa.

beach picnic

2011-08-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

Fall will be here before we know it! Some of you have already started the school year. I want to make the last few weeks of summer special. Yesterday the girls and I headed to the beach for a picnic lunch and then we relaxed and played all afternoon. This is such a simple lunch to put together so that you can be out the door in a hurry.

We stopped at our local PCC supermarket which carries several gluten free salads in the deli. We chose chicken salad, and a texas style quinoa salad. We also grabbed a loaf of Udi's gluten free bread, fresh organic tomato, cucumber, and some fun drinks.

I made 2 types of sandwiches.

Sandwich #1:

spread 2 slices of bread with cream cheese. Layer thinly sliced tomatoes and cucumbers on the bread and slice.

sandwich #2:

spoon the chicken salad onto your bread and layer thinly sliced tomatoes on top- slice.

We also purchased some gluten free cookies for dessert.

Serve with sliced watermelon and gluten free chips of your choice. It makes for a super fun afternoon without a lot of fuss!

grilled flank steak with skinny asparagus

2011-08-10T21:03:00.000-07:00

I love recipes that are prepared in advance leaving the guesswork out of dinner when you return home from a busy day. This is an incredibly easy meal to make. Simply prepare the marinade early in the morning or possibly the night before and at the end of the day all you need to do is prepare your rice and then grill the steak and asparagus.

For the marinade:

1/4 c gluten free soy sauce
2 T vinegar
3 T honey
1 t sesame oil
1 t fresh garlic minced
1 t fresh ginger finely grated
3/4 c vegetable oil
1 green onion finely chopped
1- 1 1/2 lb flank steak

whisk all ingredients together and then pour over steak in a small dish. Cover and refrigerate.

BBQ on glowing coals 5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness.

For the asparagus:

I prefer the super skinny asparagus- about 1 lb
olive oil
salt and pepper

place the washed and trimmed asparagus onto the grill. Lightly brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn as it cooks. It will cook quickly so watch it!

keeping house

2011-08-09T15:58:00.000-07:00

Probably the question I get asked the most frequently is "How do you keep your home so tidy, prepare good meals, and just seem to get it all done?" Well the first answer is that I don't always have it all done! Not even close!! However, I think that one thing that helps me keep a tidy home is our lack of stuff. I don't do knick knacks. The only thing I collect are shells which are corralled in locker baskets or jars. I prefer one giant piece of decor that makes a statement rather than a few small things. I am RELENTLESS when it comes to throwing away papers. I keep one large file box for important papers that I can't throw away with files also labeled with each of our names where I save special cards, artwork, etc. Then I have all of my bills, budgets, stamps, etc. in one tiny accordion file that keeps me organized. I no longer keep cds around the house. I LOVE that I can store all of my music on a tiny ipod! I love a kindle for the same reason except for the fact that I still like to hold a book in my hands and I thoroughly enjoy a visit to the bookstore.

I don't really keep to a schedule as to when I do things. If the sun is shining and there is a beautiful, bright blue sky outside all chores are put on hold because we don't take a minute of it for granted! We pretty much drop everything and head outside to soak it all in.

Mondays tend to be the day I catch up on laundry from the weekend. Then I usually just do what I see needs attending to first. For example, today I noticed that my duvet was looking a little dirty so I washed it and the shams and remade the bed. Then I swept and washed the kitchen floor which needed attention. I also started a flank steak marinating and hopefully will share the recipe later this week. Grocery shopping is my least favorite chore so I feel like I'm always behind on that one. I love Costco for the fact that I can buy a huge container of napkins or ziploc baggies for the girl's lunches and then just store the extras on top of my hutch in the large baskets so that I can be assured I won't run out to quickly. I also buy the biggest bag of dogfood they sell, etc. to save myself from frequent buying trips. Lately I've been purchasing all of my fresh produce at our local market. It's all organic and tastes so much better than what you buy at the supermarket plus it's just a lot of fun to go with my mom on Saturday mornings to get a latte and shop around.

I'm a big fan of candles and I'm quite picky about the smell! I feel like the scent of your candles is the first thing that sets the mood when your friends come over for a visit (unless of course, there is food cooking in the kitchen.) Recently I stumbled across this candle by tocca. It's called Montauk and is said to smell like seagrass. I just love it! It smells fresh and clean when lit. I also have a favorite vase that I keep on the kitchen table filled with large bouquets of seasonal flowers from the farmer's market or my garden. When I don't have flowers I keep a large pillar candle on hand to light inside the vase during meals.

Also, I have been seeing this recipe being passed around on pinterest so when I was asked to bring a salad to our friends' home Saturday evening I thought I'd try it! I changed it just a little bit and it was a huge hit! Most people went back for seconds which is fabulous because it's not a salad that will store well.

Avocado and grilled corn salad with cilantro vinaigrette

5 Ears Corn, husk removed, brush with olive oil and grilled, remove corn with sharp knife
2 Avocado’s, diced and sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning
2 C. Tomatoes, red and yellow cherry variety or equivalent
1 Small red onion, finely diced
¾ C. Feta, crumbled
1 ½ C. English cucumber, skin on and chopped small dice
** I also added 1 can of black beans- rinsed and drained

Add to a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cilantro Vinaigrette

6 T. Olive oil
2 T. Sherry vinegar ** I used champagne vinegar because it's what I had on hand.
1 t. Garlic powder
2 T. Fresh cilantro, minced
½ t. Salt
10 Grinds of fresh ground pepper

Add all of the above ingredients in a small glass jar with a lid. Shake really well. Taste and adjust seasoning as you desire.

When ready to serve salad, add the dressing and gently toss.

** this salad is so delicious and would also make a great cowboy salsa type dip if you serve it with corn tortilla chips.

beach style shrimp tacos

2011-08-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

Growing up we never ate seafood. My dad likes roast and turkey or steak served with potatoes and a vegetable- preferably corn, so I've really had to learn to add seafood to my diet. When Neal and I first got married I couldn't cook a whole chicken because that meant removing the meat from the bones and it would gross me out. Now I can cook with the best of them although I have yet to clean a fish. I am hoping that Neal will keep that as his job. ;)

My cousin sent me this recipe twice! So I figure it must be good! ;) What makes it is the sauce! YUMMY! My youngest has always been my picky eater but I have dug in my heals and FINALLY she will try new things! Yesterday she ate her WHOLE shrimp taco without a single complaint! If you have a picky eater you know what a victory that is! The only thing I did different for her is add sour cream instead of the sauce.

You will need:

1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
1 lime
2 garlic cloves/ minced
olive oil
salt and pepper
tomatillo salsa
shredded cabbage
corn tortillas
tomato chopped
chopped cilantro to taste

For the white sauce:

1/4 c mayo
1 clove of minced garlic
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T fresh lime juice

Place all ingredients for sauce in a tightly sealed container or jar and shake well.

Saute garlic in olive oil. Add shrimp and cook until just done (pink) squeezing the juice of the lime over the top. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Warm the tortillas

Remove the tails from the shrimp.

Layer shrimp, cabbage, tomatoes, cilantro, tomatillo salsa, and white sauce over the top. Squeeze a light amount of fresh lime juice over tacos just before serving.

Yummy!

Hang Ten!

cold tangerines

2011-08-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

My friend recommended this book to me and I feel as though, at times, I could've written it. Like pieces of it are my story. The writer shares her passion for celebrating life's everyday moments. We spend so much time beating ourselves up with the lies that we are not enough. We push and we strive trying to be better at this or maybe we'll find our success at that. We're searching and running and budgeting and pushing and trying harder than we ever have and at the end of the day is still that nagging sense of "I am not enough." We're told to save more, work harder, aim higher and in the end don't you just find it all a bit exhausting?

Today as I sat on the deck and read I could hear the girls giggling underneath me. They pulled out the slip'n'slide and were running as fast as their little legs would take them to throw themselves onto a 19 dollar piece of plastic covered in water and feel the elation of sliding down the hill as fast as they could go. They're not worried about the budget or the weather or the news. They're just living every single minute of their little lives to the fullest!

Yesterday I walked outside to find them playing house, complete with laundry drying on the line, having the time of their lives. In fact, they head outside as soon as they're able and I don't see them inside the house again until dinner. Neighbor girls come over (all ages) and they run and bike and play four square.

Over the years our family has been through some pretty extreme times and through it all we've decided that we are going to have some fun! Maybe we're not saving quite as much as Dave Ramsey tells us to but we are having the time of our lives and making some great memories while we're at it.

I want to leave you with a quote from Shanuna Nieguist the author of Cold Tangerines

"There will be a day when our family as we know it will no longer exist, and I want to know in that moment that I wasn't at the office or doing the dishes when I could have been walking on the dock with my dad, when I could have been drinking tea and eating ginger cookies on the porch with my mom. I don't want to be building my bank account or my abs or my dream home when I could be dancing with Aaron at the beach bar on New Years Eve, when I could be making crackers and cheese for dinner because we were on the boat till way after the shops closed, sunburnt and sandy and windblown, and happier there and together than anywhere else with anyone else."

And that about sums it up for me! I want to enjoy each and every moment that I have with the people I love. I didn't walk the dock with my dad today but he did meet me and the girls at Chipotle for lunch and when Neal arrived home from work I sure greeted him with the biggest smile and lingered out on the warm, sunny deck with him long after dinner was over and the girls had returned to the playhouse listening to the aspects of his day and making plans for a possible road trip to Disneyland in the future. Now as I finish typing this my puppy is cuddled up against my thigh, the sun is just about to set over the water, the girls will soon be put to bed, and then neal and I will snuggle on the couch. THAT is success! And don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise!

spreading sunshine! :)

2011-08-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

My mom did the cutest thing for me! She just returned home from southern Cali and stopped by to visit me. She had a little Disney bag with her and was grinning from ear to ear. She asked me, "What would you most want me to bring you back from California?" I didn't guess correctly so she said, "SUNSHINE!" and she pulls this cute Mickey sunshine for my car antenna out of her bag for me! Well she most certainly DID bring sunshine back from California because SUMMER HAS HIT SEATTLE!!!!! And we are taking full advantage of it and enjoying every minute! However, you know how men are about their cars... I am not sure if Neal will let me leave this happy sunshine on my car. Maybe he can just take it off when he drives it! It makes me smile!

This evening we had a wonderful summer dinner! I found my recipes in the Fried Chicken and Champagne cookbook. First I made a chili lime vinaigrette which made a wonderful dressing for a mexican chopped salad. Then I used the remaining vinaigrette to baste my chicken breasts while they cooked on the grill. De.li.cious! We served a simple side of grilled peppers just chopped and placed straight on the grill. They cook quickly so just watch them!

From Fried Chicken and Champagne:

Chili Lime Vinaigrette

2 jalapeno peppers
1 T chopped ginger
1 T chopped garlic
2 T sugar
4 T soy sauce (I use gluten free)
4 T lime juice
1 1/2 c veg. oil
salt and pepper
1/4 c chopped cilantro

clean and split the jalapeno pepper. She uses the seeds in this recipe. Cut the peppers to blend evenly.

In a blender or food processor combine the jalapenos, ginger, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice. Puree until smooth. With the machine running, add the canola oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified. Add the salt and pepper, and adjust seasoning to taste. Fold in the chopped cilantro and refrigerate until needed. (shake to re-emulisfy prior to using). This dressing will naturally separate. Keeps for 1 month in the refrigerator. Makes 2 cups.

**Makes a great marinade for chicken as well as a salad dressing!

Mexican chopped salad

2 cups peeled jicama diced
2 c unpeeled gala apple diced
2 c raw corn (frozen is fine)
2 c unpeeled english cucumber diced
1 1/2 c chili lime vinaigrette
salt and pepper
cilantro leaves for garnish

In a large bowl mix together the jicama, apple, corn, and cucumber. Toss with the chili lime vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

**it tastes so great with the grilled chicken! Especially if you have a bit of chicken mixed into the salad!

cali cool

2011-07-29T09:15:00.001-07:00

I like to consider myself a cali girl even though I'm born and bred in Seattle. I have this terrible habit of constantly purging my home of unneeded items. I mean there's healthy purging which normal people do and then there is the art form that I have made it to be. I may need therapy... It's almost as if having stuff makes me feel stuck here and I want to be ready at any moment in case my husband finally comes home and announces that he's had enough of the Seattle grey and we're moving to Cali! I could be ready to go in a single day. Now I must admit that there's a bit of discontentment in your heart when you're living with one foot in California at all times and I'm sure that God is not going to allow me to move south until I learn to be content in any and all circumstances- wherever He's called me to be. What is that verse where Paul says "I've learned to be content in all things whether in plenty or in lack?" I'm just certain that's what I'm supposed to be learning!

Well yesterday I had THE MOST FUN experience!! I bribed my sweet girls with frozen yogurt if they would accompany me to a couple of boutiques on their very best behavior! Lucky for me our Seattle Menchies carries PINEAPPLE DOLE WHIP which most certainly is gluten free and one of the BEST treats on the planet which makes for a fantastic bribe!

The sun was OUT and SHINING! Miracle of all miracles this year... So the girls and I sat outside to enjoy our lunch!! (bad, bad mom) That's when two darling ladies MADE MY DAY!!! One of the ladies says, "May I ask you a question?" Of course! She says, "you're not from around here are you?" To which I say, "yes I am! born and bred. (thinking that they needed directions.) She then tells me that her and her sister have just been traveling for 2 weeks around southern Cali and could've sworn that I was a cali girl. They said that Cali girls have a certain look to them which they now refer to as "cali cool" and that I totally have the look. (I was wearing trashed skinny jeans, a very boho tank from free people, toms, and my aviators.) Well nothing could've made me happier I tell you!! In fact, I called Neal IMMEDIATELY to tell him that it was a sign from GOD! And that I'd better start packing!

Cali cool!!!

I love it!!

And since this is SUPPOSED to be a gluten free food blog I'd better add a fun recipe to this post.

hmm....

I say we call it CALI COOL chicken salad. :)

Grab some fun, retro drinks. (don't read the sugar content on the label!!! It will just ruin it for you!) and pack a picnic lunch!

1 rotisserie chicken-shredded
1 small bag of pecans-chopped
1/2 fuji apple diced into small piecs
1/4 sweet onion diced
goranzola cheese (I used stella which the cheese lady said was gluten free and I also found it to be online.)- a tiny bit goes a long way.
best foods mayo to taste (I don't like mine very saucy)
a dash of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Girards Raspberry Vinaigrette

Combine first 9 ingredients to taste. Start light with the mayo. You can always add a bit more.

Layer over lettuce leaves. Ours tasted great on the butter lettuce from our garden.

Lightly pour the Raspberry Vinaigrette over the top.

Cali Cool! I'm still smiling about it!

ps I didn't even like Toms until I went to Cali. And now they're a staple! weird!

simple pleasures

2011-07-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

There is nothing easier to make than a caprese salad. The other day my girlfriend visited for lunch and I was looking for something quick, simple, and fresh to prepare for her. When I came across these perfectly ripe organic, heirloom tomatoes at the grocery I knew exactly what I wanted to prepare for her. My husband requested it again the next night because it is so delicious!

Caprese Salad

2 or 3 large heirloom tomatoes
1 pkg pre-sliced, fresh mozarella
1 large handful of fresh basil
extra virgin olive oil~ just a light drizzling
sea salt to taste
freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Layer tomatoes, mozarella, and basil. Pour a light drizzle of olive oil over the top. Keep your thumb over the opening to keep the stream of olive oil from pouring out to quickly

sprinkle with salt and pepper.

This may be old to you but it has only been introduced to me in the last couple of years.

Gluten free s'mores with Resee's Peanut Butter Cups!

1 pkg s'moreable crackers
kraft marshmallows
resee's peanut butter cups!

These are so delicious!

Enjoy!

southern cali girl!

2011-07-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

This week my husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary down in southern California! That is the one place I go where I feel like I'm home every time I get off the plane and I cry every time we leave. The beach and sun is in my heart and I find it interesting that my husband and I are settled in such a grey and rainy place.

The sound of the ocean.

The surf culture.

The beautiful outdoor patios of the restaurants!

It ALL tugs at my heart strings!

My little brother lives in LA and he and my sister in law took us to a gorgeous restaurant called Bottega Louis for our anniversary. This is one of the most fabulous restaurants I've ever been to and the decor makes it feel like your eating in Paris!

I was also told to eat at Haute Cakes in Newport for breakfast. This place is amazing and did not disappoint! They have a few gluten free items and the ambience is industrial and completely Southern California.

The outdoor eating areas are amazing!

I met this beautiful, young lady through blogging. I've been lucky enough to see her every time I visit Southern Cali. She is a dollface and it makes me sad to leave her! I can't tell you how many laughs we shared together on our last visit!

My heart yearns to live in Cali but I know it's not time for us to move.

until next time this will have to hold me...

a fun, summer dessert just like mama used to make

2011-07-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up my grandpa had 3 large peach trees in his backyard. When they would come for a visit he would bring boxes of ripe peaches to my mom. One of my favorite treats she used to make was sugared peaches over vanilla ice cream. While shopping at our local market yesterday I picked up a few peaches and decided to make this treat for my family. That first bite took me right back to my childhood.

Sugared Peaches and Ice Cream:

3 ripe peaches diced leaving the skin on
1/2 c sugar
Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream

Pour the sugar over the diced peaches and stir to coat. Let sit for at least an hour to allow the sugary syrup to form.

Place a scoop of ice cream into a small bowl. Pour the sugared peaches over the top and serve. Yum!

my most requested meal

2011-07-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

We've had another gloomy, grey day today so I decided to make the most of it. First I made the girls pancakes for breakfast. They are not from scratch. I really like the gluten free pancake mix by Pamela's. I am not the type that needs to make everything from scratch~ especially if I've found a brand that I really enjoy. I also am a big supporter of companies that sell gluten free products that can make our lives easier like pancake mix, hamburger buns, mac n cheese for my girls, etc.

Now you may be surprised to hear what the most requested meal in our house is...

The most requested meal in our home is MEATLOAF!

My kids LOVE it! So does my husband. And what's great about it is I put carrots and celery in it so my kids don't even know they're still eating they're vegetables. Even my picky eater goes back for seconds every time! I also make it with ground turkey instead of hamburger to keep it healthy. It's a great dish that can be prepared ahead of time and then popped into the oven about an hour and a half before serving.

Lissa's family meatloaf

1 pkg ground turkey
1/3 lb gf sausage~ I like to use the one with maple flavor
1/2 c uncooked minute rice
1/4 onion~ diced
1 stalk celery~ diced
1/4 c shredded carrot
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1/4 c milk
ketchup to taste
gf bbq sauce to taste
3-4 slices of bacon- cut in half. ~ I used to use turkey bacon but really prefer the taste of regular

Place all ingredients into a medium sized bowl and mix together thoroughly. Lightly spray a pyrex type loaf baking dish with Pam and pour ingredients inside. Place sliced bacon across the top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half.

Neal and I like to pour a little bit of red hot on top.

The girls like ketchup.

My mom likes her meatloaf with baked potatoes.

We like ours with rice.

To each his own...

And as I was completely inspired by the lovely photo I posted in the previous post from Jeanne d'arc I redid the playhouse window box and can't wait to see the dainty flowers spilling over the sides!

simple, cozy kitchen

2011-07-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

It's been grey and cool the last couple of days and I'm desperately trying to keep a good attitude about it. I love a hot and sunny summer and we just don't seem to get those anymore around here. I love the beach and especially in the summer I want our home to feel light, breezy, and fresh. I have loved the grapefruit candle from Williams-Sonoma for awhile now as it makes the kitchen smell like summer. I've also blogged many times about Mrs. Meyers cleaning products which I love in all flavors but lavender seems to be my favorite not only for the smell but for the color of the packaging as well.

I've let all of my herbs flower in the garden because I love the natural messiness of it! On the kitchen windowsill I've put cilantro and thyme flowers in cute little vases. The white rock is something my daughter and I picked up on the beach in the Bahamas and it brings a smile to my face when I see it sitting there.

On the kitchen table is a large hurricane that I picked up at an outlet store. I bought a large white candle from Pottery Barn to light inside it. I like the PB candles because they burn straight down without wax spilling everywhere.

I'm really excited for a nice big bouquet of hydrangeas and some fresh tomatoes from the garden but if it doesn't warm up soon I'm not sure I'll see many tomatoes. They're still the size of green peas. ;( I have big dreams of caprese salads with basil and tomatoes straight from the garden. Come on sun!!

I find this last photo to be so inspiring from the summer issue of Jeanne d' Arc Living magazine! I love the colors and the peacefulness of it. The summer issue is sold out but you can order the fall issue when it becomes available here.

to market

2011-07-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

One of my goals this summer is to take full advantage of our weekly farmer's market. It really is a wonderful way to start the weekend! This Saturday the girls and I woke to a bright and sunny morning, called grandma, and we all got ready to be at the market right as it opened.

I've changed a lot in the last year moving to a more organic way of living. I try to take my market bag when grocery shopping, only buy organic and chemical free cleaning products, and I purchase as much of our food organically as I can afford. Our grocery bill has gone up but I feel better about getting some of those chemicals out of our home and helping to preserve our environment as well.

This weekend was a total blast at the market! I bought organic peaches and rainier cherries which taste better than candy they're so sweet! I also found a new brand of organic coffee which is to DIE for!

The girls always get to pick out a treat. This week it was warm kettle corn right out of the popper! YUM! And I may have snuck a box or two of salted caramels into my bag as well. I even picked up an awesome turquoise cuff which you can see me wearing in the top photograph if you're interested.

The fruit and vegetables from the local markets just taste better! They smell great too! And I rarely leave without a fresh bouquet of seasonal flowers to grace our kitchen table. It's a great way to shop, support local growers and business people, and you're also teaching your kids about picking produce and buying organically while having fun!

I hope I've inspired you to try your local market this weekend!

our summer house

2011-07-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

a place to collect...

This flank steak makes enough for two meals! You have the flank steak with cilantro rice on the first night and then delicous tacos the next night. Be sure to right down the ingredients for both meals to save yourself a trip to the grocery store!

Mexican Marinated Flank Steak

1 tsp cumin
2 jalapenos seeded and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1 t pepper
1 t sea salt
1/4 c freshly squeezed lime juice
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 c olive oil
1- 2lb flank steak

Pour all ingredients into a food processor and blend to make a thick liquid.

Pour marinade over flank steak and cover with tin foil.

It's best to bring the steak to room temp. before grilling.

Grill about 4-5 minutes on each side.

This would taste wonderful served with homemade tortillas.

We chose to serve it with Katie Lee's Cilantro-lime rice.

4 c water
juice of 1 lime
2 tsp salt
2 c white rice
3/4 c chopped cilantro

Bring the water, lime juice, and salt to a boil. Add the rice and return to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and allow the rice to steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the cilantro.

*** Then with the leftovers ***

The next evening we had plenty of the mexican flank steak left to make tacos. I made homemade tortillas with the recipe found here but you can easily just buy some at the supermarket. Then we added to the tortillas:

The leftover flank steak
crumbled cotija cheese
carmelized sweet onions
black beans
cilantro
fresh lettuce
tomatillo salsa
sour cream

~ delicious! ~

Texas won my heart y'all!

2011-07-01T09:09:00.001-07:00

I LOVE Texas!! Love love LOVE Texas! It got into my bones! That southern hospitality is fantastic! Love the guacamole, the salsa, the SUN! Love it ALL!! The people are SO friendly! The city is SO clean!! Texas~ you won me over!!

I am anxious to get back to gluten free cooking but for now I'm so excited to share our Texas experience with you.

It just doesn't get any better than fresh guacamole made right at your table!

We enjoyed the music and quiet dinners in the less populated areas of the riverwalk.

The Alamo

Our days were spent enjoying the sun and the pool while our evenings consisted of long walks, delicious dinners, and a tiny bit of shopping when we purchased the cowboy hats.

This was a really relaxing trip where we just enjoyed each other as a family. We had a wonderful time. I can't wait to go home and learn how to make guacamole the way they do down in Texas!

Y'all come back now ya hear!

ps I'm about to hit publish on this post while up in the air on my way home. Modern technology amazes me! When Neal and I got married 15 years ago we didn't even have cell phones yet!

strawberry harvest

2011-06-29T06:02:00.000-07:00

Our first harvest.

It's not going to make a lot of jam.

But we're quite excited about it just the same!

some thoughts on running

2011-06-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to post about this but as I look back over the pictures from this morning I see lots of smiles. I also see a bunch of people having tons of fun and doing it while getting in some extreme exercise. This morning my brother and I ran the Seattle Rock n Roll half marathon. There is certainly a decent amount of training involved but the payoff is completely worth it!

When you sign up for a marathon you usually pay about 100 dollars. This is great incentive to make sure you complete the race that you've paid for! On those days when you're battling a cold or it's pouring rain it would be easy to call it quits if you didn't already pay for the race. Somehow, that 100 dollars keeps you training. Then you get to race day! It is SUPER FUN! I'm not just saying this because I'm some kind of exercise maniac but because I really do enjoy it! There is an adrenaline rush you get for sure. You meet people. Everyone is raring to go. If you run the Rock n Roll there is loud music pumping in the air and people are dancing. When it's your turn to race everyone counts down and they blow the horn and you're off! You can run in a race like you've never run in training. The music, the runners, the competitiveness in the air pushes you forward.

If you look at all of these pictures you will notice something. Everyone is SMILING! AND we're all pushing to do our best! Oh and another really fun thing about racing is the amount of people cheering you on as you run! You really feel like you are a part of something great.

I for one can not stand to be stuck inside a gym. I much prefer to run outdoors~ and I live where it rains ALL the time! So don't let that be your excuse! If you want to start training I would suggest googling the hal higdon training program and drinking tons of water to stay hydrated! This was my 3rd race so that should tell you that I find it incredibly enjoyable. And don't let age be a factor either. I am 39 and when I was running 9 miles the other day a lady who probably had 15 years on me SMOKED me! I couldn't catch her! I was pretty impressed to say the least.

I am taking the month of July off from running. I need a little break. But I hope you feel inspired to run a race! You won't regret it! And it really makes you feel proud of yourself! The above picture was taken just before we crossed the finish line. See! Still smiling! And the picture below is of my brother saying some smart aleck comment about me holding him back. NOT!

And after the race it's great fun to treat yourself to brunch or a really goopie burger and fries! I mean you EARNED it!

Hope I've inspired you to think about giving running a try! :)

where you can find me

2011-06-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

I truly enjoy being outdoors! My favorite way to spend a sunny, summer day is out in the garden. The last couple of weeks have been spent tidying the yard.

This is our seventh summer at this house. Just for fun I added a before picture at the bottom of this post. When we purchased this home it was U.G.L.Y!! My friends couldn't believe we bought it! They could NOT see the potential. But it was in the location where my heart longed to live and was what we could afford. Don't they say to buy the ugliest house on the street and then fix it up? Well that's what we've been up to for 7 years and what we're still working on.

This year we added the raised beds for our vegetables, strawberries, and tomatoes. My kids LOVE it! In fact, they asked if picking the peas and tomatoes could be part of their chores. My youngest who struggles with eating vegetables will eat them happily if she's picked them from the garden. The girls LOVE it! And I'm happily teaching them my love of gardening.

Besides the vegetable gardens my pride and joy is my front flower garden. I have peonies, lilacs, lavender, hydrangeas, and daisies. I've learned as I go. My garden has taught me a lot. Every year I move plants that are not thriving, divide the ones that are taking over, and add new ones that I find at the nursery. It's been a long process. When I started the garden money was tight so I could only afford to buy the smallest plants. Every year things are moved. I'm a big fan of boxwood hedges. I feel like it keeps everything tidy.

Above is my front garden as it looks today. Below is where we started. I feel like gardening is a great form of creative expression and has this amazing ability to relax me. If you've always dreamed of having a garden I encourage you to start with a small area of your yard. Don't try to tackle it all at once! It will be to expensive and overwhelming. I still have areas I'm waiting to tackle! I think you might find it incredibly rewarding and therapeutic!

start the summer off right with ice cream sandwiches!

2011-06-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

This is super easy and fun for everyone!

just use my gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe found here and spread gf vanilla ice cream in between the cookies. We use Breyers because we love the flavor of the natural vanilla taste with the cookies. It works best if you freeze the cookies before spreading the ice cream.

What a fun way to kick off summer!

Let the fun begin!

(I'm SUCH a summer girl! ~ isn't it obvious! hee hee)

simply summer

2011-06-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

When the sun begins to make an appearance I tend to spend most of my time outdoors. Therefore, I need my home to be simply kept so that I can maintain tidiness with the added chores of yard work. Usually at the end of May I go through my home and purge all items that we no longer use and have a garage sale. Then I clean and organize the cupboards, counters, etc., and simplify the decor for summer which helps me to keep things looking maintained with just a few minutes at the end of the day.

I've learned that it works best to corral like items together. There are books and candles on the coffee table, dishes stacked on open shelving in the dining room, and small items displayed on a windowsill.

My walls are kept tidy with simple artwork. This print is by Trisha Brink Design.

And while we're keeping things simple there could not be an easier treat to make than Rice Crispy Treats and now we can make them Gluten Free! I'm so thankful! I made a batch this evening for the girls and found that I really enjoyed them as well!

3 tablespoons butter or margarine*
1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows*
- OR -
4 cups miniature marshmallows*
6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® Gluten Free cereal

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES Gluten Free cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS: In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

harvest time! My first meal from the garden.

2011-06-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

If you knew me ten years ago you would've never thought that I'd be the girl who would be making a delicious meal straight from the garden. I am having the time of my life! Yesterday I spent the morning cleaning, tidying, and organizing the house. Then I decided that it would be fun to harvest some lettuce and make dinner with it! I decided to go with a cobb salad. During the day I marinated 2 chicken breasts in red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon pepper, and a sprig of rosemary. The rosemary came straight from the herb garden. I just LOVE cooking with items from my own garden. There is something deeply satisfying about it! I didn't measure the marinade ingredients I just threw it together. If you're the type of person that must have amounts I would guess it's about a 1/2 c each of the red wine vinegar and olive oil, and 1 tsp of lemon pepper. If you cut your chicken breasts in half horizontally to make thinner breasts more of the marinade will soak in and they will be a bit more tender when cooking. We grilled the chicken on the BBQ. It was delicious!

For the salad I washed and cut up the lettuce
Added about 8 pieces of cooked and chopped bacon
Sliced up 3 hard boiled organic eggs
3 scallions sliced
1 med size organic tomato on the vine chopped
1 med organic avocado diced
1 small triangle of gluten free blue cheese (I use Willapa Hills Big Boy Blue)
And added the chicken chopped into bite size pieces

We used gluten free ranch dressing. (we use Gregg's ranch dressing from Costco)

While I was out in the garden I cut some allium for the table. It was such a lovely evening as we enjoyed our meal in a freshly cleaned and organized kitchen. These are the days I hope my kids remember!

cuz sometimes you just want a burger!

2011-06-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

I'm two weeks away from running a half marathon so my training has gotten pretty intense. Sometimes a light dinner just won't cut it! Yesterday I found myself craving a burger with sweet potato fries. Truly, I don't know if there are many things on earth I love more than sweet potato fries!

This meal leans more towards the keeping it simple side of things than on the fresh side. I keep a package of sirloin burgers from Costco in the freezer and a bag of organic sweet pot fries for these occasions when I don't really feel like making anything from scratch but still want to eat at home. Last night was beautiful and sunny so we all enjoyed our dinner out on the deck. I just LOVE this time of year for eating outdoors. Some of you get sun every day but up here in rain country we don't take a moment of it for granted!! I decided to try Udi's classic gf hamburger buns. On a scale of 1-10 I would probably give it a 7 but that may be because my sister makes them from scratch and I've gotten a little spoiled. Still, it's nice to be able to run to the grocery store and pic up a bag of gf buns! I will buy them again.

We did grill the buns a bit to soften them. Then I spread this bloomin' onion sauce over the buns to give the burger a little kick. It tastes just like the one from the Outback Steakhouse. One of these days I'll need to share our recipe for gluten free onion rings. yum! We just layered on our choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato and also put a bit of the dipping sauce onto our plates to dip our fries in. TASTY! :)

Once we finished the clean up after dinner we retired to watch So you think you can dance! We LOVE that show! And I sit there WISHING I could dance!

my favorite corner of the garden

2011-06-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to do this for years. Last year was a bit too soggy. This year I decided that no matter what I was going to start my vegetable garden. I have a wonderful friend who's had quite a large vegetable garden for years and she was incredibly helpful with tips on organic wood, dirt, slug bait, etc. Back in April my husband made a big dream of mine come true and planted two vegetable beds for me. My first crop of lettuce is ready to be harvested. I'm quite hesitant to cut it as it looks quite Beatrix Potter right now.

I find myself peeking through the window in the morning before I've even poured my first cup of coffee to check on my little corner of heaven. I never knew that a vegetable garden could bring such joy!

We have planted 2 types of tomatoes, strawberries for the girls, 2 types of sugar peas, 3 types of lettuce (which needs to be replanted so that I don't run out of stock!), chives, and just for fun, eggplant.

If this goes well we plan on adding 2 more vegetable beds next year because we couldn't fit anything else into the garden. The girls are enjoying it too! I took them out there the other day to show them the flowers on the peas! It was so exciting!

I've had an herb garden for a couple of years and now I've added to it with the vegetable beds! My summer harvest will be so rewarding! Each evening I take a walk out there after dinner. I can't wait! How bout you?

~ Teach us delight in simple things~ Rudyard Kipling

the cutest gluten free birthday cake ever!

2011-06-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to share this amazing birthday cake that my sister-in-law made for Natalie's birthday! We really tried to make my daughter's ten year birthday extra special! If there are two things that without question define my daughter it's her collection of dolphins and her love of tiffany blue! And I LOVE the combination of tiffany blue with tangerine orange! My sister is a talented baker! Several months ago I sent her this photo which I found on the Tomkat studio blog and asked her if she could copy it only using a dolphin instead of a whale. Cakes are her area of expertise and thankfully she was more than happy to make this for her niece! I could not love it more! I felt so proud carrying this cake to her birthday party! It's even more exciting that it's gluten free! She allowed Natalie to choose any cake flavor she wanted and she chose strawberry. This cake was DE*LI*CIOUS! I want my sister to know how GRATEFUL I am that she took the time to make this cake for us! I LOVE it so MUCH! (the girls at the party did too!)

GLUTEN FREE CAKE
Ingredients:
2 ½ c gf flour
½ tsp salt
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
1c oil
1 2/3c sugar
1/2 cup of Nesquik strawberry milk powder
4 large eggs
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum.
In a 2c measuring cup, stir together milk, vanilla, and oil.
Beat together sugar, Nesquik, and eggs in a large bowl for one minute. Beat in flour mix and milk mixture alternately.
Pour batter into 2 8” round pans (greased and floured.)
Bake ~35-40 min.

Then she just used a regular buttercream frosting recipe and added 1/4 c Nesquik strawberry milk powder to it for flavor. She spread the frosting in between the layers of the cakes with a light layer of strawberry jam underneath. delicious!

under the sea~ sugar cookies

2011-06-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

I have a little girl who is turning TEN! I can't believe it!!! Ever since she was a little girl she has collected dolphins! She LOVES them! I can't tell you how many dolphin stuffed animals we have- including one giant pillow pet! Well my little sweetie also has celiac and has requested that her mama make dolphin sugar cookies for her birthday. One thing that is important to me is that my kids don't ever have to go without just because they have celiac. I always want to make them feel special. But here's the thing... I am NOT artistic! I come from a long line of artists. My brother even MAJORED in art and has a highly successful art graphics career. I can't draw or paint at all! BUT I was DETERMINED to make my girl these dolphin cookies! Just don't look to closely... :)

My sister in law is also a wonderful gluten free baker so I asked her if she knew of a yummy gluten free sugar cookie recipe. I've made sugar cookies before and have been less than thrilled with the results. She forwarded me a recipe from land o lakes which I used to make these cookies. A few broke during the process and I felt obliged to eat the casualties and let me tell you these are delicious!

Sugar Cookies:

1 cup sugar
1 cup Butter, softened
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla
2 1/4 cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend (see below)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg yolks and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour blend and salt. Beat until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm (1 hour).  Heat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on surface sprinkled lightly with gluten-free flour, one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Gluten-Free Flour Blend: To make flour blend, combine 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in container with tight-fitting lid. Stir before using.

She also sent me this recipe for the icing. I'm not sure where she found it. It does have corn syrup in it which is so controversial these days but it only uses 2 teaspoons and each cookie has such a light coating of frosting. We make something like this so few times a year I'm okay with a little corn syrup in this recipe. I used one of the girl's unused art brushes to paint the frosting on. It was a tiny bit thick so I added a SPLASH more of milk to make it easier to spread. I also dipped my paintbrush in water periodically.

Sugar Cookie Icing
Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring
Directions
In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.

Have fun using this recipe with your favorite shapes!

just add peonies/ easy entertaining

2011-05-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

For me there is little that rivals the beauty of peonies. I wish that they were available all year, but then again, maybe that is why they're so special.

I was thinking about how few people entertain or throw dinner parties in their homes anymore. Maybe it has something to do with the words entertain or dinner party which brings thoughts of formality and perfection. I LOVE to get together with other families either in their home or in mine. It never needs to be impressive or fancy. I just love to be invited. When we go into someone's home I am not looking for a sparkling clean kitchen or bathroom. Instead, I look forward to a couple hours of fellowship over a yummy meal. Even if that meal is just hotdogs and burgers I enjoy eating with my friends. Entertaining does not have to be a lost art form. In fact, with a few preparations you can be ready to entertain at almost a moment's notice if you follow a few guidelines.

*purchase a few nice dishes for entertaining. I buy everything in shades of white and cream so that I can easily mix and match for different looks. Go through what you currently have and purge/donate anything that you would no longer want to use. I have 1 good set of cream dinner plates. Then I have 3 different sets of salad/ bread plates to change the look (all in varying shades of white/ cream.)

*have 4 or 5 nice serving bowls/ platters which coordinate with your dinnerware that you can pull out for serving.

*I really like the glassware from Ikea. It's inexpensive and simple which goes with any look of dishes.

*I have about 6 glass votives from the dollar store which I usually set out with cheap ikea tea lights in them for ambiance.

*it's nice to have 3 or 4 different size vases for floral centerpieces. I try and use whatever flowers are in season. Right now it's peony season and I buy the biggest bunch I can afford.

*when serving water it's nice to place a thin slice of lemon in each glass or maybe even grapefruit.

*I find that people always love a cracker/ cheese/ olive spread. Buy some brie, a cheddar, and maybe a goat cheese. Add a bit of fig spread or apricot jam which layers nicely with the brie and some yummy olives from the olive bar. Add some gluten free crackers.

*Another fun idea is to serve your cheese and cracker tray with two different types of pasta. Maybe one with a tomato sauce and one with a light lemon/ basil/ parmesan sauce.

Then you and your guests can sit around the table and munch on the different choices while you chat and enjoy each others company while you dine.

*My final tip is to serve the kids first. Maybe make up a batch of gluten free mac n cheese to serve them. Allow them to finish and then send them off to play or watch a movie so that the adults can enjoy a bit of kid free time together.

If you plan ahead and also have a good organization system in process when the party is over you can have everything cleaned up and put away in minutes.

Summer is such a wonderful time to entertain. I hope this post will inspire you to invite some loved ones over soon!

simplicity

2011-05-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

Today I'm loving:

simple storage

glossy white dishes

the natural beauty of produce

the beautiful color combination of green and white

*****

bowls~ Haley's Cottage
tea towels~ studiopatro
berry bowl~ anthropologie

save room for dessert!

2011-05-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

Time for dessert!

Peanut Butter Marbled Brownies

Peanut Butter Filling:

In a small bowl beat 6 oz of softened cream cheese, 1/2 c gluten free peanut butter, 1/4 c organic sugar, 1 egg, and 2 T milk until smooth and creamy.

For the chocolate layer:

1 c butter
2 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 c hershey's cocoa
1 1/4 c thai rice flour
1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan

Prepare peanut butter filling.

Place butter in a med. size pan and melt over low heat. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beat with a spoon after each addition. Add cocoa. Beat until blended. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat well. Stir in chocolate chips. Remove 1 c batter. Pour remaining batter into a prepared pan. Spread peanut butter filling over the top. Drop reserved chocolate batter by teaspoons over the filling. Using a knife, gently swirl through the layers for marbled effect. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Enjoy!

dining al fresco

2011-05-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

With Memorial Day Weekend right around the corner I thought this would be a great time to share a fun outdoor BBQ menu with you. One of my absolute favorite things about this time of year is eating outdoors. Why not set up a table out in the garden and invite some friends or family over for a BBQ to celebrate the long weekend. I've kept my promise to use herbs from the garden in my meal. Today we are using fresh dill.

The Menu:

Donna Hay's barbecued ribs
my yummy potato salad
grilled corn on the cob
Bob's Red Mill gluten free cornbread (because we can't make everything from scratch.)

Potato Salad (you can make this ahead of time)

I always make this to taste. I measured everything for you in case you really need the exact recipe. But the recipe can be changed to make a smaller or bigger salad. Just keep tasting it to see what ingredient may need to have a little more added.

5 med. size yukon gold potatoes
5 med. size red potatoes
1/2 large sweet onion
3/4 c best foods mayo
1 c sour cream
7 organic eggs
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
a bunch of dill from the garden

Clean and cut the potatoes into thirds. Place potatoes and eggs into a large pot of rapidly boiling water and boil until you can easily slide a fork into the potatoes. When the potatoes are done- the eggs are also. Let drain and cool.

Once cooled peel the eggs and dice the eggs, potatoes, and sweet onion. Place into a large bowl. Add the mayo, sour cream, balsamic vinegar, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Stir until thoroughly blended. Then take a large handful of dill from the garden, wash, pat dry, and chop. I use my kitchen scissors to just cut the dill right over the salad and let it fall into the bowl. Add dill to desired taste.

Taste the potato salad and see if any flavors need to be added. Often times it may need a pinch more salt or dill.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Donna Hay's BBQ ribs

She calls for about 5 lbs of ribs. I just used 1/2 a Costco pkg of beef ribs
6 cloves garlic- crushed

barbeque marinade:
1/2 c gluten free bbq sauce (I used stubbs original)
1/2 c gluten free worcestershire sauce (I used Lea & Perrins)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1/2 c brown sugar

Place the ribs and garlic in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. While the ribs are cooking, make the bbq marinade. Place the bbq sauce, worcestershire sauce, paprika, mustard powder, chili and sugar in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the ribs, toss to coat and set aside to marinate (at least 1 hour).

Heat a BBQ over med. heat. BBQ the ribs for 4-5 minutes each side or until sticky and cooked through.

For the corn:

I prefer white corn. Just shuck the corn and wash. Place directly on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes turning occasionally until corn is grilled slightly on all sides.

For the Bob's Red Mill gluten free cornbread:

cook according to pkg directions. serve warm.

enjoy!

a little spring/ summer pasta

2011-05-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

We are just beginning to dab our toes into my favorite time of year! My garden is just starting to bloom providing all sorts of bouquets for my table from now until September. The herb garden is beginning to look lush and I am just starting to see the fruits of our labor with the vegetable garden.

it was a beautiful, sunny day full of blue skies! Those that know me know that I don't take a moment of this for granted! I LOVE it! I have a goal this week! Every time I post something I cook I want to use the herbs from my herb garden. They're planted in an old wash bin right outside the kitchen. They're quite simple to grow. They just need a lot of sun and a bit of water. I plan on cooking from my herb garden all summer. You could easily plant one on your deck or patio using any container you have. Even an inexpensive terra cotta pot would work fine. This is what I'm growing this year if you'd like to join me.

basil
oregano
thyme
rosemary
dill
parsley
cilantro

I encourage you to do this! Fresh herbs do wonders for your cooking and you could have it completely planted with one trip to home depot this Saturday! Then we can cook together all summer.

Today's dish is light and EASY! and OH MY WORD does it make your house smell AMAZING! It's adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook but this is my version.

penne puttanesca

serves 4

course salt
1 bag gluten free penne pasta noodles
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic peeled and thinly sliced
pinch of red chile flakes (be generous)
1 heaping tsp capers- rinsed
1/2 c olives (I just bought what looked good at the olive bar- ones with lots of herbs on them)
1 12oz can organic tomato sauce
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 c torn fresh parsley (from the garden)

bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt generously. Drop in the gf penne pasta. Cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a med. skillet over med. heat and add the garlic and chile flakes. Cook for about 1 minute, watch heat to make sure you don't burn the garlic. Add the capers and olives and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce and black pepper. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add drained pasta to the skillet of sauce and stir to coat.

Scatter the parsley throughout the pasta. Add pepper to serve. We also added a bit of grated parmesan cheese.

YUM!!! This is a definite make again.

Today I got the trellises up for my sugar peas and finished planting the strawberries! The lettuce is coming along nicely. Hopefully I can plant the tomatoes on June 1st. I can't wait until we start making meals from the garden!

And another organization tip. (I'm having a big garage sale on Saturday and am purging like crazy- therefore all of the organization ideas.)

Today I realized that my vintage loaf pans also work well at holding my small utensils when not in use. It fits in the drawer perfectly and looks great too!

Hope you're enjoying this week as much as I am!

A Week In Review

2011-05-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

What a busy week I've had! First we celebrated Mother's Day, next my sister's birthday, and finally my birthday. There were tons of festivities. I've really enjoyed myself. One of the highlights was on my birthday. My husband completely surprised me by taking the day off and making reservations for lunch at a restaurant which I've recently heard of called Sitka and Spruce. A.MAZ.ING!!! I kept looking around the restaurant wishing that my whole house looked and felt like this restaurant!

Thankfully my husband had previewed the menu and brought along gluten free crackers so that I could enjoy the cheese tray. The food was amazing! The atmosphere- perfect! It is in my top three favorite restaurants in the Seattle area for sure!

Whenever I love an experience like that I find myself trying to recreate it at home.

This evening I prepared a cheese tray with brie, gouda, apricot preserves, and a gourmet olive mixture served with gluten free crackers. Glutino is my favorite brand for crackers.

We have eaten pretty heavy all week so I thought it would be nice to prepare a light salad to go with the cheese/ cracker tray. I decided on a blueberry salad! Berries are so healthy for you and I try to sneak them in whenever I can. My girls enjoyed this meal with us. We are trying to teach them to make healthy eating choices from a young age. I had this salad at a girlfriend's house years ago and have made it ever since. It's also a great recipe to file away for baby or bridal showers.

Blueberry Salad

For the salad:

4 oz Monterey Jack cut into small cubes
1/4 c chopped pecans
1 c blueberries
1/2 red onion finely diced
1 red pepper diced
red leaf lettuce chopped

For the dressing:

Pulse in a food processor

1/2 small onion finely chopped
3/4 c organic sugar
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dry mustard
3/4 tsp salt

Once that is mixed slowly stream in 1 c olive oil while the food processor is mixing.

Fold in 1 Tb poppy seeds

** Don't add the dressing until right before serving. It will wilt the lettuce. **

Enjoy!

** The cheese tray and glass bowls are found at IKEA and make an attractive yet simple way to serve the cheese platter instead of the usual bread board. **

And finally, I had a simple idea for storing all of those paper plates you keep on hand during the summer months for BBQs, picnics, etc. Why not stack them in a large crock? They fit perfectly!

Well there's a little bit of this weekend left to enjoy! Why not slow down tomorrow evening and serve this light meal to your family. It may even be nice to linger a bit at the table and chat before the business of Monday hits again!

labels!

2011-05-11T15:28:00.000-07:00

I just love organization. Having all of my jars of flour, etc. on open shelving in my kitchen is pretty to me. I think that tasteful storage is beautiful! Organizing also provides a bit of therapy for me. On my previous post one of my commenters told me about her love of clear labels. All of the sudden I HAD to have clear labels. Maybe I'm the last to know but I never knew they made such a thing! Thankfully they make clear tape for the label maker I already own so last night my sweet husband drove me to Office Depot. He laughed at me as I was busy transforming my flour labels from white to clear all the while saying over and over, "this makes me so happy!" (we all have our quirks) I also changed the font from all upper case to all lower case. A small change but I really like it as the labels are a bit smaller and therefore looks a bit tidier to me. Below is the after. You can see the before in the previous post.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

I hope you're enjoying a lovely Mother's Day! I've had a wonderful day! The sky is BLUE which is something you don't take for granted in Seattle! My kids have been on their best behavior and even made my bed. This morning I sat with my coffee and read all of my Mother's Day cards! I wish every day could be Mother's Day! :)

This morning I made orange brownies at my mom's request. I've shared the recipe before on my previous blog but not on this one yet. These are truly delicious! The orange zest gives the brownies such a fresh and summery taste! I really think you'll enjoy them.

Orange Brownies:

2 c finely grained rice flour. (the thai rice flour almost looks like powdered sugar)
2 c organic sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 sticks of unsalted butter- softened
4 eggs
2 tsp pure orange extract
1 tsp grated orange zest

Glaze:

1 c confectioner's sugar
2 T orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350*

Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.

In a mixing bowl sift together rice flour, sugar, salt, and xanthan gum. Add the butter, eggs, orange extract, and orange zest and beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and set. Remove from oven. Let cool completely and pierce entire cake with a fork.

For the glaze:

Combine confectioner's sugar, orange juice, and grated orange zest in a bowl whisking together until smooth. Once brownies are completely cooled and have been pierced with a fork pour the glaze over the brownies. Cut into squares.

enjoy~

Happy Mother's Day!