December has been a crazy, hectic, snow filled month here in MN. Hard to believe Christmas is just 4 days away (as Doodle reminds me every morning!) It's been a crazy month in our house this year and I've had little time to post. Doodle heads to have an umbilical hernia repaired the day after Christmas and I am frantically studying for a major certification test in my field - throw Christmas on top of all of that - and I'm darn near a melt down.
Here's wishing you all a Merry, Peaceful, Bright Christmas and a Happy New Year!
See you in 2011!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Gluten Free Cake Balls
Have you heard of Cake Balls? Their delightful! I recently made my first batch, completely by accident. I had no intention of making cake balls, but found that the cake mix I had mixed up was too crumbly when I pulled it out of the pan. There was no saving it! So, when life gives you crumbly cake....make cake balls! The recipe is simple and the results are delicious. Try some this holiday season to delight your co-workers, party guests, or just as an every day treat.
Gluten Free Dairy Free Cake Balls
1 Package Gluten Free Cake Mix
- mixed up dairy free
3/4 Can Dairy Free Frosting - I use Pillsbury brand
1 Package Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
1. Bake cake mix according to the diary free instructions - it doesn't matter what size pan you choose.
2. Cool cake. Remove cake from pan and crumble into a large bowl.
3. Add packaged frosting and stir until cake and frosting are mixed thoroughly. Form cake batter into small balls using a melon baller.
4. Place cake balls on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Place in freezer for several hours.
5. Prior to taking cake out of freezer, melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl or in a double broiler. If using the microwave, melt for 30 seconds and stir. Melt in 15 second increments, stirring frequently, until all chocolate is incorporated. I usually stop microwaving when the majority of chocolate is melted and stir the remaining chocolate mixture until all chips are melted. This ensures you don't over cook the chocolate.
6. Drop the cake ball into the chocolate mixture. Lift out with a fork. Using a spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the remainder of the ball until completely covered. Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet to cool. Repeat until all balls are covered.
7. Allow the balls to cool and enjoy!
These are a great holiday treat and very addicting - you can't eat just one!
Gluten Free Dairy Free Cake Balls
1 Package Gluten Free Cake Mix
- mixed up dairy free3/4 Can Dairy Free Frosting - I use Pillsbury brand
1 Package Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
1. Bake cake mix according to the diary free instructions - it doesn't matter what size pan you choose.
2. Cool cake. Remove cake from pan and crumble into a large bowl.
3. Add packaged frosting and stir until cake and frosting are mixed thoroughly. Form cake batter into small balls using a melon baller.
4. Place cake balls on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Place in freezer for several hours.
5. Prior to taking cake out of freezer, melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl or in a double broiler. If using the microwave, melt for 30 seconds and stir. Melt in 15 second increments, stirring frequently, until all chocolate is incorporated. I usually stop microwaving when the majority of chocolate is melted and stir the remaining chocolate mixture until all chips are melted. This ensures you don't over cook the chocolate.
6. Drop the cake ball into the chocolate mixture. Lift out with a fork. Using a spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the remainder of the ball until completely covered. Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet to cool. Repeat until all balls are covered.
7. Allow the balls to cool and enjoy!
These are a great holiday treat and very addicting - you can't eat just one!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Gluten Free Pizza
Our family LOVES pizza! One of the hardest things for Doodle to give up when she went Gluten and Dairy Free was my home-made pizza. Some say (mostly my nephew) that I make the best pizza around. It's an old recipe I inherited from my mother. The pizza has a perfect thin crust, delicious sauce, and I pile on the pepperoni - since you can never have too much pepperoni on a pizza. When we have pizza night, Doodle usually has to settle for pepperoni kabobs or pizza made from GF biscuit dough with tomato sauce and pepperoni, since we lack any casein free cheese in the area. Not anymore!
GFCFMom introduced me to Daiya Cheese. It's a GFCFSF cheese substitute that is pizza worthy. It melts similar to regular cheese and tastes pretty decent too. On a recent trip to civilization, I picked some up at Whole Foods Market - both the Mozzarella and Cheddar varieties. I couldn't wait to try it out on a GF DF pizza for Doodle!
For the pizza dough recipe, I found a reasonable recipe online that I tried out. Making GF dough is a bit different than my normal variety of pizza dough. For one, you don't knead the dough. It also doesn't roll out the same, but the end result was pretty tasty. Here's the recipe that I used:
http://www.examiner.com/gluten-free-food-in-san-francisco/gluten-free-pizza-dough-recipe
The Pizza Sauce I make is very similar to the spaghetti sauce I make. It's actually just about the same exact recipe - minus one can of tomatoes. Here it is:
1/2 Cup Onion - diced
1-2 Cloves Garlic - diced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Can Italian Style Tomatoes
1 Can Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tbsp Basil
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1. Heat Olive Oil in a medium sized sauce pan over high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic for 1 minute.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
4. Top pizza crust with sauce and pile on your favorite toppings. Finish off with Daiya Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese.
5. Cook pizza in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes - or until crust is brown and cheese is melted.
For Doodle, I made an entire pizza while the rest of the family ate regular pizza. I cut the pizza in 10 slices and froze the slices she did not eat. Now, when we make pizza, I grab a slice or two of Doodle's pizza from the freezer, heat it up in the oven, and she enjoys her pizza right along with the rest of us!
GFCFMom introduced me to Daiya Cheese. It's a GFCFSF cheese substitute that is pizza worthy. It melts similar to regular cheese and tastes pretty decent too. On a recent trip to civilization, I picked some up at Whole Foods Market - both the Mozzarella and Cheddar varieties. I couldn't wait to try it out on a GF DF pizza for Doodle!
For the pizza dough recipe, I found a reasonable recipe online that I tried out. Making GF dough is a bit different than my normal variety of pizza dough. For one, you don't knead the dough. It also doesn't roll out the same, but the end result was pretty tasty. Here's the recipe that I used:
http://www.examiner.com/gluten-free-food-in-san-francisco/gluten-free-pizza-dough-recipe
The Pizza Sauce I make is very similar to the spaghetti sauce I make. It's actually just about the same exact recipe - minus one can of tomatoes. Here it is:
1/2 Cup Onion - diced
1-2 Cloves Garlic - diced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Can Italian Style Tomatoes
1 Can Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tbsp Basil
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1. Heat Olive Oil in a medium sized sauce pan over high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic for 1 minute.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
4. Top pizza crust with sauce and pile on your favorite toppings. Finish off with Daiya Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese.
5. Cook pizza in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes - or until crust is brown and cheese is melted.
For Doodle, I made an entire pizza while the rest of the family ate regular pizza. I cut the pizza in 10 slices and froze the slices she did not eat. Now, when we make pizza, I grab a slice or two of Doodle's pizza from the freezer, heat it up in the oven, and she enjoys her pizza right along with the rest of us!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Fall Conferences
Last week Doodle had her first ever parent teacher conferences as a Kindergartner. I was nervous as to what to expect. I wasn't sure how she would keep up with the other Kindergartners. Worry wort mom should have had more faith in her child because she is doing great!
First up were her test scores...I was so amazed to see that she was in the top of her class for language and math scores - in the 95 to 100 percent range! She was also the ONLY child to recognize all of her capital and lower case letters in the whole class! I told her teachers if only they knew how far she had come, they would realize what a great accomplishment this was for her. Two years ago she couldn't look someone in the eye, she could barely write a letter, and she would repeat everything you said (termed echolalia).
They also listed several concerns, which I will work harder on this year. Doodle definitely still has attention issues. She needs quite a bit of redirection during class. I thought we had this licked last year - she worked with an Occupational Therapist last year, but seemed to be doing much better when I put her back on Zinc. I haven't been giving her probiotics lately, in addition to the Zinc, so note to self that I better get back on the program. It seems to help. I'll have to be more regimented about her vitamins, as last year they really seemed to help conquer the attention issue. All in all, though, her special ed teacher agreed that Doodle no longer would qualify for an autism label - which is a wonderful affirmation for all of our hard work over the past two years!
First up were her test scores...I was so amazed to see that she was in the top of her class for language and math scores - in the 95 to 100 percent range! She was also the ONLY child to recognize all of her capital and lower case letters in the whole class! I told her teachers if only they knew how far she had come, they would realize what a great accomplishment this was for her. Two years ago she couldn't look someone in the eye, she could barely write a letter, and she would repeat everything you said (termed echolalia).
They also listed several concerns, which I will work harder on this year. Doodle definitely still has attention issues. She needs quite a bit of redirection during class. I thought we had this licked last year - she worked with an Occupational Therapist last year, but seemed to be doing much better when I put her back on Zinc. I haven't been giving her probiotics lately, in addition to the Zinc, so note to self that I better get back on the program. It seems to help. I'll have to be more regimented about her vitamins, as last year they really seemed to help conquer the attention issue. All in all, though, her special ed teacher agreed that Doodle no longer would qualify for an autism label - which is a wonderful affirmation for all of our hard work over the past two years!
Friday, November 5, 2010
You're My Sweet Potato Pie
When Doodle was a baby, before she ever became known as Doodle, I used to love to call her My Sweet Potato Pie. Sweet potatoes were one of her favorite baby foods to eat and we would listen to Ray Charles and James Taylor sing Sweet Potato Pie from the Genius Loves Company CD. Now that Doodle is older, we all enjoy sweet potatoes with dinner. Our favorite is roasted sweet potatoes. Using Organic sweet potatoes makes for the most flavorful dish - if we don't have the organic variety in the store, I don't bother buying sweet potatoes, as the conventional version can't even compare in taste. This recipe is simple - but takes about 45 minutes to bake - so leave enough time when preparing dinner.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
2-3 Organic Sweet Potatoes, washed and peeled.
2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut sweet potatoes into small cubes (no bigger than 1")
3. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place sweet potatoes on cookie sheet and sprinkle with olive oil and kosher salt. Toss thoroughly with your hands.
4. Place in oven and bake for 35 minutes.
5. Change oven to broil and broil the sweet potatoes for 10 minutes - stirring once or twice. Remove from oven and serve as a side dish.
These sweet potatoes are also wonderful on a spinach salad. I like to use any leftovers (which is rare) to add to a salad the following day for lunch.
On another note, Doodle has been enjoying playing Webkinz on the computer these days. I've been impressed by how much she can do by herself now. I used to have to navigate for her and play the games for her. Now, she does almost everything by herself. She's got down how to drag and drop items all by herself. Another great site for reading development is Starfall.com - we've been using this to help Doodle with phonics and learning new words. She can do this site all on her own.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
2-3 Organic Sweet Potatoes, washed and peeled.
2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut sweet potatoes into small cubes (no bigger than 1")
3. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place sweet potatoes on cookie sheet and sprinkle with olive oil and kosher salt. Toss thoroughly with your hands.
4. Place in oven and bake for 35 minutes.
5. Change oven to broil and broil the sweet potatoes for 10 minutes - stirring once or twice. Remove from oven and serve as a side dish.
These sweet potatoes are also wonderful on a spinach salad. I like to use any leftovers (which is rare) to add to a salad the following day for lunch.
On another note, Doodle has been enjoying playing Webkinz on the computer these days. I've been impressed by how much she can do by herself now. I used to have to navigate for her and play the games for her. Now, she does almost everything by herself. She's got down how to drag and drop items all by herself. Another great site for reading development is Starfall.com - we've been using this to help Doodle with phonics and learning new words. She can do this site all on her own.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Fall Favorites
Autumn is definitely in the air here in SW Minnesota. Trees have turned, pumpkins are perched on our doorstep, flower beds have been laid to rest, and shivers are felt at the morning bus stop. As fall sets in, I find myself seeking all things that are cozy and warm. Doodle and I enjoy our morning routine snuggling in front of the fireplace while getting ready for school. I also find my dinner dishes have turned from all things made on the barbecue to cozy fall dishes. I've broken out some of my favorites this week:
Wild Rice Soup
Spaghetti
Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes
GF DF Apple Crisp
Hot Dish
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
and Easy Chili especially get me in the mood for Autumn.
Easy Chili
1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Pound Italian Sausage
1 small onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 Tbsp Chipotle Chili Powder
1 tsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Basil
1 can Organic Kidney Beans
1 can Organic Black Beans
2 cans Organic Italian Style Tomatoes
1. Brown ground beef and Italian sausage in a large pot. Add diced onions and minced garlic.
2. Add seasonings. Pour in kidney beans, black beans and tomatoes. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serves 6-8.
We like to eat this chili with corn chips or some gluten free corn bread. The Italian Sausage gives the chili a little kick - so adjust the Chipotle Chili powder to your own taste - it can get a bit too spicy if you use too much.
Doodle has her first Kindergarten conferences on Tuesday. I'm anxious to see how she is doing this school year. We continue to work hard on her recovery and the progress has been wonderful. She's actually reading parts of stories to me - I feared she wouldn't have the concentration to sit and read a book - but have been wonderfully surprised by how quickly she is catching on! Look for an upcoming post on progress once I hear the report.
Wild Rice Soup
Spaghetti
Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes
GF DF Apple Crisp
Hot Dish
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
and Easy Chili especially get me in the mood for Autumn.
Easy Chili
1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Pound Italian Sausage
1 small onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 Tbsp Chipotle Chili Powder
1 tsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Basil
1 can Organic Kidney Beans
1 can Organic Black Beans
2 cans Organic Italian Style Tomatoes
1. Brown ground beef and Italian sausage in a large pot. Add diced onions and minced garlic.
2. Add seasonings. Pour in kidney beans, black beans and tomatoes. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serves 6-8.
We like to eat this chili with corn chips or some gluten free corn bread. The Italian Sausage gives the chili a little kick - so adjust the Chipotle Chili powder to your own taste - it can get a bit too spicy if you use too much.
Doodle has her first Kindergarten conferences on Tuesday. I'm anxious to see how she is doing this school year. We continue to work hard on her recovery and the progress has been wonderful. She's actually reading parts of stories to me - I feared she wouldn't have the concentration to sit and read a book - but have been wonderfully surprised by how quickly she is catching on! Look for an upcoming post on progress once I hear the report.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Gluten Free Waffle Cookies
I tried my hand at something new today - waffle cookies. I'd never heard of these cookies before, but found a recipe in my Scrapbooks etc. magazine, of all places. I thought they looked interesting and easy to make - so why not modify the recipe to be gluten free and give it a whirl? It was a great activity to try with Doodle's new friend who came over today for their first play date together. I let each girl take their turn adding ingredients and using the mixer. Best part was, this normally picky eater of a friend, didn't even know the difference between these cookies and a regular cookie. They tasted wonderful!
GF Waffle Cookies
1 stick Dairy Free Butter - melted
2 Eggs
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Sweet Rice Flour
1/3 Cup Cocoa
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
1. Heat waffle iron.
2. Mix together dairy free butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add in sweet rice flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. The batter should be thick. I added 2-4 more tablespoons of flour to thicken up the batter before baking.
4. Once the waffle iron is hot, place a small amount of batter on the waffle iron, close iron and cook like a waffle. After 1-2 minutes, remove cookie from waffle iron and cool on a cookie rack. Repeat.
5. Once the cookies are cool, add frosting (or peanut butter) as desired.
We mixed up an easy batch of frosting to go with these cookies. Doodle and her friend each chose a different color of food coloring for their frosting. Doodle, of course, had pink. These cookies will be a great lunch box treat for Doodle this week!
GF Waffle Cookies
1 stick Dairy Free Butter - melted
2 Eggs
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Sweet Rice Flour
1/3 Cup Cocoa
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
1. Heat waffle iron.
2. Mix together dairy free butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add in sweet rice flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. The batter should be thick. I added 2-4 more tablespoons of flour to thicken up the batter before baking.
4. Once the waffle iron is hot, place a small amount of batter on the waffle iron, close iron and cook like a waffle. After 1-2 minutes, remove cookie from waffle iron and cool on a cookie rack. Repeat.
5. Once the cookies are cool, add frosting (or peanut butter) as desired.
We mixed up an easy batch of frosting to go with these cookies. Doodle and her friend each chose a different color of food coloring for their frosting. Doodle, of course, had pink. These cookies will be a great lunch box treat for Doodle this week!
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