Southern Style Biscuits

1 1/2 cup Corn Starch

1/4 cup Tapioca Flour

1/4 cup Potato Starch

1 tablespoon Potato Flour

1 tsp. Xanthum Gum

1/4 cup Powdered Buttermilk

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 - 1 tsp. salt (according to taste)

1/2 cup Butter or Butter flavored Crisco (very cold)

1 1/4 cup milk

I use very cold fat when making biscuits. Don't be afraid to keep a stick of Crisco in the refrigerator so it's cold and ready when you need it.

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients and whisk to mix fully.

3. Cut the fat into the flour mixture until large pea size granules are formed.

4. Once the fat is cut into the dough add the milk. Trying to work the dough as little as possible mix until the dough just comes together.

5. Form the biscuits by hand or using a large spoon drop the biscuits onto a cookie sheet or lightly greased glass casserole dish. You can lightly flour your counter with corn starch and roll the dough out to cut the biscuits. I prefer a light fluffy biscuit and have found that rolling and cutting the dough makes for a slightly drier heavier texture.

6. Place in preheated oven and bake until light & fluffy and just turning golden brown.

Gluten Free Chex Mix

4 1/2 cups Corn Chex Cereal
4 1/2 cups Rice Chex Cereal
1 cup mixed nuts (I use unsalted nuts)
1 cup gluten free Pretzels
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees

2. In a large bowl add the cereals, nuts and pretzels together.

3. In a microwave safe bowl melt the butter. Add the Worcestershire sauce, seasoned
salt, garlic powder and onion powder to the butter and mix well.

4. Pour the butter mixture over the cereal mix and stir until everything is well coated.

5. Spread out onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 1 hour. Stirring every 15 minutes.

6. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Glutino Pretzels, Yummy!

I love these pretzels they're so crisps and tasty. So far I have been very pleased with Glutino brand products. They taste great and the texture is right on. The kids love them as well, Livy has decided she likes them better then "real" pretzels, meaning the gluten filled kind. check out their website for more info www.glutino.com

Blog Updates, Recipes and Reviews

So I've decided to post weekly. By Friday each week I will try to post a new recipe. I will also include my product review or pick of the week. Just so you know, I do not get paid by any of the product companies that I review or mention. I do except products to review at which time I will test them out and give an honest review pro or con in regards to the product taste or performance. You can contact me through the email address listed on my blog or leave me a comment below should you want me to review a particular product. Check back often to see what products I've found lately and as always please let me know how my recipes worked out for you.

Vanilla

I just got an email asking what gluten free vanilla brand I use. Many of the flavorings and extracts out there are not gluten free so please be sure to read the label. The vanilla isn't the problem it's usually the alcohol they use. Look for a product that uses a corn alcohol. Since I always try to use the highest quality ingredients I use Nielson-Massey Vanillas, Inc. products. I've used their products for years and luckily for me they just so happened to be gluten free. Check out their website if you want more info www.NielsenMassey.com

Gluten Free Sandwich Bread

This is a good sandwich bread recipe.

4 cups Brown Rice Flour mix
1 tablespoon Xanthan Gum
1 tablespoon Egg Replacer
2 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Powdered Milk or Powdered Milk Substitute
1 pkg Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
3 large Eggs
1/4 cup Butter, Margarine, or Shorting
2 tsp. Cider Vinegar
1/3 cup Honey or Agave Nectar
2 cups Warm Water (110-115 degrees)

Brown Rice Flour Blend
1 1/3 cup Brown Rice Flour (I use super fine flour, just put your rice flour in a food processor with metal blade attachment and mix for 1-2 minutes)
1 1/3 Tapioca Flour
1 1/3 Corn Starch
1 tablespoon Potato Flour

Grease 2 8-inch bread pans. In a medium size bowl mix all dry ingredients together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer add butter, eggs, vinegar, and honey. With the paddle attachment mix liquids together for about 30 seconds. Add half the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the warm water and mix until it is absorbed into the dough mixture. Turn the mixer to Med/High and beat for 4-5 minutes. It will resemble a cake batter when combined. Pour batter into prepared bread pans and set aside to rise about 50-60 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees. Once dough has risen place pans in the middle of your preheated oven. Cook for 50-60 minutes until the doughs internal temperature reaches 200 degrees. Let the bread cool about ten minutes before turning out of the pan. Once you take the loaves out of the pan let them cool on a rack until fully cooled. I found that if you don't let the bread fully cool it will dry out faster once you slice it.

Props and a Plug for Posana Cafe

As many of you know, eating out is one of the more difficult tasks for any celiac or for that matter anyone trying to eat gluten free. First, you have to make sure the restaurant really gets the importance of your condition and secondly, are they willing to try to accommodate your dietary needs. As for me I am very comfortable in any kitchen and would really love to go in the kitchen and prepare the food myself. I have found that most restaurants and or health departments frown on this idea. Most servers would probably look at me like I'm crazy if I were make that suggestion. Well, let me tell you about a lovely surprise I found a few weeks ago.

Recently my wonderfully awesome hubby took me to Asheville, NC for a weekend get away (without the kids). I grew up in Asheville as a kid and now live in Georgia. I love my live and can't see myself ever leaving Georgia, but I do find myself missing North Carolina every fall. So off we went for a weekend in the mountains and a Leonard Cohen concert, which by the way Leonard Cohen was amazing, but I digress so to back to the story. So while in Asheville walking around downtown I realized I needed a little coffee pick me up. Well lucky me, we just so happened to be right in front of a cafe named Posana so in we went. I ordered a cappuccino and began to look over the menu to see if I could order anything that looked gluten free. About that time my cappuccino came and sitting on the plate next to my cup was the most delicious looking piece of biscotti. I looked it over and thought just a little nibble might not ruin my whole day maybe just a couple hours of it, RIGHT. Then reality hit me NO I can't have just one bite and get this biscotti off my plate ASAP. So my hubby being the wonderfully sensitive guy he is, grabbed the biscotti off my plate before I could react and started munching on it. As we sat there I started looking around and what to my wondering eye should appear but sticky buns on display, biscotti in cups, and the lady next me eating a most delicious looking sandwhich on chibotta bread. While sitting there working up a proper pity party for myself our server came by to take our order. I immediately went to my typical restaurant script asking if they had a gluten free menu or any items on the menu that were gluten free. A smile crossed her face as she began telling all about how they had largest selection of gluten free items in the area. I think she could see the confusion on my face. Before I could question if she understood the gluten free thing, she informed me that the owner/chef is gluten free and that they do not use gluten in or around any gluten free items. They totally get and understand cross contamination. Come to find out, the boscotti was even gluten free, and yes she brought me another piece to try, YUMMY. How could it be, of all the cafes in all the towns in all the world I decided to walk into this one. Oh happy day, we ended up eating there three more times during our stay. Every time was better then the first and the food never disappointed.

If you are ever in Asheville check this place out. I have a feeling you to will be pleasantly surprised. Be sure to check out the sticky buns, yummy!

http://www.posanacafe.com/

GF Cosmetics I Love This Company

Who would have thought that when I found out I had Celiac that would mean I had to trash all my makeup. For years I have struggled with rosasea so natural healthy cosmetics have always been a priority of mine. Never in a million years would I have thought about checking my makeup bag for gluten. Sure enough after a thorough check almost every product I used had gluten in it. So here I was again on yet another G-free search. I tried all kinds of companies but didn't like the feel of many of the products. Most were to heavy or chalky feeling and the lipstick was pretty much a chap stick. If I'm going to take the time to use a product how about giving me some great colors, a light airy natural feel, and all day coverage. Well here you go people I found a company I LOVE. Drum roll please......and the company is AfterGlow Cosmetics. I love their products they have great colors and my skin hasn't felt so calm and healthy in years. My rosacea has calmed down and most would look at me and never know I struggled with painfully sensitive skin. Check out their website they have some great stuff http://www.afterglowcosmetics.com/

DIY Marshmallows

I have had several requests for this recipe so here you go. Don't be intimidated to do

it yourself. These are so easy and you'll never go back to store bought marshmallows again. All you need is an electric mixer (a stand mixer works best) with whisk attachment and a candy thermometer.

Homemade Marshmallows

1/2 cup water

3 packets unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

dash of salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract (use a really good quality vanilla)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup corn starch

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer add the gelatin and 1/2 cup water together.

2. In a sauce pan combine 1/2 cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cover and heat on med/high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover mixture, stir a couple times then clip the candy thermometer to the side of the of the pan. Heat mixture to 240 degrees when the mixture hits 240 immediately remove from heat.

3. Using the whisk attachment turn the mixer onto low and slowly pour the hot sugar mixture down the side of the mixer bowl into the gelatin water mixture.

4. Once combined turn mixer onto high and allow mixture to whip until lukewarm about 10-15 minutes.

5. While mixture is whipping use a separate bowl to combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 corn starch together. Whisk until well combined. Go ahead and prepare your 13x9 inch dish. Spray with nonstick spray or butter the dish, then coat pan with the sugar corn starch mixture. Shake out any extra sugar mix back into the bowl to use later.

6. Add the vanilla extract to the marshmallow mixture for the very last minute of whipping.

7. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan and spread out evenly. Use the sugar/corn starch mixture to dust your spatula to help spread the mixture. Evenly dust the top of the marshmallows with the sugar/starch mixture. Allow the marshmallows to set up for at least 4 hours before trying to turn them out of the pan.

8. Once the marshmallows have set up gently turn them out of the pan onto a lightly dusted cutting board. Use the extra sugar/starch mixture to dust your knife or cutters. Once the marshmallows are cut roll them in the powder mixture to evenly coat all side. This will keep them from sticking together. For large or small square marshmallows I use a lightly dusted pizza cutter to cut 1-2 inch strips.

Note: I have found that I enjoy the marshmallows best the next day. They are a little firmer and work better for roasting after a day. You can easily change things up a bit by adding cocoa powder to the dusting mixture to make coco marshmallows or add other candy flavors. At Christmas I add a couple drops of peppermint flavoring when I add the vanilla. Then roll the marshmallows in a cocoa & powder sugar mixture to make mint chocolate marshmallows. Super yummy in Hot Chocolate!

Favorite GF Pasta Brand

Ahhh, the search for a good GF pasta. I don't know about you guys but my daughter and I were quite upset at the thought of giving up pasta. We have tried all kinds of gluten free pasta, brown rice, white rice, spinach, and corn, you name it I've tried it. Much to my disappointment the pasta always seemed to fall short either in taste or texture. Needless to say when I stumbled across this Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta I was a little sceptical. Much to my surprise it held up to my standards both in taste and texture. Livy was so excited the first I made mac & cheese. The pasta held together without getting slimy and gross, believe it or not it held up like the "real" stuff. Ya, as if our food isn't real but that's another rant for another day:) You can buy it in bulk online or at most health food stores. I have even found it a Kroger a couple times. For more info check out their website www.quinoa.net