Not much interesting cooking going on here at the time although we are doing pretty well on our diets. I wish the pounds would just fall off and it would be over with but it just doesn't happen that way. I continually struggle on what to cook different to make our meals more interesting.

This week so far I have cooked my "Salmon with Yellow Pepper Jelly Glaze" and I toned the glaze down a little to make it low calorie. Instead of the usual rice I served it with steamed vegetables.

I love this time of year the temperatures have been wonderful and my yard is continually blooming. Honey and I are planning to re-landscape the yard maybe this fall but for now I am enjoying it just like it is.

I was recently able to meet up with a friend in Jackson and swap some books with her. Swapping with Eve is like having your own personal library as she is a book collector/fanatic. I have also talked her into signing up with Goodreads so that we will know what books we each own and to make swapping easier. With the arthritis problems I am having I spend more time reading than I use too. I love being able to pull up the books I have read, the books I want to read and the books I own at the touch of a button. I also love being able to buy books for only a couple of dollars! This depends on how many books you buy at one time. I try to buy at least three and usually spend around $3 per book. In fact I like it so well that I have limited myself, if my books shelves are full I swap some out before ordering more. If only Eve would let me swap her books..... If you have books that you would like to get rid of contact me I'd be glad to get rid of them for you!!!

They also have Goodreads for iphones. Read about Goodreads on their blog. 

So join Goodreads with me and we can discuss books! You can find the widget listing some of the books I have read on the right side of my page.

Thanks for stopping by y'all please come again soon!

Sharing our Easter

We have been having a lot of strong winds and thunderstorms with rain lately. We recently lost an apple tree in our yard due to the wind.

I don't know what happened to this apple tree but I do know that this fall I will not be putting up apples like I did last year.

After sooo much rain on Friday afternoon we went to the flat land to see what damage had been done to our fields and crops. We were blessed to find that everything stilled looked good.

On Friday after checking out everything in the flat land we packed up and headed to the farm to spend some family time with Ben, Ash and Punkin.

Sunday was to be a full day of serving at church for Ben and Ash so we celebrated Easter together on Saturday. Ash and I cooked a big lunch and we enjoyed just relaxing and eating all day while playing and hiding eggs with Punkin.

I gave Punkin her Easter card while we waited to go outside. I had put her a couple of little bracelets inside and when she noticed them the poor card didn't stand a chance. She loves wearing bracelets.

I sent Easter goodies to my other grand-babies also. I wish I could have been present to see them open theirs. 

Punkin caught on to hunting eggs really fast.

It was hard to keep her focused since Dad had hid the eggs close to her swing set. You could just see her wanting to play when she looked that way.

After finding all her eggs she spent time on the slide. It was soo muddy after all the rain that her dressed and bloomers had mud on them before we were through. She would have stayed out all afternoon but it was nap time.

We spent Sunday reflecting on the true meaning of Easter! We went to church with the kids before returning to the hills and guess what the sermon was on? HOPE, if you read my Easter card post on my last blog that's exactly what I talked about.

I hope that you had a nice Easter and that you too were able to reflect on what the true meaning of Easter is.

Thanks for stopping by y'all and please come again soon.

My Easter Card to You!

There is always hope no matter what we are experiencing! I have to remind myself of this daily as I battle with environmental allergies, food allergies, gluten sensitivities and now osteoarthritis. It is such a relief for me to know that these things are temporary and that something greater is waiting for me after my life here on earth.

I hope you have a wonderful week leading up to the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

Happy Easter Friend  

Thanks for stopping by and y'all please come again soon!

Mixes from the Heartland Gluten Free Corn Bread Review

I had been busy running around town trying to get errands run before the stormy weather moved in.  I stopped at the grocery story and picked up a small honey ham and a cabbage for supper. On the way home I started thinking about my meal and I started craving corn bread. My gluten free corn bread is the best, it is very southern with very little sugar.

After I got home and began to cook supper I was going through the pantry to find the ingredients for my corn bread and I noticed my Mixes from the Heartland goody box. I thought, "I think I have a corn bread mix in there." So I started digging and I DID! So I used the mix but I only used two eggs and a large dip of mayonnaise.

If you like slightly sweet what I call Yankee corn bread you would love this bread.

Here is more info:

Product Description

Gluten Free Corn Bread Mix is cholesterol free and very moist. You can add 1/4 of a cup green chilies, salsa, or 1/2 cup of shredded cheese for a variety of corn breads. Separate eggs for a lighter bread.
View Nutrition Fact Sheet

Ingredients

Cornmeal (Non GMO), brown and white rice flour (organic), shortening powder (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, corn syrup solids, sodium casein ate, mono and diglycerides and sodium silicoaluminate (anti cooking agent containing milk), powdered whey (whey, skim milk and buttermilk solids), sugar, non aluminum baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and tapioca starch.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Separate 4 eggs. Beat egg yolks and egg whites separately. Blend egg whites, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup milk into egg yolks. Add dry mix, folding until moistened.  Bake in greased 9 x 9 pan for 20 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by y'all and please come again soon!

Are you entertaining someone with a food allergy?

I was recently contacted regarding this app and since I am running a little behind the rest I could not try and review it so I offered to blog about it so you my readers could try it.

Melinda's gluten free goodies has just launched their new allergy free entertaining app. Providing entertaining options for all occasions, the new app is stand alone and contains over 100 high quality recipes.

The allergy free entertaining app only requires a single download saving time and money. One $5.99 download can be used on your iPhone™, iPod™ and/or iPad™.

The app has a huge variety of easy to follow recipes including casseroles and stews, quiches, pies, savoury and sweet muffins, cakes, slices, biscuits, puddings, loaves, tarts, pastry, crumbles, scones and many more.

‘Each recipe has been thoroughly tested. Caterers and home cooks can be confident they are providing tasty high quality menus when catering for their customers and guests needing a allergy free diet’, said Melinda Trembath, owner and developer of Melinda’s allergy free entertaining app.

‘Our app recipes have enticing food styled images and we’ve also included Australian wine matches to make entertaining even easier’.

The allergy free entertaining app search function lets you select exactly the allergy free options you need, personalised for your guests. The app provides for every allergy free diet including gluten, wheat, dairy, nut, soy and egg free as well as vegetarian, vegan, low sugar and child friendly options.

Quick and easy recipe reference options make it easy to prepare for children’s parties, dinner parties, school and work lunch boxes, morning and afternoon teas.

The allergy free entertaining app has a shopping list function. Users can convert recipes to a specific shopping list matching their allergy free ingredient requirements. There is also an option to click through to online stories catering specifically for allergy free diet.




The great news is they have a lite version available on itunes so you can try it before you purchase.
 




Melinda's Gluten-Free Goodies has a great range of savoury and sweet premixes. Easy to make, great for entertaining, school lunchboxes or main meals.

In an Australian first, Melinda's range of gluten free gourmet water crackers provides options for caterers and home entertainers.

Melinda's premix products can be adapted to suit dairy free and/or egg free diets. Please check the premix packaging for advice on each product.

Melinda’s Gluten-Free Goodies are available nationally in Woolworths health food section, Coles health food section, Franklins supermarkets, selected IGA stores, other independent stores, selected health food stores, Amway catalogues and on-line stores as listed on our Buy Some Goodies page. To check current availability of each product please go to the product pages.

To check availability of Melinda's products in your local store please contact your state distributor as detailed on the Wholesale Goodies page.

Melinda's foodservice range provides more options for caterers, bakers and entertainers wanting to provide tasty gluten free menus for customers and guests.

Go to Melinda's web page and look at all she has to offer as I have only listed a few options.

Thanks for stopping by y'all please come again soon.

Is the Easter bunny hiding under your bed?

 

I am convinced more now than ever that I may have something hiding in my house that could kill me. Let me backtrack, I clean my house thoroughly every week whether it needs it or not. My family have been known to tell me that I go a bit overboard.

Yesterday I went for my testing for RA and praise the Lord they think that I only have Osteoarthritis, which is bad enough in itself but not as crippling as rheumatoid. I should have all test and x-ray results back in eight weeks.



So this morning, knowing that I can't sit around and do nothing because I'm in pain or I will be an invalid, I decided it was house cleaning day. You will never believe what I found under my bed y'all! It was dust bunnies the size of a frog. REALLY when it came rolling out I jumped thinking a frog had gotten under my bed. Now for those of you who personally know me and don't believe this story just go get a good dust mop, lay down on your belly close to your bed and see what comes rolling out of yours then comment back and let me know.

Friends if we have dust bunnies like this under our beds and we clean all the time what else may be in our homes? Ugh I don't want to think about it.

See I knew that it was house cleaning time because I've woke up several morning with a bad sinus headache. If you are an allergy suffer that is a sure sign that the Easter bunny is hiding under your bed too.

Thanks for stopping by y'all and please come again soon!

Happy Birthday

No, I'm not talking about my birthday or any persons in general as far as that goes it's my blogs birthday! I began blogging on Yahoo360 and when it ended I moved over to blogspot in April of 2009. I can't believe that I have been blogging for two years!

It's amazing to me how I run across people everyday with some type of food or environmental allergy. I would love to say that I am able to help them, but the truth is I don't know. I hope that if you are reading my blog and if you have a question or concern that I can be of help to you in some way. Hey, if I don't help you at all you can still read and keep up with what's going on in my gluten free world. 

Please remember me in your prayers I go for testing for RA or Rheumatoid arthritis today. I have recently developed a big knot on one hand and stay in continual pain. At times I find blogging almost impossible and I am hoping that after this appointment they will give me something to help with the pain. I know that regardless of the outcome God is here with me and I'm thankful for that! Thank you for your prayers as I walk through this valley.

Happy Birthday Blog!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and please come again soon.

Sharing my Favorites Part 4

Just because I list these as a favorite doesn't mean I have actually tried all of them. I just have plans too in the future. Hope you ENJOY!

Great Information:

Celiac disease: Can gluten be absorbed through the skin?

Food Allergy Detective App Offers Clues

I am gluten intolerant, now what do I do?

Which Bread Maker Makes the Best Gluten-Free Bread?

 

Recipes:

Gluten Free Lemon Bars 

By: the baking Beauties

Gluten Free Pink Lemon Aid Cupcakes

By: Simply gluten free

 

New York style coffee/crumb cake

By: Hey, that tastes good!

Gluten Free Lasagna Casserole - easy one bowl method

By: The Gluten Free Spouse

GF Cookies and Cream Pie

By: No One Likes Crumbley Cookies

Full of Gluten:

Chicken and Dumpling Bake Casserole

By: Deep South Dish

This could be easily converted to gluten free by the way! I'm going to do it in the future, as soon as I get a few more pounds off.

 Thanks for stopping by y'all and please come again soon!

People Hate the Gluten Free Movement REALLY?

I wasn't going to blog this because by now everyone probably knows about it right? Well, I can't get it off my mind so here goes.

As I set here thinking about the times that I do without while others are eating because I don't want to have the cramps, bloated stomach, intestinal problems and migraines that go with my eating gluten. Then I have a mal-functioning valve in my stomach that after being glutened always acts up and threatens to close. When this happens I live in severe stomach pain until I go have a small surgery to open it back up. And while I type I fight pain throughout my hands that is the results of some type of arthritis which I have discovered is just one more symptom of Celiac. As I live like this it makes me want to cry to read about a Chef out there who is feeding gluten to people on purpose to get even with them.

Please take the time and read this I wrote it by compiling the information from several blogs. You can read tons more by searching the topic.

Damian Cardone

Gluten free is bullXXX!! Flour and bread have been a staple of life for thousands, THOUSANDS of years. People who claim to be gluten intolerant don't realize that its all in there disturbed little heads. People ask me for gluten free pasta in my restaurant all the time, I tell em sure, Then I serve serve em our pasta, Which I make from scratch with high gluten flour. And you know what? nothing, NOTHING! ever happens! People leave talking about how good they feel gluten free and guess what, They just had a full dose! Idiots!


See the print screen of the Facebook Status from The Celiac Handbook

Here's his info on his profile...

Damian J. Cardone has apprienticed under Swiss, Master Chef Kurt Wigger. Damian was the Executive Chef at the Sopris Chalet, Restaurant, Aspen, Co. Executive Banquet Chef at the Tavern on the Green N.Y.C.

After apprenticing under Master Chef Kurt Wigger, Switzerland. Whom, was the last person to study under Du Franze, who was the last person on earth to study under Georges Agustus Esscoffier.
Spending time between Aspen and NYC. In 05 and 06, Damian upheld the position as the wedding/banquet Chef at the Tavern on the Green. Has appeared on Regis and Kelli, Project Runway, numerous P.B.S. segments. Personally cooked for Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Tom Hanks, Segourney Weaver, and George Clooney. Currently resides in Glenwood Springs Colorado as a private chef for hire. Who will hire him?

We talked with Florindo's head chef who says Cardone worked up until five days after his Facebook post. He also says any specialty request like people wanting gluten free products come personally through him. So Cardone switching the pasta just couldn't happen.

Gastroenterologists say some people are more affected by gluten than others, but no matter what, it's not a laughing matter to deliberately serve someone who can't handle gluten products.

The restaurant told us Cardone moved to New Jersey but didn't know where. A few hours after speaking with the restaurant's top chef, the Facebook post was removed.

Read more about those hating the gluten free movement here!

Regardless of where this Chef is or whether he really fed gluten to those with gluten intolerance or Celiac I would never knowingly eat at any restaurant where he works. This is one sick guy!

I'm sure he's not the only one who thinks that it's all in our little heads! Sorry I'm not a violent person but I'd love to slap people like that!

Ok, I'll shut up for now! Thanks for stopping by y'all and please come again soon!