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Grilling it up with Natalie, the Gluten-Free Mommy!
2008-01-09 20:01:00
Welcome to the 1st installment of the newest feature on Ginger Lemon Girl... Every month I will surprise one of you gluten-free bloggers out there with an invitation to get "gluten-free grilled" by yours truly! If you agree to get grilled, you will get a smoking hot email with a grueling list of questions to share all about your gluten-free life, blog, cooking skills, etc..! I'll also ask you share some fun stuff about yourself!So without further ado...January 2008Photo courtesy of Natalie 's hubby! Natalie, The Gluten Free Mommy Natalie, Thanks for taking the time to be grilled today!Why don't we start the interview:Ginger Lemon Girl: How long have you been on a gluten-free diet? Natalie: Exactly three years this month! What inspired you to begin blogging about your diet? Karina . It wasn't until I found her blog that I really got the hang of the diet. Once I was thriving on the diet, I was having a great difficulty keeping track of my new recipes, so I also decided to ...
More About: Gluten Free , Grilling

This Week's Menu (Jan 7 - Jan 11) and Chiles Rellenos Quiche
2008-01-07 17:59:00
** Check out Suzanne's GF blog today at TimesUnion.com she's featuring some cupcakes that I made over the Christmas holidays!! We can't eat them this month, but you can bet we're having them on my birthday in March!! **Michael with my great-grandmother, you remember her iron skillet don't you?Happy New Year!I'm so glad to be back to a weekly menu plan! As Mary Frances said in her menu plan last week, it's amazing how having a meal plan can help you to feel organized! Even if you don't make everything you have planned, you have all the groceries ready and necessary for all of your meals! It's incredibly convenient and helpful!!This is the first week of our Sugar Free January. We hope you have a wonderful week! We'll have some special features on the blog later this week along with a recipe for oyster stew and a delicious (sugar free) walnut cheesecake!The ingredient of the week in the gluten-free menu swap is parsnips, a winter vegetable similar to a carrot! We'll be hav...
More About: Menu , Chiles

Oh So Sweet Blueberry Muffins!
2008-01-04 15:26:00
Blueberries baby!!Yes, I know it is not the season for blueberries... but...It is FINALLY winter in this cozy part of Eastern NC (although it's supposed to be in the 70's again by Monday)... and sometimes this ginger lemon girl just craves blueberry muffins!! Especially when she's curled up in soft blankets with a good book on a cold day!For Christmas, one of the wonderful gifts my sweet husband bought for me was a mini-muffin tin. I have always wanted one of these contraptions, even though I thought it was silly to make such a small little muffin or cupcake...But now I know why I needed one... because it just makes the cutest darn muffins ever!Cuteness, my friends, is why you need to buy a mini-muffin tin! (See some of Abby's wonderful "mini" creations... she's really the reason why I wanted one!!) Aren't these little puppies just the cutest things EVER?Okay, ignore the fact that they really look like little blue alien muffins... they were still good!These muffins were suppos...
More About: Sweet , Muffins , Fins

2008 Sugar-Free January Guide
2008-01-02 17:07:00
Happy New Year Everyone!!It is 2008 and it's time for a brand new start to a healthier life! I don't know about all of you, but my body is ready for a time of cleansing and healthy eating and getting back in shape.Our plan for a sugar free January , is much more than a weight loss plan. It's a plan to bring our bodies back to a state of health, to feel better, to sleep better, to wake up energized and ready to begin our new year.I plan for one month, because I think it's easier to have a time frame for our goals. We have a tendency to stick with the plan because we know when it begins and when it ends. This doesn't mean we will abandon everything healthy at the end of the month, it is simply a jump start for the new year. We plan to continue much of what we will learn this month throughout the rest of this entire year and we hope you'll join us for some or all aspects of the plan!We have a set plan for each week. There will be a certain food that we will eliminate each week. Th...
More About: Sugar , Free , Guide

Ginger Lemon Girl's Gluten Free Recipes Index
2008-01-01 16:00:00
** All recipes are gluten-free unless otherwise noted **The Main Dish20 Minute Turkey ChiliAmy's Pecan ChickenCafe' Atlantic's Baked ParmesanCarol's ChiliChicken Mushroom Marinara BakeChiles Rellenos QuicheEric's Lemon Butter ChickenFresh Vegetable and Shrimp StirfryHatteras Clam ChowderMushroom, Broccoli, and Feta Quiche (Not GF)Nan's Skillet DinnerOne Dish Bake and Rise PizzaSouthern Tuna SaladSpring Chicken and GritsStacey's Pork ChopsStuffed Shells (Not GF)The Veggie Market and Side DishCheddar Baked HominyCranberry CobblerDelicious Holiday Turkey Stuffing/DressingGreen Beans with Pearl Onions and AlmondsQuick Cranberry SauceSimple Salsa SaladSweet Corn PuddingSweet-Potato Apple CasseroleWarm Tuscan Bean SaladSauces, Dressings, Marinades, and GraviesBasic Gluten Free GravyCondensed Cream SoupPomegranate MolassesCafe' Atlantic's Homemade Cucumber Dill DressingThe Bakery AisleBette Hagman's Vinegar Pastry (Pie Crust)Carrie's Five Flour Yeast BreadCranberry Apple Muffins...
More About: Recipes , Gluten Free , Ginger

One Last Holiday Treat...
2007-12-31 16:00:00
What a wonderful year it has been! Michael and I had a great week spending time with our families and sharing the holidays together. I actually did very little cooking and baking over the holidays. I think I had a cooking "block" of sorts... or maybe I just needed a break! Either way, I enjoyed my time off from posting, cooking, and working, but I'm glad to be getting back into my daily routine.As much as I LOVE time off, I'm very much a creature of habit. I'm not quite sure what to do with myself when I have so much time off! (Can you tell we don't have kids yet? I'm sure this wouldn't be a problem if we had kids! LOL)You have no idea how hard it was to get this picture!And they only lasted that long for about 15 seconds!!Lots of new features will be coming to www.gingerlemongirl.com in 2008!!!Please stay tuned for wonderful new recipes and photos, interviews with food bloggin' folks you know and love, more of those fun photo contests, and a few special surprises just for ...
More About: Holiday , Treat

2007 Gluten Free Christmas Cookie Roundup!
2007-12-17 15:00:00
Cookies are one of my favorite things about Christmas ! I originally wanted to have an "online cookie swap" of sorts, but so many of us were already posting Christmas Cookie recipes, I thought it would be easier just to list them all and share them with everyone! I?ve done my ?darndest? to find all the best gluten-free Christmas cookies out there, but if I accidentally missed one you would like posted, please let me know ASAP (email me at gingerlemon_girl(at)yahoo(dot)com)!! I promise I didn?t miss you on purpose!! I've done a TON of searching (and editing and editing and editing and editing... Blogger and I have not been friends during this post!! But that?s another story!!)The cookies have been separated into categories for your convenience. If you don't want to read through the entire list, simply click on a cookie category below and you will be taken directly to that set of cookies! (Please give a big Thank You to Casey Yandle, who helped me to get these links working correctl...
More About: Roundup , Free , Gluten Free , Cookie

Christmas Cookie # 2 -- Cream Cheese Meltaways
2007-12-15 14:33:00
Another cookie that I remember with fondness was made by my mom's friend Laura. I remember one day when I was 7 or 8, I think it was "parent-conference" day at school. I stayed with Laura and her new baby that day while Mom and Dad attended the conferences. What I remember best about that particular visit with Laura was that she let me help her make some sort of cookie that I fell in love with. They were soft and buttery, not too sweet, and seemed to melt in your mouth. I still have no idea what those actual cookies were, but the cookies I am sharing with you today bare a close resemblance.These cookies are very easy to make and I think I have discovered an extremely versatile gluten-free dough. I am seriously considering, making this dough (minus the sugar) and rolling it out for a pie shell. The first time I made these cookies I simply baked them as rolled tablespoons of dough. Then I realized that the dough did not spread AT ALL... which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. So I ...
More About: Christmas , Cheese , Cream , Cookie

Christmas Cookie #1 -- Preacher Cookies
2007-12-12 19:30:00
In 8th grade, I took a home economics class. The teacher was an older woman with brilliant white hair who taught me how to make buttermilk biscuits and Preacher cookies. In fact, when she couldn't figure out what to do with her class of mostly 8th grade boys (I don't know how I got stuck in that class!) she just let us make batches and batches of preacher cookies with government sugar and butter. I don't remember ever learning about the food pyramid, or how to eat healthily in that class, but the woman knew how to cook with butter and sugar!A few weeks ago, a good friend from high school named Eric emailed me his family's recipe for Preacher Cookie s . I was so excited! I live a state away from where I grew up and it's rare that I hear people refer to these particular cookies as "Preacher Cookies." Eric had no idea how much he made my day!You probably know these cookies as "No-bake Cookies", "Stove Top Cookies", "Haystacks", "No Bake Oatmeal Cookies", "Boiled Cookies", etc... (I...
More About: Christmas

This Week's Menu (Dec 10th - 17th)
2007-12-10 16:49:00
Hello everyone! The Gluten-Free Menu Swap will be on hiatus until January. Many bloggers are traveling, busy with holiday activities, and just swamped in general. I will still be posting my weekly menu, but it will only be a suggestion at best!What does your family do for meals during this busy season? I'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments below! This week will be busy for us as we will be preparing to host a neighborhood cookie swap on Friday! I'll be posting 2 cookie recipes this week, along with a BIG GLUTEN FREE Christmas Cookie Recipe Roundup next Monday, December 17th. If you would have any cookies you would like included, please email me at gingerlemon_girl(at)yahoo(dot)com. If you have recipes that you don't have posted on a blog, simply send me the recipe and a picture (if you have one) and I'll be glad to post them with the roundup!! I look forward to hearing from all of you!This Weeks (Suggestion of a) Menu: Monday: Breakfast for DinnerScrambled Egg...

How to Make Pomegranate Molasses
2007-12-06 15:57:00
I'm not exactly sure when I started hearing about pomegranate molasses, but it was such an interesting concept I had to try it out.I'm a girl who loves regular ol' sorghum molasses. It's good stuff. It's especially good dripping out of a buttery biscuit. I've not tried pomegranate molasses in a biscuit yet, but don't worry... I will soon!Pomegranate molasses is a staple in middle eastern cooking. I don't do a lot of middle eastern cooking, but I love foods from that area. The molasses is a rich, thick syrup basically made from simply cooking down pomegranate juice.This molasses can be used to make beverages, sauces, homemade marinades, salad dressings, etc... You can also make appetizers by placing cream cheese chunks on crackers and drizzling the pomegranate molasses over them.It's also excellent drizzled over meats such as chicken and pork, as I did last night.You can also buy pomegranate molasses at a variety of online stores for exorbitant prices, but why would you do ...
More About: Make

Crispy Cheddar Crackers
2007-12-05 14:17:00
It may be due to the sudden spell of soup weather, but I started thinking about crackers last week.Before going GF I was a big supporter of saltine crackers. You could make one heck of a simple easy meal with a box of crispy, salty saltines! I remember when I was little and my dad would get home late from work, often he would make a meal out of tuna salad and saltines. When I was a teenager I figured out that you could melt shredded cheese over saltines for about 1 minute in the microwave and you had a quick easy snack! In my super thrifty days after college, soup and crackers was a hearty meal.But lately, I hadn't really thought about crackers until I thought about oyster stew (will be posting this soon!), which is what my family always ate on Christmas Eve! And you can't have a big cheesy bowl of oyster stew without some crispy crackers to go with it!I ran across a basic GF cracker recipe last weekend and decided to try it out. I made quite a few changes of course and eventually...
More About: Crackers , Cris

The Gluten-Free Menu Swap (Dec 3 - Dec 7) and How to Open a Pomegranate
2007-12-01 17:37:00
This week I have the honor of hosting The Gluten-Free Menu Swap! If you would like to know more information about this great weekly blogging event, please visit Natalie's GF Menu Swap Headquarters.For the 1st week of December, I have chosen the pomegranate as our signature ingredient!In the world of natural healthy fruits, the pomegranate is a super hero!! The seeds and surrounding pulp (also called the "arils") are the edible parts of the fruit. Each fruit contains around 600 edible arils. The pomegranate is a natural source of antioxidants which fight free radicals that damage cells in our body. Free radicals come from a number of sources including the air, fried foods, pollution, and even naturally from our bodies during metabolism! Pomegranate s are also an excellent natural source for vitamin C (providing 16% of your daily requirement per serving!), vitamin B, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), and potassium!For information on the amazing history and cultivation of the pomegrana...
More About: Open , Gluten Free

A "chili" fall evening...
2007-11-28 14:59:00
Here is Carol at Michael's birthday dinner earlier this month!Notice the camera in her right hand. The woman never leaves home without it! My mom-in-law Carol has several "signature" recipes. Most of them she knows by heart and getting her to write them down is like pulling teeth! When Michael and I were dating, I ate "many a meal" at his house. Carol often cooked from scratch, and she made simple, hearty recipes.One recipe that Carol still makes on a regular basis is her chili. She calls this her "hot dog" chili, but it's the only kind of chili she believes in. She doesn't believe in other "chilis", as in a stew with beans, tomatoes, meat, and spices.We took Carol to one of our favorite restaurants last year. On the soup bar they were serving chili. Carol decided to try the chili to see if it was as good as hers (because you know, it doesn't get better than hers!) And of course, it didn't meet her standards. She said, "Well MY chili doesn't have all this other stuff in it!"...
More About: Chili , Fall , Evening , Hili

This Week's Menu (Nov. 26th - Nov. 30th) and a Simple Sour Cream Cornbread
2007-11-26 15:25:00
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I can't believe that November is almost over! I hope the holiday was relaxing for you and you enjoyed the food and the company you were with! I love holidays and I love the anticipation that builds up weeks before. It seems like for several weeks before Thanksgiving, my adrenaline just runs on the wonderful anticipation of the joy that big day brings!I also love the downtime after the holiday. The time when my body slowly adjusts back to "life as normal" which seems miraculously quiet and uneventful. The time I can indulge in a good book or two and not feel guilty about it. The time when cleaning the bathroom can wait, while you and your better half snuggle under warm blankets on the couch with a good movie. I haven't always found joy in the "everyday-ness" of life. But this week I choose too! I hope you will too.A gorgeous little fall leaf at my great-grandma's house.Natalie at Gluten-Free Mommy is hosting this week's menu swap....
More About: Simple , Menu , Cream

Ginger Lemon Girl's Fall Mystery Contest Winner and A Corn Pudding Revision
2007-11-24 16:54:00
Ginger Lemon Girl'sFall Mystery Photo Contest Winner is... Melanie from The Gluti Girls!Melanie guessed the correct answer of: COTTON! (Good thing too, since she was the only one who sent me an answer other than my sis-in-law Lisa and she doesn't count! Sorry Lisa! ;-P)A bail of cottonMelanie also sent in a wonderful story and picture of her favorite Thanksgiving memory! Here is Melanie's entry: "Gosh I really had to use my noggin on this one but I think it's cotton.""My favorite memory of Thanksgiving is pie. My grandmother made the most amazing pies. Of course she didn't measure anything, she did it by feel. She tried to teach me once me once but I never made them as well as she did. I miss her so much but I will always have the memories of her pie. That's why I was so touched when I first read your post about your grandmother's iron skillet. I'm a total mush for grandma's!" Cotton is harvested in the fall here in Eastern NC. Once the cotton has been picked: t...
More About: Corn

Twist on a pumpkin!
2007-11-21 14:33:00
Sounds kinda like a crazy rock song doesn't it... or a strange version of Cinderella... or an odd way to play Twist er... ;-)It's actually just a simple. little. delicious. pie.I've been wracking my brain to figure out exactly what pie I wanted to make this Thanksgiving. I will make a Libby's traditional pumpkin pie. You just can't beat tradition sometimes folks. And I really LOVE a Libby's pie... but you know me... I want to try something new... something different!So last weekend, I made a test run on a simple, easy, one-bowl pie recipe (crust and all!) I love this pie because it creates it's own crust! For us gluten-freebies, anything to make crust-making easier, is completely worth it! Also, with the exception of one ingredient, the pie is naturally gluten-free. And, to make it even easier, most of the ingredients are pantry friendly! You probably have all of them right now just waiting to be used!It's light and cozy. Simple and slightly sweet. I loved this pie cold,...
More About: Pumpkin

Michael's Favorite and THE BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies
2007-11-19 16:00:00
You, my dear readers, are quite the lucky ducks today! I really did NOT want to share this recipe. I'm sorry. I hate to admit this, but I am selfish. I wanted to keep this little secret all to myself. You have recipes like this. The ones that are SO good, SO tasty, and usually SO easy, and SO requested by your fans that you don't want to share your perfect little secret. These are the recipes that make you seem like a kitchen genius! Why would you want to share them? When really, you just learned a little trick or two that makes the dish signature. Completely Julia Child!Julia could not have made a better cookie than this little. humble. chocolate. chip.Michael and I try to eat healthy foods. We use a little too much cheese, but usually our foods tend to be on the healthier side, with less sugar, less saturated fats, and lots of chicken and veggies. I throw all of that out the window when it comes to cookies. Some things you just can't mess with. It's all or nothing baby! A...
More About: Cookies , Chocolate , Favorite , Chip , Favor

A Cheesy Affair...
2007-11-17 21:49:00
I was in love with Mac and Cheese.Really, I was. Then came living gluten-free... and I said farewell to Mac and Cheese. I know, I know... there are rice pastas out there that are delicious (Tinkyada, I love you!) But as many times as I tried, I just couldn't replicate the delicious texture and taste of a big wonderful bowl of homemade "cheesy-noodley-goodness". But you know me... I'm a stubborn girl. Nan says so all the time. When it comes to cooking, I don't give up easily. When it comes to math, it's a whole different ballgame... A lot of families make homemade Macaroni and Cheese on Thanksgiving. My family never did. But that didn't stop us from eating it the rest of the year. And we ate the good stuff, right out of that pretty blue and yellow Kraft box. You know the kind I mean. With neon orange cheese sprinkles in a little foil-lined package to make that gooey cheese sauce. Seriously folks, it was tasty stuff! Today, I don't even have a box of Kraft in the house....
More About: Affair

A ?Simply? Delicious and Frugal Gluten Free Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
2007-11-14 16:25:00
** Click here for a printable version of this post (includes all recipes and the shopping list.)**Picture courtesy of What's Cooking America As you?ve heard me say before, I am a big believer in simplicity and frugality. I want recipes that are easy to make with (relatively) easy to find, inexpensive everyday ingredients. Since going gluten-free, I will admit this can be a challenge, but it?s still a goal I think we can accomplish. Often we can get so caught up in the details of an event or dinner that we end up not being able to enjoy the purpose of the event. This is especially true at holidays. So today, I am going to present you with my family?s Thanksgiving Dinner Menu ? Gluten Free Style! It?s a simple, easy (no-stress), delicious, and relatively healthy menu! I hope it will help you to relax this Thanksgiving. Let?s not stress over a holiday centered on Being Thankful! Be thankful that you now know what was making you feel bad for so many years (that naughty gluten) and that...
More About: Gluten Free , Simply

Seriously Good Chocolate Oatmeal Brownies
2007-11-13 14:39:00
You know you are really nutty about cooking when your kitchen looks as if all the cabinets have exploded dirty dishes, and there is absolutely no counter space surviving, and yet, you MUST make a batch of brownies...If you have a fairy dishwasher you can lend me, I would appreciate it! Michael and I spent last weekend with a dear friend of ours named Betty. When I graduated from college and got my first "real" job, I rented a room from Betty. Betty is in her early 70's and she's one of the spunkiest women I know... she wears cool jeans, travels the world, and has never met a stranger! Betty knows how to truly live. She has no idea how much I admire her for that! Betty makes "70" look like the best time of your life!While we were visiting, Betty showed me a new cookbook that the local choral society had recently compiled. (I'm easy to please... you show me a new cookbook and I'll be entertained for hours!) Society and church cookbooks are my favorite kind. They are genuine. Cook...
More About: Chocolate , Brownies , Good , Meal , Oatmeal

This Week's Menu (Nov. 12th - Nov. 16th)
2007-11-12 15:15:00
Meet Moe... our betta fish.He was rather cranky right before this picture because Michael was holding Freddie the hamster,and Moe doesn't like hamsters.Menu s from now through New Year's will not be "spectaculous!" (I know that's not a word, but I like the way it sounds!)As we're trying to figure out what we're cooking for the holidays, sticking to a frugal budget (which isn't always easy living gluten-free), and getting creative with Christmas presents... our weekly menu will probably be set on the back burner for a while!I will continue to have a menu plan because:1st) I like having a set plan to fall back on (even if I don't follow it exactly)...2nd) Michael likes knowing that he can click on my blog to see what we're having for dinner on any given night -and-3rd) It keeps me somewhat organized during the horrendously crazy upcoming holiday season!!********IMPORTANT NEWS:I still need a few more entries for the mystery photo contest! Please email your entry by tomorrow to...

John's Thanksgiving Pumpkin Lasagna
2007-11-10 21:44:00
Thanksgiving Pumpkin Lasagna is an excellent vegetarian fall casserole. It also makes a beautiful presentation and is relatively easy to prepare.My good friend John emailed this recipe to me. At first I kind of wrinkled my nose... pumpkin? In lasagna? That didn't sound too appetizing, at least not to my "very-slowly-evolving-frugal-foodie" palate.Then, I thought... Hey, why not? I mean heck, I had pumpkin puree that I had frozen last year, and I really needed to use that stuff... I mean how long are you supposed to freeze pumpkin puree anyway? Probably not from one Thanksgiving to the next, but we'll pretend it wasn't that long!The recipe also called for spinach... and I'm all about some spinach, especially if I can find a way to get my picky husband to eat it. I'm also trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our weekly menu. I mean seriously, especially in our American diet, we could all use a couple more servings of vegetables a week!So we made John's Pumpkin Lasag...
More About: Thanksgiving , Hank

Amy's Pecan Chicken
2007-11-09 13:45:00
Meet Amy.... she's the genius behind Tuesday night's chicken!We grew up in the same tiny little town. Our families used to get together for Saturday dinners. Amy and I were the oldest girls. We teased our little sisters, hung sheet tents from our clothes lines, caught fireflies in glass jars, had a club with all of our dogs and cats as mascots, and played with our dolls. We had original cabbage patch dolls.. the ones with cloth faces. Then we went drifted in middle school. Amy's a year older, so she left me behind as she headed to Jr. High. Somewhere in our junior and senior years of high school we became close friends again. Shared in our teenage struggles, anxieties, and joys. Then we went to different colleges, in different states, but we stayed in touch with a newly emerging technology called e-mail (boy, do I feel old Amy!), we also wrote letters back then. Amy got married after college. Moved away from our small town. But we somehow were able to maintain our friendship. I...
More About: Chicken

Thanksgiving Cranberry Cobbler
2007-11-08 13:37:00
This is one of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving side dishes! I actually make it both at Thanksgiving and at Christmas. Honestly... I could eat the whole pan myself!I'm not sure where this recipe originated, except that one year my mom just started making it. I think she may have received the recipe from a co-worker. The recipe originally made a very moist cranberry bread and Mom altered it to make a cobbler. One year, probably when I was in college, I took over the responsibility of making it and I've done it ever since! It's incredibly easy to prepare, and it's a gorgeous dish to bring out for company.This dish is perfectly tart and sweet at the same time! Before I was introduced to this Thanksgiving Cran berry Cobbler (which can be served as a side dish OR dessert) I did NOT like cranberries. Now they are one of my favorite foods! I could eat them all year long!Kate, over at Gluten-Free Gobsmacked is hosting Gluten-Free For the Holidays . If you would like to enter one or seve...
More About: Hank

Ginger Lemon Girl's Fall 2007 Mystery Photo Contest
2007-11-06 15:30:00
Can you guess what this is?Hint: This appears only in the fall in eastern NC (and other agricultural areas of the US)!This is the first photo contest (one for each season) in which I will take a picture of a mystery item. The item may pertain to gluten-free food, something seasonal, or it may just be random picture I have taken. This photo contest comes with a few requirements though...1) You will have to guess what the item is by sending me an email to: gingerlemon_girl (at) yahoo (dot) com2) You must include your guess of what the item is - AND-3) YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR FAVORITE FALL OR THANKSGIVING MEMORY/STORY/ RECIPE/ PHOTO, etc...! Please write at least 4 sentences, and include a photo if possible! OR - you can also do a full blog post with your fall/thanksgiving story if you wish and send me the link!4) The deadline for submitting your guess of the mystery photo along with your Fall/Thanksgiving story is TUESDAY, NOV. 13th!! All entries and the winner will be posted on the G...
More About: Contest , Photo , Lemon , Mystery , Ginger

This Weeks Menu (Nov 5 - Nov 9) and Banana Nut Muffins
2007-11-05 19:14:00
What a lovely week this will be! Michael, my wonderful husband, will turn 29 on Wednesday! This IS reason to celebrate! Michael and I are roughly 9 months apart, we often joke about this!! I'm older. The poor guy married an older woman! But I'm so happy he did. Michael and I will be 29 together until March, when I turn the big 3-0. *sigh* I'll be making a lot of fun recipes this week, both new and old! To celebrate Michael's special day we'll be having tacos for his birthday dinner, and I'll be making a chocolate cake for dessert, thanks to Natalie's No Frills Chocolate Cake recipe.This is my best friend, my biggest supporter, my steady hand, and the kindest person I have ever met. I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to spend the rest of my life with him! Here, Michael is with Sampson, a neighbor's dog, and to him, a good buddy! I'm also excited about sharing two new recipes this week from some dear, longtime friends of mine: I've known Amy since elementary scho...
More About: Banana , Muffins , Menu , Muffin , Weeks

Sweet Potato-Apple Casserole
2007-11-04 13:24:00
On Saturday, I had the distinct pleasure of doing something I have never done before. Something I never would have imagined doing, even 6 months ago! Something that I will definitely be doing again!I spent an afternoon cooking with a fellow gluten-free blogger! None other than, Natalie, your Gluten-Free Mommy! Natalie graciously invited me to her home (since we both live relatively close by in the good ol' North State!) where we shared an afternoon creating and baking Thanksgiving Dinner casseroles! It was wonderful to share the time with another gluten-free cook, it's not something you get to do often!It is hard to describe Natalie without smiling! In a word, Natalie is quite simply: "Joy!"If you weren't impressed with Natalie's intelligence, kindness, sweet laughter, or amazing cooking abilities... her beautiful smile would knock your socks off!The theme of our afternoon was to re-create some of our families traditional Thanksgiving casseroles. The casseroles had to be gl...
More About: Apple , Sweet , Potato , Casserole

GF Cooking 101 - Tuna Salad Southern Style and Super Yummy Milkshakes
2007-11-02 13:58:00
DISCLAIMER: Today's post is long, and hopefully you will enjoy reading it... but if not, just read a bit and come back! I'm combining several posts in one! Thanks for putting up with my eternal long-windedness! I was not in love with cooking last night. As a matter of fact, I?ve been off all week. It?s been one of those weeks. You know them? when you had great intentions of cooking up lovely meals every night, and somehow as soon as you got home from work in the afternoon, you get distracted by trick-or-treaters (or lack of them), ?time-to-pay-the-bills? night, cats that have decided to puke up a week?s worth of food (this is more fun to clean up than you can imagine!), a husband who doesn?t feel good, and just other fun stuff in general. I don't know how I'll ever squeeze cooking in if we ever have children! And honestly, I really didn?t want to insult your intelligence by posting a tuna salad recipe today? I mean doesn?t everybody know how to make tuna salad? But then I ...
More About: Cooking , Style , Super , Yummy , Salad

Smokin' Hot Fudge Brownies
2007-10-31 00:47:00
-OR-The Saga of How I lost my cool Umbros and Susan Ashton T-shirt...Smokin' Hot Brownie Preview... So the week was going well. Until tonight. Yes. Tonight. Maybe after I laugh and eat the chocolate candy we are "supposed" to give out to the neighbor's kids tomorrow it will get better...Fire must be attracted to me... like that character, Pyro, in the X-Men movies... I'm just not able to manipulate it at will like he can. One example of this attraction to fire happened when I was 18 or 19. I was cooking dinner at Nan's house back when I spent weekends with her during my college years. It was a quiet afternoon. I think it was Saturday. I was boiling water for pasta and I was reaching in the upper cabinet above the stove (what kind of architectural fool thought it was a good idea to put spice racks RIGHT above a gas stove... hmmm???) I remember I needed Old Bay seasoning, and I thought for sure Nan must have moved it or thrown it away because I couldn't find it up there... I kept...
More About: Brownies