Red, white, and blue…everywhere!

Posted in Breakfast, Celebrations by glutenfreedoubletalk

Monica says:

We are slowly approaching America’s birthday….and that means red, white, and blue!

One of my favorite breakfasts is oatmeal with cinnamon sprinkled on it….so to be patriotic and add some wonderful antioxidants to my diet, I added a bunch of blueberries and strawberries!

Delicious and nutritious!

This post is a little different because in early June, in honor of Flag Day (June 14^th), I made a red, white, and blue wreath for my front door.

It was inspired by Meredith while reading her blog Wait ’til Your Father Gets Home. When I came upon her post and saw the wreath, I knew I had to replicate it! So thanks to Meredith!

So I decided to add in a few pics of the way I constructed it…that way, you may be inspired, too!

Gather your materials….you will need a wire wreath as shown; 3 colors of tulle (red, white, and blue); 4 spools of ribbon (red, white and blue designed) and 2 large spools of wired ribbon (red, white and blue designed); scissors or rotary cutter, and a ruler.

If you are using a rotary cutter, you will need a mat or cutting board (I used an old plaque).

You will need to cut 96 total pieces of blue tulle to place on wreath….

12 pieces on each wire using 2 of the 9 sections that make up the wreath.

Then cut 112 pieces of white and 112 pieces of red.

Place 8 total pieces on each wire alternating white and red. Put 2 red, then 2 white, etc.

Place these all around the remaining 7 sections of the wreath.

As I cut my tulle, I gathered the pieces into groups of 10 and clipped them with a clothespin.

While I was making it, I enjoyed a bowl of blueberries in a red colander draining in a white bowl….planned?

No, it just happened to be my mid-morning snack!

Now cut your ribbons….small ribbons with red white, and blue designs are cut to approximately 10 inches.., you can cut as many as you want. We also added in very fine white ribbon to our wreaths!

Make sure that wider ribbon that you buy is WIRED because it will make the final look amazing, as you can manipulate it!

The wider ribbon is cut to about 13 inches and our wreaths had 8 pieces added. Three of one design and five of the other design!

It’s looking great and the blueberries are disappearing!!

LOVE it!

Now to attach it to the door, we need to add some fishing line!

Do you see the pricetag on this line?? Holy cow, that’s how long I’ve had it!

Voila! Our patriotic welcome!

Anyway, once visitors to our home saw it, they, too, had to make one!

So my sister Maria started her wreath with the help of her sweet granddaughter, Emily.

Emily, in turn, wanted to make one for her house, so now we are up to three!

Emily’s is super special because we used sparkle white and sparkle red for her wreath!

Didn’t Emily do a great job? She is super proud of her work, as she should be!

Emily and I say, “Ta-Da!!”

And Gracie (my sister Maria’s other granddaughter) gets in on the act! Too cute for words!

So what are you planning to do for the biggest birthday celebration in the world?

Whatever you do, enjoy with pride and patriotism!

19Jun2015

Summer means strawberries!

Posted in Desserts, Fruits by glutenfreedoubletalk

Monica says:

One of our favorite summer pastimes when Daria and Claudia got out of school was to go picking our own strawberries at a nearby farm!

We made it an annual expedition and made sure that we had our containers ready, the correct clothing on, (including our hats), wore sunblock…the works!

It was so hard not to eat the berries while picking them! I remember when each of the girls had braces and I warned them that if they ate any while picking, the farmer would have to weigh them, too! Too funny!

Besides just stuffing our faces with fresh strawberries, our favorite thing to make with our “strawberry haul,” was strawberry pie! It became a birthday tradition for many years, as we three girls are Junebabies!

Picking these little powerhouses of Vitamin C was always so much fun! Since the girls have been living on their own for many years, we have not been able to resurrect this tradition!

That’s why I was so happy when my nieces, Dawn (mom) and Emily (daughter) expressed an interest in going to pick strawberries this year! I was ready to go!

We set out at 7:30 am ready to beat the heat and drove to a great little farm with our bowls and containers (I washed and saved all of my plastic containers from purchasing blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries in the supermarket). We were pumped and ready to get started!

The farmer pointed out a field (WAY across from the stand) that he claimed was ripe and ready to be picked…

we looked at each other and agreed to make the trek!

And boy, was it worth it!

Within 45 minutes, we had picked our little hands off!

And just in the right amount of time because it started to get super-hot and humid! Our trip home was sweet-smelling!

Now to decide what to make with all of this yummy goodness!

While pie was tempting, I decided to make strawberry shortcake. And I was thinking about using a prepared mix to hasten the baking process (since the strawberries were so ripe and needed to be eaten).

I also wanted to limit the sugar content in the shortcakes and let the strawberries shine! So here is what I came up with!

GF Strawberry Shortcakes

Ingredients

3 cups Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking & Pancake Mix (plus a little more if it’s too runny!)

¼ cup sugar

1/3 cup cold butter

¾ cup milk of your choice (we used Lactaid milk)

3 eggs, beaten

¾ teaspoon vanilla

4 cups (1 quart) fresh strawberries, sliced

¾ cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In medium bowl, combine Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking & Pancake Mix with ¼ cup of sugar. Cut in cold butter with pastry blender or fork.

Beat eggs. Add to mixture. Stir in milk and vanilla. Using an ice cream scoop, drop 2 scoops per shortcake onto cookie sheet.*

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown.

Cool 5 minutes.

With serrated knife, split the shortcakes and put whipped cream and a layer of strawberries on each stacked piece.

Yield: 8 shortcakes

* We made 5 large shortcakes (2 scoops) and 6 small shortcakes (1 scoop).

NOTE: No sugar was added to the strawberries to enhance the flavor;

they were plenty sweet on their own!

Strawberries have amazing health benefits! They contain wonderful antioxidants that boost your immunity and can aid in the prevention of cancer and cataracts. These little wonders also help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, as they help in the production of collagen!

For more information and reasons to eat strawberries, go to Best Health Magazine online.

My main reason for eating strawberries is the taste! And I am so grateful to have all of the great health benefits, too!

So if you are looking for a fun way to spend a morning, go strawberry picking!

And then have a very berry day!

16Jun2015

The “Junebabies” celebrate in NYC!

Posted in Celebrations, Dining out with celiac disease by glutenfreedoubletalk

Monica says:

I swear we didn’t plan it!

Both of our daughters are born in June and so am I…it just kinda happened! But I’m so glad it did!

Having wee little ones born in the summer where we live, is much easier on new parents than winter babies! No worries about snowsuits, bad weather, etc.

Since my girls are 10 days shy of 3 years apart, it was always so hard for Claudia (my older one) to understand that her younger sister, Daria, actually had her birthday celebrated earlier in the month than she did! We went through this for years…until one day, it clicked!

By then, she didn’t care much….my birthday starts off the month of June, then Daria, and by the time Claudia’s special day arrives, we are in the swing!

Poor Lewie (my hubby and the girls’ daddy) loses most of his paycheck in June!

As the girls have grown, we really look forward to spending some quality time to celebrate our birthdays. It’s not too often, unfortunately, that that three of us get to see one another at the same time. Claudia is super busy teaching and working on her PhD, while Daria spends almost every waking hour at the restaurant baking and designing new recipes.

In a word, the girls are….BUSY!

So it is up to this (less busy) “Junebaby” to coordinate a birthday event for the three of us!

This year, we decided several months ago, that we would attend a performance by the New York City Ballet. We love the dancing, we love the music….we love it all!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream was on the June schedule at the David Koch Theater at Lincoln Center….PERFECT!

Daria and I headed up to NYC to meet Claudia (since it’s been her hometown for several years).

We checked into our hotel and when we spotted her coming along the sidewalk, we just broke out into huge smiles! She had just gotten her hair chopped and she looked adorable!

Being together in the hotel was very special and nostalgic for me. When the girls were in their mid-teens, they decided to move back into one bedroom to be closer to one another and seeing them together talking and laughing like old times was great!

Even though Daria over packed for ONE NIGHT!! What a girl!

They enjoyed opening up their “birthday boxes” (old cigar boxes) filled with dark chocolate, their favorite candy bars, and some good old cash that I folded into butterflies and fish (origami style)!

What hams they are!

I’m so happy that they have each other!

Anyway, once we got ready for the evening, we set out to find some gluten-free food!

Claudia knows quite a few places that we can safely eat.

It didn’t matter to me where we chose to dine, and after considering several restaurants, the girls decided on Bareburger. This eatery, which has several locations in the city, boasts of a “build your own burger” from organic ingredients and features your choice of patty from classic beef, bison, chicken, elk, wild boar, duck, turkey, black bean, sweet potato with wild rice, to farmer’s quinoa.

What I immediately liked about this little organic place was that as soon as we were seated, the waitress came over and explained all of the menu choices. And since the menu is extensive (includes many other choices of salads and shakes, too), she made sure that we were aware of the gluten-free items…very nice!

I decided to go for the organic classic beef patty with grilled onions!

And did I mention a hemp milk bun? This was by far, the BEST gluten-free bun that we tasted in a restaurant!

When you pressed on it, it actually sprung back….something that doesn’t usually happen in the gluten-free world!

And of course, I needed a side salad!

Daria decided on the lemon chicken with alfalfa sprouts! And she had a side of wasabi carrot slaw!

So yummy!

We just sat and ate and ate and had a great time….loved the atmosphere, too!

Great shot of this upcycled light above our booth!

After a visit to Washington Square Park (a favorite place to “people watch”) and eat ice cream (only Claudia enjoyed a sprinkled cone)…

…we walked to the Strand Bookstore to satisfy our literary needs!

A NYC favorite for book lovers, this place is amazing!

Soon after we hit the subway and made our way to Lincoln Center to enjoy the ballet….such a great evening!

The next morning, Daria and I headed for home.

Since we didn’t have breakfast in the city, we stopped at Tick Tock Diner in Clifton, NJ, for brunch….how about an omelette?

I had the veggie omelette while Daria had the steak and cheese (only took a pic of mine)!

I made sure to ask if the home fries were done on the griddle and not in a fryer!

We have gotten sick more than once!

We had a great mid-week “Junebaby” birthday celebration!

Life is so busy….you have to partake in as much fun as you possibly can!

Happy birthday my dear girls….hope to spend it with you again next year!

xoxoxo

8Jun2015

Antiquing in Rhinebeck, NY!

Posted in Dining out with celiac disease, Vacationing with celiac disease by glutenfreedoubletalk

Monica says:

We really lucked out on this trip!

The weather was perfect, the company sublime, and I found great gluten-free food along the way!

My dear friends, Carmine and Margie, responded with a resounding YES when I suggested we take a road trip to the Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck, NY, way back in February.

We planned and planned and the weekend finally arrived….we put on our matching sunglasses and we were READY!

When we were all young mothers with little ones, one of our saving graces was to go “yard-sailing” every Saturday morning throughout our geographic area. It was bonding time for us to just laugh and share our lives with one another. We had so much fun!

There are so many “treasures” throughout my home (and each of them would agree) that make me smile when I look at them, because I can remember the exact story that brought me to that piece!

We had never spent an entire weekend looking for “treasures” so we knew we were up to the challenge!

Our first stop was the CIA, Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, where we needed to have a small bite to get us going! The girls were so excited as we wandered around the beautiful grounds of the campus!

My choice this morning was coconut tapioca featuring a lemon curd & poached pineapple garnish….

it was delightful and of course, gluten-free!

Even my tea, Jasmine Dragon Pearl, hit the spot!

Day One…and we were off to the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck to find the fair!

How happy we are to be together and make memories again!!

Walking around, talking with vendors, and getting ideas….just spells H-A-P-P-Y!

Our evening dinner took us back to the CIA, Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici, where we dined for hours!

We were so busy that I forgot to take pictures of my entrée, which was Brodetto Pesce e Verdure, roasted seabass with an aromatic broth and spring vegetables.

Thanks to Chef Coppedge (Daria’s mentor), once again, for the gluten-free breadsticks!

We were exhausted since we had been awake since 4:30 am…time for bed!

Day Two: We started our adventure with brunch at the famous Hyde Park eatery, the Eveready Diner!

This 24-hour establishment has been a landmark in the Hudson Valley for nearly forty years! It was even featured on an episode of the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives hosted by Guy Fieri!

Daria told me that this place was a “must-see” for the ladies….she has great memories of this diner from her days at the CIA!

We open our menus and here’s what we saw….there is “Ed’s Breakfast” and “Carmine’s Omelette!”

Too funny since our Carmine is married to Eddie!!

Hence the photos below!

And did I forget to say that the ham and cheese omelette with the side of grilled home fries was served with the best gluten-free toast ever??

It was a pillow of yummy!

With our bellies full, we were off to the fair for round 2!

Along the way, we searched in several antique shops for treasures, too. Me… I found an old chicken coop that I plan to upcycle into a coffee table! That’s another post!

We once again, saw some great ideas and made a few purchases! How could we not?

Gigi’s Trattoria in Rhinebeck, was our choice for dinner. I had read about this restaurant online before the trip and I knew that they had gluten-free pasta and pizza, so we ventured in to satisfy our hunger for something Italian.

We decided to split a salad called Rughetta, which featured baby arugula, Parmesan, lemon, and olive oil. And what a good choice!

While the girls enjoyed Tagliatelle, featuring house-made fettuccine with a Gigi Bolognese and fresh ricotta, I decided to try the gluten-free gnocchi. Sadly, our waiter informed me that they had run out of the gluten-free option, so I ordered a gluten-free pizza, or as they called it a Gigi Skizza ™ .

My choice was a pizza called the Rustica, featuring a ricotta-roasted garlic spread, sausage, broccoli rabe, shaved Parmesan, and chili flakes. It was a crispy gluten-free flatbread. Not bad!

Since Margie’s sweet grandkids call her Gigi, we only thought it appropriate that this picture highlight only her!!

Time to return to the hotel and crash! Another day of laughter and great fun!

Day Three: Our last day in the Hudson Valley….we are ready to pack in as much as we could before we hit the road for our three-hour ride home!

We decided to try the hotel’s breakfast to get started and unfortunately, I found very little to eat. I chose a banana and ran back up to the room to get a gluten-free bagel that I had packed for the trip! Grabbed some peanut butter and jelly and I was set for the morning!

While we headed back up to Rhinebeck and began looking for a parking space, we stumbled upon a fantastic farmer’s market (which happens every Sunday all year long!). We wished that we had packed a huge cooler…they were selling everything from fresh produce to seafood and garden plants!

We continued our exploration of Rhinebeck and discovered some great little shops and considered taking a Pilates class…nah, only kidding!

Soon our appetite alarms sounded and we decided on a Thai restaurant called aroi Thai.

Voted the “Best Thai restaurant in the Hudson Valley in 2014,” this quaint little place did not disappoint!

My entrée choice was Pad Kee Mao with shrimp, which has flat rice noodles sautéed with basil chili sauce, bell peppers and green onions….

it was superb!

I always make sure that the soy sauce used in any Asian dish is gluten-free….just ask! People are so accommodating! Or better yet, check the menu ahead of time and consider emailing the chef to ensure ingredients are gluten-free!

Our last stop before we headed home was the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in Hyde Park. I had been on the grounds before but never had gone inside, so we decided to take the tour and enjoy the sights!

The tour began in the Visitor Center which was originally the home for the family used when the main house was being built.

We started off by snapping a picture of a huge chandelier and enlisted the help of a bison!

This fifty-four-room mansion, which was described as a cottage in comparison to the other homes owned by the Vanderbilts, is a remarkable example of the gilded-age of architecture. It includes 14 bathrooms, 10 guest bedrooms, and several rooms for male and female servants.

We were completely flabbergasted at the opulence of this home!

One word can describe the mansion….eclectic!

Its contents remain virtually unchanged from the time the Vanderbilts lived there!

Carmine (her Daddy was a great plumber) LOVED the indoor plumbing with hot and cold running water and flush toilets…

again, a first in the area at that time!

My favorite chandelier….this home was the first in Hyde Park to have electricity!

Just enjoying this tour so much!

A few pics of the floor below where the staff and servants lived and worked!

LOVED the staircase….both down

…and up!

The grounds of the mansion were beautiful and we could only imagine how much care went into keeping an estate like this looking its best. The formal gardens were meticulously planned and what a wonderful feast for your eyes!

Here is the gorgeous view from the east bank of the Hudson River!

“Buh-bye” Hudson Valley….we enjoyed EVERY single minute!

The car is packed to the max! Thanks, Daria, for letting us borrow your CR-V!

Margie only has ONE seat going home (funny, she had TWO going up)….the rest is our treasures!

So sad to go, but we will be back…promise!

If you’ve never visited the Hudson Valley, plan a trip soon! It is a very welcoming area and there is so much to see!

And eat!

And buy!

And most of all, a great place to make happy memories!

We had an easy and incident-free ride home, thankfully….and we are grateful to be home safe and sound!

Thanks for reading about

The misadventures of 3 ladies who love to antique OR 3 antique ladies who love to go…”Where are we going?”

18May2015

Walk for Celiac Disease!

Posted in Celiac Awareness, Dining out with celiac disease by glutenfreedoubletalk

Daria says:

What a wonderful weekend it was!!!

A much needed mother-daughter getaway spent doing what we love….eating, walking, & gluten-free networking!

In mid-April, Mom sent me an e-mail about the 4^th Annual Mid-Hudson Walk for Celiac Disease. I checked the dates and wondered…it was on a weekend, which of course, in my industry is the busiest time for work! But, I really wanted to go! So, I requested off and my chef was kind enough to allow me the time AND he became my sponsor!

Yay! I was off to raise awareness!

As you know by now, the month of May is Celiac Awareness Month, so it was perfect timing for us to head up to New York. As a Culinary Institute of America (CIA) graduate, it was an amazing weekend going back to visit my alma mater in Hyde Park, NY.

Not to mention, my favorite Chef Richard Coppedge was going to be there doing a baking demo (I spotted it on the agenda)! We wanted to surprise him…and so Friday came and we were off!

Driving trips are always a great time to catch up with my mama bear while we listen to my latest music choices & we just laugh as the time passes! No sooner do we realize it, we are at the hotel getting ready to go over to the CIA to eat at one of the restaurants, American Bounty.

Meeting up with one of mom’s childhood friends was a great addition to our dinner experience! She and Marilee hadn’t seen one another in many, many years and had been wonderful friends since first grade! There was a lot of hugging and laughing when they saw each other!

Once we were seated in the dining room, we were greeted with gluten-free breadsticks…it’s so great when you make the reservation, you just need to state that you are “gluten-free” and they are ready for you! It’s so easy…call or use OpenTable for American Bounty!

Mom decided to have the half chicken with natural jus, mashed potatoes & grilled asparagus.

Marilee & I got the duck served with morel sauce & braised fennel. Marilee decided to get the grit cakes & I chose the sautéed dandelion greens as a side.

Dinner was so amazing! And of course, we needed to try dessert=)

Mom & I got the lemon meringue with ginger ice cream & raspberry pearls, which was gluten-free.

To end the meal, the kitchen sent out some petit-fours (or as we call them, mignardises)!

I think the only time we weren’t laughing & being too loud was when our mouths were full of delectable treats! Lol=)

We had a long day ahead of us on Saturday, so we said goodbye, and decided to get some much needed rest! Not sleeping so well through the thunderstorms, we were nervous that the weather wasn’t going to hold up for the walk.

Sure enough, we got ready & got lost along the way, but finally made it to the correct side of the Walkway Over the Hudson!

We registered & got a very nice bag full of gluten-free goodies, a T-shirt advertising our walk, and got to meet lots of amazing vendors & taste-test all of the amazing breads, cookies, apple wine & hard cider!

Everything was wonderful….AND the best part ~ there was not one thing there that was going to make us sick if we ate or drank it!!!

The countdown began & the ribbon was cut….off we were on our walk to raise awareness of this disease!

It was absolutely perfect weather! It was sunny, the breeze was blowing & spirits were high!

Again, we got to keep catching up with one another & keep bouncing ideas of what we would like to do with our future plans together as a mother-daughter duo=)

We met Nico, the “AmbassaDOG” of the Walkway Over the Hudson, who is a celebrity in his own right! And adorable, to boot!

We made it all the way across & back over the Hudson River & we couldn’t wait until noon to surprise Chef Coppedge. We had some time to walk around & purchase some of these amazing treats vendors had to offer, although we learned our lesson….don’t ever browse, then think you’d come back & everything would still be there to choose from! Get it as soon as you see it, no matter where you are! Cardinal rule of the gluten-free world=)

We were discussing breads with another amazingly talented mother-daughter team we just met & out of the corner of my eye, I spotted him! Chef Coppedge…he looked like he was seeing a ghost!! It had been almost 8 years since I graduated, and probably at least 6 years since I had last seen him while visiting the CIA!

Immediately, I ran over & gave him a hug! He still seemed like he was in shock! We got to chat for a short while before his baking demo and of course, pose for a few pictures!

At noon, he announced that he was going to be making amazing gluten-free muffins to the crowd that gathered; the wonderful muffins that I remembered! Completely taken off-guard, Chef called me up to introduce me to everyone that was sitting in on his demo.

Slightly blushing, I made my way up to the front & he talked about my being a former student & how he had placed a bio of me in his cookbook (Gluten Free Baking with the Culinary Institute of America; a must for your library), how I had worked at The Hotel Hershey for seven years, & now, how I am starting my venture as an Executive Pastry Chef at The Mill in Hershey!

He also promoted our blog (the one you’re reading!) & handed out our business cards so that the gluten-free crowd could check us out and hopefully, follow our journey =)

I absolutely adore all the people that come out to the gluten-free events!

Everyone is so excited to share their stories, their newest hurdles & adventures. The great part about my background from the CIA is being able to help share that knowledge with others to help them be able to travel & eat without constantly being sick! The even better part is I get to do this with my best friend, my mama bear! I am so glad we got to meet all of these amazing people and now hope to keep in touch & spread the word about their incredible products!

Here are some of our favorites!

Awestruck premium hard cider

Yankee Folly Cidery

Meredith’s Bakery which has many gluten-free products….their bread is FANTASTIC!

Bearsville Bakers

And these for which we have no pictures, but it doesn’t diminish their impact!

Wild Apple

Schar

Schar, an Italian company that’s been around for over 20 years, is a great source of gluten-free products. We were so THRILLED to meet Dr. Anne Roland Lee, Director of Nutritional Services for Dr. Schar USA! She was so personable and knowledgeable!

Thank you to all of you who will be helping us spread the word about our blog in the near future

After the walk, we headed back over to the CIA to hit the gift shop and visit with one other chef that I fondly remember….Chef Stephane Weber. He is the pastry chef at Bocuse, the French cuisine restaurant on campus. His desserts are simply amazing!!

We had a great little mini-reunion!

And of course, the CIA campus changes all the time…this sign is a new FAVORITE!

Can you see why??

Chef Coppedge said to be sure to visit the “fish sculpture” near the Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici, the Italian cuisine restaurant on campus….now we now know why!

This 12-foot, 360-pound Atlantic sturgeon was created by artist, John F. Sendelbach, in 2014. It features approximately 700 knives, 400 forks, and 600 spoons!

It’s simply incredible!!

We wandered around some more….just because….and had a blast!

Our last stop before home was a former favorite of mine,

Coyote Grill, in Poughkeepsie. They have really good tacos!

I had chicken and Mom had fish….they were yummy!

If you’ve never had the opportunity to visit the Hyde Park area, please put it on your “Must See Places” list! The area is just gorgeous and has so much to offer!

Until we meet again!

Happy gluten-free adventures!

8May2015

The perfect pound cake!

Posted in Celebrations, Desserts by glutenfreedoubletalk

Monica says:

Mother’s Day is coming up this weekend and when I think of my Mom, I recall her either baking or sewing…..and did I mention that she was great at both?

Well, she was!

That’s me and my Mom circa 1961

This brilliant seamstress could sew anything….from curtains to fully-lined coats; she did it all. Having four daughters to keep clothed, she was forever in her “sewing room” cutting, pinning, and stitching. She was so talented that she could make a dress without a pattern…all you had to do was describe it to her and off she went.

One of my biggest regrets in life is not making the time to learn to sew when she wanted to teach me. Being the youngest of the crew, I was not interested in learning anything so domesticated…and because I went to Catholic school for 12 years, we did not have Home Economics class, so I slipped through the cracks!

When I did try my hand at sewing many years later, I basically taught myself and with some help from my oldest sister, I was able to make some simple curtains, pillows, and what I call “nonsense” items….but never took on a clothing project!

If only we could have do-overs!!

Baking on the other hand, was something that I was interested in, and I did get bake with my Mom. She spent countless hours in the kitchen making braided bread, cookies, nut rolls, and more! Our home always smelled incredible and was always so clean and tidy.

She had a talent for making food into beautiful presentations and just enjoyed making people happy, as do I. She loved to “fuss around” and make life a little grander and I know that I definitely inherited this from her!

As you can imagine, my Mom’s baking was legendary in our church parish and school. The nuns who taught at our parish school LOVED her cookies and bread, and looked forward to them on holidays and special occasions. One time I remember the nuns were concerned because my Mom hadn’t sent them any baked goods, so they asked my sisters and me if our Mom was sick. Yes, she actually was! So they sent special prayers up to heaven to get her well quickly so they could enjoy her goodies again….it’s funny how you remember the simple things!

We lost my Mom in 1997 and consequently, she wasn’t alive when Daria and I were diagnosed with celiac disease, but I know she would have tried to adapt many of her recipes to be gluten-free…she was just like that!

In the recipe that follows, we combined our favorite spice, cinnamon, with organic coconut palm sugar (the secret ingredient), to make the streusel, that flavors and creates a beautiful look to this classic pound cake…and of course, we added baby pecans to give us a bit of protein. You can use walnuts or almonds if you prefer.

Anyway, this post is for my Mom and Daria’s “Grammy”….

a perfect gluten-free pound cake inspired by a wonderful woman!

Cinnamon Swirl Gluten-free Vanilla Pound Cake

Dry ingredients for Cake:

2 cups King Arthur Gluten Free Flour or flour blend of your choice

¾ tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

1 tsp Egg Replacer

1 cup sugar

Wet Ingredients for Cake:

½ cup or 1 stick softened butter

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

Streusel Topping:

3 T Organic Coconut Palm Sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans

1 T softened butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚ and grease a loaf pan (9” x 5”) and dust with gluten-free flour.

Whisk flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and Egg Replacer. Set aside.

Beat sugar and butter until fluffy and light.

Now add dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and beat until just blended. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth.

Add eggs, one at a time, and beat the mixture one more time!

Spoon half of the batter into a prepared pan. Mix together the streusel ingredients and spread half over the batter.

Now spoon on the remaining batter and top with the rest of the streusel.

Use a knife to swirl the streusel through the unbaked cake.

Bake for about 55 minutes OR until a tester comes out clean. (We always use a tester!)

Cool for 10 minutes before turning out of the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.

One large loaf yields 10-12 servings.

The cake can be served as is or with ice cream or whipping cream…any way… it is delicious!

So, if you are able to spend a little time with your mom on this special Sunday, enjoy every minute.

A very Happy Mother’s Day to all of you that are moms and moms-to-be!

Special blessings to my niece Amanda and hubby Gary, who just had a little one on April 28^th….welcome to the crazy family, beautiful baby Audrey!

Big sister Gracie is more than excited to share with you!

These are my two blessings, Claudia and Daria….love them with all my heart!

This picture was taken in Williamsburg, VA, when Daria was on her pastry externship

from the Culinary Institute of America.

And last, but certainly not least, a Happy Mother’s Day in heaven, Mom! xos

2May2015

Blend up some nutrition!

Posted in Breakfast, Snacks by glutenfreedoubletalk

Monica says:

Smoothie recipes are everywhere! They are THE go-to breakfast or energizing snack in the afternoon!

If you have a blender, you can make virtually any smoothie!

Smoothies are quick and easy, help you get more fruits and veggies, and can sustain your energy for a longer time! And did I mention, FUN?

If I didn’t…FUN ranks right up there!

I LOVE listening to the whir of my HealthMaster™ blender (Montel Williams Living Well series)….yes, we got sucked into the infomercial and resisted, however, when we saw it at our local Boscov’s, we purchased it (and are happy to say it has been great)!

Anyway, the blender itself comes with a Smoothies and Power Drinks recipe manual and additional titles for making soups & sauces, appetizers & dressings, and desserts & ice cream, as well as an eating plan.

I’ve collected quite a few recipes into a “Smoothies” file, and I downloaded the Smoothies for Migraines ebook onto my Kindle, along with a few other titles.

When I first started blending my smoothies, I followed the recipes to the T.

Now, not so much!

It all depends what’s in the refrigerator and on the countertop….these ingredients will become my smoothie for the day!

A favorite of mine that I make fairly often is a nut and fruit smoothie.

This one was made with 1 cup of fresh blueberries, ¼ cup of natural peanut butter (no sugar added), 2 very ripe bananas, 2 T chia seeds, 2 cups of vanilla soy milk and 6 ice cubes.

The ripe bananas give this smoothie a sweet taste

and the blend of blueberries and peanut butter round it out!

Delightful!

So if you haven’t become part of the smoothie craze, I would suggest that you join us!

Easy, nutritious, and fun!!

What could be better?

Enjoy!

1May2015

Happy Celiac Awareness Month!

Posted in Celiac Awareness by glutenfreedoubletalk

Monica and Daria say:

It’s time to become aware of the many symptoms of celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity!

The GIG, Gluten Intolerance Group, has designed this great infographic to demonstrate the many, many possible physical and mental manifestations that have been associated with gluten-related disorders.

The GIG, founded in 1974, is a watchdog for gluten –free products and verifies their quality, integrity, and purity. The organization is currently in 27 countries and has certified over 21,000 products.

Look for this symbol to be sure that the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, a program of GIG, has ensured your gluten-free food safety.

The grocery markets have become flooded with gluten-free products….one last reminder!

ALWAYS read the labels…especially if you have multiple allergies or sensitivites!

It takes a few extra seconds, but is so worth it!

Happy May!

27Apr2015

Easiest supper ever!

Posted in Dinner by glutenfreedoubletalk

Monica says:

My sister, Maria, and I went to Sam’s Club last week to pick up a few necessities.

Well, if you’ve never been to Sam’s or a “warehouse” store like it, then you can only imagine that it is nearly impossible to stick to your list!

Strolling through the huge aisles, you see so many items that would be great to buy, but are so NOT necessities.

With more and more gluten-free items hitting the grocery stores, supermarkets, and retailers, I suppose Sam’s is getting in on the action, too. But the two purchases that I made were very good, indeed!

The first was gluten-free orzo pasta! Daria and I have never seen it in the store before and needless to say, I was super excited!

Thanks, Delallo’s!

The second was the jar of roasted peppers …. A medley of green, and yellow peppers.

Once again, thanks, Delallo’s, which by the way, is an awesome Italian marketplace in Jeannette, PA! Lewie and I have visited there and you feel like you are in an Italian food heaven!!

The jar of peppers had a recipe right on the jar’s tag…all I had to do was substitute the whole-wheat orzo for the gluten-free and voilà!

Supper is born!

When I got home, I ran to Tarone’s Italian Market in town, and purchased some mild Italian sausage (we don’t do HOT sausage) to round out my ingredients! All the rest I had at home!

I just followed the instructions on the label and here’s my easy supper!

We thoroughly enjoyed this meal and will definitely make it again….I split the orzo packages with Daria and gave her the peppers so that she can try it, too!

So, make it an Italian night….a simple Italian night!

And don’t forget the wine!

Enjoy!

25Apr2015

Happy birthday, dear blog!

Posted in Celebrations by glutenfreedoubletalk

Monica and Daria say:

Hear us singing in the most melodious voices!!

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪…Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪… Happy Birthday Dear Blog ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪… Happy Birthday to you! …♪♫•* ✌ and many more ♥♥

We can’t believe that one year has passed since this adventure began! And we are so happy that we are able to continue sharing our gluten-free lifestyle with all of you!

So raise a glass of cheer with us and yell “Opa!”

Thank you for your continued support and readership….we truly appreciate each and every one of you!

p.s. gluten-free strawberry cheesecake was part of our celebration!!

	glutenfreedoubletalk on Mmm, mmm, good….gluten free…
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Gluten-free double talk

A mom and daughter discuss celiac disease

Author Archives: glutenfreedoubletalk

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Easiest supper ever!

Happy birthday, dear blog!