Fun things you can make with a box of GF cake mix...

I have been busy, VERY busy. In my arsenal of allergy friendly cookbooks, I have several great recipes that I could not live without. But there are days when I don't even have time for those. So I have been keeping boxes of GF cake mix on hand for anything that might come up. There are several companies that make these mixes and most seem to be quite good. But if you add a few extra ingredients like chopped fruit or orange juice, you will be thrilled at what can be created. And if you use the cake in unusual ways, like in a trifle or dipped in chocolate you would be hard pressed to find someone who would turn their nose up at the end result. Here are a few things that I have made in the past few months for a wide variety of Ella's activities. Tea parties, play dates and even a dessert for a grandparent visit. Everyone was clamouring to get to these bad boys. Hopefully you will be inspired to stock up on a GF mix, or two...

Impromptu play date activity... Cherry Chip Cupcakes

Ice Cream Cake, GF Cake layered with mint chip ice cream

Trifles! Sweet, glorious trifles!

Petit Fours, for taking to a little girl's birthday party

Miniature Cupcakes with Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting

Rice Krispie Sushi

We got this month's copy of Parent's Magazine in the mail today. As usual, it was filled with tons of great parenting information and ideas. Our daughter's 6th birthday is just around the corner and they have a great section this month called, "Birthdays on a Budget". The one that really got me excited was the Japanese Tea Party theme. The featured dessert is for "sweet sushi" made with rice krispies, fruit leather/roll-ups and a few other things. What a perfect idea for a kid who has a wheat or dairy allergy! The treats can be made with margarine. Just be sure to check the ingredients for the candies that are used, as licorice often has wheat in it.

Link to the Parents Magazine article

I was really excited to show the article to our daughter (who, by the way is having a Backyardigans themed party) and she was very excited. But she mentioned that a friend of hers from school often brings these treats as dessert in her lunch. Where have I been that I missed this? Naturally, I will be trying them as soon as I can. And I looked them up on the Internet and found a couple of other resources to check out, as they are quite detailed...

http://www.mommyknows.com/birthday-party-candy-sushi/

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/mock-sushi-687463/

http://www.salon.com/food/kitchen_challenge/2010/04/05/rice_krispies_treats_sushi_open2010

GF Gooey Bars

I adapted this recipe from this month's Everyday Food. It is so good, you'll never miss the wheat or gluten. My brother-in-law was over to the house this morning. He gobbled down 2 of them and raved about how much he loved them. (He normally runs in another direction when he sees raisins.) He didn't realize that there are raisins in the bars. When I told him, he could not believe me. And he didn't notice the missing wheat, either.

These are very easy to make and even more fun to eat. Enjoy!

GF Gooey Bars

nonstick cooking spray

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons superfine brown rice flour

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons white rice flour

1/3 cup +2 tablespoons potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca flour

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon course salt

3/4 cup GF rolled oats

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

1/2 cup raisins

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

2 cups ( 7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9 x 13" baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhang on short sides. Lightly coat paper with cooking spray. In a food processor, pulse together butter, confectioner's sugar, flours, xanthan gum and salt; until mixture becomes a coarse meal. Add oats and pulse until just combined. Press dough evenly into the bottom of the dish and bake until lightly browned and firm, about 20 minutes.

Scatter chocolate chips and raisins evenly on top of crust. Drizzle with condensed milk and top with coconut. Bake until coconut is golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack before cutting into 18 squares. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Hamentashen for Purim

If you are looking for a wheat and gluten free Hamentashen recipe that is sure to knock the socks off of everyone, look no further. We are going to be cranking out a few dozen of these bad boys this weekend. This is the third year in a row that I am posting this recipe. Enjoy!

This gentile has had her work cut out for her, as she raises a Jewish kid who is allergic to so many things. All of the Jewish holidays are celebrated with specific kinds of foods. Now I am constantly trying to find recipes that are adaptable to Ella's special diet and often, I find things that are really quite delicious. Today we made Hamentashen off of a recipe that I found on the Internet. Naturally, it is wheat and gluten free. We filled ours with three separate fillings; apricot, chocolate chips and blackberry. When pinching the "hats" I closed them a little too much; more than what is traditional. But they tasted just as good! These will now be a staple in our home.

Gluten-Free Hamentashen

1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour (superfine is best)
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca flour

Fillings of your choice: apricot, prune, or berry preserves,
chocolate chips, M&Ms, cream cheese or whatever your heart
desires!


Directions...

Cream butter and sugar in a bowl; add egg and mix. AddOJ and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients; slowly add
mixture to butter and sugar mix.
Mix until just combined.

Refrigerate dough for several hours or overnight. Dough needs

to be very cold to work with.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover cookie sheets with parchment

paper.

Roll out dough onto a lightly gluten-free floured surface. Roll to 1/8-1/4" thickness. Cut circles in dough with a 2 1/2" wide glass. Fill each circle with about 1/2 teaspoon of filling of your choice.

Fold up 3 sides of circle and pinch edges firmly to form a triangle with opening at the center to let the filling poke through. Or if you have an over eager pincher, as I did, you may seal them closed.
Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let cool on rack and transfer to a plate.


Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Coconut Snowballs

I first published this last year and am looking forward to making them again next week! If you cannot have dairy, there are some fabulous soy or coconut ice cream alternatives that would be just as delicious.

When I was a kid growing up in the 70's and 80's there was a treat that we would get at the store, every year around Christmas. I cannot for the life of me, remember who made it or what it was called. But it was basically vanilla ice cream, rolled in shredded coconut. And then it came with a small candle that you were suppose to put in the middle and light it. Very festive! For the past couple of years I have been craving this dessert like crazy. So I decided to make my own version and was thrilled at how easy it was to do. (I guess my years working at an ice cream parlor continue to pay off!)

1 Pint of the best vanilla ice cream

1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let rest on the counter. Fill a shallow bowl with the coconut. With a #20 scoop or another trusted ice cream scoop, create a balls out of the ice cream, trying to keep them as round as possible. Gently roll each ball in the coconut and place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment. Repeat until you have run out of coconut (I was able to make about 6 snowballs). Stick the cookie sheet in the freezer and allow balls to harden for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Allergy Free Halloween Treats

Rice Krispie Pops, dipped in white chocolate & sprinkles

If you are looking for a treat to make for Halloween that is allergy friendly and with ingredients that are easy to obtain, this might be the one for you. They are made with the classic Rice Krispie Treat recipe, so they are free of tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and eggs. If you want you can make them with dairy free margarine and forgo dipping them in white chocolate, if you have a dairy allergy. Here is the link to the recipe that I followed...

Rice Krispie Original Treats

You will also need...

14 oz. chopped white chocolate or Wilton candy melts

Halloween-themed sprinkles or candies

(***If you are making a dairy free version and will not be dipping them in white chocolate, you can add candy or sprinkles to the mixture. You can either do this right after you add the rice krispies or you can sprinkle them on top of the mixture, after you have pressed them into the pan.)

Use a 8 x 8 glass baking pan, that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover the bottom and sides with 2 overlapping sheets of wax paper, allowing the extra to hang over the sides. Then spray the pan, once more.

Pour the prepared treat mixture into the pan. Spray hands with cooking spray and pack everything down, as tight as possible. Even out the top, if necessary. Refrigerate until cool, approx. 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and wax paper. Move to a cutting board. Cut the edges to make an even square. Then cut into fourths, crosswise and then each row into three rectangles. This should yield 12 treats, plus a few scraps for you to chow down on or to give to a lucky family member. Insert a stick into the center of each treat and place on a cookie sheet that is covered in wax paper.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Treats, ready for dipping.

With a double boiler, set over low heat, melt approx. 8-10 ounces of chopped white chocolate or melting chips (like the ones you find at the craft store from Wilton). Stir until melted and take care not to burn or scald the white chocolate. Once it is all melted, dip the treat into the chocolate. Cover 5 sides, leaving the bottom where the stick meets the treat, uncovered. Use sprinkles (double check those ingredient list for any possible food allergens) or candies to sprinkle over the chocolate. Cover all sides, except the bottom. Place back on the cookie sheet that has been covered with wax paper. When all treats are decorated, return to the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.

They should sit out for about 20-30 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Yields 12 treats.

Note: If you read the recipe for GF Brownie Pops from an earlier post of mine, you may recognize the orange colored white chocolate and the same sprinkles. There is no shame in using up ingredients, people! If you got it, use it!

GF Brownie Pops, Halloween Style!

As many of you who read this blog frequently know, I like to collect baking pans. Recently, I mentioned the braided loaf pan that we have been enjoying. My newest acquisition is a brownie pop pan. Yep, I have a habit. I have seen these pops in magazines and at friend's parties for quite some time. And I thought it would be fun to have another way to make wheat/gluten free treats. For my first adventure, I decided to use the GF brownie mix from Trader Joe's. Mostly because it is so simple to use and I happened to have a bag on hand. The instructions on the pan's packaging suggested that you insert the stick in one of two ways... 1) Halfway through its baking time or 2) After the mini cake has cooked, removed them from the pan and insert the stick as it cools. I tried both ways and had great success with the latter. For some reason the sticks kept falling over when they were in the oven. (The second method made dipping a lot easier, too.)

This was version #1. As you can see, the sticks are already leaning a bit.

I dipped the pops in melted white chocolate that was orange colored. And then I had Ella sprinkle the orange and black jimmies over them. (We also tried dipping the wet pops in the sprinkles but they got too goopy. It was a mess.)

But if you happen to be looking for a fun activity and treat and are getting tired of cupcakes, you may want to consider investing in one of these pans. They can be found online or most places that carry Wilton pans, like Michaels.

Ella is already planning her Christmas version. And Milo is already waiting in line to eat them.

Divvies Cookbook

Part of the fun about having a blog is when a publisher contacts me and asks me if I would be interested in reviewing their cookbook. Generally, I only like to offer favorable reviews to books that I truly enjoy. There have been some that have been sent to me that I have not liked for a variety of reasons... maybe the food wasn't very good, too many ingredients, too complicated or not appealing enough to the majority of my readers. So I was particularly happy when I was asked to take a look at the new Divvies Bakery Cookbook.

The first time I heard of Lori Sandler was when she was on Martha Stewart a couple of years ago. At the time, I had just decided to take on the enormous task of baking everything for my daughter. Like Ella, Lori's son has multiple food allergies. She decided to take action and a beautiful business, emerged. It is an inspiring story for those of us who often feel overwhelmed by a challenging situation.

Treats and childhood seem to go hand in hand. It is almost like a rite of passage; getting to eat goodies. Think about it, so many of BIG events when you are a kid are centered around sweets and treats. Holidays like Christmas, Easter, Halloween and birthdays are all about cake, cookies and candy. Play dates, bake sales, school events and on and on. When you have a child that has severe food allergies, suddenly this "fun" is kind of a nightmare. No one wants their kid to miss out but we still need to make sure that no one ends up in the emergency room. That is why I try so hard to help my own daughter by baking anything and everything that any other kid might take for granted. And thankfully, there is a growing industry and mountains of resources for making this possible.

The Divvies Bakery Cookbook is divine! All of the recipes are nut free, egg free and dairy free. (We happen to also have to avoid wheat so not all of the recipes worked for us. But after some tweaking, we can make it "Ella" safe... Hello rice flour mixes! Hello xanthan gum!) There are over 70 delicious recipes to choose from. We have tried several over the past few weeks. Our favorite is Andrea's Granola Bars... OMG! They are so good!

Earlier this week I had a dinner party at my house and decided to make some of the Divvie's Oh Fudge! No one that attended my party has food allergies but I thought it might be fun to test it on them to see if they noticed any difference from the kind that is usually made with sticks of butter and cups of cream. Everyone gobbled it up. My husband who happens to be lactose intolerant was thrilled. He absolutely loves it. I made mine with marshmallows and chocolate chunks on top. The recipe calls for using Divvie's special chocolate chips. But I substituted with another brand and the results were fabulous.

We also made the fondue last week and the kids were in nirvana. I served it with a platter with fruits and rice crispy treats. Each child had a small bowl of the chocolate, for dipping.

Fondue Fun!

Here is the recipe for the Oh Fudge! (reprinted with permission from the publisher). Try it! Get the book! You will be glad you did. As with this recipe, most of the desserts in the book are simple to make and ingredients are easy to obtain. As a mother of two young children, I am so thankful for that!

Oh Fudge!

Recipe from the Divvies Bakery Cookbook. Reprinted with permission from the publisher.

2 ¼ cups sugar

½ cup dairy-free margarine

½ cup Silk dairy-free liquid creamer (or coconut milk creamer)

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups Divvies semisweet chocolate chips (2 ¼ cups for real chocoholics)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

The toppings (optional):

Mini marshmallows

Peppermint candies, broken into bite-size pieces or smaller

More chocolate chips

Line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil by placing two long sheets perpendicular to each other so that they stick out of the sides of the pan, pushing the paper into the corners of the pan. This will make removing the finished fudge much neater.

Heat 2 cups of the sugar, the margarine, liquid creamer and salt in a saucepan over medium heat on stovetop. Stir constantly.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the chips and stir for 2 minutes until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the melted fudge into prepared pan. Press marshmallows and/or peppermint or chocolate chips onto the top of the fudge, if desired.

Let the fudge cool in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours until solid. Remove the fudge from the pan by lifting the ends of the parchment paper. Place the fudge, still on the paper on a flat countertop. With a very sharp knife, cute the fudge into 2x1-inch pieces.

Makes 18, 2 x 1-inch pieces

Recipes for Rosh Hashanah- Gluten & Wheat Free

I originally posted this last September. Since Rosh Hashanah is a little earlier this year, I thought I would re-post for those who are looking for something to make that is wheat & gluten free during the High Holy Days. Best of all, these are both wonderful recipes that are sure to bring smiles.

The oven has been working hard tonight. I just finished making a loaf of challah for Ella to take with her to school. It has been very hard to find a decent challah recipe. I have attempted about 10 assorted breads and none have really "done it" for me. But I just found one on a blog that truly impressed me. The best part... it was EASY! And quick. Since Ella is allergic to sesame, I opted for purple sprinkles which she liberally helped me decorate. The blog where I discovered this recipe suggests using a braided loaf pan (GF challah is impossible to braid) but I improvised since I have no such pan. I used a 9" cake round cake pan and sprayed it really well with cooking spray. Then I used a #20 scoop to create mounds which I filled the pan with. I allowed it to rise, as specified. And then I glazed the dough with an egg yolk wash. Ella was then brought in to sprinkle until her little heart was content. And boy, oh boy were we happy with the result. The bread was light and dense all at the same time. And the flavor was also really close to true challah. Here is the link to the recipe... And this is what mine looked like...

If you are wondering, we could not wait to tear into this bad boy. Thus, the torn bit on the lower left hand side of the photo. This blogging rookie maneuver was worth it as Ella proclaimed... "Mommy, this is the best challah... EVER!"

Next in the oven cue was Gluten and Wheat-Free Honey Cakes. Not sure if I have mentioned this before but Ella is REALLY into the Wiggles. On one of their videos they reference honey cakes. Being the foodie that she is, Ella NEEDED to know what honey cakes are. I had not made them before so I was not quite sure. But I stumbled onto this amazing recipe. Which I decided to make as a special treat for the children on Rosh Hashanah. My original plan was to also make a apple sauce with lots of butter and brown sugar (my family is not Kosher). But after making these little gems, I am not sure they need anything. They are, off the charts, delicious. Honestly, they would be fantastic for any party and could be served to anyone, not just the eating impaired. If you are lucky enough to enjoy nuts, I think that this would be a delightful texture to go along with the airiness of the cake. But powdered sugar also does the trick. I bought a mini-bundt pan which had 6 cake slots. The recipe made so much batter, I decided to use muffin tins (greased) and cooked the remaining for approx. 10 minutes. Which yielded 18 muffins plus the mini bundts. This is what I came up with...

Wheat & Gluten Free Jelly Roll

One of my favorite gluten-free cookbooks, hands down, is Gluten-Free Baking Classics by Annalise Roberts. Everything in this book is delicious. We have tried most of the recipes and each of them is better than the next. Our favorites are the pumpkin muffins, the lemon cake with lemon buttercream, the scones and the vanilla birthday cake. The other day, I decided to make our first wheat free jelly roll. Before I had kids, I used to make jelly rolls all of the time. Either as yule logs at Christmas or just as a nice treat to have in the summer. Berries and whipped cream go nicely with the vanilla cake. It has been a hot week in Los Angeles and it seemed like this would be a fun variation on strawberry shortcake. I baked the cake, according to instructions. After it cooled, I spread Strawberry Whipped Cream all over it, evenly and then slowly rolled it up. It is best when chilled so I would suggest putting it in the refrigerator for at least an hour, covered. Upon serving, slice and dust each piece with powdered sugar. Garnish with sliced berries.

Strawberry Whipped Cream

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup diced fresh strawberries

Whip the cream in a cold metal bowl, if possible, until it thickens. Add the sugar and vanilla. Whip until thick, close to stiff peaks. Fold in the strawberries until evenly distributed.

Gluten & Wheat Free Ice Cream Pie

I first posted this last September and since Summer is right around the corner I thought it was worth reposting. I made this again this past weekend. Instead of the semi-sweet chocolate chips I used Valrhona chocolate (66% cacao) and melted that for the crust. I also made two sauces, one being a caramel and the other a homemade sweetened condensed milk. I drizzled both all over the plate, place a slice on top and then topped it with homemade whipped cream. Talk about a crowd pleaser! Even people who normally do not eat dessert, gobbled this one up. And it is almost criminal how easy this pie is to make. The best part is, no one will ever know. Shhhhhhh!

July's issue of Real Simple had this fabulous recipe for Mint Chip Ice Cream Pie. It features a crust that is made, simply, with chocolate and rice crispies. They suggested filling the prepared crust with mint chip ice cream, which I am sure is delicious. But I have been making my own versions, all summer. The first one that I made was for my dad's birthday. He LOVES dulce de leche ice cream so I filled the shell with that. And then I made a homemade caramel sauce, a la Epicurious.com, as well as a batch of whipped cream. I served the pie with the sauce drizzled on top and a dollop of cream.














My family is still debating which is better, the dulce de leche version or the chocolate raspberry pie (pictured above.) The second time I made it, I filled the shell with vanilla bean ice cream. And then I made a raspberry sauce using raspberries, sugar and framboise liqueur. Then I strained out the seeds and chilled the sauce. When I served the pie, I drizzled the sauce on top and garnished with some fresh raspberries. Out-of-this-world-delicious! The best part is that it couldn't get any easier!

I am telling you, save the above recipe for the basic chocolate crust and you will not be sorry. The possibilities are endless. I cannot wait for peppermint stick ice cream to come out during the holidays. The saliva is already filling my mouth!

Tres Leches Cake (Wheat/Gluten Free)

I was inspired to make this after I saw this month's issue of Everyday Food (June 2010). The recipe in the magazine is for a wheat based cake, so I substituted my favorite wheat/gluten free cake, instead. If you are in a hurry, you could also use the Better Crocker GF Yellow Cake mix. It is moist and delicious, the perfect dessert for any summer gathering. And nobody has to know that it is completely wheat/gluten free!

Tres Leches Cake (Wheat/Gluten Free)

For the cake...

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups brown rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

3/4 cup milk (I prefer whole but you can use lowfat)

2 tsp. fine quality vanilla extract

For the tres leches...

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

1 cup whole milk

For the whipped cream topping...

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. fine quality vanilla

2 pints of mixed berries (slice strawberries if using) or other fruits of your choice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Position rack in the center of the oven. Very lightly grease a 9x12" glass baking dish. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl of an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Scrape sides of bowl. Add flours, salt, xanthan gum, milk and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for approx. 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

In a medium bowl whisk together three milks. Poke warm cake all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick, then pour milk mixture over the top. Let it cool at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Whip cream in a cold metal bowl (if possible) until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue mixing until medium peaks form. Spread over cake evenly over cooled cake. Add fruit of your choice. Cool in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve cold. Enjoy!

Ella's Birthday Cakes

This year, Ella managed to squeeze three birthday celebrations out of us. They seem to grow with the years. We invited her classmates over for a play date after school and I made a wheat free cake, as well as regular cupcakes for the kids. Both were cherry chocolate chip flavored with cherry butter cream frosting. The only difference was that the cake had 2 layers of chocolate whipped cream, as well. Guess which was our favorite? I am telling you, if you make wheat free things the RIGHT way, you cannot tell the difference. It was light, fluffy and delicious!

I also made dairy free rice crispie treats for a guest who is allergic to milk. Those were gone before the party was over with. I decorated the cupcakes with lollipops that I found at Michael's. I think the kids liked them.

Review: Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix

Gotta say, I had my reservations. I was not sure what the mix would taste like or what kind of texture it would have. But we were happily surprised, on both counts. I used the mix to make a batch of cupcakes and then I used them to make two desserts over the course of two nights.

Dessert #1: Strawberry Shortcake. I cut the cupcake in half and placed it in a bowl. I then topped it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, macerated strawberries and whipped cream. Everyone was quite happy with the results.

Dessert #2: Mini Banana Trifles. In a dessert glass, I layered bits of torn cake + banana pudding + sliced bananas + whipped cream. I did about 3 layers of each and finished with a doll

op of the whipped cream. Gotta tell you, this dessert was TOPS! I served to my in-laws who were visiting and they went, well, bananas. It was sort of like the classic banana cream pie and just as addictive.

There are probably 150 different things that you can do with this basic cake mix. There are other wheat and gluten free cake recipes that I prefer. But this sure is a great product to have on hand around as a last minute dessert fix. Hopefully you can find it at a your local grocery store!

Tea Party!

Ella had a friend come over yesterday after school. Since we are in the midst of trying to sell our house, we have packed up most of the kids' toys. I decided that a fun way to keep

the girls busy would be to have a tea party. I whipped up a bunch of yummy snacks. On the menu were:

Mini Rice Krispie Treats

Shortbread Jelly Sandwiches

Sugar cookies with sprinkles

Fruit Dip with sliced fruits

Veggie Tray

Olives

GF Pretzels

GF Crackers

Assorted Teas and beverages

The recipes for the cookies came from the Annalise Roberts' baking cookbook. I used the classic Rice Krispie Treat recipe. The fruit dip has become a bit of a requirement for a

ll of the play dates that we host. We first had it at a f

riend's birthday party (Thank you, Susan and Ava Mae!) It is really easy to make. Just combine equal parts yogurt (I prefer raspberry lowfat) and cool whip. Fold the two together and chill for about an hour. You can serve it topped with sprinkles, if you'd like it to be festive.

Jello Poke Cupcakes

My grandma used to make the most delicious cake at Christmas time, amongst a barrage of delicious treats. Every so often I find myself missing her and her goodies. And for the past year or so I have been making a wheat free cupcake that is reminiscent of her Jello poke cake. Whenever I make it, people swoon. I have stopped telling them that they are eating "wheat-free". Clearly this recipe is not the healthiest thing that I make. But isn't it fun to be bad, every so often?

I am making these cupcakes, to take with us to tomorrow's 4th of July parade. Last year I picked up some tinsel sparklers from Pottery Barn and I will use them to top the cupcakes. There is no doubt that people will think that I am "nuts" and "over the top" but this stuff makes me so happy! Happy 4th to all of you Americans out there!

**These were a big hit, even with those who are not restricted by allergies. And no one gave me grief about being "over the top!" Phew!

Jello Poke Cupcakes (Wheat/Gluten-Free)

1 recipe for vanilla cupcakes (my favorite is from A. Roberts)
1 3 oz. box red jello (cherry, strawberry)
1 tub of cool whip

Make the vanilla cupcakes, according to instructions. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Make the Jello, according to instructions.

Place the cupcakes inside a 13 x 9" glass casserole dish. Poke holes in the cupcakes with a fork, approx. 5 times. Drizzle the Jello over the cupcakes, slowly, allowing the liquid to fill the holes. (Approx. 2 tablespoons, per cupcake). Chill for 6 hours or overnight.

Frost the cupcakes generously with Cool Whip. (If you do not have Cool Whip on hand or want to eat something less processed, cherry or vanilla butter cream also works nicely). Decorate with sugar, sprinkles or fresh fruit.

Gluten Free Peach & Blackberry Cobbler

Summer is almost here! Time to find ways to eat all of the glorious fruit that is out there. Cobbler is one of my favorite desserts, year round. Here is a recipe that I came up. I chose peaches and blackberries, but you could use almost anything that your heart desires. It is best when served warm with ice cream or whipped cream... or both. But it is also great just on its own...

Gluten-Free Peach & Blackberry Cobbler

4 cups sliced peaches (about 4-5 peaches)

2 cups of blackberries
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

3 tablespoons Gluten-Free Flour Mix of your choice

1 teaspoon vanilla (I prefer Madagascar)

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
fresh nutmeg, to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)

Crumb Topping

1 cup Gluten-Free Flour Mix of your choice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter/grease a casserole dish.

In a large bowl, mix together fruit with lemon juice. Add flour, vanilla, zest, cinnamon and nutmeg and fold together until the fruit is well covered. Pour into greased dish.

In a small bowl, make the crumb topping by combining flour, sugar, cinnamon, xanthan gum and salt. Stir well. Drizzle butter into bowl and stir until all dry ingredients are moistened. Create crumbs with the mixture, of similar size. Pour the crumbs evenly over the fruit in the casserole dish.

Bake on center rack for 35 minutes, until the crumbs are browning and the fruit is bubbly. Remove. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

6 servings

Deli Tray Leftovers?

After Ella's party on Friday we were left with a ton of leftovers from several deli trays. What can a family of four do with a veggie tray, a bunch of condiments and a pound of cold cuts? I decided to make a supper using as many of the ingredients as possible. The end result was Pasta Primavera with an Italian Salad and bread pudding for dessert. Here's a rough breakdown of what I cooked...

Pasta Primavera

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

leftover assortment of veggies, chopped

- we used zucchini, yellow squash, red and green bell peppers, carrots, asparagus

3 cups of chopped tomatoes (there were about 8 sliced tomatoes on the condiment tray)

15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon chopped basil (2 teaspoons, if fresh)

1 teaspoon chopped parsley (2 teaspoons, if fresh)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 box pasta of your choice, we used brown rice spaghetti

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot. Add onions and garlic and cook until the begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 1 minute. Add the

assortment of vegetables and cook until they soften, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauce. Stir. Add spices. Bring to a boil and cook for about 25 minutes, or longer for better flavor. Make pasta according to instructions. Serve with Parmesan and crushed red pepper.

Italian Cold Cut Salad

Chopped Lettuce

Chopped tomatoes

Salami, sliced into 1/2" pieces or strips

Ham, sliced into 1/2" pieces or strips

Turkey, sliced into 1/2" pieces or strips

Cheeses, sliced into 1/2" pieces or strips

Chopped Cucumber

Pepperocinis, sliced

Can of garbanzo beans

Can of sliced black olives

Can of artichoke hearts or hearts of palm, optional

Cover the bottom of a serving platter with lettuce. Pile the meats and cheeses in the center. Place the remaining ingredients around the perimeter, in whichever fashion suits you. Serve with Italian dressing.

Bread Pudding (Shhhh, don't tell Ella! This one contains wheat, but could easily be made with wheat free bread or rolls.)

1 bag of leftover dinner rolls, cubed into 1" cubes

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup raisins

1 sliced banana

butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a glass dish. Put the bread into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Drizzle mixture over the bread and toss. Add the raisins and toss again. Let rest on the counter for about 15 minutes, tossing frequently. Pour into the greased pan and top with the sliced bananas. Bake for 35 minutes or until the egg mixture is set. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

This is also good as leftovers for breakfast. Serve it with maple syrup.

Cake #2: Classic Cherry Chip

Ella wanted to have another cake at her big birthday party, and who am I to say "no". One of the cakes that I remember fondly from my childhood was cherry chip with cherry butter cream frosting. And since Ella has recently discovered the Maraschino cherry, I thought it would be fun to recreate my nostalgic favorite into a wheat-free cake. Once again, I used the Vanilla (Butter) Layer Cake recipe from the Annalise Roberts cookbook. After making the mix, according to instructions, I folded in 1/2 cup of well drained, finely sliced Maraschino cherries and 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips. I frosted the layers with cherry butter cream and topped the cake with rolled fondant butterflies, that I colored to match the theme colors of the party.

Along with the cake, I made 2 different types of cupcakes for our guests to choose from: Dark Chocolate with Orange Cream Cheese Butter cream and Cherry Chip Yogurt and Buttermilk cupcakes with Cherry Butter cream, both with wheat flour. Several people tried both the cake and the cupcakes and each told me that while liking the cupcakes, they found the cake to be even better. Two of my Mommy friends are either Celiac or allergic to wheat and they were thrilled to have a chance to try the cake.

Needless to say, I will be making this one again. Now I had better get myself some of the leftovers!

Cake #1: Abby Cadabby

Ella has been celebrating her birthday in high fashion this year. She has had three parties to commemorate turning 4, each a little different from the other. On Tuesday, we celebrated with family and friends at Disneyland. On Thursday, she had an ice cream party at school with her classmates. And on Friday, we had a bigger birthday party that included everyone. She has recently rediscovered Sesame Street and is very into Abby Cadabby. One of her birthday wishes was to have an Abby Cadabby cake. No cupcakes, Mom. Just an Abby Cadabby cake. So I visited a local bakery who is known for making wheat- free/gluten-free cakes. And after looking through many books, I decided that I could make a cake that would be better than anything that I was seeing. So I went online and found a great mold from Wilton and took on the task of making Ella's cake.

I was not sure how the wheat-free cake recipe I had would do using a cake mold, but it actually was no different that traditional cake ingredients. I greased the pan REALLY well and then lightly dusted it with rice flour. Once the cake came out in one piece and I sighed a giant sigh of relief, I went buttercream crazy. It was actually a lot of fun. The directions that came with the mold were fairly easy to follow. Naturally, being a perfectionist, I had my issues. I had tried to save money by using food colorings that I already had rather than the suggested ones made by Wilton. And the pink ended up looking a lot like Madonna Inn pink, rather than Abby Cadabby pink. (You can take the girl out of San Luis Obispo, but you cannot take the Madonna Inn out of the girl!) And I was not happy with how the eyes turned out. Like I said, I am a perfectionist.

We took the cake with us down to Disneyland and enjoyed it with everyone at the hotel. The cake was delicious. I used the Vanilla (Butter) Layer Cake recipe from Annalise Roberts' Baking Classics cookbook. The frosting was traditional buttercream. The best part was that I served it and no one knew that the cake was wheat-free until I told them! Actually, the BEST part was seeing how happy the cake made her. It was all worth it!