Category Archives: Food

Gluten Free Pound Cake Everyone Will Love

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Talk about easy. If I had known that gluten-free pound cake could be so easy I would have made it a long time ago.

Since my husband’s Celiac disease diagnosis over a year ago, he has devoured gluten-free cupcakes from Callie’s Cupcakes and Creations, an excellent local bakery, a few times, but he has not had any pound cake!

No pound cake for over a year!

I’m sure he has suffered greatly as pound cake was always his favorite dessert.
He’s been deprived – until now. I certainly won’t be able to make this too often because it is a definite indulgence for special occasions!

Here’s the recipe:poundcake

Ingredients
7 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar (next time I will use 3 cups sugar)
2 sticks butter (I used salted)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup half and half
3 cups gluten free flour. **I use Cup4Cup – expensive but worth it!

Preheat oven to 350.
Generously butter and flour 2 loaf pans or one bundt pan. (I used one bundt pan and one loaf for smaller cakes and shortened cooking time to 40-45 mins)

Bring eggs, butter and half and half to room temperature.
Cream sugar and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla.
Add eggs one egg at a time to the creamed mixture blending each egg thoroughly. Use a spatula to scrape sides down frequently.
Mix flour and salt in separate bowl.
Alternate adding flour mixture and half and half until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s).

Bake for 1 hour or until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean.
Let rest 5 minutes then remove from pan on cooling rack.

Tips and Notes
1. Don’t skimp – splurge on the Cup4Cup GF flour. You will be glad you did.
2. I was shocked at how sticky and dough-like the batter was, but the cake came out beautifully.
3. Don’t be surprised to see the cake puffing up out of the pan(s). It will fall a bit when it comes out of the oven.
4. Enjoy with berries and whipped cream or go all out like I did and make some cream cheese frosting to add as desired.
5. This cake freezes nicely!

Enjoy this rich cake by itself, buttered and toasted in the oven, with berries and cream or with a bit of frosting… There is no way to go wrong with this cake.

Your friends will not believe it’s gluten-free.

poundcake2

Easy Ginger Coconut Tilapia

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We have been on a little getaway to the beach this week. The seafood is always a great treat but I have to admit that I am missing one of my own recipes for tilapia. When we get back home, it will be the first thing on my list to eat!
Because I love this dish so much I thought I would share it with you. Maybe you’ll have a chance to enjoy it!
Since we are only cooking for two people, here’s the recipe for two fillets of fish, but of course you can double (or triple) it if you like!
Easy Ginger Coconut Tilapia
Two 6 oz fillets of tilapia (or your favorite white fish)
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1-2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
1/2 lime, juiced
Salt and pepper
1. In a small bowl, grate the garlic clove and fresh ginger and add the coconut oil and lime juice.
2 Dry the fish with a paper towel and lay side-by-side on a piece of aluminum foil. Lightly salt and pepper.
3. Pour the lime juice and coconut oil mixture over the fish and top it with the almonds. Wrap the foil around the fish, making an enclosed pouch. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until the fish is flaky.
And that’s it!
I currently have a thing for coconut oil so we often serve this fish with a rice dish made of cooked rice (brown or white), a few tablespoons of coconut oil, a few sliced almonds and some craisans. Add some asparagus or fresh squash or your favorite vegetable and you’re all set for dinner!
Bon appétit!

I’m in Charge of Butter

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The other day we ran out of butter; I failed our household.

Don’t we all occasionally fall on our faces not believing what dire circumstances we have caused by not staying on top of details?  …but please not the butter.

Brent is in charge of keeping up with the status of our milk supply (please don’t judge me, I seriously never drink it), he takes care of the trash, he often cooks and cleans up, he cuts the grass, helps me with…well let me think…he helps me with just about everything! Oh yeah, it seems like I could say he is ‘in charge of the whole house!’ (It’s all an illusion, I tell you.)

My job is to ensure that we don’t run out of butter!

We have been married almost twelve years and we have never once…not once… run out of butter until this day. I could make excuses like, ‘We were busy with a shower and other engagements this past weekend or we have been very busy with all manner of life…even some critical and consuming issues. But none of these excuses are adequate.

I recognized my failure when the simple porcelain butter dish revealed this sight for sore eyes:20120428-215445.jpg

Brent: ‘Hey chickie, we are out of butter!’
I think: No it can’t be true. I know we have a pound or two in the freezer.
Me: ‘…Let me look…’ I didn’t flinch…I wasn’t even rattled as I peered into the recesses of the freezer certain there was more butter. But I could not believe my eyes; there was no butter!

Brent immediately suggested that I seek counseling.

Technically we were not really out of butter as there was one lonely pat which we were not allowed to eat until we got more butter. I hid it under lock and key…because our house is never out of butter.

…without butter we can’t make cream cheese frosting
…without butter we suffer through our baked and mashed potatoes
…without butter Brent’s gluten-free waffles are almost inedible

Even though I haven’t eaten butter this week, with the exception of my strawberries with cream cheese frosting, I know the house is fully stocked because now we have butter. My need for counseling has vanished.

This butter episode, while humorous and a bit satirical, reminds me of how often the small things in life are more of a challenge to face, to admit, and to surrender than major difficulties. Little showers of rain catch me off guard – I think I can handle them and resist taking time to spread a necessary layer of grace on them. But I find it easy to allow God to slather me with grace when the thunderous storms intrude.

My life is better knowing butter is available. I know it’s there when I need it for a tiny roll or for a monster recipe of frosting….and my life is better when I grasp the amazing grace available in all the little details, the showers and the storms I encounter.

Grace and peace to you today in all things that come your way… – Madge

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Heb. 4:16

Choosing Chex

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Last week when I was in Target, I picked up every kind of gluten-free Chex cereal they carried. Amazingly, the multi-grain and wheat flavors were the only ones that failed the gluten test.  Thank you General Mills!

I had never noticed the wide array of Chex® flavors that were available. This morning – Saturday morning – when Brent could make oatmeal, or buckwheat pancakes, or eggs and bacon, he chose a bowl of Chex® ! And instead of venturing out and trying the honey nut or cinnamon flavors that he had not tried yet, he stuck with the basic Rice Chex®!

No doubt, the cinnamon, chocolate or honey nut are destined for a late night snacking sensation or maybe we’ll make one of these tasty recipes we found on the Chex® website.

 Chili and Garlic Chex® Mix

4 cups Corn Chex® or Rice Chex® cereal
5 cups popped fat-free microwave popcorn
1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1. In large microwavable bowl, mix cereal, popcorn and peanuts. Drizzle with oil; toss until evenly coated.
2. In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over cereal mixture; toss until evenly coated.
3. Microwave uncovered on High 3 to 4 minutes, stirring after each minute, until crisp. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container.

Chex® Honey Nut Cherry Crunch

4 1/2 cups Honey Nut Chex® cereal
4 1/2 cups Rice Chex® cereal
2 cups whole cashews
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

1. In large microwavable bowl, mix cereal and cashews.
2. In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and honey and salt uncovered on High about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir butter mixture. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.
3. Microwave uncovered on High 4 minutes, stirring every minute. Stir in cherries and sesame seeds. Microwave an additional 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container.