The Evil Egg?

Have you ever noticed how when you try to type with a band-aid on your finger it makes you feel like you are missing an extremity?  Yeah, I'm dealing with that.  The wild jungle cat clawed me while I was sewing something for the boys earlier today.  I didn't think they would treasure the memory of mommy blood as much as the memory of what I was making for them...so, Buzz and Woody band-aid is now my friend.  And, the other thing is why do cat scratches hurt so bad?!  Oweee for days!  

Well, to fill you in on the business of last week.  Those pretzels...oh those pretzels.  They were absolutely horrid.  I wish I were coming back to say that they were fantastic and that I am the pretzel master, but no.  I was so mad!  I threw out the first batch.  I followed through on the second because it seemed more hopeful...but in the end it was just not worth my time.  And, all that I can say is that I miss the stretchy, bendy, loveliness that gluten creates when trying to make something like a pretzel.  You can't exactly twist a pretzel when it keeps cracking and breaking....  womp, womp, womp. 

I did try a bread mix this weekend (tried a mix because I didn't have all of the flours I needed).  This was pretty successful in some aspects because I did haul out my bread machine.  I haven't done that in a while. It was really fast, but I kind of missed being involved with it.  I really like to make bread by hand - I "know" what it is doing better if I can feel what it is up to...does that make any sense at all? But, this mix had a lot of eggs in it.  One whole eggs and four egg whites.  A LOT of eggs.  Unfortunately, we are pretty sure that our Captain America may be having a reaction to all of those eggs.  We had breakfast for dinner the night before...with eggs.  Then I made that bread, which he gobbled up.  (He loves fresh baked bread!)  He was doing just fine until a little while after he ate the bread, but then the storm hit.  A great big stinky storm and a horrible, horrible diaper rash.  His tummy trouble is a big reason why we are on this adventure, but now we are curious if there is more that may need to be eliminated.  

We go to the doctor tomorrow.  I'm hopeful that things will be moving onto the right track and that things will just get better!  

So, the quest for a good bread continues, with caution.  I found this chart about the nutritional value of different flours, which I have been very curious about since starting all of this.  I know that a gluten-free diet can cause a lot of weight gain if handled incorrectly.  Personally, that is something I'm not too fond of.  I was very surprised about how many calories were in some of the most popular gluten-free flours, which just so happen to be the ones that are used most frequently in commercially sold gluten-free foods.  It sent up a red flag for me to be very aware of which flours we are using and what we are buying. We need to fill our diet with other things (not carbs), which we should be doing anyways....I'm just not always very good at it.  : )  I do struggle with the fact that, yes, that cookie does indeed sound far better than that apple.  Especially when wild banchees are running around screaming and yelling, thinking they may be starving to death before I can get that apple cut into slices.  I don't know if that has ever happened at your house...but it frequents mine. 

Speaking of banchees, Captain America is up from his nap and Little Transformer and Mr. Yeti will be back from a birthday party shortly so I'd better scoot...  

We'll see what this week holds!  : )

The Quest for Carbs Might Kill Me

Mr. Yeti isn't home and both of the boys are in bed.  Silence.  It is such a strange thing when you are used to screaming, and yelling, a decent amount of crying, then more screaming, a blast of laughter, more screaming...you get the point.  My house is filled with more noise than I know what to do with, and I consider us to be a "quiet" family.  So, a night like this is odd.

Haven't done much in the way of experimenting this week.  We did make pizza and decided that we don't like the Bob's Red Mill crust, but the Gluten Free Pantry mix was...alright.  We are still on the lookout for better though.  This is an issue for self-proclaimed "foodies" who go gluten-free because we know what we like. When you are used to making your own crust (a very glutinous one at that - we literally added vital wheat gluten to the dough) this is a problem.  I'm scouring websites and blogs alike to find a good recipe or pre-made crust that seems like it might work out.  Same goes for hot dog buns.  The ones that have had the highest ratings from a 'local' (Colorado Springs) bakery weren't getting rave reviews here.  I know that bread is always the hardest thing to adapt to, and that it is just so different from what we are used to...but seriously.  This is something that I am bound and determined to find and/or master.  The perfectionist in me just can't let it die.

I suppose I need to explain a little further here.  We like good, hearty bread.  I will not feed my kids puffy, bleached, white Wonder bread, tortillas, blah blah.  Bleached flour = death.  From the time they could eat bread, they have had whole wheat bread, with as much stuff in it as I could get (it has been getting Mr. Yeti on the train that has been tough!)  My Our thoughts have always been that if they are raised with it, they will never know the difference.  And, to be honest, they prefer the "brown bread" - hooray!  So, sandwich bread hasn't been too much of an issue because many of them are denser, heavier breads.  It is some of the breads that we don't eat on a daily basis that we are struggling with.  So...let the quest continue...

Anywho...Onto a bread that is way more fun!  By request - of my own and from my Aunt Lorri (great minds think alike - even across state lines) I will be making pretzels tomorrow.  I unfortunately haven't found a good hard pretzel recipe at this point, but I am going to try soft ones for the first time ever.  Boiling them and all...   I sure hope they work out because they are the *special treat* for Friday Fort Night and savory snacks may forever be forbidden if I mess this up....
Little Transformer already rolled his eyes at me and told me, "No...I need chocolate chip cookies. Not pretzels because I don't like them."  Oh well.  I like them.  A lot.  Especially with cheese.

I hope it goes off without a hitch.  I will hopefully be baking some bread this weekend because I will need some for this week.  Anyone have some recommendations of some carb-filled goodness?

And just a little FYI about carb-filled goodness.  Today (January 19) is National Popcorn Day.  So go eat some popcorn.  YUM.  I stinking love popcorn.  Love it.  I can eat an entire bag by myself.  My little Captain America and I share a bag quite often.  It is like a date.  I wish I had known earlier in the day about this so that we'd have had a little snuggle and some "pop'own".  Maybe tomorrow :)

Okay, Talk soon!
xo

Chipmunk Cheeks

Well, I'm not doing very well at keeping my other resolution of working out and eating like a super-health freak.  It is January 12, we have already broken down and had some DQ (at my begging after the Hulk acted like, well...the Hulk, little Transformer decided not to eat and I just had "one of those days".  Mr. Yeti was not too hard to convince, so I know he was right there with me).  Halleluyer for ice cream is all I can say.  Ice cream really does just make things feel better...until five minutes after you eat it when you feel remorse.   :)

I think that tackling GF living/cooking/baking right at the beginning of the year is a challenge because not only are you learning a whole new way of living, but also fighting that whole "I'm going to be fit and awesome!  Let's go rockin' bod!!" mindset.  So, I've baked.  A lot.  Cookies. Brownies.  Banana Bread.  And I have hardly worked out.  Baking - Winning.  Fit and Awesome - LOSING.  But man, I have to say I am rocking the baking thing.  Seriously, all those people who think that GF baked goods are terrible must not be able to cook or are choosing the wrong things to bake.  Either that, or I am doing something terribly wrong that tastes amazing.  Whatevs...   My belly says yum.  

Today was Banana Bread.  I had these three really awful looking bananas that needed to be dealt with.  I have an issue throwing anything away now after watching this documentary.  So, I baked.  Again.

I used this recipe from Taste of Home as the base recipe, but tweaked it because I can't leave well enough alone.  I halved it because I only had three bananas, and added some different flours, spices, etc.  I hope you like it as much as I have - meaning, I hope you stuff your face with it like me.  (Please, don't make me feel like the only loser doing this THIS early into 2012....)

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 1/2 C gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 C sweet white sorghum flour
4 T ground flaxseed meal
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (I use kosher)
cinnamon and nutmeg (I didn't measure...just a shake...more cinnamon than nutmeg.)
2 C mashed ripe bananas (4-6)
4 eggs
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
1/3 C oil
2 tsp. vanilla
a handful or two of chocolate chips...I didn't measure..just did what looked good.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk/sift together flours, flaxseed, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt and spices.

In a separate, larger bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, applesauce, oil, and vanilla.  Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until well combined.  Stir in your chocolate chips.

Divide into two loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 45-55 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before turning out of the pans to cool completely.

Cut yourself a slice while it is still warm and enjoy the melty, chocolatey goodness.  Oh yum.  I've never made chocolate chip banana bread before, and I don't know that I can ever go back.  Oh baby, oh baby.  I know this isn't a healthy recipe by any means.  But...well.  Oh well.  Melty chocolate chips?  Don't mind if I do...

Okee dokee....
talk soon  :)  go bake.

xo

This blog has no pictures.

So, after some prodding here I sit watching Diego with Captain America (who from time to time may also be referred to as Hulk...)  I have been planning on starting this blog for um...ever now, but I have avoided it knowing that 1) I will become addicted to it 2) I don't have an amazing Nikon camera to take pictures with. When I go to a blog I expect there to be amazing photos to look at.  If there aren't pictures, I leave.  I'm planning on people stopping by and saying to themselves "Oh, amateur...no pictures. You might as well shut down, loser".  If you stay, I will be impressed, and I will say it now, thanks.  You are awesome.  Now, onto my other points... 3) I don't really have any other points but I think every argument needs at least three points.  Really my true avoidance was that we don't have a good camera.  But oh well.  We will all just have to suffer through ugly/no pictures.

As some of you (anyone...Bueller? Bueller?) may know, we decided to go gluten-free on January 1st.  We had been contemplating it for a while, but we just hadn't taken the dive.  Whelp, we jumped in cannon-balled in and so far no one has died.  It was quite the shock when we found that xanthan gum costs between $10-$12 for a little ole bag.  But, I have used it in every meal I have made so far, so it is obviously a necessary evil.  I am still horribly confused about why such and such flour is necessary for this, and why this recipe calls for this flour and not that one and why this is potato flour and not potato starch....whoa dude.  But, I guess you will never learn anything until you just try, and you won't figure it out until you ask the questions and make the mistakes.

I did have my proud moments, this week, though.  I successfully made Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas and adapted my favorite (and quite famous) chocolate chip cookies to be gluten-free.  I think that was what I was most proud of!  You can't even tell the difference in taste, which is what I was terrified of.  I really only noticed a difference in the batter consistency while I was mixing it (so much more sticky...my mixer was even growling a little at the thick/sticky batter.  I only have a hand mixer....I'm not so fortunate to have a Kitchen Aid, but if I did I would have this baby!)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 C butter, softened (the real stuff...I prefer salted, but you use whatever you like)
1/4 C butter flavor shortening
1 C packed light brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla  *edit: I just found out (1/6/2011) that vanilla needs to be GF...oops.  Check that next time, yo!*

2 C all purpose gluten-free flour mix
1/2 C sweet white sorghum flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt

One bag chocolate chips...or more :)

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream butter and shortening together in a large bowl. Add in brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until well combined.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt.  Add to wet mixture one half at a time and beat well after each addition.  You may need to mix with a spoon if it is too thick towards the end.

Mix in the chocolate chips with a spoon.

Spoon by the tablespoon onto cookie sheets and bake 9 minutes.  No more.  Sometimes 8 minutes, 30 seconds is okay, but 9 minutes is the complete maximum.  If you go beyond this, Thor will smack you down with his giant hammer and I am not kidding.  You will regret it.  The cookies won't look set in the middle, but they will continue to cook a bit as you let them cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.

They will be magically delicious and chewy. Your gluten-free home will sing your praises. Also...your non-GF friends will never even know.  Never.  Unless you tell them, of course....
  
Okay.  Little Transformer and Mr. Yeti are home so that is all for now.  I will be back with more adventures another day...

------
edit 1/6/2011

If all you non-GF friends would like to make these cookies, you can!  Just trade out the flours and xanthan gum for 2 1/2 C flour and make the rest of the recipe as written.  And, again, I stress 9 minutes for your baking time :)  nom nom nom.....

xo

Sometimes You Just Have to Sleep in the Crib

So, yesterday I had a whole post ready to go, and just as I was ready to put it up (like seriously, I was ready to hit the button..) I get this text message and suddenly all of my rantings seemed all too insignificant.  Pretty much all I wanted to do was go and drive and get my sister. Then, hug her until she couldn't be hugged anymore, and hug until we cried, then cry until we laughed, and then do it all over again.  Because that is what we do, because she is my sissy, and I just love and adore her beyond my words.  I was mostly in shock over it all. I really didn't have any true emotions over it other than I just wanted to see her and hug her.  (Like this because it is one thing that will always, always make me think of just her.)  


Captain America turned into the Hulk last night and really drove it home.  We are entering the phase of two-year-old life where we don't know if he will be napping or not anymore.  This is a hard phase.  I would really like him to keep napping...but I don't know if he will.  He has always been a bad sleeper, and still is....cue last night.  


I was sad, and just wanted to sleep.  I'd probably been asleep for a little over an hour and I hear the shriek of a wild animal --- "AAAAHHHH! MAAAAAAHHHM!!".  I sigh and flop out of bed. Dragggggg my feet through the hall to his room (all the while he is screaming and flailing, only turning into more of a wild beast in the 45 seconds it takes me to get there).  I walk into his room and he smiles and says, "Hi mom, I go your bed?"


UGHHH!  Seriously, child!?  You did all of this thinking you would graciously be invited to sleep in MY bed!? Sorry, buddy.  I gave up any sort of "soothing" way too quickly and grabbed one of his blankets that covers maybe half of me (...maybe?) and climbed in his bed.  A toddler bed.  Which is basically a crib with the side knocked down.  Yep, sometimes you just have to sleep in the crib. 


I decided after bad news yesterday and then sleeping in the crib last night, I could use up all the hot water in the shower today.  It definitely perked up my mood.  I've had my ups-and-downs of sad today, but I think that it is okay.  Mr. Yeti has been wonderful.  He is so understanding as usual.  He really is a superhero, too :)  I'm so blessed to have my crazy superheroes, and my whole family around me.  I'm so glad I have been blessed with all of them.  I can't wait to have a Hug O'War with my whole family.  I bet we might make a "ham-sammich" tonight during fort night (basically a giant family hug...get it...?  Hamiltons..big hug..."Ham-Sammich"...ha...haha..yep.  It really is funny. You know it is.)


Go have a Hug  O'War with someone, too.  :)  


Hug O'War


I will not play at tug o'war.
I'd rather play at hug o'war,
Where everyone  hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.

Shel Silverstein

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