Monday, September 27, 2010

Coming December 2010: THE CAKE MIX DOCTOR BAKES GLUTEN-FREE & a Cake Recipe from the Book!


I am absolutely thrilled to announce the highly anticipated upcoming release of The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free by Anne Byrn (one of my all time favorite cookbook authors!)

I will be reviewing the cookbook closer to it's December release... this is just announcement to let you know that it is coming!  I am literally counting the days until December when I can get my hands on a copy of this book; you will be the first to know!

I had the honor of testing a few of the gluten free cake recipes in this book for Anne Byrn while she was writing it, and even had the pleasure of chatting with her about gluten free baking on the phone.  She is such a warm and friendly person, no wonder every recipe I have ever made from her cookbooks tastes so comforting!

Much to my delight, I was recently asked to sample a recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free called Kitchen Sink Gingerbread Cake, and was provided with a box of gluten free yellow cake mix for use in the recipe.  The aroma of ginger and cinnamon made my house smell like the holidays when it was baking, and the final product was moist and tasted divine.  

Recipe Sneak Peek:

Gluten Free Kitchen Sink Gingerbread Cake Recipe (Courtesy of The Cake Mix Doctor):

Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pan
1 package (15 ounces) yellow gluten free cake mix
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
8 tablespoons (1stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs, 2/3 cup apple cider or water
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly mist an 8-inch square pan with vegetable oil spray and set the pan aside.

2. Place the cake mix, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Cut the butter into tablespoons, then add it and the eggs, apple cider or water, molasses, and vanilla or zest and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula, and place the pan in the oven.

3. Bake the cake until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 52 to 57 minutes.. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes. if desired.

Keep It Fresh! Store the cake in the pan, covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to three days. Freeze the cake, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to one month. To serve the cake warm, reheat it, partially covered with aluminum foil, in a 300 F oven until warmed through, 30 minutes.

The Cake Mix Doctor Says: 

Try a variation with 1 chopped, peeled apple stirred in once the batter is blended.

*My adjustments to this recipe:

I substituted Earth Balance Buttery Spread instead of butter to make this cake dairy free, with excellent results.  My oven runs hot, so I reduced the baking time to 48 minutes.  My cake was completely done in 48 minutes; next time I will check the cake after 40 minutes. 

"Thirty million Americans are gluten-intolerant or have a gluten sensitivity, eliminating it from their diets because gluten—a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley—has been implicated in health issues ranging from respiratory problems and abdominal discomfort to anemia, anxiety, and infertility. The food industry has bullishly taken notice. Gluten-free baking products, including cake mixes from Betty Crocker, King Arthur, Whole Foods, and others, have increased sevenfold on grocery shelves in recent years, and the number of other gluten-free products has grown as well—832 were introduced in 2008 alone. And gluten-free options are on the menu of national restaurants like Boston Market, Chili’s, Ruby Tuesday, Outback Steakhouse, and others."

"Now comes even sweeter news for people looking to cut gluten from their diets: Anne Byrn shows how to transform gluten-free cake mixes into 76 rich, decadent, easy-to-make, impossible-to-resist desserts. Performing the magic that’s made her a bestselling baking author with over 33 million copies of her books in print, she doctors mixes with additions like almond extract, fresh berries, cocoa powder, grated coconut, cinnamon, lime zest, and more—naturally, all gluten-free ingredients—and voilĂ : Tres Leches Cake with Whipped Cream and Summer Berries, Almond Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Chocolate Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Ganache, Caramel Melted Ice Cream Cake, Warm Tarte Tatin Apple Cake, plus brownies, bars, muffins, and cookies. Dessert is back on the menu." 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

"Anne Byrn is the author of the bestselling Cake Mix Doctor series, with over 3.3 million copies in print. She makes frequent appearances on Good Morning America and QVC. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her family, and her website is www.cakemixdoctor.com."

PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK:

The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free will be available for purchase from Workman.com on Dec 8, 2010. For now you can pre-order from one of these online retailers: 













Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this post; I received a complimentary box of gluten free cake mix and 3 recipes for review purposes courtesy of Workman Publishing.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Friday, September 24, 2010

Giveaway & Review: Mini Pops - Gluten Free/Corn Free Organic Air Popped Sorghum Snacks



If you are unable to eat popcorn due to corn allergies, Mini Pops are the answer!  Mini Pops are gluten free, corn free, organic, air-popped sorghum snacks that come in (6) tempting flavors.  An added bonus is that popped sorghum has a higher nutritional value than popped corn and has no hulls, for more enjoyable snacking.  Popped sorghum grains look and taste like popcorn, only the the sorghum grain is tiny after being popped, giving it the appearance of miniature popped corn (thus the name "Mini Pops").


My family sampled all (6) flavors of Mini Pops flavors, and these tiny popped treats were a BIG hit!  My daughters took them to school, and all of their friends wanted to know where they got the "cute, tiny popcorn"... needless to say, we are now Mini Pops fans!



Want to try Mini Pops for yourself?  You are in luck, because Mini Pops, Inc. has offered to GIVEAWAY (6) bags of Mini Pops (one of each flavor) to (2) Gluten Free Taste of Home followers!


BUY IT:


You can order Mini Pops directly from the Mini Pops website for convenient home delivery.

WIN IT:

(2) Gluten Free Taste of Home followers will each WIN (6) bags of Mini Pops (one of each flavor).  Retail value $20.00.


TO ENTER GIVEAWAY (mandatory):

1) Become a Freebie Fairy follower (must follow PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect in the side bar of this website) AND visit the Mini Pops website; LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you now follow me PUBLICLY, AND tell me which flavor of Mini Pops that you would most like to try. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES (each entry comment must be entered separately to be a valid entry):

2) Follow Mini Pops on Twitter. (1 entry)
3) Blog about this giveaway linking it back to this post  AND the Mini Pops website Please LEAVE ME A COMMENT with THE LINK TO YOUR POST or it will not count. (3 entries)
4) Like Mini Pops on Facebook. (1 entry)
5) Follow me on Twitter AND tweet the giveaway and LEAVE ME A COMMENT (with your twitter link) telling me you did it. (one entry per tweet/RT; DO NOT EXCEED (1) TWEET/RT PER HOUR!)
6) Grab my Gluten Free Taste of Home blog button and display it on your website/blog (copy the html code in the side bar of this blog and paste the code into your website), and LEAVE ME A COMMENT with a LINK to where you pasted my button. (1 entry)
7) Grab my Freebie Fairy blog button and display it on your website/blog (copy the html code for my button from the sidebar of my Freebie Fairy blog and paste the code into your website), and LEAVE ME A COMMENT with a LINK to where you pasted my button. (1 entry)
8) Follow my Freebie Fairy blog PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (1 entry)

*GIVEAWAY OPEN TO US ONLY*

Giveaway ends on Thursday September 30, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. PST (entries received after this time will not be posted). Winner will be selected by random.org. Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected.


*REMEMBER... please leave your e-mail address with EACH entry so I can contact you if you win.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this post; I received complimentary Mini Pops for review purposes courtesy of Mini Pops, Inc..  The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Best of luck!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Cookbook Review: Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef by Shauna James Ahern & Daniel Ahern



When my daughter was newly diagnosed with Celiac disease nearly 3 years ago, I discovered the Gluten Free Girl blog and fell in love with the author's comforting writing style and mouth watering gluten free recipes. I quickly purchased a copy of her book Gluten Free Girl, and savored reading each page. The "Gluten Free Girl" is actually Shauna James Ahern; a foodie with Celiac Disease and a natural born talent for sharing her story with others.

I was elated to receive a copy of Shauna James Ahern and husband Danny Ahern's newly released cookbook entitled Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef - a love story with 100 tempting recipes. This book is full of personal stories about her and husband Danny's passion for fresh, seasonal gluten free food, and how it enriches their lives together.

I am eager to try the recipes for Crusty Bread That Even Those Who Eat Gluten Might Like (yes that is really the name of the recipe!), Sage Polenta Fries with Parsley Pesto, and Blue Cheese Cheesecake with Fig Crust.  Sounds good, yes?

This cookbook reads like a good novel, full of real life stories based on the home and restaurant tales that Shauna and Danny share. There are gorgeous color photos of many of the dishes throughout the book, which is something that I really appreciate in a cookbook.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

"Combining tempting recipes with an authentic love story, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef is a narrative cookbook for anyone who loves food.


A must-have for those who need to eat gluten-free, this cookbook offers irresistible stories and plenty of mouth-watering meals. From the authors of the much-loved food blog, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, the book includes evocative photos, cooking techniques, and 100 chef-tested recipes that are sure to give joy in the belly.


Illustrates the working day of a talented chef and what he does to put delicious food on the plate
Contains great-tasting recipes that everyone can cook and eat.


Meant to be read cover to cover.


Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef inspires anyone who has to eat gluten-free to say yes to the food he or she can eat."

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

"Shauna James Ahern is the author and photographer behind the award-winning blog GlutenFreeGirl.com and the food memoirGluten-Free Girl. Diagnosed with celiac disease in 2005, she is considered one of the most authoritative gluten-free voices on the Internet."


"Daniel Ahern is the chef-in-residence at GlutenFreeGirl.com, as well as a chef at The Hardware Store on Vashon Island in Washington State. He has spent twenty years cooking at great restaurants across America."

BUY IT:

You can purchase a copy of Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef by Shauna James Ahern & Daniel Ahern at your local bookstore or buy it online. (Retail price $29.95)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this post; I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes courtesy of Wiley Publishing. The opinions I have expressed are solely my own; I was not required to post a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Monday, September 13, 2010

Review: Mint Chip Macaroons from Emmy's Organics: Gluten Free, Vegan & Raw!

I just posted a review for these decadent (yet healthy), gluten free macaroons from Emmy's Organic's on my Freebie Fairy blog.  Click here to read the review!

September 13th is National Celiac Awareness Day...Help Spread the Word!

Chad Hines - Founder of Gluten Free Faces


The following article regarding the origin of National Celiac Awareness Day was posted on Gluten Free Faces (a global gluten free social network)  by its founder Chad Hines; I found it interesting and wanted to help spread the word, so I am re-posting Chad's article for you here:


"September 13th is recognized as National Celiac Awareness Day, but what most people don't know is why... here is a brief explanation as to why the U.S. recognizes September 13th as National Celiac Awareness Day:

Samuel Gee, an English physician and pediatrician, is credited with being the first person to recognize the link between Celiac Disease and diet.  In 1988, Gee published the first complete modern description of the clinical picture of Celiac Disease and theorised on the importance of diet in its control.

In Gee's medical writing, he notes that "there is a kind of chronic indigestion which is met within persons of all ages, yet is especially apt to affect children between one and five years old."

He was also quoted as saying, "if the patient can be cured at all, it must be by means of diet."

His theory was definitely forward thinking for the time period and although Gee was not able to discover the cause of Celiac Disease, his theory of how to treat the autoimmune disorder was correct! 

In 2006, the U.S. Senate passed the Celiac Awareness Day Resolution, making September 13th National Celiac Awareness Day in honor of Samuel Gee (September 13th is his birthday!).

If you would like to read more about Samuel Gee, click this link to check out his official Wikipedia page.  Just thought you might enjoy this random bit of information!  I encourage you to do anything and everything you can every September 13th to help spread gluten-free and Celiac awareness!"

Please spread the word about Celiac Disease today (and every day)!  Blog about it, talk to your friends, family, co-workers, business owners, health care professionals, schools, anyone & everyone!

Education is the key to success!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Gluten Free/Dairy Free English Muffins and Pumpkin Bread from The Celiac Maniac Now Sold at Bob's Country Store in Washington!


Bob's Country Store in Snohomish Washington
Bob's Country Store, a quaint family owned store located at Bob's Corn and Pumpkin Patch in scenic Snohomish Washington now sells gluten free/dairy free baked goods from 
one of my favorite companies: The Celiac Maniac! Choose from moist gluten free/dairy-free regular pumpkin bread, chocolate chip pumpkin bread, and crispy regular English muffins and cinnamon raisin English muffins. Bob's Country Store is the only place in Washington that carries these delicious baked goods from The Celiac Maniac! 

Gluten Free/Dairy Free English Muffins from The Celiac Maniac
Bob's Country Store has a sample table open every weekend in October for you to try a large variety of their selections.  So visit them soon, and make sure your taste buds are ready! 
Bob's Country Store also carries a large selection of Bob's Red Mill gluten free fours and baking mixes, in addition to a naturally gluten free selection of pickles, jams, and preserves made especially for their country store.  My family is particularly fond of the Bob's Corn Marionberry preserves. :)
Bob's Country Store in Snohomish Washington
Bob's Corn is also our favorite Pumpkin Patch to take the kids to each October.  I have never been through Bob's Corn Maze, but I hear it is lots of fun!  Maybe this year!
Bob's Corn Maze in Snohomish Washington
The proprietors of Bob's Country Store are a warm and friendly family, who will make you feel like they have known you for years.  Be sure to tell them that Cinde from the Gluten Free Taste of Home blog sent you; it is my pleasure to support and recommend my favorite local businesses to others.
Freshly Picked Sweet Corn from Bob's Country Store
My family stops by Bob's Country Store in Snohomish nearly every weekend buying Bob's own cruelty-free farm fresh eggs, so I hope to see you there!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this post; The opinions I have expressed are solely my own; I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
 
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