Meal Planning

This post doesn't necessarily have to do with gluten-free cooking...but I'm going to post it anyway. I just recently started working full-time days. After a very short while, I've found myself not really getting anything ready for supper - creating a rummage pattern to dinner. NOT what we want. I realized that after thinking all day I don't want to come home and think more...what I want...what Tim wants...what I can make without going to the store...

So, in an attempt to plan ahead I purchased a planner - just for the kitchen. Tim and I made a long list of meals we like to keep in the book. It's open on my counter, and I've got about a week planned ahead, and I know I got what I need when I went shopping. If plans change, I just add the missed meal to the beginning of the next week, and can come home and just get stuff ready rather than try to figure out what I'm doing. It also helps me remember if anything needs to be pulled out of the freezer before I head out in the morning too. Hopefully this sticks - because we like to be able to sit down at the table together and enjoy our meals - rather than share them with the TV...

Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Success! Have I mentioned that I love having an oven that works?  These cookies (recipe here) taste amazing, and are going to be perfect for s'mores, ice cream sandwiches or anything else that's sweet and needs a gluten-free substitute.

Before baking, I usually make sure that all of my gluten-full food is put away (I do have guests from time to time, and a husband that is not gluten-free). Then I wipe the counters and bake ware and clean out my mixer. I make sure to also use a fresh clean plate to set utensils on...Just in case. I have not had issues with cross contamination for quite a while, and the plate actually helps a lot with clean-up. If splitting a recipe (half gluten-free and half regular), I make sure to bake the gluten-free food first and completely cool and store it in airtight containers before starting to bake with the regular flour. I am careful to fold flour mixes before really beating recipes, and this keeps the wheat flour from flying into the air.  

 The hardest part is remembering not to taste-test...

Road Tripping!

Thanks to Udi's whole grain GF bread and DiLusso sandwich meats, we were able to make a 3 day road trip and have me arrive in Washington healthy and not feeling like I had a hamburger rock in my stomach. Sandwiches on the road are amazing.

Udi's bread comes from the store frozen, and if you let it completely thaw before opening the bag at all (on the counter overnight), the bread is super soft and moist, and does not need to be toasted before eating! It does not have any preservatives though, so make sure to eat it within 5 or 6 days.

DiLusso does not add gluten, artificial ingredients or MSG to their meats. It is a little more expensive, but so yummy and worth it - especially while travelling.

Getting started here...

I'm working on getting this going...hopefully sometime in the next 2-3 weeks, I'll have my format ready and be up and running.