A (semi) local find!

T0night we went to Go Go Gumbo in Boyd TX. Boyd is a very small town so we were very surprised to find such WONDERFUL food! I called ahead and spoke w/the Chef/Owner Craig and he was familiar with Celiac and we discussed several choices.

We got there and it was VERY casual and very family friendly. There were games for the kids to play (board and video) as well as a basic kids menu. I was presenting the options to Grace and since they don't have flounder she didn't want fish. sigh. She decided on a plain salad - no dressing. What impressed me was their willingness to be accommodating and we received excellent service.

For those who can eat gluten I recommend the TV dinner - a type of sample plate - perfect amounts of perfect food. It really is some of the best food in Wise County. For those who can't eat gluten they have salmon always on the menu as well as shrimp and a fish of the day and some great salads.

Added bonus - the FANTASTIC Vanilla bean creme brulee was gluten free. Heaven.

Chili's

Tonight was was "School night" at Chili's.  I knew they had a gluten free menu but we hadn't been there since Grace was diagnosed so we were not sure how helpful they would be - we were VERY pleased with their service and attention to detail.  We brought our print out of the gluten free menu and I asked for a manager when I got there.  We found out they have the menus there for you - I wouldn't print it out because when you do you get tons of pages - soy, peanut, dairy... free as well as gluten. 

The manager was not familiar w/Celiac but was very open to making sure there was no cross contamination and said he would be back there when her meal was made.   He said they made everything fresh and didn't take it from a "batch."  He did come out and asked about toppings/seasonings (Grace only wanted corn on the cob, broccoli and oranges.)  We declined the cheese and season salt and he brought us individual packaged "real" butter and they delivered her meal on its own tray.  

I know it is always a risk when we eat out at a restaurant and it is still to be seen how it went tonight - but I was pleased that they took the extra steps we requested.  

www.chilis.com/menu/default.asp   

I scream, you scream we all scream for...

Ice cream cones!!  I had heard about gluten free ice cream cones but never saw them at the store. We were in Sprouts in Southlake and saw them and grabbed a box of "Let's Do Gluten Free Ice Cream Cones."

We grabbed some Bluebell (and rice cream for Sam) and scooped up some treats for everyone after dinner - they were YUMMY!  As Grace said "They taste like they are full of gluten!!"  

Am added bonus -  they are only 10 calories per cone - not important when covered by a big scoop of full fat ice cream but would also be good filled with fruit or other treats.  I like to put dry cereal in them and send the kids outside to play in the summer - they eat the cereal out of them then eat the cone -  no trash in the yard!

I love to find great gluten free things that taste like "real people food."  It is unanimous in our family that these are a hit!

Who doesn't love a Cheeto??

Thank goodness for Frito Lay! Not only do they have a wide range of products that are gluten free but they also have them in lunch size bags and in all grocery stores. The website does say the chips are made on the same line as gluten containing foods however the lines are washed between batches but a slight residue may remain on the lines. People who are extremely sensitive may be affected. Thankfully my daughter has not been.

We love the Fritos with cheese sauce and the Lay's with turkey and cheese.

Here is a link to their website - it lists all of their gluten free products:

www.fritolay.com/your-health/products-not-containing-gluten.html

Valentines angst!

So Grace's lovely 3rd grade teacher signed us up for cupcakes! She did this as a kindness so I could take care of Grace.

I am all about driving to Walmart and getting two dozen cupcakes for $5 - all baked and decorated so I did just that - then... came home and at 9 pm baked a box of Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix to make a batch of gluten free cupcakes that looked just like the store bought ones. I had WM make chocolate cupcakes with white icing and got some sprinkles to decorate both kinds so they would look alike.

The Cherrybrook Kitchen cupcakes were horrible - smelled great but tasted terrible - something Grace and I could both agree on. There was a bitterness to it and the texture was "wrong." It was also a little gritty. I am a believer that anything w/the right amount of oil and sugar must be edible but I could only eat one bite of the cupcake - same with Grace. I asked her if she thought icing would help and she said no. sigh.

Grace's Godmother Allison sent Grace a care package and in it were Pamela's Butter Shortbread cookies - simple round cookies topped with nothing. I took the tub of Pillsbury Classic White Frosting, placed a large 4 B star tip in the corner of a snipped baggie and went to town. About an inch of icing on top, had Grace put sprinkles on top and they looked GREAT!! Honestly - you can get past almost any cookie w/an inch of frosting and sprinkles on top. Of course my graduation from classes 1 and 2 from Wilton Cake Decorating Class didn't hurt either :)

I think these may be our "go to" treats for parties from now on. They were substantial enough to "feel" special but were very simple to pull together. I will probably make sure to have a package of these on hand.

If anyone has suggestions for boxed mixes or has some great recipes for cakes or cupcakes I would love to hear them.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Lloyd's Barbeque Pork - YUM!

I had to run to the store last night and Troy asked me to get something quick for dinner we could just heat up. I picked up some Lloyd's Barbeque Seasoned and Shredded Pork and some hamburger buns - knowing Grace wouldn't like the meat. When I got home I was looking at the back of the package when I saw the lovely words - GLUTEN FREE! Yea! The meat was in a tub like margarine would be in and was in the refrigerated section by the prepared meals (meatloaf, roast beef etc.)

I heated it up in 7 minutes and we all tried it - Grace w/crackers and us on a bun. It was lowbrow but really good - sort of like Sloppy Joes w/a different texture. Needless to say Ms. Pickypants didn't like it (but she tried it w/an open mind.) Sam on the other hand had 3 - yes I said THREE sandwiches!

I have heard there are good gluten free hamburger buns out there - it would be worth a try with this. You could also make tacos out of this, put it on a baked potato or on top of rice. I give it a thumbs up!

FYI - for you purists the spelling of Barbeque is theirs with the company being from Minnesota and all. Being from Texas I know better :)