An Update....

Hello.

I had the endoscopy on 11/7. I should have final biopsy results soon. Initial reports say no Celiac. I'm going on the assumption that this will be what the biopsies say. I continue to search for the reasons of my health issues.

Regardless of the answer, I will leave this blog up. There are many recipes I really enjoyed, and I know others did too. Also, I love cooking, so I will ALWAYS have recipes that will be naturally gluten-free, and I will blog them here to share with all of you.

I appreciate your patience as I go through this process, and in so, reinvent myself again, at 40.

The view from the Wheat field....

Yes, I said it.

My health, continuing to decline despite my gluten-freeness caused us to redo the doctor route.

3 weeks ago I met with my gastroenterologist - a charming fellow who has the standard "Doctors are God" complex belittled my choice of self diagnosis on needing to be gluten free. Denied that he ever told me that my bloodwork was inconclusive, etc. And that all I have is IBS and he'll prove it by doing the endoscopy. Okay, maybe he wasn't that harsh about it - but said it between a wide smile that said "you are stupid". So...for three weeks I have been eating wheat in preparation for my test in early November. I have to say, I feel no different. I'm still tired, I'm still nauseous all the time, and I'm still have the same intestinal issues as before.

I do agree - however - staring down a lifelong denial of gluten, I'd really rather have conclusive evidence that I need to be there. And if I find out I am, in fact, a Celiac and I do, in fact, need to return to eating gluten-free, I will, with joy and newfound peace regarding it. I've come to know so many great folks, great recipes, and great foods since going gluten-free.

IF...I find out that I do not need to return and rejoin the world of Gluten Gluttons, I WILL leave this website here with the recipes that I've found, created, adapted, for others. They truly were satisfying substitutes, ones I'd be happy to eat the rest of my life.

I will keep you all posted. And if I come up with naturally gluten-free recipes on my other blog (www.in-the-kitchen-with-krista.blogspot.com), I will post them here as well.

So long (for now), and thanks for all the rice (not to mention tapioca, sorghum and millet!!).

so.....

I bet you're all wondering where the heck I've been....I bet you're waiting with bated breath for my next delicious concoction! I don't blame you!

I'd like to say that I've been on vacation, and that I'm sunning myself on a beach somewhere that there is no internet access! Well...that would be lying and my mother always taught me that lying was wrong. So...

My brand new oven has been out of commission for a month. Nope, not kidding. The first time I turned it on, the lights blew out and I heard a loud pop. Thought it was just the lights. Turns out it's a circuit board, but the warranty company is, shall we say, unintelligent and having trouble finding the right board and fixing it.

Before the guy came the first time (and he's been here 3 time in 5 weeks) the oven worked fine...just no lights. Now...it works, but the internal fan doesn't so that causes condensation since it's an in cabinet oven...so as to not ruin my brand new cabinets, I thought it better to forgo oven cooking until then.

Factor this in with hosting a cultural immersion student for almost 3 weeks, kids having Vacation Bible School and a travelling husband and you've just run into a point where dinner is hot dogs, salads and whatever you can grab on the go!

So...working on some stuff to get out there for ya, I promise. I'm thinking of making some Peanut Butter Truffles for the Farewell Party for our cultural immersion student.

Thanks for your patience.

:)

Summer Salad Monday - Layered Salad

So here's this week's installment. Yes, you think layered salad, and your mind harkens back to a simpler time, one of tuna-noodle casserole, Chex party mix, and green Jello salads. A time when we griped because the price of gas was 80 cents a gallon! THE HORROR! True. I was a kid in the 70's. True, I've eaten ALL of these things (well, except for the gas). True, occasionally, I even CRAVE them (again, except for the gas!!...Although...crave that 80 cents/gallon pricetag!)

This version of it is taken from a newsletter that my Mother-in-law, Carolyn, sent to us many years ago (well, not as far back as the 70's). I made a minor adjustment, by adding scallions.


Layered Salad

3 Cups Iceberg Lettuce, shredded
1/2 Cup Celery, cut diagonally
1/2 Cup Green Pepper, diced
1 Cup Carrots, shredded
10 oz Frozen Peas, thawed and drained
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 Cup Mayonnaise
2/3 Cup Sour Cream
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp Dried Basil
1 scallion, thinly sliced
5 Strips bacon, cooked and crumbled


In a large, deep, glass bowl, layer lettuce, celery, green pepper, carrots, peas and cheddar cheese. Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder and basil together well, fold in scallion. Pour over the layered salad. Sprinkle bacon over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Enjoy! (hey....this goes well with Tuna Casserole....EEEK...I'm just sayin'.....)

:)

You could also try a tex/mex variation of this:

3 Cups Shredded Romaine
10 oz Frozen corn, defrosted and thawed
2 medium tomates, chopped (or 1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles??? Drained??)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup green/red pepper diced & mixed
1 small red onion diced
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese Shredded
1 Cup Mayo
2/3 Cup sour Cream
1 tsp each chili powder, cumin, garlic powder
pinch red pepper (cayenne)

Layer from lettuce to cheese. Mix mayo, sour cream and spices. Pour over top. When serving top with crushed corn tortilla chips!

Summer Salad Monday - Build-a-Better-Burger Salad

Okay, you've missed me right? Finally feeling a little better. Still covered in hives when I stop the meds, so we'll see what happens.

Thought we'd start fresh with Summer Salad Monday's again! Well, it is officially Summer now, too!

Here is one I made a few weeks ago. This is inspired by Cheeburger Cheeburger restaurants just up the road from us. They have the most fabulous burgers, which when going gluten free filled me with fear that I'd never eat again! Well...they do a Serious Salad there where you get to build your own! MMMMMM....I always do the same thing...A serious burger, smotherd in fried onions and mushrooms, bacon, and cheese. Served on my salad of greens with red onion, tomatoes and a horseradish thousand island dressing. MMMMM. I've come to trust them, but cannot go there every time I crave one! Oh well!

SO...I made my own!!!

I started out with a grilled burger and covered in slowly sauteed and simmered onions and mushrooms. I melted cheese overtop and served over a salad of romaine lettuce, sliced FRESH vine ripened tomatoes, and sliced red onions.

Okay, so where's the recipe you ask? Did you forget the horseradish thousand island dressing????

Horseradish Thousand Island Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman's)
1/3 cup ketchup (watch these! some are not gluten-free)
1 Tbs milk
2 Tbs sweet pickle relish
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 Tbs Prepared Horseradish

Mix all ingredients together and serve over your Salad! :D

An Apology....

Ahhhh....my loyal listeners/readers (LOL)....I need to apologize for my absence.

Since returning from vacation, I have awoken every day covered in hives. Saturday it got worse and I awoke with a swollen face. Thankfully, Benedryl helped it come down...however, I looked like Botox Jane for a few hours!

I went to the Doc on Monday, and have had a ton of blood tests done. Doc said hives are usually caused by an internal source (i.e. food) vs. an external one.

So...the allergy meds, etc, have left me exhausted and non-desirous of trying to cook new foods...

I AM SORRY...and promise to start experimenting SOON!!!!

Please don't give up on me, and stay tuned!!!

Rice Chex Muddy Buddies

Okay.

So...

It's just too danged hot here in the northeast to post a soup recipe. It did turn out lovely and worth sharing, and it will be shared...maybe when this heat wave breaks!

Okay,

Now onto why we're here today! General Mills has caught onto the "gluten-free" trade and is now producing their Rice Chex gluten-free. Says so right on the box. I think this sent a shockwave of joy through the Gluten-free community!

Well...

This weeks highlight is a recipe I always wanted to try and never did because I didn't want to buy an expensive box of gluten-free rice chex alternative cereal and use it for something I couldn't share! LOL :D Well, our local grocery store just ran a special on Chex cereals and I got the large box for $2 each! I stocked up, let me tell you!

The recipe I tried was the Chex Muddy Buddies. Extremely easy to create and extremely delicious. A treat that won't heat up your kitchen, and is kept in the fridge, so it's a nice cool treat in this awful heat!

I hope you go whip yourselves up a batch and enjoy! :D

And rejoice that at Christmas we'll be able to do an inexpensive Chex Party Mix to share! :D