Pretzels

I went to Whole Foods to buy Glutino pretzels and when I got there they were on sale. YAY! However, I then spotted Snyder's of Hanover pretzels and in the mix was a gluten free bag. I decided to give it a try. Not only was it cheaper, but OH MY! They taste like real gluten filled pretzels.When I got to the counter, the cashier even made a comment about how he accidentally bought the gluten free ones and him and his wife couldn't tell the difference. Enough said.

8 ounce bag only $2.99

WAY TO GO NATIVE SUN!

YAY!! Native Sun in Jacksonville, FL just opened their own gluten free bakery. You can find gf desserts at both locations. I was happy to see small items at the coffee bar (cookies, pound cake, etc) as well as a refrigerator section of cakes and other goodies (chocolate chip cake, apple cake, oatmeal cream pie, carrot cake, chocolate cake, etc). I was heading out of town the night I went, so I just grabbed one piece of the chocolate chip cake to go with lunch. It was delicious, dotted heavily with chocolate chips and covered in a yummy creamy icing. The cake was the size of 2 normal slices and only cost $3.99-definitely worth the convenience of premade cake with lunch :) I'm looking forward to sampling their other items soon, but until then, go check it out for yourself.

http://nativesunjax.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/new-gluten-free-bakery-at-native-sun/

Chicken, several ways

Chicken breasts were on sale $1.59 a lb, so I decided to load up. Once I got home, I figured it'd be in my best interest to freeze some for after baby gets here and we're feeling too lazy to cook.
* 2 pieces, seasoned with onion powder, cayenne pepper, and salsa to use for fajitas tonight
* 2 pieces, seasoned with worcestershire (walmart bread is naturally gf), salt, and pepper-frozen
* 2 pieces, plain, frozen
* 2 pieces, stuffed italian style (recipe below)Stuffed Italian Chicken
* 2 chicken breast, flattened/butterflied
* 2 slices of salami
* sauteed onions, bell peppers, and spinach
* shredded mozzarella
* crumbled goat's cheese
* seasoning: onion powder, garlic salt, hot pepper flakes, ground pepper
* 1 can of diced tomatoes

Flatten chicken or butterfly. In the center load each piece with salami, sauteed veggies, cheeses, and seasonings. Roll up chicken and secure with toothpicks. At this point, the chicken can either be rolled in saran wrap and frozen for later or cooked right away.
When ready to cook, place chicken in a small baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and top with a can of diced tomatoes. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.
Serve with a salad, roasted potatoes, pasta, or veggies of your choice.

Cinnamon Rolls

I was so excited to see Cinnamon Rolls on my trip to Cookie MOMsters. While I have a good recipe for gluten free cinnamon rolls, 99% of the time, I am too lazy to make them. That is why out of the 200 times I've craved them in the last couple of years, I have only ever made them twice.

Once I got home, I started to regret my decision to splurge $10 on 6 rolls, knowing that I'd built them up too much in my head. I was going to wait for breakfast today, but finally gave in and had one for dessert last night. Let me tell you, they were DELICIOUS and when I had them again this morning for breakfast....just as delicious. I usually add pecans and raisins to mine, which this one was missing, but the cinnamon cakey flavor was perfect. I thought the mock cream cheese icing would be a let down, as this pregnancy as turned me into a dairy fiend, but I was pleased all the way around.
This is something I would buy again. It's nice to have cinnamon rolls, in the freezer, ready to eat when I want them. Thank you Cookie MOMsters for another enjoyable, GFCF treat!

Fruit Smoothie
* banana, frozen
* strawberries
* pineapple, chopped
* half orange
* Stonyfield Vanilla yogurt
* Tbsp coconut flakes
Toss all ingredients in blender. Blend. Enjoy!

Magic bars

Thank you Gluten Free Easily!

I made some small modifications and these were such a great treat!

3/4 cups rolled gluten free oats
1/4 cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp peanut butter
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk (7oz)
1 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 8 x8 baking dish.

In small bowl, combine oats, peanut butter, butter; mix well. Press mixture into bottom of baking dish. The results may not seem like a crust at all, but it will come together once you cook it.

Layer remaining ingredients in order: chocolate chips, coconut, almonds, and evenly pour condensed milk over top.

Bake for 25 minutes.

I want Chicken Wings

I have been craving chicken wings since I got pregnant. I have been searching for gluten free wings, but its been an endless search.
Today, at the grocery store, I found Al Fresco Buffalo Style Chicken Sausage and not only were they gluten free, but they were also the same price as the generic brands and they had a $1 off coupon. They were not as spicy as I had hoped for, but they had a nice mild buffalo flavor.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
* whole foods gf sandwich bread, toasted
* chicken sausage, pan fried
* lettuce
* tomato, thinly sliced
* ranch
* additional hot sauce

Gluten Free Bakery in Jacksonville, FL

I always read other blogs and feel a great deal of jealousy when people mention visiting their local gluten free bakery, but no more. I am pleased to announce that today I visited Cookie Momsters, a gluten/casein/nut free bakery located on San Jose Blvd right here in Jacksonville, FL. The bakery is small and only open Wed-Sat from 10-4pm. Most of their business is done through special orders and selling bulk cookie dough to Whole Foods, but on hand they have a variety of frozen baked goods to be purchased.
The prices are high, but I didn't expect anything different, after all we all know how expensive gluten free baking is. The quality and convenience of their products were worth the price. The woman running the store was very nice and allowed me to sample a few things before purchasing. I picked up:
* Chex mix (chex, pretzels, and some puffed cheese thing with a soy free soy sauce)
* Half a loaf of bread (8 normal sized slices) $5 and DELICIOUS! It was considerable more than I like to spend on bread, but after getting home and making a sandwich, I would definitely eat less bread in order to be able to afford having really good bread when I want a great sandwich.
* A 6 pack of cinnamon rolls with a mock cream cheese icing $10
* Chocolate chip ice cream sandwich $2.50 (the cookies were soft and extremely tasty, however I was not a fan of the Tempt-Hemp Ice Cream. I would probably buy their cookie dough and make my own ice cream sandwiches in the future)I look forward to going back in the future to try their other cookies, muffins, and maybe even some of their pre-made entrees.