Cindy Lou Who -New Author

Greetings! My name is Cindy Bunde (aka Cindy Lou Who) and I’m so thrilled to have been invited to share my cooking recipes and tips with you through Saltbox House Cooking Exchange!

So a quick lil’ something about me. I’m an Idaho girl (I’m planning some potato posts, don’t worry!) with two fantastic, bright kids and a husband who shares the love of food and all things nerdy with me. I work part-time as a physician assistant, so nourishing my family with non-processed foods helps drive my passion for food. That, and I love to eat! I also love the outdoors (hiking, camping, gardening, cross-country skiing), reading and lately, photography.

As I suspect is the case with many of the readers of this blog, I am always looking for those “golden” recipes – tasty, easy, healthy, fast, interesting enough for adults but pleasing for finicky kids. Not all of my posts may fit those criteria but I aim for the overall picture. Although I can appreciate gourmet cooking made with all kinds of unusual spices and ingredients, that’s not my style.

I am inspired by so many wonderful ladies in the world of cooking and online posting. Perhaps I'll have some tips that will inspire you!

May's Author of the Month: Alison L.

Alison L.

Texas

Saltbox House Author since 2009

Read Her Bio (Click Here)

Favorite Restaurant(s):
We don't go out to eat much, but my favorite restaurant in Utah was Bajio Grill. It served the same type of food as Cafe Rio but I like their tortillas better and never stood in a long line<-- major bonus points there. I haven't found a new favorite place yet here in Texas.

Favorite Foods: 
I would say my favorite food is anything I didn't cook. Isn't that awful? While I enjoy recipes and making new foods, the ultimate tasting experience is trying something fabulous that I didn't prepare and, best of all, something I won't have to clean up! But to be specific, I like home-style food. Breads (I know, carbs!), yummy potatoes (carbs!), and pasta (carbs, again!) dominate my recipe box. I am not a sweet tooth and rarely makes desserts.

Inspiration to Cook:With young kids, we are kind of hampered by their undeveloped tastes. I get tired of the same old thing and so I take two approaches 1. having the same old things be fast and easy or 2. trying new dishes that are familiar but different enough to be a little exciting to the grown ups in this house.

Feelings about New Foods:I love, love, love to collect new recipes. Even if the new recipe is for something I regularly cook. Just a little change makes the familiar a lot more fun.

At the Table:I don't really enjoy cooking for others, but that is due to insecurity. I have known so many wonderful cooks (my mother being the best) that I'm a little shy about sharing my skills. Which is probably why I don't post here enough.

Here at Saltbox House Cooking Exchange, we have been inspired by Alison and chose her as May's author of the month because of her hard work as a mother and creative blog designer. She has been our technical support for Saltbox House since the beginning of our expansion and has helped make this blog what it is today! In recognition of Mother's Day this month, we believe that cooking can be a big demand in your household, but we should explore and discover all that food can offer at the family table. To view all of Alison L.'s current posts such as delicious recipes, cooking creations, and other food topics see link list below:

Cheesy Broccoli Bean Soup

Five Minute Caramel Corn

Puppy Chow

Three Bean Soup (Crock Pot)

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

Irish Soda Bread

Gingerbread Cookies

Moist Applesauce Fruitcake

Stuffed Mushrooms

Easy Peasy Pumpkin Cookies

Apple-Walnut Loaf

Game Day Salsa 

*Most Popular Post

April's Author of the Month

Amanda D.
New Mexico

Saltbox Author Since 2009

Read Her Bio
Click Here





Favorite Foods:

My all time favorite food is Popcorn cooked on the stove not the microwave!

My favorite thing to eat (right now it often changes): Brown Rice, Smoked Salmon, wilted down kale all wrapped up in seaweed (so basically a sushi burrito) with soy sauce and wasabi of course.

Inspiration to Cook:

I love cooking always have and hope I always will. I don't ever feel like not cooking, though sometimes I don't always feel like cleaning up the mess. One of the best ways to spend time with friends and family is to cook a meal together. My kids help in the kitchen all the time and I truly feel if they join in the fun of meal preparation they are more likely and eager to eat what they have cooked. In this fast paced convenience food society I want to instill the value to homemade meals and sitting down together in my children.

Feelings about New Foods:

I love trying new foods. Though I am also a bit picky about what I will put into my body. There is so much information out there these days and movies like Food Inc. make me really think twice about the foods I buy and what I feed my family. As much as possible I buy organic and locally grown food.

At the Table:

Cooking for others is an absolute passion. We love having friends for dinner and I love helping a friend in need by taking them a home cooked meal.

Here at Saltbox House Cooking Exchange, we have been inspired by Amanda and chose her as April's author of the month because of her creativity with cooking and her desire to use organic and locally grown foods in the meals she makes. In recognition of Earth Day this month, we believe that cooking nutritious foods should come as close to the garden as possible and we encourage everyone to make good choices in the foods they eat and make their families this month. To view all of Amanda's current posts such as delicious recipes, cooking creations, and other food topics see link list below:

Caring for Cast Iron Cookware

Heart Dogs

Not Your Average Gnocchi!

Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Meyer Lemon Raspberry Tart

Spicy Indian Quinoa Salad

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Freshly Baked Valentines

Heart Shaped Spaghetti

Kitchen Sink Cookies

Almond Snowballs

Pumpkin Molasses Cookies

Pumpkin Bread with a Twist

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

My Mom's Caesar Salad

My Top Three Favorite Soups

Butternut Squash Risotto

Pink Pancakes AKA Beet Pancakes

Homemade Trail Mix

Kids Cat Rolls

Kids Cat Rolls
We made these Cat for a Joy School Activity- so they are easy enough for one adult to help 4 three and four year olds in making. I used Rhodes Frozen Rolls, which I always have in the freezer. Each cat uses 4 rolls (in the above picture, ignore the big roll on the right- one of the kids snuck that into the picture).

Directions:
Pull out 4 rolls about 2 hours before activity or until thawed but still cold (I put mine in the fridge once they had thawed until we needed them.)
Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
1. Take two rolls and smash them together. Roll them (like a snake). This is the cats body. Lay it on the cookie sheet.
2. Take one roll and roll it like a snake. This is the cats tail. Pinch it to one end of the cats body.
3. Take one roll (the last one) and flatten it out in the shape of a circle. Then using a pair of scissors, cut it in the shape of a heart with the bottom not so pointed. Pinch it to the other end of the cats body.
4. Take scissors and clip the dough. This makes it look like fur- see pictures below. You can clip as much or as little as you want.
Let rise for 20 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Nichole's Intro

Hello, my name is Nichole Hernandez, i am Madeline's best friend and co-creator of this blog. I don't feel right calling myself that because Madeline does everything, she is just kind enough to give me that title:) I love food and i love to cook even more. I can't really say that one person inspired me to learn to cook but i do remember a couple people, i guess you could say, influencing me in different ways. First being Mom...she is a great  and adventurous cook. The thing i always remember about her and her cooking is that she was never afraid to try new things and was/is always experimenting with new spices and ingredients. That's kind of the way i cook today, i love to work with new ingredients and sometimes mix spices and flavors that you would never expect to be in the same dish. I think if you asked my husband what he likes most about my cooking, it would be that. The other person that influenced me would be my Grandma Pat...she passed away when i was 17 years old but i still have vivid memories or dishes that she made, i can remember how they smelled and tasted and how great they looked. It makes me feel close to her when i make her dishes or cook from her cookbook. I love that food can do that. She made everything look perfect and easy all at the same time, i strive to be able to cook like her and to pass down my love of cooking to my son.

I will admit that i watch quite a few cooking shows on The Food Network, and i have learned SO much from them! I love being able to watch a show and learn a cooking "method" and being able to use it that night when i make dinner for my family. Once you learn a cooking method you can use different ingredients and turn it into so many different meals, tweaking it to make it your own. I love to cook, what i consider to be, American comfort food, Mexican and Italian food the most. My goal this year is to learn more Mexican dishes, like Tamales, which shouldn't be too hard with  Mexican Mother-in law:)

I have loved being a part of this blog. I hope post more of what i cook this year than i did last year, to be honest, remembering to take a picture of my meal before i eat it is what usually keeps me from posting my recipes:) I wish everyone an exciting year in cooking and blogging!

March's Author Spotlight- Stephani T.

Stephani T.
New York

Saltbox Author Since  2009

Read Her Bio Click Here

Favorite Foods:
Cheese (especially Dubliner and goat cheeses) 
Chocolate
(Yes, I am partial to the typical female food group)

Favorite Restaurant(s):
Since living in three states recently, I had a favorite restaurant in each state. 1-Utah: Log Haven 2-Los Angeles: (so many good ones!) Viva Madrid 3-New York: Black and Blue

Inspiration to Cook:
Many things inspire me to cook, but perhaps the two most driving inspirations for all things culinary are my mother, and my convictions about food and its impact on our lives and, essentially, the earth. My mother is a fantastic cook and baker. I grew up eating from her garden, canned preserves, self-ground wheat, homemade bread, and her other various industrious culinary ambitions. I took this for granted when I was young, but when I got out on my own, I realized not only that the food at home was better, but how much better I felt when I ate my moms 'from scratch food'. I realized that making food for your family is healthier as well as an expression of love. The second main reason I have for cooking is because I honestly believe that you are what you eat. What we eat impacts our bodies, our minds, everyone else, and the earth. I try to make sure that my food choices are not at the expense of anyone/thing else. I am not prefect at this, by any means, but I try.

Feelings about New Foods:
I absolutely love to try new foods and flavors. I will try just about anything (yes, I have eaten things that would make some squirm). I feel like tasting new foods is akin to taking different classes in school. You sure won't learn much from taking only one class. That said, I also enjoy falling back to the favorites and staples in between being adventurous

At the Table:

Entertaining guests, especially for dinner, is something that my family has been known for since my great-grandmother, (quite the socialite). I inherited the 'hospitality' gene and if I had it my way, I would have people over every other night. I just love to feed people good food. ;-)

Here at Saltbox House Cooking Exchange, we have been inspired by Stephani and chose her as March's author of the month because of her soul connection with Irish cooking. Having this connection through her heritage has taught all of us here the way to Irish culture and traditional cooking. To view all of Stephani's current posts such as delicious recipes, cooking creations, and other food topics see link list below:

Guinness and Beef Casserole

Dublin Coddle

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

Anglo-Irish Sticky Toffee Pudding

Molten Lava Cake

Basic Applesauce

What to do with a Pumpkin

Most Popular Post!

Autumn In A Jar

Irish Beef Stout Stew

Doughnut Muffins

Easy Breezy Spring Dishes

Irish Recipes for Everyone to Enjoy

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Documentary Film Review, Food Inc.- 'Making a Choice Every Day'

About Me

 Madeline L.
- Food Enthusiast and Co-Creator of Saltbox House Cooking Exchange

I never did write my introduction post and I think it is only fair to do so after having all of our authors post theirs. It is with out a doubt that I have always wanted to be a chef, after my grandfather. As I would like to admit that he taught me everything I know, this is not the case. He passed away when I was not even 9 years old. But, I wrote down the many things that he did teach me about food, cooking, and bringing family together at the dinner table. My grandmother continued to show me her husband's cooking traits until she passed on not too much later. I will never forget the memories and teachings of both of them. In fact, the most important thing my grandfather taught me was to cook with what you have. He made it a point to be comfortable with the things around you or that you come to find. He, who grew up during a depression, learned that living within your means also meant eating within your means. This resulted in a passion for gardening, planting a small orchard, raising animals, and making something delicious from all those things that he had right there on the farm.

This blog was first created by me and my best friend Nichole for reasons of swapping recipes with each other and to keep a record of them. Since then, we have invited several other friends (authors) to join us in this so called cooking club fetish and have had a blast ever since. We like to keep things simple and savory with our foods and that has now become our goal with this blog. Sometimes, the posts will be overflowing and other times, it may be at a halt. But either way you look at it, it is an awesome feeling to be able to share and learn at the same time. I hope that all of you, whether you are an author on this blog or a reader, enjoy the culinary adventures that await you here and everywhere.

Thanks for stopping by!

An Intro to an Unseasoned Cook

 Hello to all the wonderful viewers of the Saltbox House Cooking Exchange. My name is Shalyce and I am so excited to be making my first post on this blog. To begin, I would like to say that I am no where near a wonderful cook. My food tastes good, is prepared with minimal mess, and makes it to the table 3 times a day. Being a stay at home mom, I have come to realize that I have a lot to do with how my family eats. It all rests in my hands. I never had a real interest in getting better at cooking until I moved to England nearly 8 months ago. That's when I thought... I am sooooo tired of eating what seems like the same thing all week long. So 3 times a day became 3 different chances to learn something new. Whether it be finding a new recipe or finding a way to change up a dish I already make. Thanks to my dear friend Madeline, I have used this blog on many occasions not just for inspiration but for easy meal ideas. I am hoping to become better at understanding the ingredients that go into each dish I make giving my family a nutritious and yummy meal. On the opposite hand of nutritious, I can always go for my favorite and very tasty date night treat. 

 Mark's Caramelled Popcorn (my brother-in-law)

Ingredients:
     2 cubes butter
     1/2 cup Karo Syrup
     1 1/4 cups brown sugar
     1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

In a saucepan, mix together butter, Karo syrup and brown sugar. Stirring continually, bring to a boil.  Taking a half a cup ice cold water, drip some of the caramel mix into the water forming a firm ball with your fingers. If a firm ball is achieved, add 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk to the entire caramel mixture. (If your anything like me, I skip the firm ball test and just keep on stirring the caramel until it looks nice and thick, then I add the sweetened condensed milk.)  Pour mixture over a large bowl  (approximately 3 bags) of freshly made butter less popcorn. Enjoy!

Simply Shepherd's Pie and my Intro




Photo by Madeline L.

 Hi my name is Lindsay. This is my first post which supposed to be about me. All I can say is I love food but I don’t love cooking. I do however enjoy other people’s cooking and thought that this blog would be fun to join and add what I do know about cooking and anything else that comes to my mine about food. My favorite dishes to make are things containing rice. Plus, breakfast foods are a must in our house. My husband is currently looking for a cook as I have not quite reached his level of cooking standards. So, to all of you out there in my position, look for my posts, share your thoughts, and maybe we can get through this together ;).

Simply Shepherd’s Pie

Even though this type of dish is not in the rice or breakfast category, it is an ideal meal that doesn't require much work or much thought (Yes!) The fun part is mixing and matching whatever combinations you like. The whole point is to layer and bake!

Examples of Ingredients to layer:
Vegetables- You can use any type really. I use whatever I have. Here are some ideas (Although I probably wouldn't put all of them together, just mix some of them):
Tomatoes
Corn
Carrots
Zucchini
Other squash
String Beans
Cabbage
Peppers

*Note: Saute and mix all of your vegetables before you place them in the cooking pan for fast baking.

Meats or Beans- If you don't have any meat, you can use beans for a more Mexican style or vegetarian.
Hamburger (Traditional and most commonly used)
Shredded or Chopped Steak, Chicken, or Pork.

*Note: Cook all of your meat or beans before adding these to the cooking pan.

Season/Sauce
You can season the meat or beans with sauce packets or your favorite seasonings making them spicy, sweet, or plain. I like to use brown gravy with meat but, you can use any type of gravy or you can make your own sauce.

*Note: Make sauce before covering meat and veggies.

Mashed Potatoes or Rice
You can cover up your shepherd's pie with pre-made mashed potatoes (instant works too). Or, you can even use steamed rice.

Toppings:
Generally you use a variety of cheeses that melt on top as it bakes, other things people have tried are bread crumbs and more seasonings.

Directions in Six Simple Steps:
1- Layer Veggies (or Meat) on the bottom of a deep cooking pan. I use a 9x13 cake pan.
2- Add  Meat (or Veggies) as the next layer
3- Add Sauce or gravy
4- Add top layer with mashed potatoes or rice
5- Top with Shredded Cheeses.
6- Bake: If everything is pre-cooked, you only have to bake for up to 30 min (plus or minus) at 350 degrees.


That's It!

Intro to me

I cook meals like the next mom but I would say it is out of necessity. I love to eat good food and sit down for a meal but the planning, shopping, fixing, toiling, mess ups, and clean ups all while my children are pulling on me leave me exhausted and regretfully sometimes sorry that I even bothered. I do it all because I prefer home cooking for my taste buds and wallet. What I really like it photographing. So this just gives me one more thing to take photos of!
Madelin and I are planning on teaming up. She will provide the recipe and creation and I will photograph it. It should be awesome because she is a beautiful and scrumptiously awesome culinary artist.
These cookies are the Hillary Clinton Cookies that Loni posted. What a great recipe! I could eat them all day. But honestly, I am inclined to think that Mrs Clinton (God bless her) has never made them. I just can't see her in the kitchen giving them to Chelsea with a glass of milk.
So there you go. That is my intro. You should seriously make these cookies.
Sally

Hello, its me, Loni

Hellos!

My name Is Loni P. and I'm an author on this blog. Sorry for the unfortunate picture, I had a limited choice--my husband has the camera card who knows where and if I put this off any longer, well, you might never get to know me.

I am a self-proclaimed veggie lover (I read that on an another blog and wondered if there is another type of proclaimed veggie lover...). I believe in healthy eating, whole grains, healthy fats, variety-- however there is a time and place for all things. I LOVE cookies. true, deep love. I guess that makes me a self-proclaimed cookie lover.

I'm great at following recipes--stellar, in fact. I'm not good at just whipping things up out of my own head--usually a disaster. I like Julia Child, not a huge fan of Rachel Ray. I really like trying new recipes with new flavors (though, when I say new I'm talking more capers than, say, octopus.)

Lets see, what else? I'm a mom of two and a wife of one. I enjoy making things that my husband tells me are "beautiful" and "amazing" and that are also good for him. I want my kids, and my husband and I, to grow up with respect for food and open minds to flavors.

So, there you have it. I'm looking forward to sharing good foods and getting some great ideas for good foods.

Another Addition to this Blog

Hello, my name is Gloria. I am Madeline's mother. I've been meanig to post this for some time but, as life has it, things get busy. I do like to cook and have made homemade meals for my family since I've been married. I homeschooled my three littlest girls (Madeline included) and we would have cooking classes so I could teach them how to make bread, can foods, and show them some other great things about food. I think that they learned a lot as they enjoy cooking so much. Food plays a huge role in our family ecspecially since two of my children have been diagnosed with Cilacs Diease (my daughter at the age of 2 and son at the age of 33). It has been a challenge but, we have mangaed to make it a part of our lives. Recipes and experimenting with new recipes is a must. The fact is, we love to eat food, cook food, and even talk about it. I look forward to the holidays when the kitchen will be full of all my children and grandchildren again. It is one the greatest feelings during this time of year and a little overwhelming at that.

A little about myself, I live in Idaho with my husband and we are enjoying our life together. We like skiing, golfing, and traveling but most of all, spending time with our family. As far as food goes, I think that looks can be deceiving (food should taste as good as it looks). If it tastes good, that's what it's all about. There really isn't room for being picky when your hungry.

Hi, I'm Michelle and I'm WAY LATE with the bio thing...

I'm Michelle Evans. I am way late with the bio thing , but so excited to be a part of this blog. I have 2 little kiddos and a busy hubby and am learning that cooking is a great way to be creative while still accomplishing something that already has to be done...

My mom is a fabulous cook and she taught me to cook and to measure everything with exactness. That way it always works out. I love cooking with my mom and using her recipes (they are always good). The creative part of me can't always cook like that though (and more often than not, I don't have the right ingredients anyway), so I sometimes venture out into the unknown and experiment. This is my faborite way to cook -try whatever sounds good at the time and see how it works out.

I served as a missionary in NYC and my mind was opened to a whole new realm of ideas and possibilities relating to cooking (and eating, which is my favorite part!)! I'm the wife of a medical student and have enjoyed being creative, cooking with food storage and whatever else we have or don't have on hand :)! Substitutions are like wild cards! They make the game so much better! :)

For me the bottom line is: life's exciting! And I think cooking (and of course, eating) should be too.

Thanks so much for your delicious ideas! I'm excited to be a part of the crew!

P.S. The picture is my son after we made chocolate pudding. He loves to cook too! He gets his neatness from me!

Hope Y'All Aren't Sick of Pumpkins Yet!

Hi, everyone! My name is Heather. I also go by Heathie, particularly with the younger crowd--4- and 5-year-olds who can't pronounce their 'R' sounds. I'm glad to be part of this blog because I need to start cooking better! My husband is incredibly picky. Basically if it has sauce or vegetables, he won't eat it. Thus, a lot of my posts will be foods for picky eaters (except for the days he's not home; those days, we eat well. Hee hee!).

I know Madeline already did a recipe for Pumpkin Muffins. I totally forgot about it last night when I was looking for a pumpkin muffin recipe, and I think it would have been more what I was looking for than the one I came up with. So I'll probably use it next time. The following recipe, though, is one I tweaked to try to make it more "healthy." I used some honey, but ran out so I also used some brown sugar. I like it better in pumpkin things than white sugar. But honestly, sugar is sugar and it all surges through the blood stream the same way. Without further ado, here is my version of Pumpkin Muffins:

In a large bowl, combine
1 1/3 C Pumpkin Puree
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Honey
2 Eggs
1/2 + 1/8 C oil (I'm no good at fractions, so I didn't bother consolidating those amounts into one number...)

The resulting sludge will look something like this.

In a smaller bowl combine

1 1/2 C Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/8 tsp Ground Ginger

Add the dry mixture to the wet, and mix well.

Recipe fills 12 regular size muffin cups almost completely.

Bake at 400 F for 16-20 minutes.

I was actually looking to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, but half way through realized I was out of chocolate chips. These muffins aren't really chewy-gooey enough for chocolate chips anyway. But I think they make a good breakfast muffin to be enjoyed with scrambled eggs and fruit, which is just what we had for breakfast this morning!

Hey!

I am Angie, Madelines sister. I love to cook and am very excited about sharing some recipes with all of you. We currently live in Alaska and eat fish on a regular basis. I am always looking for something new for my 3 children and my husband.

The "other" Abby

Hi there! My name is Abby and I am Madeline's sister-in-law. I live in Sandpoint, am married and have 2 living children. I love to bake and my husband loves to cook. We make a pretty good team. I grew up eating fresh produce out of the garden and am excited to get back into it now that we just bought our first home and can grow a garden. Recently I have canned for the first time and I really enjoy it. So do my kids as they will eat peaches that they didn't before! I cannot wait to see what we can all learn from each other.

Hello from Carolyn!

Hi! My name is Carolyn and I am so happy to be a part of this blog. I have always loved to cook but my knowledge has increased a ton since marrying my husband. You see, I married the son of a dairyman who's family has made a life out of homemade bread, garden produce and years of family recipes. Our family get togethers revolve around canning, homemade holiday candy and quick and easy meals. I am delighted to be able to share all I have learned with everyone.

Angi's Intro...

Hello! My name is Angi. I am so excited to become a member of this blog! I am always trying new foods and recipes and I am excited to be able to share what I find. I am even more thrilled about discovering what others share and enjoy! I am married and have 2 children. For a few months I have been throwing around the idea of starting a blog to share foods that I enjoy. So, thanks for this opportunity.

This recipe comes from my Dad. Growing up we would make cookies on Sunday and this is by far my favorite. This recipe is doubled and makes a huge amount of cookies. I just discovered that you can scoop out the cookies onto the baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for an hour, then they can be stored in a plastic freezer bag and can be used at a later date.

My Dad's Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Combine dry ingredients and set aside:

4 cups Flour
4 cups Oats
2 t. Baking Soda
2 t. Salt

Blend together:

1-1/2 cups Shortening
1/2 cup Butter
1-1/2 cups Sugar
1-1/2 cups Brown Sugar
2 t. Vanilla
4 Eggs

Add Dry ingredients slowly to sugar mixture and blend well. Add Chocolate Chips. Cook at 350 Degrees until edges start to turn brown. 8-10 Minutes.

Intro & cinnamon rolls

Hi! My name is Heather and I currently live in MT. My son struggles with Sensory Processing Disorder. Because of this he is sensitive to Wheat, red 40 and yellow 6 (food dyes) so cooking at our house is interesting. Recently we found out that my daughter too is sensitive to wheat. Neither can tolerate even the slightest amount of gluten, though neither test positive for Celiacs. So, we are Gluten free. That means, no wheat, barley, or rye. No barley also means no malt. Also no red or yellow food colorings. I want to share a favorite recipe of mine. It is for cinnamon rolls. first I will share the regular version, then the adapted version.

Stir and let stand. In 15 minutes it should be bubbly and active.
1Cup plus 1 1/2 tsp warm water
1/4 C sugar
1/3 C oil
2T yeast.

With an electric mixer add:
1 egg
1tsp Salt
3 1/2C flour

Roll out into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick
Spread with soft butter
sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture ( 1/3 C sugar and 2-4 tsp cinnamon.)
add nuts, currants, or raisins if desired.
roll up and cut into 1 1/2 inch rolls. (it you get a long piece of unflavored dental floss, slide it underneath the loaf and place it where you want to cut, cross the ends and pull taught it slices through without smashing the loaf.

bake at 375 for 10 minutes. (or until just starting to brown.)

Now for the variation:
Follow the recipe as outlined above. Instead of wheat flour add your favorite GF flour. My favorite for this recipe is Gluten Free Mama's Almond blend flour. Mix into the flour almost, but not quite a teaspoon of xanthan gum.

Also instead of 1 egg, I added 1 egg plus 1 egg white. I beat the egg and extra white in a separate bowl with a fork until frothy.

Hi I'm Angelene

Hmm what to say about me. Do I like cooking? Sometimes. I am Angelene. I have three kids and am married to Madeline's brother who also has celiacs disease. He has not always had it. We have been married over 7 years and he was diagnosed with it over 3 years ago. I felt really good about cooking until that happened and all my cooking abilities changed. For the first couple of months I thought that I was going to die. Now cooking gluten free has become such the norm. I cook everything as well. We don't lack in anything in our home. We eat everything that everybody else eats. We also eat pretty healthy in our home. I actually enjoy cooking new recipes. I have hundreds of gluten free recipes which many I will share on this site. Not only do I cook (and some say I am an amazing cook) but also can foods. I can foods from June till October every year. I have not bought canned fruit or salsa or beans for 5 years now. I will also share my recipes of that. I am excited to be a part of this blog and to share what I can about cooking especially gluten free.