My old friend Pitocin and I met again to duke things out. But it's hard to complain when this is the end result:
Monday, January 28, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Review-o-rama
Let's burn off some of this pre-labor energy by writing some overdue reviews for Go Dairy Free before Alisa fires me, shall we?
Authentic Foods Pie Crust Mix (gluten, wheat, and dairy free)
This made-from-almonds crust has a shortbread-y feel and taste that our whole family enjoyed. It is definitely made for sweet, not savory fillings. Scott and I think it works best with a creamy/custard filling. We filled ours with dairy-free pumpkin pie filling and it was lovely. (Yes, I should have covered the crust edges with foil. I forgot. Oops.) As with so many gluten-free products, you can't expect this crust to bake up like a wheat one would. But we really enjoyed the almond flavor and texture, especially with a smooth filling.
Ingredients: rice flour, natural almond meal, evaporated cane juice, tapioca flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, potato starch, vanilla, salt
We mixed in 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons plain soy milk, and 4 oz. of shortening. One package makes one crust.
Kinnikinnick Chocolate Cake Mix (gluten, wheat, and dairy free)
We liked this chocolate cake mix for many reasons, the most important being: it tastes like chocolate. Deep, dark, cocoa-y chocolate. Mmmm. I frosted it with dairy-free chocolate glaze.
I tend to like the texture and moistness of gluten-free mixes like those made by Namaste Foods, whereas Scott prefers a drier texture and finer crumb. This Kinnikinnick cake was just what he likes. Don't get me wrong, it is not a dry cake, nor was it disliked by anyone in our house. It's just a slightly different texture than other gluten-free mixes we have tried, which I think is a good thing. If at first you think you don't like gluten-free mixes, try, try again.
Ingredients: Sugar, potato starch, white rice flour, cocoa powder, sweet rice flour, KinnActive baking powder, guar gum, salt, pea protein, sodium bicarbonate, pea starch, pea fiber.
We made the cake with 4 eggs, 3/4 cup oil, and 3/4 cup cold water. The mix makes two 8x8 cakes or one 9x13 cake.
Kinnikinnick Pancake and Waffle Mix (gluten, wheat, and dairy free) (shown here with mixed berries)
I love this pancake mix. The kids eat it not knowing that it is any different from our usual pancakes. Scott said the only difference he could detect is that this batter is slightly sweeter than other mixes/recipes we've made. He doesn't mind the sweetness; he was just being pressured by his wife to comment on what, if any, differences he detected. I like the pancakes we make with this mix because I don't feel as if I have a lump of dough sitting in my stomach after I eat them. And I feel smug about feeding them to the children. "You're eating pea protein and liking it! Mwaa ha ha."
Ingredients: Pea starch, white rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, tapioca starch, dextrose, defatted soy flour, whole egg powder, KinnActive baking powder, inulin, pea protein, pea fiber, fructose, salt, cream of tartar, sodium bicarbonate, sodium, carboxy methylcellulose, vanillin, guar gum.
We mixed in 1 egg, 3/4 cup plain soy milk, and 1 tablespoon of oil with one cup of mix. One bag makes about 3 batches of pancakes. The mix does contain whole egg powder.
Authentic Foods Pie Crust Mix (gluten, wheat, and dairy free)
This made-from-almonds crust has a shortbread-y feel and taste that our whole family enjoyed. It is definitely made for sweet, not savory fillings. Scott and I think it works best with a creamy/custard filling. We filled ours with dairy-free pumpkin pie filling and it was lovely. (Yes, I should have covered the crust edges with foil. I forgot. Oops.) As with so many gluten-free products, you can't expect this crust to bake up like a wheat one would. But we really enjoyed the almond flavor and texture, especially with a smooth filling.
Ingredients: rice flour, natural almond meal, evaporated cane juice, tapioca flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, potato starch, vanilla, salt
We mixed in 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons plain soy milk, and 4 oz. of shortening. One package makes one crust.
Kinnikinnick Chocolate Cake Mix (gluten, wheat, and dairy free)
We liked this chocolate cake mix for many reasons, the most important being: it tastes like chocolate. Deep, dark, cocoa-y chocolate. Mmmm. I frosted it with dairy-free chocolate glaze.
I tend to like the texture and moistness of gluten-free mixes like those made by Namaste Foods, whereas Scott prefers a drier texture and finer crumb. This Kinnikinnick cake was just what he likes. Don't get me wrong, it is not a dry cake, nor was it disliked by anyone in our house. It's just a slightly different texture than other gluten-free mixes we have tried, which I think is a good thing. If at first you think you don't like gluten-free mixes, try, try again.
Ingredients: Sugar, potato starch, white rice flour, cocoa powder, sweet rice flour, KinnActive baking powder, guar gum, salt, pea protein, sodium bicarbonate, pea starch, pea fiber.
We made the cake with 4 eggs, 3/4 cup oil, and 3/4 cup cold water. The mix makes two 8x8 cakes or one 9x13 cake.
Kinnikinnick Pancake and Waffle Mix (gluten, wheat, and dairy free) (shown here with mixed berries)
I love this pancake mix. The kids eat it not knowing that it is any different from our usual pancakes. Scott said the only difference he could detect is that this batter is slightly sweeter than other mixes/recipes we've made. He doesn't mind the sweetness; he was just being pressured by his wife to comment on what, if any, differences he detected. I like the pancakes we make with this mix because I don't feel as if I have a lump of dough sitting in my stomach after I eat them. And I feel smug about feeding them to the children. "You're eating pea protein and liking it! Mwaa ha ha."
Ingredients: Pea starch, white rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, tapioca starch, dextrose, defatted soy flour, whole egg powder, KinnActive baking powder, inulin, pea protein, pea fiber, fructose, salt, cream of tartar, sodium bicarbonate, sodium, carboxy methylcellulose, vanillin, guar gum.
We mixed in 1 egg, 3/4 cup plain soy milk, and 1 tablespoon of oil with one cup of mix. One bag makes about 3 batches of pancakes. The mix does contain whole egg powder.
Yeaahh....
No baby yet.
Time to enjoy some online retail therapy where no one looks at me and where I do not run into a woman in the lotion aisle who says, "I just can never find a lotion that works!" before opening various lotion containers to sniff and spread all over her hands and arms. In the store.
Time to enjoy some online retail therapy where no one looks at me and where I do not run into a woman in the lotion aisle who says, "I just can never find a lotion that works!" before opening various lotion containers to sniff and spread all over her hands and arms. In the store.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Let's Get This Party Started
I don't have to be induced! I get to go into labor on my own! I... have no idea if I'll actually realize when I'm in labor! I've never done this before!
Brief Birthing History, TMI Edition (Look away, Dad.)
Baby #1: Admitted to hospital on Thursday evening, released Friday evening after a failed induction. (Note to medical personnel - TELL PREGNANT WOMEN INDUCTIONS MAY NOT WORK.) Went home and ate my weight in fried chicken livers while sobbing hysterically. Readmitted to hospital on following Tuesday at lunchtime. Water broke early Wednesday afternoon as doctor was filling out release forms to send me home again. When I told him my water had broken, he said, "Oh, Ok. (Pause.) It's going to be a long day." Baby born first thing Thursday morning, at 42 1/2 weeks. Cervidil and Pitocin were used liberally both times. Poor, poor baby was born with the help of a vacuum extractor.
Baby #2: Admitted to hospital Wednesday evening. Induction started without drugs. Reached 5 centimeters by morning but still wasn't in labor, so it was time for Pitocin. (Bleah.) Baby born early Thursday afternoon at 40 weeks.
So, 36 hours of labor, 3 hours of pushing, then 18 hours of labor, 1 1/2 hours of pushing. Do I hear 9 hours of labor and 45 minutes of pushing for #3? Hey, I can dream.
I had an appointment yesterday, and I have reached two whole centimeters all by my ownself, which has never, ever happened before. Also, this little girl does not appear to be a 9- or 10-pounder like her siblings, so there is time to wait things out.
But enough of this waiting stuff. I want to hear all of your voodoo tips to move things along. GO!
Brief Birthing History, TMI Edition (Look away, Dad.)
Baby #1: Admitted to hospital on Thursday evening, released Friday evening after a failed induction. (Note to medical personnel - TELL PREGNANT WOMEN INDUCTIONS MAY NOT WORK.) Went home and ate my weight in fried chicken livers while sobbing hysterically. Readmitted to hospital on following Tuesday at lunchtime. Water broke early Wednesday afternoon as doctor was filling out release forms to send me home again. When I told him my water had broken, he said, "Oh, Ok. (Pause.) It's going to be a long day." Baby born first thing Thursday morning, at 42 1/2 weeks. Cervidil and Pitocin were used liberally both times. Poor, poor baby was born with the help of a vacuum extractor.
Baby #2: Admitted to hospital Wednesday evening. Induction started without drugs. Reached 5 centimeters by morning but still wasn't in labor, so it was time for Pitocin. (Bleah.) Baby born early Thursday afternoon at 40 weeks.
So, 36 hours of labor, 3 hours of pushing, then 18 hours of labor, 1 1/2 hours of pushing. Do I hear 9 hours of labor and 45 minutes of pushing for #3? Hey, I can dream.
I had an appointment yesterday, and I have reached two whole centimeters all by my ownself, which has never, ever happened before. Also, this little girl does not appear to be a 9- or 10-pounder like her siblings, so there is time to wait things out.
But enough of this waiting stuff. I want to hear all of your voodoo tips to move things along. GO!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
To the Lady in the Megamart
Hello,
I don't know if you remember me, but I remember you. We met only once, in the summer of 2001. I was grocery shopping after work, having brought my husband along for company and protection. You see, I was very, very pregnant with my first child, and the last few times I'd been shopping I left the store in tears after one too many unwanted comments/stomach fondlings. (And it was almost always a retirement-age man touching my belly. What is with that? Not that I'd expect you to know.)
Anyway, we saw each other several times weaving in and out of the grocery aisles, the pharmacy aisles, and I caught you looking at me each time we met. I hid behind my husband and whispered, "That woman keeps looking at me!" Inevitably, we met in the toiletry section while my husband was somewhere else. You reached out to touch my arm. As I braced myself for a comment I was sure I didn't want to hear, you said, "Excuse me. I just wanted to tell you how lovely you look in that shirt. I'm sorry I've been watching you all through the store, but it is just such a flattering color on you."
Thank you.
I think of you often. When I am pregnant and besieged by unthinking comments, yes, but especially when I catch myself looking at a pregnant woman. I remember your kind words, and I try to pass them on.
I don't know if you remember me, but I remember you. We met only once, in the summer of 2001. I was grocery shopping after work, having brought my husband along for company and protection. You see, I was very, very pregnant with my first child, and the last few times I'd been shopping I left the store in tears after one too many unwanted comments/stomach fondlings. (And it was almost always a retirement-age man touching my belly. What is with that? Not that I'd expect you to know.)
Anyway, we saw each other several times weaving in and out of the grocery aisles, the pharmacy aisles, and I caught you looking at me each time we met. I hid behind my husband and whispered, "That woman keeps looking at me!" Inevitably, we met in the toiletry section while my husband was somewhere else. You reached out to touch my arm. As I braced myself for a comment I was sure I didn't want to hear, you said, "Excuse me. I just wanted to tell you how lovely you look in that shirt. I'm sorry I've been watching you all through the store, but it is just such a flattering color on you."
Thank you.
I think of you often. When I am pregnant and besieged by unthinking comments, yes, but especially when I catch myself looking at a pregnant woman. I remember your kind words, and I try to pass them on.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Vote Fer Mah Man
C'mon, look at that food.
Photo courtesy of Pillsbury.com.
Photo by Rebecca Droke, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
You can vote for his recipe here--and by voting you enter yourself for a chance to win one million! The Post-Gazette article is here. Bon Appetit!
Edited to add: The person whose recipe gets the most online votes will win $5000. Scott goes to compete for the $1 million in mid-April. Dude, I'm just excited about the free microwave he gets.
Photo courtesy of Pillsbury.com.
S@MOSA T@QUITOS WITH @PRICOT CHUTNEY S@UCE (Dairy Free!)
by Scott H@tfield for the 2008 Pill$bury B@ke Off
(I attracted all kinds of unwanted visitors when I wrote about this before. Trying to be a bit more careful.--Nowheymama)
by Scott H@tfield for the 2008 Pill$bury B@ke Off
(I attracted all kinds of unwanted visitors when I wrote about this before. Trying to be a bit more careful.--Nowheymama)
For taquitos
- 3 tablespoons Crisco Pure Canola Oil
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 bag (30-ounce size) frozen country-style shredded hash brown potatoes (4 1/2 cups)
- 1 box (9 ounces) Green Giant frozen spinach
- 1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso chopped green chiles
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 package (10.5 ounces) Old El Paso flour tortillas for soft tacos and fajitas (12 tortillas)
For sauce
- 1 jar (12 ounces) Smucker's Apricot Preserves
- Remaining Old El Paso chopped green chiles
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and potatoes; cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are thoroughly cooked and slightly browned.
Meanwhile, cook spinach in microwave as directed on box. Drain spinach; cool 5 minutes. Carefully squeeze with paper towels to drain. Pull spinach apart into smaller pieces. Measure 4 teaspoons of the chiles; reserve remaining chiles for sauce.
Stir spinach, 4 teaspoons chiles, the salt, coriander, 1 teaspoon garam masala and 1/2 teaspoon ginger into potato mixture. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixed and thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; gently stir in lemon juice.
Place about 1/4 cup potato filling on each tortilla, 1/2 inch from one side. Starting at side with filling, tightly roll up each tortilla around filling; place seam side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush taquitos with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir sauce ingredients until well mixed. Serve warm taquitos with sauce for dipping.
Serves 12.
Photo by Rebecca Droke, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
You can vote for his recipe here--and by voting you enter yourself for a chance to win one million! The Post-Gazette article is here. Bon Appetit!
Edited to add: The person whose recipe gets the most online votes will win $5000. Scott goes to compete for the $1 million in mid-April. Dude, I'm just excited about the free microwave he gets.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Crayons, Church Ladies, and Communion
First things first: yes it is January 2008, and yes, I am still pregnant. The due date is the 26th and I've always been induced before at 40+ weeks, so simmer down now. Although if you feel like sharing any home induction tips, please feel free. I will not hold you in any way responsible for what does (or does not) happen.
Secondly, what do you do with a load of non-chlorine-bleach-only lights that somehow went through the dryer with a toddler's brand-new, jumbo-sized, orange crayon? I mean, hypothetically. "Sit down and cry" is the best option I've come up with so far, but I'm happy to entertain other suggestions. Bonus points for those who know how to clean all of the wax out of the dryer.
I haven't been to church in a couple weeks, so yesterday I got the full-on smile-knowingly-at-the-pregnant girl (Trust me, in this group of folks, I am a baby) treatment from the church ladies, as well as the what-are-you-still-doing-in-that-condition-yuk-yuk treatment from their husbands. Our seminary intern decided to really drive the point home with an Epiphany sermon about the magi that began, "I'm sure we all know a young couple who is expecting a baby...." Gee, thanks. Let me just wrap things up by waddling down the aisle collecting the offering so everyone can smile and make "big belly!" gestures at me. That'd be swell.
On the plus side, I finally procured a copy of the church's top secret communion bread recipe! (Of course I'll share it with you.) We've been waiting to find out the ingredients so we know whether or not it's safe for Katherine to start taking communion. Church Lady Number One told me that it is safe when the volunteers follow the recipe, which she and Baker Number Two apparently do. Baker Number Three (whose name Number One would not reveal) likes to mix things up and use cinnamon cake mix in place of the cake flour called for in the recipe. So the communion bread is safe for Katherine when it is white, but NOT when it is khaki. Number One will talk to Number Three, but she can't promise anything. Ah, the intrigue.
Here's the recipe, which I have never made. Some of the directions are a bit...vague, but they're what I was given.
Dairy-Free Communion Bread, courtesy of Tower Presbyterian Church
2 1/4 cups egg whites
4 1/2 t. baking powder
3 cups flour
3 cups cake flour (or dairy-free cake mix!)
3/4 cup shortening
2 1/4 cups sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line pans with waxed paper. (What pans? I have no idea. Jelly roll/cookie sheet pans, I'm guessing.)
Beat egg whites (For how long? No idea.), add sugar, then shortening, then flours and baking powder.
Spread a layer on each cookie sheet and loaf pans. (How many? I dunno. However many you find in the church kitchen, I guess.)
Bake until the bread starts to brown on the edges, approximately twenty minutes.
Turn out and pull off waxed paper. Trim off edges and cut while still warm. (Apparently this is very important.)
According to Church Lady Number One, this makes enough communion bread for three Sundays, two services a Sunday (or approximately 150-200 people per Sunday).
Secondly, what do you do with a load of non-chlorine-bleach-only lights that somehow went through the dryer with a toddler's brand-new, jumbo-sized, orange crayon? I mean, hypothetically. "Sit down and cry" is the best option I've come up with so far, but I'm happy to entertain other suggestions. Bonus points for those who know how to clean all of the wax out of the dryer.
I haven't been to church in a couple weeks, so yesterday I got the full-on smile-knowingly-at-the-pregnant girl (Trust me, in this group of folks, I am a baby) treatment from the church ladies, as well as the what-are-you-still-doing-in-that-condition-yuk-yuk treatment from their husbands. Our seminary intern decided to really drive the point home with an Epiphany sermon about the magi that began, "I'm sure we all know a young couple who is expecting a baby...." Gee, thanks. Let me just wrap things up by waddling down the aisle collecting the offering so everyone can smile and make "big belly!" gestures at me. That'd be swell.
On the plus side, I finally procured a copy of the church's top secret communion bread recipe! (Of course I'll share it with you.) We've been waiting to find out the ingredients so we know whether or not it's safe for Katherine to start taking communion. Church Lady Number One told me that it is safe when the volunteers follow the recipe, which she and Baker Number Two apparently do. Baker Number Three (whose name Number One would not reveal) likes to mix things up and use cinnamon cake mix in place of the cake flour called for in the recipe. So the communion bread is safe for Katherine when it is white, but NOT when it is khaki. Number One will talk to Number Three, but she can't promise anything. Ah, the intrigue.
Here's the recipe, which I have never made. Some of the directions are a bit...vague, but they're what I was given.
Dairy-Free Communion Bread, courtesy of Tower Presbyterian Church
2 1/4 cups egg whites
4 1/2 t. baking powder
3 cups flour
3 cups cake flour (or dairy-free cake mix!)
3/4 cup shortening
2 1/4 cups sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line pans with waxed paper. (What pans? I have no idea. Jelly roll/cookie sheet pans, I'm guessing.)
Beat egg whites (For how long? No idea.), add sugar, then shortening, then flours and baking powder.
Spread a layer on each cookie sheet and loaf pans. (How many? I dunno. However many you find in the church kitchen, I guess.)
Bake until the bread starts to brown on the edges, approximately twenty minutes.
Turn out and pull off waxed paper. Trim off edges and cut while still warm. (Apparently this is very important.)
According to Church Lady Number One, this makes enough communion bread for three Sundays, two services a Sunday (or approximately 150-200 people per Sunday).
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Holy Crepe
Wow. I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted. Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I know we did.
Katherine received an apron and the Ratatouille cookbook for Christmas, among many other things. The night she received the cookbook, she immediately began altering recipes to make them dairy free and/or to use ingredients she likes better. She and Daddy prepared dairy-free crepes for New Year's Day brunch, and they were fantastic! Katherine has decided that she's going to be a "cooker" when she grows up, which is fine with me.
Colette's Crepes, adapted from What's Cooking? A Cookbook for Kids
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain soy milk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted soy margarine (Katherine likes Soy Garden.)
Put all the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. Remove the lid and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Briefly blend the mixture again. Set the covered blender in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.
When it's time to cook the crepes, spread 1 teaspoon of dairy-free margarine in the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch shallow nonstick frying pan and place over medium heat. Blend the batter again to smooth it.
Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Immediately tilt and swirl the pan to evenly coat the bottom. This should take about 5 seconds. Cook the crepe on the first side for about 45 seconds, then quickly flip it with a spatula and cook the other side for about half as long. Remove to a plate, folding if desired. Spread a little more margarine in the pan before cooking the next crepe.
Katherine recommends serving the crepes with thawed raspberries from the freezer and powdered sugar.
Katherine received an apron and the Ratatouille cookbook for Christmas, among many other things. The night she received the cookbook, she immediately began altering recipes to make them dairy free and/or to use ingredients she likes better. She and Daddy prepared dairy-free crepes for New Year's Day brunch, and they were fantastic! Katherine has decided that she's going to be a "cooker" when she grows up, which is fine with me.
Colette's Crepes, adapted from What's Cooking? A Cookbook for Kids
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain soy milk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted soy margarine (Katherine likes Soy Garden.)
Put all the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. Remove the lid and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Briefly blend the mixture again. Set the covered blender in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.
When it's time to cook the crepes, spread 1 teaspoon of dairy-free margarine in the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch shallow nonstick frying pan and place over medium heat. Blend the batter again to smooth it.
Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Immediately tilt and swirl the pan to evenly coat the bottom. This should take about 5 seconds. Cook the crepe on the first side for about 45 seconds, then quickly flip it with a spatula and cook the other side for about half as long. Remove to a plate, folding if desired. Spread a little more margarine in the pan before cooking the next crepe.
Katherine recommends serving the crepes with thawed raspberries from the freezer and powdered sugar.
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Very Non-Dairy Christmas
I finally managed to pry The Very Non-Dairy Christmas out of my children's hands long enough to write a review. This book has been on heavy rotation in our house since it arrived here several weeks ago. A Christmas book! About dairy allergies! Clearly this was written for us.
After the first two readings (one right after the other), Katherine kept saying, "Santa is just like me! He can't have dairy--just like me!" Eli loved the cartoon-y drawings, especially the ones of "Ho ho ho" (Santa). While we have read books about other allergies, this is our first dairy-only book, which Katherine loves. And the fact that it's about Santa is the icing on the dairy-free cake.
Writing fiction about medical issues--such as food allergies--in a natural way can be a challenge. To Scott's and my ears, some of the explanatory dialogue sounded a bit forced, but our children haven't been bothered by it at all.
I think that any child or sibling of a child with food allergies would enjoy this Christmastime tale. I don't know how it would translate for children who don't have allergies in their families. Their parents might not want to bother with buying special soy milk just for Santa! But The Very Non-Dairy Christmas is destined to be a Christmas classic in our house.
[This review was written for Go Dairy Free.]
Monday, December 10, 2007
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Have you been to a Christmas pageant yet this holiday season? Did it seem more Herdman than holy at first? Maybe it went something like this:
The children's choir sings while the Angel of the Lord climbs up onto her perch. Mary and Joseph arrive with their baby doll Jesus, who has bright blue eyes and looks decidedly feminine. After cradling her baby and placing Him in the manger, Mary chats quietly with the Angel of the Lord while Joseph tries to strangle himself with his shepherd's crook. The (female) shepherds arrive with their stuffed... goat. The children's choir continues singing and playing chimes as if they are handling martial arts weapons. The wisemen arrive; one of them receives a coy little finger wave from Mary. Joseph, still wrestling with his crook, pays no heed. As the choir continues to sing, Mary plays with pieces of hay while Joseph chews on some. A wiseman picks his nose. The shepherds play restlessly with their shepherd's crooks. At last, the entire cast lines up at the front of the stage to sing "Go Tell it on the Mountain," mumbling the verses but belting out the chorus. Then, in a triumph of mixed media, Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive with little candies and trinkets for all of the children and their siblings.
Perhaps there is an almost-two-year old keeping you company in the audience, who claps his hands and yells, "Yay!" after every song. Maybe he calls his sister's name in excitement when Mary comes onstage, and says, "Oh wow!" when Santa appears. Maybe you think about Christmas just two years ago, when he was kicking your ribs like this baby girl is now.
Maybe the evening ends with many congratulations and a few cookies left over from the potluck dinner. I hope so.
Double Chocolate Chewies from The Cake Mix Doctor
(adjusted to be dairy free)
1 package plain, dairy-free devil's food cake mix
1/3 cup water
4 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, melted
1 large egg
1 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. Place the cake mix, water, melted margarine, and egg in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for one minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the speed to medium and beat for one minute more. The dough will be thick. Fold in the chips and nuts.
Drop heaping teaspoons of the dough two inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake the cookies until they have set but are still a little soft in the center, 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheets for one minute. Remove the cookies with a metal spatula to wire racks to cool completely, 20 minutes.
The children's choir sings while the Angel of the Lord climbs up onto her perch. Mary and Joseph arrive with their baby doll Jesus, who has bright blue eyes and looks decidedly feminine. After cradling her baby and placing Him in the manger, Mary chats quietly with the Angel of the Lord while Joseph tries to strangle himself with his shepherd's crook. The (female) shepherds arrive with their stuffed... goat. The children's choir continues singing and playing chimes as if they are handling martial arts weapons. The wisemen arrive; one of them receives a coy little finger wave from Mary. Joseph, still wrestling with his crook, pays no heed. As the choir continues to sing, Mary plays with pieces of hay while Joseph chews on some. A wiseman picks his nose. The shepherds play restlessly with their shepherd's crooks. At last, the entire cast lines up at the front of the stage to sing "Go Tell it on the Mountain," mumbling the verses but belting out the chorus. Then, in a triumph of mixed media, Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive with little candies and trinkets for all of the children and their siblings.
Perhaps there is an almost-two-year old keeping you company in the audience, who claps his hands and yells, "Yay!" after every song. Maybe he calls his sister's name in excitement when Mary comes onstage, and says, "Oh wow!" when Santa appears. Maybe you think about Christmas just two years ago, when he was kicking your ribs like this baby girl is now.
Maybe the evening ends with many congratulations and a few cookies left over from the potluck dinner. I hope so.
Double Chocolate Chewies from The Cake Mix Doctor
(adjusted to be dairy free)
1 package plain, dairy-free devil's food cake mix
1/3 cup water
4 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, melted
1 large egg
1 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. Place the cake mix, water, melted margarine, and egg in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for one minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the speed to medium and beat for one minute more. The dough will be thick. Fold in the chips and nuts.
Drop heaping teaspoons of the dough two inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake the cookies until they have set but are still a little soft in the center, 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheets for one minute. Remove the cookies with a metal spatula to wire racks to cool completely, 20 minutes.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Holler 'Nuff!
Remember the touching Christmas scene in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Farmer Boy where Almanzo and his snotty cousin Frank were pounding the stuffing out of each other in the snow? And Almanzo wouldn't give up till Frank hollered, "'Nuff?" Well, I'm hollering "'nuff." I am giving in to this pregnancy. I am tired! I take naps when I should be working while I let the children watch crappy cartoons! I sent out some bills without stamps and some bills without checks the other day! I made Scott leave work early for K's Christmas dance recital this past Tuesday, and it's this coming Tuesday! I fed the kids pizza for lunch and dinner yesterday! (Scott, teasing, "Yeah, Mommy doesn't care anymore.")
To keep from becoming a total Mama Scrooge during this Christmas season, here are some of the links to fun and easy Christmas crafts I'm planning to use to entertain the children. While I nap.
Family Fun Christmas Printables
Wondertime Holiday Links
Nativity Paper Dolls (From Beck)
Jan Brett (From Soulemama)
To keep from becoming a total Mama Scrooge during this Christmas season, here are some of the links to fun and easy Christmas crafts I'm planning to use to entertain the children. While I nap.
Family Fun Christmas Printables
Wondertime Holiday Links
Nativity Paper Dolls (From Beck)
Jan Brett (From Soulemama)
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
On Cupcakes and Parties
Jill left some questions for me to answer, and I've decided to answer them in a post. (Hope that's Ok, Jill!)
"I wondered about your daughter taking her dairy-free cupcakes to things. How does she like that? Is she ok with it? Does it go over ok with other kids and stuff? Do you have several in the freezer and pull them out for these occasions? Are they already decorated in the freezer?
Sorry for all the questions, but my daughter is allergic to dairy, eggs and soy. So, I have been letting her take a piece of candy instead of eating the cake (she doesn't normally get candy, so she has been fine with it so far). Just wondering about making cupcakes for her to take to birthday parties and such."
When Katherine was younger (2-3) I was more likely to pack fruit snacks or a granola bar for her dessert if we went somewhere. She didn't really notice what the grownups were eating. But that was before school, friends, birthday parties, etc. Now that she's older, she prefers to match her friends whenever possible, but she understands if what she brings isn't exactly the same. Katherine's friends and classmates are very accepting and understanding as well.
I keep cookies, cupcakes, Tofutti frozen dessert, and Tofutti Cuties in the freezer. The cookies are usually unfrosted sugar cookies and chocolate chip. The cupcakes are usually yellow cake mix with chocolate frosting. After baking the cupcakes and letting them cool, I peel back one side of the cupcake wrapper, slice the cupcake almost in half horizontally (as you would a hamburger bun) , and spread frosting in the middle. I then rewrap the cupcake and place it in a freezer bag with several others. I usually send one Tofutti Cutie sandwich and one cupcake with Katherine when she attends a birthday party. More information on what I send to school and other locations is here.
Since we are dealing with just one allergen, our situation is a bit different than yours, Jill, and I know that not all of the foods I'm writing about are safe for your daughter. (Maybe you could give her sorbet or Italian ice for a frozen treat?) But I hope this helps a little bit!
"I wondered about your daughter taking her dairy-free cupcakes to things. How does she like that? Is she ok with it? Does it go over ok with other kids and stuff? Do you have several in the freezer and pull them out for these occasions? Are they already decorated in the freezer?
Sorry for all the questions, but my daughter is allergic to dairy, eggs and soy. So, I have been letting her take a piece of candy instead of eating the cake (she doesn't normally get candy, so she has been fine with it so far). Just wondering about making cupcakes for her to take to birthday parties and such."
When Katherine was younger (2-3) I was more likely to pack fruit snacks or a granola bar for her dessert if we went somewhere. She didn't really notice what the grownups were eating. But that was before school, friends, birthday parties, etc. Now that she's older, she prefers to match her friends whenever possible, but she understands if what she brings isn't exactly the same. Katherine's friends and classmates are very accepting and understanding as well.
I keep cookies, cupcakes, Tofutti frozen dessert, and Tofutti Cuties in the freezer. The cookies are usually unfrosted sugar cookies and chocolate chip. The cupcakes are usually yellow cake mix with chocolate frosting. After baking the cupcakes and letting them cool, I peel back one side of the cupcake wrapper, slice the cupcake almost in half horizontally (as you would a hamburger bun) , and spread frosting in the middle. I then rewrap the cupcake and place it in a freezer bag with several others. I usually send one Tofutti Cutie sandwich and one cupcake with Katherine when she attends a birthday party. More information on what I send to school and other locations is here.
Since we are dealing with just one allergen, our situation is a bit different than yours, Jill, and I know that not all of the foods I'm writing about are safe for your daughter. (Maybe you could give her sorbet or Italian ice for a frozen treat?) But I hope this helps a little bit!
Monday, December 03, 2007
First Weekend in December
How to spend the first weekend in December:
Saturday
Begin the Advent calendar.
Go Christmas shopping with Daddy. Buy your brother a stuffed froggie for his Christmas present.
Receive your Christmas ornament kits in the mail.
Go downtown for the annual Christmas parade.
Sit on Santa's lap because you're not scared of him anymore. Ask for a digital camera.
Go to a neighbor's house for an after-parade party. (Bring your own dairy-free cupcake and Tofutti Cutie.)
Come outside to find snow falling. Walk home in the snow.
Sunday
Go to Sunday School and church.
Watch Mama and Daddy's old Grinch and Charlie Brown Christmas videos.
Light the first candle on your new Advent wreath (beautifully handmade by a member of our congregation) at dinnertime while Mama reads Isaiah 40:3-5.
Dream sweet dreams.
Saturday
Begin the Advent calendar.
Go Christmas shopping with Daddy. Buy your brother a stuffed froggie for his Christmas present.
Receive your Christmas ornament kits in the mail.
Go downtown for the annual Christmas parade.
Sit on Santa's lap because you're not scared of him anymore. Ask for a digital camera.
Go to a neighbor's house for an after-parade party. (Bring your own dairy-free cupcake and Tofutti Cutie.)
Come outside to find snow falling. Walk home in the snow.
Sunday
Go to Sunday School and church.
Watch Mama and Daddy's old Grinch and Charlie Brown Christmas videos.
Light the first candle on your new Advent wreath (beautifully handmade by a member of our congregation) at dinnertime while Mama reads Isaiah 40:3-5.
Dream sweet dreams.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Anecdotal Evidence
EDITED.
Thank you so much for all of your birth stories! I love a good baby story. Here's a new one!
Baby Peanut is weighing in at 4 lbs 10 oz here in week 32/33. We'll be keeping an eye on her size, and I am not allowed to travel during the holidays, as I suspected.
Also, if you are, say, 22 months old and want to freak out your mother, wake up from your nap with your inner ear bleeding. Ear infections are wicked gross, and mommy's facial expressions are so funny! You will have to go to the doctor and get ear drops, though.
Thank you so much for all of your birth stories! I love a good baby story. Here's a new one!
Baby Peanut is weighing in at 4 lbs 10 oz here in week 32/33. We'll be keeping an eye on her size, and I am not allowed to travel during the holidays, as I suspected.
Also, if you are, say, 22 months old and want to freak out your mother, wake up from your nap with your inner ear bleeding. Ear infections are wicked gross, and mommy's facial expressions are so funny! You will have to go to the doctor and get ear drops, though.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Leftovers
Thank you all so much for your awesome cleaning tips. I especially liked Hipwritermama's idea: "Leave out some disinfecting wipes and place them in wastebaskets so the rooms smell clean." Genius!
Thanksgiving went very well and we had a lovely time with both sides of our family. The only glitch was my pie making. I baked them the day before, in the midst of cleaning and organizing, which may have been a mistake. The first pumpkin pie burned because, although I remembered to reset the timer, I forgot to turn the temperature down from 450 to 350 after 15 minutes. I hurried up and made a second one, but in all of the confusion of people coming in and out of the kitchen during dinnertime, the oven got turned off while the second pie was still baking. We turned it back on and it turned out all right. Clearly I didn't learn to stop while I was behind because after everyone left, I tried to make a pecan pie for the first time while Scott brined the turkeys. (Spellcheck suggests I use "brained" or "bribed" instead of "brined.") The recipe practically yells at you not to let the pie overbake and to take it out while the middle is still a little jiggly, which we did. Unfortunately, it was still jiggly the next day at Thanksgiving dinner. I had made the dairy-free pecan pie for Katherine since she can't eat her grandmother's pecan pies, so Scott and I kept the unappealing, oozing pie down at our end of the table. Not surprisingly, K. decided not to try it. At least the pumpkin bars turned out well. (I frosted them with dairy-free frosting.)
Here's the pumpkin pie recipe. It is a lovely pie when you follow the directions. No photo, for obvious reasons.
Pumpkin Pie from A Vegetarian Harvest
1 15-ounce can of pumpkin
2 eggs, beaten
12 ounces of soymilk (I use vanilla.)
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
prebaked graham cracker pie crust
Preheat the oven to 45o degrees. Mix together the ingredients. Pour them into the crust. Bake 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 50 minutes.
There is no school today because it is the first day of antlered deer season for rifle hunters, affectionately known as "the first day of buck." The kids are snacking on the last of the candy corn while coloring snowflakes and snowmen to hang from the dining room chandelier. I'm digging out some of the Christmas decorations and taking advantage of some online sales in between catching up on blogs. Happy first day of buck to you all!
Thanksgiving went very well and we had a lovely time with both sides of our family. The only glitch was my pie making. I baked them the day before, in the midst of cleaning and organizing, which may have been a mistake. The first pumpkin pie burned because, although I remembered to reset the timer, I forgot to turn the temperature down from 450 to 350 after 15 minutes. I hurried up and made a second one, but in all of the confusion of people coming in and out of the kitchen during dinnertime, the oven got turned off while the second pie was still baking. We turned it back on and it turned out all right. Clearly I didn't learn to stop while I was behind because after everyone left, I tried to make a pecan pie for the first time while Scott brined the turkeys. (Spellcheck suggests I use "brained" or "bribed" instead of "brined.") The recipe practically yells at you not to let the pie overbake and to take it out while the middle is still a little jiggly, which we did. Unfortunately, it was still jiggly the next day at Thanksgiving dinner. I had made the dairy-free pecan pie for Katherine since she can't eat her grandmother's pecan pies, so Scott and I kept the unappealing, oozing pie down at our end of the table. Not surprisingly, K. decided not to try it. At least the pumpkin bars turned out well. (I frosted them with dairy-free frosting.)
Here's the pumpkin pie recipe. It is a lovely pie when you follow the directions. No photo, for obvious reasons.
Pumpkin Pie from A Vegetarian Harvest
1 15-ounce can of pumpkin
2 eggs, beaten
12 ounces of soymilk (I use vanilla.)
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
prebaked graham cracker pie crust
Preheat the oven to 45o degrees. Mix together the ingredients. Pour them into the crust. Bake 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 50 minutes.
There is no school today because it is the first day of antlered deer season for rifle hunters, affectionately known as "the first day of buck." The kids are snacking on the last of the candy corn while coloring snowflakes and snowmen to hang from the dining room chandelier. I'm digging out some of the Christmas decorations and taking advantage of some online sales in between catching up on blogs. Happy first day of buck to you all!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Cleaning...or Not
It's time to fess up: what awesome pre-holiday, pre-guest cleaning tips do you have to share with a very pregnant person who inherited the chaos gene? I'm not talking about FlyL@dy shiny sinks or passive-aggressive-Martha-advice. I'm talking dim the lights and light some candles survival.
I'm talking about this:
"I glanced involuntarily at the heap of ashes in the grate, but she saw them as no obstacle at all. From a scratched oak box beside the hearth, she produced three firelighters and a handful of sticks. These went on top of the ashes, which got only a desultory poke. She struck a match, lit the firelighters, and made a wigwam of coal. The new fire flared up good-temperedly on the body of the old while Madge took the hearth brush and swept a few cinders out of sight behind a pile of logs.
Fascinated, I watched her continue with her housework. She drifted across to the dead flowers, opened the window, and threw them out. She emptied the water from the vase after them, then put it back on the windowsill and shut the window.
From behind the sofa... she pulled out a large brown cardboard box.... [O]n the inside it was half filled with the same sort of jumble which was lying around the room. She wafted methodically around in a large circle, taking everything up and throwing it just as it was into the box, a process which took approximately three minutes. She then pushed the box out of sight again behind the sofa and plumped up the seat cushions of two armchairs on her way back to the door. The room, tidy and with the brightly blazing fire, looked staggeringly different. The cobwebs were still there but one felt it might be their turn tomorrow. [Her son] was right. Ma had got the time-and-motion kick completely buttoned up, and what did it matter if the motive was laziness?"
--Dick Francis, Forfeit
Go! Meanwhile, I guess I'll get off the computer and start. *Sigh.*
I'm talking about this:
"I glanced involuntarily at the heap of ashes in the grate, but she saw them as no obstacle at all. From a scratched oak box beside the hearth, she produced three firelighters and a handful of sticks. These went on top of the ashes, which got only a desultory poke. She struck a match, lit the firelighters, and made a wigwam of coal. The new fire flared up good-temperedly on the body of the old while Madge took the hearth brush and swept a few cinders out of sight behind a pile of logs.
Fascinated, I watched her continue with her housework. She drifted across to the dead flowers, opened the window, and threw them out. She emptied the water from the vase after them, then put it back on the windowsill and shut the window.
From behind the sofa... she pulled out a large brown cardboard box.... [O]n the inside it was half filled with the same sort of jumble which was lying around the room. She wafted methodically around in a large circle, taking everything up and throwing it just as it was into the box, a process which took approximately three minutes. She then pushed the box out of sight again behind the sofa and plumped up the seat cushions of two armchairs on her way back to the door. The room, tidy and with the brightly blazing fire, looked staggeringly different. The cobwebs were still there but one felt it might be their turn tomorrow. [Her son] was right. Ma had got the time-and-motion kick completely buttoned up, and what did it matter if the motive was laziness?"
--Dick Francis, Forfeit
Go! Meanwhile, I guess I'll get off the computer and start. *Sigh.*
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Holiday Dinner Tips
In case you are going to someone else's house for Thanksgiving and are not hosting it like a crazy person, and/or if you have other festive events on the horizon, here are some food allergy hints and tips we've come up with over the years.
For any kind of everybody-bring-a-dish event, bring dessert. Kids are less likely to mind if their veggies don't match everyone else's, but if they are eating a stale granola bar from the bottom of your purse while everyone else feasts on pie, things are going to get ugly. I usually bring something in individual servings, like cookies or cupcakes. That way, there is no fear of the server from a cream pie being used to serve the dairy-free pie. As an added precaution, I put a plate of cookies/cupcakes out for everyone but keep a baggie full of them in my bag. No cross contamination, and this prevents the cookies from being eaten by everyone else first. (This really did happen to us one Thanksgiving, even though I told everyone that they were the dairy-free Katherine cookies and the only dessert she could eat. Fool me once....)
We often bring rolls as well because Katherine loves bread and has a hard time watching everyone else eat it in front of her. Cranberry sauce makes an excellent dairy-free spread. If we don't bring rolls for everyone, I pack a few dairy-free ones just for her.
I also pack a potato. If there are facilities for me to cook it in, I pack it raw. If not, I microwave it at our house and throw it into a baggie. By the time we reach our destination, the potato is cool enough to eat. Also, steaming in the baggie makes for easy skin removal. You can then cut it up or mash it up and season it with salt and pepper.
There are usually enough fruits and veggies that are dairy free (get to the relish tray early!), along with the cranberry sauce and jello salads (as long as they don't have cream cheese, of course). Check to make sure the turkey hasn't been basted with butter. Otherwise, it's usually fine. When I don't know much about the foods being served, I will pack some precooked chicken or turkey and canned green beans as well as the bread, potato, and dessert.
If this is an immediate family event, you can usually check with everyone ahead of time about what they're bringing and what the ingredients are. Some people are happy to alter recipes, and some are not. I choose not to push the issue and just bring lots of our own food. This is each parent's personal choice. If someone is interested in substituting dairy-free margarine for butter, I am happy to give them safe brand names. If great-grandma's stuffing has always been made with butter and American cheese and we are by god not changing that for anyone, fine.
As we all know, food can be a very emotional topic for people, especially at holiday time. Also, cooking dairy free (or gluten free, or nut free, or egg free, etc.) can be very intimidating. And, as many of us were taught that asking "What's in this?" is rude, it can be hard for people not to take offense. I really, really try to be understanding. I am so appreciative when people try to make things Katherine can eat, and I try so very hard to remember it is nothing personal when they don't. The flip side of this is that I hope they remember that we are talking about a six-year-old child. So I hope they aren't offended when she doesn't like the dairy-free dishes they so carefully made for her.
For any kind of everybody-bring-a-dish event, bring dessert. Kids are less likely to mind if their veggies don't match everyone else's, but if they are eating a stale granola bar from the bottom of your purse while everyone else feasts on pie, things are going to get ugly. I usually bring something in individual servings, like cookies or cupcakes. That way, there is no fear of the server from a cream pie being used to serve the dairy-free pie. As an added precaution, I put a plate of cookies/cupcakes out for everyone but keep a baggie full of them in my bag. No cross contamination, and this prevents the cookies from being eaten by everyone else first. (This really did happen to us one Thanksgiving, even though I told everyone that they were the dairy-free Katherine cookies and the only dessert she could eat. Fool me once....)
We often bring rolls as well because Katherine loves bread and has a hard time watching everyone else eat it in front of her. Cranberry sauce makes an excellent dairy-free spread. If we don't bring rolls for everyone, I pack a few dairy-free ones just for her.
I also pack a potato. If there are facilities for me to cook it in, I pack it raw. If not, I microwave it at our house and throw it into a baggie. By the time we reach our destination, the potato is cool enough to eat. Also, steaming in the baggie makes for easy skin removal. You can then cut it up or mash it up and season it with salt and pepper.
There are usually enough fruits and veggies that are dairy free (get to the relish tray early!), along with the cranberry sauce and jello salads (as long as they don't have cream cheese, of course). Check to make sure the turkey hasn't been basted with butter. Otherwise, it's usually fine. When I don't know much about the foods being served, I will pack some precooked chicken or turkey and canned green beans as well as the bread, potato, and dessert.
If this is an immediate family event, you can usually check with everyone ahead of time about what they're bringing and what the ingredients are. Some people are happy to alter recipes, and some are not. I choose not to push the issue and just bring lots of our own food. This is each parent's personal choice. If someone is interested in substituting dairy-free margarine for butter, I am happy to give them safe brand names. If great-grandma's stuffing has always been made with butter and American cheese and we are by god not changing that for anyone, fine.
As we all know, food can be a very emotional topic for people, especially at holiday time. Also, cooking dairy free (or gluten free, or nut free, or egg free, etc.) can be very intimidating. And, as many of us were taught that asking "What's in this?" is rude, it can be hard for people not to take offense. I really, really try to be understanding. I am so appreciative when people try to make things Katherine can eat, and I try so very hard to remember it is nothing personal when they don't. The flip side of this is that I hope they remember that we are talking about a six-year-old child. So I hope they aren't offended when she doesn't like the dairy-free dishes they so carefully made for her.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Raspberry Salad
Here's my friend Tracy's raspberry salad recipe. Sorry there's no photo, but I wanted to go ahead and post it for those who might be interested. This is going to be a part of our dairy-free Thanksgiving.
Raspberry Salad
approximately 35 ounces of applesauce*
2 small or one large package of raspberry Jello
16-20 ounces of frozen raspberries
Set the raspberries out to thaw a bit while you heat the applesauce until it starts to boil. Stir in the Jello. Stir in the raspberries. Pour into a 9x9 dish or a Jello mold. Refrigerate until set.
*Tracy usually buys a large (50 oz.) jar of applesauce and measures out the amount she needs.
Scott thinks this would be good with other Jello/berry combinations, too. Hey, who am I to disagree?
Raspberry Salad
approximately 35 ounces of applesauce*
2 small or one large package of raspberry Jello
16-20 ounces of frozen raspberries
Set the raspberries out to thaw a bit while you heat the applesauce until it starts to boil. Stir in the Jello. Stir in the raspberries. Pour into a 9x9 dish or a Jello mold. Refrigerate until set.
*Tracy usually buys a large (50 oz.) jar of applesauce and measures out the amount she needs.
Scott thinks this would be good with other Jello/berry combinations, too. Hey, who am I to disagree?
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Menu
So, who's hosting Thanksgiving? For both sides of your family?
*Nowheymama shakily raises hand.*
Let's plan a menu so I can sleep at night. What do you say? And since my blog becomes less private every day--Family, this is what we're having for dinner.
Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Menu
Two turkeys, deep-fried by Scott and my Dad
Gravy, made by Dad, who substitutes dairy-free margarine for the butter, of course
Mom's stuffing, two batches
Scott's mashed potatoes
My brother-in-law Jarred's sweet potato casserole (Um. Please, Jarred?)
Peas
Green bean casserole
Salad
Rolls
Cranberries: cranberry jelly and the awesome cranberry orange relish made by our grocery store
Raspberry jello salad (my neighbor Tracy's recipe, made with frozen raspberries from the farmer's market)
Applesauce
Relish tray
Appetizers, if someone else wants to make them
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie?
Cider
Soda
Water
Wine
Decaf coffee
I promise to post/link to more recipes ASAP. This is a 100% dairy-free Thanksgiving menu.
Oh-so-exciting family health update: Eli is recovering from the croup and an ear infection. I do not have gestational diabetes (told ya!) and am fine. The baby is growing and growing, which is great, but my dreams of an induction-free birth fade with every ounce she gains. Ah, well. And Katherine and Scott are just dandy. Wake up, I'm finished.
*Nowheymama shakily raises hand.*
Let's plan a menu so I can sleep at night. What do you say? And since my blog becomes less private every day--Family, this is what we're having for dinner.
Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Menu
Two turkeys, deep-fried by Scott and my Dad
Gravy, made by Dad, who substitutes dairy-free margarine for the butter, of course
Mom's stuffing, two batches
Scott's mashed potatoes
My brother-in-law Jarred's sweet potato casserole (Um. Please, Jarred?)
Peas
Green bean casserole
Salad
Rolls
Cranberries: cranberry jelly and the awesome cranberry orange relish made by our grocery store
Raspberry jello salad (my neighbor Tracy's recipe, made with frozen raspberries from the farmer's market)
Applesauce
Relish tray
Appetizers, if someone else wants to make them
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie?
Cider
Soda
Water
Wine
Decaf coffee
I promise to post/link to more recipes ASAP. This is a 100% dairy-free Thanksgiving menu.
Oh-so-exciting family health update: Eli is recovering from the croup and an ear infection. I do not have gestational diabetes (told ya!) and am fine. The baby is growing and growing, which is great, but my dreams of an induction-free birth fade with every ounce she gains. Ah, well. And Katherine and Scott are just dandy. Wake up, I'm finished.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Lemon Sauce
Beck posted a wonderful, dairy-free gingerbread recipe the other day. While she recommends serving it with butter (margarine) or applesauce, my favorite gingerbread topping is lemon sauce. Gingerbread (or another kind of spice cake) with lemon sauce seems to be a perfect way to welcome November. Because unlike my local W@lmart, where the sound system was playing "Monster Mash" while the employees feverishly set up Christmas displays, I am not ready to speed from October 31 to December 25.
Lemon Sauce (adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
1/2 cup lemon juice
grated rind of one lemon (if all I have is bottled lemon juice, I leave this out.)
dash of salt
Mix the sugar and cornstarch together in a small saucepan. Add the boiling water, stirring constantly. Boil for five minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the margarine, lemon juice, lemon rind, and salt. Serve warm.
Lemon Sauce (adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
1/2 cup lemon juice
grated rind of one lemon (if all I have is bottled lemon juice, I leave this out.)
dash of salt
Mix the sugar and cornstarch together in a small saucepan. Add the boiling water, stirring constantly. Boil for five minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the margarine, lemon juice, lemon rind, and salt. Serve warm.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
