Why does eating GF have to be so gosh-darn expensive!?

So tomorrow we (the Bloomington Easter Seals SLPs) are having a baby shower for our dear friend (and fellow SLP :)), Abbey. I am bringing dessert. Usually I like to put forth some valiant effort when it comes to hostessing/baking/cooking to entertain or for a party...but I am feeling tired and cheap lately. And, my husband informed me we have met our budget for June and can't spend any money until July (which, thankfully, is just two days away ;)). So, what to make for dessert....I decide to go to Cub food and decided ahead of time that I would be making a NON-GF dessert (I don't care that I can't eat it!)...I ended up buying a funfetti cake mix (mmmm! I used to love those! And they are super girlie and fun! Haha!!!) and a big container of vanilla frosting...for $2.82. What?! I know, I know...to all of you non-GF folk out there, that surely doesn't sound too impressive. But $2.82 for a whole, big dessert that will feed a lot of people!? Unheard of! I haven't been able to pull that off in the past 18 months since going GF! I am pretty proud of my frugal-ness today :).

Ok, Abbey...if you are reading this ;)...you are TOTALLY MORE THAN WORTH a fancy, expensive dessert...and I apologize for being a slacker!!! ;) I am sure you know how it goes, though, being tired and cheap every now and again! ;)

I am totally looking forward to the shower, though!! :)

I love get-togethers like that!! :) I am so thankful to work with such fun, sweet women...I love spending time with them!

Bring on Tuesday!

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies

So yesterday I decided to "pretend" to be "domestic" again.

Don't get me wrong...I actually really do love all things "domestic." Cooking, cleaning, baking, laundry...it all gets me sorta high. (just don't show me an iron...I refuse to iron. Jeremy does the ironing around here....for real)

However, I just haven't had TIME lately to do many of those things.

This weekend, however...this weekend was a catch-up weekend. It was the first weekend we had been HOME since early March. Seriously.

So, among many, MANY other things...yesterday I baked!

I adapted a "new" (new to me) recipe from my 1000 Gluten-Free Recipes book (By Carol Fenster)....Double Chocolate Chip Cookies. What I did was inspired by her recipe, but I tweaked it, slightly. The result? AMAZINGLY delicious. Jeremy likes them, too! :) The cookies are totally soft and cake-like. Delectable, really! :)

Recipe....
Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies
(the recipe in Carole's book is "Double Chocolate Chip Cookies)

3/4 cup Land O' Lakes butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free flour blend
1/2 cup tapioca flour
3/4 cup sweet white rice flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
sprinkling of salt
1 pkg (minus a few that prematurely made it to my mouth...haha!) chocolate chips

(as always, make sure that all of the ingredients you use are GF!!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place baking mat on a baking sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and both sugars with an electric mixer on low speed until very smooth (approximately one minute). Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Gradually add the flours, cocoa, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt. Continue beating on low speed just until blended. The batter will be rather thick. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop 1 1/2 inch balls of dough at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

Bake 13 minutes. Cool on baking sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Voila! They are soooo yummy, esp. when still warm and served with a glass of milk!

ENJOY!

Firehouse Pizza

So, Firehouse Pizza (located in Normal...and also in Peoria) has the BEST GF pizza in town. By far. It is amazing, amazing, amazing! Jeremy and I went on a date :) last night...he let me pick the restaurant, so I chose Firehouse. We've been there a few times (Jeremy loves their calzones, so we don't really go there JUST for me ;))...but last night it was particularly good! I get the pizza with garlic sauce, mozzarella cheese, Canadian bacon, pineapple, and mushrooms...and then a side of marinara to dip it in. SO AWESOME!

SO, if you are in the Blo-No area and want some delicious GF pizza, RUN...don't walk...to Firehouse Pizza in Uptown Normal for some awesome, awesome pizza! :)

Destihl

FYI if you're in the Bloomington-Normal area and want an awesome gluten free meal.....second to Biaggi's (the best, in my opinion, for eating out gluten free in this town...they have an amazingly huge GF menu and are very knowledgeable about the GF diet in general) is Destihl. They don't have a specific gluten-free menu, but many of their items are gluten free or can be made gluten free...and they are delicious!!! We went there tonight to celebrate Father's Day with Jeremy's family.

We had an AWESOME waiter tonight, too, which is always a plus :)

I had...a spinach/orange/strawberry/goat cheese salad with orange balsamic vinaigrette...a bison burger (no bun)...and some yummy orange-ginger iced tea.

YUM!

So, if you are GF and in Blo/No, check out Destihl!! :)

AND, check them out if you aren't, too! ;) Jeremy LOVES the pizza and beer :) :)