Happy Birthday

[confused]

Today is my first birthday gluten free and im sad, i want a big slice of cake and ice cream but i cant. I want to go out and have breaded shrimp and i cant lol. So i thnk im more depressed out that then my age lol.

paula

[jmengert]

Happy birthday! It is frustrating to not be able to eat comfort foods on your b-day, so how about making them, just gluten-free? I'm also soy and dairy free, and I make cakes all the time. Pamela's now has a white cake mix that is soy/dairy/gluten free, and I made it yesterday with chocolate frosting from Enjoy Life chocolate chips--very yummy!

I've never made breaded shrimp, but I've made breaded chicken, so I would assume it's similar--you could roll the shrimp in a rice flour blend and then pan fry it.

I hope you can find some yummy b-day substitutes!

[Matilda]

..

[Silly Yak Pete]

Happy birthday! Try finding a gluten free bakery and trying some cupcakes or go order some online. I was depressed like that on my birthday the first year.

[blueeyedmanda]

Happy Birthday Paula!!!!

[Cheri A]

HaPpY BiRtHdAy PaUlA! Hope you had a great day and found something yummy to eat!

[confused]

thanks everyone. I had an half way good birthday, besides the fact that i got glutened in the morning and spent the day in bed lol, but being in bed was kinda nice lol. So we are going to celebrate my birthday today when my parents come up and i hope i feel better by then lol

paula

[missy'smom]

Happy Belated Birthday t o you!

[jerseyangel]

Happy Birthday a little late, Paula!

I didn't see this--had connection problems all weekend and am just catching up.

Next time, do a Gluten Free Pantry white cake and frost with homemade buttercream frosting--tastes like wedding cake

[Green12]

Happy (belated) Birthday! !

Pamela's Chocolate Cake mix iced with chocolate frosting is to die for, even my gluten eating family request this for birthdays.

You CAN have your cake, a big slice, and EAT it too!

[confused]

I wish we had real stores here lol to buy stuff,. I am sending my parents to vitamin cottage for me tommorow tho and we will have an cake this soming weekend if the snow stays away and if the gluten stays away.

thanks for all the birthday wishes.

paula

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Paula,

HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY! We do not have a lot of places around here with gluten-free specialties except my favorite healthfood store. Luckily, I found www.choclat.com. It is The Chocolate Emporium site. They have Marble Cake, Yellow Cake, and Chocolate Cake. They are so good! I am going to make yellow cupcakes with chocolate icing soon!

Sincerely,

Jin

[darlindeb25]

Happy Belated Birthday Paula. I can't recall, but I do not think I have had cake for 7 yrs, but then I never really cared for cake anyways, so I do not miss it much.

Yesterday I hurt so much, every joint, every muscle and a male friend told me I needed some soup. And I told him, I want some Cream of Chicken soup so bad, with noodles, but that is something I can't have anymore--no grains.

I am so sorry you were glutened on your birthday, but it's great you found a silver lining in even that, the fact you enjoyed the time in bed--thats good! Enjoy the time with your family!!!!!

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Paula,

I was thinking about you craving breaded shrimp. You can have that! I miss popcorn shrimp myself, but the Japanese eat something called tempura that is like it. The batter is pretty simple. Ingredients are fairly easy to find. I recall Ming Tsai making one on East Meets West once. You want it to be the consistency of pancake batter.

Shrimp Tempura

2 cups rice flour

1 egg

salt to taste

2 T Sugar

2 T oil (You can use soybean, peanut, or canola)

1 lb. of shrimp - raw, peeled and deveined

Lee Kum Kee Plum Stir-Fry or Dipping Sauce or Duck Sauce

Ice cold club soda (This is important for the bubbles to make the batter light and airy.)

Just add enough to make it the consistency of pancake batter, which is normally somewhere around 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups.

After that, make sure you have a pot filled with about 2 cups of oil. It needs to be boiling good. Dip the shrimp until well-

Coated. Drop them in the oil, and fry until golden brown. This normally takes between 3 and 5 minutes. Retrieve them

from the oil, and set on paper towels to drain and cool. After they cool for a few minutes, drain again with a paper towel,

and enjoy with the dipping sauce! I am working on another batter that is like popcorn shrimp. I will let you know how that

turns out. I also miss fried chicken with the fixings. Hopefully, the plan for batter I have will work!

Dear Deb,

Are you alright with nightshades? The primary ingredient in the cake mixes I get is potato starch or potato flour. Sugar is the second ingredient. Being on a restricted diet can be hard to deal with. I have a sweet tooth, and it drives me crazy. Cookies have always been my big no-no. Birthday cake with a ton of that icing has always been something I occasionally do not mind having. I am trying to invent an icing like the one the bakery used. It probably had enough butter and shortening to give a moose a heart attack!

Sincerely,

Jin

[confused]

thanks for that recipe, is the sauce stuff glutem casein and soy free and can i find them in regular stores lol.

I did have an great birthday yesterday with my parents. The highlight was they bought me some size 6 jeans and i fit into them, i have notworn 6 for many many yrs lol. So i did have a very nice silver lining lol

I will have to look at that website to, once i see what my parents find at the viatmin cottage today, then i will order the rest, i have to have my kitchen stocked for the holidays since i host both holidays and everyone knows it will be gluten free lol

paula

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Paula,

You are very welcome for the recipe! I am sure the sauce is casein-free. It may not be soy-free. You will have to check on that. If not, I can give you a basic recipe for plum sauce. All you need to do is take four plums and peel them. Next, puree them.

Add 1/4 teaspoon each ground black pepper, ground white pepper, and ground ginger. Add a clove of crushed garlic, and a Tablespoon of sesame oil. Chinese five-spice powder is put in there as well. Salt is to taste. I am not sure about a safe brand of that. However, I can tell you how to make your own.

You take ground cinnamon, powdered star anise, ground ginger, Szechuan peppercorns (ground), and ground cloves. You should use maybe 1/2 a teaspoon of this to a full teaspoon depending on how much spice you like. Next, add 1/4 cup sugar, and a one to two Tablespoons of vinegar. Plain white vinegar is what I use. Puree this all together nicely.

Then you can dip!

Lee Kum Kee products are found in many large chain stores. Look for their items in the ethnic foods isle. Groceries carry them, because they are a common brand. Their list of what we can have is quite extensive. You can also order online. Many of their products are available through amazon .com.

Sincerely,

Jin