mbrookes

I believe the Biaggi's gluten-free menu has prices. The food there is very good and the servers seem well trained in the importance of gluten-free. I'm sure this part varies from site to site, depending on management.

I did not see it, but my husband told me about it. Yhis kind of publicity is harmful to all of those of us who have to be gluten free for health reasons. I presents gluten free dieters as flighty and trendy, I get all the nutrition I need, bur it is something I have to plan for.

This is the way I look at it: If you cook totally gluten free but someone in the family keeps a loaf of bread for sandwhiches in a closed bread box, your food is prepared in a facility that also uses wheat. Doesn't bother me a bit. I am more suspicious of those that say "shared lines or equipment", but I am not a super sensitive.

Since you are new to this, let me just encourage you to use your common sense. Some people will try to scare you to death, but as long as you are careful and sensible this diet will eventually become easy. AND YOU WILL FINALLY FEEL GOOD!

Don't graze in the yard. You have to ingest the gluten for it to hurt you. Walking on it is totally safe.

I've been gluten free for 4 years this week. It does get easier and easier. I still occasionally have the blues about something I can't have (most recently, a beer at my favorite bar). I have found substitutes for almost everything and at the risk of sounding too Pollyiannaish (I think Imade that word up) I eat as well as anyone I know. Plus I FEEL GOOD!!!!

I have been able to adjust most of my old recipes to gluten-free, but the biscuits just don't make it.Does anyone have a good old fashoned recipe that will make light biscuits? Mine are heavy as a stone.

Be careful with Benedryl. Some people have an opposite reaction. I'm one of them. The last time I took it I could not sleep for 36 hours. Then I crashed! Start with a tiny bit to see haw you react.

We went to Nick's for dinner with another couple. I told the server that I had to eat gluten free. She asked me what kind of fish I liked. Shortly after that I had my specially made, not on the menu dinner... a perfectly grilled and seasoned redfish filet served over garlic spinach. I highly reccommend Nick's to anyone in the area.

My freezer is so full I can't put anything else in it. Fridge is getting empty. Pantry is improving.

I think we're having Turducken and mashed potatoes for dinner. I have a ton of frozen holiday food in my freezer...

Had spam and eggs (eggs mixed with leftover egg whites), and mimosas (leftover champagne) for breakfast.

Using milk and cream in coffee instead of half n half.

Used a huge bunch of fresh parsley in black-eyed peas (forgot to put it in gumbo).

Black-eyed peas and rice for lunch (after I sober up and recover from brunch).

I do not understand the concept of "left over champagne". That has never happened in my house!

Someone mentioned on another thread that they had lots of goodies stashed and planned to try to use them up before buying new. That made me think that would be a good idea for a thread. I'd like to take this time to clean out my pantry and freezer and start fresh, plus it helps the budget just after the holidays and may give us all some new ideas.

Here's what and how I used up today and plans for upcoming days:

Brown rice in the fridge and small amount of leftover sauteed zucchini

plus hamburger cabbage soup from the freezer all went into that soup for lunch.

I have a goal to use up the pesto I made last year that's in the freezer, some went into pasta today.

Leftover cranberry sauce gets stirred into yogurt later in the week for kiddo's breakfast.

Leftover Xmas ham and leftover white rice get warmed up in the microwave with shredded cheddar and frozen broccoli for kiddo's school lunch tomorrow(in a thermos).

Try mixing leftover cranberry sauce with dijon mustard and dipping gluten-free pretzels. Makes a lovely snack.

Gluten Free Cafe frozen thing of chicken and vegetables. I was able to add enough gluten-free soy sauce to make it somewhat edible. Blah!

I have been gluten free for 4 years next week. At first it is very hard. All you can see will be the things you can't have. With time you will learn to concentrate on the great things you CAN have.

Let me tell you, I am a foodie! I love to cook and I love to eat good food. The Celiac diagnosis had me railing and crying at first. Then OMG! I realized I felt sooo good. I could quit locating the bathroom in every store I entered. Truthfully, I do still get upset occasionally when everyone else is scarfing down something forbidden to me. That is very normal.

Do stay with us here. We can help you transition from "How am I going to live this way?" to "No big deal." Don't hesitate to ask us here for product brand names, recipes, eating out strategies or any of the other thousand qestions you will have. Help is as near as your computer.

Good luck to you. You have taken the first step toward health. Your attitude will make or break you in your quest for living happily without gluten.

Jestgar, that sounds really good, but I have a question. What kind of greens do you use? I'm from the Deep South, so "greens" to me means turnip, mustard or collards. I don't think that is what you mean???

My chili recipe calls for beer and Redbridge works great there. It's not bad to sip, eiter, but that may be a case of "If it's all you can have, it's good,"

We always hear about the down side of Celiac and our relationships. I wanted to share a good story.

My husband and I are close friends with several couples, and each year we exchange gifts... usually home cooked goodies. These dear sweet people put a non-food happy in for me, like a scented candle, a paperback book, cute doo-dads.

When so many people don't care or understand about our problem, I am very lucky to have friends who care about me and take care of me.

We always have black-eyed peas (luck) and cabbage (money) on New Year's Day. Sometimes the peas are in Hopping John (peas, sausage and rice). Sometimes we have turnip greens instead of cabbage... I think any green leafy is good for getting money. Of course there is cornbread to go with everything.

Can't tell I'm in the Deep South, can you?

I use Cup-4-Cup (William Sanoma) all the time. I subistitute it directly for regular flour. Recently I have made pie crust, cheese straws and fritcake cookies that all turned out great. The only draw back is the price, but I only do a lot of baking at the holidays so it is not a real problem.

Listen to Gemini. So nice to hear a voice of reason. Just be careful not to drink your shampoo or spread moisturizer on you toast.

I love the flavor of Chebe bread. When I was a little girl, we brought nickels and pennies to Sunday School for the poor children in South America who had no bread. They had to eat bread made from manioc flour. I want my money back! That's good stuff.

I'm for doing the ham frst. Ham is generally served at room temperature, not piping hot, so that will give the juices time to resetle in the meat before slicing.

World's easiest no-fail fudge:

In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stir together:

1 lb. powdered sugar

1/2 cup Hershey's coco powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons butter

4 Tablespoons milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts (if you want them)

Pour out in a buttered pan (9X5 loaf is what I use). It will harden as it cools.

This recipe was on the back of Domino powdered sugar over 20 years ago, and I have used it ever since.

Sam's Club has a great spiral cut ham that has a packet of glaze mix. The glaze is safe (I've used it several times.)

I am proud of you for speaking up. If someone had a peanut allergy, no one would expect them to eat a PBJ.

Let me remind you to be careful with the information from some of the books. Some of it is out of date or just plain wrong. You ight want to check more than one source, especially on the DO NOT EAT lists.

Some of us are not as fortunate as you are, Goof. Taco Bell is it around here.

I keep a plastic container in the freezer for left-over little dabs of vegetables. Mostly I will add peas, green beans, corn, onions and tomatoes. Potatoes , asparagus and broccoli work well also. Then when I make soup, I start with a liquid such as chicken or beef or vegetable stock. Add meat if I want it and the contents of the "soup box". Makes great soup every time.