mbrookes

My husband and I went to Eslava's Grill on Lakeland for lunch last week. I was planning to eat just a salad, because most places can make a safe one. Much to my delight, the owner/chef came out and told me he is gluten free for health reasons and can do almost anything on the menu safely. He also understands about cross contamination. If you are in the Jackson area, I highly recommend Eslava's Grill.

mommida, what is the symbol for Glutino? I found them listed as a product of AMF Brands, a privately held company.I would be interested in looking at their stock if they are publicly traded.

Coffngrl, I have to disagree with you about Glutino... I love the pretzels.

I do agree with everyone who said to cook from scratch. It is cheaper, better, and you have total control over the ingredients. Have packaged goodies (and there are some great things out there) as a special treat.

I find I come out better buying a premixed gluten-free flour, even though it is expensive, rather than buying six different flours to mix up. Unless you do an awful lot of baking, the ones you use just a little of will go "off".

This may be cheating, but Pillsbury makes a gluten free pie crust that comes in a tub in the dairy section of Kroger. I don't know who else carries it. You just work it in your hands until it softens; then roll out between sheets of waxed paper. Follow their directions about transferring to the pie tin. My mince meat pie was beautiful!

My words to live by:

I can't control what happens (or what others say). I can only control how I react.

A short line to the wait person assuring them that your condition is serious is smart. I have never had a problem after that explanation. If a relative or close friend is rude, looking them in the eye and saying, "It hurts me when you say that" will usually work wonders. If it is a random person, I have no problem staring at them like they have two heads and then walking away.

The way I look at it:

Shared equipment is like using my toaster for gluten free and gluten full bread. I don't do it.

Shared facilities is like having my gluten free bread in the same pantry with gluten full bread. I don't worry about it.

That system has worked very well for me, but I realize I am not as sensitive as some people.

Sweetsailing, that is how I make gravy, also. Rachel Ray made turkey gravy using pinot noir on TV today. I may try that instead of the white wine.

I tried XO Baking Company's brownie mix and was bowled over. It is truly what I remember from my gluten eating days. Has any one used their all purpose flour? I'm hoping it will work as well as the mix I used. I found the mix in a "weird food aisle" at Home Store. I will order the other products if they are as good as the brownies.   

I also save the end pieces of my bread. When I have a bag full I cut each slice into four pieces and put it in the oven at 325 for as long as it takes to dry out all the way through and lightly brown, about 20-30 minutes. I keep the pieces in an air tight can. Need bread crumbs? Throw some in the blender. Need snacks? Spread cheese on a few or use it for bruschetta. I love having it available.  

Washington/Oregon Pinot Noirs have never hurt me....except when I hurt myself by over-indulging.

Your SO will catch on, too, if he is a good guy. My husband is not gluten free. He keeps a loaf of bread and hamburger buns in a closed bread box. When we go out he eats all the gluten he wants. He has become more phobic about cross contamination than I am, because he has seen what it does to me. What I'm saying is, he doesn't have to be gluten free, just aware of the situation.

I can double up on the previous comments. There is no support group in my area, so I have turned here repeatedly, always with good results.

When I was diagnosed 6 years ago the hospital dietician said " I don't know much about this. Get on the internet". So I did. Six years later I am almost an expert in all things gluten free. Thanks, all you folks who have helped me out. I will continue to help anyone I can.

I finally tried the snickerdoodles. While they taste NOTHING like a real snickerdoodle, they are OK. I still prefer the crispy sugar cookies. By the way, gluten-free flour works fine in making homemade snickerdoodles. I use Cup-4-Cup.

Easy question first: The chocolate does not have to say gluten free. Read all the ingredients... wheat HAS to be listed if it is used. Rye most likely won't be in chocolate and barley is a big worry if it is malted. Otherwise, it should be OK.

Cross contamination: A lot will depend on how sensitive you are. Flour does float around, so maybe you could get him to make bread somewhere else. Or get him to learn to make gluten-free bread. I am lucky in that my husband doesn't cook with flour ( he mostly makes spaghetti sauce or cooks on the grill.)

I would think a separate shelf would be OK as long as gluten-free food is not stored over it. Under ought to be OK.

Notice, I keep saying "should" and "ought to". No two people are alike. What bothers you might not bother me. Sorry, but a lot is trial and error.

I have been gluten free for 6 years, but there are still some foods that I miss dearly. So.... when I occasionally have trouble going to sleet at night I pretend someone developed a shot that would let me eat anything at all for one day. Then I start lining up the foods I want in order of consumption. Baklava (sp) is always first! Soon I go to sleep and have food dreams.

I use a blend (Cup-4-Cup) for everything. It is good for cookies, cupcakes, muffins and bars. I would not use it for yeast breads, which are a bit trickier to me. For cakes I use gluten-free cake mixes and I really don't try yeast breads.

I have read that a physical or emotional trauma can trigger Celiac. In 2000 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery and radiation (Thankfully, did not need chemo)I recovered and started having stomach issues. That progressed with a vengeance. Finally, in 2007 I was diagnosed with Celiac by biopsy. Looking back, I can see some early problems like gum disease in my 40's, but nothing severe until after the physical and emotional trauma of breast cancer.

At our local "hippie" store

Me: Where can I find gluten free soy sauce?

Clerk: Ask the guy over there with the purple hair.

I barely made it out of the store before I doubled over laughing. YES! Hippie Store!

Thanks. I am a coupon freak, but rarely see them for gluten-free products. They NEVER go on sale at my grocery or health food store. I guess the powers that be know we will buy them any way because we have no choice.

I am happy as a clam with my gin and tonic, rum and coke, whatever I feel like. Cocktail time is one place I have not had to do without favorites, except beer.... and I'm getting used to Red Bridge.

The directions say to bake the bottom crust a few minutes before filling. I did that and the crust was not at all doughey in the center.

Yesterday I made a chicken pot pie using the Pillsbury Pie Crust. The crust is very good. It is a little hard to handle, as are all gluten-free pie crusts, but it turned out very good. I will use it again, probably on a mincemeat pie for Thanksgiving.

Guines Pig? Well, I've been called worse! I'll report back after I try it out.

Losing the onions makes it hard. Can you use onion powder? That might be a possibility.

I use a mixture of the following:

4 cups Rice Chex

4 cups Corn Chex

4 cups Whole O's (Nature's Path)

4 cups Pretzels (Glutino)

2 cups Mixed Nuts (I use store brand; check for gluten-free)

Melt a stick and a half of butter. Add 6  Tbspns Lea and Perrins, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/4 tsp garlic salt. Bake (I use the bottom of a turkey roaster) at 200 degrees for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Put this in zip lock bags when it is thoroughly cool. It will keep a long time.