Buffalo chicken Crepe Revolution in Smyrna, GA

Lip-tinglingly picante, tastes like buffalo wings without the messy bones and stuff.  The gluten free crepe looked lighter in color and had more air bubbles than my companion's gluteny version.  Tasted light with a rice flavor.

Crepe w lemon filling at Crepe Revolution in Smyrna, GA

Crepe Revolution (Smyrna, GA) gluten free lemon crepe with raspberry drizzle.  The lemon to crepe ratio was a bit lopsided, but it still tasted fabulous!

L

Dunwoody Bakery

Dunwoody Gluten Free Bakery extended its hours and is open until 2 on Sat, so we went today. The verdict is: nothing earth-shattering.
We sampled: muffins (one was chalky and the other lacked flavor), chi brownies (good flavor, a bit oily), protein bar (Seth loves pb- eats it str8 from jar)so he liked it. It didn't appeal to me. I don't like scones or macaroons. The cookies didn't look good.
We bought: Cake pops (red velvet-neither of us liked them- the flavor was off). Won't buy again. Seth bought a peanut butter block, er, protein bar, and I bought Pure Knead buns.
In sum, it was a bit disappointing. I would recommend that they make stuff real bakeries have: tarts, pies, donuts, turnovers, etc. Nobody wants a cookie that looks like a dried out dough ball.
Sent from my iPhone

Be My Gluten Free Valentine

First things first:  Here is the link to a good list of gluten free Valentine Candy.  This site also has a blog with weekly gluten free menu planning with recipe links!  They eat way too much chicken for me, but if you like chicken, you'll love it!  If you want to try your hand at gluten free Valentine treat recipes, look here.

Now, it is time to reminisce on how being gluten free has affected Valentine's Days in the past:

A guy I was dating returned from a bowling tournament in Las Vegas (it was only a 3 hour drive from my CA house, so not a big-deal trip) and brought me a tank top and Godiva chocolate-covered strawberries for an early Valentine's Day prelude to romance.  Well, Godiva has is not gluten free (see link here for explanation), so you should've seen this poor guy's face fall when I hemmed and hawed and finally revealed that I could not eat them.

A former boyfriend (the code writer) took me on a double date to a fancy steak house and, much to my chagrin, my steak was served to me teetering atop a giant SLAB of bread!  The waiter informed us it was a CROUTON.  The waiter told us if we sent it back, the $40 steak would come out of his paycheck, and since I was starving, embarrassed, and only a few months "in" to the celiac lifestyle, I ate the steak and got extreeeeemely sick.  My boyfriend was very nurturing to me that night, but I think romance was NIXED.

Before I was gluten free, a unique, funny guy I was dating in the late '90s owned his own online candy warehouse and sent me a big box full of Chupa Chups (lollypops), champagne gummy candies, and other unique items.  The funny part (which has nothing to do with being gluten free) was that he included a photo of ONLY his arm--in the "muscle" pose--with a giant patch of long, grizzly hair sticking out from his armpit, that he probably didn't realize was the focal point.  My girlfriends and I laughed and laughed!  I kept that pic for years, but once when I was away visiting my family, my "wasband" and evil ex-sister-in-law went in my filing cabinet (this is before we were even married) and threw away all of my old photos and love letters.

Last year, when we lived in the D.C. area, my boyfriend took me to a majority-gluten free restaurant, Lilit Cafe, where I devoured fantastic gluten free crab cakes, a savory Italian sub sandwich with Boar's Head cheese, and peanut butter cupcake-- so much that I got sick.  (Probably all those parts per million add up, or all the dairy, or whatnot).

This Valentine's Day I bought my boyfriend a camouflage heart filled with chocolates, Twix Valentine heart, and Spam (just for the surprise factor).  I will also give him a card and maybe a sweatshirt he has been eyeing but too cheap to purchase for himself.

What I hope to receive (he doesn't read my blog, as far as I know, and if he does- BONUS!)are:

• See's chocolates--(second place would be Ghirardelli, or Russel Stover) .  
• Flowers- preferably my favorite- but since he's never asked what my favorites are, he usually gets me roses or tulips, which is still nice and I appreciate them.  
• Plane tickets or jewelry, although I won't hold my breath on these items.  Remember, this is the guy who mailed me toothpicks when he was gone overseas (he's active-duty military), bath balls when I didn't have a bathtub, a costume jewelry type necklace set that was so cheap the stone had fallen out, so imagine what it looked like when I opened the box!- and this year for Xmas he got me the SAME BOOK his mother got me last year for Xmas that I had told him I didn't like and didn't finish.

Click here to read a LIST of the HORRIBLE and HILARIOUS gifts I received as an elementary school teacher in the ghetto and in general.

To The Major's credit, he gives me lots of stuff in general (no pun intended) that are not for gifts or holidays, but my fave gifts have been leggings and shopping sprees...where I pick it out and he pays. 

Trader Joe's Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie - very buttery, thin, and CRISPY!

Pretty good with milk.  Too crispy to be my favorite.  In California, Trader Joe's had my FAVORITE store-bought gluten free cookie (even 'regular' folks would eat 'em)-double chocolate cookie: texture and flavor expertly created- I liken it to a brownie/cookie hybrid-a touch of a crispy outside with chewy, chocolately innards.  It used to be my PMS favorite.  Sadly, the TJ's in GA does not stock them.

Gluten Free Super Bowl Foods

What to make or bring for a gluten free party?

Here are some items I have made, brought, and served at parties lately:

Chocolate-covered espresso beans, yogurt raisins, baked Snapea Crisps, and Vanilla Creme Brulee Quakes rice snacks

Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles (from Whole Foods), a pepperoni yummy lasagna recipe from allrecipes.  Nothing left on their plates, people were surprised to know it was gluten free!  My Major is Italian, so this gluten free lasagna is a staple at my house, enhanced by fresh basil from the garden and premium cheeses.  This picture is the cold lasagna leftover after I had a few ladies over one night.

I sent these peanut butter blossoms (I googled a recipe and substituted Pamela's gf flour blend) to work with my Marine and took some to my work.  Didn't say they were GF.  Nobody knew or asked anything. They ate them like no tomorrow!

For gluten free party food that ALL guests- glutenous eaters AND gluten-free eaters- will like, and won't know or care that it's gf--- see pictures above.  

I have also had success with selections that are usually gluten free anyway as long as you label-read (I use Ghirardelli chocolate to melt and hummus/dips that are labeled gf): 

•  chocolate-dipped pretzels
• chocolate-dipped tuxedo strawberries
• apples with caramel dip
•  crudite/veggies with hummus (sprinkle paprika and pine nuts on hummus for effect)
•  stuffed peppers
• curry shrimp-stuffed avocado-see recipe here  I've also done a vegetarian version w raisins,nuts
•  potato chips and dip (I've used dip mixes with sour cream- just read the labels)
•  chee-tos
•  tortilla chips and guacamole or salsa
•  candy or chocolate pops (buy molds at Michael's Craft Stores- they are SO easy to make)
•  cold quinoa/veg/mint salad
•  rice pudding
• Jell-o, jell-o shots, margaritas
• baked nachos with monsterous toppings
• lemon meringue pie with crushed nut crust
• chocolate cream pie with S'moreables gf graham cracker crust
• gluten free Hello Dolly Bars
• GF chili-there is a tasty gluten free chili spice mix available at Super Target- read label
• bacon-wrapped scallops
•  scalloped potatoes, potato skins
• stuffed mushrooms (top w/GF breadcrumbs)
• Spanish rice with bacon
• chilled shrimp and gf cocktail sauce
• frozen chocolate bananas
• green bean casserole with pork rind topping and gf Progresso cream of mushroom soup
• ribs or chicken wings (youtube video recipe here with Sweet Baby Ray's or Kraft barbeque sauce or hot wings w/hot sauce  

I don't like flan or creme brulee, but if you do, those are also gluten free.   

Other gluten free cookies and GF Rice Krispie Treats were not eaten as much as the other glutenous desserts at parties.  

Gluten Free, Low Carb, Raw Food, and Paleo:  stuffed avocados.  Vegetarian or add shrimp, crab, or chicken.  I made mine stuffed with raisins and nuts.  They were devoured by the ubiquitous New Year's Dieters still on the horse in early February.

Bacon-wrapped scallops...bite-sized, savory, and easy to make!

Tuxedo strawberries- naturally gluten free, as long as you use gf chocolate.  I  prefer Ghirardelli's chips and melt in microwave or on a double boiler with a little canning wax.

If only I could eat them for the Stephanie Plum movie!!!