Gluten Free Thanksgiving Recipes, Links, and Pictures

My mom and Seth's mom on dish duty (we don't let them cook), and my sis-in-law who is an amazing cook!

My mom's plate- she only took a small amount of bread at first, leery of gf breads, but she loved the Against the Grain Baguettes, so she ended up eating more of it!  I used Seth's grandma's china and bought gold chargers.

Me.  Cooking.  In pajamas.  As an active-duty military family, we rent this house, so disregard the ugly cabinets and appliances.  The granite counters are nice, tho! 

                                          

This WAS  my second time hosting a gluten free Thanksgiving.  I've had the luxury of two other gluten free Thanksgivings hosted by my mother (when it was just she & I), and by my best friend (who also made vegetarian options for another guest, so I wasn't the only one requiring intensive care in food prep).

Here are "professional" Turkey Day recipes from Living Without Magazine.

This is what I planned on preparing for Turkey Day, some updates added in from AFTERward:

• Gluten Free Turkey (remember some poultry is injected with gluten containing flavorings/broths). BEST GLUTEN FREE TURKEY: Brined turkey from Trader Joe's. SUPER JUICY, even the gluten-eaters loved it.  I've tried Shelton's before, but it didn't knock my socks off.  Other gf options listed in an old copy of Living Without magazine show Aaron's Gourmet, Empire Kosher, Honeysuckle White, Jennie-O, Norbest, Organic Prairie, Perdue, and Shady Brook Farms.  **Remember NOT to stuff the turkey.  Martha Stewart doesn't recommend it (due to bacteria from poultry), and my mother insisted we do it with gf stuffing once, and it was so mushy we had to throw it out.  Obviously, if you are also having gluten-full stuffing, do not put it in the turkey!
• Gluten Free Stuffing - **The KEY is to TOAST the gluten free bread in the OVEN before you make it and to NOT stuff it in the bird (sog city).  The BEST gluten free STUFFING EVER is Emeril's simple recipe link here with Against the Grain Baguettes toasted in oven. I'm adding more bacon this year.  I've tried others: cornbread stuffing (my bff made it superbly one year) or the new recipe, here, that I got from the gluten free expo from Against the Grain.  Click here for Enjoy Life's gluten free recipes for pie crust made from smashed cookies, stuffing, etc.  Remember, many people find cooking the stuffing in the crock pot keeps it moist, but I've never tried it.  Click here for more stuffing recipes.
• Cranberry Sauce- I'm a purist- no chutneys, no orange zest.  Just the original sauce, naturally gf!
• Bread- Leaning toward Against the Grain, but may choose Schar rolls or make cornbread-- I love Sylvan Border Farm Classic Dark Bread Mix (similar to Pumpernickel), but I think I'm going to order CranRaisAppWalnut bread and cornbread from Sally's GF Bakery in Sandy Springs, GA.
• I also recommend ordering from THE SILLY YAK Bakery here.  They ship from Wisconsin.  Feeling gutsy? How about trying a gluten free bread bowl recipe, here.
• Yams- regular recipe, with brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows- naturally gluten free!
• Click here for a link to gluten free flour blends you can make yourself, or try Better Batter, GF Bisquick, or Pamela's Baking Mix.  Be mindful of whether or not it already includes baking powder and xanthan gum/guar gum.
• Green Beans- I like them with slivered almonds, but my Midwestern mom loves that green bean casserole, so I did by a gravy packet from a guy at the gf expo, his website is here.  I also liked the sample he had of sausage gravy (like for breakfast), yum!  
• Corn Pudding:  Combine and mix:  14 oz can creamed corn, 2 eggs (lightly beaten), 1 c evap milk, 1/4 c sugar, 2 and 1/2 c GF flour blend, 2 tbsp butter, salt to taste (add a can of drained corn if you wish).  Pour into 1.5 qt casserole dish or 8x8 square dish. Bake @350 for 50 min. Serves 6
• Mashed potatoes- a la Gordon Ramsey, using a potato ricer, hot milk, whipping over heat.
• Gluten free Gravy- in the past I've used drippings with corn starch, but this year I'm using the packet I bought at the gf expo (see link under green beans).
• Appetizers: olive/relish tray, brie cheese and Trader Joe's rice crackers, crudite with pumpkin hummus recipe here.



pumpkin muffins I made- flavorful and MOIST, although not "quick & easy" as recipe describes

• Desserts:  Here is the BEST moist pumkin muffin recipe (although not all that simple- you have to let the batter "rest", for example). Gluten Free Hello Dolly Bars (my mom just subs gf ingredients, but there is a recipe in the 2011 Delight GF Magazine, Apple Cranberry Crisp (remember to omit the gf flour the recipes call for- texture is like sand! I use gf oats and gf graham crumbs), Vitamix pumpkin cake (sub gf flours), and ***BEST Gluten free Chocolate cream pie with BEST PIE CRUST-  gf graham crumb crust- just substitute S'morables gf graham crackers-  and mix w/melted butter like a regular graham cracker crust.  I get them at SUper Target or WHole Foods. Click here for a version of Betty Hagman's pie crust.  Some Whole Foods Markets sell pre-made pie crusts.   
• Remember to use Aluminum-Free Baking Powder for your baking this year, to avoid a metallic aftertaste.  I get it at Trader Joe's along with alcohol-free vanilla extract and real vanilla beans- did you know vanilla comes from orchids?  
• Drinks:  Rhubarb wine, water, apple cider, soda, milk, and PUMPKIN LATTEs with VitaMix!
• Ask guests to bring: Drinks, flowers, cranberry sauce, crudite, cool whip, ice cream, yams, gr.beans, or hummus.  Explain about cc.
• Now, this won't work for everyone.  My stepdad and mom are coming from FL for the holiday weekend, but they will be dining out for Thanksgiving, choosing to opt-out of a gf dinner.  My stepdad is a stickler for tradition and a control freak.  He's also unable to stay at other people's homes, always in a hotel.  Hopefully he remembers his blood pressure meds this year (to see what happened when he didn't one year, click here).
• If you're traveling, you can order travel sized dressings and soy sauce packets here.
• I'm also hosting my first Halloween Party.  Here is the list of gluten free Halloween treats I'll be serving.

Basic Training

GF Glutino Pretzels, Sunrise Cereal, Lundberg's Rice Cakes, KToos Cookies, Ian's Wafer Bites, Annie's Organic Fruit Snacks, Love Grown Granola, Cheetos,  EnviroKids Krispy Rice Bars, and Lara Bars (an aquired taste).

     After serving as a teacher/new teacher mentor/summer school admin for at-risk youth for 13 years,  I lost my passion.  The factors included:  unsafe school campus (we had a closed campus, but my principal would not enforce it- even after teachers were robbed at gunpoint in the teacher's lounge of another school nearby), not having a cost-of-living increase for 5 years, health benefits getting pulled, furlough days, morale way down at work (especially every March when pink slips came out- that lasted well into June when coworkers' fates were finally determined), my principal's obsession with teaching to the test (illegally emailing us what content was on the test ahead of time was the straw that broke the camel's back for me), having the lunch ladies illegally babysit kids while we tutored other kids during instructional time, and parents who were more concerned about their child's school pictures than helping them memorize their multiplication tables, refusing to get their child eye exams &glasses (even when free or income-based fee), and habitually pulling kids out of school for multi-week vacations and on Friday afternoons to avoid traffic, my classroom and personal car getting graffiti and damaged, etc.
     It just started to feel like I was someone with a Master's Degree that was being used as a basic skills tutor,  doing more and making less, spending my own money on work stuff or my own time trying to fund basic needs like scissors through donorschoose.org, paying CA's sky high taxes while the parents of my students worked "under the table", begging parents to help their own children get enough sleep or free eyeglasses, helping kids grow 2 or 3 years in their reading level, but it didn't matter because they still didn't test at grade level, with all the respect of a babysitter.  I was starting to regret refusing a job offer at age 22 to be a shoe buyer for a major retail chain starting at $80,000.  It was safe to say I was ready for a change.
     I shocked everyone who knows me and took a leave of absence, rented out my house, left my car in California, and spent ten months in Virginia/D.C. area with my new boyfriend while he was in a full-time Master's Degree program (paid for by the military, when I had to pay for mine and work full time while doing it).  He went to school half a day and didn't work, so I didn't work.   I rode my bicycle or the metro, volunteered at The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History (Master's degree required, you have more respect than teachers get- and you get to attend lectures and learn!- we hadn't been allowed to go to conferences or workshops in years at my job!), tutored kids at a local school, honed my cooking and crafting skills, attended gluten free groups and a dinner club, visited tons of museums, adopted cats, began a novel, moved my blog, and nurtured my relationship.  And I realized I didn't miss teaching!
     So, I started reading motivational books about changing careers while my boyfriend got his new orders- to be Commanding Officer of Recruiting Station Atlanta, a feather in his cap, but he wasn't going to Afghanistan like he wanted, and we weren't moving back to California, like we expected.
     Once settled in Atlanta, I decided to use my other degree in Sociology and thought I might become a probation officer.  I passed the Criminal Justice test, and ended up taking a job as a Parole Officer instead.  I would be using many of the skills I'd developed as a teacher- assessing and coordinating resources to meet the needs of the individual and working with a disadvantage population- but the law enforcement side (doing arrests on a daily basis, working with convicted murderers face-to-face, serving warrants at houses, carrying weapons, etc.) was going to be a new and challenging experience.
     Starting a new job, celiac has come up many times.  My first day, they threw a welcome party with donuts and my boss announced he was taking me out to lunch between jail visits, when I luckily steered us toward Chic-Fil-A and luckily didn't get cc.  The standard birthday cakes, holiday treat tables, coworkers' prodding "try this" while holding a spoon to my face, etc.  have all occurred.  And my extra challenge:  eight weeks of  cafeteria food during basic training.  Pictured above are the foods I purchased to take with me from Whole Foods and Kroger.  (Parolees clean the dorms, so everything must be kept under lock and key, and no fridges.)
     My Meal Plans:  
Breakfasts:  Sunrise Cereal or EnviroKids Krispy Rice Bar with fruit from cafeteria 
Lunches:  Lara Bar with fruit/veg from cafeteria
Dinners:  Careful considerations of rice or beef, and veg from cafeteria, supplemented by my rice cakes, pretzels, and gf bread w/peanut butter packets I bring. 
Snacks and desserts:  gluten free cookies, wafers, fruit snacks, chips, apple dipped in p.b. and granola 

     So far, I like most parts of the job.  I enjoy helping my parolees.  Once we build a rapport, they somewhat enjoy my phone calls/visits and we laugh.  They seem surprised and enjoy that I treat them like a person more than a convict.  They made a mistake and paid a debt to society, but shouldn't let their life be defined by that mistake.  It's almost all tied to drug and alcohol abuse, which is the major need area to address.
     I hate doing urine screens.  I hate working in a stark office, with bathroom stalls falling apart, with parolees cleaning it instead of professional cleaners.  (I've always wanted to work in a nice, clean office with lovely reception areas, but I hate being tethered to a desk and I'd NEVER work in a cubicle!)  I love how a day can be going along, somewhat peaceful or boring, just calls and computers, and suddenly I find out I have an absconder that got caught and I need to interview her/him in jail, or a K-9 comes to check a car, or we arrest people in our office for violations of parole, or someone runs away in hand cuffs.  Like teaching, every day is different.
     I am sad when my parolees test positive for drugs, and happier than you would imagine when they find jobs!  And, I enjoy shooting (targets, not so sure about anything else), learning, and visiting the jails and prisons.  I grew up in a bad neighborhood, below the poverty line, to a teen mom, and I beat the odds and got a scholarship, a ticket out.  I grew up with neighbors and relatives who had run-ins with the law, have always read and studied about it.  My grandfather, my inspiration, ran a community center, wore holey shoes, and brought strangers home to our Thanksgivings.  I hope I can touch lives the way he did, and that I succeed at this new adventure.  Wish me luck! 

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.

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. 

Gluten Free Snacks for Work: Avoid being the Carrie CrankyPants of your Office

Sadly, I often work through my lunch at work.  When I get that hunger slump/grouchy, low blood sugar feeling, here's what gluten free goodies I bite off, in lieu of my coworkers' heads:

I like Justin's butters to spread on crackers or dip Glutino gluten free pretzels into.  I buy at Super Target or health store.

DeMet's turtles make a sweet gluten free treat.  I buy at drug store or Super Target.

These crispy rice bars are ONLY good when soft.  I ONLY like the peanut choc drizzle flavor.I buy at Super Target.

I like all flavors of the bunny fruit snacks.  I get them at Super Target. This is not my hand.

I buy these at Super Target or Whole Foods.  I spread with p.b., cheese,  or tuna.   They do not compare to a "regular" cracker, but are an acceptable gluten free topping-holder or chili-topping.

I prefer this Love Grow granola. (Udi's scrapes my gums in my mouth.  I hate Bakery on Main- it's not crunchy enough and gets stale too quickly.)  I buy LoveGrown at Kroger.

Tasty, but a bit hard to chew.  Beware- they can get hard, even though they are sealed in indiv. wrappers.

Lara bars are an ACQUIRED taste.  I used to only like Apple and Pecan.  Now I love this cookie dough kind and banana nut bread.

Nice, savory snack.  Worked great when I smelled someone cooking bacon in the toaster oven at work.

Gluten free heaven, but due to cost, I usually by the PLAIN and dip in my own chocolate or p.b.

Guiltlessly gluten free.  Some people don't eat Quaker since products are made on "shared" equipment.

Funny enough, I didn't like the first flavor I tried at a gf food faire- it was vegetable and chicken noodle.  Later, I had a coupon and was SURPRISED to LOVE the chili with angus beef, the chicken chili, and REALLY surprised I liked clam chowder  and Thai curry chicken soup, since I didn't eat those flavors prior to being gluten free!  These FROZEN gluten free soups taste BETTER THAN CANNED soups- better seasoning, fresher, ONLY 250 CALORIES and lots of MEAT!

I add Love Joy granola to my yogurt.  This is the yogurt my boyfriend prefers, and it is good.   I stock up when Kroger has them on sale for $1.

Updated with "After" Pics! Preparing a Gluten Free Thanksgiving Feast

My mom and Seth's mom on dish duty (we don't let them cook), and my sis-in-law who is an amazing cook!

My mom's plate- she only took a small amount of bread at first, leery of gf breads, but she loved the Against the Grain Baguettes, so she ended up eating more of it!  I used Seth's grandma's china and bought gold chargers.

Me.  Cooking.  In pajamas.  As an active-duty military family, we rent this house, so disregard the ugly cabinets and appliances.  The granite counters are nice, tho! 

                                          

This will be my second time hosting a gluten free Thanksgiving.  I've had the luxury of two other gluten free Thanksgivings hosted by my mother (when it was just she & I), and by my best friend (who also made vegetarian options for another guest, so I wasn't the only one requiring intensive care in food prep).
Here are "professional" Turkey Day recipes from Living Without Magazine.

This is what I plan on preparing for Turkey Day: (note: the pink are UPDATES added 11/16/11)

• Gluten Free Turkey (remember some poultry is injected with gluten containing flavorings/broths).  I've tried Shelton's before, but it didn't knock my socks off, so I'll try another brand this time.  Now that we live in Atlanta, we'll have to see what Whole Paycheck Foods offers.  Other gf options listed in an old copy of Living Without magazine show Aaron's Gourmet, Empire Kosher, Honeysuckle White, Jennie-O, Norbest, Organic Prairie, Perdue, and Shady Brook Farms.  **Remember NOT to stuff the turkey.  Martha Stewart doesn't recommend it (due to bacteria from poultry), and my mother insisted we do it with gf stuffing once, and it was so mushy we had to throw it out.  Obviously, if you are also having gluten-ful stuffing, do not put it in the turkey!
• Gluten Free Stuffing - I haven't decided yet, between cornbread stuffing (my bff made it superbly one year) or the new recipe, here, that I got from the gluten free expo from Against the Grain.  Click here for Enjoy Life's gluten free recipes for pie crust made from smashed cookies, stuffing, etc.  Remember, many people find cooking the stuffing in the crock pot keeps it moist.  Click here for more stuffing recipes.
• Cranberry Sauce- I'm a purist- no chutneys, no orange zest.  Just the original sauce, naturally gf!
• Bread- Leaning toward Against the Grain, but may choose Schar rolls or make cornbread-- I love Sylvan Border Farm Classic Dark Bread Mix (similar to Pumpernickel), but I think I'm going to order CranRaisAppWalnut bread from Sally's GF Bakery in Sandy Springs, GA.
• I also recommend ordering from THE SILLY YAK Bakery here. Feeling gutsy? How about trying a gluten free bread bowl recipe, here.
• Yams- regular recipe, with brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows- naturally gluten free!
• Click here for a link to gluten free flour blends you can make yourself, or try Better Batter, GF Bisquick, or Pamela's Baking Mix.  Be mindful of whether or not it already includes baking powder and xanthan gum/guar gum.
• Green Beans- I like them with slivered almonds, but my Midwestern mom loves that green bean casserole, so I did by a gravy packet from a guy at the gf expo, his website is here.  I also liked the sample he had of sausage gravy (like for breakfast), yum!  
• Corn Pudding:  Combine and mix:  14 oz can creamed corn, 2 eggs (lightly beaten), 1 c evap milk, 1/4 c sugar, 2 and 1/2 c GF flour blend, 2 tbsp butter, salt to taste (add a can of drained corn if you wish).  Pour into 1.5 qt casserole dish or 8x8 square dish. Bake @350 for 50 min. Serves 6
• Mashed potatoes- a la Gordon Ramsey, using a potato ricer, hot milk, whipping over heat.
• Gluten free Gravy- in the past I've used drippings with corn starch, but this year I'm using the packet I bought at the gf expo (see link under green beans).
• Appetizers: olive/relish tray, brie cheese and Trader Joe's rice crackers, crudite with pumpkin hummus recipe here.
• Desserts:  Gluten Free Hello Dolly Bars (my mom just subs gf ingredients, but there is a recipe in the latest Delight GF Magazine, Apple Cranberry Crisp (remember to omit the gf flour the recipes call for- texture is like sand! I use gf oats and gf graham crumbs), Vitamix pumpkin cake (sub gf flours), and Gluten free Chocolate cream pie with gf graham crumb crust. Click here for a version of Betty Hagman's pie crust.  Some Whole Foods Markets sell pre-made pie crusts. Remember to use Aluminum-Free Baking Powder for your baking this year, to avoid a metallic aftertaste.
• Drinks:  Rhubarb wine, water, apple cider, soda, milk, and PUMPKIN LATTEs with VitaMix!
• Ask guests to bring:  flowers, cranberry sauce, crudite, cool whip, ice cream, yams, gr.beans, or hummus, drinks.  Explain about cc.
• Now, this won't work for everyone.  My stepdad and mom are coming from FL for the holiday weekend, but they will be dining out for Thanksgiving, choosing to opt-out of a gf dinner.  My stepdad is a stickler for tradition and a control freak.  He's also unable to stay at other people's homes, always in a hotel.  Hopefully he remembers his blood pressure meds this year (to see what happened when he didn't one year, click here). **UPDATE:  My stepdad and mom skipped the restaurant and ate with all of us!  My stepdad gobbled his plate clean!  They all were surprised how buttery and yummy and great-textured the Against the Grain baguettes were and the proof was that they ate tons of them.   Everyone commented on how juicy the brined turkey from Trader Joe's was.  It was the best Thanksgiving I've had since going gluten free in 2005.
• If you're traveling, you can order travel sized dressings and soy sauce packets here.
• I'm also hosting my first Halloween Party.  Here is the list of gluten free Halloween treats I'll be serving.

Festering gluten-Freely at the Fall Festivals

So, let's start with Oktoberfest. Helen, Georgia, embodies the German influence in its half-timbered buildings, sausage-laden menus, and alpine attitude year-round, so it's the perfect place to celebrate Oktoberfest. And, oh, do they celebrate! People were carrying steins and sporting Bavarian style green fedora hats, lederhosen, Saint Paulie Girl outfits, and suspenders, and noshing on streudel, sauerkraut, hot Bavarian pretzels, and various -wursts. But, really, when one is gluten-freestyling one's way through most "fests", food (and beer, in this case) is to be circumvented, rather than encircled. It's not easy Living Without (love that magazine!), especially when funnel cake is in fruition. Beer was abundant, but I never found a stein or boot-shaped mug, or table tapper offering Green's, New Grist, or Redbridge. Yes, it was disappointing watching everyone devour their delectable delights. For once, I was wishing I was with a weight-conscious, fattening food-avoiding, fork dipping in the salad dressing (on the side), diet-obsessed girlfriend. At least I indulged in a scrumptious caramel apple and a chocolate turtle, alongside my Glutino granola bars and fruit.

Next, was the Tuskeegee/Morehouse football tailgate fete. Holy wow, do these Southerners know how to tailgate. Giant turkey legs, fried fish, barbecue, you name it! And, what was I able to indulge in? A mango smoothie and a bad ear of corn (hard to please a Midwesterner when it comes to corn). Be still my heart. We were there all day and a Lara Bar wasn't cutting it, so I had Seth stop and pick me up some fast food fries when I came home. Thank goodness for Five Guys. The best part of the lackluster football game was the Tuskeegee Band- dancing tuba players and Beyonce-inspired dresses on the drill teams were jaw-dropping. This ain't no Midwest band attire. (We attended because a USMC General was doing the coin toss- Seth had brunch with him,
but I skipped that, for gluten free and sanity reasons. Since Seth is Commanding Officer, we have many weekend functions to attend like this.)

Kilted Men

Giant Potato Ribbon

Scotch Egg

 Finally, there was the Scottish Highland Festival. My Major is Scottish, (but his ginger hair comes from his mom's Italian side).he Carolinas have a huge population of Scots, who come down to the woods of GA to compete in Highland Games including the Caber toss (where they toss a giant log, end-over-end---this began as a bridge building skill in Scotland!), the sheep toss (they use hay bags to simulate sheep, since the PETA probably wouldn't be happy about them chucking the real woolies multiple stories thirty feet in the air), Highland dancing , falcons flying, and sheepdogs herding by whistle command. Kilted men, redheads, and bagpipes abound! Way fun, but I couldn't even partake in ice cream because when I asked if they could scoop mine from a clean container, they opened a new package of cups and scooped it from the container contaminated with waffle cone crumbs, etc. This is why I heart Baskin Robbins. They always get the clean container of mint chip or gold medal ribbon for me. I only wish they still had Martian Mint, my all-time fave. Although, I wonder if that flavor is gluten free? So, I noshed on Glutino crackers and Justin's almond butter and Lara bars which tasted all the worse when watching people devour mile-high ribboned potatoes, Scotch eggs, Bridies, essentially a sausage turnover (which I forced The Major to sample- and he wouldn't put it down, he loved it! It really irks me when he won't try new foods, because I have always enthused in this when I travel or go to cultural events and now I am unable to partake in ethnically eclectic edibles.

Gluten Free Apple Cranberry Crisp

  Halloween and Fall- Yes, there are gluten-free recipes in abundance, but it really irritates the heck out of me when people SUBTRACT the BEST PART of dishes to make them gluten free. CRUSTLESS pie? Are you freaking kidding me? Isn't that called pudding? Or porridge? Or mush? Or gunk? What's so difficult about concocting a nut crust, gf graham cracker crust, or a gf flour crust? Here's a clue: we already live WITHOUT enough stuff. And nobody eats the pie for the filling. I don't recommend pumpkin pancakes- Seth's banana ones are far superior. Pumpkin cookies, chili, Vitamix pumpkin bread, Sylvan Farms pumpernickel bread, apple-cranberry crisp (without sand-like gf flour--this omission is an improvement on the crunch factor), caramel apples and that dip, and those ginger spice cookies with the Sun on the package, Laffy Taffy, mini-Snickers, and Charleston Chew are probably my gluten free fall favorites.

Glutenized Fall foods and candies I yearn for: bread bowls of soups and dips, licorice Nibs, Milky Way, Ralph's grocery store soft sugar cookies, Kit Kat, Twix, and all the festival foods!

 RANDOM TIDBITS:

Frozen Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks

NEW GLUTEN FREE FOODS ON MY HORIZON: I can't wait to try: Frozen GF Mozzerella Sticks, Trader Joe's mac n cheese, and Good Grub Subs. What I've been eating (since I have to drop a few extra pounds-our USMC Birthday Ball is in Nov.- and Seth is in CA all week): I'm trying not to mess up the kitchen and be low-maintenance for my own satisfaction: Breakfasts: Grits, Greek Yogurt, or Udi Raisin Toast Lunches: Lara Bars, Kettle frozen chili (only b/c it was on sale), or egg salad on Udi bread Dinners: Bell & Evans chicken tenders with bbq or with mozz cheese and spaghetti sauce, or GF Brisket Tamales from the tiny Farmer's Market on Johnson's Ferry Road, and sweet potato, and veg Snacks: Individual packet of French Meadow Bakery brownie or cookie, pears, and celery (plain)

Serendipity! Gluten free tamales under my nose!

What I'm afraid to try: @Joy_bauer 's idea to add canned pumpkin to yogurt for a fall treat. sounds ick What I've tried recently: red quinoa- very nutty flavor. I don't think Seth loved it. I can see why they recommended half red and half plain in the recipe I found online. Gluten free frozen bavarian pretzels- pretty fantastic! Fall foods I'm happy I never cared for: pumpkin pie, cheesecake of any kind, butternut squash soup, casseroles of most kinds. Baby hats my aunt sells that I buy from her to use as gifts:

Turner Field Gluten Free

Turner Field Gluten Free Food stand in section 106-112.

**2014 update food & pics @turnerfield (scroll to Monday section of this post  here).

Originally from the Chicago area, I'm a Cubs fan. However, living the migratory military life with The Major, I bandwagon fan whatever teams are nearby (except when they play Chicago teams)!  I have collected caps, tank tops or shirts for the Angels, Lakers, Dodgers, Cubs, Bears, Redskins, Wizards, and soon will add Braves and Falcons!

Gluten Free hot dog, gluten free beer, and bun at Turner Field in Atlanta, GA. June 30, 2012.

Update July 2012:  The gluten free food booth at Turner Field is still in the area between section  112.  The sign is a tomahawk slashing diagonally through a stalk of wheat in a circle as pictured.  

Gluten free hamburger at Turner Field Summer 2011.  

My boyfriend's gluten dog, that  dwarfs the gluten free one.

The first time I had forced down a substandard hot dog.  I dunno what brand it was, but it didn't taste like Hebrew National, I tell ya.  Better the second time, but too much bun for a puny dog.  The second trip offered gluten free buns with chicken sandwiches, hamburgers, and hot dogs.  Previously, they had chili dogs, but this time, no chili.  Sides consisted of Lara Bars, Brownies, chips, cookies, and Cupcakes from American Gra-frutti.  They were temporarily out of hamburgers, so I had to wait (you know I'm not a big chicken eater, and if it's cheap, processed chick chick....iiiick!)

 A jarring moment occurred when an unobservant, preoccupied fan lugged his giant, foot-long, gluten-laden dog protruding on either end of a standard glutenous bun from a regular food stand, slopped it on the gluten free counter, and proceeded to dig in the basket of packaged ketchup and condiments with his gluteny paws to dress his dawg.   I sure wish the server, who was not busy, would've been more aware of cc and shooed him away.  Who wants crumbs of glutey bun in the basket of gf condiments?

My gf burger was fair (equivalent to any fast-food burger), and the tapioca bun sort of held together enough for me to eat it, but it did crumble at the end and I did have ultra-messy hands after.   I plan to get it again next time.

I also got a chocolate chip cupcake at the stand, it's American Gra-frutti brand and, in my opinion, it was not a cupcake.  It was scrumptious, but it was a muffin.  It was dense and oily, like a muffin, not light, soft,  and airy like a cupcake.    

Finally, there are other "regular" foods that can be ok for gluten free people- cotton candy, Dippin' Dots, Ice cream, chips, smoothies, peanuts, etc.  And they DO allow you to bring your own food and water into the stadium.

Braves Game Cupcake by American Grafrutti:
Deeelicious, but it's a MUFFIN
and thumbs-down on the frosting-cake ratio!

 

       

Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats and Random Tidbits

Update: I made the gluten free Rice Krispie Treats. It took under ten minutes from getting the ingredients out of the cupboard, to microwaving, to pouring in the pan. Uber simple! I enjoyed them immensely. The texture seemed to match memories of the originals.
However, I must say that people at the potluck (I didn't share that the treats were gf) seemed to prefer to nosh on the gluteny brownies.
Scary Moment: I brought the treats in the pan because they were still warm. So, the host grabbed them, cut them, and proceded to use his hands to place them on a plate. Luckily, there was no obvious gluten around (it was a small party, with steamed shrimp as the main course, along with corn and steamed potatoes). So, I was able to eat them. What is it with people touching other peoples' food with their HANDS? It even bothers me when they do it on Top Chef. I can't even let my mind "go there" when it comes to what happens to my food while it's being prepared in the kitchen of restaurants. I was a waitress in college. I know.

By the way, my friend and gluten free friendly food blogger, Katja, prepared Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats with her own spin: Lemon and almond slivers. Her blog is here.
This is Katja's gluten free yogurt parfait that I'd like to try:

I had my Leatherneck snap this photo of me because my dear mother wanted a pic of the apron she made me. Actually it was a fabric apron kit I got out of the sale bin at JoAnn's Fabrics and mailed to my mother to sew for me, since she's always looking for quick crafts (she has a small attention span), although she said it took 4 hours to make this. (I grew up watching my mom mend piles of cloth bags and things for relatives and declared as a child that I'd never learn to sew, I'd have a career and make enough to pay to have it done. And it has been pretty convenient, especially since I have carpal tunnel anyway!)
And, yes, I've gained 4 lbs. since moving to Atlanta- despite running with a 5k group every week and working out at the gym. Gotta get that off!
RECENT MENUS:
Breakfasts: Watermelon, banana, or gluten free Glutino peanut and chocolate granola bar (110 cal)
Lunches: Rice Krispie treats, popsicles, and Lara Bars
Dinners: Salmon, Wolfgang Puck's recipe for poppyseed cole slaw, Rachael Ray's Honey Chicken and Lemony Rice (very difficult to make, lots of ingredients, chopping, and clean up, but tasty! We made up for the hard work and mess by zapping the leftovers in the microwave for an easy dinner the next night, and they were delicious!), Hormel's Sweet Italian Sausages, waffle cut frozen sweet potato fries.
Snacks/Desserts: S'mores over the campfire with Gluten Free Smorables Graham Crackers from Super Target while camping in Wisconsin (read more about my camping and other summer adventures here), Breyer's Ice Cream and Edward & Sons gluten free cones for my Marine's birthday, Minute Maid 70 calorie juice bars, veggies and hummus
Drinks: Iced Tea, water with fresh lemon slices (never get the lemon at restaurants-they've been proven to be the germiest items around), and Low Calorie purple Gatorade

BEST MOVIE OF THE SUMMER: THE HELP
Surprisingly, I thought it was just as superb as the book! I loved it. There wasn't a male in the theater (you must see it with gal pals). I heard some ladies sniffling. The characters were expertly cast and the 2.5 hours didn't seem long at all, allowing all the good parts from the book to be included. I was leery (which I thought was spelled leary), given that she'd allowed her childhood friend to direct it.


SONGS: (I'm not putting anything that's already in the top ten, you can find that easy enough.)
My Jarhead was helping me julienne stuff for the cole slaw and heard my playlist song by Trace Adkins (I love his music) for the first time, "Semper Fi". He was impressed- he does not have a country gene in his musical body. I highly recommend it. Also, I just added to my running playlist Miranda Lambert's edgy "Gunpowder and Lead" that revs me up. A romantic choice would be Leo Sayers's "More Than I Can Say", which was my grandparents' song. They eloped as teenagers and were married over 35 years.

Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats

The mission was to nab two boxes, one to eat as cereal and the other to make Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats.
Breakfast Result: It's not as nauseatingly bad of a re-make as the A-Team movie was...but the Gluten Free Rice Krispies, unlike the Gluten Free Rice Chex, are made with brown rice and taste less sweet and not as good as the original. The texture seemed pretty good. Same snap, crackle, pop. I will probably not eat it again after finishing this box. When I eat cereal, I'll stick with Rice Chex or that Organic Corn Flakes sweetened by fruit juice that I like.

My friend Katja (from the petite indulgences cooking blog)already made the treats with lemon and almond slivers, but she said she'd try something else next time. I found this blogger whose son said the plain ones were "fine". So, I guess I'll just make mine plain. I'm taking them to a cookout tonight (Southern "Cookout"= a "barbeque" in CA, and "grilling out" in IL). I'll let you know if I should've saved my money, waited for it to come out on DVD, or got a Blockbuster on my hands.

California Pizza Kitchen

I phoned in for curbside pickup:  gluten free bbq chicken pizza @California Pizza Kitchen (Perimeter Atlanta). She suggested Thai Shrimp gluten free appetizer so igot that,too. All for $23.01.   The pizza toppings were great, but the crust left me nonplussed.  It was tasteless with a cardboard texture.  I enjoyed the tangy flavor of the shrimp w the crispy rice noodles, so I'm happy to add CPK to the "acceptable" restaurant list I offer to my bf and friends when deciding where to eat out.  (Especially since it's conveniently located.)

Innard Bliss: Gluten Free Atlanta

New Digs! Southern hospitality is alive and well in Atlanta: neighborhood barbeques, strangers who chat and wave, and amazing food everywhere! We've been officially "peached". The peach jam, peach salsa, and peaches are all fabulous, but here's what else I've been dining on (while maintaining the ten pound weight loss I just achieved):
Gluten Free Shopping List: The Super Target here has several gluten free products like my favorite Glutino chocolate peanut granola bars that are super chewy and only 110 calories, as well as some frozen Amy's Indian meals, Annie's organic fruit snacks, hummus with pine nuts labeled gf, lots of salad dressings labeled gf, Smoreables gluten free graham crackers, and -making a judgement call per the ingredient list-SkinnyCow mini fudge pops at 50 calories. (I also saw other crackers there, but not my preferred Glutino.)

Sally's Bakery is like all gluten free, all the time. And I like it. They have samples of treats out for you to try before you buy. The CRAW bread is with cinnamon, raisins, almond milk, and walnuts. It's their specialty and the other two people in the shop with me also bought some. The hamburger buns were mediocre. They aren't pre-cut. The texture is thick, not airy enough, and kind of dry. Mine were in the same bag as the CRAW bread, so they tasted cinnamon-y, which isn't what you want with a burger.
The Outback here has a gluten free bloomin onion, french fries, etc. and I have to say I felt sick afterward, but it may have been from all the grease. The onion was good, the fries ok, they were out of ribs, and I took home my hamburger (on a gf bun) because I was full-but, since I had been sick I had my Bucket o' Luv devour it the next day, rather than risk it myself.

We have enjoyed many meals out, so reviews of Jason's Deli, Yeah! Burger, Sugo, Braves' Stadium (yuk), and a brunch place are on the horizon.
Random Menu for a day
(actually yesterday):
Breakfast: nectarine and Glutino Granola bar
Lunch: Hormel Natural gf honey ham sandwich on Sally's Gf bun with lettuce, tomato,etc.
Snack: Strawberries, peaches, SkinnyCow fudge pop
Dinner: Amy's frozen Indian meal with tomato and veggies with hummus