well, that's another...maybe I should worry.

last week I was put on LOA all three of my shifts.  Thankfully, I was able to pick up one in the NICU, and another at my PRN job.  last night I got LOA'd again, but I will be picking up a shift tonight,...in the NICU.

sigh


Anyhow, I made up Bub's Valentine day party "Bags".  I got all the stuff to have a nice bag for the kids, and then forgot to get bags.  So they are in ziplock baggies.  I swear, I don't mean to be shabby, it just seems to happen.  But I got Bub to give starbursts (one of a few gfcf candies I can buy at a normal store), a valentine day eraser, a valentine stencil/ruler, and a card.  Plus wonderful Hubby Joe signed us up to bring plates, utensils, etc... for the party...last august...and I found out on Friday.  joy.

I hope whoever supplies the cake/cookies supplies something Bub can have, and the other kiddo in the class who is gfcf.  But I doubt it.  I think I will make Bub a treat for at home once Joe takes Zbug to the healthy-hideaway.

nubs

the bird that starts with the letter "X"

hey Mom,
I found the bird that starts with the letter "x", it's a xenops.

I put in a link for more info on them, it's kinda cute & I will prolly send you a copy. (click on the title of today's blog to go there)

well, today Dorlaine was braver than I am, she took Bub AND Cousin "K" to the movies!!!!
(she let me stay home & study, which I am REALLY greatful for!!!)

They went to see "kung-fu panda"
I made snack packs for them as Bub is not able to eat movie theater foods being gfcf and all...
They had gfcf popcorn, jelly-beans, lollies, and some parve kosher taffy I found that stated it was gluten free!!!

they didn't make it thru the whole 90-min movie tho, Dorlaine reported that they both got antsy and sticky within an hour, so they left early...which was ok, b/c Cousin K had already seen it, ("It's a good movie auntie Nina, there isn't any bad parts...it's PG!!! REALLY!") (hehehehe) and bub was sticky... Sticky Bub is never a fun Mr. man....he gets crabby about being sticky after a while....

Also, Bub got his jumbo raisins today....for once he has solid BM, but they are TOO solid. Poor guy, he's freaking out every time he sees the wipey comin for to clean him up. *sigh* Hopefully the "jumbo raisins" will clear him up and he will have normal poop for a while....if not he sees his Dr on the 19th and I will insist that running some tests on his GI track may be a VERY good idea...if his Dr. doesn't agree, I'll get his endocrinist to listen to me....

Ah, the love of medical stuff. I need to get some of my teachers to advise me on how to get my doctors to listen to me & believe I know what I am talking about.....

need to study for another hour or so! Loves to all!

Mr Man's Chicken nuggets

So,
As some of you know, Bub will only eat 2 kinds of meat....ground beef with ketchup (this includes cabbage rolls and meatloaf) and chicken nuggets. Now, He has not had chicken nuggets since we went gluten free last October and nearly all commercial chicken nuggets have gluten and/or casein in them. I did find one brand, Ian's. My healthfood store and albertson's carries it, but it is $5.00+ for 8 nuggets. ARGH! I don't have that kind of moolah for chicken nuggets.... :(

Then, as I mentioned in a previous post, One of the many wonderful things Dorlaine has done for me is help me overcome my fear of deep frying at home. So now I can MAKE chicken nuggets for my bub very inexpensively. Here's how!

-3 cooked chicken breasts cubed into bite sized pieces (If they are bigger, bub will only eat the breading....grrrr)


-1 c. GF cornmeal/corn flour

-1/2 c. brown rice flour

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 - 1 c. soy (rice) milk

Stir flours, seasonings and milk substitute well.
Add chicken to coat.
Fry in 2 in. oil in batches for 2-3 min.
Drain well.

if you allow the nuggets to drain well and cool thoroughly, you can freeze them in a baggy and they won't stick together, so you can grab a handfull to nuke as needed.

PS- use the remaining batter to make hush puppies (bub loves 'em)


I think I might try doughnuts soon.....


Wow.

Nubs!

Awesome pie!

Bub and Daddy sharing the last piece...nicely! (Bub isn't grubbing it...unbelievable)

(click the title for a link to the recipe)

Seriously...
Make this pie...even if you aren't vegan or gfcf....it is that freaking good....seriously.

It is so easy & it is a non-bake pie.

If you want it to be GFCF here are my very SLIGHT alterations to the recipe....

"graham cracker crust"
1/2 c. melted vegan margarine..make SURE it has the parve kosher sign on it.
2 c. ground "Envirokids" cereal, I used the chocolate krispy kind, but I think the peanut butter
panda kind would also be nummy.
Mix together, press into pie plate and bake 8 min at 350.

continue w/ recipe

I used tropical Source semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe, but enjoy life semi-sweet mini-chips would work to. I don't know of any other chocolate I can use that has absolutely no dairy in it.

(This is the bar of chocolate almond...don't have a pic of the chips yet tho)

As for the pretzels...I dipped my gluten-free ener-g pretzels in melted choco, which proved very nummy!


EVERYONE loved this pie...me, Dorlaine, Joe, bub, Great grandma Louise, And (drum roll), Ken.
Of course, Dorlaine advised me not to promote the fact that tofu is the main ingredient of this pie...

I am making 2 of these for the next church potluck, that's how good this is!

Nubs!

Man alive

Arrgh.
So I just bought my books and supply bag for my nursing program....$779.94.

Can you believe it? I got 12 books, 2or 3 CD thingies, and a bag full of catheter trays, syringes, fake "IV" solutions (read the fine print and you will find they contain either non-sterile water or isotonic salt water) and some IV drips. I still have to buy a stethoscope, scrubs, shoes, watch, arm-pressure thingy (is it a manometer?).
Also,I have to get CPR certified, get a TB scratch test, and get my last booster for hep B.
Finally, I have to go register at some "evolve" site that allows me to access all my books online from any PC, so that is pretty cool, I just have to do it. *sigh*
Yikes. So much to do.

on the plus side....I discovered a homemade chicken nugget that Bubbie likes. :)
Dorlaine has helped me overcome my fear of deep frying, and if I coat cooked chicken in a mix of rice and corn flour with salt, pepper, and soy milk (I just eyeballed it) it cooks really fast and is quite yummy with honey (or so says the speed in which it was eaten by mr Man)

Loves to all! I had a great visit and miss you all already!

n

Jello (c) subsitutes!

As some of you know, I do not trust any kraft (c) product to be GF or CF. Every brand that kraft(c) makes that I have inquired about is NOT GF or CF even if there is NO allergen disclaimers. SO...since Kraft(c) makes Jello (c) brand, and Knox, and prolly most other off-brands are made in the same plants (cuz that's how food manufacturing works) I cannot use normal grocery-store gelatin for bub...which is crappy as he LOVES him some fruit-flavored gelatin dessert.
SO- thanks to my wonderful local healthfood store I have found a gelatin brand that is completely CF (and absolutely kosher too) (not that it matters, but hey...no big whoop) discuss...
It is called Great lake gelatin. I'll get a picture in when I do some editing.....

(8/19)
Anyhow...I've been making it w/ juices, and bub likes it...but I see him eying the jello-cups in the grocery stores when we go together...then out the blue my brain just started working again after my 4th week after my crazy semester+ ended...

Kool-aid.....HELLO! (stupid stupid stupid) WHY DID I NEVER THINK OF USING KOOL-AID UNTIL THIS LAST WEEK?!?

I am a moron for not thinking about it...and you know why I thought of it??

****nerd disclosure****

I was watching food network, the semi-homemade show, she has this crock-pot dessert thingy that looked good using canned fruit and cake mix. I started thinking about how I used to love making doctored cakes and how it's hard to do it GFCF sometimes (esp when chocolate is involved), and I was thinking about the jello cakes that were always so pretty....and out of the blue the thought that kool-aid would prolly work in a pinch for coloring cake batter, that I could use strawberry kool-aid to make a strawberry cake out of the Namaste cake mix I use that IS GFCF...and BOOM-why don't I use kool-aid to make "normal" jello instead of just juice jello?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/pear-and-cherry-buckle-recipe/index.html
Changes to the above recipe...
=1 pkg Namaste vanilla cake mix
=used smart balance lite (which is parve kosher...NO DAIRY at all so it can be consumed with
beef for those who follow kosher dietary laws...however for those of us wanting to ensure no dairy products are contained in the product....Parve is our friend)
=omit oatmeal *considering using Enjoy life's cinnamon "granola" next time
=used chopped almonds instead of slivered
=NO COOL WHIP OR WHIPPED TOPPING (8/19)

How sad is it that even my own thoughts are rambly?

- it works fine... I made the blackcherry mixed with jellied cranberry. it took a bit longer to set than normal, but it set well. I am still working on the proper ratio of gelatin to liquid tho...I typically either make jiggler-type jello or it's not quite firm enough and bub squishes it onto his shirt on the journey to his mouth.



orange jello (Orangello & Le Mongello) (say it fast) (8/19)


Sigh
I go to bed now.
LOVES N

GFCF noodle casserole recipe

Ha!
GFCF version of my mom's noodle casserole..finally perfected & the non-gfcf members of my family like it too! :)

6-8 servings

1 box supergrain quinoa pasta (bub likes the pagota shaped ones, but you can get shells, macaroni, curls, - just not the spagetti)

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

1 lbs owens or jimmy dean frozen sausage (regular or sage) -both are GFCF!!!

1/2 onion

2 celery stalks

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 14 oz can diced tomato

1/4 c. ketchup

1 tsp olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Cook pasta & frozen vegetables and drain, set aside
Dice onion & celery and saute in 1tsp olive oil, add sausage & brown
Add diced tomatos, tomato paste & ketchup
mix thoroughly
add pasta/veggie mix & stir
season to taste

:)
since I originate from staunch lutheran country...how could I NOT have a version of THE standard potluck entree?!?!

Love to all- N

GF/CF chocolate cake! *finally*

Woo Hoo!

Finally found & moderated a chocolate cake recipe my little bub can have! Do you have ANY idea how exciting this is for me?!?!?!
Do you have ANY idea how hard it was to find a recipe that worked just without dairy products, and then to add non-wheat flour to the mix?!?!?!?

I firstly have to give a HUGE credit and thank you to Dorlaine for pointing me in direction for this cake. If she had not shown me the recipe for regular "wacky cake" I would NEVER have tried it, because the ingredient list is, well, wacky. SHE also invented the frosting! I would have never believed you can make a good tasting frosting without actual REAL butter, but she proved me wrong & boy am I happy about that! (FYI, this cake is vegan too.....just in case anyone cares....) (I find that vegan foods are sometimes my friends, even tho I think total veganism is plain silly and a poor nutritional choice, but that's just me....[God gave us incisors....you use those on meat....every animal God made that has incisors eats meat.....just a thought.....])

So here it is.....
GF/CF Wacky Chocolate Cake
2 cups GF/CF all-purpose flour (I like Bob's Red Mill brand)
1.5 Cups sugar
1.5 tsp GF/CF baking SODA (I like walmart or clabber girl brands)
6 Tbsp GF/CF unsweetened coca powder (Hershey's is pretty reliable)

Mix these ingredients in an ungreased 8x8in pan VERY WELL. better yet, sift it all together so you don't get flour clumps b/c if you have flour clumps parts of the batter won't rise correctly when baking.

Stir in
.5 cup oil (I use olive or canola)
1 Tbsp vinegar (white GF- walmart is VERY good with allergen labeling...FYI)
1 tsp GF/CF vanilla (McCormicks is usually reliable)
1 Cup water.

Mix until smooth, it will fizz and bubble on you a bit, so mix slow. I recommend using a glass pan so you can look at the bottom to make sure everything mixes right. I find that non-wheat flours mix differently than "regular" flour, and absorb water and oil at different rates. The brand of GF/CF flour I am using has a few different flours in it, so it isn't just one kind (like rice, or potato, etc...) So make sure EVERYTHING is blended before you put it in the oven.

Bake at 350 F for 35-40 min (again, the water absorption is different, and takes longer to cook fully). Let cake cool in pan then frost in pan. :)

Here's the Dorlaine-invented yummy non-dairy CF frosting! :)
(just eye-ball the amounts for what you need, but this is a good starting point)
.25 cup crisco
.25 cup PB (I like skippy)
2 Tbsp coca powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1-3 tsp soy milk (I like Silk Brand)
.5 tsp vanilla

If it looks lumpy, add more sugar.
If it looks clumpy, add a little more soy milk .
You can adjust the PB/vanilla/coca powder to taste.

Now as a special treat, here's some photos of bub last month.






NUBS!

rice "pancakes" gf/cf

Hi-ho,
decided to share one of Bub's favorite EASY gf/cf foods.
I make these really fast before sending him off to school to eat them, his teacher & aide said they wanted some when they gave it to him. :)

1 c. cold cooked rice
1 egg
1 banana
gf/cf canola spray (I like walmart brand)

-mash banana and mix with rice and egg thoroughly
-spray pan surface really well (or it will stick & fall apart when flipped)
-spoon 2 heaping Tbs on pan and cook until side up looks dull
-flip and cook 1 min.

SUPER easy and tastes really good. won't work for SCD diets tho.
it freezes well and can be nuked or toasted, tho Bub usually eats them quickly and tries to sneak more when he thinks I'm not looking. The banana makes it sweet enough that no honey or syrup is needed.
I have also made this with out the banana and substituted spinach and added salt, but although it was acceptable to Mr. Man, it wasn't his favorite either.

Today, I am gathering the nerve to take him to ...."Lab-X", our Church's kiddo activites on Sunday nites. Cousin K is coming along. I took him to one last year (before we knew what was going on with him) and had a horrible time b/c he just had no idea what was going on and just wanted to run up and down the halls.
Several reasons why I am trying this again:
1)Good for his growing faith

2) he's older and might get into it....

3)he's had a few weeks in school and seems to be more open to the concept of "sit still for a while and watch what is happening on the stage, -then- run around w/ other kids"

4)Being around neuro-typical kids who like him for who he is is good for my bub (and good for me to see too)

5)I can't just keep him from the world, however much "easier" it is for me.

anyhow, I'm up for the challenge, and I will think happy thoughts about it. Plus cousin K will be with us to help. I must say that it is amazing in how she mother-hens bub. It's not bossy at all, and Mr. man does listen to her and tries to copy her. He is more likely to copy something she does than something I do. This morning after church, they were sitting up at the kitchen bar drinking some soda grandma got for them, and cousin K taught bub how to clink their bottles together. I actually heard bub try to say "cheers" with her (it sounded more like "cheee-ras").

so that's today, will post more as can.
(hopefully get some .jpg's up too.)

N