Take hold of your seats... Mickey embraces Gluten Free

We can stop eating that Chicken on a Stick like cave man at Disney... and finally get some solid treats! BABYCAKES NYC is locating in downtown Disney! For real! So next time your family tries to plan a reunion with all the little critters... remember your vote for Disney can be selfish too! chaos and cupcakes- what a deal!

Taste of Celiac fair is TODAY

NEW HAVEN — The Greater New Haven Celiac Group is holding its annual Taste of Celiac vendor fair this weekend.
The fair runs from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Annex YMA Club, 554 Woodward Ave.
Celiac disease is a digestive disorder in which consuming gluten triggers an immune system response that damages the small intestine. Unchecked, the disease can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications.
The fair will offer a variety of gluten-free foods for sampling and for purchase.
There is no cost for members of the GNHCG and the cost for non-members is $5. Kids younger than 18 are admitted free.
For more information, contact Lisa Turcotte at 860-984-4742 or send an e-mail to kayariley@yahoo.com.

Great Vendors (such as my favorite pasta: DePuma) will be there tasting and selling! 

One More Reason to "heart" Stew's

This might have been one of the hardest store to get any type of gluten free feedback from... and it IS my favorite store. When I first found out I had Celiac, I went to Stew's and asked them which products they had gluten free. Of which the help desk replied- none... Now we all know this is surely not the case. Eggs are Gluten Free, Some Chips are gluten free, actually some of their dips were gluten free, and sooo much more. I understand this is my problem, not theirs, but a little knowledge goes a LONG way- (at that time they did have one labeled gluten free product, which I told the women about). 

Since that day, Stew Leonard's has come A LONG way with their choice of products and options for us! They first came out with Bethany's Gluten Free cookies, which I blogged about earlier and are AHHH-mazing... Today they showcased a new line of cookies, a local gluten free bakery: My Dad's Cookies, which had many choices to choose from: linzer torte, black and white, gingersnaps... so next time you are there, not only pick up a box- remember to thank them in the suggestion box for bringing them on board! 

Creamy, Yummy Butternut Squash Soup... Thank you CookingLight

                                  

I found this recipe a few years ago in Cooking Light for a delicious butternut squash soup.  It’s definitely the best one I’ve found to date, and at 330 calories per serving it’s incredibly filling and creamy.  I love this magazine and make lots of meals for my friends and fam from it every month.  Here is the recipe, courtesy of www.cookinglight.com.

        Ingredients

      2  tablespoons  butter
      5  cups  (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
      2  cups  (1/2-inch) cubed peeled russet potato (about 12 ounces)
      1  teaspoon  kosher salt
      1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
      2  cups  sliced leek (about 2 medium)
      4  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
      1  cup  half-and-half
      3/4  cup  (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
      3  tablespoons  chopped chives
      Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Melt your butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add squash, potato, salt and pepper to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add the leek and sauté for 1 minute.  Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the potato is cooked, making sure to stir occasionally.  Then (and this is where I do the steps a little differently from the mag), take your immersion blender to the soup and blend until the soup is almost smooth.  It’s nice to have a few small chunks of veggies left.  Stir in the half-and-half and then serve when you’re ready to eat!

Cooking Light also recommends crunchy toast with a slice of Gruyere cheese melted on top.  YUM!

Redbridge Beer... at a Restaurant Near You!

B J RYANS	57 MAIN ST NORWALK, CT 06851 (203) 866-7926	Distance: 1.02 mi
BREW HOUSE	13 MARSHALL ST NORWALK, CT 06854 (203) 853-9110	Distance: 1.63 mi
JOHN'S BEST PIZZA	365 POST RD W WESTPORT, CT 06880 (203) 227-7247	Distance: 2.94 mi
VIA SFORZA	243 POST RD W WESTPORT, CT 06880 (203) 846-1116	Distance: 3.22 mi
GEORGETOWN SALOON	8 MAIN ST GEORGETOWN, CT 06829 (203) 544-8003	Distance: 3.94 mi
BRENNANS REST	82 IROQUOIS RD STAMFORD, CT 06902 (203) 323-1787	Distance: 7.53 mi
SOUTHPORT BREWING	2600 POST RD SOUTHPORT, CT 06890 (203) 256-2337	Distance: 8.15 mi
BEACH CAFE	2070 POST RD FAIRFIELD, CT 06824 (203) 254-3606	Distance: 8.64 mi
JOE'S AMERICAN	750 POST RD FAIRFIELD, CT 06824 (203) 319-1600	Distance: 9.75 mi
BRICK OVEN	2914 FAIRFIELD AVE BRIDGEPORT, CT 06605	Distance: 10.92 mi
BELLE HAVEN CLUB	100 HARBOR DR GREENWICH, CT 06830 (203) 861-5353 Redbridge Beer

Ok Mark Bittman, I am poaching this... Thank You!

Panfried Trout with Bacon...

With a few tweaks (gluten free beer- redbridge? ), we could feel like we are still camping this winter in the comfort of our own homes... I don't know about you, but I have always felt that this was the best way of camping. So spark the fireplace, grab a nice glass of red: I love the Bogle Phantom that comes out every year at this time... but the name speaks for itself- it disappears off the shelves quickly!

Panfried Trout with Bacon and Red Onions

Makes: 2 servings

Time: 45 minutes

Think of this as campfire food, made at home. Other seafood you can use: salmon or any thick fillets or steaks or whole sardines.

4 thick slices bacon

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

2 whole trout, about 12 ounces each, gutted and split or filleted

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup beer  or water

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

1. Put the bacon in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium heat. Cook, turning several times, until it just begins to get crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain. Immediately put the onion in the hot bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Roughly chop the bacon.

2. Rinse and dry the fish and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish in the cornmeal, put in the pan, and raise the heat to high. Cook on both sides until nicely browned and the interior turns white, 8 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.

3. Turn the heat under the skillet down to medium-low and add the beer, scraping up any browned bits that have stuck to the pan. Let the beer bubble and thicken a bit, then return the onion and bacon to the pan. Spoon the bacon and onions and pan sauce over the fish, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Short Ribs, Mash up & Celery Root Puree... Winter Must

OHHH Yummy Yummy Yummy... its wintertime and I am settling in.Filling winter dinners to warm our sweet souls are just around the bend... my first one started tonight

sweet Jesus! dinner was that good tonight, so I thought I would share:

Short Ribs- Crockpot style: on high- 41/2 hours
2 cups veal stock
1 onion chopped
2 tbs balsamic
splashes of Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
potatoes
in a zip-lock: gf flour, salt, pepper: dust the short ribs before putting in Crockpot

Mash up: in a skillet
pearl onions & 1/2 tbs butter: till brown on each side
add pancetta, add more butter
add Brussels sprouts, peeled
add zucchini, add more butter, and salt to taste
cook 5 mins in pan and then bake for another 10 at 350*

Celery Root Puree: boil in pot
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt
butter
celery root, peeled and chopped into cubes
puree when done!