Gluten Free Baking

We have not done any baking this week due to a horrid stomach bug.  The kiddos are on a Gatorade and popsicle diet and I am washing towels and sheets way more than I had planned to this week. Yet the blog must go on so I thought I would talk about how I bake gluten free for B since some of you have asked.

When we first found out B needed a gluten free diet due to Celiac Disease we already knew that she was allergic to milk and eggs.  Trying to bake without butter, eggs and gluten was unreal!  Everything that I tried to make just did not work so I turned to mixes.  

I have been very happy with Cherrybrook Kitchen.  We have made their gluten free brownies, chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies as well as their sugar cookies.  While we have been happy with the end product there is no doubt that it is gluten free and egg free.  Cherrybrook Kitchen's mixes produce a good but crumbly product since there is no "glue" but I will take crumbs over a trip to the ER any day of the week!

In 2008 B outgrew her diary allergy and then in 2010 she outgrew her egg allergy.  I can not tell you how overjoyed we were even though I don't think she will ever sit down and eat an egg.  But at least I could start baking with eggs again and I personally feel like that really helps if you are using gluten free flour.

I have found that you can follow most baking recipes by replacing regular flour with gluten free flour.  The only catch is that you have to also add xanthan gum.  I have found that for every one cup of gluten free flour a recipe calls for I have to use 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum.  This is the same "formula" I used when making my banana bread recipe gluten free as well as the chocolate chip cookie dough truffle recipe.  The only recipe that I have not been able to "tweak" is rolled sugar cookies.

I know that it is silly but it saddens me that I have not be able to make B a cute shaped cookie.  But I am hoping that that will change!  Over Christmas a wonderful family friend told me all about Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour and how she baked with it and no one knew it was gluten free.  I ordered some last night so look for a review soon friends...

Harness the Good, Block out the Bad

I hope that your week is going better than ours!  Three phone calls to the pediatrician, one visit to her office, one trip to the ER and three very sick kiddos.  And it's only Wednesday!!!  I wish that I could tell you about a great DIY project, home decor or a recipe but I got nothing and I hope you can understand.

The kiddos did watch a ton of tv but we also looked at pics from last summer's trip to Cape Cod.  Just looking at pics of their own smiling faces seemed to perk them up for a bit. Focus on better times right?!  

Mad Science

Crafting has taken the back-seat for B.  She is totally into her science fair project at the moment.  B choose to make sugar crystals in water, grape juice and ginger ale.  At first B had a hard time with her hypothesis since she is totally Type-A.  I still think that she is not over the fact that her hypothesis can be wrong and she will still get a good grade.

We had a fun afternoon mixing sugar and the different fluids.  B and her brothers were more than happy to drink the left over ginger-ale on a school night.  But as B pointed out it was all in the name of science. I just love my sassy gal!

So now B is just sitting back and documenting what she sees each day with her three different sugar mixtures.  Personally I hope that she learns an important lesson totally not related to sugar crystals.  I hope that she sees that sometimes the processes is more important than the results.

Also I hope see learns that mason jars have endless uses!!!

Party Shoes

When I was a little girl during the summer my brothers, cousins and I all went to "Tot Dances" at the Jersey Shore.  After a day at the beach we all cleaned up and put on our party shoes then danced the chicken dance all night long.  I will not tell you how many years it has been since my last Tot Dance but I will tell you that I still love to dress up and put on my party shoes! 

So after a bad stomach bug last week (forgive me for missing Friday but I needed a sick day!) I was more than happy to dress up for my Hubby's company dinner this weekend.  While I do get nervous about going each year I love putting faces to the names.  I hear names every night at the dinner table but it means more to me when I have a picture in my mind.

The food and drink were just above and beyond!  Hubby and I had a lovely night.  And the most wonderful part was that my sweet in-laws let us make an overnight of it.  I can not tell you how nice it is to escape for a bit, even just a night.

When we headed home we stopped at Clyde's for brunch, which happens to be one of my most favorite meals out. We might not have been dancing the night away at the Shore but any night away with my Hubby is a reason to put on my party shoes!   

Liebster Blogger Award

Two days ago I was so sweetly awarded the Liebster Blogger Award by both Monograms 'n Mud and Rusty Heart Designs.  I can not tell you how touched I was to receive this award from not one but two inspiring blogs! 

Liebster, in German, means endearing, valued, lovely, etc.  You get the idea.  This award is presented as a way to acknowledge up and coming bloggers and to help them be recognized for their outstanding accomplishments within design that is presented on their blog.  I was truly honored that Amelia, Audra & Denise included Lobster Meets Peach as one of their 11 blogs to give the award to!  I know that I have only been blogging since November but I really feel like I have already made great blogging friends and I can't wait to make more!

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

1. Each blogger should post 11 random facts about

themselves. 

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, and then

create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.
3. Choose 11 new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.

4. Go back to their page and tell them about the award.

5. No tag backs.

11 Random Fact:

1. My Hubby and I are both the oldest of four children. God bless our numbers 2 and 3;)
2. We have an area in our house that we call "Projectville" where the kiddos can craft whatever their heart desires.
3. I was president of the largest student volunteer organization at Providence College.
4. I think that Jersey Boyz Bagels are the best bagels ever!!!
5.  I went to a very small all-girls high school.  There were less than 50 girls in my class.
6.  I enjoy living in Loudoun County more than I ever thought I would.
7.  But I do miss being able to walk to the beach like I could when we lived on the North Shore of Boston.
8.  I still have my Friar's Club jacket from college and I have no plans to give it away!
9.  I get nervous before social events but I always have a great time meeting new people.
10.  Sundae School's hot fudge sundae makes me smile like a child.
11.  Since I have started blogging my closest friends say that I have have been "just giddy!"

Since I was given two sets of questions I decided to answer some from both lists in order to be fair.  And also so I don't bore you to death!

1. What is your favorite period in history and why? 

      I love the Kennedy era.  I have a ton of books on Jackie and the Camelot era that I never tire of!  I just love the classic glamour.  I wish people dressed up more today.

2. What are your favorite decor magazines?

     I enjoy 'Traditional Home" and "Southern Living".  Both magazines highlight such classic decor.  I am not a very trendy person so tried and true speaks to me.

3. Favorite dessert?

     Carrot Cake in the Fall and Winter.  Key Lime Pie in the Spring and Summer.

4. Do you like to cook? And if so, what is your favorite dish? 

     I love to cook and bake.  I love dishes that involve shrimp and pasta.  I will have to do a post on some of them real soon.

5. What is your least favorite part about your house?

    Right now I am not happy with our front door.  We had water damage from Sandy this past Fall and it is taking forever to get fixed.        

6. Do you like outdoor decorating or gardening at all?

     We just had a deck put on last year and I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can start decorating our outdoor space.  As for gardening, I love plants and flowers. I just wish I had more time to weed.

7. What is your favorite color to decorate with?

      Blue is by far my most favorite color and there is some blue in also every room in our home.  But I would to say that there is a lot of color in our home.  White walls remind me of too many hospital stays with my children so I have a very colorful house.

8. Do you have any pets?

    We have no pets.  Our youngest son is allergic to any animal with hair.  Maybe we will get a fish one day.

9. What is one thing you wish people knew about you?

      That I love to ski even though I am terrible at it!

10. Do you like to go out or stay in on a Friday night?

      My Hubby sometimes has to work late on Friday nights so it is not really easy to make plans on Fridays.  I tend  to make "family" plans on Friday that I can do with or with out my Hubby if he needs to work late.  Saturday nights are our date nights.

11. What is your favorite post on your blog and why?

     I think that my favorite blog post is my first.  I was so nervous to start blogging!  Writing has never been my thing.  In fact I never kept a diary growing up.  So I am proud that I finally stepped out of my comfort zone and started blogging on November 1, 2012.

I would like to nominate the following blogs.  Thanks for inspiring me!

Sweet Family Sweet Life

Who's Excited?

Tickled Pink Talk

Keeping Up With The Kellehers

Raising TWINGLES {blog}

The Reedy River Recessionista

Fairhope Supple Co.

You May Be Wandering

Spice and Sass

A Lucky Galway Girl

Truth Be Told

Friends I would love to know more about you!  But I don't want to totally direct the conversation.  Do you have anything to share that you have not yet?  Do you have any inspiration to share with the rest of us?  Maybe some pics from recent travel to share?  I will leave your eleven facts totally up to you. 
I can't wait to see what you have to share!!!

Once again, thank you so very much to Monograms 'n Mud and Rust Heart Designs!     

Archived

Over this past long weekend Hubby mixed us up some cocktails and served them in our Waterford Toasting Flutes.  We only have two of these flutes.  Mom and I got them when the Ross-Simons store was closing at the Short Hills Mall in Jersey.  It was such a deal that I could not pass them up even though I knew they were a limited edition and it might be hard to find another ten flutes.

So while I was sipping my cocktail I got on the computer and tried to find more on eBay and Craigslist  But much to my chagrin, I did not find any more flutes and I got crushing news.  Waterford has archived my crystal pattern!

When it was time for me and Hubby to pick all of our dishes, china, crystal and stemware his eyes kind of glazed over. (Hubby's note- That is an understatement).  I felt it was important that we both have a say since I didn't want him to announce on our 50th anniversary that he never liked a single one of our wedding gifts.  I would narrow down the patterns to my top three and would then ask for his option   

For our stemware I narrowed the choices down to Wynnewood, Colleen Tall and Kildare (which is my mother's pattern.)  To this day I am not sure if he was just trying to get brownie points from my mom or if he really did like it best. (Hubby's note- I love my wife dearly but what in the world makes her think I had any clue what kind of stemware her mother has?! I thought stemware was something related to flowers.)

We were very blessed to be gifted 10 water goblets as well as 10 clarets.  I just figured that I would have no problem completing my set as soon as I won the lottery or found a money tree, whichever came first.  

After hearing the pattern was archived I thought that maybe I should pick a new pattern and mix and match.  But no sooner than I mentioned that idea than my mom said no.  What can I say, she is a rule follower!  And in her rule book you don't mix and match your formal crystal.  So I will keep calling all the Irish shoppes I can find in NoVa, NJ and on the Cape.  Maybe I will get lucky!

I hope this will be more of a "when Irish eyes are shining" moment and not a "Murphy's Law" moment! 

All Over The Place

He did it! Hubby took notes when I pointed out the super cute J Crew "lobster" sweater on our last trip to the outlets. So happy that he thought I "needed" this sweater just as much as I did. And trust me, I look super cute and preppy in it, regardless of how the photo looks!

When we took the boys to MELT this past weekend there was a huge line so I let the boys download a new app on my phone to pass the time. Yes, I would love to tell you that my kiddos are perfect and waited without a peep. But let's get real and thank God for free iPhone apps that keep the peace!

The boys choose a free Battle Ship app that they just loved. Hubby might have enjoyed it too! But the whole time the boys were playing it I was thinking of the real board game and how much I loved it as a kid. So I went and got the real deal. No flashing lights, bells or whistles. Just a good old board game and my kiddos loved it!

I am hoping since they had such love for a classic game that they will turn out to be preppy young adults someday. A mom can dream right!?! (Hubby's note- Judging by their fashion sense so far that is about as likely as the board game having all its pieces a month from now.)

You can also find me at Because Shanna Said So. 

Just Me And My Guys

This past weekend B went dog-sledding and camping with her Girl Scout troop. Thank God that B has troop leaders who love to camp because camping is just not my thing! (My idea of roughing it is staying at a Courtyard Marriott.) Despite the bitter cold B's troop had a great time I am happy to report.

Anyway, with B gone it was just me and my boys. We spend our time doing very manly things much to their happiness. First we went to Home Depot to pick out a paint and stain for M's desk. M might have gotten distracted by all the paint samples and come up with some crazy combo. As much as I enjoy my children's creativity, I stuck to my plan: navy blue paint for the legs and a cherry stain for the top of the desk.

When we went to have the paint mixed for us the nicest Home Depot employee invited M back to help mix the paint. M got to type on the computer, scan his paint can and watch as the computer added the needed colors to our can of paint. M loved every minute of it. He even asked for job!

After all that fun at Home Depot we were all hungry. We let the boys pick where we would dine and they picked a new burger-joint, MELT. To say that we all thought our dinner was amazing would be a major understatement!!! Plus the fact that the owners were super attentive to L's food allergies really helped us all safely enjoy our burgers. Secretly I am planning my next trip back. It was just so good!

A trip to the hardware store and juicy burgers for dinner was just the most perfect way to send time with my three favorite guys!

 

Thank You Netflix

Have you seen "House of Cards" yet?  My word it is just too good!!! Maybe it's because I was a political science major or because we live so close to DC. What ever it is, this show has "it"!

Hubby and I are going to take advantage of another long weekend and try to watch as much as we can.  Let me know what you think of the series...

For The Love Of Reading

For some crazy reason my beloved Hubby thinks that Valentine's Day is a made up holiday.  I totally disagree!  I don't care how much money Hallmark has made off of this money maker.  I love love and look forward to celebrating Valentine's Day each year with my family.

We decided to gift our kiddos with books this year as we have done since B started preschool many moons ago.  Hubby and I both love to read!  I know this might be hard to believe given my dislike of grammar school but I truly love to read.  A love of reading would be a perfect present in my eyes!

Unfortunately I can not give a review on all the books yet but I can tell you that Mo Willems' new book had them all laughing.  Any author that can get a thumbs up from a 10, 7, 4 and 35 year old has my vote!!!

Wrapped To Gift

Growing up my Grandma and Grandpa would bring a box of goodies from a local bakery to any gathering at my parents.  It was always a white bow with piece of red & white twine holding it all together.  I just liked the look of the box simply because I knew there were a ton of sweet treats in the box that my Mother would never have bought for us!

So now when I give a baked good as a gift I like to present it in a way that reminds me of my Grandparents' sweet treats.  And it beyond easy to create the "bakery look"!

All you need is parchment paper, red & white twine and a sweet treat.  For L's teachers I bake my banana bread recipe but instead of using one large tin I used four mini loaf tins and bake them for half an hour.  

Once the bread has completely cooled wrap it with the parchment paper much like you would a gift box.  Just make sure to tuck sides under.  (I guess you could tape them under but I never have.)

Then I take a long piece of baker's twine and double it on itself.  (Again this too is like wrapping a gift box.)  One trick that I find helpful is to place the ends of the twine under the top twine before I make my bow.  You can make sure that the twine is really snug this way.

Then simply make a bow and trim any extra twine if needed.  A cute and yummy gift!

You can also find me at Savvy Southern Style and No Minimalist Here.

Me and B

We are so lucky that our town has a Farmers Market every Saturday. May through October it is outside which adds to its charm. However this past Saturday when it was cold and windy I was so grateful that the Market had moved indoors to one of the town's antique shops for the winter!

After B and I picked up a tin of her beloved gluten-free brownies, (Hubby's note- which are RIDICULOUSLY good!) we had fun looking around the shop. I made poor B look at more blue and white china than she might have liked! I have hopes of passes this love on to her so I was so please when she pointed a "kiddie plate" of Blue Willow. (Any plate with divided sections is a "kiddie plate" in her mind.)

The shop also has some handmade jewelry for sale. B spied this soda tab and ribbon bracelet and was fascinated with it! I thought for sure she was going to ask to buy it. Instead she asked me to take a ton of pictures of the bracelet from all angles.  My little DIY'er is going to try and make it on her own. B will be sure to tell you all about real soon....

After running a bunch of errands in town I rewarded B with a sweet treat. A gluten-free "Shirley Temple" cupcake.  Yum!

My Relationship With Legos

We were in the middle of a Lego epidemic in our house. It seemed as if Legos were having Legos.  Ever time I turned the vacuum on in M's room I would hear that horrible rattling sound that let me know that I had sucked up yet another Lego piece. Mom fail!

See Legos are "it" for M. He loves them like nothing else and he is wonderful at putting them together. My sweet boy who cannot focus most of the time to save his life can sit for hours to finish the most complicated Lego sets. M also just loves putting together extra pieces to make his own creations.  

Take a part, put together and repeat! This was the vicious cycle that we were in and I needed to do something before I lost it!

So I decided to sort all of M's Legos by color and store them in tupperware.  (I bought tupperware at Target and the Dollar Store.)  I really thought it would be a simple job but it truly took a ton of time.  Like it took a couple of days! But I really think that it was worth it and so does M.  He can find pieces faster and clean up is easier for all involved.

Here is to order in our homes no matter where you live!

You can also find me at Savvy Southern Style, No Minimalist Here, Kelly's Korner, and Dixie Delights.

Excelsior

Early last night a bunch of sweet Hubbies in NoVa took one for the team. (Hubby's note- Yes. Yes we did.) They watched their kiddos so a group of us ladies could go out to the movies together. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am since we had the best time!

We went to see "Silver Lining Playbook" and for me it totally lived up to all of its Oscar buzz. Some how this movie is a comedy, drama and romance all rolled into one. Plus it also touches on the fact that we are all a little crazy and that it is a good thing. 

Some of the ladies in the group might have laughed at me when I pulled out not one but two packs of tissues. But let me tell you that everyone was happy when I had enough tissues for all in our group.  It was a "we laughed and we cried" kind of a movie!

So in the spirit of "Silver Lining Playbook", I hope your week moves ever upward.  Excelsior!

I Never Spoil My Kids! Not!

L and I had a ton of boring things to do today.  Two loads of dirty clothes were washed and dried.   Books were returned to the library.  Bills were mailed.  A stop was made to the dry cleaners.  We spent more time and money in Home Goods than we should have.  We picked up some things for Hubby at Target.  It was a day of epic errands!!!

Since L was such a great helper, I asked him if he wanted to go out for a late lunch.  He said yes as long as he could have a chocolate milk to drink.  The boy does love his chocolate milk!  He would not even take the straw from his mouth and smile for a pic.  I know that I spoil this boy from time to time but how could I not?

After our busy day L took a nap on the way to pick up his big sister and brother.  Man was I jealous!

***Thank you all so much for your sweet and supportive comments on yesterday's post!  I can not tell you how nice it is to be "surrounded" by sweet people in this blog-world.***

Being A Parent Is Not For The Birds

For the past three weeks, I feel as though a lot of people in the "blog-world" have been talking about keeping things "real".  So here goes...I hated school!  It was never easy. In fact it was a lot of hard work on both my part and my parents.  As I have mentioned before I am dyslexic which made reading and writing seem impossible to me at times.  But we kept at it and I more than survived school.

For better or worst, M seems to be having some of the same struggles that I had with reading and still have with spelling.  As hard as it was for me in school it is simply heart-breaking to watch your child suffer.  In fact I have called my mother a couple of times just to thank her for all the hard work she put into my education, time-wise and heart-wise. I never understood that she and my dad were hurting just as much as I was.  And from time to time this school year I have thought that maybe my schooling was more heartbreaking for them than me.

Now I am on the other side of fence.  M and I have battled from time to time about homework.  I am sure that he thinks I am a close relative to the Wicked Witch of West.  I know that he comes close to hating me when he can't play with friends because he has to go to his tutor.  But I also know that he is making progress.  M is surrounded by a team of adults that are helping him and truly care about him.

If all goes well, someday M will be making the phone calls I have been making lately   "Thank you so much for all that you and Dad did.  I really had no idea Mom.  I am sorry for all the drama and tears.  As a child I thought you were being cruel.  Now I know how much you cared!"

"B" Mine

Yesterday afternoon B started working on her valentine cards as soon as she finished her homework.  She was beyond giddy!  We bought the "Mustache Card Kit" from Paper Source.  I don't know about you but I could spend hours in that store.  I always find something new there that I simply "need"!

The kit included heart shaped cards, googly eyes, labels and pre-cut mustaches and hats.  The kit also included extra black card-stock so B could cut out different accessories for her "heart-men", which she loved since she is a creative gal.

B spent hours working on her "heart-men" but finished making all of them before dinner.  Now she has the hard job of figuring out who will get which "heart-man".  

I guess I needed a break this year because in my mind this was a great compromise between a box of valentines from Target and a three day project from scratch.  What kind of valentines are your kiddos making this year?

Go Bananas!

One of my most favorite wedding presents was and still is our Kitchen Aid mixer.  I am not lying when I say I use it at least twice a week but there is one baked good that I will not use my mixer for - quick breads.   Without a doubt a simple quick bread must be mixed by hand!

Do you have three ripe bananas and a fork?  If so, do I have a recipe for you!  So simple, so easy, so yummy and your house will smell delicious!!!

Banana Bread - From the "Fair Haven Fare"

3 ripe bananas

1 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour *

1 stick of butter, soften**

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350.

Add your bananas, butter, egg, kosher salt (see note) and sugar to a mixing bowl.  Mash together with a fork.  It should be a lumpy consistency.  That is the secret to this recipe's success!

Fold in the flour and baking soda to the banana mixture.  Try to mix the recipe as little as possible   

Pour into a greased loft pan and bake for about an hour.  Cool and enjoy!

   

Or do what I do.  Bake bread and send it to work with Hubby.  No way I want that yummy bread looking at me all day!!! (Hubby's note- I. Love. This. Recipe. Eileen is an outstanding baker and makes some amazing things but this is hands down my #1 seed, though the pumpkin whoopee pies she previously wrote about are a close second. If I don't bring the loaf to work with me I will eat the entire thing within two days. I can't recommend enough that you give this one a try.)

*You can simply make this bread gluten free by adding 2 cups gluten-free flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons zanthan gum.  I love it when a recipe "tweak" is this simple!!!

**I always use unsalted butter when baking and cooking.  So for this recipe, I add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.

You can also find me at Savvy Southern Style

Work First Then We Dance

After I was dressed and ready for the CC Ball, my chauffeur (world's nicest father in-law) dropped me off at the Ritz. I quickly headed up to the ballroom to get to work. All committee members are assigned to a sub-committee and this year I was on the "reservations" committee as I have been for the past six years.

I enjoy this committee for several reasons. First, I get to see the ballroom as it is being set-up. My committee goes in to double check that all of the tables are numbered correctly. As we run around the ballroom double checking I am always in awe of the web of wires that holds up the tea-light candles. It does not look like much with the lights on but when the lights are lowered it is really impressive!

After we are sure that the tables are all set I hurried out of the ballroom to meet my volunteers. I had six of the sweetest gals to check our guests in. This is the second reason I love my committee. It is so refreshing having six people do as I ask with great big smiles. Maybe because that does not always happen at home with my kids!

We have moved away from the place cards that were used in the past and now use lists to tell our guests which table they are seated at. We are able to look guests up by not only last name but also by table name and table number too.  

Once the guests have moved into the ballroom for dinner I make a final "sweep" of the room. I make sure that tables are filling up and that there are not any last minute problems.  

Which leads me to the final reason I love my committee.  As soon as we are all seated and grace is said, I am free to dance the night away with my Hubby!

Get Ready Get Set

After months of hard work, the Catholic Charities Ball was finally here Friday! Hubby was kind enough to take off from work for the day so I could get ready for the big day. I spent the early afternoon at the salon getting my hair and nails done. I am always amazed how a couple hours at the salon can make me feel like a new person!

After my hair and nails were all "prettied" I hurried to my in-laws so I could finish getting ready. My MIL was kind enough to lend me her mother's earrings and fur coat for the Ball. I was so honored to wear somethings of Granny's! And I was once again reminded of how blessed I am to have in-laws who treat me as though I always was their daughter.

So with dress, hair, spackle (I mean make-up) and pretty bling I was off to the Ball! With no fear of a fairy godmother taking it all away at midnight!

I am linking up with Because Shanna Said So and Long Distance Loving

Excitement

To say that I am super excited for tonight's Catholic Charities Ball would be the understatement of the year! We on the Ball Committee have been working non-stop since August.  (Although we have really been planning since the band played the last dance at the 2012 Ball.)  In a way the Ball is like a wedding but with no bride and groom.  And the best part is that money that is raised from the Ball will help Catholic Charities to provided serves to many, no matter what their faith might be.

So yesterday I spent some time laying everything out before I started to pack.  I feel like it helps me to make sure I will be set from head to toe.  Does anyone else do that?  I am a visual person and seeing the whole "look" laid out on the floor really helps me to not forget something.  

Dress, shoes, spackle (I mean make-up) and bling all packed and ready to go!  Next stop hair and nails.  Then I plan to dance the night away, all for a great cause!!!