McCormick Vanilla Extract IS Gluten Free

Just in case you were wondering...
(the smaller bottles didn't have this last I checked)

Gluten Free Lasagna Noodles

I really like these Gluten Free noodles. Just use them with your favorite lasagna recipe. I'll be making mine later this week. Lasagna has always been one of TJ's favorite meals. These noodles are so good I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference between these and regular, wheat ones! I got them 2/$6 at Sprouts yesterday. Not super cheap, but not horrible. It's the cheapest I've seen them go, even during Sprouts "Gluten Free Jubilee" it's still the same price.

Gluten Free "Schar" Hazelnut Wafers

My mom found this at Walmart in their Gluten Free section. I really like this! They are crisp, light, and full of hazelnut flavor. I will definitely buy this next time I want a special treat, I'd absolutely choose it over a candy bar.

A Treatment For Celiac Disease?

We recently found out about a supplement that is supposed to help with Gluten intolerance. It is called "Pure" and has Protease in it. "Prote-" is for protein. (Since Gluten is a protein found in wheat). Anything ending with "-ase" means breaking down. So Protease is an enzyme that breaks the protein down.
The one we have has "lactase" as well as protease so it helps with lactose intolerance as well.
TJ is trying it out now. We figure we've got nothing to loose by trying it! The problem
is it is hard to tell if it is working or not. He takes 2 pills a little while before he eats something that may have gluten. So ideally it would be great to have before eating out. He can't eat a roll or anything but it should help him to not get sick from cross-contamination anymore. You're not supposed to take it too often, like no more than two or three times a week.
I'm excited to see if it works. I'm not holding my breath, mostly because I don't want to get my hopes up. But it would be wonderful if it did work! TJ is always nervous when we eat out, even off the "Gluten Free" menu because he gets at least a little sick most of the time.

McCormicks Chicken Base Gluten Free

I use McCormicks chicken base all the time. It is so great for soups or casseroles. It is great because it adds a lot of good flavor. I used to use bullion cubes all the time. When we went gluten free I was bummed that I couldn't use them anymore. Regular chicken stock just doesn't have enough flavor for some of the dishes I make. So I was very excited to find this base. Lots of flavor and it was pretty cheap. I got it at SAMs club for $4 or $5. I think it's also at Costco.

Product Review San-J Orange sauce

We poured this over some rice, veggies, and chicken I had cooked earlier in the crock pot. Everyone really enjoyed it. The girls both scarfed it.

It does not taste very "orangey". It's definitely different from Panda Express orange chicken. But it was still really yummy. It had a little more of a teriyaki-citrus flavor, instead of just an orange flavor like I expected.

So as long as you don't expect Panda Express flavor, it is very good.

Two Thumbs up!

Gluten Free bread mixes

One of our favorite gluten free bread mixes is this "Blue Chip Group". It is wonderful because you can buy it at most Walmarts (in the food storage, canning isle). It is only about $5 and makes about 2 and 1/2 loaves! So it is by far the cheapest I've seen when it comes to mixes or buying a loaf. Plus, it calls for very basic ingredients, water, yeast, and vinegar. The last time I bought this it was in the blue bag instead of the usual gold, so I pictured both.

The key to making this mix into yummy bread is the temperature of the water and letting it rise.

I buy the little packets of yeast most of the time because I don't go through a lot of it. You know, the 3 packets sealed together. I like to buy the "Active Dry" or the "Instant, Quick Rise". On the directions it will tell you the best temperature for the water. But I have found that 130 degrees Farenheit always works when you are adding the water after the yeast is mixed in with the flour mixture.

Next, letting the dough rise in a warm place (like a window seal) will make a big difference.

The loaf is not the size of regular, homemade bread, but it isn't much smaller. It is also slightly sweeter than most bread. It makes great toast and my two year old loves having it on hand for a snack.

We also like to use it for making french bread pizza. Cut the loaf in half and put on your favorite sauce and toppings! Or you could do a lot of small, thin, toast slices for a good thin crust.

Overall we really like this product!

Gluten Free chocolate chip cookie mix review- Betty Crocker

We made some chocolate chip cookies from a Betty Crocker mix. And we gave it two thumbs up!

They were moist and chewy, not something you usually get with gluten free! The cookies were even pretty good after a couple of days. Thank you Betty C for making another easy treat!