This past week was SOOOOOO nice weather wise!  I mean, yes, it did rain, but I can take a little rain.  I was just happy that precipitation was not in any frozen form.  This week, I am afraid to look at the forecast.  I know that this weather won’t last long in February in Ohio, that would just be too good to be true.  So, I shall bury my head in the sand and hope for the best! 

I ended up deviating from my menu plan last week much more than I had hoped to.  I typically do very well following it and only change 1 day per week.  Last week, however, was different.  A dear friend of mine passed away and her wake was Monday night, so Aaron and I asked his Mom to come stay with the kids.  That meant that we didn’t end up eating until we got home later on and we just made due with what we could find. 

One new treat I made last week to go with the lasagna I made to surprise Aaron was Carrie’s (Ginger-Lemon Girl) Cheddar Garlic Biscuits.  They were super yummy and easy to make!  I will be making these again.  Jon said they tasted just like the biscuits that he used to eat at Red Lobster before he had to go gluten-free.  He was beyond thrilled!  THANKS Carrie!!

This week is going to start off with Aaron & I celebrating Valentine’s Day a day late.  We do this mostly to avoid the craziness at restaurants that you see on Valentine’s Day.  As you all know, eating out gluten-free is hard enough, just add in a packed restaurant and extremely busy kitchen and you have a potential disaster waiting to happen (that would be a potential digestive disaster 😉 ).    Later in the week I have a dinner out planned with 2 girl friends.  We are always putting off getting together because of our busy lives, but after our friend passed away last week, we realize the importance of keeping up those friendships even more.  Life is too short.  Keep those friendships close.  Don’t put off keeping in touch.  So, our new “plan” is to get together at least once a month for a lunch, dinner or just simply some coffee & catching up. 

Onto the meal plan:

Sunday ~ Dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse for Aaron & I; kids are going to Grandma’s as they are off from school on Monday

Monday ~ Sweet Thai Chile Glazed Salmon, quinoa, steamed green beans & spinach salad.

Tuesday ~ Bourbon Chicken, steamed brown jasmine rice & steamed broccoli.

Wednesday ~ BBQ chicken breasts (Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce), baked potatoes or garlic rosemary potatoes, veggies & salad.

Thursday ~ Kim out with friends; H0memade Macaroni & cheese, baked beans & veggies for the fam.

Friday ~ Homemade Calzones with Chebe Mix (veggies & turkey pepperoni), steamed veggies & salad.

Saturday ~ Burgers, sweet potato fries & salad.

Baked Goods

Bread

Pudding Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies (homemade, not the recalled ones 😉 )

Oh, I have a confession to make.  If I wasn’t clear the other day, I am now addicted to Barney Butter.  Thanks Hangry Pants!  I am almost out of my 2nd jar!  ACK!  I really wanted to try those cookies with the BB, but no freakin’ way am I wasting my BB on cookies! LOL!  Guess I better get used to my old Skippy Natural for a while. 😉  Oh, maybe I’ll run to Wally World and grab some Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolate Dreams.  Gotta get my fix somewhere!   Oh, and I made the mistake of trying the BB with fruit spread on a Van’s waffle instead of my rice cake, yeah, that was a mistake.  Holy YUM!  Sigh.  Good thing I have really ramped up the running or I would be in trouble!   Okay, confession over.  😉

Don’t forget to check out Celiacs in the House for the weekely gluten-free menu swap.  Also, Orjunkie has lots more menu plans. 

Aaron came home with a bunch of candy that he got at a meeting yesterday.  Of course I immediately confiscated it and scrambled through it to see what was in the package that Jon and I could eat.  I came across Starburst Gummibursts and immediately turned them over to read the ingredients.  I am almost as much of a sucker for all things gummi as I am for all things chocolate.  Imagine my surprise when I get to the bottom of the ingredient list and see “Gluten-Free” staring right back at me! YAY!! 

Now, are these healthy for you?  Not so much.  Are they yummy?  ABSOLUTELY!  OMG!  Awesome gummi goodness & the liquid center rocks!  A great treat to have in moderation and alternating with dark chocolate, of course.  😉 

So, MARS, THANK YOU, for making life a little simpler for those of us who have to adhere to a gluten-free diet due to Celiac Disease or other dietary or health issues. 

When grocery shopping this past week, Aaron & I came across some new yogurt products made by Yoplait.  I have always been a fan because Yoplait won’t hide gluten in their ingredient list.  That makes my life a little easier.  However, in the past 6 months or so, they have actually been labeling their GF stuff, “Gluten-Free”!! YAY Yoplait!  THANK YOU!  We had some coupons and the yogurt was on sale, so super cheap! 

I was very impressed by this yogurt.  Flavor is great.  I have only tried the vanilla, but Aaron has been eating the blueberry acai and we also bought the strawberry and the blackberry pomegranate.  There are several bonuses to this yogurt in addition to the fact that it is gluten-free.  1.  There is no HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) in this product as opposed to some of the other Yoplait yogurts.  2.  There are 3 grams of fiber per serving.  3.  There are NO artificial sweeteners like Splenda or aspartame used (these can cause stomach upset in a lot of people).  4.  There are only 110 calories & 1.5 grams of fat per cup.  5.  There are probiotic cultures in yogurt. 

A definite THUMBS UP from me!! 

Last week we got all new appliances in our kitchen.  YAY!  Our dishwasher had been on it’s last leg for quite a while.  Aaron had been fixing it every time it decided not to run.  We had been using packing tape to keep it closed & running.  So, it started leaking and that was all she wrote.  Not worth ruining the wood floor over.  We decided to go with stainless steel, so Aaron said we had to replace the fridge & range as well.  O.K……twist my arm!  LOL!  I am very happy with my new appliances and actually look forward to doing the dishes!  SHHH! 

Here are some quick shots of the new stuff:

So, onto the lesson of the day.  Aaron decided to line the bottom of the oven with foil, just as he has done for years in our other oven(s).  A few days later I noticed a burning smell.  I looked into the oven and the foil had MELTED to the bottom of the oven!!!  Holy moley!  First, I never knew that foil could melt.  I mean I guess I never really thought about it.  I knew not to put it in the microwave, but don’t line your oven with it?   Sure enough, I looked in the handy dandy manual and it says “DO NOT line the oven, walls, racks, bottom or any other part of the range with aluminum foil.  Doing so will destroy heat distribution, produce poor baking results and cause permanent damage to the oven interior (aluminum foil will melt to the interior surface of the oven)”.  There you have it!  GRRR!!  So, my brand spankin’ new oven has foil melted to the bottom of it.  I did call Sears and ordered a new panel for the bottom of the oven to the tune of $45, including shipping & tax. 

So, let this be a lesson to you all.  If you have a newer range, please check your manuals before putting foil on the racks, bottom or sides.  Here are a couple of lovely pictures for you:

One of the reasons I felt compelled to share this here is that while talking with my mother last night, she told me that her boss did the same exact thing just 2 weeks ago!  ACK!  If my post can help someone avoid doing this, then by all means, please, please, please pay attention!

Oh.My.God.  I have been reading about Barney Butter on various blogs over the past few months and didn’t really think much of it.  I had tried almond butter in the past and while it was good, it didn’t really “do it” for me.  I liked my Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolate Dreams as my “go-to” PB.  But, what put me over the edge into the “I have got to try this” category was a free shipping special that I saw advertised on Hangry Pants a few weeks back.  All I had to do was enter a code and order 2 jars and I got the free shipping.  Since you can’t find this in local stores, at least here in Ohio, I went for it.  Boy, I am NOT sorry in the least!  Now I see what all the fuss is about.  Wow!!  I am in love!!  Not only does this product say “Gluten-Free” on the label, but it has the about the same calories and MORE fiber than the PB I had been eating daily for breakfast. 

So, instead of my Dark Chocolate Dreams on my rice cakes in the morning, I have been having the BB with some blueberry fruit spread.  I also had it on a Van’s Wheat Free Waffle yesterday with the blueberry spread for a snack….OMG…that was delightful! 

Verdict…try this if you get a chance.  A little pricey, but a great treat every once in a while if you can afford it (and hide it from the kids or don’t let them try it to start with 😉 ).  I don’t have anything bad to say about this stuff at all, except that I wish one of my local stores carried it.  Maybe I can call Raisin Rack & see if they would get it in for me??  Hmmmm……

I have been wanting to try these bars for a while and found a good deal on them on Amazon.com the other day.  I purchased the Almond & Coconut for $10.10/box (8 come in a box).  I signed up for the subscription service (benefits: free shipping and lower price) where they send your shipment on a schedule that you choose (1 month, 2 months, 6 months or when you request it).  If you aren’t ready for them to ship, all you have to do is delay it.  You still get the same benefits & price. 

The verdict.  This bar was excellent!  Good texture, a little chewy.  YUM!  Nutritional facts are 190 calories, 4 grams of protein & 4 grams of fiber and 14 grams of fat.  I like this because it is easy to keep in your purse or car for an emergency snack or pick-me-up.  It says “gluten-free” right on it.  It is also dairy-free and trans-fat free.  Definitely good for traveling on the road for a food that doesn’t require any kind of preparation or refrigeration.  I will be keeping these on hand, for sure.  I am interested in trying some of the other flavors like:  the fruit & nut bars with yogurt.  ***I do want to point out that there is at least 1 flavor that is NOT gluten-free…it has oat bran & whole wheat in it.  It is Oat Bran & Banana flavor, I believe. 

I am on a huge kick with products that are labeling their products “Gluten-Free”.  It makes my life easier.  I don’t have to decipher labels or call companies.  So, be on the lookout for more reviews of products that are labeled “Gluten-Free”.

Heat wave!  WOOHOO!  It was over 50 degrees here yesterday!  It was windy & cloudy, but I will take that ANY day over a high of 5 with a wind chill of -20.  I was even able to wear SHORTS and a sweatshirt when I went to the gym.  Hannah looked at me like I was crazy.  This warming trend is supposed to continue through the week.  AHHHH!  I am going to take full advantage of this and maybe, just maybe, even grill out once or twice this week!  It is supposed to be almost 60 on Tuesday!

Yesterday Hannah, my Dad and I went to one of my favorite places, Uno Chicago Grill and had gluten-free pizza again.  It was fantastic!  Even my non-GF eater, Hannah, LOVED it!  She actually preferred this crust over the crust that comes on the kids pizza.  How is that for a testament for good crust?  I had a house salad, steamed broccoli and 4 slices of cheese pizza.  YUM!! 

Onto the plan.  As I said, it will be warmer, s0 I hope to get out & grill some. 

Sunday~ Breakfast for dinner (veggie omelets, bacon, sweet potato hash browns & toast)

Monday ~ Grilled balsamic chicken breasts, roasted garlic rosemary potatoes, steamed broccoli & salad

Tuesday ~ Burgers on the grill, sweet potato fries, baked beans & salad

Wednesday ~ Mexican pizzas, corn & salad

Thursday ~ Salmon or Tilapia, quinoa, veggies & salad.

Friday ~ Homemade Pizza, veggies & salad.

Saturday ~ Valentine’s Day (not sure of our plans yet)

Baked Goods for the week

Bread

Br0wnies

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Groundhog day, schmoundhog day!  🙁  Apparently there is going to be 6 more weeks of winter according to Punxatawney Phil & some other groundhog here in Ohio.  This week may be a good indicator, as I believe that I heard on the weather report that it is supposed to snow every day this week.  Sigh.  Anyone else tired of winter?  The kids haven’t gone to school for a full week since I don’t know when.

Moving forward.  I am tired.  I stayed up too late last night and had too much wine.  Super Bowl parties will do that to you.  I had my menu plan all ready to type up, but it happened to be on the back of the grocery list, which Aaron took to the store with him and didn’t return to me.  So, I am going by memory here.

Sunday ~ We had various appetizers as I posted about yesterday.

Monday ~ Lemon Garlic Dill salmon, brown jasmine rice, sauteed okra & spinach salad.

Tuesday ~ Mexican Pizzas, refried beans, corn & salad.

Wednesday ~ Grilled chicken, sweet potatoes, broccoli & salad.

Thursday ~ Pork loin roast (probably made into BBQ pulled pork in the crock pot), baked potatoes, steamed veggies & salad.

Friday ~ Pei Wei

Saturday ~ Burgers, Sweet Potato fries & salad.

Baked Goods

Pamela’s Bread

Brownies

I am not really into football.  I never have been.  That being said, I do enjoy a good party, especially with food & wine!  LOL!  Plus, the commercials that are shown during the Super Bowl always prove to be entertaining to say the least.  Aaron is having a few buddies (and significant others, some with children) over to watch the game.  He is making most of the snacks, though I am in charge of most of the GF snacks for Jon & I.  On the list:

~Chicken Wings ~ Aaron is making GF.  Most like with BBQ (Sweet Baby Ray’s) since we will have the Buffalo Chicken Dip too.

~Shrimp Cocktail ~ shrimp (naturally GF, of course) and Crosse & Blackwell Cocktail sauce.

~ Chachos ~ my creation of a combination of nachos & chili (I use Hormel w/beans)

~Buffalo Chicken dip ~ YUM-O as Rachael Ray would say. 

~Veggie Tray ~ celery (also to dip in the Buffalo Dip), carrots, radishes

~ Cheese ~ cheddar, colby, pepperjack

~Mary’s Gone Crackers  ~ herb or original, not sure which I will put out yet

~ Queso Cheese Dip ~ Velveeta 2% cheese & Rotel tomatoes.  Simple & yummy.

~ Brownies ~1,2,3 Gluten-Free mix

That should do it.  Fairly simple and enough to stuff us silly, I am sure!  Finish off with a glass or 2 of Cabernet and I should have a great time, even if I couldn’t care less about that game! 

OH.MY.GOD.  Seriously, I might be at a loss for words.  Not only does Uno Chicago Grill have a GF menu, but they have  GF pizza on it!!  Now, it isn’t deep dish pizza, but I’ll take any pizza at this point.  Having been GF for 3+ years and not having pizza (other than what I make at home), I was VERY excited to try this.  I didn’t get a picture, unfortunately.  I didn’t think to bring my camera and I honestly don’t think it was around long enough for a picture.  Jon & I ordered the pepperoni pizza, salad & steamed broccoli.  Heaven.  Simply, heaven.  The pizza was on a thin crust, the flavor & texture was amazing.  I was also very impressed by the knowledge of the needs of gluten-free dining.  Bill, the manager, came over to our table almost immediately after we were seated and explained the process with which the pizzas were made and the lengths they go to to avoid cross-contamination.  They only make the pizzas in the AM (or prepare them), so that it can be done in an area that is “sterile”.  They don’t recommend adding any additional toppings as they can’t guarantee that anything from the line would be GF after the restaurant has opened.  It was so nice and refreshing to dine out some place where they “get it”.  I will definitely be going back, to dine-in or carry-out.  This place isn’t super close to us, but is worth the drive when that pizza craving must be met!  🙂  I am off to write a letter of “THANKS” to Uno Chicago Grill for taking the time to accommodate those of us on a GF diet and putting in the effort to make sure that we can dine safely.

So, if you have a Uno Chicago Grill close by, stop on by and give this GF pizza a try.  🙂