A little about my life...

I live a very simple life. I like it that way. I work for our local County government by day as a Secretary in the highway department and my husband works for Friendship Dairies by night and we have a small beef farm. So as you can tell we don't see much of each other. We have no children but we do have three cats that are our life. I would like to introduce you to them.

Our oldest is Macie Gray ( he's the care taker)

Then there is Spooky ( I wasn't to creative on that one)

And finally my baby. Gary bought him for me 2 years ago for Christmas. He is a bengal and his name is Simba. He is such a brat. I have never met a cat like him. He makes me laugh everyday.

I have to show you a couple pictures of him so you can see how beautiful he is.

Ok maybe one more, I'm such a proud mommy.

This is what makes me happy. After a long day at work I come home to these three beautiful creatures.

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake

1 can pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. pumpkin spice
or (1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. cloves, 1/8 tsp. ginger)
1 Gluten-Free Pantry Angel Food Cake Mix
1 3/4 cup warm water

Mix pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin spice. Make cake mix as directed minus vanilla. Fold 1/4 batter into pumpkin mixture. Gently fold in the remaining batter. Pour into 10" tube pan. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes. Run knife around edge and invert as soon as it comes out of oven.

Once cooled and removed from pan sprinkle with cinnamon.

Iron Deficiency Anemia

My doctor just called my iron levels are extremely low once again. I give up. They go up and they go down. He is putting me on a new supplement that I have to take 3 times a day. That will be interesting to see how well I remember to do that. Just when you think you are making headway and you find out that your not.

Iron deficiency anemia is very common with Celiac Disease. This is due to the small intestine not absorbing nutrition. Iron is essential for a healthy immune system and for energy production. Here are some tips for taking iron:

• Take Iron and Vitamin C together. The presence of vitamin C can increase iron's absorption by as much as 30 percent.


• Avoid taking an antacid at the same time you take iron. Stomach acid is needed properly to absorb iron.


• Avoid using excessive amounts of zinc and vitamin E, which can interfere with iron absorption.


• Take vitamin A and B complex at the same time as iron. They are also needed for complete iron absorption.

Iron is also found in many foods, including eggs, meat, poultry, leafy green vegetables, and molasses.

McCormick Grill Mates

This is one of my favorite products. This is something that my husband can actually prepare on his own that helps me out. It's summer time and I love to grill everyday. I received this reply back from Grill Mates today on the Mesquite Marinade. This is great to know about McCormick products. Now I can try more of their marinades and rubs without fear.

"The Grill Mates Mesquite Marinade is Gluten free.

We recognize that gluten is the common name for proteins in specific cereal grains that are harmful to persons with Celiac Disease. These proteins are found in all forms of wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn, and faro), and related grains, rye, barley, and tritcale. When gluten or wheat is present as an ingredient, McCormick will declare it in the ingredient statement. Since the late 1990's, McCormick has used "Plain English" allergen labeling to communicate our product ingredients to our consumers. Gluten is listed as "wheat" in our ingredient statements.

This labeling policy adheres to the FDA regulations that were implemented as of January 1, 2006. If a product does not have an ingredient statement, it is a pure spice or herb with nothing added and contains no added glutens. In addition, the alcohol in all of our retail extracts is not from grain and is gluten free. Because we are constantly improving our products, we do not offer a list of our products that do not currently contain glutens. We encourage you to read the ingredient statement on your package at the time of purchase to ensure accurate, up to date information. "

Pumpkin Pancakes

I had to get out of bed this morning just so that I could go to the dentist and get tortured today. It's 8 hours later and still have a sore mouth. So I experimented a little. Before I was gluten free I used to love to go to the local pancake house in the fall time and have Pumpkin Pancakes with fresh maple syrup. These are pretty close and when served with freshly made maple syrup how can you go wrong.

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 Cup Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1 Egg
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 Cup canned pumpkin
1/4 Tsp. nutmeg
1/4 Tsp. ginger
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Milk or Water

Mix all together.

Aaron James

Today is my nephews memorial service. Little Aaron James was born on April 5th and was with us for a few short hours. It is amazing how such a little person can touch your heart is such a short time. He will be forever in my heart.

I wanted to share this poem with everyone that was given to my sister by the hospital. No poem could ever describe the feelings more than this one.

A WALK TO REMEMBER
I walk to remember
The steps you’ll never take.
I carry you with me
As I firmly plant my feet.
Our trek started long ago,
Before my belly swelled.
You were a love that grew-
Like butterfly wings that beat.
Your gentle flutters then became
Kicks upon which I would dwell.
And I would take to you,
sweet babe,
About the world you soon would meet.

The sun always shone upon us then-
When you were in my womb.
And I was eager to show you the world
That would have been your home.
How you’d have loved the sun shining-
Blue skies without a cloud.
The autumn leaves turning-
the snow falling all around.
The flowers in the summer-
Would have filled your eyes with smiles.
And the rain that might have fallen
Would have caused you great surprise.
You would have traveled far with me-
Holding me by the hand.
And I’d have shown you all I could-
More than I could imagine.

You hold my HEART tightly now,
As though we’re holding hands.
How far we’ve traveled, little one-
And my life with you has been sweet.
For I carry you in my heart,
as I firmly plant my feet.

Peanut Butter Cookies

These are the easiest and fastest Peanut Butter cookies I have every made. 15 minutes from start to finish.

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Peanut Butter (I use Jif)
1 Egg

Mix together and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. That's it.

You can also use brown sugar instead of white sugar or if you are watching your calories replace with Splenda.

I like to load them up with chocolate. Every girls has to have her chocolate.

Receipts, Receipts and More Receipts

I just spent a good hour going through my receipts for Gluten Free foods that I purchase. But it was worth it. I can get almost 90% of my money that I spend back through our Flex Spending Account. All you need to do is keep track of what you spend on Gluten Free products and what it would cost you if it wasn't gluten free and claim the difference . You can also claim shipping and tax. When submitting claims be sure to include a letter from your doctor stating that you are required to be on a Gluten Free diet. It's that easy. So if you have a Flex Spending Account to save your receipts.

What a huge savings! A flex spending account works along the guidelines that the IRS sets.

Chicken Taco Soup

Here it is the third week in April and the weatherman is predicting heavy snow later on tonight into Monday. I figured a big pot of soup would be good for the weekend, along with a warm snugly blanket and movies.


Chicken Taco Soup

1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced green bell peppers
1 T. minced garlic
olive oil
1 lb. chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
1 package GF taco seasoning mix (I use Ortega)
1 (8 oz) jar salsa
14 oz. corn
1 (16 oz) ranch style beans
1 (14 oz) hominy
6 oz tomato paste
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (8 oz) cream cheese

Saute onions, green bell peppers and garlic in olive oil. Add chicken, taco seasoning, salsa, vegetables, beans, tomato paste and chicken broth. Bring to a slow slimmer for 20 minutes. Cut cream cheese into cubes and place in separate bowl and take some hot liquid from soup and pour over cream cheese to melt and then add back to the soup. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes. Serve with Gluten free tortilla chips and grated monterey jack cheese.

This is just as tasty without the cream cheese if you can not have the dairy.

Lucy

I wanted to share this picture. This is my newest baby, Lucy. She was born a couple of days ago and is the sweetest little girl.

It's getting to be a joke but every night when I get home from work, I get my husband his supper and get him off to work. ( I get to see my husband for about a hour a day, not always a bad thing) Anyways, he'll tell me to make sure I check on the calves and let their mommy's in. I whine every night that I just want to sit on the couch and veg. But I do, I go down and see her and she just makes me smile. So everyone this is Lucy my little bundle of joy. For a little while anyways. I have to enjoy her while I can pretty soon she'll be way to big to be my little girl.

Comfort Food. I am all about comfort food and this one of my favorites. I love to mix up a batch of meatballs and have them as a meal. Also this is a great dish to take as lunch the next day. (And I must say they were mighty tasty today for lunch)

If I am making them as a meal for my husband and myself, then I will cook him some spaghetti to go with them and for myself I will make some Chebe Bread and bake it with lots of garlic infused olive oil for an open-faced meatball sandwich.

I made my meatballs a little different this time. I never buy or make gluten free breads, so this time I took my gluten free breadcrumbs and soaked them in milk and that gave me a nice texture for my meatballs then mixed in garlic, freshly grated Parmesan, eggs, basil and parsley.

Life is hard at times. Things are thrown at you that you just don't know if you will be able to handle. But we do. We get through those times. We get through them with the help of family and friends.

Living with Celiac Disease can be tough, especially when it feels like you are the only one with it. Family gatherings and office parties are tough to get through without eating food that you just know is bad for you. I do not have the classic symptoms of the disease. I can eat and eat almost anything and never show any symptoms. My loving husband though is always there to remind me that no I can't.

My husband and I live on a small farm in a small town in rural Western New York. We do no have children and unfortunately there are no children in our future. We do though have 3 cats that we love more then anything. The closest store to buy gluten free products is about 30 miles a way and then the products are very limited.

There are several posts that I read weekly that help keep me motivated. I would like to thank Karina, Lynn and Shauna. I am hopeful that writing about this and sharing my story with other people will help keep me motivated and maybe I will be able to motivate someone else.