February 18th, 2010

If you don’t know somebody in your life right now who can’t eat wheat, consider yourself lucky.

Every day it seems that another person I know finds out that they have either a wheat allergy or celiac.

Being a celiac myself, it means that I can’t have even the tiniest bit of gluten, which is found in wheat and other grains. The smallest crumb will make me sick.
It can make eating out a real pain. Believe me when I say that I can’t even eat a salad if it had croutons and they were picked out. The crumbs left behind will leave me in a mess! Yes, it sucks but such is life.

And because a lot of people are so far removed from baking and knowing what ingredients that are used to make our foods I get asked if I can eat; crackers or “white” bread. Too funny!

If you do know somebody then you might like to bake them up this special recipe. Even if you can eat wheat you might like this flour alternative.

The ingredients are very simple.

1 cup peanut butter (it MUST be natural with no added sugar or fat! and a good brand is best)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon baking soda or powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

Just dump them all into a bowl and stir.

Put into a 9×9 inch pan. An 8×8 inch pan will work also.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350. I know that is a huge difference in time but it really depends upon your oven. Sometimes I make these in my little toaster oven and it browns the top more, like it did in this photo, but if I use my regular oven they cook faster. If you bake them too long they will get dried out.

If you have no problems with dairy you could sprinkle some chocolate chips on top while it is still warm and spread them around after they melt. But I usually prefer to add about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips into the batter before baking.

They are delish!!!

The ingredients are simple and this is very easy to make. You can also substitute the honey for granular sugar and bake them as cookies.
One time I made the cookie recipe and used a store brand of peanut butter and they didn’t turn out as well. Sorry store but something went terribly wrong that time. I usually use the stuff we get at Costco and it works well.

When Josh, one of my son in laws, is around he can (and will) usually eat the entire pan.

If the somebody that you are baking for can’t eat dairy, be sure and get the dairy free chocolate chips.

Give it a try and let me know.

I am working on some quilting projects but they are top secret so I can’t tell you yet. Shhh!

Elisa

February 10th, 2010

Zacks Pillowcase

When grandbaby number one comes to visit he has no place to lay his sleeping head. I did make him a small pillow with some left over batting but it bunched up into hard lumps the first time I washed it.
After his last overnight visit I bought him his own pillow and then some car fabric and made him his very own pillowcase. It has everything a boy of 2.5 could love. Cars, trucks and busses. He LOVES the movie Cars!

I have decided to make another pillow case, or two or three for local charaties. This site is trying to make 1 million pillowcases in 2010 for local charaties.
There are even a couple of free patterns to try out.
Go to All People Quilt to read more about it.

I looked online at their map and I was able to find out which of my local shops are participating.
When I last looked the count was over 23,000. Way to go! I know that my one or two pillowcases that I plan to make will hardly make a difference but each one adds up.
Let me know if you plan to make a pillowcase (or two, or three).
And don’t forget to click on their free pillowcase patterns!

February 8th, 2010

I have a lot of changes going on in the background. Exciting things are just ahead.

First off, my first book, Crazy Curves, is now available as a downloadable PDF. Yippee!

I get a lot of requests for this book.

If you don’t have a copy, now is our chance. I have it listed for an introductory price of $17.95.

Go to the store page and get your copy.

Stay tuned, much more to come!

Elisa